By Jeff on 7/1/2008 10:53 AM

Everyone should do a St, Maarten Heineken Regatta. The gorgeous sailing. The spectacle. The parties. In an era where regattas continue to shrink in size, they keep putting on a fantastic event. The best thing about it is you really don't have to ship your own boat - you can charter. This adds a nice aspect to the event and there are a number of charter companies (typical bareboat and others) that make it easy to book a boat and enjoy the event. Check out the new 2009 promo video. Truly remarkable...

 

Looks like fun to me!

By Jeff on 6/25/2008 4:12 PM

While I don't have much experience with charter cats, I know they're the range - for good reason. They're spacious. They have a more upright stance for some folks that don't enjoy burying the rails on a monohull, and despite a wider tacking range, they have somewhat better click of speed which can get you from your lunch spot to your evening anchorage just a little faster. (and, we know THAT means your rum cocktail a little sooner, right?)

If you haven't seen what one of these look like, you should check out this video from the Moorings folks. Not exactly the way I would shoot it but it provides a nice little overview of the boat and it's many appealing aspects.

By Jeff on 4/24/2008 6:33 AM

For some of you, this might be interesting. For others... well... not so much. I just successfully completed an upgrade to the blog software we're using. In includes some new layout changes, some nice comment features, and more.

By Jeff on 2/11/2008 3:08 PM

During a charter years ago in the BVI, something happened that I didn't expect: RAIN! When packing for the trip, I had all kinds of gear but even though my Seattle roots have wired me to plan for (and accept) rain, I didn't pack any foulies. Go figure? It's paradise - it's not supposed to rain!

As with about every charter I've done, there were some boat foulies in the foward hanging locker. I reached in to find a crispy, plastic, mildew-laced jacket that was practically useless. Oh well..

Fast forward to 2008. There are more and more great technical fabrics being created every day that are light, breathable, pack well, and protect from the elements.

Enter the Atlantis Microburst shell. Light, packable, and the perfect fit for charter foulweather protection and a decent travel jacket to boot. Check it out.

Tags: sailing, foul weather gear, outerwear, yacht charter, bareboat charter

By Jeff on 12/22/2007 3:07 PM

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to everyone out there. As we end 2007 and move towards 2008, I hope everyone has an opportunity to do more sailing, even more chartering in far off locations, and a year filled with much happiness, good health, and cheer. For us here at Charter Island, we're going to be cranking things up a notch. It's going to be fun and we look forward to sharing it with you! Cheers!

By Jeff on 12/3/2007 3:06 PM

Apparently, winter is a good time to get a charter deal. That's good news for those of you stuck in the snowy winter weather. I just received a flyer yesterday with some good discounts from Moorings:

• BVIs and St. Martin: 25% off Moorings 44.2 and 51.5 monohulls and the Moorings 4000 cat (between Jan 10 and Feb 29, 2008)
• BVIs, St. Lucia, St. Martin,, Grendines, Belize, Bahamas, and Baja: 15% off the yacht charter fee (between Jan 5 and Feb 29, 2008)

If you're a member of the Mooring's Captain's Reward program, you get another 5% off.

Deadline for booking is Dec. 24, 2007.

Go forth and charter!

By Jeff on 6/4/2007 3:05 PM

About this time of year, many of the Caribbean charter companies offer some fantastic deals (usually 20%+ off) on charters since it's summer time down island. With it brings a bit more humidity and the chance that late-summer tropical disturbances (or... even hurricanes...) could disupt your plans. However, you can get some great sailing in for a great deal if you pick your days well. And, don't leave home without charter insurance to assure that IF you have to change plans due to weather that you'll not lose your entire charter fee.

Also - fresh news from Footloose Charters... they've opened a new base on Tortola out of Wickham's Cay. In addition to the new facility, there are a number of shops, restaurants, and other services nearby to help you get off to a great charter.

(Image courtesy of Footloose Charters)

By Jeff on 4/18/2007 3:04 PM

If you're getting ready to participate in this legendary event, I'm jealous. For those who are not, we can complain together! Celebrating it's 40th Anniversary, Antigua Sailing Week is one of the most legendary regattas in the world. Between great sailing and great parties, there are few events like this one.

This year, to improve the format, the "Bareboat" fleet will race for a final day "gold fleet" set of races to crown the bareboat charter fleet winner. What makes events like this great are that folks who want to charter a boat, do some racing, and get away from the late winter/early spring blues can do exactly that without having to own a grand prix raceboat.

 

(Image courtest of Stanford Antigua Sailing Week 2006)

If you've chartered a bareboat for this event, I'd like to hear from you and share your experiences with the community! Post a comment below!

Tags: sailing, antigua sailing week, yacht charter, bareboat charter

By Jeff on 4/11/2007 3:03 PM

When it comes to packing for a charter, I always find myself having to parse my bag a couple times to get rid of anything but the essentials. "Gear Creep" (the phenomenon where gear proliferates out of control) seems to be a constant battle.

One item that is absolutely essential, is small, and only weighs 2.75 oz is the Petzl Petzl Tikka 3-LED Headlamp. Standard gear for hikers and mountaineers, this little joy has proven itself over and over again while sailing.

Why a headlamp? Well, I've used one the following ways when having both hands free and light can really make a difference...

• Last check of the anchor rode in the dark before hitting the bunk
• Grilling when sundown comes just a little early and the crew is hungry
• Making cocktails in the cockpit when the little coconut courtesy lamp doesn't actually work
• Reading a book after everyone's gone to sleep
• Taking the dinghy to a dock after dark, in a swell, with very little space

I can't recommend this enough. You'll be amazed at how much you use one once you have one. And, at $28 and 120hrs burn time, it's cheap and dependable.

 

Tags: sailing, petzl, yacht charter, bareboat charter

By Jeff on 4/3/2007 3:02 PM

I've sailed for well over the 30 years - almost exclusively on traditional monohulls. I'll admit it; I really like the feel of a boat moving in cycle with the waves and everything that goes with a traditional keelboat. However, it's hard to dispute the trend towards catamarans - especially in charter. In fact, I've seriously considering a cat on our next charter as we plan for it.

The advocates, as quoted in this recent article highlighting the new Moorings 4600/Sunsail 464 designed by Morelli and Melvin and built by Leopard (Robertson-Caine of South Africa), make a pretty good case for a cat:

• In a seaway, the cat stays relatively flat making it easier to eat, play games, etc.
• Anchoring closer to shore in calming, more convenient water is possible
• More space for kids to run around (and a trampoline!)
• Maneuvering in close quarters can be easier - especially with cats featuring twin diesels
• Living space separation provides a different degree of privacy

These sound like pretty good reasons to me... With limited vacation time, large groups chartering together, and new areas to explore, a cat seems like a pretty good idea. What do you think? What are your opinions?

Tags: sailing, catamaran, yacht charter, bareboat charter