Auckland Council proposing to charge yacht owners who anchor in Hauraki Gulf during America's Cup

The America's Cup will be held in Auckland during 2021. Photo / Photosport

Auckland Council is exploring the option of netting some extra cash during the America's Cup in 2021 by charging luxury yacht owners who anchor at sea.

A proposal suggests those with yachts 40 metres or longer would be billed a total of $23 per metre, per day, during the course of the event.

Under the cost, someone with a 50-metre vessel would have to pay the Council around $1200 per day to anchor in the Hauraki Gulf.

Speaking during the Larry Williams Drive, councillor Chris Darby said the proposal would help Auckland ratepayers cover the cost of the Harbour Master.

Auckland's Harbour Master is funded by ratepayers and provides a service on behalf of Auckland Council to look after those using the harbour, Darby said.

"At the moment, the existing Auckland ratepayer is underwriting the cost of the Harbour Master's service," he said.

Chris Darby. Photo / Greg Bowker

"It undertakes a range of services which we're not currently recovering from those that benefit from those services.

"It's the ratepayer of Auckland that is footing the bill, we're looking to make that right."

The Council already has signs the number of large yachts arriving in Auckland for the America's Cup would be "considerable", despite it being three years away.

However, Darby said it is not their intention to book people who pay for a mooring elsewhere, promising they would not be charged twice.

"We're going to be very pragmatic about this, it is specifically aimed at those who actually require the Harbour Master to do extra work," he said.

"They might be on the north side of Waiheke and then they come onto the course and pull up to watch the race, they will not be booked a second time."