Prepare your yacht for the 2025 summer season: A pre-season checklist

Now is the time to ensure your yacht is fully prepared for a safe, smooth and successful summer.

As the Mediterranean yachting season approaches, the final weeks of spring are a critical time for owners, captains, and crew to ready their yachts for a smooth and successful summer. Whether cruising privately or preparing for a busy charter season, every vessel’s programme is unique, but certain pre-season checks remain essential.

Hill Robinson’s experienced yacht managers are already working closely with captains and crew to coordinate every detail ahead of the 2025 summer season. Here, we share our checklist of key priorities to ensure your yacht is fully prepared for the season ahead.

1. Safety, compliance, certification and insurance

• Carry out a full safety and technical audit to highlight anything needing attention.
• Ensure the yacht is fully surveyed and certified in accordance with Flag State, Class and Port State Control requirements.
• Check Minimum Safe Manning requirements are met and that all crew have valid certification and visas (originals must be on board).
• Update crew and guest list at all times, including next of kin details.
• Verify the yacht’s fiscal status in terms of European Temporary Admission, VAT registration for charters or any other fiscal arrangements required for the operational area.
• Confirm insurance coverage is appropriate for the yacht’s programme and geographic cruising area.

2. Crew readiness

• Ensure the crew are appropriately trained and prepared for the season ahead.
• Conduct a pre-season shakedown sea trial and anchor trial for the deck and engineering departments.
• Put the chef(s) and interior department through their paces with a practice guest lunch.

3. Technical checks

• Check all critical systems are fully serviced and working correctly.
• Confirm that guest-facing amenities are operational, including IT, TVs, sound systems, lighting, climate control, plumbing and water temperature.
• Inventory critical spare parts for both critical and hotel systems.

• Ensure the yacht has VSAT, 4G/5G or Starlink coverage and sufficient bandwidth for the cruising area and numbers of people on board.

4. Owner and guest preparation

• Confirm or request itineraries from owners or charter clients. If needed, propose curated cruising routes tailored to guest preferences.
• Update and verify owner and guest preference lists, ensuring all items are provisioned for.
• Check berth reservations are in place for peak-season hotspots.
• Ensure sufficient cash or credit card resources are onboard.

Every yacht we manage benefits from the full spectrum of our yacht management services. Our yacht managers act as the central point of contact, coordinating between technical managers, compliance experts, accountants and crew consultants to ensure nothing is overlooked.

Hill Robinson is by your side to make the transition into the 2025 summer season seamless, safe and successful. Contact us today to get more information at enquire@hillrobinson.com.

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