Grenada Based Cruising Season

[Kenomac]

We're considering relocating one of our boats over to the island of Grenada next year. Looking for some advice on where to haul out during the off-season, pricing and the length of the cruising season we can expect. Airport access, snorkeling and scuba fun, the possibility to place boat in charter service for part of the season. Is it easy to do or lots of requirements and restrictions on a US flagged boat?

Any and all advice will be appreciated.

Ken

[a64pilot]

Why Grenada?
I’ve not been to either place yet, but what about Bonaire for diving?

[Kenomac]

Why?

Because Grenada is south of the hurricane belt and I can obtain insurance and peace of mind leaving my boat there for six months during the off-season while we cruise the Mediterranean. I don't want to have to worry about hurricanes. I'm looking at Grenada as being a home base much like the way we use The Venice area in Italy.

Can someone tell me approximately how long the cruising season lasts in the eastern Caribbean?

Thanks

[LeaseOnLife]

Hi Ken, contrary to the Med, the cruising season is all year, you just have to get out of the way of the hurricanes. People do cruise that area in the hurricane season with a watchful eye and get South (typically) quickly if needed. Since your insurance gave you a latitude to be South off for the hurricane season, they also gave you dates to be there. Then your cruising north of Grenada is limited to the 6-8 months the insurance allows you to go there.



Dirk

[Kenomac]

Lease,

Thanks, that's exactly what I was thinking. I'm considering sailing the 62 down to Bermuda then onto the Caribbean this Fall instead of across to the Azores in the Spring. Then we can enjoy the Caribbean until March, pull the boat out in Grenada then head back over to Italy to begin the "Endless Summer" routine on the 53 in the Med. My wife will turn 64 that Summer, time has a way of catching up with us.

Caribbean during the winter, Mediterranean during the Summer.

[DMCantor]

For the past 10 years we have sailed November through March in the Caribbean. For 8 of those years, we have put the boat up for the hurricane season on Grenada. We've always used Spice Island Marine, and have been happy with them, but there is competition and you should probably compare pricing. Spice Island is a bit more convenient to shopping, etc., than some of the other yards. Note that Grenada isn't strictly out of the hurricane zone, they get hit about once a century. The last time was Ivan in 2004.

The other two seasons we sailed over to Bonaire, picked up a mooring, and enjoyed the scuba which is world class. Unless you have a very small boat, you can't haul out on Bonaire, but its a short sail to Curaçao. Curaçao is out of the hurricane zone, and has the advantage of being very dry -- no worries about mildew. We weren't overly fond of Curaçao Marine as a haul-out yard, but it was OK. They put your boat into a customs impound yard, and no one is allowed to visit until you come out of impound.

[Kenomac]

At the Spice Island yard are you allowed to do work on your boat and live aboard while doing the work?

[DMCantor]

Yes, at Spice Island Marine you can live aboard while working on your boat. They charge, I think, US$5 per day for liveaboards. You can also rent small apartments from the boatyard. We usually stay at Cool Running Apartments which is right adjacent to the boatyard.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by DMCantor

Yes, at Spice Island Marine you can live aboard while working on your boat. They charge, I think, US$5 per day for liveaboards. You can also rent small apartments from the boatyard. We usually stay at Cool Running Apartments which is right adjacent to the boatyard.

Awesome! All great information, please keep it coming.

This is all beginning to come together for us on the Homefront too, looking forward to having a great endless summer.

[wcapital]

It's been some years since there, but Grenada Marine is a very good outfit with extensive capabilities, where (at least when I was there) one could work on their own vessel.

I had the extraordinary experience of having to get parts shipped into Grenada and trying to get a saildrive replaced on short notice (to have the boat ready for a Boxing Day charter in St. Vincent) - and they bent over backwards to make it happen, completing repairs and splashing us Christmas morning.

As for cruising season, late spring, summer & fall are much less crowded there, and mostly delightful sailing. A bit more rainy & humid, a few degrees warmer & often not as strong winds as winter (which some may prefer) - and only the occasional tropical wave to dodge or hunker down for. But hurricanes - particularly as you go a little farther north into the Grenadines - while not as regular as up in the Leewards etc., are not uncommon --- though generally easy enough to stay out of the way of. Trinidad isn't far.

Originally Posted by Kenomac

At the Spice Island yard are you allowed to do work on your boat and live aboard while doing the work?

[admiralslater]

I also keep my boat in Grenada in the off season . I use clarkes courte marina , mostley because it is an open yard where you can hire who you want . Spice Island and Greneda marine are closed yards . There are direct flights from several countries . And a flight every day from Barbados . The Is land is large and beautiful with super hiking good access to supplies and lots of activities. If you are bringing in boat parts and you want the reduced duty of 2% as opposed to 24 you will need a customs broker . They are easy to find just ask the forum . I and my wife find it very safe here and although it is getting a bit busier with new hotels ,it is easy to find seclusion. Myself I dont stay on the boat.much when it is on the hard . I get a room ,so that I don’t start saying why am I doing this after getting up in the middle of the night .
As for mildew in the four years that we have left the boat there , we have had none . When putting the boat away ,I wash all the bedding and my clothes etc and wipe every surface with vinagar and water. I leave my clothes on there hangers

[contrail]

I will be the third person to point out that Grenada is not hurricane proof, and it's more than once a century, by the way. Check out Hurricane Ivan and other hurricane records. That said, insurance seems to feel it's OK....even Trinidad gets hit from time to time, about twice a century, if I remember correctly. But, it's really almost immune.

[gbr]

I'm sitting in Clarkes Court Boatyard & Marina as we speak (type?) Yes you can live on board (again $5 per day iirc) and there is wifi and a restaurant on-site. They have a huge travel lift. Down side is it is a long way to shops. Spice Island and Prickly Bay are probably more convenient in that respect.

[Kenomac]

Our plan will be to place our Oyster 62 into crewed charter service and base it out of an island which allows foreign flagged boats to do this sort of activity. Does anyone know if this is allowed in Grenada? Or a nearby island? We need a location to pick up and drop off charter guests.

[sck5]

Another vote for Grenada Marine. It is a boatyard, not a marina and only has dock space for a day or two after you splash. But top notch marine trades and a nearby hotel in the next bay over to the east gives boaters cut rate rooms on the beach and free rides to and from the marina. Only drawback if you are doing youy own work is that it is a bit longer drive to the chandleries than the marinas further west. I needed a new transmission as well as some electrical and canvas work and it was all done well and on time.