Superyacht Maintenance Costs in 2025

There's a common aphorism in yacht ownership: whatever you paid for it, expect yearly maintenance to cost about 10%. Superyachts, though, are far more complex — so the usual estimate is closer to 15-20%. That can be substantial, but superyachts also have an advantage: just like ski chalets and beachfront cottages can provide rental income when their owners aren't actively using them, superyachts benefit from being charter-ready. Let's take a look at what's needed to keep them that way:

Haul-out Maintenance

Ships of any size, down to the smallest skiff, need to be hauled out every so often for a thorough systems check and cleaning. This shouldn't be put off: anything and everything below the waterline can be damaged without the owner's (or the crew's) knowledge, and marine growth on the hull causes drag, reduces fuel efficiency and maneuverability, and could potentially interfere with other systems. This tends to happen much faster, too, in warm waters. Because of a superyacht's sheer size, only specialized service providers are able to do this — and while they're not difficult to find in yacht hubs like Miami, the cost just to begin maintenance could be tens of thousands of dollars. Some superyacht owners choose to cut down on these operations by using robotics or divers to clean the hull while still in the water, but any mechanical systems that require inspection will still need a haul-out (and, of course, diving services have their own costs). A copper-based antifouling application can cost tens of thousands of dollars, though it's purported to protect a hull from organism growth for at least a decade; newer (and non-toxic) technologies include Finsulate, velvet-like wraps intended to mimic sea urchin spines that are guaranteed for five years — but the practice is new enough that the cost is difficult to estimate.

Crew

The size of the crew is, of course, partially up to the owner. If we take this Feadship as an example, it has a gross tonnage (internal volume) of just under 500. The bare minimum required crew for a yacht of that size would be a captain, a first mate or deck officer, and an engineer; but if the owner wishes to charter the yacht out, they'll also likely need at least one deckhand and steward, as well as a head chef and a crew chef; if there are more than one of any of these positions, the senior position will require better pay. Accounting for one of each, an average crew cost for a charterable superyacht could be $690,000 at minimum — and as these are specialized positions requiring a unique lifestyle and sacrifices to shore life, benefits such as health insurance and paid expenses are standard.

Management and Insurance

Superyacht owners are extremely unlikely to want to manage their yacht's crew and charter plans themselves; third-party companies often handle all of this, as well as regulatory fees and administrative needs for the yacht's port of registration. They may also handle marketing and insurance — which in itself will likely cost at least in the $50,000 range, partly for liability. Yacht management companies handle many yachts and as such can charge less, but even so, expect the above administrative fees to top $150,000.

Dockage

The price of docking a very large yacht covers a broad spectrum depending on a yacht's home location (Miami and Los Angeles, for example, are hotspots where marinas can charge high fees — two marinas in Miami proposed charging about $143,000 and $200,000 for that 157-foot example Feadship). Superyacht owners can often purchase berths rather than renting them, but again, in a high-demand location, the cost is likely to be in the multiple millions. There's also travel to consider: cities with beautiful ports that owners or charter guests might like to visit will also charge high fees — higher during events; one report claimed that docking in Monaco around the yearly Formula 1 race can run owners about $20,000 per day. Unless you're planning to avoid docking as much as humanly possibly, this should all be factored in.

Fuel

The price of fuel varies by range traveled over the year, how much is spent running the ship's non-propulsion systems, the design and state of the ship's hull, and the weight of everything inside (there's a reason racing boats strip their cabins of everything but the absolute necessities). For a traditional superyacht traveling long distances, fuel can easily top $200,000 per year — however, high-end shipyards have been working hard to reduce energy requirements by building in alternative systems. Solar panels and other renewable sources can cut a ship's at-anchor fossil-fuel requirements to zero — and some can even cruise at low speeds using entirely renewable energy, saving owners potentially hundreds of thousands per year. Wind power, of course, further reduces the need for fuel — and although wind-powered superyachts are few and far between, large luxury catamarans in particular have been gaining popularity for their eco-friendly (and inexpensive-to-run) nature. For prospective buyers, it's worth examining all the energy options.

In Sum:

Our example Feadship from above has a purchase price of $17.9 million, and 15% comes out to about $2.7 million in yearly costs. As I did my calculations, I was able to come up with a figure closer to 10%, or about $1.7 million, by cutting costs everywhere possible: I kept a smaller theoretical crew, checked marina prices in low-demand areas, and chopped fuel prices twice (once by substituting hybrid power, and then again by substituting renewable power and low speed). From $2.7 million to $1.7 million is a substantial savings — and it doesn't account for the offsetting power of charter income. Owning a superyacht isn't cheap, but researching the latest damage-prevention and energy technologies, at the very least, is a smart move for any prospective buyer.