Australia · Sydney Harbour
Luxury yacht charter in Sydney: the Harbour, day and night
Sydney Harbour is the home of Australian yacht charter, and ours: crewed superyachts from about A$62,000 a week, the Boxing Day start and New Year's Eve from the water, and the long weekends to Pittwater that Sydneysiders love. You can charter here every month of the year, with October to April the busy season. Most people who live here have done a day on the Harbour. Very few have done a night, and that is where it gets good.
Where
Sydney Harbour, with Pittwater an hour north and Port Stephens a day's run beyond
Fly to
Sydney (SYD). Board within an hour of landing
Best months
October to April, with New Year's Eve the peak. You can charter all year
Give it
A day, a long weekend or a week. Even 24 hours on the water is a great fix
Known for
Boxing Day and New Year's Eve from the water, Chinamans Beach, Sugarloaf and the Hawkesbury
From
About A$62,000 a week, crewed. Overnight is far better value than a day charter function
Ellie on Sydney
The Harbour at night
Ellie Malouf · Ahoy Club
I get on boats all over the world, and nothing beats Sydney Harbour. Most people who live here have done a day on it. Not many have done a night, and it is a different place altogether.
“Most people who live in Sydney have done a day on the Harbour. Not many have done a night, and it is something else entirely. It does not feel like the city at all.”
Ellie Malouf
Ahoy Club
Ellie on Sydney
The Harbour at night
I get on boats all over the world, and nothing beats Sydney Harbour. Most people who live here have done a day on it. Not many have done a night, and it is a different place altogether.
I have done every one of these myself, most of them more than once.
“Most people who live in Sydney have done a day on the Harbour. Not many have done a night, and it is something else entirely. It does not feel like the city at all.”
A reply from someone who has been, usually the same day.
Why go
Sydney, honestly
Most people who live in Sydney have done a day on the Harbour. Very few have done a night. By day it is the busiest water in the country; by night it goes quiet, the city lights come on across the water, and it stops feeling like you are anywhere near the city. That is the part we want you to try. Even 24 hours out there is an amazing fix, a way to switch off properly, and an overnight charter is very cost effective compared with a day charter function.
The Harbour has two days a year that nothing else comes close to. Boxing Day is the Sydney to Hobart start, and it is one of the most exciting days on the water: you can anchor early and settle in for a long lunch with the fleet going past, or get right up close to the action, and some yachts can even follow the race out through the Heads. New Year's Eve is the other. Most boats board at 6pm, but we recommend getting on at lunch so your captain can find a good position before the Harbour fills up at sunset. Then there is New Year's Day, and being Aussies, we love a day session. It is one of our favourite days on the Harbour.
For a weekend, visit the fish markets on the way and have your chef cook a feast on board. Anchor at Chinamans Beach for clear water and swim all day, then sleep at Sugarloaf, deep under the Spit Bridge. It feels a bit like the Hawkesbury: super calm and still, with the music on into the night. From there Pittwater is an hour north for the national-park weekend, and Port Stephens a day's run further for the week that gets you properly away.
Where we anchor
The anchorages, in the order we use them
- Store BeachAnchorage, first nightA quiet beach inside North Head that you can only reach by water. The first swim and the first night at anchor, with the city lights across the Harbour.
- Chinamans BeachDay anchorageClear water, and the place we go to swim all day.
- SugarloafAnchorage, overnightDeep under the Spit Bridge in Middle Harbour. Super calm and still, a bit like the Hawkesbury, with the music on into the night.
Rose BayLunch anchorageCatalina for lunch with the boat waiting off the jetty, and the seaplanes coming and going.
Watsons BaySunset anchorageOut by the Heads: the pub, the walk to the Gap and sunset drinks on deck as the day boats go home.
Ashore
Sydney off the boat
Not a directory. If it is here, we have sat at the table or stood at the bar.
Eat
The tables we get you into, and the one place to stock the galley.
- Sydney Fish MarketVisit on the way out and have your chef cook a feast on board.
QuayFine dining artistry on Circular Quay with spectacular Opera House views.
Catalina (Rose Bay)Chic waterfront lunch spot beloved by Sydney's boating crowd.
Sean's (Bondi)Farm-to-table coastal dining with front-row views of Bondi Beach.
- Icebergs and the Merivale venuesIcebergs at Bondi, and we know the manager at every Merivale venue.
Drink and dance
Sundowners on the water, then a night out if the group wants one.
Opera BarSip sundowners at Opera Bar, one of the world's most photographed cocktail spots.
Ivy Pool ClubDance under the sails at Ivy Pool Club, a rooftop oasis downtown.
Watsons Bay Boutique HotelEnjoy live music and laid-back charm at Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel.
Do
The Harbour is the main event, and the coast is a tender ride away.
Boxing Day, the Sydney to Hobart startOne of the most exciting days on the Harbour. Anchor early for a long lunch, or get right up close to the action. We plan it around your group.The Sydney to Hobart →
New Year's Eve, and New Year's DayBoard at lunch so your captain can get a good position, watch the fireworks from the water, and keep going on New Year's Day.New Year's Eve on the Harbour →
Harbour Bridge and Opera House cruiseCruise beneath the Harbour Bridge and past the Opera House at sunset.
Tender to ManlyTender to Manly for coastal walks and surf culture.
Bondi to Coogee coastal walkStroll the Bondi to Coogee coastal walk for endless ocean vistas.
Darling Harbour eveningSpend an evening in Darling Harbour for dining, fireworks and waterfront nightlife.
Where it sits
Sydney on the chart
Sydney is where most of the Australian fleet lives from October. Pittwater is an hour north, Port Stephens a day's run beyond, and from May the boats head north to the Whitsundays and the Reef.
Drag to move. Double-click or ctrl-scroll to zoom.Zoom with the buttons, then drag to move.
When
When to be in Sydney
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
- October to April: the season. The fleet is on the Harbour, the water is warm and the evenings are long.
- 26 December: the Sydney to Hobart start. One of the most exciting days on the Harbour, and one of the first to book.
- 31 December: New Year's Eve, the busiest night on the water. Board at lunch, and add New Year's Day.
- January and February: warm water, school holidays and the Harbour at its liveliest.
- May to September: quieter, better value, and still on. Cool clear days, and the night on the Harbour at its calmest. Many yachts head north for the Whitsundays from May.
Itineraries
Itineraries that call at Sydney
Full plans, day by day, with the boat each one runs on. Send one to the people coming with you; we reshape it around your yacht and dates.
Pittwater escape
Pittwater
Sydney's national park on the water: Refuge Bay, The Basin and Palm Beach, an hour from the city.
Open
Sydney to Pittwater, seven nights
Sydney
Board on the Harbour, round the Heads, and spend the week between the northern beaches and Broken Bay.
Open
Rose Bay to Pittwater, extended
Pittwater
The long version: Harbour, Hawkesbury River and every beach in between.
Open
A long weekend on the Harbour and Pittwater
Sydney Harbour4 stopsSydney Harbour
Board at Rose Bay on Friday, a night inside the Heads, Cottage Point and Palm Beach over the weekend, home on Monday. The staycation Sydneysiders do.
Open
Sydney to Port Stephens in a week
Sydney Harbour6 stopsSydney Harbour
Two nights on the Harbour, a night in Pittwater, a night up the Hawkesbury River, three in Port Stephens for the dolphins, the dunes and Rick Stein, and a long day home. The best week within a day of Sydney.
OpenYachts
Yachts in Sydney now
Most of the Australian fleet is on the Harbour from October. Tell us the night and the group and we find the boat.
MISCHIEF
Baglietto · 54m · 2006, refit 2024
12 guests | 6 cabins | 14 crew
A$295k – 420k
CHAOS
Sunseeker · 30m · 2010, refit 2024
8 guests | 4 cabins | 4 crew
A$110k
BLUESTONE
Gulf Craft · 31m · 2023
10 guests | 5 cabins | 5 crew
$110k
GINGER
ILIAD · 19m · 2024
6 guests | 3 cabins | 4 crew
A$55k – 60k
LEGACY
Gulf Craft · 32m · 2017
12 guests | 5 cabins | 6 crew
A$150k
ORRAIA
Horizon · 28m · 2024
10 guests | 5 cabins | 4 crew
A$132k
LUMIR
Heesen · 37m · 2005, refit 2013
10 guests | 4 cabins | 6 crew
A$140k
FENG
Sunreef · 22m · 2013, refit 2023
8 guests | 4 cabins | 4 crew
$45k
LANCE
Sanlorenzo · 38m · 2023
10 guests | 5 cabins | 7 crew
A$220k – 250k
4A
Sanlorenzo · 39m · 2007, refit 2008
10 guests | 5 cabins | 6 crew
$120k
PARADISE
Horizon · 35m · 2014
10 guests | 5 cabins | 6 crew
A$210k
ORRAIA
Horizon · 27m · 2024
10 guests | 5 cabins | 4 crew
A$110k – 132k
Little Perle
30m · 2008, refit 2023
9 guests | 4 cabins
A$88k – 110k
SHORE THING
Lloyds Ships Holdings · 35m · 1986, refit 2025
8 guests | 4 cabins | 6 crew
$62k
MASTEKA 2
37m · 2009, refit 2021
12 guests | 5 cabins | 6 crew
$99k – 125k
LUMIR
Heesen · 37m · 2005, refit 2026
10 guests | 4 cabins | 6 crew
A$120k – 144k
MASTEKA 2
MonteFino · 38m · 2009, refit 2022
12 guests | 5 cabins | 6 crew
$125k
SOLACE
Jeanneau · 12m · 2011
6 guests | 3 cabins | 1 crew
A$15k
TELEOST
Feadship · 49m · 1998, refit 2023
12 guests | 5 cabins | 10 crew
$195k
ENCORE
Horizon · 30m · 2011, refit 2021
8 guests | 4 cabins | 4 crew
A$90k
PAZIENZA
Cantiere delle Marche · 35m · 2024
11 guests | 5 cabins | 5 crew
$150k
S/Y FENG
Sunreef Yachts · 22m · 2013, refit 2023
8 guests | 4 cabins | 4 crew
€45k – 60k
TRUE NORTH
null · 50m · 2005, refit 2020
36 guests | 18 cabins | 22 crew
A$645k
23 yachts in rotation. The order changes with every visit so no boat is always last.
Questions we get asked
Sydney, answered
Common questions
How much does it cost to charter a yacht in Sydney?
Sydney charters on the Ahoy Club fleet start from about A$62,000 per week for GINGER, a 19m yacht for six guests. Mid-size options sit around A$140,000 to A$150,000 per week — LUMIR (37m, 10 guests) and RASCAL (35m, 10 guests). At the top of the Sydney fleet, MISCHIEF, a 54m Baglietto for 12 guests, is from A$235,000 per week. Those are base charter rates per week; the Advance Provisioning Allowance and applicable taxes are additional.
Is Ahoy Club based in Sydney?
Yes. Ahoy Club's head office is at Shop 4/38 Bay Street, Double Bay, Sydney, and the company was founded in Sydney in 2018 by Ian Malouf. Sydney Harbour is our home cruising ground, so charters here are arranged by brokers who know the harbour, the wharves and the crews directly rather than through an overseas desk.
What is included in the weekly charter rate?
The published weekly rate covers the yacht and its professional crew. Running costs — food and beverage, fuel, dockage and harbour fees, and on-board communications — are paid from the Advance Provisioning Allowance, which is typically 20% to 35% of the charter fee and is settled with a full statement and receipts before you disembark. Ahoy Club publishes the real weekly rate on every listing rather than hiding it behind an enquiry form.
When is the best time to charter on Sydney Harbour?
The Sydney season runs through the Australian summer, and New Year's Eve is the single busiest night on the harbour — the fireworks are watched from the water and the best yachts are committed many months in advance. If you want a specific yacht for New Year's Eve, enquire well ahead of the season rather than close to the date.
Are Sydney yachts chartered with crew?
Yes. Every yacht in the Ahoy Club Sydney fleet is chartered fully crewed, with a captain and professional crew included in the weekly rate. Ahoy Club does not offer bareboat charter, where the charterer skippers the yacht themselves.
Can we charter on Sydney Harbour all year?
Yes. October to April is the busy season, but winter on the Harbour is quieter and better value, and the boats are here and ready to book. Pittwater and Port Stephens are open all year too.
How do we do New Year's Eve on the Harbour?
Most yachts board at 6pm, but we recommend extending the charter and getting on at lunch, so your captain can find a good position before the Harbour fills up at sunset. Then add New Year's Day: we love a day session on the water, and it is one of our favourite days on the Harbour. Book as early as you can, and if you are leaving it late, ask anyway.
Is an overnight charter worth it compared with a day charter?
Yes, and it is much better value than most people expect. An overnight charter costs far less than a day charter function once you count the evening, and the night is the part most Sydneysiders have never done. Even 24 hours on the water is an amazing way to switch off. Day charters by the hour are on Ahoy Days; overnight and longer stays are with the club.
Want Sydney in your week?
Tell us the dates and who is coming. We will say which nights to give it, which berth to hold, and whether the week you want is still open.