Top 10 Ways to Charter

Ed Hamilton & Co.

The Moorings
SunSail
Charternet
Barefoot Yacht Charters
The Catamaran Company
TMM Bareboat Vacations
Conch Charters
Footloose Sailing Charters
Bitter End Yacht Club

Our number 1 choice for best way to charter a boat, is not a charter company but rather a charter broker. Ed Hamilton & Company was chosen as our best route to a charter vacation in 2005 for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, they are a highly reputable booking agency for all the charter companies. Other booking agencies or charter brokers often represent only select charter companies, which makes their recommendations more limited and potentially (understandably) biased.

Ed Hamilton's staff will find you a boat that serves your needs, in the area you would like to go, make all your travel arrangements, advise you on the details surrounding your charter, your travel, and your destination, and make it as easy as it can possibly get. It doesn't cost you any more than it would if you booked directly because their fees are paid by the charter companies. Their advice is not biased because they represent all the companies equally. They also offer additional service and safety benefits - they hold deposits in escrow in the US not overseas, they help fix problems if something goes wrong, and they negotiate better travel rates than you might be able to get on your own. They've been in business for a long time, and have even received an endorsement from Conde Nast. On top of all that, they are really nice and they have a very informative website which is great for planning and helps first time charterers determine how to go about it. Kudos to Ed Hamilton!

The rankings beyond the number one selection is based on 1) Google search ranking, 2) size of fleets, 3) location of fleets, 4) reputation of charter company, and 5) online services. Please let us know if you agree or disagree with our selections. If you do not see your company listed here, please provide us with the information we need to include your services in our next Top 10 evaluation.

Please Note: The number 1 selection each month receives a free link to their website for that month. Being named to the list does qualify those honored to sponsor links. Please contact us for details. The list is not revealed prior to posting so the selections are made in relative absence of bias according to reasonably well defined criteria. You are invited to submit names for consideration.

Further Reading

• Our feature article about Chartering here.
• An interesting option in the market: Time Share Boat Ownership / Fractional Sailing.

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