One of the most common question I get asked about my time working aboard superyacht is “What are the costs associated with owning a superyacht?”  Since no two superyachts are the same and since no two superyacht owners request the same from their yacht and crew, the answer is often hard to give out.

If the superyacht is moved every day from one destination to the next, your annual fuel bill might brake the million dollar mark, but if you plan on keeping it docked in front of your villa to be taken out on weekends only, then fuel costs might not be an issue.

Since the question seems to be asked a lot by those who are simply curious or those who are seriously thinking about splurging on a shinny new white boat, the people at Luxury Yacht Group, an agency that provides creative solutions for yacht management, crew placement, sales and charter, have put together the Luxury Yacht Operating Cost Calculator

Using this great tool, I decided to calculate the average costs of a 150′ superyacht with 9 crew members and a 12 week charter season. Here are the results:

Engine Costs
Fuel $ 83,222
Heat Exchange $ 4,091
Rebuild Costs $ 69,168
Service Costs $ 23,323
Total $ 179,804
Generator Costs
Fuel $ 65,047
Service Costs $ 25,202
Rebuild Costs $ 13,500
Total $ 103,749
Maintenance
Deck $ 7,599
Interior $ 29,378
Paint $ 97,365
Onboard Tenders $ 9,563
Water Maker $ 2,113
Total $ 146,018
Hydraulics
Bow Thrusters $ 5,357
Active Roll Stabilization $ 20,357
Total $ 25,714
Dockage and Transport
Dockage $ 199,125
Dockage while owner is aboard $ 42,000
Ocean Transport $ 300,000
Total $ 541,125
Crew Costs
Salaries Annual
Second Officer/OOW $ 48,000
Deckhand $ 36,000
Chief Engineer $ 84,000
Chief Stewardess $ 66,000
Stewardess $ 67,200
Chef $ 60,000
Deckhand / Engineer $ 38,400
Midgrade Captain $ 120,000
Total $ 519,600
Crew Payroll Services $ 3,600
Crew Medical $ 12,600
Crew Liability $ 3,300
Travel $ 15,300
Food $ 57,488
Uniform $ 24,750
Training $ 4,500
Day workers $ 23,310
Total $ 664,448
Communications
Wireless Internet Card $ 1,344
Satelite Data Link $ 54,000
Satelite TV $ 1,440
Crew Cellular $ 1,095
Navigation $ 3,808
Total $ 61,687
Guest Costs
Dining and Spirits $ 42,000
Entertainment $ 5,400
Water Sports $ 9,600
Total $ 57,000
Administration
Mail $ 24,545
Office Supplies $ 16,821
ISM & ISPS/ ISM Mini $ 6,300
Total $ 47,666
Charter Revenue
Sales (12 weeks at $200,000/week) $ 2,400,000
Charter Broker Fees – Retail Broker -$ 360,000
Charter Agent Fees – Central Agent -$ 120,000
Total Net Income $ 1,920,000
TOTAL ANNUAL EXPENSES $ 1,827,543
Annual Profit/Loss $ 92,457

 

Obviously, the costs of owning a superyacht vary widely on the choices you make, but one think is sure, you can significantly offset the costs by chartering it out for a minimum of 12 weeks a year. One way to stand out from the fleet of superyacht available for charter is to brand your superyacht – build a website, publish a great blog and be social. Need an example, check our MY Starfire‘s digital success.

 

 

Roxanne Genier
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