Yacht and private jet charter website cost in Victoria: local agencies vs Kolonell (2026)

The verdict in three sentences

In Victoria, British Columbia, a yacht and private charter website built by a local agency costs, as a 2026 ballpark, 12 000 to 45 000 CAD (about 8 800 to 33 000 USD), while a capable local freelancer can deliver a simple site for less than some Kolonell tiers. Kolonell builds the yacht pages, the itinerary pages and a qualified charter request for a fixed 2 900, 4 900 or 8 900 USD, with native copy, a project manager and a bilingual FR/EN site from Premium. The decision comes down to timing before the summer season, who owns the site afterwards and whether you need an on-water shoot managed for you.

What does a Victoria charter business actually sell?

Victoria is a sailing and cruising town. The Inner Harbour, Oak Bay and the Saanich Peninsula marinas are the starting points for crewed and bareboat charters through the Gulf Islands, up to Desolation Sound and the Broughton Archipelago, and across to the San Juan Islands. The season concentrates on May to September, with whale watching, fishing lodges and wine country stops on the itinerary. Clients come from Vancouver, Seattle, Calgary and further afield, and many arrive through Victoria International Airport (YYJ), by floatplane or by helicopter from Vancouver.

Typical local personas: a yacht management company placing owners' motor yachts in charter, a small crewed sailing charter outfit, a broker combining a week on the water with a private flight in and out. Each needs a site that sells calm, competence and availability, not volume.

The site should therefore offer:

• one page per yacht, with owner-approved photos, cabins, crew, inclusions and a clear note on what is extra (fuel, provisioning, moorage);
• itinerary pages by duration (three days in the Gulf Islands, a week to Desolation Sound);
• a charter request asking dates, guests, children, experience, preferred yacht type, arrival mode and budget range;
• a weather and cancellation page written in plain language;
• a transfers page for floatplane, helicopter or private flight arrivals, arranged with licensed operators.

What do Victoria agencies, freelancers and Kolonell charge?

Prudent ballparks, not official figures, based on public rate cards of Vancouver Island and Lower Mainland agencies, minimum project sizes on Clutch.co, hourly rates published locally (often 100 to 160 CAD per hour) and freelancer rates on Upwork. Conversions use roughly 0.73 USD per CAD.

Honest point: a Victoria freelancer at 3 500 to 5 000 CAD can be as cheap as, or cheaper than, Kolonell Starter at 2 900 USD. What Kolonell adds is a project manager, copy written for charter guests, a fixed scope and a written handover, without promising more than a well-built site. The team is based in Senegal (GMT), seven to eight hours ahead of Victoria, so calls are booked in your morning and you receive a written update every week. Payment by bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff, 50 % at delivery. More on our international website offer.

What does each tier include for a yacht management or charter company?

A booking engine with online deposit, live pricing by yacht and week, or an owner portal showing revenue and bookings is a custom application, quoted on request. Ongoing search work is quoted on request too.

Which rules apply to a charter site in British Columbia?

• Vessels: Transport Canada oversees commercial vessels and their crews; what applies depends on the vessel, its use and the number of passengers. State on the site who is responsible for the vessel and crew, and stay factual.
• Flights and transfers: floatplane, helicopter and private jet services are performed by operators holding an Air Operator Certificate issued by Transport Canada. If you arrange them, say you arrange them and name the operator.
• Cross-border trips: entering US waters around the San Juan Islands involves reporting to border authorities on both sides; give a general note and link to official sources.
• Drone footage: in Canada, flying most drones requires a Transport Canada drone pilot certificate; hire a certified pilot.
• Data: BC's PIPA covers private organisations in the province, and PIPEDA may apply to cross-border flows. Do not collect passport details in the first form.
• Accessibility: aim for WCAG 2.1 AA.

This is not legal advice.

Which warning signs should you watch for?

• Photos of yachts you do not manage, or owner photos used without written consent.
• A booking engine promised inside a brochure site price.
• A launch date after the end of April, which leaves no time before the season.
• The domain registered by the agency, which makes changing supplier painful.
• No mobile test on a slow connection, while many guests browse from the marina or the ferry.

Mini case study

Illustrative example. Megan T. runs a yacht management company in Victoria placing four owners' motor yachts in charter. Her current site lists only two of them and has no itinerary pages. It is January and she wants to be live by March. Three quotes:

• Victoria agency: 28 000 CAD (about 20 400 USD), 10 weeks, shoot included.
• Local freelancer: 8 000 CAD (about 5 800 USD), no copywriting, 8 weeks.
• Kolonell Growth: 4 900 USD, 3 to 4 weeks, plus a day on the water with a local photographer and a certified drone pilot for 2 500 CAD (about 1 800 USD).

Kolonell route: 4 900 + 1 800 = 6 700 USD, against 20 400 USD for the agency, a gap of 13 700 USD, and close to the freelancer's price once copy is counted. In return, Megan books the shoot and collects the owners' consent forms herself.

FAQ

How much does a yacht charter website cost in Victoria?

As a 2026 ballpark, 12 000 to 45 000 CAD with an agency (about 8 800 to 33 000 USD) and 3 500 to 12 000 CAD with a freelancer. Kolonell charges a fixed 2 900, 4 900 or 8 900 USD.

Can the site show live availability?

Growth at 4 900 USD can embed the calendar from the booking tool you already use. A custom booking engine with online deposit is quoted on request.

Can you handle the on-water shoot?

No, Kolonell does not shoot on site. We write the shot list and you hire a local photographer, often 1 500 to 3 000 CAD for a day.

Do we need a French version?

Not in British Columbia, but Quebec and European guests appreciate it. Premium at 8 900 USD includes a bilingual FR/EN site.

When should we start before the season?

Allow 3 to 4 weeks for Starter and Growth, usually 4 to 6 weeks for Premium, plus time for the shoot. Starting in January or February keeps a margin before May.

Let's scope your project. Send us your yachts, your itineraries and the date you want to be live before the season, and we will confirm a fixed price in USD with a 3 to 6 week timeline. Request your free quote or see the international offer.