With a record breaking fleet of 39 megayachts, the 2010 St. Bart’s Bucket has come to a close. At the end of it all, it was the J-Class Ranger that took the 2010 Bucket. John Williams and his crew raced consistently and well, earning a well-
deserved victory. Second place belonged to the Perini Navi Andromeda la Dea (which you can charter through Boatbookings.com), with the Perini Navi P2 in third place overall.
The sailing and the shore side activities were of the customary caliber. Conditions included sunny skies and fluky winds from 10-15 knots. Shoreside festivities included a yacht hop on Friday night, Bucket Bash on Saturday and Awards Presentations on Sunday.
Though St. Bart’s has long been considered the playground of the rich and famous, the local communities are solidly behind the bucket regatta. President Bruno Magras greeted the crowd at the Awards Presentation on Sunday to thank participants and invite them all back next year for the 25th anniversary of the bucket regattas.
Due to the austerity measures being implemented in Greece at the moment – the VAT rate on yacht charters has risen from 4.5% to 5.0%. But we certainly hope that won’t discourage charterers from visiting this Mediterranean charter paradise. In fact Greece is putting out the welcome mat more than ever to attract visitors.
Expedition Yachts tend to be sturdier and have a longer range than typical charter yachts, and may contain scientific equipment and tenders designed for exploration. But this doesn’t mean that you have to be “roughing it” on this type of charter. Quite the contrary, many expedition yachts have plush interiors with all the amenities including internet, a vast array of entertainment options, water toys, saunas, etc.
In a 14 February 2010 article in the New York Times about chartering with large groups, Boatbookings.com was featured both for its Gulets and experience with large group charters. You can see the Article here: