Putting you in direct contact with owners of private yachts and accommodation to let

Try this unless you understand yachts and all their complexities, or you know a man who does!

Choose a yacht of an appropriate design for the region where it is to be used. Most charter yachts are destined for hot climate locations so deck space and bathing access are major considerations.

Consider whether the yacht is for bareboat or crewed charter only. Remember, any crew will have to be accommodated and this may reduce your guest capacity if separate crew quarters are not available.

Ensure that the yacht is coded to the appropriate safety standard for the number of guests. UK regulations are generally accepted to be the best in the world, if faintly ridiculous on occasion!

Buy second hand (unless it's a design classic). People who charter yachts generally want new ones (maximum 5 years old).

Research the region where you would like to keep your yacht and ensure that its genre and size are appropriate. A 45 ft sailing yacht may be comparatively large in the Solent but it will be a minnow on the Cote d'Azur.

Equip the yacht to a high level of quality and an appropriate level of sophistication. Champagne flutes may not be necessary for a bareboat charter but they are essential kit if you're planning corporate charters on a larger vessel!

Take care to get the right crew members. If you're operating crewed charter, these are the people who will be facing your customers every day and their ability to operate the yacht/cook/interact with people will determine whether you get repeat business or not.

Respect your crew, making sure they have sufficient decision making capacity and budget for day to day operations. The yacht is their home and they will treat it as such.

Investigate the tax and VAT implications of the venture as, depending upon where the yacht will be kept, there are considerable potential gains to be made by careful planning.