--- title: "Bareboat Charter Norway — Sail Yourself | Boreal Yachting" url: https://boreal-yachting.com/experiences/bareboat-charter description: "Charter a fully equipped sailing yacht in Northern Norway and skipper it yourself. Certification and Arctic experience required. Boreal Yachting, Tromsø." lang: en --- Skip to content Experience # Bareboat Charter Bareboat Charter is a whole sailing yacht handed over to a qualified skipper in your own group. You plan the route, sail the boat and provision it yourselves. We provide a prepared, fully equipped vessel, a thorough handover and shore support from Tromsø for the duration. Image: Sailing yacht under way on open water off the coast of Northern Norway (https://boreal-yachting.com/generated-images/charter-bareboat-hero-1920.webp) A bareboat charter leaving Tromsø. From here the route is yours, within the cruising area we agree. ## At a glance | Season | May to October | | --- | --- | | Duration | One week, Saturday to Saturday | | Base | Tromsø, 69.6°N | | Group size | Up to eight or ten guests, depending on the vessel | | Sold as | Whole boat — bareboat, no crew | | Level | Certified and experienced skipper required on board | | Crew | None. You sail the boat | ## Sailing this coast yourself Northern Norway is rewarding for a competent crew and unforgiving of a careless one. Tides run hard through narrows, anchorages are deep, the weather changes quickly, and help can be some distance away. It is also some of the finest cruising ground in Europe, with sheltered water inside the islands and almost no other boats. We charter to skippers who can demonstrate real experience: a recognised certificate, sea miles, and previous time on a similar-sized yacht. This is not a formality. We ask for a sailing CV and we read it. The cruising area is agreed in writing before you leave. Most bareboat weeks work between Tromsø, Lyngen, Senja and the outer islands. Svalbard is not available bareboat under any circumstances. ## Handover and support Handover takes two to three hours. We go through the systems, the heating, the anchor gear, the electronics and the local hazards, and we do not rush it. If we are not confident, we will say so and we can put a skipper on board for the first day. Our office in Tromsø is reachable for the whole charter. If something breaks we will help you fix it or come to you. The boat comes fully equipped: charts and plotter, safety gear, tender and outboard, galley equipment, bed linen and towels. You provision food and drink yourselves, and we can arrange a delivery to the quay. ## A typical week Your route is your own. This is the shape of a standard bareboat week from Tromsø. ### Day 1 — Saturday, handover Check-in from the afternoon, followed by a full technical handover and a route conversation. Most crews spend the first night alongside and leave early on Sunday. ### Days 2 to 6 — your route Typically an anchorage a day inside the islands, with longer legs towards Senja or Lyngen. Weather routing is your responsibility, with our office available for advice. ### Final day — return Back alongside in Tromsø by the agreed time on Friday evening or Saturday morning. Check-out, fuel settlement and inspection with our team. ## What is included ### Included - Whole-boat charter, Saturday to Saturday - Full technical handover and chart briefing - Charts, plotter, VHF and safety equipment - Tender with outboard - Bed linen, towels and galley equipment - Shore support from Tromsø for the whole charter ### Not included - Fuel, gas and harbour fees - Food, drink and provisioning - End cleaning, unless returned clean - Damage deposit, held against the vessel - Skipper or guide, available at extra cost - Travel insurance and personal equipment Image: Sailing yacht moored at a quay in Tromsø (https://boreal-yachting.com/generated-images/bareboat-charter-card-1824.webp) ## The boats available bareboat Not every vessel in the fleet is offered bareboat. The boats we do charter this way are chosen for straightforward systems and forgiving handling, and are prepared for cold-water sailing with diesel heating throughout. See the fleet: https://boreal-yachting.com/fleet ## Who this is for - Certified skippers with genuine sea miles on yachts of a similar size. - Crews who have sailed in cold, tidal water before. - Groups who want to plan and run their own week. - Sailors who read a forecast carefully and change plans early. This is not a first charter destination. If your experience is a fortnight in the Mediterranean, take a skipper for the week — you will see more and worry less. ## Practical ### Qualifications required A recognised certificate of competence, a sailing CV showing relevant miles, and at least one crew member able to take over if the skipper cannot continue. We assess every application individually. ### What to bring Personal foul-weather gear, boots, gloves and warm layers. The boat provides safety equipment; your own lifejacket is welcome. ### Weather and navigation Tidal streams run strongly in the narrows and katabatic wind falls off the fjord walls without warning. Anchorages are deep, so long cable and careful scope planning matter. ### Getting to Tromsø Direct flights from Oslo and several European cities, with the harbour 15 minutes from the airport. Read the full Arctic sailing packing list: https://boreal-yachting.com/arctic-sailing-packing-list ## Questions guests ask What qualifications do I need? A recognised skipper certificate plus documented experience on a comparable yacht in tidal, cold water. We ask for a sailing CV before confirming. Can we sail to Svalbard bareboat? No. Svalbard is only available with our own crew, and that will not change. Can we take a skipper for the first day? Yes, and many crews do. It is the quickest way to learn the local hazards. How far can we go in a week? Comfortably around Tromsø, Lyngen, Kvaløya and Senja. Lofoten and back is too much for seven days. What happens if something breaks? Call us. Our team is in Tromsø through the season and will either talk you through it or come out. ## Where this sails Destination ### Lofoten Sharp granite islands, fishing villages and open Atlantic water. https://boreal-yachting.com/destinations/lofoten ## Related reading Practical ### Need to know when sailing in Northern Norway https://boreal-yachting.com/journal/need-to-know-sailing-northern-norway Itineraries ### Plan your route: sailing suggestions for Northern Norway https://boreal-yachting.com/journal/plan-your-route Experience ### Private Charter https://boreal-yachting.com/experiences/private-charter Compare ### Whole-boat charter vs joining a group departure https://boreal-yachting.com/whole-boat-charter-vs-group-departure Compare ### What an Arctic-adapted boat actually means https://boreal-yachting.com/what-is-an-arctic-adapted-boat ## Enquire about Bareboat Charter. Tell us what you have in mind. We will come back to you within two working days with a considered answer — not a template. Speak to us directly: https://boreal-yachting.com/contact Cookies on this site We use essential cookies to run the site. Analytics cookies stay off unless you accept them. You can change your choice at any time. ## Structured data ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://boreal-yachting.com/#organization", "name": "Boreal Yachting", "url": "https://boreal-yachting.com", "logo": "https://boreal-yachting.com/logo.png", "image": "https://boreal-yachting.com/logo.png", "description": "Premium Arctic sailing in Northern Norway and Svalbard. 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