The Charter Connection Blog

The St Thomas charter yacht show was held for the third year at Yacht Haven Grande, in Charlotte Amalie. The setting is gorgeous with the landscaped area, host of restaurants and boutique shops surrounding the docks.

Twenty-eight yachts were in attendance, and brokers could see a wide range of boats from the 46′ Hunter SPIRIT, specializing in two guest vacations, to the 56′ Marquises Catamaran, GOOD NEWS, all the way up to the 120′ Broward, M/Y FREEDOM.

I had the honor of having lunch aboard the latter, and had an outstanding meal by chef Quinn Corbett, who incidentally hails from Maine. Quinn showcased his talents well and his menu was amazing. The starter was sauteed shrimp with house smoked bacon and sweet corn, finished with white wine, fresh thyme and butter and served on southern grits.

The main course consisted of a mixed grill of chicken breast with a cranberry-orange chutney, quail with dried fruit and nut bread stuffing, Merguez sausage with traditional Harissa sauce, and a fresh goat cheese crumble, served with grilled veggies and an Israeli couscous. And just when we thought we’d eaten too much, out came the dessert. A Chef’s selection of truffles, fruit fondu, mini whoopie pies, rosemary shortbread, mini ice cream sandwiches, peanut butter cups and blondies. There were clean plates all around. FREEDOM can host up to 9 guests in 4 cabins, the Master Cabin has a King bed, there are two Queen cabins and a cabin with twin beds and a pullman.

I was also treated to lunch aboard the 54′ Lazzara, Verna Breeze. Chris and Kelly are wonderful hosts and the online brochure does not do the boat justice. This comfortable sailer features amazingly spacious, flat decks.  Kelly prepared prosciutto wrapped asparagus spears, yin yan soup, and grilled lobster.  Dessert was grilled pineapple with dipping sauce. Stellar. VERNA BREEZE is a great boat for a single couple or a family with one or two kids. Her master has a queen and an additional cabin offers over/under singles.

The boat show was a great success, and I had the opportunity to visit with crews and yachts I was already familiar with as well as see some exciting new options for charter. Email us or give us a call at 800 621 7855, and we can help you find the perfect yacht and crew for your vacation!

The picture shows the charter base at West Indies Yachts, which Ed managed from 1973 to 1975. An early client sent it to us recently, saying that it was taken at the start of their first charter, with his wife and two sons, in 1974. Many sailing adventures followed, but it was this charter that opened a new world for them! He and his wife are no longer sailing, but live in a comfortable retirement community overlooking the Severn River in Annapolis. He particularly enjoyed The Last Resort and asked if we knew of a CD of Tony Snell as they have many happy memories of watching him perform (as do we all).

West Indies Yachts originally started in the Lagoon at St. Thomas, at the base later used by Trawlers in Paradise. Ed was working as a manager at The Moorings, but at 26, saw the change as a challenge and an opportunity. His first job as manager was to move the 9 boat fleet to Maya Cove, Tortola, but because only three boats had functioning engines, each one had to tow two boats behind them to get there! The fleet consisted of three neglected Ohlson 38s (beautiful sailing yachts) and some inexpensively built Coronados (base price was around $25,000 which was cheap for a new 41 footer even in those days). These were replaced with more upscale Gulfstar 41s and 43s. The WIY base was later used by Sunsail as their Maya Cove work dock. More pictures.

Rough beginnings but what a great opportunity it turned out to be. Ed has spent his life in the charter industry and has never regretted those early decisions. Ed Hamilton & Co.

We have talked to many friends in the islands and most of the news is positive. Power is gradually being restored and things are getting back to normal. There is however little news coming from Anegada which seems to have been affected the most, with flooding, several damaged buildings and many docks unusable. On Tortola, quite a few trees are down and vegetation damaged, but with all that sunshine everything grows back quickly and the island will look much the same in a few weeks. Bomba’s Shack will need to be rebuilt again, but being largely built of driftwood, he is used to doing this and it won’t be long before the full moon parties resume.

Thank you Tanya for permission to use your photographs. I particularly liked the one of Paraquita Bay. Few people know what goes into safeguarding all those bareboats when a storm threatens. Paraquita Bay has a narrow entrance and is not a popular charter destination but it has long been a hurricane refuge. The entrance has since been dredged, but in the early days we sometimes had to heel the boats over to get them in and then each bareboat company would try to anchor their yachts to avoid them hitting others.

As the top picture shows, much has changed. The companies have permanent storm moorings bow and stern, so more boats can be accommodated and damage between boats (always the biggest problem) is minimized. Companies often leave much of their fleet here through late August, September and October, which are traditionally slow, but once they move out, Paraquita is filled with empty rows of white mooring balls!

The first time we used Paraquita Bay in 1973, I remember a white knuckled Charley Carey, with his entire Moorings fleet safely inside, hoping that the heavy storm surge didn’t permanently seal up the entrance!

The second picture is of Maya Cove and the third of Beef Island, during the hurricane. To see more pictures and larger copies of these, visit our Facebook page.

Earl hasn’t finished quite yet and we are getting ready for him all the way up in Wiscasset, Maine! He’s due here Friday night and Saturday morning!

The Moorings kept a fleet for many years at the beautiful Secret Harbor Resort, on the south coast of Grenada. They closed this some time ago, but have just announced they will be opening a base in the new Port Louis Marina. Old timers will remember the somewhat run down Grenada Yacht Services Marina, in the lagoon just south of the main town of St Georges. This has been bought out by Camper and Nicholson and replaced with a new marina aimed at megayachts. The lovely marina, with pool, bar and restaurants, is mostly completed, but much of the surrounding area, which is being developed by Peter de Savary, is still in the planning stages. Guests can take a short ferry ride across to the center of town, and there are also US style supermarkets for provisioning nearby.

Grenada is below the normal hurricane route, but the lagoon is also particularly well protected from storms, which is a big bonus for bareboat fleet operators and the owners of the megayachts that plan to base their boats there.

When sailing in the Grenadines, it is important to remember the direction of the prevailing winds. Heading north from Grenada to Carriacou, and the popular islands of the Grenadines, involves sailing into the wind and seas. These can be considerable in the winter, particularly in the open sea just north of Grenada. It is not generally a good idea to visit the Grenadines from Grenada, but doing a one way the other way, starting in the islands and finishing in Grenada (which Moorings offers for around $1,100) is a different story. Once in the lee of Grenada you might run out of wind and have to motor, but if you particularly want to visit Grenada, rather than spend the whole time in the Grenadines, this is an easy trip and one we often recommend, particularly to our crewed clients.

Another option for anyone starting out of Grenada, is to head south. There are virtually no anchorages along the western side of the island, which is generally steep to, but the southern coast has many bays and beaches. It is even possible to explore some of the eastern (windward) coast but this is generally best left to crewed boats. If you have sailed the Grenadines several times, the south coast might be a nice (though smaller) alternative. Grenada itself is a fascinating island and taking a taxi to visit some of the interior forests, distilleries and sites is well worthwhile. Horizon Yacht Charters also has a bareboat base in Grenada, at True Blue Bay, conveniently located on the southern coast. They will deliver a yacht to the Grenadines for charterers looking for a one way charter, for an additional charge.

Moorings has a base in St. Lucia, so a one way to Grenada is possible, but we would recommend taking more than a week if starting this far north. There are excellent flights into St. Lucia (and Grenada), but starting from Marigot involves a relatively long sail across open water to reach the southern end of St. Vincent, Bequia, the Tobago Cays and the other attractions of this lovely cruising ground. Moorings also has a base in Canouan, but now that American Eagle has stopped flights to the island, getting there is not as easy, plus the base is in a very unprotected anchorage. Apart from this, Canouan is a very convenient starting point to see the highlights of the area. St. Vincent is another good starting port, both for crewed and bareboat charters.

We know these islands extremely well and have been booking charters here for almost 30 years. You can contact us at info@ed-hamilton.com, find more Grenadines information on the Ed Hamilton & Co website, or tell us your plans so we can send you some boat and itinerary suggestions.

Belize is a great cruising ground but while there are many bareboat options, boat selection can be limited for crewed charters. We are therefore pleased to announce that two popular cats from the eastern Caribbean will be basing there this winter.

Chartering in Belize is quite different from the Virgins or the eastern Caribbean chain. There are very few restaurants/bars ashore and it is possible to hardly see another sail for the week in the more remote areas. Not all people are looking for this amount of solitude, but for those who are, this is a wonderful destination, particularly for anyone interested in scuba diving. The waters are generally shallow and protected by the spectacular Belize Barrier Reef, which is over 180 miles long (second longest in the world).

Gazelle is one of the exciting new Gunboat 66’s - a new breed of cats combining incredible speed with comfort. These designs are full of interesting ideas, including an additional forward ‘cockpit’ for handling lines. Both the salon and covered cockpit aft are particularly spacious and have an open feel. The master cabin is forward, to port, with a smaller cabin aft. A third cabin is forward, to starboard, with access past the galley. Berths in the forward cabins are quite high, but comfortable. The fine woodwork is unusual in such a performance boat. Six guests can charter her for a week for $3,834 pp including all meals and reasonable bar. Her popular crew, Jon and Nicki, have done several excellent charters for us on their previous boat, Mawali. They are currently in New England (see recent picture passing famous NY landmark), but will be sailing the boat south in the fall. Between December and February, they will visit Cuba, Mexico, Belize, Guatamala and Panama. In March they head to the Galapagos and then on to Tahiti…

Infinity is one of the popular 50′ Simonis/Voyage cats. She was built in 2001 and has chartered in the British Virgin Islands since then. She is now based in Belize, at Ambergris Caye. Her crew, Ian and Janey, are keen divers and would be happy to take you to the great dive sites of this unspoiled area. Her six person rate is $2250 pp, including all meals, bar, diving and dive gear.

We also want to mention Legacy, although she is not a new addition and not the same style of boat. Legacy has been chartering in Belize for a while and is particularly popular with serious divers or larger groups looking for more casual service and accommodations. She is a 64′ custom catamaran that can accommodate up to 12 guests, though 10 is more practical. Access to some cabins is through others. Her six person rate is $2,668 pp and ten is $2,401 pp, including all meals, bar, diving (up to 4 per day) and dive gear. Note that this price is for six nights, not seven, but they are currently running a special until December 15th, offering a free 7th night and one guest free for 8 or more guests.

If you are looking for a quality charter in an unusual destination this winter, call us at 800 621 7855, or email us at info@ed-hamilton.com. There’s more destinations on the Ed Hamilton & Co website, or you can tell us about your plans so we can suggest some other areas, boats and crews!

In the Mediterranean, Anahita is using the same figures, but instead of Euros, they are now US dollars! $8,500 for 2, $10,000 for 4 and $11,500 for 6, plus expenses. In addition, she is offering 8 days for the price of 7. She can charter in the Western or Eastern Med or Croatia with no delivery fees.

In the Caribbean, the popular 65′ catamaran True North has shaved $5,000 of their price for this summer and next winter. She is now $24,500 for 6 and $26,500 for 8 ($3,313 per person) for 7 nights, and this includes all meals, open ships bar, and scuba diving (scuba courses also available at extra cost). During August and September she moves to the Grenadines, but otherwise she is available anywhere from the British Virgin Islands and Antigua, to Grenada, depending on her booking calendar.

Further north, in New England, the 123′ luxury ketch Galileo G has dropped her rate to $39,000 plus expenses. This glorious yacht was designed for world cruising by Sparkman and Stephens and built by Palmer Johnson. The classic interior was done by John Munford. All are great names in the yachting industry! She accommodates up to 6 guests in three comfortable cabins. The master is however so huge and magnificent (it comes complete with a private study/reading room) that she could also be the ultimate private yacht charter for just two guests! Extravagant? Of course. Worth it? Absolutely!

We can find you the best value in every price range. You can call us at 800 621 7855, email us at info@ed-hamilton.com, read more on the Ed Hamilton & Co website, or tell us about your plans so we can suggest some suitable boats and crews!

Charter Yacht SUBLIME is offering a special deal for recent Grads in the month of June. One graduate goes free with a June booking of five or more guests for a week long charter in the British and US Virgin Islands.

Crew Brian and Stephanie Johnson are fun, accommodating hosts and offer free diving and dive instruction.

For those who do not have an interest in exploring the ocean from below, they also have a 90hp outboard on their tender, capable of pulling adults and kids alike on waterskis, wakeboards, tubes, etc. For a quieter activity, there are floating sun mats, snorkel gear, a kayak and fishing gear.

SUBLIME is currently available for the remainder of June. Contact us at info@ed-hamilton.com, check out the Ed Hamilton & Co website, or fill out a form for more information about this and other exciting offers!

SVG Airlines announced new scheduled flights into St. Lucia’s Hewanorra airport, which will connect with many international carriers. There are two airports in St. Lucia and it is not practical to transfer between them. Traditionally many of the commuter airlines flew out of the northern airport, Vigie Fields, so these new flights will make getting to the smaller islands in the Grenadines even easier. SVG now runs flights from Hewanorra to St. Vincent, Bequia and Canouan. They can also arrange charter flights to any island. Their fleet ranges from smaller Cessnas etc to Twin Otters and smaller jets (used mainly for charter flights).

Winair also announced they are resuming service into the British Virgin Islands, from St. Martin and Antigua. Flights are timed to connect with major trans Atlantic air carriers such as British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. The St. Maarten service will also connect with several US cities such as Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago and New York. There will be 21 flights between Tortola, St. Maarten and Antigua each week, using Jet Stream aircraft which carry 19 passengers. Winair enjoys privileges with several airlines enabling passengers to often check their baggage through to their final destination.

We are full service brokerage and can help you with all aspects of your yacht charter. Email us for more information, check out the Ed Hamilton & Co website, or ask us to suggest some crewed or bareboat options to start planning your holiday.