Looking for a Mooring in South Caribbean

[marco_ocea]

Hi sailors,
i want to sail my 45' down to the south caribbean islands,where it is hurricane safe and leave the boat for several months.Does anybody know where i can find safe and cheap mooring or on the hard??thanks

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Marco.

I don't want to rain on your parade, but I think it's going to be very difficult finding cheap & safe in the Caribbean. Good luck!

[marco_ocea]

hi , i heard in the grenadines it is safe and maybe even can leave the boat on a mooring,but 6 months may be long???

[mikefp60]

Trinidad

Chamarangas specifically. Lots of boats on the hard there for hurricane season. Looks like a forest of masts in some areas. Several marina operations with various levels of accommodations and security. Bloody hot though. Was down there for 2 weeks last october getting my cat ready to come north.

[TEE]

I don't know of any mooring you can leave a boat at that long and consider it safe. Particularly during hurricane season. You won't have insurance if you do unless you have a named stormed and yacht management plan. If you take your boat to the BVI, which is a good base for sailing in the season, you can leave it at the marina at Spanish Town Virgin Gorda, where it can be stored on the hard. Alternatively, a really good place to leave it on the hard is the Nanny Cay boatyard in Tortola. All I can say though is make plans well in advance, call the boatyard well ahead of time, and be sure they can accept your boat before you leave shore here.

[sobriyah]

Marco, go to Grenada and tie-up in the mangroves at Hog Island. Spend some time in the bar at the Clarkes Court Bay Marina or at Rogers beach bar on a Sunday afternoon and you will soon find a liveaboard to mind your yacht for the season. All the well-prepared boats in the mangroves there survived Ivan.
Alternatively if you don't mind being in the hurricane belt you can do the same in Antigua. Tie-up in the mangroves in English Harbour. It's a superb hurricane hole.There are some small anchoring fees to pay but its pretty inexpensive. Ask at the Galley Bar in Nelsons Dockyard for someone to look after your boat while you are away.
If you prefer to be on the hard, try Grenada Marine at St Davids, Grenada they always have space
If you want some contacts send me a pm.

[Hud3]

We didn't want to go to Trini, so we put our boat on the hard at Grenada Marine at St. Davids back in 2006. Good folks there.

As sobriyah says, the bay at Hog Island is a good spot if you don't want to use a boatyard. Boats there survived Hurricane Ivan (150 kts). Roger's beach bar is a fun spot. All the cruisers gather there twice a week for drinks, food, music, and conversation. If John on Sea Witch is still there, he can give you good advice.

[bluewaterforme]

Originally Posted by marco_ocea

Hi sailors,
i want to sail my 45' down to the south caribbean islands,where it is hurricane safe and leave the boat for several months.Does anybody know where i can find safe and cheap mooring or on the hard??thanks

Originally Posted by GordMay

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Marco.

I don't want to rain on your parade, but I think it's going to be very difficult finding cheap & safe in the Caribbean. Good luck!

Enza Marine in Prickly Bay Grenada has mooring at a reasonable rate that are secure and patrolled daily. The moorings are new since 2007 and are good quality as I worked for the company at the time and the moorings were designed and place by a South African friend of mine.We spent 14 months on our boat in Prickly and never locked our boat our hoisted up our dingy. It has less crime against cruisers than Key West.
Hog Island @ Rogers Bar is a blast and is a short dingy ride away.

[beachgirl1952]

again, Spanish Water on Curacao is hurricane proof ...
more boats than ever are left at anchor (good holding ground) this season, while the owners are gone abroad for a few months ...

and then there's always the possibility of a boatsitter if necessary ...
me ...

but all joking aside, Curacao Spanish Water is a nice and safe hideaway ...
or: if you want to be on the hard, try Curacao Marine ...

Curacao Marine - Ship Yard on Curacao Netherlands Antilles ...

might see you here then ...
greetz,

[GordMay]

The controversial Hog Island-Mount Hartman Development Project in Grenada is being undertaken by Cinnamon 88 and will eventually be managed by the Four Seasons hotel group. The development covers mainland Mt. Hartman Estate, a national park, and nearby Hog Island, also identified as a protected area.
➥ Tourism Concern

Deborah & John Gerber (s/v Sea Witch)
Post Office Box 1335
Grand Anse, St. George's
Grenada
Email: svseawitch@yahoo.com
Tel: 1-473-406-7341

[osirissail]

As somebody who has been in and around Grenada for the last 6+ years, if you are looking for a "safe, sure" place- weather-wise- to leave the boat, it is a Trinidad boatyard; Venezuela; Curacao; Cartagena or Bocas del Toro in Panama. Those are all in the "southern" areas of the Caribbean.
- - Any other place is a matter of luck and your good fortune. Unless a hurricane makes a "direct hit" over where you have the boat - simple, complete preparation will normally result in no damage to your boat. What does cause a lot of damage is other boats that are not well prepared and they break loose and damage your boat.
- - There are "sheltered" areas, in-water, in just about every Caribbean Island that will provide decent protection unless you take a direct hit. The further "south" you go, the less storms impact as a statistical matter. Unfortunately, Mother Nature does not pay too much attention to our statistics and does what she wants to do.
- - Positioning your boat below the northern edge of the ITCZ normally puts you out of the "zone" of Tropical Storms and Hurricanes. Powerful storms can warp the ITCZ and "hit" areas not normally prone to such things, but that is exceedingly rare.
- - My practice and opinion is that if you are going to "store" the boat and fly back home for the season, then go with a boatyard in Trinidad or the A.B.C.'s for the highest possible degree of confidence that your boat will be untouched when you return. If you are going to remain on the boat during the summer season, then I prefer Grenada. You have places you can sail to and a large community of cruisers to associate with while you are waiting for November. If a storm directly threatens you are only 84nm from Trinidad (14 hours at 6 knots) and its relatively much better safety from the weather. It is the ability to use your boat to cruise Grenada and the Grenadines during the "season" that makes the place my favorite for waiting out the season.

[beachgirl1952]

try to avoid Venezuela when you plan to leave the boat behind ...
Venezuela is bad news lately ...