Kickback on a BVI Crewed Yacht
The British Virgin Islands are the top sailing destination in the Caribbean, and crewed charter boats are a growing segment of one of the BVI’s leading industries. When a lot of sailors think about chartering a sailboat in the BVI, they think of bareboating – and skippering your own charter boat is certainly one way to go. But for those who want to just kickback and leave the driving to someone else, there is another way: chartering one of the dozens of luxury crewed charter yachts that call BVI waters home.
It’s a big plus to throw responsibility to the wind and concentrate instead on enjoying the ocean breeze while sipping a tropical cocktail. Living on land, I don’t get as many chances to sail on a crewed charter yacht as I’d like, but when I do, I have come away impressed at the combination of staying in a luxury hotel with exploring the BVI’s riches of out of the way anchorages. The last time I sailed on a crewed yacht, the skipper and his partner, who served as chef and hostess, were charming and attentive. Cordial, but not over bearing, they knew when to answer our questions and when to step back and give us privacy.
The yacht, a spacious catamaran, was typical of many of the islands’ crewed yachts. It had an air-conditioned salon with large windows looking onto the aft deck and was fitted out with wrap around seating and an indoor dining area, but for the most part, we hung out in the cockpit. Like the boating equivalent of a patio, it had cushioned benches and a small table where our group of four enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. The food was delicious and it was a wonder that such gourmet fare could be whipped up so efficiently in a galley that would have been the envy of a New York apartment kitchen. It was like eating in a fine restaurant but with a dazzling view of the sea and surrounding islands just off our doorstep, or more aptly, just over the rail.
There is no more enthusiastic promoter of crewed charter boating than Janet Oliver, the Director of the BVI Charter Yacht Society, the industry’s main marketing organization. As the Director of the BVI Charter Yacht Society, she has devoted the last 20 years to promoting the BVI’s crewed yacht industry. And as someone who has worked on crewed charter boats, she knows the business from the inside out.
“The BVI is a very special destination,” declares Janet. “You are only a short sail away from your next destination. I’d say that the variety of destinations in the BVI is a major reason that sailing in the BVI is so popular. You can sail from one place to another in just a couple of hours and have a whole new experience. How different can it be than spending the night in North Sound and then sailing to Anegada the next day?”
The Fall Charter Yacht Show is one of the Society’s major promotional tools and organizing it is a top priority for Janet. There are two shows a year. The Fall 2022 show will be held from Tuesday, November 8th to Friday, November 11 at Nanny Cay Resort and Marina. The mid-year show is in May. Attendance for both yachts and brokers is expected to be way up this year. Flying in from around the world, brokers will meet crews, view boats and sample a variety of the crews’ gourmet dishes. Helping clients choose the right yacht for their needs is all in a day’s work for a broker.
It’s a big plus to throw responsibility to the wind and concentrate instead on enjoying the ocean breeze and sipping a tropical cocktail. Living on land, I don’t get as many chances to sail on a crewed charter yacht as I’d like, but when I do, I have come away impressed at the combination of staying in a luxury hotel with exploring the BVI’s riches of out of the way anchorages. The last time I sailed on a crewed yacht, the skipper and his partner, who served as chef and hostess, were charming and attentive. Friendly, but not over bearing, they knew when to answer our questions and when to step back and give us privacy.
The yacht, a spacious catamaran, was typical of many of the islands’ crewed yachts. It had an air-conditioned salon with large windows looking onto the aft deck and was fitted out with wrap around seating and an indoor dining area, but for the most part, we hung out and dined in the cockpit. Like the boating equivalent of a patio, it had cushioned benches and a small table where our group of four enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. The food was delicious and it was a wonder that such gourmet fare could be whipped up so efficiently in a galley that would have been the envy of a New York apartment kitchen. It was like eating in a fine restaurant but with a dazzling view of the sea and surrounding islands just off our doorstep, or more aptly, just over the rail.
To get a crew member’s perspective on chartering in the BVI, I got in touch with two couples running BVI based charter yachts.
Graham Gips and his wife Kristiann, own the 44-foot catamaran Allende and are based in the BVI. “Crewed charters put the relaxation in a vacation,” explains Graham. “Your crew worries about all the details and works to each group’s preferences to make sure that everyone in the charter party has a great vacation. The BVI has something for everyone – it’s easy to build itineraries that focus on the well-known highlights, or stay off the beaten path and have anchorages all to yourself. And the cruising ground is big and diverse enough that you can make changes on the fly depending on what the guests are up for.”
As with other charter yacht crews whether they are owners or liveaboard crews, Graham and Kristiann, the yacht’s hostess and chef, switched careers to take up chartering.
“My wife and I left behind corporate desk jobs to work in the service industry,” says Graham explaining that neither regret a line of work that has them waking up to sunshine every day.
“The island vibe, healthy (and sometimes indulgent) food aboard, daily exercise, and hosting happy vacationers… what’s not to like?” Graham declares. “We feel very privileged to live and work in the BVI.”
Charly Zahr and Carolina Rodriguez Soaje own two boats, Crystal Clear, a 62’ ketch, and Vision, a Lagoon 52 cat, which they charter. Originally from Argentina, the couple own a home on Virgin Gorda and their teenage son, Valentin, goes to school there. “We are fully committed to the BVI,” says Charly. “We have been here 20 years and have no intention of leaving. It is the best sailing waters in the world.”
He points out that the BVI has many options for sailing; safe bays to anchor overnight and plenty of trade winds to sail year-round. “It’s a paradise for sports enthusiasts.”
Charly originally came to the BVI to visit a friend on a boat, and found the lifestyle so alluring that he moved here without hesitation. Now he enjoys sharing his love for the BVI with his charter guests, he says. “We really like the contact with new people, making new friends and sharing the islands with them.”
In all, the Charter Yacht Society represents 60 boats, a number that Janet expects to keep on growing. Member boats range in size and feature many specialties, including beginner dive instruction and certification. If you are into water sports most boats carry a variety of water toys. Sea bobs and sea scooters, tubes, knee boards and wake boards are commonly found. And onboard high tech sound systems, large screen and smart TVs, movie libraries and streaming services are typical.
.As with the entire BVI sailing industry, it has been a rocky few years for crewed yachts. Hurricane Irma, damaged or destroyed many boats that had been based here. And just when the fleet had begun to recover, the BVI shut down to tourism during the Covid Pandemic.
But with Covid abating and tourism returning, this year marks a significant turnaround for the industry.
“The season is looking great,” says Janet. “Bookings are way up – to the point that some boats have closed off their calendars.”
“The BVI charter experience,” sums up Janet, “always exceeds guests’ expectations. As for the crew? The network of supporting businesses works like a well-oiled machine. From online provisioning, to boat maintenance and even cleaning services; these islands may be small but the services are sophisticated. We have an outstanding destination here!”
For more information on crewed yachts go to the BVI Charter Yacht Society’s website:
For information on the British Virgin Islands and BVI sailing check out these posts
- Claudia Colli
- Claudia Colli
