Airlie Beach - The Whitsundays

private yacht charter price

Award-winning skipper-yourself bareboat catamaran charters. 6, 13 & 20-day options, no license required.

Tourism Whitsundays Best of QLD experience 2026
Tourism Whitsunday Best Bareboat Operator Winner - Gold

40% off is only a click away with Anchor Club membership

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Not Ready To Book Yet?

Secure your ANCHOR CLUB Offer

No obligation. We usually reply within 24 hours.

5.0 rating ·
720+ five-star reviews
490+ GOOGLE REVIEWS
170+ TRIPADVISOR
60+ FACEBOOK
20 yrs FAMILY-OWNED

Key Info You'll Love To Know

NO BOAT LICENSE

Our Award-Winning, pre-departure, Maritime Briefings give everyone the confidence to manage and navigate our catamarans around the 74 islands of the Whitsundays.

7-DAY REFUND GUARANTEE

We know plans can change, which is why every booking comes with our 7-day Change of Mind / Cooling Off Policy. No Hoops to jump through - No Stress, No Fuss Cancellations and Refunds.

6, 13 or 20 Days in Paradise

Choose the adventure that suits you with 6, 13 and 20-day skipper-yourself charters. With 74 islands to discover ask your boss for more time off and ensure a fully immersive, unforgettable sailing experience.

LARGEST CHARTER AREA

Blessed with local connections, state-of-the-art satellite technology, and our role as custodians for Australia's Great Barrier Reef, we have the industry's largest charter area. Discover More, Stay Longer.

Eco-Friendly Experience

Witness our Award-Winning Tomorrow's Reef Today initiatives that ensure a pristine, thriving marine ecosystem for your holiday. By sailing sustainably, you'll enjoy vibrant coral, crystal-clear waters, and exclusive, eco-conscious encounters.

Adventure Your Way

You're the Captain. Your mates/family are Crew. This is the holiday you never knew that you needed. ADVENTURE Simply Done Better.

Portland Roads provide a minimum of 6 days hire to ensure you experience the best of the Whitsundays.

Ready to experience the Whitsundays?

or call 1300 991 474

40% off is only a click away with Anchor Club membership

OUR CATAMARAN FLEET

Choose your vessel

From entry-level classics to our ultra-premium Lagoon 450S – every charter is tailored to your budget and your crew.

ULTRA PREMIUM

SV Whitsunday Freedom

Lagoon 450S · 8 Guests

Huge, stylish and modern, she out-sails the entire fleet with facilities never before available on charter.

PREMIUM LUXURY

SV Lawless

Lagoon 42 · 8 Guests

Four private double cabins, each with its own ensuite, and a gorgeous teak cockpit for waterfront dining all day, every day.

STANDARD

SV Lucy

Lagoon 420 · 8 Guests

Sister ship to our matriarch — ease of handling at her core, with an air-conditioned saloon and air-conditioned cabins throughout.

STANDARD

SV Portland Roads

Lagoon 42 · 6-8 Guests

Where it all started. The matriarch of our fleet, designed for world cruising and the best of both worlds in comfort and style.

CLASSIC ENTRY

SV Ruby Sunday

Lagoon 380 · 8 Guests

A classic Lagoon 380 built with economy in mind. Two double and two forepeak cabins – where most people start their cruising dreams.

CLASSIC ENTRY

SV Due West

Lagoon 38 · 6 Guests

A classic Lagoon 380 – the world’s most popular production sailing catamaran. True to her history, she accommodates up to 6 guests.

WE LET OUR GUESTS DO THE TALKING

720+ reviews. All of it glowing.

The youngest, smallest local company - with five times the feedback.

What is Bareboating?

You become the skipper

Bareboating simply means hiring one of our catamarans without a crew or captain. We teach you everything you need to know – and yes, no licence or experience is required.

A full pre-voyage briefing covers navigation, safety, boat handling, sailing, anchoring and mooring. So thorough that even complete novices set sail with confidence.

40% off is only a click away with Anchor Club membership

Do I need a license to go bareboating?

No, you do not need a licence or experience. A full briefing is provided to ensure you are at a competent level before departure. The briefing is so thorough that even novices can give this a go!

Your briefing includes Navigation, Safety, Boat Handling, Water Safety, Boat Rules, Sailing, Motoring, Anchoring, Mooring and Emergency Safety Management Systems.

The term bareboating (aka bare-boating) simply means hiring one of our extraordinary sailing catamarans without a crew, a captain or any provisions. We’ll be teaching you to do all of this yourself. YES ! – You become the skipper. But don’t worry, we teach you everything you need to know to confidently set sail (or motor) around the glorious and Ancient Ngaro Sea Country of the wonderful Whitsunday Islands.

Many of our guests don’t put the sails up and instead prefer to just motor around – it’s completely up to you.

All charters are for 6, 13, or 20 days.

IT ALL STARTS RIGHT HERE

Your next adventure is waiting

Peak season books out months ahead. Reserve your 6 days in paradise with our 7-day cooling-off policy – no hoops, no stress.

or call 1300 991 474

40% off is only a click away with Anchor Club membership

Learn More About private yacht charter price

Many travellers crave something more memorable than a traditional resort holiday. An adventure that’s exciting and unique sounds like the best kind of holiday, until the reality of having zero sailing experience makes the whole thing feel intimidating. Some people assume a self-skippered charter or Whitsundays yacht hire requires boating qualifications or years of experience on the water, but at Portland Roads Sailing the Whitsundays, we prove otherwise. We welcome first-time sailors, and no boating licence or sailing experience is required to charter our catamarans. We have over 20 years as a local, family-owned operation in Airlie Beach, so we know these waters like the back of our hand. Your pre-departure briefing is led by crew members who have spent their careers sailing the Whitsunday Islands. With more than 700 verified 5-star reviews, a 2025 Tourism Whitsundays Best Bareboat Operator award and a perfect 100/100 Best of Queensland Experience score for the seventh consecutive year, we have a standard we maintain for ourselves. And if you’ve been researching ‘private yacht charter price’ or ‘private charter yacht cost‘ to find an eco-friendly charter, you can trust that we’re committed to protecting the marine environment, as we support NO FISHING within the Marine Park, and we’re proudly Carbon Neutral, Advanced Eco-certified, Climate Action certified and Recognition of Culture certified.

Every charter we offer at Portland Roads is built around freedom. Rather than following a fixed itinerary or crowded tour schedule, you may design your own 6-day adventure across up to 74 islands throughout the Whitsundays. Our team gives you practical know-how before departure, and after that, you can start charting your own course. Picture yourself snorkelling over vibrant reefs, hiking through scenic island trails, uncovering hidden beaches or lounging on your catamaran with nothing but turquoise water in every direction. Our fleet of sailing catamarans offers a range of options to suit different budgets and comfort preferences without changing access to the experience itself. Groups of up to 8 guests will love the space, comfort and impressive performance aboard the SV Whitsunday Freedom, while the SV Lawless pairs private double cabins with an elegant outdoor dining area on the water. For smaller groups or couples seeking a romantic escape, the SV Due West delivers a more intimate experience. For those researching ‘private yacht charter price’, ‘sailing yacht charter price‘ or ‘cost to charter sailing yacht‘, our free ANCHOR CLUB membership provides additional value. Lifetime access, guaranteed discounts of at least 40%, peak season priority access, early boarding privileges and access to the Luxe Ocean Club are what the club members can enjoy.

We have a simple booking process, so it is easier for you to concentrate on your trip. Start by choosing the catamaran that suits your group, select the dates and yacht hire pricing that work best, add your crew details and complete your booking. From there, you’re set to sail; all of our charters depart on a Friday and return on a Wednesday. Our experienced local team meets you on departure day for a detailed hands-on briefing before your catamaran sets off from Airlie Beach. The briefing will cover Navigation, Safety, Boat Handling, Water Safety, Boat Rules, Sailing, Motoring, Anchoring, Mooring and Emergency Safety Management Systems, ensuring that you are leaving for your trip feeling prepared instead of intimidated, whether you are interested in ‘Whitsunday Yacht Hire Price‘ or ‘Whitsunday Bareboat Sailing‘. We acknowledge that your travel plans may change unexpectedly, which is why our 7-day Change of Mind / Cooling Off Policy is included with every booking as standard. So, if you cancel within 7 days of booking, you’re entitled to a full refund, less any applicable payment platform fees. For questions about ‘multi day boat rental‘ or ‘Whitsunday islands yacht charter‘, our team can be reached by phone, email or at our Coral Sea Marina office whenever questions arise. Check out our boat charter availability today.