ANCHOR by HELM: New Era for Bareboat & Skippered Charters
Behind the Decision: Creating Distinct Paths for Crewed and Bareboat Charters
Back in 2015, Simon Morgan and Peter Harrison-Hill set out to build HELM.yt with a simple idea to make yacht charter holidays more accessible to the average person. They started as a small company and have since grown into something much bigger than they ever imagined, helping thousands of people create incredible memories with their family and friends on the water. It is admirable to try and cover the whole market with a single brand, but a broker is unlikely to know as much about a Bavaria C50 as they do about a 40m Benetti.
Naturally, as the company has grown, it has become a little stretched trying to serve all segments of the market, and the founders believe they can do better. The introduction of Anchor as a sister brand to HELM allows them to consolidate and provide a clear focus for each brand with HELM focusing on growth in the crewed market, where it already manages five boats under Central Agency, while Anchor concentrates on providing expert, dedicated service to bareboat and skippered clients, through brokers who know those boats inside out. The ultimate goal is to provide better service to every single client across bareboat, skippered, and crewed charters, anywhere in the world.
The Anchor team is led by Kasia Harris, an industry veteran with over 15 years of experience and close relationships with both fleet operators and shipyards.
The idea behind the brand
Their goal is to deliver the best possible experience to every client, and the creation of Anchor has made that a reality. It represents the sailing evolution of the HELM brand, offering expertly curated bareboat and skippered yacht charters, supported by HELM’s renowned expertise and commitment to quality. It brings fresh energy as the new home of curated bareboat and skippered charter advice for thousands of clients in the UK, US, and beyond. Like their namesakes on the seabed, every Anchor broker is reliable, hard-working, and trustworthy.
This strategic evolution allows them to:
- Offer even more specialist knowledge: The Anchor team is fully immersed and focused on bareboat and skippered charters, giving the most precise and relevant advice.
- Create a truly tailored and personalized service: Anchor’s deeper knowledge helps build the perfect bareboat adventure, from curated yacht selection to itinerary planning and sailing guidance.
Anchor’s vision and mission
The vision and mission is to provide an exceptional holiday on the water, with absolute clarity on pricing.
From the very beginning, they have placed great value on acquiring and sharing in-depth yacht and destination knowledge, their brokers travel the globe, attending every yacht show and building relationships with the people behind each boat. This hands-on experience means they know exactly which yachts to recommend for different needs and, just as importantly, which ones to avoid. For Anchor, it is not just about providing yachts, it is about creating memories and crafting remarkable adventures, both under sail and at anchor.
The company is made up of a small team of dedicated yacht charter experts who know every monohull and catamaran under the Mediterranean and Caribbean sun, have visited every base, and understand the strict maintenance standards of the boats they work with.
Anchor is highly selective, the team works only with the very best boats on the market, those they know and trust. Their reputation is the foundation of their business, and they take it very seriously. Anyone wishing to get to know the team or test their expertise is warmly invited to reach out.
Helm & Booking Manager: A Connected Customer Base
Over the past decade, the team built a very strong relationship with fleet operators using Booking Manager. They deeply value these partnerships and remain committed to nurturing and strengthening them in the years ahead. Going forward, all enquiries, options, and bookings will be handled through Anchor. The details have already been updated in their Booking Manager account, where the “Anchor by HELM” logo is now visible.
It is important to emphasize that, operationally, nothing will change. Anchor will continue to be supported by the same expertise, charter operations, marketing, and leadership teams. To put it simply, HELM will be replaced in Booking Manager by Anchor. The office address remains the same, and the parent company continues to be Harrison Morgan Ltd. All existing booked charters will remain unaffected, and they are implementing a gradual transition between the brands over the coming months.
Anyone with questions or in need of additional assets is encouraged to get in touch, their team will be delighted to discuss the changes in more detail.
Growth Strategy for the Next Decade
From day one, they have already become one of the largest bareboat charter brokers by volume and revenue.
Their ten-year goal is to continue growing, particularly in the North American market, and to launch local-language websites for most European markets.
Through Anchor, they aim to deliver the best possible bareboat and skippered experience for their worldwide client base. To achieve this, they rely on seamless cooperation with all of the operators they work with. They remain focused on quality, being highly selective about their partners, and sharing their expertise to help every client achieve their perfect trip.
