There’s been a lot of “insider chatter” this week about the Mediterranean Yacht Brokers Association buying the annual, industry-only charter yacht show that’s held in December on the Caribbean island of Sint Maarten.

This news doesn’t really affect you, the charter client, all that much, but it reminded me of a terrific tip for separating good brokers from bad.

I first published this tip in my charter book, Have the Whole Boat: The Insider’s Guide to Private Yacht Charter Vacations. It’s in the section about the five questions you should ask any broker to ensure that he or she is reputable.

The question I suggest asking a broker is: What was the last industry-only boat show that you attended?

The reason is that every reputable charter yacht broker in the world attends at least one major show a year to inspect yachts, interview crew, and keep up on the latest trends and issues that affect private yacht charter vacations.

You should work only with brokers who say they’ve recently attended an industry-only boat show, with the most important shows being in Genoa, Antigua and, now, Sint Maarten. Other key shows (particularly for smaller crewed yacht bookings) include those on St. Thomas and Tortola, and in Greece, Turkey and Newport, Rhode Island.

The charter yacht brokers who attend these shows typically have the most up-to-date information to help make your vacation the best it can be. Attendance at these industry-only shows also signals a level of professionalism that you should demand from any broker you choose for your next charter booking.

I was talking recently with Lyn Hippert, captain of the 65-foot charter motoryacht Julianne. He said the yacht had some availability this summer in New England, and I asked him whether the boat’s owner was going to take those dates for himself instead of leaving them open for charter guests.

“On this boat, charter takes precedence over owner dates,” Hippert replied. “That’s not something you find all too often.”

While I’m not sure that I would agree this arrangement is rare, there certainly are situations when yacht owners put their own wishes before those of charter clients. Sometimes, this means a client who has booked a yacht gets “bumped” to different dates because the yacht’s owner decides he wants to use his boat.

There are two ways to protect yourself from having this happen to your next charter booking. First, work with a reputable charter broker who uses enforceable contracts that contain penalties for yacht owners who change your vacation dates without your consent. Second, when you’re talking with your broker before booking, ask her about the owner’s history of changing charter dates. In many cases, brokers will know which yacht owners have a tendency to put their own wishes before those of charter clients.

Obviously, you should look to book yachts like Julianne, yachts where the owner takes charter clients seriously and gives them precedence. Better to book a charter with an owner of good faith all along than to have to argue over contractual obligations at the last minute.

I’m thrilled this morning to introduce you to CharterWave’s newest advertiser, Regency Yacht Vacations. The company is run by a broker I know well, Kathleen Mullen, and is based in one of the world’s most popular charter destinations, the Virgin Islands.

Kathleen is one of the rare reputable charter brokers who books everything from bareboats on up to megayachts, which should give her plenty of fodder for the blog she and her staff just started writing on her company’s sponsored page. You can look to the Regency Yacht Vacations blog for opinions, news and ideas from their St. Thomas and Tortola offices, plus information about the many charter yachts that the company makes available for charter in the Virgin Islands and beyond.

You should keep in mind, of course, that the Regency Yacht Vacations blog is part of a paid advertisement here on CharterWave (and is clearly labeled as “sponsored” for that reason), but I hope that you’ll find Kathleen’s opinions and suggestions as valuable as I do when it comes time to plan your next yacht charter vacation.

I’m thrilled to have her and her team as part of the growing CharterWave online community!