Keeping a sailboat in the Caribbean

[Haywoods]

Looking for advice here from anyone who keeps their boat in the Caribbean. We are a couple from England looking to take our catamaran across the pond and keep it over there.

We are going to fly over in January and spend a few weeks looking around marinas and bays just to see what it's like - we keep her in Greece at the moment.

Any advice on the best cruising areas/islands would be much appreciated along with information on where to get her put away safely for the hurricane season.

We are going to fly to St Lucia first of all and hopefully catch some ferries between the islands.

Our plan in to join the ARC in 2 years time so we would also welcome any advice from anybody who has done that too.

If anybody already there would be willing to meet us in January and share their knowledge of cruising a cat in the region, that would be most welcome.

Hope to hear from you soon

Paul & Tracey
Blue Tattoo

[Zanshin]

There are many possible answers to your questions, all of which are spot-on for many and off-the-mark for others. The caribbean is a big place with islands and regions that cater to different tastes.
I keep my boat in the BVI, stored on hardstand and tied down during the hurricane season. Others, particularly those who live aboard during the season, prefer to go to Grenada and parts south to stay out of "The Zone" for both weather safety and insurance reasons.
Some people prefer the relatively European and built up islands - particularly the French ones (Martinique, Guadeloupe, St. Barths, St. Martin) while others prefer to avoid the Francophone islands. The BVI is pretty with easy sailing and numerous anchorages all with amenities ashore but the downside is that they are overrun in season.
So, unless you can narrow down your preferences you are going to get a lot of disparate responses where mariners just tell what they like and what they've experienced.
The season will be well underway in January and perhaps we'll cross wakes (I'll be in Anguilla/St. Martin/Saba/St. Barths and perhaps the BVI).

[Privleoplag]

Yeah, I think catching ferries between islands is going to be a bit difficult out of St Lucia. I believe you may make it to north to Martinique certain days of the week, but I know their schedules aren't good. Anyway, that's what I found.

Myself, I'd be doing homework by emailing the different marinas on the different islands. Book a spot early for a boat haul out as popular places fill up fast. That was my experience anyway.

Looks like we'll be in or maybe a bit north of St. Lucia January, at least at the moment that's how it looks. Currently hauled out in Grenada.

[Haywoods]

Hi guys and thanks for the responses. I note that you both keep your boats within the hurricane belt. You are obviously well prepared, but do you feel confident that the boat would be safe if a hurricane passed right through you?

We would definitely be hauled out for the summer months no matter where we decide to stay and I understand that the yards are much better prepared these days than they have been in the past.

Many thanks

Paul

[Roniszoro]

A friend decided to leave his Swan at Jolly Harbour on Antigua. It was put in a big metal cradle and then strapped to the ground. It is probably as safe as one can reasonably get given the risks of leaving a boat north of South America and South of Maine.

[tjandoverguy]

I am a new sail boat owner,2 months,i bought the boat in st Thomas ,independent boat yard,the yard,hard spaces is full,u cant get in to do repairs,and all slips are full,repair work here is terrible,all independent workers time means nothing,mechanics 90 to 100 an hour,it should be the last resort

[s/v Moondancer]

We spent 6 years in the Caribbean and have Brit friends who have been there much longer.

We think that Bonaire and Curaçao are the best options for hurricane season. Bonaire has great diving and you get to stay for 3 months. You can then go to Curaçao where Curaçao Marine is a well protected marina which a large hard stand area with good workers. The boat can be left there for months without invoking tax consequences. It is then an easy 3 day reach north across the Caribbean to get to the other islands.

Grenada is a good option where the boat yards have good hurricane frames but historically Granada is more hurricane prone than Curaçao. I personally would not leave a boat in the central or northern Caribbean during hurricane season.

We preference the French Islands to the ex-Brit ones, much less paper work and better bread. St Bart's and The Saints are very nice but customs and immigrations in Antigua were a nightmare and there are just too any charter boats in the BVI.

Enjoy.

[Roniszoro]

Originally Posted by tjandoverguy

I am a new sail boat owner,2 months,i bought the boat in st Thomas ,independent boat yard,the yard,hard spaces is full,u cant get in to do repairs,and all slips are full,repair work here is terrible,all independent workers time means nothing,mechanics 90 to 100 an hour,it should be the last resort

My friend had a very different experience. He kept his Swan at the IGY Marina in St Maarten. He found the workmen that he contracted to be very professional. They did the work on time and on budget. In fact he thought that if they ever moved to the Newport, RI area where he normally keeps his boat, they'd put the folks there out of business. It is my understanding that if you want work done in the Caribbean, you go to St Maarten to get it done.

[Haywoods]

Hey thanks for the advice so far guys - keep it coming. It would be nice to meet somebody over there who had done the ARC .... Anybody ?

[danielamartindm]

Originally Posted by Haywoods

Hi guys and thanks for the responses. I note that you both keep your boats within the hurricane belt. You are obviously well prepared, but do you feel confident that the boat would be safe if a hurricane passed right through you?

We would definitely be hauled out for the summer months no matter where we decide to stay and I understand that the yards are much better prepared these days than they have been in the past.

Many thanks

Paul

Let's be real. If a Category IV or V passed right "through you," there is no safety. All we can do is prepare for lesser events, and tell ourselves that anything worse is karma. "On the hard, and anchored to the land" is the best we can do during "the season," but it's not a guarantee; and even being spider-lined to mangroves will avail little if those mangroves end up being ten feet underwater.

[dick sargent]

How about Rio Dulce?

[Mazu]

One thing people here are overlooking is long term on the hard in the Caribbean....I left my boat in Puerto Rico for 2 years and it went to hell. You need to insure you have good ventilation and someone to do a routine interior wipe down if mold begins to grow. Also someone to check periodically for any water leaks. By the time I got my boat from Puerto Rico back to the USA it needed a pretty extensive interior refit from window leaks, which caused some wood rot and lots of mold. At least hurricane damage is insured.....

[Sea Life]

Check with insurance companies first. No sense wasting time finding the "perfect spot" to find it is uninsurable or cost prohibitive. Panama gets my vote, but I assume you mean Eastern Caribbean.

We have already had 3 close calls with Tropical storms in Grenada this year. Last year in Panama, nothing except Otto which was far off.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Mazu

One thing people here are overlooking is long term on the hard in the Caribbean....I left my boat in Puerto Rico for 2 years and it went to hell. You need to insure you have good ventilation and someone to do a routine interior wipe down if mold begins to grow. Also someone to check periodically for any water leaks. By the time I got my boat from Puerto Rico back to the USA it needed a pretty extensive interior refit from window leaks, which caused some wood rot and lots of mold. At least hurricane damage is insured.....

Was going to bring up a similar point. Not just ventilation, mold and mildew but everything on a boat tends to go downhill when it's left sitting. The humidity causes corrosion in all the wire connections and terminals, light bulb sockets and everything else electrical. Like electric motors: bilge pumps, engine starters and such tend to quit working.

Your experience will depend a lot on how often you are there to use the boat. In my case I was working and sometimes didn't get to the Caribbean for several months at a time. When I did I usually spent most of my time there on maintenance and repairs. At least one trip I never even left the mooring for my two week visit.

[LTDsailing]

I would recommend Grenada, though I am a bit biased as this is where I live. It will be hard to get here from St. Lucia by ferry. Much better luck with Liat flights I believe. Let me know if you have any questions about Grenada or if you would like to meet up for a beverage while you are here!

Beam winds!