jonl@sun.uucp (Jon Lancaster) (07/03/84)
Some friends and I are looking into bareboat charters in the Caribbean. The group will will be 3-4 couples and we plan to spend approximately a week sailing from port to port. We all have some sailing experience and have chartered boats in the San Francisco area quite a bit, including overnight trips and bluewater experience. We plan to bring snorkeling and scuba equipment, fishing equipment, rent windsurfers and work on a Grade A sunburn. There's only one problem, no one, has ever been to the Caribbean before and we therefore have many questions: 1) We are currently planning on spending Thanksgiving week in the Caribbean. What kind of weather can we expect? How much rain? Will there be good wind? 2) Most of the bareboat charter companies will arrange to provision the boat for you. Is this a good idea or can we save some money and have more control over things if we do it ourselves? 3) What are the ten things that we are absolutely going to have to have that we should plan on bringing with us? 4) Will we need to convert U.S. $ into local currency and/or do most places accept credit cards such as Mastercard, Visa and American Express? 5) Can you from personal experience recommend a particular charter company that has clean, well maintained, well equipped boats? 6) Most charter companies seem to be based on St. Thomas, St. Maarten or Tortola, which is the preferred area and why? (ie. good snorkeling, beaches, etc...) If there is significant interest and response, I will summarize to the net and will post a follow-up upon returning. Thanx in advance for any suggestions, pointers to information, and anything else that might be helpful. Jon Lancaster {decwrl|ucbvax}!sun!jonl
eve@ssc-bee.UUCP (Michael Eve) (07/09/84)
.... My scuba club chartered a Morgan 41 (?) out of St. Thomas during the Thanksgiving holiday three years ago. We had the boat for 10 days and had a great time. Not being sailors, we also hired a captain ($50/day) who also had worked for Jim and Kathy Church so he knew all the dive sites. The weather was good by Seattle standards, but not so great for diving. A storm was in the area giving us great winds for sailing, but made it too rough to dive on the Atlantic side of the islands. The temperature was in the upper 70s and low 80s with mostly sunny skies. Despite the storm, we were only rained on one day. We provisioned the boat ourselves and saved a substantial amount of money. Probably cut our food bill in half, and we still had food left over. We didn't spearfish (several local fish are toxic) so that didn't reduce our food bill any. There is a large supermarket in Charlotte Amalie (sp?) just a block from the marina, and throughout the trip we were always near stores. The dollar was accepted everywhere we went, both British and American Virgin Islands, likewise travelers checks. Seem to recall one restaurant on Virgin Gorda wouldn't take plastic. The charter company we used was Sea Breeze, I think. They provided us a nice boat, mostly working (the bilge pump didn't work, and the freezer served mostly as an ice chest). As you probably know, the rates are the lowest that time of year. The Sheraton Hotel at the marina is a pit. I don't know if it is even still in the chain. I've only taken two trips to the Caribbean (Virgin Islands and French West Indies). I found both places to have similar diving. Lots of staghorn coral, parrotfish, etc. In the Virgin Islands, we also found a sea turtle, a school of squid, a stingray, and several small sharks. Our route took us from St. Thomas to St. John (very pretty at the National Park), and into the British Virgin Islands: Tortolla, Virgin Gorda, Cane Garden Bay (remember the song by Jimmy Buffet, our captain played it constantly), Jost van Dyke (with Nippy's tee-shirt dingy delivery service). The most memorable part of the whole trip was Thanksgiving night when we were anchored just off the wreck of the Rhone (used to film The Deep). There is a graveyard on shore where the crewmen are buried. The graves look pretty shallow, and are covered with bleached driftwood that looks like bones. Anyway, the wind starts picking up about evening and by midnight is really roaring. We start dragging both anchors and are headed toward the graveyard when the captain breaks out the life jackets and orders up anchor. With the anchors up and the sail only about a third out, we took off like a banshee and went scooting across the Caribbean heeled over at 30 degrees. For nonsailors, it was very exhilerating. We made Roadtown in two hours, and when we woke in the morning, the place was packed with other boats which had arrived after we did. In general, the anchorages are very good, very sheltered. Salt Island (where we were) is an exception. The weather was supposed to be an exception; usually, much less wind. Many nights you will either have the anchorage to yourself or share it with another boat or two. Lots of sandy beaches. Oh, I just remembered. Right before the great domino match in Honduras, some Canadian friends rented a boat at Roatan just off Honduras. Said the diving was great, very unspoiled. We were going to lead another scuba sailing trip there when Honduras activity stepped up. Also, the arrival of a little one, was a small deterrent (we were willing, but who would share the boat?). The charter agency at Roatan claims there is no problem locally, and his rates are really low. When you get back from wherever, I would like to know how it went. Mike Eve {what gobbly gook goes here? Is it required?}
dxp@pyuxhh.UUCP (D Peak) (07/10/84)
-->1) We are currently planning on spending Thanksgiving week --> in the Caribbean. What kind of weather can we expect? --> How much rain? Will there be good wind? You'll be in the charterers high season rate is the first thing you want to be aware of.The hurricane season will have just ended so you can expect pretty clear weather with sporadic and short rain storms.Anywhere south of the Vigin Isles you have a fairly constant 15-20 Trade wind from the northeast but the westward side of some islands (the ones with tall mountains) can be flukey and tricky (you'll be okay about 2 miles off though). -->2) Most of the bareboat charter companies will arrange to --> provision the boat for you. Is this a good idea or can --> we save some money and have more control over things --> if we do it ourselves? When we chartered in '75 we did all our own provisioning and things worked out pretty well.HOWEVER MY BROTHER WAS WORKING THERE AT THE TIME AT TOOK CARE OF THE ORIGINAL PROVISIONING !!!!! I would suggest arranging 2-3 days of provisioning ,that is if the charterer will do this and then take it from there. You can also stock up on some of the basics like stuff for breakfast and wing it from that point.If you try and do it all for yourself you may find it costing you more (especially the first couple of days when you don't know where to shop and don't know what things are negotiable). -->3) What are the ten things that we are absolutely going to --> have to have that we should plan on bringing with us? 1) A very casual approach to service - no one is in a hurry down there. 2) Water proof cameras 3) Water resistant watches 4) A fatalistic approach - anything that can go wrong MIGHT [We couldn't douse the roller furling genny on our first day out when the wind came up . So we had to take down the mizzen and the main. A 44 footer is a strange beast to sail when all you have up is a 150% genoa. We eventually got into the lee of the island and got the roller furling to furl. Make sure you have one or more experienced sailors if you are going to bare-boat. 5) I'll mail any other things I think of . -->4) Will we need to convert U.S. $ into local currency and/or --> do most places accept credit cards such as Mastercard, --> Visa and American Express? Depends where you go . The standard is the East Caribbean Dollar in the ex-British Islands which is approx 50cUS and can be easily exchanged at most large marinas or hotels $1US gets you $2EC. In some of the bars that are frequented by a lot of Americans prices may be listed in US $ beware of this as you dont usually find out about until its time to pay and you can end up paying double the norm.Credit cards OK for larger restuarants,hotels ,marinas etc however you'll miss a lot of the atmosphere if you don't get off the beaten track a bit. -->5) Can you from personal experience recommend a particular --> charter company that has clean, well maintained, well --> equipped boats? CSY(Caribbean Sailing Yaghts ) are the standard by which most others are gauged , I may be a little predjudiced as the manager of the St Vincent fleet was my brothers' next door neighbour and close friend.CSY didn't have a boat available(we booked with les than a weeks notice) and Stevens Yachts was the one we took. -->6) Most charter companies seem to be based on St. Thomas, --> St. Maarten or Tortola, which is the preferred area --> and why? (ie. good snorkeling, beaches, etc...) Another reason is its a US possession so there's more stability. Generally speaking first time charterers should charter in the Bahamas,then the Virgins and then onto the Windward Isles due to the increasing demands on sailing ability. -->Jon Lancaster -->{decwrl|ucbvax}!sun!jonl Pick up the July 1984 edition of Cruising World for their 1985 Guide to chartering. -- Dave Peak (pyuxhh!dxp) " Don't forget, Lady Godiva put everything SHE had on a horse ! " - W.C. Fields