Pacific Northwest Yacht Charter
About Pacific Northwest
The Inside Passage is a 1,600-kilometre sheltered waterway running from Seattle up through British Columbia and into the Alaska Panhandle as far as Skagway, mostly out of sight of the open Pacific. It is the longest stretch of sheltered cruising water in North America, and a Pacific Northwest charter is essentially a chosen length of it.
The southern half is the easier and more developed end, around Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands, an archipelago of around 170 islands between Washington State and Vancouver Island. Orcas, the headline marine mammal, hunt the salmon runs through Haro Strait between San Juan and Vancouver Island in summer, and a yacht with a quiet captain has the best chance of finding them. North of there, Desolation Sound on the Canadian side is the next-favourite charter water, with the warmest summer sea temperatures north of California (around 22°C in August) and an unusually high concentration of empty anchorages. Further still, the Broughton Archipelago and Princess Louisa Inlet take you into the wild end of the cruising ground, where bears come down to the water and the waterfalls run all summer.
The season is short and tight, late June to early September, when the weather opens up and the rain holds off. Most charters pick up in Seattle, Vancouver or Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. A week handles the San Juans and Desolation Sound; ten days lets you reach the Broughtons; a full Inside Passage to Alaska is a four-to-six week trip and most clients do it once.
Highlights
Destination Info
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Where to sail
The San Juan Islands
The accessible southern end, an archipelago of around 170 islands between Washington State and Vancouver Island. Friday Harbor for the town, quiet coves throughout, and the orcas that hunt the salmon runs through Haro Strait in summer. Most charters start here or nearby.
Puget Sound and the gateway cities
Seattle and, across the border, Vancouver, the two departure points with international flights, provisioning and marinas. A charter usually picks up at one of them or at Friday Harbor on San Juan Island.
Desolation Sound
On the Canadian side, the next-favourite charter water, with the warmest summer sea north of California, around 22 degrees in August, and an unusually high concentration of empty anchorages. Reaching it means clearing into Canada, which the captain handles.
The Broughton Archipelago
Further north, the wild end of the cruising ground: a maze of small islands, narrow passes and forest coming down to the water. Ten days lets you reach it. Quiet, remote and rich in wildlife.
Princess Louisa Inlet
A steep-walled fjord at the head of Jervis Inlet, reached through the Malibu Rapids at slack water. Chatterbox Falls runs at its head all summer. One of the set-piece anchorages of the whole coast.
What it costs
- From
- From about EUR 40,000 / week for a crewed yacht (low season)
- Included
- MYBA terms: the weekly fee covers the yacht, its crew and the ship's insurance
- Extras
- An Advance Provisioning Allowance of roughly 25 to 35 percent funds fuel, berthing, the guests' food and drink and provisioning, spent by the captain and reconciled at the end. State and provincial charter taxes are extra where they apply. A customary crew gratuity is on top.
Prices rise with the size of the yacht and the time of year.
We explain the money side properly: what a crewed charter fee includes under MYBA, how the APA works, and how much to tip the crew.
Before you go
When to go
The Pacific Northwest season is short and tight, late June to early September, when the weather opens up and the rain holds off. July and August are the most reliable, with long days and the warmest water of the year in Desolation Sound. Outside that window the rain and cool set in, which is why most crewed boats work the summer only.
Getting there
Most guests fly into Seattle or Vancouver and board there, or at Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. A week handles the San Juans and Desolation Sound, ten days reaches the Broughtons, and the full Inside Passage to Alaska is a four-to-six week trip. Tell us where you are flying from and we will pick the embarkation that fits.
The border crossing
A route from the San Juans north into Desolation Sound or the Broughtons crosses from the United States into Canada. The captain clears the yacht in and out through customs at a designated port of entry, and every guest needs a valid passport. It is routine on this coast; we just build a little time into the plan for it.
Choosing the yacht
Motor yachts suit the distances and the cool, giving you the range and the warm saloon for a northern summer; sailing yachts reward the open reaches of the Strait of Georgia. If you are weighing crewed against bareboat, we have written the honest comparison. Browse the full fleet, or tell us your dates and we will shortlist the boats working the Pacific Northwest this summer.
Explore Pacific Northwest
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