Inside Our Crewed Charter Program: A Yacht Owner's Perspective

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 00:56:25 +0000

Inside our crewed charter program, from a yacht owner's perspective.
Blake purchased his Bali 5.8 through Catamaran Guru and placed it into our crewed charter program in the Bahamas. His yacht named "Location" operates through the Exumas with a professional crew that includes Lily of the Galley. The boat has been so successful that Blake is now upgrading to a brand-new factory-order Bali 5.8, retaining the same crew and the same brand name.

0:00 - Inside Our Crewed Charter Program
0:20 - The New Bali 5.8
1:08 - Why the Bali brand?
2:47 - Captain & Chef, does it create a profit?
4:11 Crewed Yacht Program: How does it work?
6:56 - Making It Charter-Ready
8:41 -Charter Operations Management
9:28 - What's Next for Location

Learn more about our Yacht as a Business Program: https://catamaranguru.com/charter-management/yacht-as-a-business-program/

In this conversation with Estelle, Blake walks through the upgrades he's spec'ing for the new boat: additional lithium batteries for guest demand, a second watermaker for redundancy, crew essentials like a dishwasher and washer/dryer, and a large tender for guest activities. He also talks about why Bali builds a boat that's remarkably charter-ready from the factory.
Beyond the boat itself, Blake shares how he manages the charter operation, why choosing the right crew is one of the most important decisions an owner can make, and what it actually looks like to run a yacht as a business while staying hands-on by choice, not necessity.

Interested in charter ownership? Explore our programs:
Yacht as a Business Program: https://catamaranguru.com/charter-management/yacht-as-a-business-program/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=bali&utm_term=MIBS&utm_content=5.8
Crewed Charter Ownership: https://catamaranguru.com/crewed-yacht-charter-ownership/

A yacht or boat business is a fairly simple concept and is structured much like any other for profit business. By placing a yacht into a corporation (usually an LLC) and operating it actively for profit, either directly or through a third party management company, the owner is able to generate substantial tax advantages that further offset the cost of ownership. For U.S. buyers who are in high income tax brackets, this is definitely an option of ownership that should be explored.

The tax benefits must be carefully planned and documented to make sure that the business activity can withstand scrutiny. There are very specific rules and requirements that need to be complied with in order to meet the standard of actively operating a business for profit and taking tax advantages.

Check out this video for more info:
https://youtu.be/B6foveZy5t0

Follow Sailing Location if you want to see more about Blake's Charter Operations:
Website: https://sailinglocation.com/
Location Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sailing_location/
Lily of the Galley: https://www.instagram.com/lilydavison/
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Ready to start your journey? Contact us:
Website: https://catamaranguru.com
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Whether you're exploring tax advantages through a Boat as a Business structure, comparing charter management programs, or looking to buy a new Bali catamaran for crewed or bareboat charter, our team guides you from purchase through your first charter season and beyond. If you're considering a Bali 5.8, Bali 5.2, Bali 4.6, Bali 4.4 or Bali Catspace, or any in the range, for charter, we can walk you through the real numbers, the setup process, and what it takes to build a profitable yacht business

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