The purchase price is the figure people talk about. The figure that decides whether a co-ownership holds is the running cost — and that is regularly underestimated.
What to reckon with
The following figures are reference points for a well-kept ten- to twelve-metre yacht on the German Baltic coast. They vary strongly with the area and the berth — in the Netherlands or at a club pontoon it looks different from a marina.
| Item | Year | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Summer berth | 1,800–3,000 € | strongly location-dependent |
| Winter storage incl. lift-out | 900–1,600 € | a shed costs far more than open ground |
| Insurance | 450–900 € | hull, depending on value |
| Antifouling, anodes | 300–600 € | materials, without labour |
| Servicing, small repairs | 600–1,500 € | varies the most |
| Reserve for the big items | 500–1,500 € | sails, engine, rig — every few years |
That comes to roughly 4,500 to 9,000 € a year before anyone has cast off. Diesel, harbour dues and consumption come on top and depend on how much is sailed.
What that means per head
At 6,000 € of running costs:
| Co-ownership | per head and year | per head and month |
|---|---|---|
| alone | 6,000 € | 500 € |
| two | 3,000 € | 250 € |
| four | 1,500 € | 125 € |
| six | 1,000 € | 83 € |
This is the real reason for a co-ownership: it is not the purchase price that halves, it is the annual burden. And you pay that for twenty years, the purchase price only once.
The reserve is the point that gets forgotten
Berth and insurance are in the calendar. What takes people by surprise are the things that come round every five to ten years: a set of sails, an engine overhaul, standing rigging, the osmosis survey.
Put a fixed amount aside from the start — often 1 to 2 % of the boat’s value per year. Without a reserve, every larger job turns into an additional demand, and additional demands are the most common reason for a co-ownership to end up talking about money.
What a co-ownership does not make cheaper
In fairness: more people mean more use, and more use means more wear. A boat that sails 60 days a year needs more servicing than one that sails 20. The saving per head stays large — it is just not quite as large as plain division suggests.
In short. 4,500 to 9,000 € of running costs a year, depending on area and boat. Between four that is around 125 € a month each. Allow for a reserve of 1–2 % of the boat’s value from the start.