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A 30 to 40m yacht the Abacos in 2026 peak weeks runs $95,000 to $150,000 per week plus a 30 percent APA, takes 8 to 10 guests, and bases out of Marsh Harbour, Hope Town, or Treasure Cay across the December to April season. The Abacos carries fewer than 20 dedicated mid-size yachts at any given peak week and most charters in the bracket position in from Nassau, Palm Beach, or Fort Lauderdale rather than wintering on the chain. This page covers Abacos-based pricing and tactics; for the wider Bahamas, see the Bahamas bracket page.
Why the Abacos at this bracket
The Abacos is a 100nm shallow-water chain, sheltered to the east by Great Abaco and to the west by a string of cays, with the Sea of Abaco running between them at 3 to 4m depth. The chain is the most protected cruising water in the Bahamas, with named anchorages every 6 to 10nm: Hope Town, Man-O-War, Great Guana, Green Turtle, Manjack, and Treasure Cay.
The 30 to 40m bracket fits the Abacos for one specific reason: draft. The draft for the Sea of Abaco interior is 2.5m or less, and the 30 to 35m motor yacht and large catamaran inventory clusters in that draft range. Yachts above 40m typically draw 3m or more, which means routing outside via the Atlantic side of the cays and losing the protected-water advantage that defines the chain.
Above 40m, the anchorages thin out fast. Below 30m, the dedicated motor yacht inventory is sparse because the bareboat and small-catamaran market dominates.
Weekly rates from the Abacos in 2026 to 2027 season
Ranges below are for peak weeks (Christmas, New Year, and President's week in February) for the 2026 to 2027 season, before APA at 30 percent and gratuity at 10 to 15 percent. The Bahamas charges a 4 percent charter VAT on yacht charters in Bahamian waters.
| LOA bracket | Motor yacht (low to high) | Sailing yacht and large catamaran (low to high) |
|---|---|---|
| 30 to 33m | $95K to $115K per week | $70K to $95K per week |
| 33 to 36m | $110K to $130K per week | $85K to $115K per week |
| 36 to 40m | $125K to $150K per week | $100K to $135K per week |
Off-peak Bahamas season (early December, mid-January, and March outside President's week) runs roughly 20 to 25 percent below the peak headlines. April is the strongest value window before the season closes.
What you get in the Abacos fleet at this bracket
Cabins. 5 cabins for 10 guests is the spec on motor yachts. Most operate with 6 to 7 crew. The shallow-draft catamaran inventory at 30 to 24m carries 4 to 5 cabins for 8 to 10 guests and is the more common format on the chain.
Tenders. A beach-landing tender is mandatory because the Abacos shore approaches are sand bars and shallow cuts. The toy spec runs lighter than the BVI norm because the protected-water boating is more day-cruise than water-sports.
Stabilizers. Less load-bearing than in the BVI because the Sea of Abaco is flat through most of the season. At-anchor stabilizers are useful at Treasure Cay and the Atlantic-side cuts where swell wraps in.
Refit status. Hurricane Dorian (September 2019) destroyed Marsh Harbour, Hope Town, and Treasure Cay's marine infrastructure. Yachts that based in the Abacos before 2019 took severe storm-surge damage. Confirm refit dates and post-2019 survey before booking; we would pass on any yacht in the bracket without documented post-Dorian structural and electrical work.
Route shapes from the Abacos at this bracket
The Hope Town loop. Embark Marsh Harbour, work to Hope Town for two nights, Man-O-War, Great Guana (Nipper's), Treasure Cay for the beach, Green Turtle Cay, return Marsh Harbour. Seven nights, six anchorages, all inside the chain.
The Abacos plus Spanish Cays cross. Embark Treasure Cay, work the chain south to Hope Town and Lubbers Quarters, then north to Spanish Cays and Walker's Cay for the Atlantic-side cuts. Ten nights. Best at the 33 to 36m end of the bracket.
The fishing week. Embark Marsh Harbour, base the eastern Atlantic side for marlin and mahi, with overnight anchorages at Sandy Point and the Pelican Cays. Seven nights. Requires a yacht with a proper fishing tender and a captain familiar with the Abacos canyons.
What this bracket does not do well in the Abacos
Late-season weeks. The Abacos season closes through May because the northeast Atlantic swell wraps around the chain. Weeks past 25 April price down for a reason.
Long-passage Bahamas weeks. The Abacos to Exumas run is a 24-hour open-water passage and the chain rhythm breaks. Reposition through a one-way charter contract if the trip needs both chains.
Heavy water-sports loadouts. The Abacos shallow cuts limit jet-ski range and the toy inventory in the bracket reflects this. If water sports are the priority, the Exumas suit better.
Our pick
For two couples, seven nights in mid-March: a 32m motor yacht with 4 cabins and a 2.2m draft, Hope Town loop with a Treasure Cay beach day. Budget $110K plus APA, all-in roughly $145K. Booking lead time: 4 to 6 months for the shoulder weeks.
For a family of 10, seven nights at New Year: a 38m motor yacht with 5 cabins, Abacos chain with a Spanish Cays positioning leg. Budget $150K plus APA, all-in roughly $200K. Booking lead time: 9 to 12 months minimum for the NYE week.
Build year, refit, condition
The Abacos 30 to 40m fleet skews newer than the wider Caribbean because the post-Dorian rebuild reset the marina inventory and pulled fresh tonnage into the chain. A 2020 build or later, or a documented post-2019 refit, is the threshold. Pre-2019 hulls without post-Dorian work should not be on a charter client's shortlist regardless of headline rate.