The definitive guide to chartering your List 7 boat

You have a recreational boat on List 7, and if we are honest, it sometimes spends more time tied up than sailing. You do not need to be a regulatory expert or run the bureaucracy on your own. In this guide we explain, calmly and in detail, how the whole process fits together and how Zarpar takes care of the heavy lifting so you can focus on the boat and on whoever enjoys it.

First, the basics: what is a List 7 boat?

List 7 of the Ship Registry is where private-use recreational vessels go: the typical family boat for weekend trips, fishing, or getting away.

In normal use it is not intended for commercial activity. To charter it in a regulated way you need a temporary change of use from private to commercial: it does not mean “converting” your boat to another registry permanently; it does involve procedures, a naval management contract with a nautical charter company, up-to-date documentation, and a dispatch in line with the regulations. That is where we come in: we guide you and handle what the administration requires, so the path is clear from start to finish.

What the regulation requires (an honest summary)

For everything to align with what the Merchant Marine requires, it helps to know (and not be surprised later) that:

• You can charter for a maximum of 3 consecutive months per year under this regime.
• You need a certificate of seaworthiness and the rest of the technical certificates in order, and an ITB equivalent to List 6 carried out by a collaborating body, during the charter period.
• Insurance must be comprehensive: third-party liability and personal accident cover on board for everyone on the vessel.
• A naval management contract with a nautical charter company is mandatory (at Zarpar we process it with you).
• Before each charter period you must have the dispatch in order (applications are usually filed with enough lead time—for example 48 hours—before the start; we clarify this for your case).
• During the commercial period you as the owner may not command the vessel or be part of the crew unless you are enrolled with a professional qualification, as provided.
• In commercial use the boat carries the letters “CT” before the registration, and the contract and applications follow the electronic office channels when applicable.
• The activity must fit nautical chartering under this regime, not other modalities that require different procedures.

With a skipper or bareboat?

Before you publish, it helps to decide how you want to offer your boat. These options work on Zarpar:

You bring the boat (bareboat): The charterer has the right licence and operates the vessel. You handle handover and return, with a guided process.

Professional skipper included: You provide a skipper you trust for the trip; it is a popular option for those who want a “turnkey” experience.

Professional skipper required: You require a professional skipper but do not provide one: the charterer can use Zarpar’s skipper marketplace.

The administrative procedure is very similar in all three cases; what changes is how each booking is handled (licence checks, professional skipper enrolment when a professional skipper is required, response times, etc.).

Step 1: Create an account and register your vessel

Start at zarpar.eu/en/anadir-barco/: there you can sign up or log in, complete your profile, and upload the documentation we need to verify (for example your identity). Add name, registration, marina, photos that sell the boat and the technical data that do it justice—well-crafted listings show in the first bookings.

Tip: the same boat can have several listings (for example one bareboat and one with skipper included) to reach different charterers without doing everything from scratch twice.

Step 2: Publish your listing

Here you define the commercial side, always under your control:

• Price and availability that fit your calendar.
• Cancellation policy that matches how you sail.
• Description and photos that reflect the real experience on board.
• Mode: bareboat, skipper included, or skipper required.
• Bank account where you want to receive income when due.

In this phase securely on the Zarpar platform we also handle payment of fees or procedures linked to the change-of-use process; you will receive the documentation or receipts that apply.

Step 3: We validate and, if everything fits, we continue

We review certificates, insurance, and that the information is consistent with the regulations. If something is missing or needs adjusting, we email you so you can fix it without losing the thread. When everything is in order, your listing can go live and the boat is ready for the next legal step.

Step 4: Sign the naval management contract

We send you the naval management contract: it is mandatory and is what the maritime authority requires for the temporary change of use. Sign it and return it following our instructions; the same contract applies whether you charter with or without a skipper.

Step 5: Change of use (the paperwork, in our hands)

This is where the fear of “endless paperwork” often appears. Zarpar prepares and submits to the competent administration what is required—including, when applicable, the Ministry’s electronic office—so the application for authorisation to record on the registry sheet for temporary change of use follows the correct channel. You provide what we ask for (contract, identification, fee receipts, etc.).

Timelines depend on the Maritime Authority; it usually takes about 2 to 4 weeks. When the decision is favourable, it is reflected on the registry sheet; the authorisation has extended validity (up to 5 years under the current reference regime), always within the limits of temporary commercial use.

Step 6: Charter dispatch

With the change authorised, you need a temporary dispatch for the period you will charter. Among other things you must specify:

• Date window for the dispatch (remember the cap of 3 consecutive months per year under this regime).
• Policy with liability and personal accidents on board as required.
• ITB equivalent to List 6 by a collaborating body during the charter period.

If you choose skipper included and already have a captain, their details are usually required here to finalise enrolments. When the dispatch is issued, your boat may operate under charter as agreed.

Important: if you need to return to private use earlier, in many cases the dispatch can be cancelled early; the exact requirements depend on the Maritime Authority and your situation—we guide you accordingly.

Step 7: Bookings arrive

When someone books, you receive an email with the details and the charterer’s context. You typically have 72 hours to accept or decline.

The flow depends on the mode:

Bareboat: We check that the charterer’s qualification is valid (Navigation Licence, PNB, PER or higher) and, if you accept the booking, the charter proceeds without enrolling the charterer on the dispatch (enrolment under this regime applies to the professional skipper, not to the guest who operates under a recreational licence).

Skipper included: If you accept, you provide or confirm the skipper’s details and we enrol them.

Skipper required: The charterer chooses a skipper on the marketplace; the skipper has time to accept, then you receive their details and usually have another window to give approval. If deadlines do not work or no skipper is available, the booking may cancel and the charterer is refunded according to the platform rules.

For declines, the refund to the charterer is handled without you fighting manual processes.

Step 8: Charter day (trust and clear communication)

The day comes: your boat is heading out with someone who trusted your listing.

1. Handover to the charterer (and skipper, if applicable); you can be there or someone you trust completely.
2. Solid check-in: walk deck and interior together, fuel and inventory, basics (engine, batteries, heads, safety). Photos or video at the start avoid misunderstandings later; noting engine hours and condition is a seasoned-owner touch.
3. Clear channel (phone, WhatsApp) if anything comes up during the charter.
4. Check-out on return: same idea—joint review, compare with check-in if needed, and a cordial close.

At Zarpar we stay available before, during, and after so you are not alone if operational questions come up.

Step 9: Getting paid (and sleeping soundly)

After a confirmed booking, the amount is held securely through Zarpar’s payment gateway. When the charter ends without issues and both sides confirm normal service, Zarpar transfers the corresponding amount to your account, after Zarpar’s commission. That setup also means that if there is a claim or dispute, we can mediate fairly, always within the Terms and Conditions and Legal Notice.

Payments to owners are settled periodically (for example monthly) to the indicated account. Zarpar issues its commission invoice; you invoice the charterer for the charter service according to your tax obligations. If there was a marketplace skipper, the skipper handles their invoicing with the charterer as agreed.

Step 10: Your obligations as owner (the serious part, briefly)

Chartering is economic activity: it brings responsibility and reward.

Documentation: Certificate of seaworthiness, insurance, and remaining certificates valid for the whole charter period.

“CT” marking on the registration while commercial use lasts.

Crew rules: Remember that in the commercial period you cannot act as a recreational skipper unless you go with a professional qualification and proper enrolment.

Tax and reporting: You usually need to register on the census of business owners to invoice; charter may carry VAT and must appear in your returns; Zarpar reports to the tax authorities as applicable (including European reporting such as DAC7 for digital platforms). For specific questions, a tax adviser in your region and situation is the right person.

Cancellations and reviews

When you publish you choose the listing’s cancellation policy: in practice this is often framed as 15 days or 2 days before the start of the charter for the charterer’s refund under those terms (you set the details when you configure the listing). We process refunds to the charterer when due, in line with that policy.

Reviews the day after the charter are gold: you and the client can rate each other; if there was a marketplace skipper, their rating may also count. A strong reputation brings the next season.

In short

Putting your List 7 boat to work with a legal framework is possible, it is regulated, and you do not have to become a part-time nautical administrator. Zarpar brings together contract, administration filings, dispatch coordination, and payments with secure hold while you keep the boat spotless and deliver an experience worth five stars.

The journey, from the helm:

1. Sign-up and vessel at zarpar.eu/en/anadir-barco/ with verified documentation.
2. Listing with your terms and fee handling on the platform.
3. Validation; if something is missing, we email you.
4. Signed naval management contract.
5. Change of use handled by Zarpar (administrative timelines; authorisation valid for about 5 years under the current framework).
6. Dispatch with suitable insurance and ITB; up to 3 consecutive months per year of temporary commercial regime.
7. Bookings, handover and check-in/check-out with good communication.
8. Payments after issue-free completion, commission deducted, periodic settlement to your account.

Your boat deserves to sail more today than yesterday—and you deserve to stop only watching it from the pontoon.