A small, RYA-coded charter fleet out of Cowes. Skippered or hands-on. Single-day sails, Cowes Week berths, and proper Channel crossings — all on sole-use bookings.
Solent Yacht Charter has worked the same stretch of water since 2011 — three RYA-coded yachts, a permanent berth a short walk from the Royal Yacht Squadron, and two professional skippers who know the tides between the Needles and Selsey Bill better than most.
Every charter is sole-use. Your party, your yacht, a crew who knows what they're doing. No flotillas, no shared cabins, no briefings stretched across strangers — whether that's a hands-on day learning to trim a genoa, a weekend racing at Cowes, or a quiet crossing to Cherbourg.
Two full-time captains. Both Yachtmaster Offshore or above. Combined four decades on the Solent.
Annual inspections, full safety gear, lifejackets and EPIRBs across the fleet.
Your party, your yacht. No shared cabins, no strangers on board, no flotilla schedule.
Trinity Landing pontoons, two minutes from the High Street, fuel, and provisions.
We keep the fleet small on purpose. Each yacht serves a different kind of trip — and each one is maintained as if we were sailing it ourselves.
A nimble, modern sloop — quick to react, easy to crew. The right yacht for a first Solent day, a hands-on RYA session, or a quiet afternoon off Yarmouth.
Our most-booked yacht. Comfortable enough for a long weekend across to France, sharp enough to take round the Island in style.
The flagship. Teak decks, three ensuite cabins, a saloon you can entertain in. Corporate days, milestone birthdays, Channel crossings done properly.
Three of our most-booked routes. Every charter is shaped to the party — these are starting points, not packages.
Five days at the heart of British sailing. Front-row mooring, Solent racing each morning, dinner ashore at Murray's or the Island Sailing Club. Hands-on or hands-off — your call.
Discuss this route →The classic 60-mile loop — out past the Needles, round St Catherine's, back through Bembridge Ledge. A long, beautiful day on the water with lunch served below.
Discuss this route →Overnight to the Cotentin Peninsula. Croissants in a French harbour by Saturday morning, oysters at lunch, sail home Sunday. Skipper handles the night watch.
Discuss this route →Round-the-world racer turned charter skipper. Quiet hands, no nonsense, knows every cut and current between Lymington and Selsey.
Cross-Channel specialist and patient teacher. Most of our hands-on charter guests learn the ropes with Sarah at the helm.
Cowes has been a sailing town since 1815. The Royal Yacht Squadron sits at the mouth of the Medina, the start line of Cowes Week is fifty yards from our pontoon, and the High Street still smells faintly of varnish and seawater.
A short walk from the Red Funnel ferry, an easy hop from Portsmouth Harbour. Provisions, fuel, and a decent pub all within five minutes of the boat.
“Chartered Meridian for my father’s 70th — three days round the Island with eight of us aboard. James was the perfect captain, the boat was immaculate, and we’ve already booked again for next summer.”
Tell us the dates, the party, and the kind of trip you have in mind. We'll send a quote within the day — usually within the hour.