Corporate Event Charter in the Hamptons
Booking a corporate event charter in the Hamptons is rarely the hard part. Getting it through your own company is. Someone in finance wants an invoice, someone in legal wants a certificate of insurance, and someone in operations wants to know what happens if it rains on eighteen people who drove out from the city. We're Charters in The Hamptons, a family-run operation on Shelter Island, and we've run enough client days and team outings to know those questions come before anyone asks about the view. Call (631) 251-1777 and we'll walk through the logistics first.
Groups Larger Than One Boat
Federal law limits most private charter vessels to six paying passengers unless the boat carries a Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection. That surprises people planning a team outing for fifteen.
The workaround is simple. We run two boats together. Same route, same schedule, same anchorage, two captains in radio contact. Teams often prefer it anyway, because it splits a large group into conversations instead of one crowd shouting over engine noise.
We'll tell you the passenger count for each vessel when you call, and whether your group needs one boat or two. That number comes before any deposit.
Paperwork, Invoicing, and Approvals
Corporate bookings move through procurement, not a credit card. Tell us what your company needs when you call and we'll tell you what we can provide and how long it takes. That's a conversation, not a form on a website, because every company's requirements are different.
What we can tell you now: we're Charters in The Hamptons, LLC, based at 63 S Menantic Rd, Shelter Island, NY 11964. Every captain holds a current USCG license. If your team needs vendor documentation before approval, start the call early. Summer dates book faster than most approval cycles run.
A Route That Works for a Business Day
Shelter Island sits between the North Fork and the South Fork. Most East End charter operators are stuck on one side of the bay. We aren't, and for a corporate day that matters more than it sounds.
Pickup That Fits the Drive
Greenport is the easier pickup for teams driving out on the Long Island Expressway. Sag Harbor works better for groups already staying on the South Fork. Both put people on a boat without hunting for a marina they've never seen.​
The Middle of the Day
Most corporate charters run about four hours. That's enough for a cruise through Gardiners Bay, an hour or two at anchor, and a dock stop. Groups that want a working session on the water usually anchor somewhere quiet. Coecles Harbor on Shelter Island is calm and out of the traffic. Sunset Beach is the opposite, and on an August Friday it's a crowd.
Client Dinners
If the point is entertaining clients, a dock and dine run is usually the better format. Cruise out, anchor for an hour, then tie up in Greenport village near Mitchell Park Marina and walk to dinner. Docking is first come, first served at most East End restaurants, so tell us the plan early and we'll time the run around it.
Things Planners Forget to Ask
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People who don't boat. Peconic Bay is protected on three sides. It stays flat when the ocean is rough. That matters when half your team has never been offshore.
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Cell service. It's reliable across most of the bay, but not perfect. Assume calls will be spotty at anchor.
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The sober guest. Plenty of people on a work trip don't want to drink. Nobody has to.
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Mobility. Getting on and off a boat takes a step down and a hand. Tell us in advance if someone in the group needs help and we'll pick the vessel and the dock accordingly.
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Weather. Your captain makes the call the morning of, based on conditions. Talk to us about how rescheduling works for your date before you lock in a group of twenty.
Why Companies Book With Us
We're cousins who grew up working the docks at our family's Shelter Island marina. We earned our USCG licenses in 2019 and have run more than 200 charters since.
For a corporate group, a few specifics matter more than the story:
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Every captain on every boat holds a USCG license.
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We run private charters only, so your team never shares a boat with strangers.
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Two-boat coordination for groups too large for one vessel.
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Weekday availability, which is when most corporate outings actually happen and when the bay is quietest.
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Central Shelter Island position, so the North Fork and the South Fork are both a short run away.
Charters run seven days a week in season. Members get priority access to the booking calendar, which is worth asking about if your company runs more than one event a year.
Consider September
Most companies book their summer outing for July or August, which is when the bay is at its busiest and the calendar is tightest. September is the better month for a corporate day out here.
The water is still warm, the anchorages are half empty after Labor Day, and dockside restaurants stop being a wait. Sunsets come earlier too, which suits a late afternoon event that needs to end at a reasonable hour. If your team's schedule is flexible, ask about September dates first.
Start With a Phone Call
Give us the head count, the date, and whatever your company needs on paper. We'll tell you how many boats it takes and what the day looks like.
Call or text (631) 251-1777, or email captain@chartersinthehamptons.com. We're at 63 S Menantic Rd, Shelter Island, NY 11964. Have a look at our boats or get in touch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you handle a group of twenty? Yes, usually by running two boats together on the same route. Federal rules limit most private vessels to six passengers, so larger groups get split across boats with a captain on each.
Do you provide a certificate of insurance? Tell us what your company requires when you call and we'll tell you what we can provide. Start early, because approval cycles take longer than booking a boat.
Can we get an invoice instead of paying by card? Call (631) 251-1777 and we'll go through the options for your booking.
Do you handle catering? Groups bring their own food and drinks, or we build in a dock stop at a restaurant. Tell us which you prefer and we'll plan the run time around it.
Are weekday charters available? Yes, seven days a week in season. Weekdays are quieter on the water and easier to book on short notice.
What if it rains on the day? Your captain makes the call the morning of based on actual conditions. Call and talk through rescheduling before you commit a large group to a date.
How far in advance should we book? As early as you can. July and August weekends go first, and corporate approvals rarely move fast.
Does anyone on the team need a boating license? No. Every trip runs with a USCG-licensed captain at the helm. New York's Brianna's Law applies to people operating a boat, not to guests aboard a captained charter.
Can guests who don't drink still enjoy the day? Yes. Nothing about the trip depends on drinking, and plenty of guests on a work outing skip it entirely.
