Private Boat Charter Bay of Islands: A Local’s Guide
Last Updated: November 2, 2026
Quick Summary
A private boat charter in the Bay of Islands gives your group the vessel, skipper and day to yourselves, with an itinerary shaped around what you want to do. At Barefoot Sailing we run private charters on two hand-built New Zealand catamarans, capped at 16 or 20 people with 2 boats available, so the day belongs to you.
- Skippered charters include a qualified crew, while bareboat rental requires genuine sailing experience.
- Our catamarans Kopioko and Moonwalker were hand built in New Zealand and suit groups of up to 20.
- We build each route around the forecast, tide and your group rather than a fixed loop.
- With 3 cruise options – choose from full day, half day or evening cruise.
- Boarding is from the beach at Paihia, so you step into shallow water and use a boarding ladder.
Table of Contents
- What a Private Boat Charter in the Bay of Islands Really Gets You
- Skippered or Bareboat: Choosing Your Private Sailing Charter
- Why a Private Catamaran Charter Suits Groups
- Building a Private Boat Charter Itinerary That Fits Your Group
- Booking a Boat Charter for Families
- What Shapes the Cost of a Charter
- Weather, Safety and Looking After the Marine Sanctuary
- Enquire About Your Private Charter
- Frequently Asked Questions
What a Private Boat Charter in the Bay of Islands Really Gets You
A private boat charter in the Bay of Islands gives your group the vessel, the skipper and the day to yourselves, with an itinerary shaped around what you actually want to do. At Barefoot Sailing, we run private charters on two hand-built New Zealand catamarans, and the difference from a scheduled tour is simple: the day belongs to you.
The wider market is moving this way too. HTF Market Intelligence’s 2024 forecast projects private island yacht itineraries growing at around 11% a year, and it’s easy to see why once you’ve spent a morning anchored off a quiet island with nobody else around.
What most people get wrong is assuming a charter is just a bigger version of a ferry trip. It isn’t. You’re not a passenger being moved from point A to point B. You’re on a sailing boat, in sheltered water, with a crew who lives here and knows which bays work on which wind.
Below, we’ll show you how to choose between skippered and bareboat, what suits groups and families, and how to build an itinerary that fits your people rather than a timetable.
Skippered or Bareboat: Choosing Your Private Sailing Charter
A skippered charter means a qualified crew runs the boat while you relax, swim or take the helm if you fancy it. A bareboat rental means you take the vessel out yourself, which requires genuine sailing experience and a bareboat charter operator willing to hand over the keys.
What a Skipper Brings to the Day
Everything, in our (slightly biased) opinion. A skipper reads the forecast, picks the anchorage that works with the tide, and knows where the shelter sits when the wind swings. They also handle the boat while you snorkel, paddleboard or just lie on the deck.
You don’t need sailing experience to join a skippered charter. If you want to steer, our skipper is usually happy to hand over the helm. If you’d rather sit back with a coffee, that’s just as welcome.
When Bareboat Rental Makes Sense
Bareboat suits confident sailors who want to run their own passage over several days. It’s a different product entirely: more responsibility, more planning, and you’re the one watching the weather. For a day out with family, friends or workmates, a skippered private sailing charter removes all of that load.
Why a Private Catamaran Charter Suits Groups
A private catamaran charter is the format that suits groups best, because a catamaran gives you deck space rather than a narrow cockpit. No heel, no clinging to a rail, no queue for a seat.
Friends relaxing on a catamaran boat charter deck near a tropical beach with a person paddleboarding nearby.
Our boats are capped at 16 or 20 people depending on the vessel, and that number counts every person aboard, including babies and toddlers.
Our two boats are Kopioko, a 10m Tennant Turrissimo with a sports cruising design, and Moonwalker, a 12m Tennant Jayar proven as a world cruiser. Both were hand built here in New Zealand and both are well known in the multihull sailing and racing community. You can see the private charter options and what a day aboard looks like.
For celebrations, work functions or family reunions, private group cruise options cover the setup properly.
Best for: groups of 8-20 who want space, comfort and a say in where the boat goes. Skip if: you’re after a large ferry-style trip to the outer coast.
Building a Private Boat Charter Itinerary That Fits Your Group
A private boat charter itinerary should be built around three things: how long you have, what your group wants to do, and what the wind is doing that morning. That’s the honest answer, and it’s why we don’t hand out a fixed route. We’d rather shape the day around your people and the forecast than run a fixed loop.
How We Actually Plan a Route
A common pattern on the morning of a charter looks like this:
- Check the forecast and tide, wind direction and strength decide which side of the bay gives us shelter, and the tide decides when we can comfortably anchor and swim.
- Pick the island stop, the seven-island predator-free sanctuary in the eastern bay is our default for wildlife and beach time, but on a brisk southerly we’ll tuck into a more sheltered anchorage instead.
- Build in sailing time, we aim for a genuine sail, and we’ll use the engine only if we have to keep time.
- Leave room to change your mind, if the group is loving a bay, we stay. If the kids are done, we head home. That flexibility is the whole point of a private charter.
Half-Day, Full-Day and Evening Formats
|
Format |
Time on water |
Best for |
What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Half-day |
Around 3-4 hours |
Families, short visits |
One anchorage, swim and sail |
|
Full-day |
Around 6 hours |
Groups, celebrations |
Sailing plus a long island stop |
|
Evening |
2-3 hours |
Couples, work drinks |
Sunset sail, sheltered water |
A full-day charter gives you time to sail and to settle in somewhere rather than watch the clock. Our Island Hopper includes a two-hour island stopover with snorkelling, paddleboarding, a walk and lunch, and the skipper is happy to let anyone who wants a turn at the helm take it.
Anchorages, Island Stops and Wildlife
There are 144 islands in the Bay, and seven of them form a predator-free sanctuary we visit on our Island Hopper cruise. The Island Hopper includes a two-hour island stopover with snorkelling, paddleboarding, a walk, lunch and native birdlife. If you want ideas for quieter corners, have a read on hidden gems and secluded stops.
Wildlife is never guaranteed. We often see dolphins, but not every day, and we don’t chase them. This is a Marine Mammal Sanctuary and the resident dolphins are sensitive to boat traffic, so we leave them be, no following, no swimming with them (Proposed amendment to Te Pēwhairangi (Bay of Islands) Marine Mammal Sanctuary rules). If they happen to be where we’re sailing, that’s a bonus, not a promise.
Watch out: the Hole in the Rock is at the outer peninsula and requires a larger passenger ferry due to distance and sea state; our Island Hopper focuses on the sheltered eastern islands instead.
Booking a Boat Charter for Families
A boat charter for families works best when the day is broken up. Our Island Hopper runs two hours sailing each way with a two-hour island stopover, which gives kids and parents a proper break from being on board.
We have lifejackets for all ages and there is no minimum age requirement; an ideal age is 4 and up. Interactive kids are welcome, but they can’t run around the boat, so gentle play only.
One confident parent makes the day. If you’re unsure, ring us before booking and we’ll talk it through honestly. Parents wanting more detail should read our sailing with kids safety rules.
What Shapes the Cost of a Charter
Pricing depends on duration, group size, the vessel, what’s included and the time of year. For current prices or a quote, check our website or get in touch.
The Five Things That Move the Price
- Group size, our boats are capped at 16 or 20 people depending on the vessel, and every person aboard counts toward that number, including babies and toddlers. That cap is deliberate: it’s the difference between a group day out and a queue.
What’s Included, and What to Ask About
On our Island Hopper cruise, lunch and all optional activities are included in the ticket price, and we donate part of the ticket price to Project Island Song, the conservation initiative regenerating the habitats on the seven protected islands.
When you compare quotes from any operator, ask what’s in the ticket and what’s extra.
Why We Don’t Publish a Flat Rate
Every private charter is different, so the best approach is a conversation: tell us your date, your group size and what you want from the day, and we’ll give you a clear quote with inclusions spelled out.
Weather, Safety and Looking After the Marine Sanctuary
Every charter is weather-dependent, so we plan around the forecast and pick sheltered water where we can.
Boarding is from the beach at Paihia, which means stepping into shallow water and using a boarding ladder. If you’re unsteady on your feet, talk to us first.
Conservation sits at the center of what we do. We support Project Island Song through ticket donations, volunteer time, and moving the boats for species translocation and monitoring work. Yacht Charter Fleet’s guidance on temporary vessel entry notes visiting yachts can stay up to 21 months, which tells you how seriously this coastline is protected.
Enquire About Your Private Charter
We have 20+ years of experience in the charter industry and we’re celebrating 10 years of Barefoot Sailing Adventures this December. We’d love to host you.
Get started with Barefoot Sailing and get in touch to plan your day on the water.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people can join a private boat charter?
It depends on the vessel. Our two catamarans carry a maximum of 16 or 20 people, and young children and babies count as a full person toward that number. That limit is deliberate: it keeps the boat roomy enough to move around, find a spot in the sun or shade, and actually enjoy the sailing rather than sitting shoulder to shoulder. If your group is larger than the capacity of one boat, get in touch and we can talk through options.
Can you customise a private boat charter for a special occasion?
Yes. A private catamaran charter is built around your group, whether that is a hen party, a reunion, a corporate team day or a wedding celebration. We can adjust the route, the amount of sailing time, the island stop and the pace of the day to suit you. Tell us what matters most, such as a longer lunch stop, more time under sail or a hands-on sailing session, and we will shape the itinerary around it. Get in touch before booking so we can plan it properly.
What should you bring on a private sailing charter?
Bring sun protection, a hat, a warm layer for the breeze, a towel if you plan to swim, and shoes you can easily kick off, because we sail barefoot. Roll up your trousers for boarding: you step from the sand into shallow water, which can be ankle deep or occasionally up to your knees, then onto a boarding ladder. If you are unsure whether boarding suits you, contact us before booking and we will talk it through.
What is the difference between a sailing charter and a sightseeing boat tour?
A sightseeing tour is mostly about the ride and the view, often on a larger passenger ferry carrying up to 200 people. A private sailing charter is about the sailing itself: smaller groups, time on the helm if you want it, a proper island stopover for snorkelling, paddleboarding or a walk, and a crew who know the sheltered waters. We sail as much as the conditions allow, and the day is paced around your group rather than a fixed timetable.
The hardest part isn’t finding a boat, it’s picking the right one for your people. Barefoot Sailing runs small-group and private charters on two hand-built catamarans, with a skipper who’ll hand you the helm, a two-hour island stopover, and a ticket that supports Project Island Song. Get started with Barefoot Sailing and give your group a day they’ll still be talking about next summer.