BVI Charter tips anyone?
Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 4:09 pm
. Last week the Admiral and I plunked down the deposit on a 32 foot Beneteau for the second week in February
with Sunsail in Wickhams Cay. We've sailed our 26X extensively for two years on blustery
Alberta lakes and the Okanagan. We've taken CYA Basic and Nav, lived aboard, anchored out
and generally use the boat a lot. We don't anticipate many problems boat handling or sailing.
. We fly from Alberta to Dallas/Ft Worth to Puerto Rico and then Cape Air to Tortola. Then BVI to
P.R. to Dallas to Alberta on the way back.
. We would like to hear any advice or anecdotes about:
- Customs, where do you clear back into the US? Concerned about flight times etc.
- Provisioning, we've arranged to arrive Monday night and pick up our charter boat Wednesday night.
We are considering doing our own shopping, if only for the local color. Anyone have any
comments or experience with that?
- Mooring, we understand there are mooring balls everywhere. I think they're $25/night. Yow!
Do you have to hook up early in the day in order to be sure to get a spot? It must be
pretty busy. Are there still places to anchor or is that no longer an option?
- Speaking of options- I'll talk to Sunsail about this but we have a bbq on the rail and cook out
all the time. Do these guys even have them available or is there just the alc stove below?
- Options again- is a dinghy standard equipment? Fenders? Lines? etc. I've seen guys rent
boats in BC who weren't given some pretty basic equipment.
This is a partial list- we're first time charter ...ers. Intend to have lots of fun learning
the ropes, but think good advice from people who've been there is priceless.
Q. What's the most important document you need to charter in the British Virgin Islands?
A. A cheque that doesn't bounce.
Laurie
with Sunsail in Wickhams Cay. We've sailed our 26X extensively for two years on blustery
Alberta lakes and the Okanagan. We've taken CYA Basic and Nav, lived aboard, anchored out
and generally use the boat a lot. We don't anticipate many problems boat handling or sailing.
. We fly from Alberta to Dallas/Ft Worth to Puerto Rico and then Cape Air to Tortola. Then BVI to
P.R. to Dallas to Alberta on the way back.
. We would like to hear any advice or anecdotes about:
- Customs, where do you clear back into the US? Concerned about flight times etc.
- Provisioning, we've arranged to arrive Monday night and pick up our charter boat Wednesday night.
We are considering doing our own shopping, if only for the local color. Anyone have any
comments or experience with that?
- Mooring, we understand there are mooring balls everywhere. I think they're $25/night. Yow!
Do you have to hook up early in the day in order to be sure to get a spot? It must be
pretty busy. Are there still places to anchor or is that no longer an option?
- Speaking of options- I'll talk to Sunsail about this but we have a bbq on the rail and cook out
all the time. Do these guys even have them available or is there just the alc stove below?
- Options again- is a dinghy standard equipment? Fenders? Lines? etc. I've seen guys rent
boats in BC who weren't given some pretty basic equipment.
This is a partial list- we're first time charter ...ers. Intend to have lots of fun learning
the ropes, but think good advice from people who've been there is priceless.
Q. What's the most important document you need to charter in the British Virgin Islands?
A. A cheque that doesn't bounce.
Laurie