Captain's Blog

Charter a yacht in Mallorca

The Balearics, and particularly Mallorca, are among the top destinations for yacht charter in the world. The combination of easy, cheap flights and great sailing have proven to be very popular, and there are hundreds of yachts available for charter.

Requirements

With hardly any tides and plenty of sheltered harbours and anchorages, Mallorca is suitable for skippers with all levels of experience. Spanish authorities require an Internationl Certificate of Competence, which is the equivalent of an RYA Day Skipper. RYA members can receive their ICC free of charge, typically on providing a relevant RYA course certificate. Many yacht charter companies will provide you with an ICC on production of a RYA course certificate, or after spending up to a day on board a yacht with you to assess your expertise.

Locations

There are many charter locations in Mallorca. Palma, the capital of both Mallorca and the Balearics, is the most popular, since it is near the airport. Many sailors fly in from mainland Spain for long weekends. As a result, Palma is very busy, and many of the nearby anchorages, while beautiful, can get very full, particularly in the summer.

At the other end of the island is the large bay of Alcudia. The Spanish government have recently created a fast new motorway across the island, and Alcudia is now about a forty-five minute taxi-ride from the airport. The bay of Alcudia is very sheltered, and there are several nearby calas (notably Calo es Pinar, Cala Gat and Cala Es Caló), as well as the towns of Ratjada, Pollensa and Porto Cristo and the marina at Bonaire. For the more adventurous, Menorca is about eight hours away across the Majorca Channel (incidentally, one of the best places to spot dolphins in the Western Mediterranean) and is very unspoilt.

Further recommendations on places to go can be found in the Where to sail in Mallorca section.

(Full disclosure: my boat, Tripitaka, is berthed in Alcudia, and available for charter. While I may be biased towards Alcudia, that's because I did my research and despite the extra travelling, it is worth it for the peace and tranquillity when I get there, especially for someone like me with a full-time job.)

Charter companies

In Alcudia: Mallorca Yacht Charter and Training (MYCT) MYCT manage the charter of my yacht Tripitaka. You can find out more details about Tripitaka or make a booking enquiry here

In Palma: I welcome recommendations. Please contact me with your suggestions.