The Charter Connection Blog

New Year and Christmas have been heavily booked for months and some of the larger Catamarans have been sold out for a year, but we do have some nice options open, particularly in the $4-5,000 per person, per week range.

One of the more popular 80′ monohulls is still open in The British Virgin Islands for a party of 6.

The 76′, 10 passenger catamaran Zingara is one of the most luxurious charter yachts of her type available anywhere. Her holiday charter, which was booked months ago, had to cancel this week. She is open for Christmas but already has a tentative booking for New Year, which we can challenge if you can move quickly! They don’t get much better than this.

The 67′ Catamaran Marmot has also had a cancellation. She has four cabins but is really more comfortable for just six guests.

Smaller and mid-size sailboats are tougher to find, although there are more monohulls than cats available. The cost of flights over the holidays becomes more of an issue and they are difficult to get. If you missed out this year, you might want to think about booking for next year. You might be surprised by how many savvy charterers already have!

The owners of larger luxury Motor Yachts often announce their holiday charter plans much closer to the season, so availability is currently much better than for crewed sailing charters, but of course prices are considerably higher. Most are based in St. Martin or Antigua.

If you are considering a last minute Holiday Charter, don’t wait. Call us at 800 621 7855, email us, or contact us through the Ed Hamilton & Co site, and tell us about your plans.

A big thanks to everyone who sent us pictures of Hurricane Omar. While this storm was thankfully somewhat of an anticlimax in the US and British Virgin Islands, The Leeward Islands certainly had some damage and we received several pictures of flooded cars and downed trees, both in St. Martin and in Antigua (Jolly Harbour was particularly hard hit).

Rather than showing photographs of flood damage, which is rapidly being cleaned up, the pictures featured here were taken of the entrance to Marigot Bay, St. Lucia, many miles further south. Though Omar was miles away, the storm surge was impressive, particularly considering this is the leeward side of the island. No damage, just great pictures. Thank you Dick and crewed charter yacht ‘Frangines’ (she’s the catamaran in the foreground) for sending them to us.

Hurricanes affect The Eastern Caribbean far less than Florida and islands further west, though we certainly cannot say they don’t happen. So a storm like Omar, even though it had relatively little effect on the Caribbean Yacht Charter Industry, is news. This is the slow season, so we only had a few charters affected.

Most trip cancellation insurance covers weather interruptions, but for full coverage, it is important to select the right company. We can give you lots of advice with this.

If you don’t mind taking a chance of your charter being cut short, there are all kinds of bareboat charter bargains to be had. Email or call Ed Hamilton & Co at 800 621 7855.

Hurricane Omar tracked slightly east of his projected path, passing through The Anegada Passage between The British Virgin Islands and St Martin last night. Thankful residents and crews in The Virgins billed it as a relative ‘non event’ - more rain than wind. If anything, St Martin was more affected, as the storm was not expected to pass this close and less preparation was done. From the people we have heard from this morning, St. Croix had closed roads and trees down, St. Thomas lost power, Tortola is still without power as of this writing and St. Maarten lost some roofs and trees, although we understand there might be more damage in the marinas in Simpson Bay. The storm came from the ‘wrong’ direction, so much of the southwest of the island was less protected. Some small tornadoes were reported in this area.

One reason for the lack of more wide spread damage was that the storm moved very quickly through the area. After stalling for days further south, it raced past the Virgins at 25 knots and is expected to decrease in intensity as it meets cooler water. Judging from the relatively few precautions some private boat owners took in The Virgins, this is a good thing. The Virgins haven’t had a direct hit from a major hurricane for many years and I wonder if this has made people take them less seriously.

The weather is already back to normal, with light winds and lovely sunshine. Email or call Ed Hamilton & Co at 800 621 7855 if you have any questions about Caribbean weather or bareboat charter bargains during these low season months.

A big thank you to our friends in The Caribbean, for letting us know. Glad you’re all OK.

Once again, The Sint Maarten Yacht Club is inviting guests to compete in the 29th annual St. Martin Heineken Regatta. Race dates are from March 5 - 8, 2009, but this event is not only for the racing fanatics. It’s fun to watch from a crewed yacht and spectators have plenty to do even after racing is completed, with on shore venues, parties and feasts! With the generous donations from last year’s participants, the Yacht Club was able to provide sailing lessons for one lucky local youth. This year the yacht club is hoping to triple online donations and add 3 more children to the program.

Whether you are looking to charter a bareboat or crewed yacht to participate in the race, or a spectator vessel to follow the action, give us a call at 800-621-7855, visit the Ed Hamilton & Co Website or email us to see how we can make you a part of this excellent event!

While Hurricane Gustaf, Hanna and Ike create headlines in The US, it seems that for now, The Virgin Islands and The Eastern Caribbean Islands (St. Martin to The Grenadines) have escaped any major storms. This has been the pattern in recent years, but it is imperative for anyone sailing there in September and October to buy a trip cancellation policy that specifically covers named storms. Ed Hamilton & Co offers their clients two choices of suitable packages.

Weather patterns have certainly changed over the years. When Ed started his bareboat charter company in the 70’s, he could honestly say the last hurricane to hit the British Virgin Islands was in 1927! In the late 70’s a hurricane did approach The BVI, but it conveniently downgraded to a tropical depression as it passed over, so the statement was still true! Incidentally, Ed remembers the eye passing right over Tortola. Suddenly the wind and rain ceased and the whole night sky was full of stars. Like a lunar eclipse, the eye wall then slowly covered the sky again and the rain and wind resumed - from the opposite direction.

All this changed in the 80’s, when some vicious storms hit The Virgins and later Grenada, but recent years have been kinder.

For people willing to put up with the possibility of trip interruption, there are certainly some bareboat bargains out there and the islands are delightfully uncrowded. Winds tend to be much lighter, so the seas are calmer and the water clearer - ideal for snorkelers and scuba diving. Most crewed boats haul out by August and the crews take well deserved vacations, but there are some who charter throughout the summer.

While storms are not impossible in November, this can be a great time to charter, before the winter snow birds arrive and the harbors start filling up

If a charter sounds interesting, we can help you find the right boat. Call us at 800 621 7855, email us, or contact us through the Ed Hamilton & Co site, where you can tell us about your plans.

Thank you Dick for the photograph. It was taken from his house in Tortola a few days ago!

The British Virgin Island Port Tax, which has been causing so much heated debate, has been shelved, at least for now. Crewed yacht charters on compliant BVI based boats would not have been affected, but charter yachts sailing in The BVI but based in other areas, such as St. Thomas and St. Martin could have been faced with substantial additional costs, which probably would have been passed on to the charterer, possibly retroactively!

In a statement released today in Tortola, The Chief Minister, The Honourable Ralph O’Neal, said that the Government had received considerable representations by local associations, maritime agents and others, both locally and abroad, and had reversed the decision ‘in an attempt to protect the Territory’s competitive edge as a yachting destination.’ Just shows that voicing one’s concerns can make a difference!

The Chief Minister also announced a 7 member focus group, which includes some local mariners, so the yachting industry is represented.

At Ed Hamilton & Co, we are of course very relieved that this crisis has been averted, at least for now. We were not looking forward to making all those phone calls to existing clients, informing them their vacation would suddenly cost several hundred dollars more! Many thanks to all those involved.

Many larger power yachts reposition for the spring and summer months to New England and the Mediterranean, leaving a shortage of luxury motor yachts for charter in The Caribbean. This year, SHALIMAR, a 118′ Benetti Tri Deck will be remaining in the Caribbean, taking advantage of the calm waters, sunny skies and minimal crowds. Based in Tortola, in The British Virgin Islands, she can also charter in St. Martin and any islands further south, as far as The Grenadines.

She is able to accommodate 10 guests in her 5 cabins and charters for $60,000 per week, plus expenses. Shalimar is also one of the few power yachts offering scuba diving directly from the boat, carrying 8 full sets of dive gear, a dive compressor and a nitrox mixer.

Call or email us if you would like more information on Shalimar (800-621-7855). If you would like more information on other motor yachts or crewed sailing charters, just let us know the type of private yacht charter you are looking for.

The 56′ Sea Ray ‘CENTRE COURT’ is offering a super discount from April - June 2008. 2 guests will charter for $10,800 (down from $12,000) and 4 guests are $12,800 (down from $14,000)! She can start a charter in St Thomas, US Virgin Islands or Tortola, British Virgin Islands and even St Martin in The Leeward Islands, by special arrangement. This crew is known for their hospitality and Petra’s culinary skills - even offering a menu a’la carte! Call or email us for availability (800-621-7855).