Yacht Charter in Wellington

If you haven’t already visited New Zealand, you probably will have heard about its natural beauty, friendly people, and lifestyle. The great outdoors is right on your doorstep and locals, and visitors alike take advantage of the multiple opportunities to enjoy the benefits of an abundance of wild nature. This includes sailing and yacht charter in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand.

Wellington is situated at the South Western tip of the North Island and looks on to the Cook Strait, named after Captain Cook, that separates the North and South Island of New Zealand. Wellington enjoys a temperate maritime climate, but it is the world's windiest city by average wind speed. With a combination of history, people, and place, what better situation could you imagine for a private yacht charter holiday.

A skipper chartered yacht for a three-hour charter will cost around 300 USD. Don't forget to check the New Zealand Dollar conversion rate. Chartering a large speed boat with capacity for a large party for you and your friends will cost around $2,000 per day. There are also options for about $150 per person if you just want an exciting day trip. There are many exceptional sailing and power catamarans available to charter for a day trip around Wellington starting from $1,500 for 6 people.

There are off-season prices available, and some private yacht charterers in Wellington will only offer a minimum charter of three days in high season; this can be extended to five days. What does this tell you? Private yacht charter in Wellington is popular, and there is a lot to do and see if you spend a week or more on a charter yacht from Wellington. New Zealand is quite a long flight from most other countries, so plan to spend several weeks on your holiday there and at least a week of that for a private charter yacht.

The yacht charter season in New Zealand is all year round, however, if you prefer the warmer months then book your private yacht charter in Wellington between September and April. The Port Nicholson Regatta offers an action-packed weekend on and off the water. Then there is the Lawson's Dry Hills Charity Cup Invitation Race. It's an amazing opportunity for entrants to participate in a short race for a Charity Cup. Why not turn your yacht charter into a racing holiday. Race against a host of international, skilled sailors and turn your yacht charter into a winning holiday.

Wellington Harbour can present safety issues if the weather conditions are poor. Try picking "weather windows" 1-3 day calm periods as the weather system changes from prevailing Northerly to Southerly or vice-versa. Set sail from the Chaffers Marina or the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club and head East passing Oriental Bay, which is the inner city, golden sand swimming beach. You can sail past Evans Bay and then bear South to follow the coast around Seatoun and on towards Ward Island.

Anchor off Ward Island for lunch. Then onward towards Somes Island. This used to be a POW camp in WWII and later a quarantine facility for animals and is open to day-trippers. The whole island is a Conservation Area, and there are strict regulations controlling access. You can walk up to the top and get an amazing 360-degree view from the center of the harbour, looking straight down the Cook Strait. Somes Island bears East to Days Bay, a sheltered and top-rated swimming beach in summer. After a beautiful day onboard, take your yacht charter home to Wellington.

Put together an overnight itinerary that will get you when and where you want, plus the reward of waking up at dawn on the water. Formerly known as Arapawa Island, Arapaoa is a small island located in the Marlborough Sounds. It is a good overnight yacht charter destination at the Northeast tip of the South Island of New Zealand. Sail in the wake of Captain Cook, who, from a hill on Arapaoa Island in 1770, first saw the sea passage from the Pacific Ocean to the Tasman Sea.

Arapaoa Island is renowned for the breeds of pigs, sheep, and goats found only on the island. You can also decide to disembark on the small Brothers Islands, which lie off the northeast coast of Arapaoa. It is a sanctuary for the rare kind of tuatara which can be easily spotted throughout. Leave a line out overnight and wake up with some fresh fish for breakfast in the morning before you up anchor and head back to Wellington.

The nearest real cruising grounds to Wellington are the Marlborough Sounds at the top of the South Island, and it is spectacular! There are three marinas in this area, and you can even take a ferry from Wellington to Picton and start your yacht charter there or at Waikawa. Good weather conditions are critical if you want to enjoy your yacht charter for a week, so check ahead for the weather conditions. We recommend heading to Tory Channel first.

Once in Tory Channel, there are multiple bays where you could anchor if needed. Most bays have some sort of private house or lodge available for rent in summer. One is Resolution Bay, a quiet little town popular with summer tourists and a few reasonable restaurants and bars with supermarkets for provisions. Waikawa has an active sailing scene. If you are doing a yacht charter for a week from Wellington, you will end up with five days in the Sounds. Therefore you could make your way down Tory Channel, stopping overnight, until you reach Waikawa Marina, then head back to Wellington.