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A 30 to 40m motor yacht the Bahamas in 2026 peak Christmas and February weeks runs $110,000 to $175,000 per week plus a 30 percent APA, takes 8 to 10 guests, and bases out of Nassau (Albany or Atlantis), Bimini, or Marsh Harbour Abaco depending on the itinerary. The Bahamas carries roughly 70 yachts in the bracket through the December to April Caribbean season and adds another 30 to 40 in transit through Nassau from Florida between November and May. This page covers Bahamas-based pricing and tactics; for the wider Caribbean, see the Caribbean bracket page.
Why the Bahamas at this bracket
The 30 to 40m bracket is the size for the Bahamas because the destination is shallow-draft and the named anchorages (Allan's Cay, Compass Cay, Staniel, Highbourne, Norman's, Big Major) reward a yacht that can carry proper tender complement and at-anchor stabilizers without committing to the 50m-plus bracket where draft becomes a real constraint. The Bahamas is a 700-island chain spread across 5,000 square miles of shallow water; the bracket lets you reach the Exumas chain from Nassau in a half-day, the Abacos from Marsh Harbour as a stationary base, and the Eleuthera and Cat Island runs without forcing a long-passage rhythm.
Draft. The bracket's draft is 2.4m to 3.2m, which clears the channels into Staniel and Compass and lets the yacht park inside the Exuma chain rather than outside the bank. Above 40m the draft tends to climb past 3.5m and the inner-chain anchorages get harder. Below 30m, the bareboat catamaran market dominates Nassau and Bimini and the dedicated charter motor yacht inventory thins.
Weekly rates from the Bahamas in 2026 to 2027 season
Ranges below are for peak weeks (Christmas through New Year, President's Day week, Easter week) for the 2026 to 2027 season, before APA at 30 percent and gratuity at 12 to 15 percent. The Bahamas charges a charter VAT of 10 percent plus cruising permit and fishing permit fees that run through the APA.
| LOA bracket | Motor yacht (low to high) | Sailing yacht and large catamaran (low to high) |
|---|---|---|
| 30 to 33m | $110K to $135K per week | $80K to $108K per week |
| 33 to 36m | $130K to $150K per week | $98K to $130K per week |
| 36 to 40m | $145K to $175K per week | $120K to $160K per week |
Off-peak Caribbean season (early December, mid-January through early February, March outside President's week, and early April outside Easter) runs roughly 20 to 30 percent below the headline peak. The strongest value window is mid-January through the first week of February.
The Bahamas charter VAT is the headline tax variable: a 10 percent VAT is materially below the BVI cruising tax and below the St Barths and French Caribbean VAT regimes, which is a primary driver of the Bahamas' price competitiveness within the Caribbean.
For broader Caribbean context, see the Caribbean bracket page and Caribbean charter weekly rates.
What you get in the Bahamas fleet at this bracket
Cabins. 5 cabins for 10 guests is standard. The Bahamas fleet leans toward 4-cabin owner-spec layouts at the lower end of the bracket and 5-cabin charter spec at the upper end.
Crew. 6 to 8. The Bahamas crew bench runs deepest at Nassau and Albany; the Abacos and Exumas bases run thinner for last-minute substitution. Plan crew continuity at booking.
Tenders. Two tenders is standard with a heavy water-toys loadout because the Bahamas anchorages reward the kit: jet skis, paddleboards, kite gear, dive setup. The Exumas swim-with-pigs day and the Thunderball grotto day are tender-driven and the inventory matters.
At-anchor stabilizers. Recommended. The Atlantic side of the Exuma chain (Compass to Staniel) takes a sustained 1m swell from northeast wind, and zero-speed stabilizers separate the upper bracket from the lower bracket on guest comfort.
Helipad. Useful at the upper end of the bracket for the Nassau to Exuma chain transfer pattern. The corridor heliports at Staniel and Big Major are touch-and-go capable; certified helipad use is rare and not required.
Week shapes from the Bahamas at this bracket
The Nassau to Exumas week. Embark Nassau, work to Highbourne, Norman's, Allan's, Compass, Big Major (pigs), Staniel (grotto), return to Nassau or disembark at Staniel via charter flight. Seven nights, the full Exuma chain north section. The bracket fits all of this.
The Abacos stationary week. Embark Marsh Harbour, base Hope Town or Treasure Cay, day-rotate to Man O War, Elbow Cay, and the Sea of Abaco anchorages. Seven nights, single regional base. The bracket fits this pattern and the stationary use suits family weeks with younger guests.
The Eleuthera and Cat Island ten-night. Embark Nassau, position to Spanish Wells and Harbour Island, work the Eleuthera windward coast, cross to Cat Island, return to Nassau. Ten nights. Best at the 36 to 40m end of the bracket for the open-water windward leg.
What does not work at this bracket in the Bahamas
Multi-region single weeks. The Abacos and the Exumas are 200nm apart and combining them in a single seven-night week costs two repositioning days. Charter clients who want both should book a ten-night week or a one-way charter; the standard seven-night week should focus on one region.
Hurricane season weeks. The Bahamas season closes through June to October because of hurricane exposure and the named anchorages can be inaccessible. Charter weeks priced into July and August carry weather risk and crew availability is constrained.
Late-season Exumas weeks. The Atlantic-side anchorages run hot and the bank-side anchorages drop in water clarity through late May. The strong charter window closes around 25 April.
Two we would book
For two couples, seven days in late January: a 33m motor yacht with 4 cabins, Nassau to Exumas chain week. Budget $120K plus APA, all-in roughly $160K. Booking lead time: 6 to 9 months for peak, 3 to 5 months off-peak.
For a family of 10, ten days at Christmas: a 38m motor yacht with 5 cabins, Nassau base with Exumas chain run and one Eleuthera night. Budget $170K plus APA, all-in roughly $225K. Booking lead time: 9 to 12 months minimum for the Christmas window.
Vintage and refit checks
The Bahamas 30 to 40m fleet runs a higher share of US-built tonnage than the rest of the Caribbean because Florida is the base for Bahamas-season repositioning. Westport, Christensen, and Hatteras dominate the US-built inventory; the European tonnage (Benetti, Sanlorenzo) repositions from the Med through Atlantic passage every November. A 2015 to 2024 build with a 2022 or later refit is the value zone. Pass on units with original kit through a Bahamas summer storage cycle because the storage humidity load is severe.