It is obvious, not everyone has the purchasing power to buy a boat. But there is a segment of the population that can afford to rent it with family or friends. The charter – as the world of leasing in the nautical sector is known – experienced effervescent moments when the hardest part of the pandemic was over, but Covid was still very present. These were times when not all leisure activities generated a feeling of security. In this context, many people chose to rent a boat to spend their vacations. They felt more protected from the virus. That kind of boom passed, but it has left a trail. “Today, four out of every ten boats sold in Spain are for the commercial sector, that is, for rental,” says Jordi Carrasco, general director of the National Association of Nautical Companies (Anen). Thus, the trend has established itself as one of the main doors of access to the sector.
And like everything that is trending in the world of boats, rentals can also be discovered at the Barcelona International Boat Show, which ends this Sunday. In the Port Vell of the Catalan capital there are several companies dedicated to this field. One of them is Becharter. “People discover yachting through renting and then they get hooked,” says Albert Cardona, sales manager for the firm’s program for shipowners. “With the pandemic, it was positioned as a safe alternative and now it has dropped, but all of that has maintained a legacy,” he explains.
In high season, a boat that can sleep about eight people costs about 4,000 euros per week, says Cardona. According to him, the charter alternative “will go further.” Cardona explains another advantage: “As the boats are shared, it makes sailing more ecological.”
Near his stand is Pau Fernández, a young man from Figueres who founded Wecharter. “We propose to boat owners that when they are not sailing they rent them according to their needs,” he describes. “It’s about doing business when the ship is stopped,” adds Fernández.
The young entrepreneur is sure that the sector is “going this way.” “People of my generation no longer want to own property, but rather enjoy it. In such a global world, imagine that a job opportunity arises in Norway, for example. “What do you do with them?” argues the businessman and naval engineering student.
Business Yacht Club Barcelona is a sailing club in the Catalan capital. Members start by paying 39 euros per month and have the right to a skippered outing. “We do nautical education,” says Claudi Palacios, dedicated to boat maintenance. “When members gain experience, they rent on their own,” he says. According to Palacios, the America’s Cup will “promote” the passion for sailing in Barcelona. “All this will go up,” he predicts.
Cardona, Fernández and Palacios consider that the Boat Show is a good showcase to promote their initiatives and believe that rentals bring boating to a larger audience. “It is a very important entry of new users that has been growing and has been sustained in recent years,” defines Jordi Carrasco. According to the general director of Anen, who collaborates with Fira de Barcelona in the organization of the Boat Show, it is also a way for fans, over time, to “end up buying” a boat.