THE CATAMARAN OF YOUR DREAMS AWAITS
Discover how to Sail More & Pay Less with Catamaran Lease.
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Why choose the Catamaran Lease ?
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To sail more than once a year without paying charter rates
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If you don’t want commitment and liability of ownership
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To sail a better equipped boat outfitted by experienced team
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To take full tax advantages and possibly write off 100% of lease cost
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Because you're not ready to retire and spend months onboard just yet
Here is how the Catamaran Lease works
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A 2023 Bali 4.2 sailing cat is purchased and expertly outfitted by us to include every option to make your sailing experience as comfortable and memorable as possible. Click here for list of updates.
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You sign up for a 3- or 5-year lease. The longer the lease term, the less expensive every week is. With a 5-year lease, each week works out to be $4,550 – far less than any similar charter cat out there.
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Every lessee is guaranteed 4 weeks per calendar year: 2 peak weeks (Dec 15-Apr 30), 1 off-peak week (May 1 – Dec 14), and 1 short-term week that allows you to book any unscheduled week with less than 2 weeks’ notice, any time of the year. 1 holiday week (Dec 20-Jan 5) is guaranteed every 3 years. Weeks can be scheduled up to one year in advance.
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The boat is located on St. Thomas, USVI and is stationed at the Charlotte Amalie by Yacht Heaven Grande marina, just minutes away from the airport, easily accessible by mostly direct flights from many U.S. cities. Within walking distance are the supermarket, shops, laundry facilities and myriad of restaurants.
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Each Captain (lessee) must complete a mandatory 3-day orientation and training session with our instructor to get to know the boat’s systems, get some hands-on handling practice. The $2,500 orientation fee allows up to 4 people to stay in 2 cabins, so while some will have a blast learning and practicing, others will have a great mini vacation in the USVIs.
Note: The session can be extended to include certification (101, 102, and 105) for an additional fee.
Note: Multiple lessees can split the cost of the orientation & training, but we strongly recommend having the Captain and at least one sailing partner present.
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When your next scheduled week arrives, you can fly into St. Thomas, take a taxi to the YHG marina and board the cat! The boat will be expertly washed just prior to your boarding, beds made up and linens laundered, and basic consumables such as toilet paper, paper towels, trash bags & others stored on-board. You will enjoy a full tank of fuel & water, and otherwise a shiny, brand-new looking boat.
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During your trip you are responsible for all expenses such as fuel, water, dockage and mooring fees, customs, and food. At the end of your trip, you will need to make sure the boat has full tank of fuel and water, and make sure you are leaving the boat just like you had when you took possession of her. Remove all personal belongings and trash, pack linens in a laundry bag, empty and turn off fridge and freezer and lock her up!
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Check-in and check-out is done electronically, and you will have a detailed checklist to complete each time, with placeholders for photos should you find some issues to report.
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After your sail, you will be billed for the following: Engine usage @$2 per engine/generator hour, watermaker usage @$0.1 per gallon, propane refill @$25, and cleaning / consumables fee of $300. These fees go toward oil changes, filter, impeller, and membrane replacements so all equipment onboard works perfectly. Any damage incurred during use will be appraised and billed separately.
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When you lease term is up, you may simply part ways with us, or renew the lease on the same or different boat. Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to extend your lease term for one or more years. Current demand and boat availability will be the determining factors for such option.
Frequenty Asked Questions
How can you guarantee my weeks?
We have over 8 weeks left in reserve, just so it is easier to schedule all guaranteed weeks. In special cases we can dip into the off-season time, weather permitting.
What if I cannot make my scheduled week?
You can give or sell the week to any other person, just cover the crew cost. Or we can try to charter the boat out and split the proceeds.
How does the scheduling work?
You can reserve or cancel any sail as little as 45 days or as much as a year in advance of the first date. Online calendar tracks the reservations.
What happens if there is bad weather?
If it is not safe to sail, your week will be rescheduled with top priority. If the season is over, we will credit towards next season or make special arrangements.
What if there is damage to the boat?
The on-site manager will immediately arrange for necessary repairs. If possible we carry out repairs ahead of the insurance claim to keep boat operational.
How are lease payments made?
We accept ACH transfer or check for down payment and then monthly installments via automated ACH transfers at the beginning of the month.
What if the boat is total loss?
We pause the lease & suspend monthly payments , until a replacement boat can be obtained. If replacement is not possible, we prorate & refund any unused time.
Why would I sign-up for a longer lease term?
5-year term lease costs less per month. With down payment being the same for either term, the average cost per week is almost 25% higher for a 3-year term.
Why did you choose this model?
The Bali 4.2 offers a combination of highly desirable features: Flybridge, foredeck cockpit, convertible saloon, separate showers, & great performance in one package.
Why did you select 4-cabin layout?
Because you will spend no more than 3 weeks aboard at a time, the benefits of an extra cabin outweight the larger owner’s shower and sink area.
Meet The Team
Alex Shekoff
Alex successfully pioneered the sailboat lease concept back in the early 2000s while running a charter fleet in the Northeast. Over the last 30 years he sailed and owned many boats. Some were brand new, others were the casualties of the hurricane’s wrath and needed a complete rebuild. With technical expertise in electrical and plumbing systems, as well as understanding of electronics software, Alex understands and truly enjoys working with the on-board systems. During summer months he enjoys sailing aboard his Irwin center cockpit in the Raritan Bay.
Tim Overdorf
Tim truly enjoys being on the water and logs thousands of hours every year captaining charter catamarans and performing certification training. Sailing aboard various vessels ranging from mid twenty-foot monohulls to sixty-foot sailing cats, Tim has honed his skills and perfected his techniques which he happily shares with his students and passengers. He also owned many different craft over the years, and when he’s not running a cat in the USVIs, Tim can be often found teaching sailing in the Ft. Myers area aboard his monohull.