Yacht Guide
What Is APA?
The Advance Provisioning Allowance, explained plainly.
A float, not a fee
The APA is an advance paid to the yacht before the charter that funds the running costs of your week. It is not the crew's income and it is not a margin. The captain spends it on your behalf and accounts for it.
What it covers
Fuel for the yacht and her tenders, food and drink to your preference sheet, berthing and port fees, communications, laundry, and shoreside arrangements the crew organise for you.
- Fuel and lubricants
- Provisioning, wine and spirits
- Berthing, port and pilotage fees
- Communications and laundry
- Shore excursions and reservations made by the crew
How it is reconciled
The APA is usually set as a percentage of the charter fee and is requested with the final payment. At the end of the charter the captain provides an accounting; an unused balance is returned and an overspend is settled. If consumption is running ahead of the float mid-charter, the captain will ask for a top-up.
Practical advice
Fill in the preference sheet properly. A vague sheet leads to overprovisioning, and heavy cruising uses fuel quickly. Both show up in the reconciliation.
This guide is general information about how the yacht market conventionally works. It is not legal, tax or financial advice, and it does not describe the terms of any specific yacht. Rates, prices, availability and access are confirmed in writing before anything is committed.