Team
Carter, Sean & Max.
Three captains, one boutique fleet, and a home port five minutes from the bookstore.
Carter
Carter grew up between Sag Harbor and Noyac Bay. He got his USCG Master's ticket at 22 and spent five seasons running center consoles and 40-footers for two of the bigger Hamptons charter shops before starting ECYC. He knows every sandbar between Cedar Point and Napeague — and which one is empty on a Saturday.
- License
- USCG Master, 50 ton
- Usually running
- Day boats and sport yachts
- Favorite route
- Sag Harbor to Cedar Point at sunset
Sean
Sean was raised on the North Fork and cut his teeth as a mate out of Greenport before moving down to Sag Harbor. He holds a 100-ton Master license and specializes in the bigger boats — the 51 Azimut, the 57 Okean, and the 122' event yacht. Off the water he is our booking brain and the reason your text gets a reply inside 15 minutes.
- License
- USCG Master, 100 ton
- Usually running
- 51' Azimut, 57' Okean, 122' event yacht
- Favorite route
- Greenport to Orient on a Tuesday
Max
Max has been in the industry for 15 years and knows boats about as well as anyone on the East End — hulls, systems, handling, and the small fixes that keep a charter running on time. He came up running private and charter yachts up and down the coast and joined us because he likes the boutique way of doing it. Guests tend to remember how easy he makes the day feel.
- License
- USCG Master
- Usually running
- Sport yachts and the bigger cruisers
- Favorite route
- Sag Harbor out to Gardiners Bay for a swim stop
Our Story
How we got here.
We met in high school working docks in Sag Harbor. Carter was tying up boats at Malloy's, Sean was fueling them across the wharf. A decade later we had both been running charters for other people and figured we could do it better if it was our own shop. East Coast Yacht Charters started with two boats and a shared Google calendar. It has grown up a little since then, but the basics have not changed. We answer our own phones, we run the boats we book, and we know every dockmaster on the East End by first name.
We do this because it is a good way to spend a life. If you are chartering with us you are going to hear us laugh a lot and you are going to eat well. That is the whole thing.
By the numbers
- Home port
- Sag Harbor, NY
- Captains
- Three — the same three, every season
- Boats in the fleet
- Twelve, 22' to 122'
- Ports we run from
- Nine across the East End
- Typical reply time
- Under an hour, daylight hours
We keep the team small on purpose. When you book with us, you get one of us on the boat and the other one on the phone. That is by design. It keeps the service personal and the standards high.
Here is who you are working with.
Captain Carter
Carter grew up on Bay Street in Sag Harbor. His grandfather ran a small boatyard on Peconic Bay in the 1970s. His dad was a mate on charter boats out of Montauk through the 90s. Carter has been on the water since before he could walk.
He got his first summer job at 14 washing boats at Malloy's Marina. By 17 he was mating on a 55 foot sportfish out of Montauk Marine Basin, chasing bluefin all summer. He earned his USCG 50 ton Master license the week after his 21st birthday and is working toward his 100 ton this fall.
Carter runs most of our day boats and sport yacht charters. He is our sandbar and sunset specialist. His favorite run is a slow afternoon lap of Shelter Island with a swim stop at Coecles Harbor and a late dinner ashore at 18 Bay.
A little personal detail. Carter is a lifelong bay fisherman. He can tell you where the fluke are holding on any given weekday in June. He also makes the best chowder in the family, which is a competitive category in the Sag Harbor food scene.
Carter's credentials
- USCG 50 ton Master
- CPR and first aid certified
- TWIC card holder
- 8 years of paid charter experience
Captain Sean
Sean is from North Haven, just across the bridge from Sag Harbor. His mom was a sailmaker at a small loft in Greenport. Sean was racing dinghies in the Peconic Bay junior program by age 9 and crewing on 40 foot sloops by 14.
He took a different path than Carter. Sean spent four years in the Merchant Marine after high school, working the Atlantic seaboard on commercial vessels. That is where he earned his USCG 100 ton Master license and his big ship radar and safety endorsements. In 2020 he came home to run private charters full time.
Sean runs our event yacht charters and our sailboat trips. If you are chartering the 122 foot flagship for a wedding or a corporate day, Sean is your captain. His favorite run is a full day out to Block Island with lunch at the Oar and a sunset cruise home across the Sound.
Personal detail. Sean is a serious cook. His galley dinners on overnight charters have quietly become one of the best add ons we offer, and we let him get away with charging extra for them.
Sean's credentials
- USCG 100 ton Master with radar endorsement
- Merchant Marine trained
- CPR and first aid certified
- TWIC card holder
- 10 years of maritime experience
Our Story
We first met on the Sag Harbor town dock when we were both 16. Carter was washing a 42 foot Grady White. Sean was tying up after a race. We started running deliveries together the next summer, moving boats between the East End and the Chesapeake in the off season. That is how you really learn boats, by running them a thousand miles down the coast in the fall and back up in the spring.
We spent our twenties working for other charter companies out here. We saw the good and we saw the bad. We took notes both ways. In 2024 we finally decided to stop taking notes and start our own shop.
The idea was simple. Local captains. Real boats. Reply fast. Quote in plain numbers. Treat every guest like a neighbor. Two years in, that is still exactly what we do.
Our Crew
For most day charters, it is one of us plus you and your guests. On event yachts and overnight trips, we add crew as needed.
- Stewardess service for larger groups
- Deckhands for event yacht days
- Catering crew from partner kitchens
- Watersports instructors for Seabob and jet ski add ons
Every crew member we bring on board is vetted by us. No temporary summer hires who do not know the water.
Get In Touch
Want to book a charter or just ask a question? Email us. Want to see the boats first? Browse the fleet. Want to learn more about who we are? Read our story.
Frequently asked questions
Do Carter, Sean and Max personally captain every charter?+
Between the three of us, we captain the vast majority of our charters. On our busiest weekends we bring in one or two trusted local captains we have known for years. You will always know in advance who is running your day.
Can I request a specific captain?+
Yes. If you have chartered with us before and want the same captain, just say so when you text. We do our best to match, subject to schedule.
How did you both get into chartering?+
We each grew up on Peconic Bay and started working on boats as teenagers. We met on the Sag Harbor town dock at 16 and have been friends ever since. We founded East Coast Yacht Charters together in 2024.
Are your captains licensed to carry big groups?+
Yes. Sean holds a USCG 100 ton Master license, which lets him captain our 122 foot event yacht carrying up to 85 guests. Carter runs our smaller charters up to 12 guests. Both hold current CPR and first aid.
Do you hire outside captains?+
Very rarely, and only captains we have worked with for years and personally trust. We are picky about who runs our boats because our name is on every trip.