Dream Yacht St. Martin

[Bullshooter]

I have read many threads about the problems of DYC, but nothing on the specific DYC base in St. Martin. I am reluctant to charter with them, but have heard from a reliable source, that the base in St. Martin was legit, with numerous positive reports from charterers.

I am asking if anyone can confirm or refute this report of happy results with THIS base.

Please try to refrain from repeating the many negative reports from other locations of DYC, as I am aware of them. That said, any negative reports about the base on SXM are equally helpful.

Thanks in advance,

Bull

[TheOffice]

NOOOO!
Chartered a 4 year old cat. Nightmare. Could barely drop the main, bad alternator, bad watermaker, inadequate anchor. Saw others coming back into base with the same problem

[Zanshin]

@Office - what year did this happen? I left St. Martin about a month ago and saw the operation in Anse Marcel and the boats and docks looked good. I chartered some DYC cats in Antigua this year (committee boats ASW) and, while they all had issues of some sort, the team there always responded quickly.

[TheOffice]

Feb 2022

[Bullshooter]

Yikes. Anyone else?

[neilpride]

We were in charge of the rigging maintenance of all the DYC Fleet in SXM, IRMA sunk everything, I can't tell you much about other aspects, they kept the boats clean, they were recent models, and they have people maintaining them in the docks when they are not on charter party. The base they had in Marigot is gone, now I think they are in Anse Marcel.

[Bullshooter]

Originally Posted by neilpride

We were in charge of the rigging maintenance of all the DYC Fleet in SXM, IRMA sunk everything, I can't tell you much about other aspects, they kept the boats clean, they were recent models, and they have people maintaining them in the docks when they are not on charter party. The base they had in Marigot is gone, now I think they are in Anse Marcel.

Thanks Neilpride. Do you know if many of the same people are running it now?

[jtomas]

Originally Posted by Bullshooter

Yikes. Anyone else?

We just chartered 3 catamarans and one monohull (returned 2 days ago) - overall very good experience. Yes, there were some problems, but fixed in a timely manner. Two of the three cats were in very good shape for a "rental" and one was just a bit older...

Dropping the main on these boats (as someone mentioned here) is indeed harder than it should be, but nothing that cannot be done if you prep for dropping well.

The only complaint really we've had was about the dinghy, being too small for 8 to 10 people (they fixed that problem for us and they were relatively quick about it).

The staff is super nice! Everyone in the office was super helpful and knowledgeable. The guys that bring your boats in and out of the marina are also great.

Feel free to send me a priv Q if you'd like more info.

Hope that helps.

[neilpride]

Originally Posted by Bullshooter

Thanks Neilpride. Do you know if many of the same people are running it now?

No, I think it's a new team, the last manager left, and I think all the maintenance staff is rotating, you know, today here tomorrow there, since they changed base I lost track of them.

[Bullshooter]

Thanks for the informative replies, jtomas and neilpride.

And yes jtomas, I may send you a PM with a question or two.

[glan]

I was surprised to learn from a broker I usually book with (for the past 15 years), that they do not book with DYC in Belize at this time. So I started looking. My own experience with DYC is only in Seychelles pre-COVID and it was less than perfect, but nothing really bad either. That's only the second time over those years when I hear that the broker I use do not work with some charter company. Previous time I learned that post my charter with VPM Bestsail in SXM, and I understood the reasons (though nothing really terrible happened to us). So I asked my fried who was part of SXM flotilla last November. Out of 6 cats they chartered from DYC three had significant issues. My friend's cat biggest issue was trampoline net falling apart, so people can't use it. Repairs were not possible because it was getting new holes every night :-( On other boat boom fell of the mast, but people were OK to continue under power until one engine have died and they were forced to return to base for repairs. IDK about third boat. So looks like chances are much better than 1 in 6 comparing to Belize. Apparently there is a FB group dedicated to misfortunes of DYC clients, so you might want to ask in that group. Not sure if links are allowed here, just search groups for "Dream Yacht Charter" and you will find it.

[Flagman101]

DYC is owned by the Beneteau Group.
Before covid DYC lost a lot of boats in the hurricanes.
Upwards of 80.
They then started ordering new boats from the Beneteau group.
Beneteau were happy with a pad full of orders. Then Covid happened. Everything shut down. Tourisme shut down so did the manufacturing plants that fabricated these boats.
DYC revenus plummeted. Bankruptcy was lurking. Group Beneteau did have a full booking but a large portion of that was from DYC. IF DYC folded Beneteau was also at risk, So they bought their biggest client.
This said, I have been chartering boats with them intensively since 2008. All over de caribbean's. I have never experienced anything remotely resembling some of the complaints I see on this forum. I have always had the boat has promised. Any issues I had with the boats where minor. I have also used other smaller bareboat agencies and the issues I had with the boast where way worse.
DYC is there to make a profit. They have contracts that they send you to sign. They and you have to meet these contracts requirements.
Also DYC is by far the largest bareboating company in the world. They have a very large part of the market. It is quite normal that complaints about them are more commun then with the small companies.
I am in no way affiliated with DYC but I prefer to bareboat from them because they have always given me what I booked.
Are the boats always perfect...no Read the contract.

[Zanshin]

@Flagman101 - I believe that Sunsail/Moorings is by far the largest charter company in the world. They are much, much larger than DYC. They, too, have corporate owners with deep pockets.

A quick search shows DYC with $75 million revenue, while Moorings alone has $98 million annually. Sunsail is, I believe, even bigger than moorings.

[Flagman101]

Sunsail and the Moorings are part of the Travelopia group.
They have the same parent company.
I have never used them because they have fewer yachts available, Fewer bases, and always more expensive.
DYC operate 1000 boats. Moorings +400
DYC hac 60 bases, Moorings 20
I can't say about the revenues since I am a sailor not a financial specialist. But anywhere I go I see 10 DYC for 4 moorings or sundial boat.
I was in Granda last december. 4 Moorings yachts In fort Louis. 46 DYC boats..Thats what i mean by bigger.
Anyways the point is a I have never had any majors issues with DYC.

[confusednoise]

We chartered from the Anse Marcel base in October 2022. Friendly staff, good location. Boat (Astrea 42) had some minor maintenance issues - a couple of fans not working, stuck locker doors, a problem with the key/doorlock but overall ok. Staff worked to help us get it sorted. Not pristine but not the horror show some write about. Fun location. Lock the dinghy! We woke on our last day in Anguilla and someone had stolen the gas tank and our dinghy oars. Obviously not DYCs fault…