If the dream of chartering a yacht in the Caribbean or Mediterranean is high on your bucket list, but you’re concerned about the logistics of skippering the boat – not to mention the cost – help is on the horizon.
A new yacht company is turning the boat charter industry on its keel, offering an online marketplace that launches the so-called “sharing economy” onto the high seas.
Following in the wake of hugely successful?firms like Airbnb, VRBO and Uber, Antlos is making a yacht vacation simple, affordable and accessible by connecting ocean-loving travelers directly with boat owners, skippers and captains in some of the world’s best sailing destinations.
Much like an Airbnb rental, the company offers?three options: chartering an entire yacht, a private cabin or shared cabin, matching the right vessel with groups of families and friends, couples or solo travelers.
Antlos also offers a practical “split payment” option, allowing travelers to split the cost of a sailing vacation among the other participants, enabling everyone to pay their share upfront.
The peer-to-peer platform also benefits boat?owners and captains who can share their passion for sailing, provide expert services and receive a new source of income to help cover boat maintenance costs.
Owners are also encouraged to offer all-inclusive yachting vacations to ensure transparency in the payment transactions.
The majority of Antlos skippers are based in the Mediterranean, but an increasing number of boats are available in Caribbean waters like the British Virgin Islands and the Grenadines.
“We currently have more than 500 boats in our portfolio,” says Antlos CEO Michelangelo Ravagnan. Prices start from as little as $50 per person per day, including meals and fuel.
All boat listings come with a skipper/captain; clients cannot rent a bareboat, even if they have a sailing or boating license.
Antlos launched in 2015 – the name, derived?from Homer’s The Odyssey, is an ancient Greek word describing the motion of water as Ulysses sailed his legendary ship – and is making its own waves in the yacht charter industry.
Co-founded by Ravagnan and Marco Signori, two friends raised in Venice, and software expert Nicola Peduzzi, the firm grew from their collective passion for the sea and sailing.
“We thought this could be the perfect business to introduce to the yacht charter industry,” adds Ravagnan, “finally giving travelers the ability to book an authentic sailing experience with a local skipper at an affordable price.”
For more information, visit antlos.com.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF ANTLOS
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