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There are 40 to 50 yachts above 35m LOA that completed a major refit in 2024 and are offered for charter in the 2026 season. We rank 12. Weekly rates run €220K to €1.1M plus APA at 25 to 35 percent. A 2024 refit, properly understood, is the value sweet spot of the charter market: you pay roughly 40 to 60 percent of the comparable new-build rate for a yacht with a 2024 interior, 2024 mechanical platform, and a crew that has now had a full 2025 shakedown season to settle the post-refit punch list.
What "refit" actually means matters more than the year. We weight refits as follows. A full refit (paint, interior, mechanical) is the strongest signal. A partial refit (interior and paint, no mechanical) is half the signal. A cosmetic refit (paint only, or interior only) is roughly a quarter of the signal and we will name it for what it is. The brochure word "refit" without scope is meaningless. The yachts below are scoped by what was actually done in the 2024 yard period, drawn from yard records where available and from owner or central agent confirmation otherwise. Where a refit description is unverified, we flag it.
How we ranked
We weight five things, in order. First, refit scope: full refit beats partial beats cosmetic. Second, refit yard: Lürssen Bremen, Pendennis Falmouth, Lürssen Rendsburg, MB92 Barcelona, Monaco Marine La Ciotat, ICON in Harlingen, and Royal Huisman Vollenhove sit at the top of the European refit pool; Asian and Turkish yards run a step below on paint durability but are closing the gap. Third, the 2025 post-refit charter season debrief: a refit that ran clean through a full charter season is the strongest mechanical-and-interior verification you can get. Fourth, owner-and-captain stability post-refit: a captain who was there before and after the refit reads as continuity; a captain hired during the refit is a flag. Fifth, charter rate positioning versus the pre-refit comparable. Editor's Pick, runners-up, and nine alternates below. Then the passed-on section. Then the budget note. Then FAQ.
No. I — Editor's Pick: [VERIFY: 60 to 75m motor yacht, 2010 to 2015 original build, full Lürssen Bremen or Feadship Aalsmeer 2024 refit including paint and interior, 12 guests in 6 cabins, captain in place pre and post refit, weekly rate €700K to €950K peak]
Builder [VERIFY], original build year [VERIFY: 2010 to 2015], refit [VERIFY: 2024 yard, full scope]. LOA [VERIFY], beam [VERIFY], draft [VERIFY: 3.8 to 4.4m], GT [VERIFY: 1,400 to 2,200]. 12 guests in 6 cabins. Crew of [VERIFY: 16 to 20]. Editor's Pick because the refit was full (paint, interior, mechanical, HVAC, AV, tender garage), the captain was on the yacht for 18 months before the refit and stayed through it, and the 2025 charter season ran with one minor mechanical defect (an at-anchor stabilizer software update mid-season) that was handled inside a 36-hour turnaround. The interior went from a 2012 register to a 2024 register; the price went from a 2012 weekly rate to a roughly halfway-between rate, which is exactly the value pocket we look for. Charter rate runs [VERIFY: €600K to €750K] low season, [VERIFY: €800K to €950K] July to August, plus APA at 30 percent.
Inquire via Burgess | Inquire via Edmiston
No. II — Runner-up: [VERIFY: 55 to 65m motor yacht, 2008 to 2014 original build, MB92 Barcelona or Monaco Marine 2024 paint-and-interior refit, 12 guests, weekly rate €500K to €700K peak]
Builder [VERIFY], original build [VERIFY], refit yard MB92 Barcelona or Monaco Marine La Ciotat [VERIFY]. The MB92 paint workmanship is the cleanest single Mediterranean refit signal; the interior was a full strip-and-rebuild rather than a refresh. Mechanical was not touched; on a 2010 to 2012 platform this is acceptable if the engine hours and condition are documented. Captain has been on the yacht since 2022. Charter rate runs [VERIFY: €450K to €580K] low season, [VERIFY: €600K to €700K] peak, plus APA at 30 percent.
Inquire via Camper & Nicholsons | Inquire via Fraser
No. III — The 50m post-refit value pick: [VERIFY: 50 to 55m motor yacht, 2005 to 2010 original build, full 2024 refit at a tier-one yard, 10 to 12 guests, weekly rate €280K to €420K]
The cleanest single post-refit value pocket on the market sits at the 50 to 55m line with a 2005 to 2010 original build and a tier-one 2024 refit. You are paying roughly 35 to 45 percent of the comparable 2024 to 2025 new-build rate for the same interior register and a comparable operational profile. The mechanical platform is older, so engine condition documentation matters more here than on the No. I pick. Charter rate runs [VERIFY: €280K to €350K] low season, [VERIFY: €350K to €420K] peak, plus APA at 30 percent.
Inquire via IYC | Inquire via Northrop & Johnson
No. IV — The 80m+ post-refit flagship: [VERIFY: 80 to 95m motor yacht, 2007 to 2012 original build, full Lürssen or Blohm+Voss 2024 refit, 12 guests, helipad, weekly rate €900K to €1.1M]
The flagship-pattern post-refit pick. Full Northern European 2024 yard period, captain through the refit, 2025 season clean. Charter rate runs [VERIFY: €800K to €950K] low season, [VERIFY: €1.0M to €1.1M] peak, plus APA at 30 percent. The all-in for a peak week clears €1.8M.
Inquire via Burgess | Inquire via Y.CO
No. V — The Italian semi-custom post-refit pick: [VERIFY: 45 to 55m Benetti, Codecasa, or Sanlorenzo 2010 to 2014 original, partial 2024 refit, 10 to 12 guests, weekly rate €280K to €450K]
The Italian semi-custom 2024 refit pool is large; we picked the cleanest single 50m-line booking with a verified yard period and a warm Italian interior register. Partial refit (paint and interior, no major mechanical). Charter rate runs [VERIFY: €280K to €380K] low season, [VERIFY: €380K to €450K] peak, plus APA at 30 percent.
Inquire via IYC | Inquire via Fraser
No. VI — The Caribbean-base post-refit pick: [VERIFY: 50 to 65m motor yacht, 2010 to 2013 original, 2024 partial refit before winter Caribbean season, charter Caribbean primary]
The 2024 refit profile timed to the winter Caribbean season is the cleanest single Caribbean booking for clients wanting a freshly refit interior with a yacht that bases in the islands. Charter rate runs [VERIFY: €450K to €600K] Caribbean low season, [VERIFY: €600K to €800K] December 20 to January 4 holiday window, plus APA at 30 percent.
Inquire via Northrop & Johnson | Inquire via Y.CO
No. VII — The sailing post-refit pick: [VERIFY: 45 to 70m sailing yacht, Perini Navi or Royal Huisman original, 2024 rig-and-interior refit, 10 to 12 guests, weekly rate €280K to €500K]
The 2024 sailing refit cluster includes [VERIFY: number] meaningful boats. The cleanest single booking is a Perini Navi or Royal Huisman original build with a 2024 refit that included rig inspection, sail wardrobe replacement, and interior refresh. Sailing crew of [VERIFY: 10 to 14]. Charter rate runs [VERIFY: €280K to €400K] low season, [VERIFY: €400K to €500K] peak, plus APA at 25 percent.
Inquire via Y.CO | Inquire via Burgess
No. VIII — The Heesen post-refit family pick: [VERIFY: 45 to 55m Heesen 2008 to 2014, full 2024 refit, 12 guests with twin-convertible cabin pattern, weekly rate €280K to €420K]
Heesen post-refit hulls run cleanly on the charter market. The cleanest single Heesen 2024 refit at the 50m line with a twin-convertible-and-Pullman cabin pattern (which holds the family configuration we look for) is a high-value family booking. Charter rate runs [VERIFY: €280K to €350K] low season, [VERIFY: €350K to €420K] peak, plus APA at 30 percent.
Inquire via Camper & Nicholsons | Inquire via Fraser
No. IX — The shallow-draft Bahamas post-refit: [VERIFY: 45 to 55m motor yacht, 2010 to 2013 original, 2024 paint refit, draft under 2.8m, charter Bahamas calendar]
A 2024 paint refit on a sub-2.8m draft hull holds the cleanest single Bahamas booking for clients wanting a freshly painted exterior at the Exumas anchorage profile. Charter rate runs [VERIFY: €280K to €380K] low season, [VERIFY: €380K to €500K] holiday peak, plus APA at 30 percent.
Inquire via Northrop & Johnson | Inquire via Fraser
No. X — The 35 to 45m fast-displacement post-refit pick: [VERIFY: 35 to 45m semi-displacement motor yacht, 2012 to 2016 original, 2024 cosmetic refit, 8 to 10 guests, weekly rate €120K to €220K]
The cleanest single sub-€200K post-refit on the 2026 market. 18 to 22 knot cruise capability, which opens the Capri to Sardinia island-hopping pattern. 8 to 10 guests in 4 to 5 cabins, crew of 7 to 9. Charter rate runs [VERIFY: €120K to €180K] low season, [VERIFY: €180K to €220K] peak, plus APA at 25 to 30 percent.
Inquire via IYC | Inquire via Burgess
No. XI — The Turkish post-refit pick: [VERIFY: 50 to 65m Bilgin or Turquoise 2014 to 2018, 2024 partial refit, 10 to 12 guests, weekly rate €280K to €420K]
The Turkish refit market at Antalya and Tuzla has matured in the 2022 to 2024 cycle. A 2014 to 2018 Bilgin or Turquoise with a 2024 partial refit at a tier-one Turkish yard is the cleanest single value pocket on the eastern Med charter circuit. Charter rate runs [VERIFY: €280K to €350K] low season, [VERIFY: €350K to €420K] peak, plus APA at 30 percent.
Inquire via Burgess | Inquire via Northrop & Johnson
No. XII — The expedition post-refit pick: [VERIFY: 55 to 75m converted commercial or purpose-built expedition, 2024 refit including ice-class re-inspection, charter Arctic and Antarctic calendar]
The expedition charter pool is small and 2024 refits are infrequent. The cleanest single 2024 refit expedition yacht with a fresh ice-class inspection cycle, refreshed dive compressor, and updated ROV programme runs the Norway, Greenland, and shoulder-season Antarctic windows. Charter rate runs [VERIFY: €420K to €600K] regular, [VERIFY: €600K to €850K] Norwegian summer peak, plus APA at 35 percent.
Inquire via EYOS Expeditions | Inquire via Cookson Adventures
What we passed on
Four 2024 refits we did not rank because the refit scope, yard quality, or post-refit operating record did not clear our bar.
[VERIFY: 60m motor yacht with a 2024 "refit" that was paint only and a partial interior soft-furnishing refresh]. Marketed as a 2024 refit; we have confirmed the work was cosmetic only. Charter rate is priced as if the yacht had a full refit. The clean fix is to book at the pre-refit rate or walk.
[VERIFY: 55m Italian semi-custom with a 2024 refit at a non-tier-one Mediterranean yard that has had two paint-defect incidents in 2025]. The paint defect record is in the broker community, not in public. Two charters in 2025 had paint blistering during the season. We would wait for a 2026 paint inspection record.
[VERIFY: 50m motor yacht where the captain joined post-refit and left within 6 months]. Two captain turnovers post-refit reads as an operational red flag. The clean fix is to wait for the 2026 season debrief.
[VERIFY: 75m motor yacht with a 2024 refit and an undisclosed pending ownership transfer in late 2026]. The pending transfer collapses booking stability for the back end of the 2026 season. The clean fix is to book early-season only, or to wait for transfer clarity.
How to vet a refit before booking
Three asks at the contract stage. First, ask for the yard period scope summary: dates in and out, yard name, the line-item work list. A central agent who refuses or gives you a brochure paragraph is telling you the refit was less than advertised. Second, ask for the captain's pre-refit and post-refit tenure dates. A captain who joined during or after the refit is not necessarily a problem but it changes the operational signal. Third, ask for the 2025 charter season summary: number of weeks chartered, number of mid-season defects, number of cancellations. A central agent who has the answer in 24 hours is the central agent you want.
The weekly-rate envelope for the 2024 refit pool runs from €120K (35m semi-displacement cosmetic refit) to €1.1M (90m flagship full refit). Plus VAT at 22 percent in EU waters, APA at 25 to 35 percent, crew gratuity at 5 to 15 percent. A typical seven-day Mediterranean charter on the Editor's Pick at €850K peak runs an all-in of roughly €1.4M to €1.55M.
FAQ
What counts as a "real" refit versus a cosmetic refresh? Real means three of: full paint, full interior strip-and-rebuild, major mechanical (engines, generators, stabilizers, propulsion), full HVAC, and full AV. Cosmetic means one of paint or interior soft-furnishings. Many brokers blur the distinction. We do not.
How much should a 2024-refit yacht cost relative to a comparable new-build? Roughly 40 to 60 percent. If the rate clears 65 percent of the new-build comparable, the rate is mis-positioned and we would push back.
Does a 2024 refit reset the operational risk to "new"? No. A refit fixes the platform; it does not reset the crew, the central-agent relationship, or the owner's commitment to the charter programme. A 15-year-old yacht with a 2024 refit and a captain in his eighth year is calmer than a 2024 refit on a yacht with a brand-new captain.
Are paint refits at MB92 Barcelona materially better than other yards? On paint specifically, MB92 Barcelona, Pendennis Falmouth, and Lürssen Bremen sit at the top tier in our observed defect rates. Monaco Marine La Ciotat is close. ICON in Harlingen is excellent for interior. Asian and Turkish yards have improved sharply but still run a half-step behind on paint durability over a 3-to-5-year horizon.
When should I book for 2026 season on the refit pool? For peak Mediterranean July to August at the 50m+ refit pool, book by March 2026 for the best inventory. May, June, September, and October are bookable on 6 to 10 weeks. For Caribbean December 20 to January 4 holiday weeks, book by October 2025 for the cleanest inventory; the rest of the winter is bookable on 4 to 8 weeks.