The Charter Connection Blog

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.

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).

If you’ve been considering a yacht charter, but high airfares have been holding you back, now may be the time to take another look. American Airlines has launched a spring sale on flights to the Caribbean. As airline sales often are, the exact details are a bit vague, but it appears that tickets must be booked by March 31st for departure by May 30th.

Despite the seemingly nebulous details, a check of midweek airfares this spring yields some prices that are simply too good to pass up:

Non-stop New York to St. Thomas - $287

Non-stop Miami to St. Thomas - $257

With Tortola and the wonders of the British Virgin Islands cruising ground a 40 minute ferry ride away, flying into St. Thomas is a completely viable option. When planning your flights, remember to factor in that the ferry stops running around 5pm, so it’s best to land by 3:30 or so.

Remember to reserve soon, airfares like this won’t last long!

The Catamaran Company has joined ranks with Sunsail and The Moorings in offering discounts instead of free days this summer in the British Virgin Islands. When sailing from June 7 - October 31, charters of 7 - 13 days are 10% off and 14 days or more get 20% off.

Footloose Charters, on the other hand, has broken ranks with its bigger sisters and has actually gone back to offering free days on summer bareboat charters from Tortola. From June 1 - October 31, you can add 1 free day when you book a charter of 6 - 8 days, 2 free days to 9 - 12 day charters, and 3 free days to charters of 13 days or more. It’s a bit confusing in its presentation, but in short it’s 7 days for the price of 6, 11 for 9, and 16 for 13.

Horizon Yacht Charters is offering 10 days for the price of 7 from July 10 - October 31 on their lovely Bavaria yachts. Horizon’s Virgin Islands yacht charter fleet also includes Jeanneau’s, Beneteau’s and Lagoon cats, including the new Lagoon 420.

TMM is also firmly in the free day camp, offering 10 for 7 from August 1 - October 28.

Along the lines of Sunsail’s traditional “Reef Weeks” which you may have seen before, Voyage Charters are now offering “Red Hot” and “White Hot” sail weeks at 20% and 25% off respectively for specific weeks March through November on their fleet of Voyage catamarans.