This article titled "Glamorous yachting on the cheap, using a new trip-sharing website" was written by Liz Boulter, for The Guardian on Friday 14th October 2016 05.30 UTC‘What do you think you’re on – your father’s yacht?” This was a common put-down in my northern childhood when anyone gave themselves airs and graces. And, for many people, the idea that sailing is the preserve of the rich and privileged persists. But a recent entrant to the sharing economy has just such people in its sights: those who’ve never been on a yacht and think sailing holidays are out of their reach.
Launched in Italy in 2015, Antlos is an online marketplace that puts boat owners and holidaymakers in touch, much as Airbnb does for rooms and Uber for taxis. And, says marketing manager Lauren Schmitt, as with Airbnb, its 400 (mostly) sailing boats around (mainly) the Caribbean and Mediterranean can be rented as a whole (with skipper – people don’t have to be able to sail), as a private cabin, or a berth in a shared cabin. Prices per day start at under £50 a head, including meals and fuel.
Antlos also reckons to be a boon for owners – whose perennial moan is that a boat is like a hole in the sea they pour money into. Renting out space on their vessel (listing on Antlos is free) helps with boat maintenance costs, and they get to share their passion for sailing.
Chartering yachts online has been around almost as long as things have been bought and sold on the internet, but most of the websites are run by charter agencies, which charge commissions ranging from 15% to as much as 40%. Joining the scrum is Zizoo, an online charter agency (commission 12%) recently launched in the UK that claims to be the Booking.com of boats. Antlos, however, says it cuts out these agencies (and takes a service fee of 6-12% for each booking).
A private cabin deal would suit a couple who couldn’t otherwise afford a yacht holiday, and the shared cabin idea would appeal to solo travellers or backpackers. When they’re not hiring a whole boat, the customer will contact the skipper (via the site) to find out where a boat is heading in a particular week, and sign up if that appeals. And, Schmitt points out, once a booking is confirmed, the trip will happen even with no other takers – so someone paying £50 a day for a berth in a shared cabin could, in theory, end up sailing off in a boat almost to themselves.
At this time of year, there is still some availability in the southern Med, such as boat and breakfast in Corfu at £29pp, but attention is switching to the Caribbean. How about a trip round Panama’s San Blas islands for £50 a day?
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