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Have you chartered a sailboat in BVI with any company other then Moorings. I may go with them but would love to save a bit of money. Are there other reputable companies to go with? What are some good message boards to research this?

Moorings and Sunsail are the 2 largest charter companies in the world.....and because they provide the newest yachts, the most expensive usually.

My first charter in the BVI was 1995 with a company no longer in business. We had a Hylas 45 that was about 8 years old and originally came out of the Moorings fleet. Both Moorings & Sunsail normally "retire" their boats after 5 years. These yachts then go into secondary fleets owned by the same firms, but a lower prices.

Our Hylas had nagging little maintenance issues all week. Some we could fix ourselves, others we had to call the charter company to meet us and repair. This took away valuable time for our vacation itinerary. Bottom line: When chartering in the BVI (or anywhere for that matter) you get what you pay for.

I might suggest you contact Ed Hamilton & Co.: http://www.ed-hamilton.com/

This is a yacht broker in Maine that works with all of the charter companies. We've used them twice and it costs no more to book through them than directly with the Moorings, Sunsail, etc. The charter companies pay the broker. While you might think that would lead to their "suggesting" one company over another based on what they are paid, we've found their recommendations to be very reliable. Contact them with your vacation plans and budget. They will recommend what charter company is best for you......

If you are bareboating Moorings or Sunsail are probably your best option. If you are going crewed, I prefer to use a broker and charter a crew owned boat. I was just checking rates last week. High season sure is a lot pricier than I expected considering the economy.

OceanCityGirl wrote:Have you chartered a sailboat in BVI with any company other then Moorings. I may go with them but would love to save a bit of money. Are there other reputable companies to go with? What are some good message boards to research this?

The BVI's, charter sailboat and saving money just dont seem to go together. BVI's have always been a lil pricey even if you're land based. Traveltalkonline is a great resource for all things BVI related. Lots of sailing people. I'm sure you'll find all the info you need there. I realllly wanna go back there soon.

I know an experienced Captain familiar with the area available for bareboat charters, he works for rum.

Crazy Navy Flyer wrote:I know an experienced Captain familiar with the area available for bareboat charters, he works for rum.

Do tell....

nutmeg wrote:

Crazy Navy Flyer wrote:I know an experienced Captain familiar with the area available for bareboat charters, he works for rum.

Do tell....