Lund Group · New England
Yacht Charter New England
Verified yachts · U.S. charter compliance · New England itinerary specialists
New England by yacht
Short Legs, Harbour Towns and Real Sailing.
The New England coast runs from Long Island Sound north past Newport, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket to the islands and harbours of Maine. It is a classic sailing coastline: cool, clear water, strong maritime history and towns built around their harbours.
Charters move along the coast in short legs with town harbours for the nights. Fog and cooler water are part of the experience, and the season is short, roughly late June to early September.
Lund Group plans New England charters on sailing and motor yachts, catamarans and superyachts, with flights, inns and shore days arranged around them.
Where to board
Where to Start Your New England Yacht Charter
Compare New England Starting Points
| Marina | Area | Published max length | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newport & Newport Shipyard | Rhode Island | 300 ft-plus class; dockage pages publish up to about 350 ft | Superyachts, embarkation, sailing heritage |
| Block Island | Rhode Island | Moorings and anchorage; dock space limited | First island stop |
| Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard | Massachusetts | Municipal dock 90 ft · moorings 65 ft | Smaller yachts; tenders from the outer harbour |
| Nantucket Boat Basin | Massachusetts | No single published maximum; a 125 ft+ rate category is not a size limit | Island stays |
| Boston | Massachusetts | Several city marinas; confirm per yacht | City starts and finishes |
| Portland, Maine | Maine | Deep-water piers (up to about 630 ft published); a berth is never assumed | Superyacht gateway to Maine |
Figures from public sources reviewed 2026-10. A published maximum length is not a confirmed berth. For catamarans, beam decides the berth as much as length. Island access is not the same as a marina berth; every berth is confirmed for your dates.
Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket?
The Vineyard has three distinct towns and is closer to the mainland. Nantucket is farther out, with one historic town. A week can include both, but we don't plan on dock berths in both for a large yacht.
Portland or Newport?
Newport suits southern New England and the islands. Portland makes sense when the week is in Maine, and it avoids a long passage north.
Newport & the Islands or Maine?
Southern New England offers towns, beaches and social summer life. Maine is quieter: granite islands, lobster harbours, cooler water and more fog.
The fleet
Yachts for Charter in New England
Published charter yachts whose verified cruising areas include New England appear here. Availability, U.S. charter eligibility, positioning and rates remain subject to confirmation for your dates.
Private New England Yacht Search
No yachts are publicly listed for New England right now. Send us your dates, guests and preferred harbour, and we will search privately for yachts that will genuinely be in New England.
U.S. charter compliance
Chartering Legally in U.S. Waters
Being here is not enough
A yacht can be in Newport, or at the Newport Charter Show, without being able to perform every U.S. charter. We check the yacht's status against your actual itinerary.
Passenger Vessel Services Act
U.S. law restricts foreign-flagged vessels from carrying passengers between U.S. ports. It shapes which yachts can do one-way or port-to-port charters.
Cruising licence vs charter
A U.S. cruising licence lets a foreign yacht cruise privately. It does not give it commercial charter authority.
Coast Guard status
Commercial status, crew and passenger limits are checked with the yacht's central agent and documents before contract.
Round trip is not automatically legal
Returning to the same port does not by itself solve compliance. The structure is confirmed per charter. This is guidance, not legal advice.
Harbours
Berth, Mooring or Anchorage?
Three different things
A dock berth, a mooring ball and an outer-harbour anchorage are separate arrangements. One never implies another.
Local harbour rules
Each town's harbormaster sets limits, reservations and stay lengths, and these change.
Maine's moorings
Moorings in Maine are controlled locally, often privately. They are requested, never assumed.
Zero discharge
Edgartown and other areas are no-discharge zones; the yacht plans pump-outs accordingly.
Peak weeks
July and August weekends, and regatta weeks, put heavy pressure on island berths.
Conditions
Fog, Tides and Cool Water
Fog
Part of summer in New England, especially in Maine. Passages are timed around visibility; it rarely spoils a week.
Water temperature
Cooler than the Caribbean, warmest in August. Many guests swim; others prefer the beaches.
Tides and currents
Strong in places such as Woods Hole and Maine. The captain plans legs around them.
Air draft
Tall sailing yachts check bridge clearances, including the Cape Cod Canal, before route planning.
Wildlife
Whales and Protected Waters
Right-whale protection
Seasonal speed rules and voluntary zones protect North Atlantic right whales. They change and are checked against the current federal notice before sailing; they are not one permanent region-wide limit.
Whale watching
Stellwagen Bank and the Gulf of Maine offer humpback and minke sightings, at a respectful distance.
Wildlife
Seals, puffins in Maine and seabirds are part of the cruising life.
Current notice
Seasonal protections may apply — confirmed before each passage.
On board
Water Toys, Fishing and Beaches
Water toys
Jet skis and other toys follow local rules, and some harbours restrict them.
Fishing
Licences and local rules apply; arranged with the crew.
Beaches
Block Island, the Vineyard and Nantucket have the best beaches; Maine is more about hiking and islands.
Route selector
Choose Your New England Route
Newport, the Vineyard & Nantucket
Newport, Block Island, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. The classic southern New England week.
Boston, Cape Cod & the Islands
Shorter legs between Boston, the Cape's harbours and the islands.
The coast
Harbours and Islands
From Newport and Block Island to the Vineyard, Nantucket, Cape Cod and Maine — each with its own harbours and mooring rules.
Sample itineraries
One Day, Three Days or a Week
Seven Days: Newport, Vineyard & Nantucket
Day 1 · Newport
Embark.
Day 2 · Block Island
Beaches and bike rides; anchor in the Great Salt Pond.
Day 3 · Cuttyhunk / Elizabeth Islands
Quiet anchorage.
Day 4 · Martha's Vineyard
Edgartown by tender if the yacht is over the dock limit.
Day 5–6 · Nantucket
Town and beaches; berth or anchorage confirmed for size.
Day 7 · Return to Newport
Or disembark on the islands with private aviation.
Seven to Ten Days: Coastal Maine
Day 1 · Portland
Embark.
Day 2–3 · Boothbay & Penobscot Bay
Camden, Rockland, North Haven.
Day 4–5 · Stonington & Deer Isle
Granite islands and Merchant Row.
Day 6–8 · Mount Desert Island
Somes Sound, Northeast Harbor, Acadia.
Day 9–10 · Disembark
Bar Harbor or return south.
Newport to Maine (one-way)
Day 1 · Newport
Embark.
Day 2–3 · Islands
Vineyard and Nantucket.
Day 4 · Cape Cod Canal / Boston
Shorter route north, weather permitting.
Day 5–7 · Maine
Portland, then Penobscot Bay.
These are examples, not contractual routes. The captain decides each day's route for weather and safety. See also sailing yachts and all destinations.
Season & wind
When to Charter in New England
June
Long days and quieter harbours; water still cool.
July – August
Peak season, warmest water and the highest berth pressure. Island berths and moorings are requested early.
September
Fewer visitors and often settled days; the Newport Charter Show signals the end of summer for many yachts heading south.
Fog & cool water
Morning fog is common, especially in Maine. Modern yachts navigate it routinely, and the captain times passages around visibility.
Why the route stays flexible
Wind, sea state and marina availability shape each day. The captain picks the sheltered side and the order of islands; passage times are planned per yacht, never quoted as a fixed fact.
Evenings & families
Lobster dinners, Newport's sailing culture and family beach days on the islands. Restaurant tables and moorings are requested, never promised.
Toys, diving & anchorages
Water toys depend on the yacht and local swimming zones; diving is arranged with licensed local centres. A port is not a berth booking and an anchorage is not a reservation.
Yacht types
Choose Your New England Yacht
Sailing yachts
New England's identity is built on sailing, from America's Cup history in Newport to Maine's windjammers. Check air draft for bridges and the Cape Cod Canal.
Motor yachts
Cover more coastline comfortably, especially between the islands and Maine.
Classic yachts
Restored classics and J-Class-era style suit Newport perfectly; availability is rare and confirmed per yacht.
Superyachts
Usually based in Newport or Portland, anchoring off the islands with tenders ashore.
Cost
How Much Does a New England Yacht Charter Cost?
There is no fixed New England price. The base rate is not the total cost; we quote every item in writing.
Charter fee
The yacht and crew for the agreed period. The base rate is not the total cost.
APA
Advance Provisioning Allowance for fuel, food, drink, dockage and moorings. Accounted for by the captain; unused balance returned.
Dockage
Peak-week Newport and island dockage can be expensive and varies by size and date. Charged at cost.
Taxes
State sales or charter taxes may apply depending on where the charter starts and its structure; confirmed in writing.
Positioning
Many yachts winter in the Caribbean or Florida; delivery and redelivery fees may apply.
Gratuity
Customary crew gratuity is separate and at the guest's discretion.
Beyond the yacht
Arrive Privately in New England
Providence & Boston
Providence (PVD) is closest to Newport; Boston Logan (BOS) and nearby business airports suit Cape Cod and Maine.
Island airports
Martha's Vineyard (MVY) and Nantucket (ACK) take private jets in summer, subject to slots, ramp space and handling.
Portland & Bar Harbor
Portland (PWM) and Hancock County–Bar Harbor (BHB) serve Maine charters.
Helicopter & seaplane
Depend on operators, landing permissions and weather. Transfer times are never fixed in advance.
Private Jets
Fly privately into Providence, Boston or the islands.
Transfers & Cars
Chauffeured transfers from the airport to the yacht.
Villas & Hotels
Inns and hotels before or after the charter, subject to availability.
Shore Days
Newport mansions, island bike rides and lobster dinners, arranged around the yacht.
How we work
Listed for the USA Does Not Mean Available in New England. We Verify Every Charter.
- A Worldwide, USA or Caribbean tag is not New England eligibility.
- New England eligibility is not date availability.
- Being in Newport is not commercial U.S. charter eligibility.
- Appearing at the Newport Charter Show is not current availability.
- A cruising licence is not commercial charter authority.
- U.S. coastwise rules are checked for the actual itinerary.
- Newport, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard and Maine are different charters.
- A marina's maximum length is not a guaranteed berth.
- Edgartown's 90 ft dock limit is not the Vineyard's maximum yacht size.
- A mooring is not dockage; an anchorage is not a reserved mooring.
- Summer does not mean no fog.
- Whale speed rules are seasonal notices, not a permanent region-wide limit.
- Sample itineraries are not contractual; the base rate is not the total cost.
- The captain keeps navigational authority.
Questions
New England Yacht Charter FAQ
Charter enquiry
Your New England Charter Starts Here
Tell us your dates, guests, preferred marina and route. We will search for yachts that will genuinely be in New England and confirm the berth before anything is promised.
Newport · Martha's Vineyard · Nantucket · Maine