Yacht charter management & ownership care.
Program 01
I want my yacht to generate income
Program 01
I want my yacht to generate income
Pick the one that fits your life.
Program 01
Charter Management
Your yacht earns income through guest bookings. We handle every aspect, bookings, guests, maintenance, accounting, and you receive regular financial reports plus your own pre-agreed weeks on board.
- Listed across Kek’s own site and partner platforms
- Monthly financial reports + annual statement
- Maintenance & turnover paid from charter revenue
- Owner weeks blocked in the calendar from day one
- Same team manages the boat year after year
Program 02
Ownership Program
Your yacht is kept private, no charter, no rentals. We take care of all maintenance, storage and seasonal preparation. You arrive, the yacht is ready in the slip, you sail.
- No paying guests, yacht is yours alone
- Single transparent annual fee, no hidden markup
- Pre-arrival prep, post-departure close-down
- Year-round maintenance and contractor coordination
- Quarterly reports on what was done and what’s coming
The whole decision on one screen.
Every dimension that matters on one screen, no marketing fog. Built to forward to a partner or accountant.
| Dimension | Program 01 Full Charter Management | Program 02 Ownership Program |
|---|---|---|
| Yacht used for charter? | ✓ Yes, rented to guests during the season | ✕ No, kept private for owner use only |
| Owner's personal use | Pre-agreed weeks (typically 2–6 per year, negotiable) | Unlimited, the yacht is yours every day of the year |
| Income generated | Income generated | No income, pure cost |
| Maintenance & technical care | Included, paid from charter revenue | Included, paid by you under a fixed annual fee |
| Winter storage & seasonal prep | Included | Included |
| Cleaning between uses | Included after every charter turnover | Included after each owner visit |
| Insurance handling | Coordinated by us; paid by you | Coordinated by us; paid by you |
| Reporting cadence | Monthly during season + annual statement | Quarterly maintenance reports |
| Recommended for | Yachts under €1m, owners with limited Croatia time, owners wanting partial income return | Yachts of any value, owners who prioritise privacy and instant availability |
| Typical commitment | Annual contract, season aligned (April → November) | Annual contract, can include winter haul-out |
Income while your yacht is being used properly.
The longer of the two program sections, because most owners arriving here are working out whether the maths is plausible for them. We've ordered it to answer that question the way owners ask it.
In this section
Charter Management at depth
Five honest answers to the five questions every owner asks before they take this seriously.
Who this is for.
- Owners of sailing yachts 30–50ft, or comparable catamarans, in good condition
- Yachts 0–8 years old, newer means better charter income, older works with adjustments.
- Owners ready to commit for at least one full season; charter operations can't justify mid-season switches.
- Owners comfortable with their yacht being used by paying guests, with all the wear that involves.
What we actually do.
Drawn directly from how the team works today, expanded with operational detail. Nothing on this list is outsourced to a partner you'll never meet.
Bookings & guest communication
We list your yacht on Kek's site and partner platforms (Nausys, MMK, and others). Every inquiry, contract, payment and guest question is handled by Kristina from first touch to checkout.
Maintenance & technical servicing
Weekly inspections, scheduled engine / rigging / electronics service, unscheduled repairs handled the same week. Spare parts kept locally so the yacht doesn't sit waiting for couriers.
Cleaning & turnover
Every charter ends with a deep clean, diver hull inspection, inventory check and standard restock. The yacht is hand-over ready for the next guest by 5 PM Saturday, every Saturday of the season.
Winter storage & seasonal prep
Haul-out, winter checks, spring antifouling, polishing, gel-coat repair as needed, recommissioning. Off-season is when most of the year's value-protecting work actually happens.
Administrative & legal
Croatian charter licensing, tourism boards, transit log paperwork, VAT, all kept current. You receive a clean monthly financial report and an annual tax statement.
Insurance liaison
We work directly with your insurer on both annual coverage and any claims. Most owners save 1–3 weeks of back-and-forth time per year just by having us handle this.
Why it's worth doing.
- Cost sharing. Your fixed annual costs, berth, insurance, maintenance, are partially offset by charter revenue.
- Reduced overall expenses. Well-managed yachts in charter typically cover 40–70% of their annual operating costs in a normal season. Some owners cross 100%.
- Year-round professional care. The yacht is being looked at every week, not sitting unattended for nine months.
- Higher utilisation. Regular use is actually better for boats than long storage. Systems exercised stay healthy.
- You still get to use it. Your owner weeks are protected in the booking calendar from day one, they're booked first, not last.
How the financials actually work
Two common models, both negotiable depending on the yacht's value and its expected charter rate. The right model for your yacht is a 30-minute conversation, not a one-line answer.
Revenue share
Kek takes a percentage of each charter (typical industry range: 25–40%). All operating costs are deducted from gross before the split. You receive net distributions monthly during the season.
Revenue share
Kek takes a percentage of each charter (typical industry range: 25–40%). All operating costs are deducted from gross before the split. You receive net distributions monthly during the season.
Honest disclosure
What a season actually looks like.
Charter income is real, but it isn't passive. The yacht works hard during the season, 18–22 weeks of back-to-back guests, mechanical wear, cosmetic touch-ups, the occasional damage that comes out of security deposits. The Kek team absorbs the operational reality; you absorb the financial one. Three plausible outcomes:
Strong season
Charter income covers all operating costs plus a meaningful surplus, around 10–20% of yacht value annually for newer boats in prime weeks.
Typical season
Charter income covers 50–80% of operating costs. The most common outcome across our fleet. Ownership feels noticeably more affordable.
Weak season
A difficult year, weather, market conditions, or a mechanical issue mid-season, covers 20–40% of operating costs
Charter management is not an investment strategy, it's a cost-offset strategy. Owners who arrive expecting profit-as-primary-goal usually leave disappointed. Owners who arrive to make ownership more affordable usually stay for years.
Three plausible seasons.
Illustrative ranges, not promises. Every yacht is different, these scenarios are how we'd start the conversation, not how we'd finish it. Real proposals are built around the boat in front of us.
Scenario
Newer sailboat
€18k – €32k
~5–10% of yacht valueScenario
Established sailboat
€12k – €21k
~6–9% of yacht valueScenario
Catamaran
€28k – €52k
~4–8% of yacht valueGet a custom estimate for your yacht.
Tell us the make, year and length, we'll send a realistic income range and operating cost projection within two working days. No commitment, no follow-up calls unless you ask.
Ownership without the workload.
Shorter than the Charter Management section, because the people on this path arrive with one main question, and it isn't financial. It's "can I trust someone else to actually look after the boat properly?"
In this section
Ownership Program at depth
Who this is for.
- Yacht owners who want the boat private, not used by paying guests, full stop.
- Owners with limited time in Croatia who still want a ready-to-go yacht when they arrive.
- New buyers who don't want to manage Croatian logistics from abroad.
- Family yachts, legacy boats, or restored vessels where you don't want charter wear.
What we actually do.
Year-round maintenance
Regular checks, system exercising, battery management, bilge ventilation, cabin airing. The yacht stays cruise-ready all twelve months.
Technical coordination
Engine servicing, polishing, antifouling, repairs, all arranged with trusted local specialists. You don't manage contractors. We do.
Pre-arrival prep
Tell us when you're coming. Tanks full, fridge cold, beds made, systems checked, weather briefing in your inbox the day before.
Post-departure handling
When you leave, we close the yacht properly. No "we forgot to close the seacocks" surprises six months later.
Winter storage & seasonal prep
Haul-out, winter checks, spring commissioning, all included in the annual fee, none of it added later as a "package".
Administrative & legal liaison
Registration, insurance, harbour fees, anything that needs an in-person Croatian signature. We're three minutes from the marina office.
Why it's worth doing.
- More time for yourself. No travel for routine work, no contractor coordination, no "I need to check on the boat" weekend trips.
- Stress-free arrival. Yacht ready in 30 minutes, not three days of fixing things that quietly broke over winter.
- Always cruise-ready. Spontaneous weekends are actually possible. Phone us Friday, sail Saturday.
- Long-term value protection. Well-maintained yachts hold resale value substantially better than neglected ones, and a charter logbook isn't the only proof.
- Trusted local team. Small group, you know everyone by name, the same person handles your boat every year.
How the financials work
One transparent annual fee plus direct costs at provider rates, no markup. The annual fee covers Kek's labour and coordination; you pay direct costs (servicing, parts, marina, insurance) at the price we're invoiced. Every third-party invoice is shared with you at the price we paid.
Honest disclosure
Some management companies hide markup inside "service packages." We don't. Every invoice from a third-party provider is shared with the owner at the exact price we paid. The transparency itself is the differentiator, and the audience for this program is exactly the audience that values it.
Local, small, accountable
Owners hire teams, not services. Here's who actually does the work, where they sit, and the boats they're already responsible for.
The team you'll actually deal with
Marko
Iva
Kristina
Ante
Currently managed for owners, a sample
Bavaria Cruiser 46 · 2021
Dufour 470 · 2023
Lagoon 42 · 2022
Hanse 418 · 2019
Beneteau Oceanis 41 · 2018
Sun Odyssey 440 · 2020
Three additional yachts not pictured. See the full fleet →
What owners say after a season.
Generic testimonials convert no-one. We collect specific ones, the moment an owner realised this wasn't going to be the management experience they'd had before.
The honest part was the disclosure that charter is a cost-offset, not an investment. I'd been pitched the opposite by three other companies. Two years in, the numbers Kek modelled have been within 8%, and that includes a difficult 2024.
The first time I arrived under Kek it was 11 PM, I'd had a flight delay, and the fridge was cold, beds made, and a hand-written note about the wind forecast on the chart table. That's when I knew I'd never go back to managing it myself.
Ante drove three hours on a Sunday in November to check the boat after a storm, then sent me a video at midnight so I could go back to sleep. After two other Croatian managers, I genuinely didn't know that level of care still existed.
From first email to signed agreement.
First conversation
You send us yacht model, year, current location and what you're looking for. We reply within two working days with initial thoughts and questions. If it's a fit on both sides, we book a longer call.
Yacht assessment
We inspect the yacht in person if it's in Croatia, otherwise via detailed photos and video. We assess condition, charter-readiness, expected booking demand, and any work needed before the season.
Custom proposal
Written proposal: program structure, financial model, cost projections, timeline, our obligations and yours. Side-by-side comparison if both programs could work. You review with your accountant or partner.
Agreement & onboarding
If we both want to proceed, we sign the management agreement. Onboarding covers yacht intake, photo session, listing setup, calendar planning, insurance review. First booking opens within 2–4 weeks.
Six questions you actually have.
Most management pages skip this and lose the qualified-but-skeptical owner. We've included it because the visitor who reads these is the visitor who's serious, and the owner who isn't a fit deserves to know early, not three weeks into a contract.
Are you the right size for me?
We’re a small team, by choice. That works very well for owners who want a personal relationship, direct communication and someone who knows their yacht in detail. It works less well for owners managing a fleet of 5+ yachts who need scale operations.
If you’re in the second group, we’ll tell you up front, and we’ll honestly recommend one of the larger operators we respect.
What if it doesn’t work out?
Management agreements are annual. If after a season you’re unhappy or your situation changes, the contract ends naturally, no lock-ins, no penalty clauses for non-renewal.
We’d rather have a small fleet of owners who choose us every year than a large one held by contract.
Why are some yacht-management companies cheaper than you?
Three common reasons: (1) they take a higher percentage of revenue, (2) they pass operating costs through with hidden markup, or (3) they manage too many yachts to give each one proper attention.
We manage 9. We’re not the cheapest. We aim to be the most worth it.
Can I use my yacht when I want?
Yes, but with planning. Charter Management owner weeks are blocked at the start of each season. Last-minute personal use during peak season is possible only if dates happen to be open, and realistically the yacht is busiest during the weeks you’d most want to use it.
The Ownership Program has none of these constraints, it’s always your yacht, on your schedule.
Will my yacht get damaged?
Wear and tear is real. Charter guests are bonded by security deposits, and we inspect after every week. Major damage is rare; cosmetic touch-ups are normal and expected.
A well-managed charter yacht ages roughly the same as a heavily used private yacht, the difference is just whose hands are on it during the wear.
How much can I really earn?
Depends on yacht, age, weeks chartered, season, and condition. Typical newer 40-foot sailboats in our fleet bring in €60k–€90k gross per season. Operating costs eat 50–70% of that.
The honest answer: enough to substantially offset ownership costs, rarely enough to feel like real income. Owners who frame it as “the boat covering most of its own expenses” stay happy; owners expecting profit don’t.
Twelve more practical questions.
The day-two questions, once the big decisions are settled and the practical ones start. If yours isn't here, ask Kristina directly.
How long is a typical management contract?
Annual, aligned to the charter season (April–November) for Charter Management, or calendar-year for the Ownership Program. We don’t do multi-year lock-ins.
Can I bring a yacht from another country?
Yes. We handle the Croatian flag-change or visiting-flag paperwork, VAT review, insurance transfer, and an initial assessment. Most foreign-flagged transitions take 4–8 weeks.
What happens if the yacht needs major repair during the season?
We act first, document everything, and call you the same day. Charter weeks affected are rebooked where possible; insurance claims are handled by Marko and our broker. You’re never expected to coordinate from abroad.
Can I switch from one program to the other later?
Yes, typically at the end of a season. Some owners start in Charter Management for two years, recoup setup costs, then move to the Ownership Program. The other direction also happens.
Do I need to be physically present for any decisions during the year?
No. Major decisions (repairs over a pre-agreed threshold, contract changes) are confirmed by email or phone. We don’t ask owners to fly in for paperwork.
How are owner weeks scheduled in Charter Management?
We block your preferred weeks before the booking calendar opens for the season. You can request up to six weeks; most owners pick four. Changes mid-season are possible if charter dates allow.
Who pays for the marina berth?
You do, in both programs. We negotiate the berth fee on your behalf and pass through the invoice at the rate we’re charged, no markup. Berths in Marina Pirovac run €4,500–€8,500/year depending on length.
How is insurance handled, can I keep my current insurer?
Usually yes, provided your insurer covers Croatian charter operations (for Charter Management). We work with most major European yacht insurers. If yours doesn’t, we’ll recommend two we trust.
What’s your policy on damage caused by charter guests?
Security deposit (€2,500–€5,000) is held against every charter. Damages under that threshold come straight out. Damages over go to insurance, we document with photos, timestamps, and guest signatures.
Can you help me sell the yacht when I’m done?
Yes. We’ve helped six owners sell their yachts over the last decade, usually to people who knew the boat already through charter. We don’t charge a brokerage commission; you pay only the buyer’s broker, if any.
Do you accept yachts older than 10 years?
For Charter Management, generally up to 12 years and only after a thorough assessment. Older yachts can still charter, but expected revenue drops faster than operating costs, so the maths sometimes doesn’t work. For the Ownership Program, age is no barrier.
What’s the deadline to enter the season?
For a full season’s revenue, contract signed by mid-January, listing live by mid-February. Later starts are possible but the early-bird booking window (January–March) is meaningful for newer yachts.
Owning a yacht in Croatia.
KEK yachting
What to expect, what to plan for.
A 32-page realistic guide for current and prospective yacht owners in Croatia. Written by the Kek team, no salesy framing, no padding. Owners researching the maths usually find nothing useful online, so we wrote what we'd have wanted.
- → VAT & tax for foreign-flagged yachts
- → Registration & flagging in Croatia
- → Insurance norms & gotchas
- → Season length & chartering reality
- → Average operating costs by yacht size
- → Common first-year mistakes
- → What managers do, and don't do
- → Resale value over a 10-year horizon
Tell us about your yacht.
Four short steps. The form takes about two minutes and gives us enough detail to send a proper, personal reply, not a generic acknowledgement.
- Reply within 2 working days, every time.
- No obligation at any stage. The first two steps of working with us are always free.
- Your information is confidential, we never share owner data with third parties.
- Prefer the phone? +385 91 608 1305 , Kristina, every working day.
Want to talk before filling in a form?
Yacht ownership decisions take time. If you'd rather start with a conversation, send an email or pick up the phone, we're easy to find, and visitors are always welcome at the marina by appointment.