Links and articles on charter yachting in the BVI
We have put up a specific page which has links to a lot of past articles and brochures on the Charter Yacht Society and the charter yacht industry in general
Also you can go to our boat show update page for the latest articles on our yearly boat show!
Crewed Yachts: A sail for all seasons
Taken from the BVI Yacht Guide, Aug 2007, Written by Karen Straney
"Thursday February 11
We awoke to the clearest blue skies and the most amazing coloured water. It was like being in a postcard- in that place you thought you'd never see in person. Hot coffee, warm muffins, fresh fruit and juice were set out on the table for breakfast. I am so glad we did this! Jerry is so relaxed. And he wanted us to do this alone! Jerry wouldn't be able to sruly enjoy himself. Sure, he loves being on the water, but it's so nice to have a reliable captain who will take us anywhere we like, let Jerry help with the sails or lines or just let him snooze on the trampoline all afternoon. We don't feel cramped on the boat either. It's like doing it ourselves, but doing only the fun part and none of the work.
So often the romantic image of life on a sail boat cruising from island to island can be so enticing that one can quickly overlook the realities of going it alone. The provisioning, monitoring the weather; raising and lowering the anchor, keeping an eye on the amount of water in the tank and maintaining the dinghy, just to name a few. If a postcard vacation of a lifetime is what you are aftger, chartering a crew yacht is the way to go!"
"Thursday March 17th
I saw a shark! Way cool!! They're not as scary as in the movies. Mike said that it was a Nurse shark. He was under a big mound of coral and i didn't see him at first. Mike pointed him out to me and then I saw his eyes and I could follow his body all the way to his tail. He was huge! I thought he was hiding so he could catch some fish but Mike said he was sleeping and that lots of Nurse sharks sleep under big pieces of coral during the day. He showed me how to look up fish in a book and read more about them. I think I will write a report about sharks for school."
In addition to first class food and service, crewed charter yachts offers a wide variety of water sports. A vacation is all about having fun in the sun. So, take a turn waterskiing or wakeboarding and show the kids that you're a kid at heart. find your inner captain and set a course in a Hobie. Kayak to the beach and take a stroll on the white sand before dinner. Diving and snorkeling can be found at or near every anchorage. If full SCUBA instruction isn't offered, rendez vous diving can be easily arranged through a local dive operator.
Get in the water is great!
"Girl's weekend April 06
We didn't know what to expect and its turning out better than anything we could have dreamed. The crew is so attentive. So ready with anything we need and ideas for a rainy day. We're having a hard time being "waited on" but somehow the crew makes it feel like they'll miss some of the fun if we don't let them make our drinks and our beds, our gournet dinners and take us anywhere we want to go. The captain has stories about all of the islands and let us dance the night away on the back deck last night. I was worried that our all girl vacation on a boat might get a little cramped, but we've so far found a nice mix of sailing, sun-bathing and trips to the beach to make everyone happy. I'm not sure we would be doing some many things together if we had stayed at a resort."
A crewed charter yacht vacation combines the advantages of a luxury cruise and an exclusive island resort into a most memorable experience that puts you in charge of your every move without the pressure and stress of doing it all yourself. In fact you can do it all or do nothing at all. A week on a crewed charter yacht runs about $1200. to $2500. per person. Considering cost in time and money and hassle and aggravation, it's quite comparable to a bareboat charter and, more often than not, is a better overall value.
The Charter Yacht Society is a not for profit assocation of independently owned crewed charter yachts based in the BVI. The society was formed 25 years ago to promote the interests of crewed yachting, and is now recognized by the BVI government as the trusted voice in the industry. The member yachts include monohulls, catamarans, and trimarans, each with an unique set of amenities but all dedicated to providing a world class vacation on the water. Boats and crews adhere to a strict set of operating standards to ensure a safe as well as fun time on charter. A list of member yachts and a brief description of each can be found on the charter yacht society website. The society cannot book a specific yacht for your vacation, however, using the CYS website, you may contact the yacht direct or work through a broker. Dream a little, find some dates, talk to your travel companions, and pack your bags for a vacation you will not soon forget on board a crewed charter yacht in the BVI.
You set the pace, we set the sails.
Thirty Years on,
Written by Toby Tobias, Pictures from Ed Hamilton and Co. Charter Brokers
Taken from the BVI Yacht Guide
Sailing In The BVI - Sailing has been a life experience for me. In the early 1970’s I was invited to sail in the British Virgin Islands. We left from Dick Avery’s Boathouse in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas and cleared into the British Virgin Islands at Jost Van Dyke. That is when and where my love affair with the British Virgin Islands began. Needless to say, much has changed since then. Thousands of people have discovered paradise in these islands. The placid beauty of Anegada’s shore, North Sound and the Baths on Virgin Gorda, Tortola’s divergent ports of entry at the bustling Road Town, or the picturesque Soper’s Hole at the West End, all tether your soul to the life style here, and entice you to return.
Since the early 70s, we’ve had the opportunity to continue chartering sailboats in the Windward and Leeward Islands. Our voyages typically include two or more boats laden with friends wanting to experience “the island life”. Charter companies have sprouted all the way to Grenada. While each of the down island destinations have much to offer, none have the total package found in the British Virgin Islands: nothing rivals the ease of access through Beef Island or the ferry services from St Thomas, established mooring fields with attending restaurants, planned snorkelling and dive sites, provisioning services, fishing guides, and the plethora of charter companies that have spawned in the BVI.
Chartering
We have chartered boats countless times and as a result have a good purchase on what to seek in a charter company. Privately owned, brokered boats generally cost less than similar boats from major charter companies. While a private boat may be well maintained and have amenities not found on charter boats from larger fleets, you are pretty much on your own should a problem arise. In contrast, large charter companies have a designated crew and chase boat to help you. However, there seems to be a direct correlation between the size of the charter company and the number of mechanical problems you encounter. In our experience, the largest charter companies move boats from base to base causing maintenance to suffer inconsistencies. On a recent charter from a major company, one of our boats had little or no electric power. The problem? All the batteries had been allowed to go dry and would not hold a charge. It was a simple maintenance omission that impeded our vacation for hours while we waited for a chase boat and replacement batteries.
Several years ago we found Horizon Yacht Charters, a moderate size charter company owned by Silva Driver and Andrew Thompson and operated out of Nanny Cay. Right from the start we recognized the friendly, service oriented ethic woven into this company. Like all charter companies, Horizon is eager to get your business. But, unlike other companies, the intensity of service doesn’t fade after you send your deposit. What sets Horizon apart from other companies is the efficiency of the office staff and their attention to details.
The same attention is imbued in the maintenance of the charter fleet. Wisely, Horizon has chosen to keep a manageable sized fleet. All boaters know that regardless of a fastidious maintenance programme; sooner or later something will fail unexpectedly. I’ve chartered several boats from Horizon and haven’t had a single mechanical failure. I cannot say the same about other charter companies.
Provisioning
In the infancy of charter services, one had to ship provisions from home and supplement them with local groceries. Today, the larger companies offer some sort of provision service (full or split provisioning). Or, you can order your provisions on line through Rite Way, Bobby’s or the Ample Hamper and have them delivered to your boat after you have arrived. Most of what arrives will be as you ordered. Sometimes, based upon availability, you will get a substitution for one or more items. If that causes you distress, you can always do your own provisioning. We have found that ordering on line, and having the provisions brought to the boat, gives our vacation a jumpstart.
Anchorages
I have heard sailors complain about the changes they have seen in the BVI. Notably, anchorages are getting crowded during the high season. Over 30 years ago, we anchored in the Bight at Norman Island and had the place to ourselves, along with a herd of bleating goats. Today, the Bight is full of moorings and supports two restaurants, Pirates and the William Thornton (Willy T). So, the anchorage appeals to a different crowd. Instead of your having to cook on board, many of the anchorages have sprouted restaurants that cater to the charter crowd. But, for those of us who remember the gold dome on Fort Burt, there are other places to get away. On Norman alone, there is Money Bay, Benures Bay, and Soldier Bay.
Patience Brown, now a retired Sail Magazine editor, once wrote how Anegada was one of her favourite “getaways”. Indeed, Anegada was once remote. That has changed. Now, charter companies put together flotillas from North Sound to Anegada. Each flotilla is led by a local skipper. So, to avoid the crowds at Anegada, we now sail there on “turnover” days at the charter bases. Neptune’s, Anegada Reef Hotel and the Big Bamboo are still quiet on those days.
The sporty and timeless Bitter End Resort in North Sound has the company of Biras Creek, Saba Rock, and Levericks. They all have mooring fields but in settled weather it is still possible to get away from the crowds by anchoring off Prickly Pear or by tucking in behind Colquhoun’s Reef by Mosquito Island.
From the mooring field at Marina Cay you can witness the heavy equipment on Scrub Island. Roads are being cut into the hillside and a large construction project is planned. Diamond Cay by Jost Van Dyke now has Foxy’s Taboo run by Foxy’s daughter, Justine. There are several moorings for overnight guests. On your way to the bubbly pool there are signs advertising a future condo development on the hillside.
Alas, these scenic islands are all experiencing increasing external pressure brought on by sailors and non-sailors alike. The British Virgin Islands have been discovered for sure, as evidenced by developmental changes taking place wherever you look. While it is more difficult to find private anchorages, some still exist if you care to look for them. In the more travelled waters, National Park and privately maintained moorings are a convenience.
Having provisioning services and nice restaurants in the more common anchorages are assets. The friendly people, beautiful islands and the sailing haven’t changed, and that is why more and more of us come back every year.
