BVI Cruising

[c42sail]

Hello to All
We have eight couples planning a 10 day bareboat catamaran crusing vacation to the BVI in October 2011. We are all first timers for chartering and BVI sailing. Many of us have crewed on monohull sail boats for pleasure and racing for lots of years, and some presently own monohull boats. All of us have lived around the ocean and power boats.
We are looking for comfortable boats that still have some performance. I have been looking at the Lagoon 440 and Bahia 46 and was wondering about provisioning storage, rigging and practically of the layout.
If you have had experience with these boats, or have other recommendations, I would be interested in hearing you opinion.

Also, as first timers, any words of advice that would help us avoid unnecessary bad Juju would be appreciated.

cheers

Bob M.

[Zanshin]

The BVI are great cruising grounds with beautiful scenery and plentiful anchorages, bars, retaurants and beaches within daysails.

I would take provisioning out of your boat equation - there are places to provision all over the BVI (even Anegada has a store to stock up on supplies) and boats will have sufficient room for provisions for several days. I've been at the docks at Sunsail, Moorings and other charter companies when the charter boats return and the amount of food and supplies left over is stupendous and certainly forms a large part of the dock-worker's bonus income!

How many people are you planning per boat? The newer cats all have simple rigging and are, as far as heavily loaded catamarans can be, relatively quick. Most destinations are within a couple of hours easy sail for even the smallest monohulls. The furthest distance in the BVI would be from Soper's Hole to Anegada and (if it weren't almost dead into the wind 90% of the time) only about 35nm.
Perhaps our wakes will cross in October - if you see a blue boat named "Zanshin" in an anchorage then come on over (or better yet, invite me over ).

[SearenitySail]

Ditto Zanshin on provisioning.

Bareboat chartered a Leopard 43/Moorings 4300 in February 2009 with 3 other couples.

Great boat for 4 couples--4 cabins, 4 heads! Sails reasonable well, and good maneuvering with the powerful engines.

Have a good cruise.

[speciald@ocens.]

Eight couples (16 people + crew) on one boat!?!. I hope you will be on two boats. There are grocery and liquor stores within walking distance from the Mooring/Sunsail base. They will usually deliver back to the boat. Other places have much smaller strores. Don't provision with charter company except maybe their starter pack - dish soap, paper towels, toilet paper, etc.

[Keegan]

I would consider the Leopard 4600 catamaran. Nice accommodation. Comfortable and decent performance. The Moorings has several of them in the BVI for charter.

[harmonytek]

We did a Moorings Bareboat in 2008 out of Roadtown Tortola. 40 foot Leopard for 4 people and were swimming with space.

Provision at the grocery store a quick taxi away, but pick up gourmet items at the little deli where the road to the Moorings base exits onto the "highway" good pate, cheeses and bread. Reprovision at Cane Garden bay and/or at Beef Island. Last Resort is a good restaurant, as is the one at the Soggy Dollar bar on Jost van Dyke. Figure 3 or 4 days provisions and restock, more for canned, boxed or jarred.

If you are new to cats, pay extra attention on hoisting the main through the rigging for the "lazy bags". the battens hang up.

Otherwise enjoy...

[Auspicious]

The BVI Forum on TTOL (traveltalkonline.com) is the best source of information on boats, provisioning, routes, restaurants, and anything else one cares about chartering in the BVI.

[Gadagirl]

I've provisioned from Riteway and Bobby's online. They both have good service and deliver to the dock.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by c42sail

We are looking for comfortable boats that still have some performance. I have been looking at the Lagoon 440 and Bahia 46 and was wondering about provisioning storage, rigging and practically of the layout.

Bob M.

Get em both and post a comparison for us.

[c42sail]

Thanks for all of the input. Seriously think of two of the Lagoon 440. We will be in St Maarten in late September and are going to see if any are moored there.

thanks again for information.


Bob M.