The Charter Connection Blog

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.

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 96′ luxury motor yacht Bermuda IV has four spaces open on a scuba charter August 9 - 14, 2008, sailing around Bermuda. At this late date, they are willing to reduce the rate by $600 per person for the remaining cabins. The discounted cost of the 5 day charter is $2,400 per person. This is all inclusive - there are no hidden costs (besides airfare and a tip for the crew). Even if you are not keen on scuba diving, there’s plenty to do. See St. Georges, Dockyard, Hamilton and Mangrove Bay. Bermuda is only a two hour flight from the East Coast. We know this luxurious boat and crew well and can certainly recommend her. See Emily’s Tortola charter on her in our newsletter.

Contact us through the Ed Hamilton & Co site or email us if you are interested.

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.

The recent private yacht charter show in Tortola, in The British Virgin Islands, was a great success. Because this is a smaller show, there was plenty of time for charter brokers to really sit down with crews and get to know them.

I felt there were two major stand-outs among the new boats exhibiting at the show, a 2007 44′ Dean Catamaran, ‘BLUE BAYOU’ and the 47′ Catana Catamaran ‘GENESIS’.

‘BLUE BAYOU’ (no website yet) was commissioned by owner/captain Walt Bohren after viewing this and many other models at a charter yacht show. This catamaran can accommodate up to six guests in three double cabins. The staterooms boast wonderful ventilation (even though she also has full A/C) and en-suite heads with separate showers - a novelty on a 44′ cat! Walt has also outfitted her with many other custom features for storage, etc which makes the yacht very efficient, yet maintains her beauty.

‘GENESIS’ is also owner operated. Petr and Tracy Stejskal have been on their 2000 Catana for 6 years and have decided to open their home to guests. One might think a yacht that has been a live-aboard for a husband and wife may have a ‘cruiser’ feel, however, ‘GENESIS’ is as stunning as if she had been built for charter yesterday. This 47′ vessel caters to only 2 guests with her large Master Cabin taking up nearly the entire Starboard Hull. With Petr’s former experience as a Merchant Marine and Tracy’s qualifications from crewing on motor yachts, they are ideal hosts to show you around the Grenadines.

Please contact Ed Hamilton & Co if you would like more information regarding these catamaran yacht charters or any other charter options.

Today is the fourth, and last day of the Poros Boat Show. This is a private show for charter brokers promoting crewed yacht charters primarily in The Greek Islands and The Mediterranean.

It has been quite a show. Of the 84 yachts, most were luxury power boats, the largest being the 160 foot Lurssen ‘El Chris’. We particularly liked ‘Happy Dolphin’, with its beautiful marble entry way and lovely decor.

The queen of sail was the 133 foot Perini, ‘Ellen V’. Incredibly beautiful and, at around $150,000 per week for 6 guests, incredibly expensive (particularly for a sailboat). The older, but lovely 118 foot Perini ‘Gitana’, with her new Ralph Lauren interior would be a slightly less expensive alternative (see photograph taken from her deck).
At the other end of the scale, there was a 50′ Lagoon 500 catamaran and some excellent Gulets (local wooden motor sailers, generally built in Greece or Turkey). The accent is more on the motoring than the sailing, as the engine generally stays on even when the sails are up. They can however be a wonderful way of cruising The Aegean Sea and can often accommodate larger parties.

We enjoy the European flavor of the Mediterranean Shows. As in the Greek restaurants, meals can be lengthy affairs, and of course the yachts’ chefs are keen to show their talents. Yesterday’s lunch on a yacht had SEVEN (small) courses and lasted three hours. We finished at 4:00 - thank goodness the show runs until 7 instead of the usual 5 o’clock!

It is considered impolite to refuse a drink when visiting a house in Greece and every yacht offered us at least one, which included everything from water to expresso (but luckily rarely wine, at least until later in the day). With over 80 boats to see and over 350 crew to meet, we had to be impolite sometimes!

With its short season and the currently dismal US dollar, Americans will find that chartering any sized yacht in the Mediterranean will be significantly more expensive than the equivalent in the Caribbean, but for many, exploring a new cruising ground and experiencing such different cultures is absolutely worth the money - and there are a few relative bargains to be had!

At Ed Hamilton & Co, we have all the local information, so call us (800 621 7855), email us, or use our request literature form to get started. We look forward to talking with you.

Remember Emily will be away at the British Virgin Islands Show, in Tortola, this weekend, and Ed and Barbara will be traveling to Turkey, so you might find us slightly short staffed until Tuesday!

The end of next week marks the annual Virgin Island Spring Charter Yacht Show, which is being held in Tortola, BVI for the second year. Ed Hamilton & Co has found this show to be invaluable, giving the brokers who attend a chance to see not only new yachts and crews who have since come into charter after the larger November show; but also to to get a much better gauge as to what a charter yacht (and crew) looks like at the end of a season, rather than their showings fresh from the yard in the fall.

Of the yachts participating in the show the are two catamarans new to the charter fleet, a 44′ Dean and a 45′ Catana. Several of the yachts have new crews aboard, and we will get to catch up with some of the crews we already know. We will keep you posted on the stars of the show and what next season will be bringing to the fleet!

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.