Sailing Charters Malta

Sailing Charters Malta lets you explore the islands from the water on a private yacht or catamaran, with a professional skipper at the helm. The company is based at Kalkara Marina, a quiet berth in Grand Harbour opposite Valletta, and it sails to the Blue Lagoon on Comino, the bays of Gozo and the coves of Malta's west and north coasts.

You hire the whole boat privately rather than joining a large tour boat. You choose the date, the size of boat and how you want to spend the day, and the skipper looks after the sailing, the route and the anchorage while you swim, snorkel and relax.

Who they are and how long they have been sailing

This is a family business that has been running yacht charters, boat rental and sailing activity around the Maltese islands since 2010. It was founded by David Anthony Gatt and grew into a leading private charter operator on the islands. After a strategic acquisition announced in April 2026, the company is now led by Keith Sammut, who also owns Suncat Malta Charters and has a background in maritime work.

The skippers are professionally trained and chosen to suit the company's way of working, and the boats are kept to high safety standards. It holds a Transport Malta licence for its operations. Some boats in the fleet belong to selected partners, and in that case the company checks availability with the owner before confirming your request.

The company is built on five values: customer commitment, modesty, dependability, efficiency and passion. In practical terms that means a personal service from first message to the end of the charter, and a willingness to tailor the day to your group.

Skippered day charters

The day charter is the core of the business. You hire a whole boat with a skipper and spend the day exploring coves, lagoons and anchorages around Malta, Comino and Gozo. Swimming and snorkelling stops are part of the day, and the skipper can tailor the route to your wishes. If you would like ideas for where to go, our guides to the Blue Lagoon on Comino and to Gozo and its bays describe the most popular destinations.

Day rates are charged per boat and depend on the yacht. Listed rates run from €450 for a small boat taking up to 4 people to €1,200 for the largest catamaran, which takes up to 26. The price includes the skipper, fuel, snorkelling equipment, free flowing water and VAT. Additional persons are listed at €50 each. Summer days run from 09:30 to 18:00 and winter days from 09:30 to 17:30, with summer meaning 1 May to 30 September. An extra hour on board costs between €80 and €100 depending on the size of the yacht, and alternative times can be arranged.

A deposit confirms the booking and the balance is paid on the day. The full deposit is refunded if the charter cannot go ahead because of the weather. A 5% discount applies to bookings made at least three months ahead and when you take more than one boat. Our Malta weather guide helps you pick the best month.

Evening cruises and multi-day charters

Evening cruises leave at 19:00 and return at 23:00, giving you the sunset on the water with a group of friends or family. Listed rates run from €375 for up to 4 guests to €825 for up to 26, including the skipper, fuel, water, snorkelling equipment and VAT. An extra hour costs €50. The romantic evening cruise is priced from €450 and adds a welcome drink and a three course dinner served inside Grand Harbour or in one of the bays nearby, with a bottle of wine, water and soft drinks. Our Valletta guide explains the harbour sights you will see from the water.

For longer trips, the multi-day charter lets you sail around Malta, Comino and Gozo and sleep on board in quiet anchorages. Listed rates start at €530, with a separate night rate from €150. The price includes the skipper, fuel for local waters, snorkelling equipment, bed linen and bath towels, and boats sleep from 6 to 10 guests in three to five cabins. Marina charges other than the home berth are extra if you stay overnight in a marina rather than at anchor.

Bareboat charters and flotillas

Experienced sailors can charter a yacht without a skipper. Bareboat hire is based at Kalkara Marina, with yachts from 37 to 50 feet and three to five cabins. Rates depend on the season, running from €2,496 in the low season (15 September to 30 April) for the smallest yacht to €5,496 in the high season (1 July to 14 September) for the largest. The rate includes home marina berthing for the whole charter, excluding water and electricity, storage of extra luggage and VAT.

You will need a nautical licence of at least RYA or MCA Yachtmaster Offshore or an international equivalent, a sailing experience résumé, a passport, a credit card and a crew list. Insurance can be covered by a waiver of €175 per week plus a refundable security deposit of €595, or by a larger security deposit instead. A service pack with water, gas, linen, towels and end cleaning costs €95 for a three cabin yacht, €115 for four cabins and €130 for five. Check-in is at 19:00 and check-out at 08:30, and other times can be discussed around your flights. Longer charters earn discounts of 5% to 15% on top of the early booking discount.

Groups who want to sail together can arrange a flotilla, a group of yachts sailing in company for a day or more, with itineraries that leave time for sightseeing and swimming.

The fleet

The fleet covers modern monohull sailing yachts and catamarans. Sailing yachts include a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 379, several Bavaria Cruisers from 41 to 46 feet, Beneteau Cyclades yachts of 43 and 50 feet and a Dufour Grand Large 365. The smallest boats take up to four people, and a rigid inflatable boat takes up to eight. Catamarans include Lagoon 39, 400 and 410 models and a Bali 4.0, with day capacities from 15 up to 26 guests, which suits larger families and parties.

Choosing a boat is mostly a question of group size and comfort. A sailing yacht is lively and traditional, while a catamaran offers wide decks for sunbathing and more space for a group. If you are unsure, tell the team how many of you are travelling and what you want from the day and they will suggest a boat. If you would like to compare other operators, our directory of boat charter in Malta lists more, including Big D Charters and Boat Hire Malta.

Food, events and celebrations

Homemade menus are prepared a few hours before each charter and can be added to day, evening and multi-day trips. The BBQ menus cost €40 per adult and €25 for children under 12, with options such as chicken, beef skewers and a vegan choice, and a Maltese platter starter in some. Cold buffet menus are priced from €25 to €35 per person. On catamarans a minimum of four paying guests applies, or a €15 surcharge is added.

The boats also work as a venue. The company arranges corporate events, team building and business meetings at sea, as well as proposals, birthday and hen or stag parties, wedding celebrations and photo shoots. It can also place you on the water for the fireworks festival in Valletta Grand Harbour or the start of the Rolex Middle Sea Race. Sitting in the Three Cities district, the marina is close to the historic town of Vittoriosa if you want to explore before or after your sail.

Getting there and how to enquire

The boats and office are at Pontoon F, Kalkara Marina, Triq il Marina, Kalkara, and the office answers enquiries daily from 08:00 to 20:00. For a charter, tell the company the date, the number of adults, children aged 2 to 12 and infants under 2, and the type of trip you want.

Use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to Sailing Charters Malta. If you are still planning the rest of your holiday, our guide to things to do in Malta is a useful next read.