Marina del Rey is the largest man made small craft harbour in the world and the only real yacht basin in Los Angeles County, which means the local charter market is both deep and unusually expensive. Nothing here is sold by the week. The unit is the two or four hour block, the boats are large, and the price per hour is the highest of any American city in this record.
The ladder
Read on 11 September 2026, Sailo lists 98 boats at Marina del Rey at an average of 5,160 USD a day, from 549 at the bottom to 29,000 at the top. The listings show where that money goes: a 75 foot Sunseeker with a captain for twelve at 10,500 for four hours, a 125 foot Admiral XL for twelve at 13,500 for four hours, and a 101 foot Leopard at 5,000 for two hours. The floor of 549 is a small sailboat, and there are not many of them.
Why Los Angeles is priced like this
Slip space in Marina del Rey is among the most expensive in the country and there is no second harbour nearby to compete with it: the next basins are Redondo eleven miles south and Newport forty miles further. A large motor yacht carries that cost into every hour it sells, and the demand is corporate and event rather than nautical. The boats are chartered for a birthday off Santa Monica more often than for a passage anywhere.
What a block gets you
Out of the main channel, past the breakwater, and then either north along Santa Monica Bay towards Malibu or south towards Palos Verdes. Catalina Island, which is the only real destination on this coast, is twenty six miles offshore and a two hour run each way in a fast boat, so it needs a full day and almost never fits in a four hour block. Grey whales pass this water from December to April and blue whales feed off it in summer, which is the other reason people book.
Crew, capacity and the paperwork
Twelve guests is the number that keeps appearing in these listings and it is not a coincidence: carrying thirteen or more passengers for hire puts a vessel under a different United States Coast Guard inspection regime, so the commercial fleet is built to stop at twelve. A captain is included on most of the larger boats and required on nearly all of them. Fuel, dockage on return and the crew gratuity sit outside the quoted block on the motor yachts.
Booking around the weather
The marine layer sits on this coast most mornings from May into July and burns off in the early afternoon, which is why sunset blocks sell first and morning blocks are the cheapest slot of the day. Winter is clearer and colder with better visibility to the islands. The harbour entrance itself is exposed to a south swell, which is uncommon but closes the channel to small craft when it runs.
Questions people ask about yacht rentals marina del rey
How much is a yacht rental in Marina del Rey?
Sailo lists 98 boats averaging 5,160 USD a day, from 549 to 29,000, read on 11 September 2026. A 75 foot Sunseeker with a captain is 10,500 for four hours and a 125 foot Admiral XL is 13,500.
Why do so many boats carry exactly twelve guests?
Carrying thirteen or more passengers for hire puts a vessel under a stricter United States Coast Guard inspection regime, so the commercial charter fleet is deliberately built and certificated to stop at twelve.
Can you get to Catalina on a four hour charter?
No. Catalina is twenty six miles offshore, about two hours each way in a fast boat, so it needs a full day booking. Four hour blocks stay in Santa Monica Bay.
When is the cheapest time of day?
The morning, because the marine layer sits on this coast until early afternoon from May into July. Sunset blocks are the ones that sell out first and carry the highest rate.