This page contains affiliate and referral links. If you charter, book, or buy through them we earn a referral fee, paid by the broker or platform, at no cost to you. We have not adjusted our rankings for the referral rate. Full breakdown on our how-we-make-money page.
The Bahamas at 40 to 50m is the bracket where draft starts to dictate the itinerary. A 40 to 50m motor yacht the Bahamas in 2026 peak Christmas and February weeks runs $175,000 to $285,000 per week plus 30 percent APA, takes 10 to 12 guests, and bases out of Nassau Albany, Atlantis, or Marsh Harbour depending on the itinerary. The active 40 to 50m fleet calling the Bahamas through the December to April Caribbean season is roughly 22 yachts, plus a further 12 to 15 in transit through Nassau from Florida between November and May. The bracket sits at the upper limit of what the Exuma chain accepts inside the bank, and the draft is the single largest planning variable on the page.
Why the bracket pushes the Bahamas envelope
The Bahamas is a shallow-draft destination across most of its anchorages. The Exuma chain runs through a bank averaging 3 to 6m of water on the inside, with the deepwater Atlantic side facing the open ocean. At 40 to 50m the draft climbs to 3.4m to 4.2m and the inner-chain anchorages at Compass, Staniel, and Big Major run tight. The bracket clears the channels into Highbourne and Norman's without issue, but the deeper inner-bank positions reward the 30 to 40m bracket below it.
The Nassau and Albany bases handle the bracket without constraint. The Abacos via Marsh Harbour handle the bracket but the Sea of Abaco's depth limits the inner anchorages to outside positions through Treasure Cay and Hope Town. Above 50m the Bahamas case starts to break on draft and most owners reposition to St Barths or stay on Atlantic-side anchor positions.
Weekly rate map for 2026 to 2027 season
Rates 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 charter VAT is 10 percent and runs through the APA along with cruising permit and fishing permit fees.
| LOA bracket | Motor yacht (low to high) | Sailing yacht and large catamaran (low to high) |
|---|---|---|
| 40 to 43m | $175K to $210K per week | $140K to $180K per week |
| 43 to 47m | $205K to $245K per week | $170K to $215K per week |
| 47 to 50m | $235K to $285K per week | $200K to $250K per week |
Off-peak Caribbean season (early December outside the Christmas window, 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 Bahamas charter VAT at 10 percent is materially below the BVI per-day cruising tax burden and below the St Barths French Caribbean VAT regime, and the bracket's all-in delta to the BVI and St Barths runs 12 to 18 percent in the Bahamas' favour after taxes. For corridor context see the Caribbean bracket page, Caribbean charter weekly rates, and the 30 to 40m Bahamas bracket.
What the bracket buys you in this bracket
Cabins. 5 to 6-cabin layouts dominate. The Bahamas booking pattern at the bracket is heavy on multi-family Christmas and President's week groups, and the 6-cabin charter spec runs through Atlantis and Albany consistently.
Crew. 9 to 12 on motor yachts. The Nassau crew bench runs deepest in the Caribbean for last-minute substitution because Florida is the repositioning base. The Abacos and Exumas bases run thinner. Specify chef training background at inquiry for the Christmas booking.
Tenders. A primary 9 to 10m fast tender plus a 6 to 7m beach-landing secondary, with a full water-toy loadout. The Exumas swim-with-pigs day at Big Major and the Thunderball grotto at Staniel are tender-driven and the inventory matters more here than the rate sheet implies.
At-anchor stabilizers. Mandatory at the bracket. The Atlantic side of the Exuma chain from Compass to Staniel runs a sustained 1m to 1.5m swell from northeast wind through winter, and the at-anchor differential separates the upper-end bookings from the standard fleet.
Helipad. Useful at the upper end of the bracket for the Nassau to Exuma chain transfer pattern. Touch-and-go capable yachts price 8 to 12 percent above non-helipad equivalent in the Christmas week because the Atlantis to Staniel helicopter shuttle removes a 110nm yacht reposition from the trip rhythm.
Trip shapes that fit the bracket
The Nassau to Exumas eight-night. Embark Nassau Atlantis or Albany, work to Highbourne, Norman's, Allan's, Compass (anchor outside), Big Major for the pigs day, Staniel for Thunderball, return to Nassau. Eight nights gives the bracket the room to add an Eleuthera windward overnight before returning. The bracket fits the route with the outside-anchor pattern on the inner-bank positions.
The Abacos stationary ten-night. Embark Marsh Harbour, base Hope Town or Treasure Cay outside, day-rotate to Man O War, Elbow Cay, Green Turtle, and the Sea of Abaco anchorages. Best at the 40 to 43m end of the bracket because the Sea of Abaco's depth tightens above 43m. Ten nights, single regional base.
The Bahamas plus Florida cross. Embark Palm Beach or Fort Lauderdale, position overnight to Bimini, work the Bahamas Bank to Nassau, then Exumas chain north section, return one-way Nassau or Staniel. Ten to twelve nights. Best at the upper end of the bracket for the open-water passage reliability.
For destination context see Charter Bahamas, Charter Exumas, and Best charter yachts Caribbean.
What the bracket does not do well in the Bahamas
Inner-bank Exumas anchorages. The Compass, Staniel inner cut, and Big Major inner-bank positions run tight at the bracket and the named anchorage geometry pushes the yacht to outside anchor positions on tender shuttle. Charter clients who want inner-bank holds for the Christmas window should book the 30 to 40m bracket instead.
Hurricane-season weeks. The Bahamas season closes through June to October because of hurricane exposure and crew availability constraints. Weeks priced into July and August at the bracket carry weather risk that the Mediterranean reposition does not.
Late-season Exumas weeks past 25 April. The Atlantic-side anchorages run hot through May and the water clarity drops on the bank side. The strong charter window closes hard at the end of April.
Our pick
For two couples, seven days in late January, classic Nassau to Exumas chain with outside-anchor positions at Compass and Big Major: a 43m motor yacht with 5 cabins and at-anchor stabilizers, embarkation Nassau Albany. Budget $195K plus APA, all-in roughly $260K. Booking lead time: 8 to 11 months for peak, 4 to 6 months off-peak.
For a family of 12, ten days at Christmas, stationary Atlantis base with helicopter shuttle to Staniel and Big Major day-trips: a 47m motor yacht with 6 cabins, twin tenders, touch-and-go helipad confirmed. Budget $260K plus APA, all-in roughly $350K. Booking lead time: 12 to 15 months minimum for the Christmas window.
For a friend group of 10, ten days in President's week, Bahamas plus Florida cross: a 45m motor yacht with 5 cabins, embarkation Palm Beach, disembark Nassau one-way. Budget $230K plus APA, all-in roughly $310K. Booking lead time: 10 to 13 months.
Build, refit, what to ask
The Bahamas 40 to 50m fleet runs a higher share of US-built tonnage than the BVI or St Barths because Florida is the repositioning base and the trans-Atlantic crossing economics favour US-built hulls staying in the Western Atlantic. Westport, Trinity, Christensen, and the Florida Benetti and Sanlorenzo deliveries dominate. A 2017 to 2024 build with a 2022 or later refit and current AV is the value zone. We would pass on units that have not refit since the 2019 to 2021 storage cycle because the Florida summer humidity load is severe and the kit deterioration is visible by year five without active climate management.