Biting the bullet, setting up a 7 day charter for March or April of 06. Looking for a 34-36 ft mono for me and wife. Any sudgestions on Charter Co's and boat? Just ffound this site-great info. !

Hello; Your question is a vast one! You should be able to find everything you need in our section: First Time Charterers, at:
http://www.sailonline.com/yacht-charters.html (see articles on how choose a charter company and how to choose a boat.

I hope this helps.

Ralph

We just took our first charter in the VI/Bvi on VIP charters. It was wonderful. The boats were well maintained - the captain (for our 2nd boat) RAY - was very helpful and knowledgeable - and the islands were wonderful.

Sail-online was also extremely helpful and their information provided for first timers - as well as follow up - with a few last minute issues that came up. You can't go wrong with their help.

Sincerely,

Lauren Freed

If you want to have a really good time and have your wife enjoy every minute charter a cat. They are stable while sailing and most of all you can't beat them on the stick. I would not trade my mono on the race course for a cat, but a cat is the only way to go, just spend one windy night in the BVI's on a cat and you will be glad you made the decision. Try catamaran company or Voyage charters. cheers

Hi !

We recently returned from a great sailing vacation(2 weeks) in the BVI. We rented two boats consequtively, a 411 and a 46 Beneteau (monohulls)from North South Yacht Vacations. A company with friendly staff and very good service in Nanny Cay Tortola. We had a very good experience and I could strongly recommend them.

Best wishes for a good vacation !

Having chartered in the BVI several times, with different companies, probably the most fun we've had was when we were part of a Moorings flotilla. The island stops with the Moorings are more interesting than with Sunsail flotillas.

Sailed BVI on a Moorings 36ft monohull week after Thanksgiving last year ... had a great time ... Tortola is their flagship site so the Moorings ops there is top drawer. Lots of pleasant achorages available ... do target going up to the Bitter End Yacht Club area; a good sail there and a pleasant destination.

Just returned from our second Moorings charter using owner's time on a Beneteau 362 that we located thru Sailonline. The boat was perfect for the two of us and I would recommend the BVI to anyone. Moorings is first class with excellent service & top quality boats. I did not opt for the flotillas. We preferred our own schedule.

Greetings!

We have chartered from Moorings, their spinoff, Footloose, and for a trip on a tighter budget, Conch Charters.

All the charterers that adverstise (with the exception of the now defunct Trade Wind Yachts) know that repeat business is their future. Even Conch Charters, which gave us a well traveled 43' Beneteau for a reasonable price in High Season, worked out fine. We moored/anchored in all the same places and enjoyed the same views/weather as the $10K/week boats.

While no trip is without its trials (which become the stuff of great chats back home - and as the years go by they become even funnier), we find the BVI a great place to invest a week or two of your life.

Rob,
If you are chartering with a captain, any of the major companies (Moorings, Sunsail, TMM, BVIYC, Horizon, CatCo etc.) will work great.
If you are bareboating for the first time, you may want to limit those choices to Moorings and maybe Sunsail. You will pay a little more, but the service and guidance is better for first timers. Once you get more comfortable (on subsequent trips) on where to go and what to do, you can try some of the smaller companies and save some money. I believe Moorings is the only company with an small office on Virgin Gorda which although it doesn't sound like much, is helpful (read: better than a chase boat) when your motor eats an impeller .

Have a great time,

Lorin