The Charter Connection Blog

The Cooper Island Beach Club has been a popular BVI destination for both bareboats and crewed charter guests from the early 1970s when it began. Back then, one small building housed a restaurant where Jan Short cooked great meals and her husband Tim entertained with stories of his travels. Chartering had barely started and they were lucky if more than two boats anchored there overnight in high season. Tim would row out to each boat, to invite them ashore. I’m not sure if it was the pirate image with his beard and pipe, or the Cornish accent, but they invariably joined him.

In conjunction with Long Bay Hotel, the club expanded enormously. The new bar, now out on the beach and the enlarged restaurant, became incredibly popular. A dive shop opened up, so charterers wanting to dive the Rhone and other nearby spots could do so, while the rest of their party relaxed or partied on the beach. Even in the early days ferries came from Tortola, particularly on the weekend, so many families made a day of it (it originally was a club that members could join).

The name has never changed, but the club now has new owners, who have added and upgraded cottages, building on the resort concept. Their new restaurant opened last month and the reports we have received have been good. We would love to hear from any charterers who have had a meal, or spent time there recently. How did you enjoy the atmosphere, the facility and the food? Send us an email or use our new Facebook page which is an excellent place to pass on comments and share views. Visit the Ed Hamilton & Co site for information on other popular stops in the British Virgin Islands.

The top picture is of the new bar / restaurant, but we couldn’t resist adding Ed’s pictures of Cooper Island in 1974. Tim and Jan are the couple in the center and Miles Cortner is on the left. Miles worked for the then largest bareboat company, CSY. In the mid 70s he sailed off on his beautiful yacht ‘Sea Swan’ (which he built with his wife, Betty Lou) and cruised for the rest of his life. The bottom picture shows the empty bay and the Wharram cat that Tim and Jan sailed from England. We really have been there since chartering in the BVI began!

Our clients have been particularly happy with the “Tahiti Twosome” program. This is an economical way for a couple to experience magical Polynesia and is a real step up from a simple bareboat charter with skipper. The focus is on couples and honeymooners, sailing on a nice one way itinerary from Raiatea to Bora Bora.

The package is based on a Tahiti Yacht Charters Lagoon 380 catamaran, and includes all meals (except 2 evening dinners), table wine with meals, 2 kayaks, floating sun mats, snorkeling gear, a complimentary Tahitian massage at the Deep Ocean Spa of the Intercontinental Bora Bora, plus a Skipper who is not only your host, but who also does the cooking.

Your skipper will either be Polynesian or a French ex-patriot who has been sailing Tahiti for years. Their ages range from 28 to 50, all are passionate sailors and experienced hosts, and of course fluent in English. Your skipper will be chosen based on the personalities and interests in your group; while this isn’t quite the level of crew matching offered by a fully crewed charter, it offers a great advantage over a bareboat with a completely unknown skipper.

The 6 night/7 day itinerary takes you through the 4 major islands that make up the Leeward Islands of the Societies, starting at Raiatea, sailing on to Tahaa, then to Huahine, and ultimately to Bora Bora, where you disembark on your final day. Activities can include visiting a vanilla plantation, dinner while watching Polynesian fire dancers at a pearl farm (dinners ashore extra), coral gardens, glorious snorkeling, with many types of sea life, including manta rays, visiting a black pearl farm (yes you can buy directly), deserted ‘motus’ with miles of incredible sandy beaches and sunsets you will never forget.

With the addition of a cook, this program is also adaptable to larger groups of couples or families, or if you would like all of your meals on board. The pricing starts at $3,450 per person for the standard Tahiti Twosome package.

The Tahitian Government places many restrictions on private charter yachts who wish to use these islands as a base, so unlike the Caribbean, there are very few smaller private crewed yachts available for charter. The rules are different for the bareboat charter companies, which is why TYC is able to do this. We think their program fits the gap nicely, offering a reasonably priced vacation with more personal service than a regular skippered bareboat. While these are not private boats with full time personal skippers, we can discuss your interests and requirements to tailor your cruise.

This program is very adaptable, so email us or tell us what you are looking for using our online form and we will help you plan your vacation. We know the area well. There is also more information on the Ed Hamilton & Co site and of course more luxurious options available. We look forward to helping you arrange a private vacation or a honeymoon yacht charter like none other.

Photo credits for this page: All photographs were taken by David Kirkland who owns the copyright. They were supplied by Tahiti Yacht Charters and are used with permission. They may not be reproduced without permission from the photographer/owner.

For the full list you should go to our Crewed Yacht Specials pages, but here are a few examples. All prices and specials are for 7 nights, 8 days:

‘Spirit’, 46′ Hunter. A good example of how a crew can make the difference! One of the stand outs among the bargain priced boats. $5,500 for two, including all meals and reasonable bar. Current Special: $500 ‘Give Us A Reason’ discount.

‘Hypnautic’, 44′ Lagoon 440 cat. Popular boat with the new flybridge design and a nice master cabin. $9,900 for 2, $12,500 for 6, including all meals and reasonable bar. Current Special: Honeymoon Special - $9500 for 2, includes any romantic getaways!

‘Crystal Clear’ 54′ CT. Full of old world charm. Romantic ‘great cabin’ aft, with transom windows. Charly is a showman - prepare to be pampered. $8,250 for 2, $9,950 for 4, including meals and reasonable bar. Current Specials: Valentine’s Special - all inclusive for 2 people, open bar including champagne, chocolates, flowers & gifts $5950 for 7 nights. Good for all of February 2010! Book for 2010 before March 15, 2010 and save 10% on the listed rate!

‘Tonina’, 51′ Lagoon. One of the best of the 500s, particularly well run and nicely decorated. $15,990 for 6, including meals and reasonable bar. Current Specials: $1000 discount from regular price for charters 7 nights or more, for early 2010 (excluding holidays).

All the above are based in the Virgin Islands. For a charter in the Grenadines, try:

‘Sudiki’, 62′ Gulfstar. Roomy, comfortable monohull with a large master aft. Duff and Christine have lived in the Grenadines for many years and can provide a truly ‘local’ experience. $6,500 for 2, $8,500 for 4 including all meals, ex bar. Current Special: Honeymoon Special! $4950 for two, inclusive except 3 dinners ashore and bar.

‘Akasha’, 76′ Matrix cat. Top of the line in her class. $48,000 for 10, including meals and reasonable bar. British Virgin Islands to Grenada. Current Special: Two 40-minute complimentary massages per charter and 5 complimentary dives per week. This boat doesn’t need to offer specials to keep a full calendar. If you can afford her, book her - you won’t be disappointed.

You can find more specials on the Ed Hamilton & Co website. These are great examples but relatively few boats are offering specials and your best choice might not be on this list. They might already be priced right or perhaps offer more (remember, a good crew is more important than the yacht). With or without specials, the boats that have full calendars generally have them for a reason.

We have been personally selecting the best boats for our clients for 28 years and not only do we know these boats and crews particularly well, we have the experience to successfully match crews and guests, and to determine what really does represent good value. Email us or ask us to suggest some suitable yachts. All our advice and services are free, yet helping you choose the right boat and crew could make all the difference to your vacation.

The 150 foot Oceanfast, MOECCA is currently cruising the Adaman Sea, encompassing Thailand and the Mergui Archipelago (Burma). While in this destination, they are offering a special rate of $125,000 for seven nights or $195,000 for 14 nights, plus expenses. (This is a $20,000 discount from her regular weekly rates).

You can join this marvelous yacht after a short 15 minute ride from the Phuket Airport in Thailand.  From here, there are many interesting places to visit, including the  famous James Bond Island or the gorgeous beaches of Phi-Phi. You can explore the night life in Patong, visit the ancient Sea Gyspy Village or explore the ‘Emerald Cave’, a 270′ tunnel leading to a quiet beach.

MOECCA can host 10 guests comfortably with 3 double and two twin cabins.  If guests want to cover a large distance, she can cruise overnight in order to reach the next destination.

Ask us about this excellent opportunity and fabulous destination. Call us at 800 621 7855 or email us. You can also visit the Ed Hamilton & Co site or ask us to suggest some other luxury motor yacht charters.

The popular crewed charter yacht Anahita will sail to the Mediterranean May 1st. If you have ever dreamed of sailing the Atlantic, she has two berths still open.

Anahita is a 62′ Dynamique monohull. Bijan, her owner, has sailed her thousands of miles from Newfoundland and Maine, to the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. He came to the US from Persia in 1957, and was a celebrated ballet dancer in New York until the age of thirty. He became a successful real estate developer for ten years, before retiring to yachting. He loves watersports, boats, photography and exploring new places. He also enjoys teaching others to sail, if they should wish to learn. This would be a great boat and captain for a first transatlantic experience.

We have had several excellent charters with Bijan. He still has limited availability in the Caribbean this winter. Once in the Med, he will be available in France and Western Italy, including Corsica, in June and September, but will move to Croatia, Montenegro and the Greek Islands during July and August.

If this sounds interesting, call us at 800 621 7855 or email us. For more general information, look at the Ed Hamilton & Co site or tell us about your plans and we will send you suggestions of suitable private yacht charters.