Chartering a Yacht in Tortola and the British Virgin Islands - "BVI"
Chartering a Yacht in Tortola, BVI
About the British Virgin Islands - BVI | Chartering in the BVI | Getting There | Climate and Weather |
History of the BVI | About the individual Islands | Map of Attractions | Charter Itineraries | Nautical Chart of Tortola | Our Charter Yachts
Also see: Our BVI Blog - insider's BVI information | BVI Charter Slideshow - experience a Charter in the BVI
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A view of Cane Garden Bay
Josiah's Beach, Tortola
"The Baths" an ancient rock formation on Virgin Gorda
The unbroken, unspoiled white coral beach at Anegada
A view of the hotel in the quaint port of Soper's Hole
The beautiful beach at White Bay in front of the Soggy Dollar Bar
The romantic beach at Deadsmans Bay, Peter Island
Foxy's, Jost Van Dyke - when it's quiet during the daytime
Sandy Spit, the deserted island near Jost Van Dyke
The Bitter End Yacht Club looking over the North Sound |
About the British Virgin Islands - BVI
The British Virgin Islands, or BVI in the jargon of most Sailors, is in many ways a sailor’s Mecca. It has all of the ingredients for a perfect sailing charter – consistent winds, gorgeous islands, destinations varying from posh hotels to deserted beaches, shipwrecks, beach party towns, and a pace and charm that perfectly fits sailing. In fact, nearly the entire economy (with the exception of sheltering companies from tax) is devoted to sailing, and charterers meet people from all over the world of like mind and spirit.
The largest of the 36 islands is Tortola, at 20 km long and 6 km wide, which has the highest elevation in the BVI, at 540 meters. Virgin Gorda also rises steeply from the sea with a volcanic peak of 410 metes. Though most of the islands in the group are volcanic, Anegada is a very flat coral and limestone atoll 30 miles northeast of Tortola, none of it more than a few meters above sea level and almost invisible to passengers arriving by sea. Most of the other 30 odd islets are uninhabited.
Below is a thorough overview of chartering in the BVI. But if you know all that already and just want to see our boats (we have over 400!) here are some quick links to start your search:
BVI Monohull Sailboats: Bareboat | Crewed
BVI Catamarans: Bareboat | Crewed
BVI Motor Boats: Bareboat | Crewed
Chartering in the BVI
Bareboat Chartering
Bareboat Chartering essentially was "invented" in the BVI many years ago by the Moorings, and the area continues to be the world's most sought after bareboat destination for the reasons stated above. You can find nearly any bareboat you'd be interested in from many excellent charter operators. Monohulls from the key manufacturers such as Bavaria and Beneteau normally range from 30 to 50 feet and from 3 to 5 cabins. It is rare that you will be able to bareboat charter a yacht greater than 50 feet in length due to owner's risk and cost of insurance. Click here for our list of BVI Bareboat Charters.
Catamaran Charters
The fastest growing area of BVI chartering is Catamaran Charter, both Crewed and Bareboat. Catamarans offer excellent privacy, social space and a proximity to the water that is very appealing for families and groups of friends. Click here to see our Catamarans for charter in the BVI.
For a great combination of sailing and comfort at a reasonable price, many of our clients are turning to crewed catamarans for the perfect holiday in the BVI. The expert crew, often husband/wife teams who own the boat, take care of the provisoning, navigating, planning and cooking, so that you can enjoy the islands with no hassles. The food is normally exceptional, service friendly, and you get expert advice about the islands that you won't get if you're sailing a bareboat.
More on crewed catamaran charter. Our crewed catamarans in the BVI.
Motor, Super and Mega Yachts
It is also possible to charter all types of motor yachts, from small day charters to skip around the islands, to Super Yachts. Most Super Yacht charters will start in the US Virgin Islands, very close to the BVI - click here for a sample luxury itinerary of the Virgin Islands. Additionally, we've been able to find a number of excellent day charter boats, both sail and motor, if you're interested in a family or business event in the BVI. Feel free to contact us for any charter needs in the BVI, whatever the boat you require.
First Time Charters
The BVI is unequalled for novice sailors. Navigation is by sight (although there is plenty of opportunity to learn to read charts), anchorages are plentiful, seas are not generally too rough, and a day’s sail doesn’t have to be grueling. The Sir Francis Drake Channel, protected by the islands, is a glorious area to sail, with small waves, predictable easterly winds, and enticing destinations in all directions. There are plenty of interesting activities besides pure sailing to occupy the crew if they want to mix more standard holiday activities in with the sailing.
A typical day sailing in the BVI might involve a leisurely breakfast, a short sail to a snorkeling area, lunch, short sail to an anchorage, sunset drinks, and dinner either on board or in a variety of restaurants, ranging from a hamburger shack to a dinner boat to a resort hotel restaurant to an all night party at Foxy’s.
And, if you're bareboating, hiring a skipper will reduce your stress and worries, while giving you an expert companion for your voyage. We strongly recommend a skipper if you have any trepidation about handling the boat, or if you just want to relax and not have the responsibility of planning, anchoring, or avoiding coral!
To give you an idea of some of the attractions you will be able to visit in the BVI, we've put together a page on attractions and things to do in the British Virgin Islands.
Getting There
There is a small airport on Beef Island, quite close to the boats by taxi. This airport is serviced by American Airlines and a number of small Caribbean carriers such as Cape Air. But the majority of visitors fly into the US Virgin Islands where there are more flights (especially from the US) and then take the short ferry over to Tortola. Note that you must have a passport and go through passport control to get to the BVI.
European visitors often fly direct to islands such as St Maarten, Barbados or Martinique and take a local flight from there.
Climate and Weather
The BVI climate is nearly ideal for all types of yachting and water sports. It features wonderfully consistent trade winds - usually from the East, ESE or ENE at 15-20 knots, rising to 25 –30 during the “Christmas Winds”. The BVI has a sub-tropical climate with temperatures that range between 77-85° F (25-29° C). Temperatures usually drop 10° F (6 °C) at night. During the high season, normally you can sleep comfortably in your cabin without airconditioning, which avoids noisy and expensive generators.
Rainfall averages approximately 40 inches (102cm) per year. The wettest months are from September to December, the dryest are February to April, which is one of the reasons why charter prices are high and availability scarce during the school holidays in February and around Easter.
During the Hurricane season, ranging from June to September, there is a risk of these dangerous and destructive storms. At this time, many charter operators shut down for the summer, although the Caribbean is a large area and the chances of a direct hit are small and you will get ample warning. During this time, you will find excellent charter rates often 1/2 of peak season.
History of the BVI
The British Virgin Islands were initially populated by the Ciboney Indians who arrived from the Americas. A few hundred years later, the Arawak Indians arrived from South America. The Arawaks peacefully inhabited the islands until the arrival of the fierce, aggressive and even cannibalistic Carib Indians from South America in approximately 1400.
Christopher Columbus"discovered" the islands in 1493 on his second voyage across the Atlantic. Virgin Gorda was named by Columbus because he thought the island resembled a reclining woman with a large belly.
Although the Spanish claimed the islands, they were actually originally settled by French traders. The Spaniards ultimately drove them off the islands but the French sought revenge and began raiding the Spanish settlements - thus giving rise to the Buccaneer Pirate tradition. There are many tales and reminders of Pirates throughout the BVI, including Dead Chest, where Blackbeard left 15 of his pirates to punish them, providing only a bottle of Rum. Thus arose the song "15 men on Dead (mans) chest, yo ho ho and a bottle of rum".
This tradition continued until the defeat of the Spanish Armada. In fact the Sir Francis Drake Channel is named after the famous British Commander and Explorer who attacked the Spanish in 1595.
The islands were claimed by England as early as 1628, but there were no true British settlements until 1666. The islands were a British Colony as part of the Leeward Islands from 1872 until 1956, when the British Virgin Islands became colony. The BVI remains under British control today and are largely a national park.
The major BVI Islands
Lambert Beach, Tortola |
Tortola. Tortola is the largest and most populated island in the BVI archipelago. It is a mountainous, volcanic island 12 miles (19 km) long and 3 miles (5 km) wide. The population of the Island is about 25,000, most living in the main port town of Road Town. Road Town is also where most of the boats are moored and provisioned, and generally the starting point of your charter. Access to Road Town is either by ferry from the neighboring US Virgin Islands, or by bridge from the airport on adjoining Beef Island.
Aside from Road Town, the other main port on Tortola is Soper's Hole, a clean and pretty colonial port town brimming with charm. The marina offers 20 moorings, 45 slips, fuel, ice, showers and complete provisioning facilities. The famous Pussers Landing Restaurant and Bar offers two floors of dining, dancing and fun.
Tortola has some excellent beaches. The nicest are located along the north side of the island, where quiet coves and bays are fringed with soft, white sands. You'll enjoy the picturesque Cane Garden Bay, or Long Bay with its mile-long beach. North of Road Town you'll find Trunk Bay beach, probably the most deserted on the island.
Water in flowing through the boulders |
Our Charter Guide to Virgin Gorda.
Jost Van Dyke. Jost Van Dyke is a relaxed island known worldwide for its casual lifestyle, protected anchorages, fine beaches, lobster feasts and beachfront restaurants and bars. It is home to Foxy's, a beach bar and restaurant renowned for its beach parties (especially on New Year's Eve), and to the Soggy Dollar Bar, rated one of the top beach bars in the world. Great Harbor (where you'll find Foxy's) is a large, if sometimes difficult holding, anchorage. It has moorings as well as an easy entrance do in the center, but avoid the large reef that extends 300 yards from the beach. The next bay to the west is White Bay, a pristine sandy beach and home to the Soggy Dollar Bar and a few others.
Our Charter Guide to Jost Van Dyke, Foxy's and the Soggy Dollar Bar.
Freah Lobsters on the Grill, Anegada |
The island has a history of shipwrecks on the reefs and offers wildlife including turtles, pelicans, the endangered Anegada iguana, flamingoes, and of course, lobsters. It is definitely worth a trip if you're looking for a relaxed beach day, with a few pina coladas at a beach bar, and a big lobster roast at night!
Map of Attractions and Possible Itinerary in the BVI
Charter Itineraries
Click here for a sample 7 day sailing itinerary around the BVI. Or here for a 7 Day Luxury Charter. Or feel free to check out the itineraries at our sister site boatitineraries.com.
Nautical Chart of Tortola
Use the controls at the bottom to navigate around the British Virgin Islands
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Our BVI Charter Yachts
Boatbookings.com works very closely with all of the boat owners and quality charter operators in the BVI, and can find you the ideal charter yacht out of the more than 400 yachts we have to offer - more than any other charter agent! Whether it's bareboat, crewed, monohull, catamaran, motor or Super Yacht, we can find it for you! More importantly, we regularly inspect the boats and know the crews, so you get the quality and service you expect!
Our most popular BVI monohull bareboat sailing yachts are Beneteaus (321, 323, 332, 361, 383, 40cc, 405, 411, 445, 463, 42, 42cc, 473, 505, 523), Jeanneaus (36, 37, 40, 41, 42, 43, 45, 52.2, 54DS, Sun Odyssey 37 SO 45.2, SO 49) Hunters (386, 420, 42, 44) and Bavarias (32, 33, 36, 39, 41, 44, 46, 49, 50). We have the full range of catamarans including Lagoon (380, 410, 420, 440, 470, 500), Lavezzi 40, Venezia 42, Belize 43, Athena 38, Bahia 46, Island Spirit (37, 40), Leopard 380, Privilege (38, 39, 42) and many others. We also have a complete line of crewed catamarans. Click here to see our BVI Charter Yachts or simply contact us and we'll recommend the best boat for you.
Also see: Our BVI Blog - insider's BVI information | BVI Charter Slideshow - experience a Charter in the BVI
Our Caribbean destinations: The Windward Islands | Antigua | Grenada | Guadeloupe | Martinique | Spanish Virgin Islands | St Barths | Anguilla | St Martin/Maarten | St Lucia | St Vincent and the Grenadines | US Virgin Islands - St Thomas, St John, St Croix
