CHARTER

The word "charter" is used in the marine and aviation industries as a synonym for renting, leasing or borrowing a boat or aircraft.

Yacht charter

A yacht charter is the letting of sailing or motor yachts for a certain period of time. The ship owner rents out his yacht for a charter fee, which usually has to be paid before the voyage. A charter contract is concluded, which regulates the obligations of the charterer and the charteree.

Crewed charter

In the case of a "crewed charter", in addition to the charter yacht, the on-board personnel is also rented from the charterer. The personnel consists of a skipper, who steers the yacht, and (depending on the needs of the charterer) additional personnel such as cooks or hostesses. Since the skipper is responsible for the yacht, the charterer himself is usually not liable for any damages.

Berth charter

If the charterer does not rent the whole yacht, but only a single berth for a fee, it is called a berth charter. The charterer is then involved in the planning of the trip, but the skipper is responsible under liability law, possibly together with the shipowner who owns the ship and rents out the berth and organizes the trip. In the special form of berth charter "hand-for-berth", it is customary for the co-traveler not to pay rent for the trip, but to perform work in return in the form of tasks that arise on the boat. However, it is still common for the co-traveler to contribute to the boat's expenses.

Bare boat charter

If the charterer hires a complete yacht, but does not book additional crew, this is called "bareboat charter". The charterer provides the skipper himself and is liable for any damages according to the concluded charter contract.