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A 30 to 40m motor yacht the Exumas in 2026 peak Christmas and February weeks runs $115,000 to $175,000 per week plus a 30 percent APA, takes 8 to 10 guests, and embarks Nassau (Albany or Atlantis) for the 35nm position south to Highbourne Cay. Roughly 45 yachts in the bracket work the Exumas chain through the December to April Caribbean season, and the chain is the single highest-density destination in the Caribbean at this LOA. This page covers Exumas-working pricing and tactics; for the broader region, see the Bahamas bracket page.
Why the Exumas at this bracket
The Exumas chain runs 130nm from Allan's Cay in the north to Great Exuma in the south. A typical seven-night Exuma charter touches eight to twelve cays and rarely uses a marina between Nassau departure and Nassau return. The 30 to 40m bracket is the size for the chain because the named anchorages (Highbourne, Norman's, Compass, Big Major, Staniel, Black Point) reward shallow-draft anchoring and a heavy tender complement, while the open-water position to Nassau and the run to Long Island require proper at-anchor stabilizers and tender garage capacity.
Draft. The Exumas draft is 2.4m to 3.0m. The chain's bank-side anchorages run 2.5m to 4m and the inner-cay channels (Compass Cay marina entrance, Staniel Cay Yacht Club entrance) carry tidal constraints. Above 40m, the inner-channel access closes and the yacht is forced to anchor outside Big Major and shuttle by tender. Below 30m, the bareboat catamaran market dominates and the dedicated motor yacht tender complement compresses.
Weekly rates the Exumas in 2026 to 2027
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. Exuma charters carry the 10 percent Bahamas charter VAT plus the cruising and fishing permits routed through APA.
| LOA bracket | Motor yacht (low to high) | Sailing yacht and large catamaran (low to high) |
|---|---|---|
| 30 to 33m | $115K to $135K per week | $80K to $108K per week |
| 33 to 36m | $135K to $155K per week | $100K to $130K per week |
| 36 to 40m | $150K to $175K per week | $122K to $160K per week |
Exuma-working rates price roughly 3 to 5 percent above the Nassau-based Bahamas average at the same LOA because the chain demand concentrates here, and the inventory pool is smaller than the broader Bahamas market. Off-peak weeks (early December, mid-January through early February, March outside President's week, early April outside Easter) drop these by 20 to 30 percent.
For broader context, see the Bahamas bracket page and Caribbean charter weekly rates.
What you get in the Exumas-working fleet at this bracket
Cabins. 5 cabins for 10 guests is standard. Family weeks dominate the Exumas demand mix and the 5-cabin layout suits the typical three-generation booking pattern.
Crew. 6 to 8. The Exumas crew bench is centered on Nassau, and last-minute substitution gets harder once the yacht has positioned south of Allan's. Plan crew continuity at booking and confirm the chef and chief stew specifically.
Tenders. Two tenders plus full water-toy kit. The Exumas anchorages reward kit density: jet skis for the Big Major to Pig Beach run, paddleboards for the Compass Cay shark cove, dive setup for Thunderball Grotto, slide and inflatable platform for the family-driven charter weeks. Check the toy inventory before booking; the bracket runs from minimal to full loadout and the difference is material to the week's character.
At-anchor stabilizers. Required. The Atlantic side of the chain (the windward anchorages at Compass, Staniel, and Big Major) takes a sustained 1m to 1.5m swell from northeast wind through January, and the zero-speed stabilizer differential separates upper-bracket comfort from lower-bracket discomfort.
Helipad. Useful at the upper end of the bracket. Staniel Cay and Big Major both run touch-and-go-capable strips and the corridor helicopter shuttle from Nassau cuts the chain transfer time materially for end-of-week disembarkation back to Nassau.
Trip shapes the Exumas at this bracket
The classic chain week. Embark Nassau, position to Highbourne, work south through Norman's, Allan's, Shroud, Warderick Wells (the land and sea park), Compass Cay, Staniel and Big Major, return north or disembark at Staniel via charter flight. Seven nights, eight cays, zero marina nights. The bracket fits all of this.
The stationary Big Major week. Embark Nassau, position to Big Major or Staniel, base there for the week, day-rotate to Compass, Thunderball, and the surrounding cays. Seven nights, single anchorage base. The bracket fits this pattern and the stationary use simplifies the holiday-week provisioning load.
The ten-night Long Island extension. Embark Nassau, work the chain south to Great Exuma, cross to Long Island for two nights, return north. Ten nights. Best at the 36 to 40m end of the bracket for the windward cross.
What this bracket does not do well in the Exumas
Long-passage Caribbean weeks. The Exumas to Turks and Caicos or Exumas to BVI runs are inappropriate at the bracket because the open-water passage is uncomfortable and the destination shift breaks the trip rhythm. Reposition through a separate charter contract if multi-destination is the target.
Hurricane-season chartering. The Exumas chain closes through June to October because of hurricane exposure and the named anchorages can be inaccessible. Late-May weeks run hot and the bracket inventory tightens because most operators have repositioned to the Northeast US for summer.
Late-arrival itinerary changes. The chain's permit and fishing license logistics are routed through the operator's APA pre-charter, and last-minute itinerary expansion into the Northern Exumas Land and Sea Park or southern Conception Island carries permit-cycle constraints. Lock the itinerary at 30 days out.
The pick
For two couples, seven days in mid-January: a 33m motor yacht with 4 cabins, classic chain week from Nassau to Staniel and return. Budget $125K plus APA, all-in roughly $165K. 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 embark with a stationary base at Big Major and a Compass day. Budget $175K plus APA, all-in roughly $230K. Booking lead time: 9 to 12 months minimum for the Christmas window.
Build year, refit, condition
The Exumas-working motor yacht inventory at this bracket carries a high share of US-built tonnage (Westport, Christensen, Hatteras) repositioned from Florida for the Caribbean season. A 2015 to 2024 build with a 2022 or later refit is the value zone, and the AV and water-toys loadout matters more here than in other Caribbean destinations because the chain week is tender-driven. Pass on units with original AV through the post-2020 hardware generation; the family-week demand profile makes integrated screens and content-streaming reliability a real charter variable.