What should the organiser budget beyond the weekly rate?

MYBA’s published captain-and-crew guidance, revised April 2018, addresses APA reconciliation and return of remaining balances, including handling exceptional outstanding invoices. That supports treating APA as an accountable expense fund—not automatically as a fixed surcharge. The signed agreement still governs the booking. (myba-association.com)

What Bahamas tax assumption is defensible for a planning model?

A 14% allowance is a useful conditional planning input, but obtain written confirmation of the applicable tax base and invoice treatment. Rule 6 of the official consolidated Boat Registration (Yacht) Rules specifies 4% plus applicable VAT. The Bahamas Maritime Authority’s August 8, 2025 clarification identifies 10% VAT payable through the Port Department. Both were reviewed October 16, 2026. (laws.bahamas.gov.bs)

There is a wording discrepancy worth flagging: the Association of Bahamas Marinas describes a 14% charter tax, effective July 1, 2025, and says VAT is no longer separately charged. The official rule and BMA explanation retain VAT terminology. Do not interpret that discrepancy as permission to omit the charge—or add another 10% on top of an already inclusive 14% allowance. Ask the yacht’s authorised fiscal or port representative to reconcile the invoice. (bahamasmarinas.com)

What does a US$150,000 charter look like in a budget approval?

The table below is a desk scenario calculated October 16, 2026, not a yacht quotation or a claim about average realised spending.

Assumptions: seven-day base fee; 35% APA; 14% tax allowance on the base fee; and a voluntary 10% gratuity chosen solely for illustration. Delivery, flights, hotels, insurance, exceptional shore activities and any separate security deposit are excluded. The gratuity assumption is not a mandatory charge or recommended universal percentage.

The APA assumption sits within Burgess’s published guide; the tax allowance is conditional on the official sources above. All amounts are desk arithmetic, not observed transaction prices. (burgessyachts.com)

For the middle example:

• If actual operating expenses are US$45,000, the unused APA is US$7,500, and final spending under the stated assumptions becomes US$231,000.
• If operating expenses instead reach US$67,500, the APA top-up is US$15,000, and final spending becomes US$253,500.

These are alternative calculations—not expenses to add together. Do not count both the full APA and the same operating expenses in final expenditure. APA reconciliation mechanics are addressed in MYBA’s guidance. (myba-association.com)

When is the money normally required?

Burgess describes its usual process as 50% of the charter fee on signature, with the remaining fee, APA, taxes and agreed additional charges due five weeks before departure. That is published brokerage guidance reviewed October 16, 2026, not a universal payment timetable. Build the approval calendar from the actual draft agreement. (burgessyachts.com)