Sailing membership, boat share, or yacht syndicate

What’s right for you?

When you want to enjoy sailing
with your family and friends

There are four main ways to get on the water in Australia. Each suits a different type of sailor, a different budget, and a different relationship with the water. We break them down honestly - including what we believe makes SailTime different from all of them.

Sailboat on the water with crew members and a residential area with trees in the background.

Sailing Membership

A monthly membership to sail a dedicated yacht close by and access other bases locally and overseas. No equity required, just join, book, sail.

Most Affordable Entry
A group of four people enjoying a day on a white yacht sailing on the water under a partly cloudy sky.

Boat Club

Access to a shared fleet of motor cruisers for a monthly fee. Powerboats only - no sailing yachts, with significant fuel costs a consideration

Mid-Range Entry
A white sailing yacht with three people on board, sailing on the ocean on a sunny day.

Syndicate

You buy a share of a yacht or powerboat vessel, typically 10–25% equity (starting form a minimum of $30-$50K) and split usage with co-owners.

Significant Up-Front Cost
A middle-aged man with dark hair, gray beard, wearing sunglasses and a light-colored striped shirt, standing with arms crossed at a marina filled with sailboats under a clear blue sky.

Traditional Ownership

Owning your own yacht is the ultimate expression of the sailing life - complete freedom, your boat, your rules. But it also comes with a high investment.

Highest Cost & Commitment

Not sure which path is right for you? The table below breaks down every key factor side by side - costs, commitment, vessel type, locations and more. If you're new to the idea of a sailing membership, the short answer is this: SailTime Australia’s Monthly Sailing Membership Program gives you everything you love about having your own boat, without the financial commitment of buying one.

Feature SailTime Membership Boat Club Boat Share / Syndicate Full Ownership
Getting started
Upfront cost Joining fee only — no equity Joining fee Buy a share — typically $30K–$50K+ Full purchase price
Do you own anything? ✗ No — and that's the point ✗ No ✓ Yes — equity share ✓ Yes — full title
Minimum commitment 12 months Varies (often 12 months) Typically 3-year term Ongoing
Training included ✓ 2-day induction included ✓ Usually included ✓ Usually 2 days ✗ At your own cost
What you're sailing
Vessel type Sailing yachts Motor cruisers only Motor or sail, depends on share Whatever you buy
Dedicated boat ✓ You belong to one boat ✗ Shared fleet access ✓ A specific vessel ✓ Yes
Walk-on, walk-off ✓ Yes ✓ Yes ✓ Usually ✗ You handle everything
Ongoing costs & responsibility
Monthly fee Yes — predictable & fixed Yes — from ~$1,395/mo Ongoing levy / management fee Marina, insurance, maintenance
Maintenance ✓ Fully managed for you ✓ Fully managed ~ Shared among co-owners ✗ Entirely yours
Insurance included ✓ Yes ✓ Usually ~ Varies ✗ Separate cost
Where you can sail
Sydney Harbour ✓ ✓ Some providers ✓ Some providers ✓
Pittwater ✓ ✓ ~ Limited options ✓
Middle Harbour ✓ ✗ Not offered ✗ Not offered ✓
Port Stephens ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓
Global access ✓ SailTime worldwide network ✓ 400+ locations worldwide ✗ Usually location-locked ✗

SailTime Australia: the equity-free sailing membership approach

SailTime began in the United States, where this model is known as "fractional sailing." In Australia, we simply call it a sailing membership - because that's exactly what it is.

You pay a one-off joining fee (which includes two full days of induction training) and a monthly membership fee based on the boat you join. No equity purchase. No three-year commitment. No co-owner disputes about who gets the boat over Christmas.


✓ You belong to one dedicated yacht - not a shared fleet

✓ Two-day induction training included in your joining fee

✓ Monthly fee - predictable, no surprise costs

✓ 12-month minimum - not locked into years of ownership

✓ Four NSW bases: Sydney Harbour, Middle Harbour, Pittwater, Port Stephens

✓ Global reciprocal access across the SailTime network

✓ Optional participation in Twilight Sailing, Regatta’s and Flotillas

$0

Equity required to join.
You don't buy a stake - you buy access.

2

Days induction training for 2 people included with every membership.

4

Current Bases - Sydney & Middle Harbour, Pittwater & Port Stephens

Group of people on a sailboat enjoying a day on the water, some waving and smiling, with a clear blue sky and calm sea in the background.
Three children jumping into the water from a white sailboat on a sunny day.
People sailing on a boat near a rocky island with lush green trees, with another sailboat in the background.
Four women and one man on a sailboat, smiling and enjoying the water with other sailboats and distant shoreline in the background during the daytime.

  • “SailTime has been a terrific investment. When we first joined, I’d never sailed before! But I’d always wanted a boat. In fact, I was negotiating the purchase of a boat when I heard about SailTime. When I compared the costs, I couldn’t believe the value. A quick trial sail, and I was in”.

  • “Learning to sail has been amazing. My wife and I have gone from zero knowledge to sailing a 40-foot yacht on Sydney Harbour – it’s absolutely spectacular”.

  • The boats are amazing. Because they get sailed every single weekend, there’s never any disrepair – things are fixed immediately. I don’t have time to sail during the week, so SailTime provides just the right amount of access. My favourite part is being able to get onto a boat and sail without any hassles at all – you just walk on, and walk off. My friends think it’s a great option. They are keen to join together in a group membership.”

Common questions you may have

Things people often ask when they're considering their options for getting out on the water.

  • No - and this is the most important distinction. A boat share (or syndicate) requires you to purchase equity in the vessel. With SailTime, you pay a membership fee only. You don't own anything, and you don't need to. You get dedicated access to a specific boat without the financial commitment of buying a stake.

  • Not at all. Your joining fee includes a comprehensive two-day induction - you'll be trained specifically on your boat before your first solo sail. We take complete beginners through to experienced sailors who simply don't want the expense of owning their own vessel. We also have a Sailing School so you can lift your skills higher.

  • A 12-month minimum lets us manage the fleet properly and ensure every member gets fair access throughout the year - including summer peak season and quieter winter months. It's a much shorter commitment than boat share syndicates, which typically lock you in for three years.

  • Your membership includes access to SailTime's global network through our SailTimePLUS model - so if you're travelling overseas and there's a SailTime base nearby, you can sail there too. Within Australia, you can also arrange cross-base access.

  • You simply don't renew - no equity to sell, no syndicate exit process, no co-owner negotiations. Unlike a boat share where unwinding your equity stake can take time and money, a SailTime membership simply concludes at the end of your term.

You can stop dreaming and start sailing today!

SailTime is the affordable way to get out on the water - complete our enquiry form and we’ll be in touch to chat and arrange a free trial sail so you can see just how easy and affordable it is to become a SailTime member.

– Graham & The SailTime Team