Yacht Reports

Boat Shows 2004

We again attended the charter yacht show in the Virgin Islands in November. We inspected 103 yachts and crew. We saw yachts that had been damaged in Hurricane Ivan, but are repaired and read to charter!

Many yachts we've been aboard in the past, but there were new ones as well as some new crew to meet. Again, there were no yachts we didn't like.

Stand-out yachts this year:

Best Revenge 5 - She still looks great! Her owners are constantly updating her and it shows! She is a VERY popular yacht and is very booked for the coming season. She'll be changing crew at the end of this season, but her replacement crew is familiar to us and will do a great job! She is a 58' Privilege Catamaran and will accommodate up to 8 guests.

Toucan Play - A brand new 58' catamaran, she accommodates up to 10 guests. She has a fun, enthusiastic crew.

Lady Madelyn - Wow! She is a 122' power yacht. She accommodates up to 10 guests in five cabins. She's perfect for a family, couples or a corporate retreat. She has a fabulous, experienced crew.

Boat Shows 2003

Virgin Islands Charter yacht Shows

Just a quick note to update everyone on our attendance at the Virgin Islands Yacht Shows.

We inspected 85 yachts and interviewed their crews. Some of the yachts were ones we’ve been aboard before, but there were quite a few that were new to us.

We really didn’t see any yachts we didn’t like! There’s something for everyone and every budget.

Some “stand outs”:
New Yachts in charter

Best Revenge V - a new 58’ Privilege catamaran. She was specifically designed as a fast, luxurious, roomy charter yacht. She accommodates 8 guests. Her fun crew, Rusty and Kate Henderson are experienced.

Aldebaran - A new 57’ Voyage Catamaran. Her crew we’ve met before, Travis and Jess are young, fun and experienced. She is a special yacht for 6 guests

First Home - A 54’ Hylas monohull sailing yacht for 4 guests. She is a beautiful yacht! Her captain is a good friend of ours. We first met Michael Slade as our dive guide in the BVI last year. Diving is included on charters.

MJ - A 90’ motor yacht, she accommodates up to 8 guests, with a crew of 4.

Other favorites:
Catamarans - We’re partial to these yachts for inexperienced sailors. There is lots of deck space and equal cabins for couples traveling together.

Fantasy Island - A 58’ catamaran, new last season, accommodates 10 guests. She earned "Best Cruising Catamaran of 2003" from Cruising World Magazine, and she sails just as fast as she looks!

Lone Star - Wow what a yacht! She is an 85’ catamaran, accommodating up to 16 guests. She has undergone a “semi” refit this year and is looking good. She has a new, experienced crew that we’ve met on another yacht.

Sabore - This was the outstanding new yacht last year. She’s still a beauty! She accommodates 8 guests in her 58’ of comfort.

Sea Chateau - Still a favorite of ours. We cruised with Greg and Laura Lewis last year on our own charter. She is a 50’ Mayotte catamaran for 6 guests, 7 for families.

Monohull sailing yachts - Beautiful yachts for the sailors!

Y Not - We first inspected this yacht 2 years ago. She sails in Croatia in the summer months. She is an 80’ yacht for 6 guests. This is a special yacht, with a great crew. We passed some time away with Jackson, her captain, hearing about the wonderful sailing in Croatia.

Lazy Bones - We saw her last year, she’s still a wonderful yacht. She’s very well taken care of. How many sailing yachts have a deck Jacuzzi? She has new sails and a new screened in cockpit.

Ayacanora - A perennial favorite! She is a great value for a 72’ yacht. Mike and Roberta are energetic and ready to show you the islands. Leave the diet behind with Roberta’s cooking!

Power yachts - For those who like to check out the engine room!

Shalimar - Wow! A gorgeous 118’ Benetti. She offers diving and is all- inclusive. She offers a private sky-lounge like the huge cruise ships, yet hers is private. She’s a great yacht for families or corporate getaways.

McGregor II - We always enjoy this yacht. Its crew is addicting! Tim and Julie are enthusiastic and great hosts. Diving is included. She is a 58’ Hatteras for 6 guests.

Sea Chateau - 2002

Sea Chateau was a lovely home away from home for the wonderful week we spent aboard her. Greg and Laura Lewis are the perfect host and hostess, Captain and Crew, Dive master and Chef.

Meals were delicious and plentiful! Everyone on our sailing gained weight. Laura graciously shared her delicious recipes.

Day 1: Picked up by Sea Chateau in Red Hook on St Thomas, US Virgin Islands. We chose cabins, got settled, changed into bathing suits and enjoyed a welcome aboard cocktail. Greg and his new "crew" (us) sailed to Christmas Cove to enjoy snorkeling and discussing our possible itinerary for the week.

Day 2: Greg moved us to a dive site moorage in the morning "Cow and Calf. Tom and I descended, following Greg through tunnels and wonderful "swim throughs". What a great dive site! We sailed by St. John, US Virgin Islands, looking forward to our time there after our trip's end. We've planned 3 days to enjoy St John. We were on our way to "the Sailing Capital of the World, The British Virgin Islands. We cleared immigration at Soper's Hole, Tortola, British Virgin Islands. What a great spot to get paper work done! From there, we proceeded to Norman Island to snorkel "the Caves" and find a great bay to anchor, watch the sunset and enjoy Laura's cooking!

Day 3: We moved to "the Indians", a great snorkeling and scuba diving spot just off Norman Island. Those of us who were certified divers sent our bubbles up to the surface for the snorkelers to enjoy.

This is a great site for both diving and snorkeling. There are lots of fish and beautiful coral. It is a diverse site. After our water excursion, we headed for Peter Island. Peter Island offers beautiful bays and beaches. It is the site of Peter Island Resort. We explored Peter Island from Great Harbor, walking to the resort, walking the grounds and enjoying cocktails. Here we also experienced one of Sea Chateau's new water toys, an activity we dubbed "snorkel flying". Snorkel flying involves wearing your mask, fins and snorkel, holding on to a simple invention (see photo) while being slowly towed behind a boat. It’s like flying through the water! It was everyone’s favorite activity.

Day 4: The RMS Rhone! Again, this site is great for scuba divers and snorkelers alike. This is one of the worlds's best wreck dives. The stern section is shallow enough for our companions to snorkel on. It’s an awesome dive, one I hope to do again and again. In my wildest dreams, I imagine myself as Jacqueline Bisset in the movie “The Deep”, or maybe not. The resident Moray eel is nowhere near the size depicted in the movie. The sea has claimed the wreck as it’s own after over 135 years. It’s a fascinating wreck.

Day 5: Virgin Gorga: The Baths of Virgin Gorda are an awesome natural site. The huge boulders (where did they come from?) were used to bathe slaves before arriving at markets to sell them. This is a magically beautiful spot in spite of it's history.

From here we headed up to the Bitter End. We could have stayed here for days. The resort is wonderful and anchoring in the bay is ideal. We took great photos of the fabulous sunset

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