How to Make Your Catamaran Pay for Itself: Charter Ownership 101

Owning a catamaran privately can run close to $195,000 a year before you ever leave the dock. Put the same boat into a well run charter program and that number goes to roughly zero. This full session breaks down exactly how, with a specific focus on California and Mexico. Estelle and Stephen Cockcroft have owned ten boats, sailed over 70,000 miles, and run charter operations in the Caribbean and the Bahamas. Here they walk through private ownership versus charter management, the three program structures on the market, and how to build an ownership business that holds up under scrutiny. Glenn Gopman, CPA, joins the panel to take the tax questions live. Catamaran Guru has partnered with Kurt Jerman and Guinevere King of West Coast Multihulls, who operate charter bases in San Diego, Marina del Rey and Loreto in the Sea of Cortez. Their US bases matter more than most buyers realize: a boat based in the United States has no predominant use limitation, which makes Section 179 and 100% bonus depreciation far simpler to apply. What the panel covers: Guaranteed income, revenue share, and crewed charter, and why Stephen recommends only two of them The LLC structure, multiple income streams, and documenting active participation The 100 hour and 500 hour rules, and why we default to the conservative side First year bonus depreciation at 100%, loss limitation, and carrying forward Recapture, hobby loss rules, foreign LLCs, and why 1031 exchanges no longer apply to boats Planning your exit before you buy West Coast Multihulls' owner first program: a straight 50/50 split after expenses, no turnaround or booking fees, and reciprocal use across three bases The Sea of Cortez charter season, Mexican permitting costs and timelines, and why Puerto Escondido sits outside the hurricane zone 0:00 Welcome and Panel Introductions 1:05 Ten Boats and 70,000 Miles: Estelle and Stephen's Story 2:58 Private Ownership vs Charter Management 4:14 Guaranteed, Revenue Share, and Crewed Programs 9:53 Why Depreciation Matters for High Income Owners 11:41 The Steps: Buy the Boat, Build the Structure 14:25 Choosing a Boutique Management Partner 17:45 Active Participation and the Hour Rules 21:12 100% Bonus Depreciation Explained 24:43 The Numbers: Private vs Charter, Side by Side 32:43 Plan Your Exit Before You Buy 37:08 West Coast Multihulls: Three Bases 43:11 Inside the Owner First 50/50 Program 47:06 Sea of Cortez Season and Mexican Permitting 51:46 Open Q&A: Insurance, Hobby Loss, LLCs 56:25 Contacts and Next Steps If you have been thinking about buying a catamaran and want it to earn its keep, this is the place to start. Learn more about our Yacht Ownership as a Business Program: https://catamaranguru.com/the-truth-about-the-guaranteed-income-boat-as-a-business-pitch-passive-or-active/?utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=Podcast&utm_term=YOAB Our West Coast partners: West Coast Multihulls: https://westcoastmultihulls.com Charters and ASA sailing school: https://bluepacificyachting.com Catamaran Gurus is your safe harbor for yacht sales, yacht ownership, liveaboard lifestyle and sailing education, and charter management. Visit our website for insider details on how to own and operate a yacht for less than you think! Get expert yacht buyer assistance to ensure your buy the right boat for you and your dream.