Bareboat BVI - Cat or Mono?

[MauritiusDiver]

So before I started thinking about the space issue and looking into cats, we (me and the guy who will be skippering) applied to CYOA Charters requesting either a 45 Hunter or a 39 Beneteau (we realized afterwards that the Beneteau is a little too small for the amount of people going). My friend has a 36' boat of his own and has a number of years experience on it, and from all that I have heard on the message boards, chartering in the BVI was easy as the companies were not too strict on which boats they let you charter as long as you have some experience.
Apparently this is not the case, as my friend was only approved for the 39' Beneteau. This seemed odd to me. Is it strange or the norm? are there other companies that will be less strict on this point?
Any suggestions?

[camaraderie]

I suggest your friend write back and say that unless he can be approved for the 45, he must book with an alternate outfit. Failing that there are a number of good outfits there...Sunsail, Moorings, Footloose, TMM and the Catamaran Company to name a few.

[Trilogy77]

Definitely check out the other charter company's. I don't see why your buddy couldn't get approved for a bigger boat. I've used BVI Yacht charters and TMM. The last 4 times down I have used BVIYC, they seem to be a bit more relaxed. That of course could be good and bad. The first time I skippered in the BVI I didn't own a boat but had the use of a 30' monohull. I had a lot of experience growing up sailing with my Grandfather on a 36' monohull. I did get my ASA Basic Keel Boat Lic. and they let me Skipper a Beneteau 46. Like you I had two other crew with experience. We had 4 couples and space was never really an issue.

When we go down there now we ask do we want to party sail or sail party. Party sail and we get a Cat. Sail Party and we get the Monohull. So I would say that if money and space are an issue get a bigger Monohull..... if they let you. Good Luck!!

[MauritiusDiver]

Thanks for the heads up. I checked out BVI Yatch Charters and they seem like a pretty good company. Read through their website and they seem legit. Prices are pretty good aswell. I've noticed that the cats tend to be more expensive, but this is going to be our senior trip and so I think its going to be a party sail. BVI Yacht Charters has a nice Lagoon 38' that I am looking at. I have already emailed in for some info. thanks again for the heads up.

[captainjay]

OK,
I will try to be kind. For those that don't know already I work for CYOA. I do not review sailing resumes, that is John's deal. I do briefings and maintenance on the boats. I will say this after reading you initial post and the follow up. You have one 20 something year old skipper with a few years experience on the family 36 foot boat and two guys that can sail a Hobie. You didn't say were the experience on the family boat is but I will assume that there is some coastal cruising experience or you likely wouldn't have been approved on the 39. You will find that John is very conservative in approving sailors. Yes the BVI's are a great cruising ground but it isn't Disney World. It is the big blue sea and when things go wrong they can go real wrong. I personally know of three charter boats that have sunk this season and several others that have been through groundings. None of which came from our fleet. It is the charter companies responsibility to make sure they aren't turning people loose in more boat than they can handle. If you weren't already jammed for space my recommendation would be to have the company whether it be ours or someone Else's put a captain on board with you for a day or two to make sure you are up to speed on the boat. This may enable you to charter the larger boat that you want. The other option might be to round up a couple more mates charter two smaller boats and put a captain on one as a guide. You would all gain valuable experience and have a bit of safety net to help keep you out of trouble.
Good luck with your plans and congratulations on your up coming graduation. If you have any specific questions don't hesitate to ask. I was on three of the four boats that you mentioned today.
Jay

[camaraderie]

Jay...he said...My friend has a 36' boat of his own and has a number of years experience on it...
How do you get that he just has experience on the family boat from that?

I certainly agree that if he has no boat ownership credentials and has only crewed on the family boat, then he is not a good risk but that is not what I read here.
Nice blog BTW!!

[captainjay]

"The guy who will be skippering the boat has a family owned 36' monohull and has a few years experience with the boat. I am almost certain that he will be approved to skipper a boat. The question now is what type and how big."

This was the quote from his initial post. He didn't indicate that anything had changed. So I assume this is still the skipper. As I said I haven't seen the resume so all the info I have is what he has posted.
Thanks for th comment on the blog it has actually taken on a life of its own.
Jay

[MauritiusDiver]

Glad to see we are getting a number of perspectives on the matter. As for whether it is a family boat or his own, technically its a family boat, but since his father passed he is really the only one in the family that can take it out, so its pretty much his boat. Captainjay, I understand what you are implying about lack of age and experience, but I do not see either of those as being an issue in this case. I am looking to plan a vacation that is going to cost a fair bit and dont want to be confined to a small boat due to conservative decisions. In the end, the decision was made and I guess I can see why that decision was made, but the simple fact of the matter is that CYOA is losing business as I am now looking to make other arrangements on Tortola. Thanks for your input though.