Security Deposits & Damage Claims

Who holds your yacht security deposit depends on the boat, and knowing which case you are in tells you what to expect at check-in. Most boats on charter.boats belong to charter companies that run their bookings through MMK or Nausys: for those, the charter company collects the deposit at the base when you check in, under its own terms.

For boats whose owners take payment directly on charter.boats, we place a hold on your card instead, and it is a hold, not a charge. A deposit is also not the same thing as a damage waiver: if a boat offers one, it appears among that boat's fees.

Checking the Deposit Amount

Every boat shows its deposit amount under Conditions on its page. The amount is set per boat by its operator, so two boats of the same size can ask for different deposits. Check it before you book, the same way you check the fees, so you know how much of your card limit the trip will need.

Charter Company Boats

On a charter company's boat, the deposit is part of the check-in at the base. The company tells you how it is taken and when it is returned, and those terms are theirs, not ours. If anything about it is unclear, ask the operator through the chat before you travel.

Directly Listed Boats: The Card Hold

On a directly listed boat, the card hold works like this. About a week before check-in we place a hold for the deposit amount on the card you booked with. You will see it as a pending amount on your statement; no money leaves your account.

If the hold does not go through, because the card was declined or your bank wants you to confirm it, we email you so you can add a card before you arrive. After your charter, the hold is released automatically 48 hours after checkout if no claim has been filed. American Express holds are released at checkout. Your bank decides how quickly the released amount disappears from your statement.

Filing a Damage Claim

If something is damaged on a directly listed boat, the owner can file a claim, and the rules are the same for everyone. The claim has to be filed within 48 hours of checkout, and it can never be for more than the deposit.

The owner has to attach photos of the damage and a damage report signed by both the owner and you, and choose how it is settled: amicably, in which case nothing is taken and the hold is released, or from the deposit, which needs a repair quote. You are emailed as soon as a claim is filed, and at each step after that. You reach the claim from your booking.

How Claims Are Reviewed

We check only that the documents are present and consistent; we do not decide who is right, and we may ask either side for a missing document. When the documents are complete, the quoted amount is taken from the hold as a precaution.

The owner is then paid the final repair invoice, up to that amount, and the rest comes back to you minus the card fee on the amount taken. If the documents are not accepted, the hold is released.

No Appeal, But Options

There is no appeal; if you disagree, you can ask for an independent expert, paid by whoever asks for one, or go to the courts.

Protect Yourself With Photos

The single most useful thing you can do is photograph or film the boat when you check in and again when you check out: the hull, the tender, the sails, the interior, anything already scratched or worn. Pictures taken on the day are what settle a disagreement later, for guests and owners alike. Owners should do the same before every charter.

For the money side of a booking, including which fees are paid online and which at the base, see Fees & Pricing.

In Short

• Look at the deposit amount on the boat's page
• Know whether the charter company takes it at the base or we hold it on your card
• Take your own photos at both ends of the trip