Terms & conditions

Article 1 – Cancellation

1.1 The date and period cannot be modified, unless with the approval of the Yacht friends local club and with the approval of the owners of the yacht.
1.2 In case of cancellation by the charterer, the payment remains the property of the owner. The charterer has the right to present another client himself as a replacement to Yacht Friends.
1.3 In case of cancellation made 3 weeks prior to the departure date, the total amount will be due to the owner of the yacht. This clause is also applicable to any substitute Charterer.
1.4 In case of cancelation more the three (3) weeks prior to a departure date, YachtFriends will refund the amounts paid, minus a non-refundable reservation and administration fee of five percent (5%). This fee covers, among other things administrative handling and payment processing costs.
1.5 In case of cancellation due to bad weather conditions, the Charterer will be able to have a replacement under the same conditions at an equivalent period. If the charter cannot be replaced, Yacht friends will reimburse the amount of the charter, minus non-refundable payment processing fees charged by the payment service provider.
1.6 In case of the event that the owner fails to put his yacht at the disposal of the charterer, due to breakdown or disablement or any reason of force majeure, he will have the opportunity to place an equivalent yacht at the disposal of the charterer at the same date. The costs involved for the replacement will be covered by the owner of the yacht.
1.7 In case the situation described in point 1.6 cannot be offered, the charterer has the option for full re-imbursement of the charter amount, or he has the possibility to choose another yacht that is available. A possible price difference will be re-imbursed in this occasion. Any costs involved for re-scheduling will be due by the owner of the yacht.

Article 2 – Insurance

2.1 The yacht is to be insured by the owner. The insurance covers damage and loss of the yacht and it’s equipment, in case of an accident and damages from theft and the total theft of the yacht and third-party cover. (civil responsibility)
2.2 The insurance premium is included in the price of the charter.
2.3 The insurance premium does not cover damage caused by the charterer either on purpose or by negligence.
2.4 The charterer shall carry independent insurance for personal effects whilst on board or ashore and for any Medical or Accident expenses incurred other then as covered under the vessel’s insurance.
2.5 The professional liability insurance of the captain does not replace the insurance policy of the vessel taken care of, nor does it cover the possible excess of this insurance policy of the vessel, the excess remaining is the responsibility of the charterer.
2.6 The charterer confirms that himself and possible guests are covered on a personal bases for the practice of navigation, and that they have taken out repatriation insurance in case of international travel.
2.7 The charterer confirms that himself and possible guests are medical fit to be on a yacht and confirms that waves and wind are a factor that comes with yachting. Nor Yacht Friends, the affiliate club, the owner of the yacht or the captain can be held liable for object lost at sea. It is the responsibility of the charterer and its guests to look after their belongings while under way, on anchor (including mooring buoys) or in a harbor. Nor can they be held liable for people losing balance or getting injured while walking on the yacht in all possible different navigational circumstances.

Article 3 – cruising area

3.1 The charterer shall comply and shall ensure that his guests comply with the laws and regulations of any country into whose waters the vessel may enter during this Agreement.
3.2 The charterer engages himself to only embark the number of authorized passengers and not for any commercial purpose, such as professional fishing, transport and or racing. Subletting and loaning out the yacht is prohibited under the terms of this agreement. Only Yacht friends, Yacht friends clubs, approved charter agents, commercial partners and skippers are authorized under this agreement.
3.3 The charterer is totally responsible for his actions and hereby discharges Yacht friends and the owner of the yacht from all legal responsibilities. If the charterer or any of his guests shall commit any offence contrary to the laws and regulations of any country which results in the vessel being detained, arrested, seized, or fined. The charterer shall indemnify the owner against all loss, damage and expense incurred by the owner as a result, and the owner may, by notice to the charterer terminate this Agreement forthwith.

Article 4 – Redelivery

4.1 The charterer agrees to come back with the yacht at the date of the contract and the port of redelivery.
4.2 In the case of serious damage, the Charterer must return the yacht to port immediately to allow repairs to be made in time for the next charter.
4.3 In case the Charterer is delayed in returning the yacht, he will have to pay an indemnity, according to the regulation, as well as the cost which may be occurred by the owner.
4.4 The charter will end only when the boat is redelivered to the designated port and returned to the owner.

Article 5 – Deposit

5.1 In case of a charter with a captain, no deposit is required for the charter of the vessel.

Article 6 – Fuel

6.1 The yacht will be delivered with all tanks full (water, fuel and oil). The charterer is charged with redelivering the boat also with the same full tanks. If the boat is fueled together with the charterer, the charterer pays the fuel at the station.

6.2 If the charterer wants the captain to refuel the boat for him, an additional charge of 10% is added on the fuel bill for this service. (for example coming back to homeport when the fuel station is already closed.)

Article 7 – Yacht Friends

acht Friends operates as an online booking platform facilitating yacht reservations for various local yacht friends’ clubs. Through our platform, both members and non-members can book a yacht for recreational purposes. For the purposes of these Terms, references to “Yacht Friends”, “we”, “us” or “our” refer to Waves Group BV (Belgium) (the “Company”), unless explicitly stated otherwise.  Yacht Friends acts solely as an intermediary between users (charterers), the relevant yacht friends’ clubs, and the independent yacht owners/operators (the “Owners/Operators”). Bookings made through the platform may also be subject to additional rules and policies of the relevant yacht friends’ club and/or the Owner/Operator, including (without limitation) rules regarding usage, safety, and liability.  Yacht Friends does not own, manage, crew, command, operate, or control any yacht listed on the platform. Yacht Friends does not provide skippers/crew and does not perform (and does not contract to perform) any nautical services, maintenance, repair, or other works. Yacht Friends does not act as an employer, contractor, or subcontractor in relation to any such services or works. Any charter operation and any services (where applicable) are performed solely by the relevant Owner/Operator and/or independent third-party service providers under their own responsibility.  As a result, any issues, claims, incidents, or disputes arising from the use or operation of a booked yacht are primarily the responsibility of the relevant Owner/Operator and/or the relevant yacht friends’ club, subject to applicable law.  Yacht Friends aims to maintain high standards. If you have a complaint regarding a yacht, an Owner/Operator, or a yacht friends’ club, please contact us so we can follow up:  complaints@yachtfriends.club .  Furthermore, commissions and/or service fees for Yacht Friends’ services (including booking facilitation and payment processing) are automatically calculated and included in the online booking and payment process.  For VAT purposes, Yacht Friends may act as the supplier of record and handle VAT collection and remittance under the EU One-Stop Shop (OSS) scheme where applicable. The platform automatically applies the correct VAT treatment based on the location of service delivery and customer status. Detailed VAT information is provided on booking confirmations and invoices. This VAT handling does not change the fact that the charter services are performed by the Owner/Operator as set out above.

Article 8 – Captains obligations

8.1 The captain undertakes to provide cruise support to the charterer and ensure the skippering of the vessel, in compliance with international and maritime laws.8.2 The captain undertakes to maintain the vessel the best possible state of cleanliness and maintenance, considering the normal wear and tear due to navigation.
8.3 The captain will carry out a general check of the vessel before departure, to ensure its navigability, and if necessary, take corrective measures he deems necessary.
8.4 The captain holds all qualifications, authorizations, diploma’s, licenses, and certificates enabling him to effectively carry out the execution of this contract.
8.5 The captain agrees to comply with instructions given to him to accomplish his work by the charterer taking in account weather and safety and the limits of the vessel as well as his own limits.

Article 9 – yacht owners’ obligation to Captains

9.1 The owner of the yacht will provide the captain with the necessary documents in the intended navigation area, in according with flag regulations, including: proof of ownership (or ownership document), the charter contract, up-to-date life raft booklet, insurance policy accompanied by up-to-date insurance certificate. The owner will also provide a copy of an identification document for each passenger.
9.2 The charterer will fully comply with the captains’ instructions, and to adopt a prudent and reasonable behavior during the cruise period and during each embarkation or disembarkation. Failing that, the captain may, if deemed necessary, take any measure including disembarking the passenger(s) who have adopted inappropriate behavior, or shorten the cruise. No refund will be made in this case.

Article 10 – Charter guests’ obligations to Captains and Yacht friends

10.1 The charter guests need to inform the captain of the boat for any medical condition that can have any influence on the safety of the navigation. This includes but is not limited to: food allergies, heart conditions, recently broken bones or back problems….
10.2 The charter guests should provide the captain or the Yacht Friends Local Club with contact information on who to contact in case of an accident.

Article 11 – applicable law and jurisdiction

10.1 This contract is subject to Belgian law. Any disputes regarding its interpretation or execution will, falling an amicable settlement between the parties, be the responsibility of the competent jurisdiction, ruling in accordance with Belgian law.

Article 12 – VAT and Pricing

12.1 All prices displayed on the Yachtfriends platform include the applicable Value Added Tax (VAT) rate based on the location of the service provided, in accordance with EU VAT regulations and the One-Stop Shop (OSS) scheme.

12.2 The VAT rate applied to each booking will be clearly displayed during the booking process and will be determined by:
a) The location where the yacht charter service is effectively used and enjoyed
b) The duration of the charter
c) The status of the charterer (business or consumer)

12.3 For charters that cross multiple EU jurisdictions, the VAT will be calculated based on where the yacht is first made available to the charterer.

12.4 Yachtfriends, through Waves Group BV, is registered for OSS VAT purposes and will:
a) Collect and remit VAT to the appropriate tax authorities
b) Provide transparent VAT reporting on all invoices
c) Maintain accurate records of all transactions and applicable VAT rates

12.5 For business customers (B2B):
a) Valid VAT numbers must be provided at the time of booking
b) Reverse charge mechanism will be applied where applicable according to EU VAT rules

12.6 For consumer customers (B2C):
a) The displayed price will always include the applicable VAT rate
b) A detailed breakdown of the VAT component will be provided on all invoices

12.7 For charters originating outside the EU or involving non-EU waters:
a) Special VAT rules may apply
b) The applicable tax treatment will be clearly communicated during the booking process