Chartering a crewed Catamaran in Tortola, British Virgin Islands

Chartering in the BVI, in particular Tortola is arguably one of the best things to do on the planet, being one of the worlds most important sailing destinations. Nearly the entire economy of the Island is dedicated to the yachting industry. Despite being home to around 80% of the 27,800 residents of the British Virgin Islands, her white-sandy beaches remain quiet and understated, perfect for vacations with friends and family.

Road Town is the major centre for almost all commercial and administrative industries in the BVI and home to the Island’s only major international airport. This is where most of the boats are moored and is almost always the starting point for charters. The city offers the one of the largest collections of authentic Caribbean restaurants and bars, and a fantastic variety of entertainment in the evenings. Located to the southwest of Road Town is Mount Sage – a volcanic peak and the highest point in the BVI – which offers unrivaled panoramic views of the surrounding islands.

The north coast of the island is where you will find the best beaches, perfect for sailing, surfing, scuba diving and snorkeling. The turquoise waters of Smugglers Cove, on the western tip of the island, are particularly popular with snorkelers but never feel overly crowded.

However, Cane Garden Bay is arguably the most popular beach on the Island. Here you will find one of the Island’s most famous bars and restaurants. “Quito’s Gazebo”, owned by local recording artist Quito Rymer, not only serves great traditional Caribbean food but is also well known for its fantastic entertainment. Holidaymakers can listen to Quito’s acoustic set on Tuesday and Thursday nights, or to his band, “The Edge”, on Friday and Saturday’s.

The Lagoon 67, MARMOT is one of our favourite crewed catamaran charters available in the BVI. She provides accommodation for up to eight guests in four spacious cabins, as well as offering all of the latest technology that you could wish for whilst sailing around the BVI. She comes with diving and snorkeling equipment, as well as wakeboards, water ski’s and fishing rods to keep the whole family happy and entertained. She has been recently refitted and is looking better than ever, so don’t miss out on the opportunity to charter this luxury crewed cat with a fantastic crew.

Boatbookings.com has many other crewed and bareboat charter yachts available in the BVI. For more information on MARMOT or any other luxury yacht charters please follow the links provided or send an email to [email protected].

Posted on November 8, 2012 by admin — No Comments ↓

The 2012 Antigua Charter Yacht Show

With many of the world’s biggest and most luxurious chartered yachts heading over to the Caribbean for the winter season, now seems like the appropriate time to write about chartering a yacht from the beautiful island of Antigua. Antigua is one of the most beautiful island getaways in the Caribbean, and a favorite sailing charter destination. It is particularly popular with those who wish to go snorkeling and scuba diving on the coral reefs.

The main Caribbean charter season runs from early November through to June/July, with the high season from around mid-December to March. This is the period in which those wishing to escape the cold temperatures of North America and Europe arrive in huge numbers. A large proportion of the islands revenue is made during this time through tourism.

English Harbour (and the neighbouring port of Falmouth) has gained international recognition as one of the best yachting and sailing destinations in the Caribbean. Situated on the southern coast of the island, these ports are mostly sheltered from the violent storms and hurricanes which can hit the island between July and late October. The area gets its name from the harbour in which the Royal Navy established its base of operations during the eighteenth century. It is also home to the Nelson’s Dockyard cultural heritage site, named after Admiral Nelson (who lived in the Dockyard from 1784 to 1787).

One of the most important upcoming events is the 51st Antigua Charter Yacht Show, which will take place in the first week of December. The yachts on show at this event range in length from 46 feet to 245 feet and are berthed in the three marinas mentioned above. The basic premise of the show is to gather Yachts that have come to the Caribbean for the winter yachting season in order to allow charter agents to view exactly what is on offer. This includes meeting with captains and crews and sampling the delicacies provided by the many talented chefs. Many of the chefs will have the opportunity to participate in the 13th anual “Concours de Chef”. The theme for this years competition is the Healthy Dinner Challenge. Chefs must create a 3-course menu which promotes healthy eating with “great tasting local Caribbean cuisine and simplicity in preparation.”

The success of the island as a charter destination is hardly a surprise. The local yacht workers are known for being extremely and helpful, while there are many small businesses which cater to all yachting requirements. The historical ambiance of the Dockyard and the friendly locals are also crucial factors.

Among the boats on show is the luxury crewed sailing catamaran CROCODILE DADDY, which is designed for long distance cruising with luxury, comfort and speed.

This Lagoon 620 has large windows which allow for an extremely light and spacious modern interior with wenge woodwork and white leather sofas.

CROCODILE DADDY also has a large deck area, which is the perfect place to enjoy fine alfresco dining.

Another boat that will be on show is the Swan 80 SELENE – a world class sailing yacht built by Nautor’s Swan and designed for comfort and performance.

Selene has both won and placed well in regattas around the world. With an open deck layout, top rate galley and luxurious interior, this sailing boat provides the ideal setting for a sunset dinner with an exotic backdrop.

If you would like any additional information on organizing a luxury yacht charter in the Caribbean, please have a look at the link provided or send an email to [email protected]. We would be delighted to assist you in any way possible with your charter search.

Posted on September 26, 2012 by admin — No Comments ↓

Luxury Sailboat and Catamaran Charter in the stunning Seychelles!

The Perfect Romantic Honeymoon destination.

The Seychelles are an archipelago nation, consisting of 155 islands (115 Islands and 40 Islets) located 1500km off Africa in the Indian Ocean. The Seychelles are a yachting paradise, with guaranteed weather, some of the worlds finest coral reefs and deserted beaches. Whether you would like to charter a luxury monohull or catamaran, sailing is definitely the way to fully appreciate the natural beauty of the archipelago.

We would recommend starting your charter from Mahé, the largest island and home to Victoria, the main port and capital. Mahé has a 44 mile scenic coastline, which includes many secluded spots, which are perfect for anchoring, as well as over 65 white sandy beaches and coves. It is a beautiful island to discover and will leave charterers feeling lost for words. We would highly recommend a luxury honeymoon charter, due to the pure romance that the Seychelles has to offer. One of our favourite Seychelles monohulls is DEMOISELLES, a CIM 88 Crewed Sailing Yachts. She is a great choice for sailing the Seychelles, with 4 cabins, making her perfect for family charters or entertaining friends, especially with her spacious deck.

If you are looking for a destination with the X Factor, Praslin may be the island for you. Charterers will find stylish boutique hotels, the finest restaurants offering the freshest fish, mountain peeks and crystal clear waters. Therefore, Praslin has something to offer for everyone, especially as it is the halfway house between the hustle and bustle of Mahé and the tranquility and sleepiness of La Digue. I would strongly recommend Praslin as a family and child friendly destination, as the opportunities to spend time in the water are endless. The snorkeling and scuba diving is second to none, as well as offering great bird and wildlife.

We would recommend a Luxury Catamaran Charter onboard a Lagoon 450, with great accommodation for up to 10 guests. She is a bareboat charter yacht, allowing the experienced sailor endless opportunities to explore the Seychelles.

The Perfect way to sail around the Seychelles on a Lagoon 450!

If you are looking for that picture postcard destination of pure white sandy beaches, mountainous backdrops and jade green waters, La Digue is the destination for you. Despite its beauty, it has surprisingly remained undeveloped and has remained humble to its heritage, despite the recent construction of a Casino. La Digue has a very laidback vibe to it, making her a great choice for a stopover on your yacht charter from Praslin and/or Mahé.

If you would like any additional information on organizing a luxury yacht charter in the Seychelles, please do contact us via the yachts included or send an email to [email protected]. We would be delighted to assist you with your charter search.

Posted on September 26, 2012 by admin — No Comments ↓

Twins are better! The benefits of Motor Catamarans (from Guest Blogger Phil Friedman)

Twin hulls, that is. This handsome, power- and fuel-efficient raised pilothouse yacht deftly blends a highly efficient and stable catamaran hull form with exterior styling and interior design by an award-winning international yacht designer, Juan Carlos Espinosa. She is 80’ 4” LOA x 28’ 3” maximum beam, and displaces approximately 64 metric tons at half-load.

Her semi-displacement catamaran hulls run at exceedingly high speed-to-length ratios, without planing and, consequently, without requiring the large horsepower input of traditional mono-hull vessels. Her broad beam and twin-hull footprint provide a high level of stability, both at rest and underway, without the complication and added cost of active zero-speed stabilization. Construction is in state-of-the-art high strength fiberglass reinforced composite; and her outfit is specified for high value.

Inside, bright, airy common spaces on her main deck make for pleasant living and entertaining. Her raised pilothouse arrangement provides excellent separation between entertaining and navigation activities, while a main deck master suite forward provides truly sumptuous private space for her owner. Two double-berth VIP staterooms, and a twin-berth cabin on her lower deck, round out her accommodations.

On deck, her generous beam and broad bridge deck provide all manner of space for lounging and relaxing. And her aft deck incorporates a dining table and chairs for eight, and presents an exceedingly spacious and pleasant lounging area, well suited as well for luxury charters.

Because her hull form yields higher speeds per unit of power input than with conventional monohulls, this 80 footer is exceedingly flexible. With the standard power package, she can push to a genuine 35 knots, yet will run comfortably at 25 to 28 knots when asked to do so. At a passage-making speed of 12 knots, her range borders on being phenomenal. She truly approaches being a yacht for all seasons, and reasons.

The Amazonas 80 project is being developed by Phil Friedman, New Build and Refit Consultant, , Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Phil, who recently published “Ten Golden Rules for Successful New Build Projects,” has substantial experience in mega- and super-yacht construction, being a former president and CEO of megayacht builder Palmer Johnson Yachts. And he is always ready to talk about the ins and outs of catamaran motor yachts.

Posted on September 23, 2012 by admin — No Comments ↓

BVI Luxury Yacht charter around the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean!

The British Virgin Islands (commonly called BVI) is an archipelago to the East of Puerto Rico, made up of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke, amongst many other smaller islands.

Tortola is a lush mountainous island, which is also the vibrant hub of the financial and government sectors with Road Town as its capital. Tortola also provides the main port of entry for a growing mega yacht and cruise tourism industry. Charming guesthouses dot the hills and sleek resort hotels border some of the most beautiful beach expanses on the island. Beef Island (just a short bridge span away from Tortola on its eastern tip) is the site of the BVI’s International Airport and adjacent to it is sailboat-filled Trellis Bay, a unique cultural village with craft shops and restaurants.

Virgin Gorda is another of the BVI’s larger islands, of which Spanish Town is the main business and financial centre. Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour, a major port for ferries and visiting yachts, flanks it. The harbour has an array of gift and clothing shops, banks, provisioning markets and outdoor cafes.

If endless white sand beaches are what you’re looking for, Anegada is your island. It is the only all-coral atoll in the BVI at a mere 28 feet above sea level. Surrounded on one side by the infamous Horseshoe Reef, a watery graveyard for many an unsuspecting wind-tossed ship, it is known to have over 300 wrecks in its waters, some of whose artifacts can be seen in a local nautical museum.

Finally, Jost Van Dyke, named after a famous Dutch pirate, has been a sailor’s haven for years. Great Harbour, it’s main port of entry, is always bobbing with sailboats and sailors coming ashore to the charming West Indian village that lines the beach with gift shops and restaurants.

One of the many beautiful beaches on Virgin Gorda

Gastronomy in the BVI includes Caribbean favourites, such as rice and peas, fish and salt fish, mutton and goat, “ground provisions” such as tania, sweet potatoes and plantains, and an array of soups: fish soup, bullfoot soup, goat head soup, pea soup, and pumpkin soup. The majority of the food is highly seasoned, and soups are commonly served with dumplings. A favourite local dish is fungi (cornmeal and okra) and fried fish; favoured beverages are drinks made from local fruits, and include Limeade, Soursop, Mauby, and Passion fruit. Other Caribbean foods, such as Jerk Chicken, Roti (a curry-filled pancake), and Patties (meat and fish-filled dumplings) are becoming a very popular staple in the BVI.

One of our favourite yachts for chartering in the BVI is SCOTT FREE, a magnificent 120ft luxury motor yacht. She has 4 fantastic cabins, as well as a spacious saloon with the latest technology and a large flybridge.

If you wished to take things a little slower, then we would highly recommend CATSY, an elegant Sunreef 62 Catamaran. She also has 4 cabins but her real beauty lies with her exterior. She has a fantastic flybridge as well as al fresco dining areas, perfect for entertaining friends or family. If you would like to enquire about either of these luxury yachts, please do so via our website. If you would like some advice and help to plan your BVI yacht charter, please send us an email to [email protected], where one of our Brokers would be delighted to assist you.

Posted on September 21, 2012 by admin — No Comments ↓