Boat Charters Offer Fun Ways to Experience Time on the Water

Summer on the East End is the perfect time to connect with the outdoors, spending time with friends and family on the bay or ocean.

With supply chain shortages making buying a new boat more difficult, the local options for chartering boats and boating experiences make it easy to make memories on the water without the headaches of boat ownership.

Yacht Hampton is one of the country's largest boat clubs, based in Sag Harbor, with a fleet of 11 boats and yachts ranging in size from 22 feet to 62 feet.

“We specialize in special events,” said owner Joe Ialacci.

Yacht Hampton offers excursions like wakeboarding, wake surfing and “James Bond-esque” water toys, according to Ialacci. The club also features full-time crews who serve on boats in Palm Beach in the winter.

Yacht Hampton offers multi-boat parties, where two to three boats are tied up together, allowing clients to go back and forth between the vessels, letting clients have a way to “congregate together” for larger celebrations.

The company focuses on offering brand new vessels, allowing for an extra air of class with added safety and reliability.

With limitations on purchasing due to supply chain issues, Yacht Hamptons is experiencing an increase in the number of boat club members allowing clients to try out boating. The annual boat club membership is about the same cost of tuning up and storing a boat, according to Ialacci.

Many clients enjoy the united isolation of being on the water, in a social media-free zone for families. “It’s a surefire way to guarantee a fun, memorable summer,” Ialacci said. “My business changed when I realized I am not a boat charter company — I am a memorable experience maker,” he added.

SailHamptons features a fleet of three boats to charter, ranging in size for any event, from a two-hour tour of Shelter Island, up to events for 41 people. All three boats have available floats, paddleboards and freshwater showers for any guests who enjoy the water.

“It’s a very pampering excursion on our boats,” said Captain Toby Stull.

The most popular of the fleet, according to Stull, is the schooner “Luna,” a 72-foot yacht with room for up to 41 guests, and space for “dancing on decks though sunset.”

Guests are welcome to bring their own food, but SailHamptons also works with local restaurants to cater to guests’ every need.

SailHamptons are able to focus on guest experience and hospitality with excursions including a tour around Shelter Island for around two hours, restaurant hopping to local restaurants, and tours of swimming spots. “All of our captains have a vast amount of local knowledge, so we point out all kinds of local landmarks,” said Stull.

The “Hamptiki” is a 30-foot tiki themed pontoon boat docked in Hampton Bays, which is certified to host 11 guests. Unlike most tiki boats, this vessel does not feature a bar, making it a great option for guests of any age, from children to adults and even dogs.

Because of the flat deck, it’s particularly accommodating for physically challenged clients, and there are doors accessible by wheelchair, owner and captain Mike Cimino said.

The “Hamptiki” takes guests on a cruise around the bays, stopping to allow swimming, with options to stop at local restaurants like Rumba or Canal Cafe.

The “Kelpie” is a 78-foot private luxury sailing yacht, certified to serve 24 guests, moored in Sag Harbor. Guests can choose from two-, four- or six-hour-long charters.

A trip on the “Kelpie” takes guests on a sail around Shelter Island that’s “decadent,” according to owner and Captain Shannon Carleton: Guests receive white glove service for meals served on vintage crystal serving ware.

The “Kelpie” was built in 1928, “a classic,” according to Carleton, who uses china, crystal, silver, and vintage lace and linen tablecloths from the same time to maintain a sense of luxury on her boat.

Guests depart from a private launch in Sag Harbor and are greeted with a pink champagne toast to enjoy on the ride to the “Kelpie,” which Carleton leaves out in the mooring field to allow guests to enjoy a leisurely cruise as an additional excursion.

“People love the boat and the atmosphere we have,” said Carelton.