[ericf]

Hi, is there anywhere to charter a smaller simpler boat for the USVI. There's only 2 of us and 3 cabins seems overkill. We'd also prefer less amenities so it feels more like camping...

We'd only be doing short sails during the day then snorkeling etc.

thanks,
Eric

 

[Minnewaska]

There are plenty of charters available in the low 30ft range. The number of cabins is misleading, as they chop them up to allow max occupancy. But those cabins are clearly camping at that size. How small did you want?

 

[captainmurph]

Moorings, Sunsail and many others have 36' boats with two cabins that might be ideal, but they aren't much cheaper than the more mainstream 39-42'.

You might also want to check with ProValor about their smallest monohull. I've used them a couple of times and have been very pleased with their boats and rates.

If you want an alternative, you can rent something more suitable for daysailing and snorkeling at Bitter End Yacht Club in North Sound. Of course, you'd need to say ashore either there or at Leverick Bay. A whole week in North Sound and vicinity would not be a bad way to go. Plenty of gunkholing and plenty to see if you take a cab down from Leverick Bay to explore the Baths, Copper Mine and the rest of VG.

Murph'

S/V Amalia
1965 Cal 30
Muskegon, MI

Starting The Great Loop in 2015

 

[nolesailor]

If I recall correctly, Sunsail had boats down to 31', and I recall seeing other boats from other companies in the 31-32 foot range...maybe BVI Yacht Charters? Conch and some of the other charter companies may have smaller boats available, but I don't recall seeing boats smaller than 30. Depending on when you are there, things can get kind of rough if the winds kick up...

 

[emc_ret]

My friend and his girlfriend chartered a Beneteau 34 from BVI Yacht Charters and were happy with boat and service.

 

[ericf]

Minnewaska -- I was wondering about something around 29'.
nolesailor -- that was a part of my question --how rough would it be for a 29' boat? would we just lose the occasional afternoon or would it be unsafe/unpleasant to sleep on at night?

thanks!

 

[nolesailor]

ericf - I don't think there would be much difference between a 29' and 31-32'...if you can find one less than 30'. In terms of sleeping at night...that most likely won't be an issue as you will pick up mooring balls that are in sheltered bays. Depending on when you go, some anchorages/moorings on the north side of Tortola and on Jost will be untenable due to the north swell (winter time)...but otherwise you will be in protected mooring fields...or even in a marina slip if you choose.

We've been twice...once with one other couple on a Sunsail 41 and then the following year on a Sunsail 36 for only my wife and I. I can tell you that on the Sunsail 36...we were almost always the smallest charter boat in the mooring field...save for an occasional 34...and we did see one 31 sailing down the Drake channel once...downwind and rolling gunwale to gunwale.

 

[Hudsonian]

I've enjoyed charters in the VI aboard a 31' and 32' sloops. I concur that you don't need anything bigger.

 

[sailpower]

January 1989 I chartered a Nonsuch 30 in BVI for a week. My GF and I had a blast.

Back then you anchored every night and we had no problems. It was pretty windy then.

 

[Minnewaska]

Not sure I'm following the motivation to be at 29ft as opposed to 32ft? Is it expense or experience that is the limiter? Neither are going to require much difference between 29 and 32.

 

[sailpower]

Search on the Virgin Islands website.

There seems to be 31's and 32's.

http://www.viyachts.com/

 

[GeorgeB]

I think the smallest boat at BVI Yacht Charters is 31-32 feet. If someone offered a smaller boat I suspect the charter rate would be the same as the 31 footers. Something you would like to consider is the tankage capacities of the boat. We just came back from the BVI and our charter agreement stated that we had to run the engine 90 minutes twice a day to re-charge the batteries. So this would have a big impact if you had a 20 gallon or under fuel tank. Ditto for water. Marinas metered their water and charged you for it. Another thing to consider is the “standard” dink is a 10 foot RIB with a 10 horse outboard. The extra sail area and waterline will come in handy. If MrsB and I do it again with just ourselves, I’d be looking at 36-38 footer.

(The reefers get quite a work-out and over a twelve hour period will put in quite a dent into a pair of 4D batteries in a house bank.)

 

[DonScribner]

We chartered a Beneteau 311. As I put it,Big enough for 6, comfortable for 4, perfect for 2.

 

[itnem80]

Hi Eric,

while you can find a small sailing boat to charter the BVI with, a ~30 ft monohull is way less comfortable than camping.

My and my wife have done exactly that a couple of years ago on a 31ft monohull and, while the experience was fantastic, we had a couple of times where we wished we were on a more stable and bigger boat.
A few of the issues: lots of rolling and movement at night, cabin so small and hot that was hard to sleep, fridge with so little power that it was useless, etc.

We are planning to do it again on a bigger more comfortable boat (a catamaran) this spring/summer (June/July) and we are looking for cool people to share the adventure together.

Would you be interested? If so email me and let's chat
itnem80 at gmail

Cheers!