BVI Spring Regatta Date Change

In case you’re thinking about heading to the BVIs for one of the best regattas for bareboat charter sailors, then take note that the Caribbean Sailing Assn (CSA) has changed the dates to a week earlier than normal.  The dates for the 2013 Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival will be from March 25^th to the 31^st.

The BVI Spring Regatta, now 40 years old, not only has classes just for bareboat charter boats, but works with local charter companies to encourage racing packages for the regatta.  This year, the regatta attracted over 700 sailors from 13 different countries aboard 125 yachts, who enjoyed seven days of racing and partying around the BVIs. 

Charter companies whose boats won in the 2012 regatta include MarineMax Vacations, The Moorings, Sunsail, Rob Swain Sailing School, and BVI Yacht Charters.  Click on the company names for details of their racing packages.

Race information is available at www.bvispringregatta.org.

CharterSavvy Lives! It Lives!!

We are proud and delighted to announce the premiere issue of CharterSavvy is now available online free, and you can read it by simply clicking on the magazine cover to the left or back on the home page of this website. 

CharterSavvy is, as we promised, all about bareboat charters, with great features on the British Virgin Islands, Greek islands, San Juan islands, and canal barging in France.  There is amazingly beautiful photography, a video to add some fun, and great reading, too.

The Cargo section is devoted to the latest and coolest duffel bags, while the charter boat review in Sea Trial is the Lagoon 44. 

Of course, we have all our columns and departments that cover health, finances, insider tips and more.  And it’s all FREE!!

MarineMax Unveils 46’ Powercat For BVIs

We're just back from the Miami Boatshow, our knees are killing us and, mercifully, we can’t feel our feet.  Lots of walking, but some fascinating news, too.

MarineMax Vacations showed off plans and renderings for their new 46-foot power catamaran that will be available in the British Virgin Islands for bareboat charters.  They have ordered 30 of the cats, which will be called the MarineMax 464, and charters will start as early as December of this year at their Tortola base.

The MarineMax 464 will have some innovative features and a list of equipment not found on most bareboats.  One that appealed to us is the easy access to the foredeck from the flybridge.  Stairs on each side of the bridge lead forward to the foredeck, making it easy for the skipper to help with anchoring or picking up a mooring buoy without having to go aft to the cockpit and then along the side deck to the bow. 

A second innovation we liked is the high-low cockpit sole.  The entire after section of the cockpit can be lowered electrically to water level, creating a solid “beach” for swimming and snorkeling, and vastly simplifying retrieval of the tender. 

Another great feature is the forward cockpit.  Shaded by the overhang of the bridge and reached by a very civilized door from the salon, it has wrap-around seating and a table.  This, in our opinion, is the perfect place on the yacht to enjoy a sundowner at anchor. 

Other niceties on the 464 are a Spectra watermaker (no stopping every day to buy water!), Kenyon electric barbecue (no messy charcoal!), full Raymarine electronics including radar, GPS and chartplotter, and Northern Lights air conditioning with generator.

While there is a three-cabin “owner’s” version, the 464s in charter service will have four double cabins, each with ensuite heads with showers. 

For info, MarineMax Vacations or 888-461-5497.

Super Sunsail Caribbean Deals!

Sunsail has a great deal going for summer Caribbean charters, but the clock is ticking: if you book by February 29, you get 15% off on charters of 5-13 days or 25% off on charters of 14 days or more.  This special is for charters between June and September of 2012 at seven of their Caribbean bases: BVIs, St. Martin, St. Vincent, Antigua, Abacos, Belize and Grenada. 

And here’s an added zinger: if you’re a previous Sunsailor, you get another 5% off.

Choose from 15 different monohulls ranging from the Sunsail Oceanis 323 (2 cabins) up to the Sunsail 473 (4 cabins).  You can check out the details (new bookings only, 5-day minimum, U.S. and Canadian residents only, doesn’t include flights) and availability by clicking here or going to www.sunsail.com .

The CharterSavvy crew likes the islands in the summertime.  In the BVIs, for example, you don’t have the crowds of snowbirds escaping winter slush, and you don’t have to worry about the Christmas winds that can blow 30+ for days.  By June, the tradewinds have clocked around to the southeast at 10-15 knots.  The temperature is in the high 80s (that’s what generators, air conditioning and pina coladas are for!) and the water temp is also in the 80s, so it’s hard to tell which one you’re in (until you take a breath underwater!).  

MarineMax Goes Power, Too!

Following on the heels of the announcement by MarineMax Vacations of their fleet of 13 new Dufour sailboats entering charter service in the BVIs is news that they will add 10 new power catamarans starting on June 1, 2012 at the same Hodges Creek Marina.  According to VP Raul Bermudez, the cats will be customized Aquila 38s, designed by Morelli and Melvin. 

Like the Dufour sailboats, MarineMax Vacations is going for an upscale audience by adding such niceties as a watermaker, electric barbecue grill and wi-fi.  The two-cabin, two-head boats will, of course, have the expected amenities such as generators and air conditioning.  To be called the MarineMax 382, the boats have a forward walk-through from the oversized flybridge which MarineMax prexy, Lex Raas, labels succinctly as “huge”. 

MarineMax Vacations, 888-461-5497, www.marinemaxvacations.com