None of these questions are confrontational. A consultant working properly expects them and should answer plainly. A viewing where every question gets a clear, specific answer is a strong signal in its own right.

The starting point is rarely the Ocean Independence yacht sales. A yacht charter consultant begins with questions about the guests: how many people, what ages, what pace of holiday they want, whether the priority is quiet anchorages or lively ports, water sports or long lunches ashore. Only once that picture is clear does the conversation turn to which vessel and crew suit it.

Start with condition. Ask what surveys have already been carried out on the vessel, when, and by whom. A consultant should be able to explain the difference between a hull survey, an engine survey and a rig inspection, and why a buyer might want all three before committing. Ask, too, what the survey is unlikely to cover, since no single inspection catches everything.

Put together, a EUR 100,000 base fee charter, for example, might involve an APA in the region of EUR 30,000, plus VAT calculated separately on the base fee. None of these figures are fixed across every booking, since they depend on the vessel, the region and the season.

Valuation sits alongside condition in most reports and reflects the surveyor's assessment of fair market value given the vessel's age, condition and specification. This figure is a professional opinion rather than a fixed number, and a consultant can help a buyer understand how it was reached and whether it aligns with comparable vessels currently on the market.

Flexibility around timing matters too. A charter can usually be booked for a specific window without the lead time ownership requires for planning, provisioning and crew scheduling. An owner gains the ability to depart with less notice once the vessel and crew are established, but loses some of the flexibility to simply pick a different destination or vessel size on a whim.