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The Exumas at 40 to 50m is where the chain stops as a swing-radius market and starts as a tender-shuttle market. A 40 to 50m motor yacht the Exumas in 2026 peak Christmas and February weeks runs $185,000 to $290,000 per week plus 30 percent APA, takes 10 to 12 guests, and carries 9 to 12 crew. The active 40 to 50m fleet calling the Exumas through the December to April season is roughly 14 yachts on dedicated charter, most of them based out of Nassau Albany with the Exumas as the headline week's ground. The 365-island chain runs roughly 130nm from Sail Rocks in the north to Great Exuma in the south, and the bracket sits at the upper edge of what the inner-bank anchorages accept.
Why the bracket is at its limit in the Exumas
The Exumas is a shallow-water bank market. The west side of the chain (the inside) averages 3 to 6m of depth, the named anchorages at Highbourne, Norman's, Compass, and Staniel sit on cuts where the bank meets deeper water, and the east side (Atlantic) is open-ocean exposure that the chain does not protect.
At 40 to 50m the draft is 3.4m to 4.2m and the bracket forces anchor positions outside the inner-bank holds at Compass Cay, the Staniel inner cut, and the Big Major south anchorage. The trip rhythm becomes tender-shuttle to the named day-stops with the yacht parked on outside anchor or at Highbourne and Norman's deeper holds. Below 40m the inner-bank positions open up and the trip rhythm simplifies; above 50m the case starts to break entirely and the bracket pushes out to St Barths and Antigua.
Weekly rate map for 2026 to 2027 season
Rates below are for peak weeks (Christmas through New Year, President's Day 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. The Exumas national park entry permits at Warderick Wells run separately.
| LOA bracket | Motor yacht (low to high) | Sailing yacht and large catamaran (low to high) |
|---|---|---|
| 40 to 43m | $185K to $220K per week | $150K to $185K per week |
| 43 to 47m | $215K to $255K per week | $180K to $225K per week |
| 47 to 50m | $245K to $290K per week | $210K to $260K per week |
Off-peak season (mid-January through early February, late March, and early April) runs roughly 20 to 30 percent below the peak headlines. The strongest value window is the second and third weeks of January when the named anchorages decompress and the bracket can take inner positions at Norman's and Highbourne that are inaccessible at Christmas. For corridor context see the Caribbean bracket page, Bahamas bracket page, and the 30 to 40m Exumas bracket.
What the bracket includes in this bracket
Cabins. 5 to 6-cabin layouts dominate. The Exumas booking pattern leans heavy on family Christmas weeks and friend-group February weeks, and the 6-cabin charter spec at the bracket is the configuration.
Crew. 9 to 12 on motor yachts. The Exumas crew bench runs through Nassau and Florida and is workable through the January window. The chef bench at the bracket tightens at Christmas and at President's week. Specify chef training background and prior Caribbean season at inquiry.
Tenders. The Exumas is the most tender-driven Caribbean destination at the bracket. A primary 9 to 10m fast tender plus a 6 to 7m beach-landing secondary is mandatory rather than nice-to-have. The Big Major south landing for the swim-with-pigs day and the Thunderball grotto at Staniel both require beach approaches and the shore landing at Compass Cay marina is tide-sensitive.
At-anchor stabilizers. Mandatory. The Atlantic-side anchor positions through the chain run a sustained 1m to 1.5m swell from northeast tradewinds through winter, and the bracket's outside-anchor pattern means the kit gets tested every day of the week. The at-anchor differential is the largest single comfort variable in the Exumas fleet.
Helipad. Useful at the upper end of the bracket for the Atlantis to Staniel transfer pattern, but touch-and-go capable is sufficient. The Exumas does not need a certified helipad and the operational use case is the Nassau day-shuttle, not the inter-island reposition.
Trip shapes that fit the bracket
The Exumas chain north week. Embark Nassau Albany, work overnight to Highbourne, day-shuttle Allan's and Norman's, anchor outside Compass for the marina visit, anchor at Staniel for Thunderball, anchor outside Big Major for the pigs day, return Nassau. Seven nights, through the top third of the chain. The bracket fits this with the outside-anchor pattern on the inner-bank positions.
The Exumas stationary ten-night. Embark Nassau Albany, position to Norman's, base outside Norman's with helicopter shuttles to Staniel and Big Major and tender day-shuttles to Compass and Warderick Wells. Ten nights, single regional base, family Christmas pattern. The bracket fits this and the stationary use simplifies the provisioning rhythm.
The Exumas plus Eleuthera ten-night. Embark Nassau Albany, work Exumas chain north section for five nights, position east to Spanish Wells and Harbour Island for two nights, return Nassau. Best at the upper end of the bracket for the open-water Eleuthera cross. Ten nights total.
For destination context see Charter Exumas, Charter Bahamas, and Best charter yachts Caribbean.
What the bracket does not do well in the Exumas
Full chain south to Great Exuma. The chain runs 130nm and the south section past Black Point and Lee Stocking sits outside the charter pattern for the bracket because the south is logistically harder to provision and the tender shuttle distances climb. Stay in the north and central sections.
Inner-cut anchorages at Compass and Staniel. The named inner cuts are inaccessible at the bracket and forcing them is the most common Exumas booking mistake at 40 to 50m. Charter clients who want inner-cut holds should book the 30 to 40m bracket instead. We would pass on any broker who promises an inner-cut anchor position at 45m without written confirmation of the specific hold and depth at contract.
Late-season weeks past 20 April. The Atlantic-side anchorages run hot, the bank-side water clarity drops, and the trip product breaks down through May. The strong charter window closes hard at the end of April.
What we would book
For two couples, seven days in late January, Exumas chain north section with outside-anchor positions at Compass and Big Major: a 43m motor yacht with 5 cabins and at-anchor stabilizers, embarkation Nassau Albany. Budget $205K plus APA, all-in roughly $275K. 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 Norman's base with helicopter shuttle to Staniel and Big Major: a 47m motor yacht with 6 cabins, twin tenders, touch-and-go helipad confirmed. Budget $265K plus APA, all-in roughly $360K. Booking lead time: 12 to 15 months minimum for the Christmas window.
For a friend group of 10, ten days in President's week, Exumas plus Eleuthera: a 45m motor yacht with 5 cabins, embarkation Nassau Albany. Budget $240K plus APA, all-in roughly $320K. Booking lead time: 10 to 13 months.
Vintage and refit checks
The Exumas 40 to 50m fleet is mostly US-built tonnage repositioning from the Florida summer programme, with the European trans-Atlantic arrivals taking the upper end. A 2017 to 2024 build with current AV, full tender complement, and a 2022 or later refit is the value zone. Pass on units without at-anchor stabilizers at any rate band, on any unit whose tender programme does not include the 6m+ beach-landing secondary, and on any Christmas-week booking that has not confirmed the specific outside-anchor positions in writing at contract.