The charter companies typically require evidence that the skipper has previous charter experience or is a boat owner of a similar size yacht. Operating a yacht generally needs at least a skipper and one competent crew member.

Certificates are useful but not mandatory. Each charter company we represent has its own form of sailing résumé. Our practice is to get all clients approved by the charter company before any money is paid. We work with our clients through the certification process.

The Handover
A bareboat charter yacht handover (yacht orientation) will usually take about an hour. You should be as familiar with the vessel as possible before leaving the dock. As a minimum, the skipper and at least one other member of the crew should be shown:

• The location and safe operation of all the safety equipment including, fire extinguisher, life jackets and first aid kit
• The safe operation of the cooking and refrigeration systems
• Correct operation of the heads
• Engine operation and regular checks
• Operation of the VHF system including mayday instructions
• The location and operation of all the instruments, including the GPS when applicable
• The location of all charts and pilot books
• The location and operation of all the halyards, winches, reefing lines and other sail controls
• The anchoring system
• Any other systems peculiar to that vessel or not covered above

It is important not to rush the yacht orientation and don't be afraid to ask questions! If there is anything you are not sure of or want to know more about, an extra 15 minutes at the start of your charter could save you hours of down time during your vacation. The charter company would prefer you to feel 100% confident before you leave the dock.

If you are not familiar with the cruising ground, the charter company will meet with you for full chart briefing which takes approximately one hour. If you are familiar with the cruising ground, you'll most likely receive an abbreviated chart briefing.

To help you further to navigate our site, please click a link.

4 easy steps to booking a bareboat Virgin Islands - Extra Costs Virgin Islands - Sleepaboard Virgin Islands - Provisioning

4 easy steps to booking a bareboat with Virgin Island Sailing

1. Selecting your yacht
This site is designed to allow you the freedom to review the full details of every yacht. First, click on the bareboat companies listed on the left hand side of this page under View our Yachts. You will see the rates of all the yachts managed by that company and links to each individual yacht showing pictures, layout and complete specifications. Although our site is designed to be user-friendly, we know choosing the ideal yacht can still be a bit overwhelming. Since there are several yachts to choose we would be happy to use our expertise in narrowing down your search and making a couple of recommendations for your group. For assistance, simply complete our availability request form at: Availability Request.

2. Checking availability
Email or call our Bareboat Charter Experts - Melody Delgado and Dennis Lang - with your preferred sailing/cruising dates and the yacht(s) of interest that you have found on our website. Again, you can use our availability request from at: Availability Request. Melody or Dennis will then email or call you with the availability and full disclosure of costs for those yachts and other similar yachts that may be of interest to you.

Melody and Dennis know the yachts and companies better then anyone and can help you choose just the right yacht for your bareboat vacation. Email them at info@visailing.com.

3. Securing your dates
Once you have chosen your preferred yacht, we will place a complimentary hold the yacht for your dates and email you the corresponding paperwork - usually a charter agreement and experience resume along with our credit card authorization form. Yachts can be held for two business days without a deposit.

We strongly recommend that you reserve flights when you pay your deposit. For the best rate, contact Kathy at Caribbean Travel by completing our online Travel Request Form.

4. When you confirm your charter
Once your charter has been confirmed with a deposit, we will mail you a complete paperwork package along with your receipt, free cruising guide, planning chart and other useful information for your charter. We make everything easy for you by accepting all major credit cards, supplying you with pre-stamped return envelopes and being available throughout your charter experience from beginning to end.

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Virgin Islands - Extra Costs

Overnight Mooring Fees
Yachts under 60ft pay $25.00 - $30.00/night. Mooring buoys are used on a first come, first serve basis. The majority of overnight anchorages have mooring buoys, but you should check your cruising guide for further details. Fees can be paid to an agent who makes rounds or at several locations ashore. To be sure you secure a mooring buoy versus anchoring; you should arrive at your overnight anchorage by 3:30 PM - 4:00 PM during the high season and 4:30 PM - 5:00 PM during the low season. These times may even be earlier if there is a local event taking place.

BVI Cruising Tax
$2 per person/day during high season (December 1 - April 30) or $0.75 per person/day during low season (May 1 - November 30.)
BVI Cruising Tax when departing from St Thomas is $4 per person/day year-round.

BVI National Parks Permit
The BVI National Parks Permit allows you to use the mooring buoys at the National Park locations. These locations are all days stops (no overnight locations) and are out-lined in your cruising guide. The National Parks Permit is mandatory for all charters.

For a full schedule of rates and rules pertaining to entry into BVI National Parks contact the BVI National Parks Trust on (284) 494 3904.

BVI Departure Tax
$20/person (only if departing flight is out of Tortola.)
$5/person departure tax for ferries and yachts (payable in cash to the immigrations and customs office.)

Donation to Virgin Islands Search and Rescue
$1/person - $10/charter (optional). Check out their website at VISAR.

Diesel Fuel
Diesel fuel is not included on all motor yachts and the majority of sailboats. The cost for fuel is $4.00 - $4.50/gallon. Many companies relieve the hassle of having to refill the fuel tank(s) at the end of your charter by charging an up-front pre-paid fuel charge. This fuel charge varies from $45/week to $245/week depending on the yacht size and company. The pre-paid fuel charge is not refundable if you don't use the equivalent amount of diesel, but at the same time you will not be charged more if you use more diesel. The pre-paid fuel rates are calculated based on average consumption and are reasonable.

Water & Ice
Water costs approximately $0.10 - $0.15/gallon and ice costs approximately $3.00 - $4.00/bag. There are several locations to refill your water tank(s) and purchase ice within the cruising area. You may not need to refill your water at all during a one week charter, but you will purchase more ice every 2 - 3 days.

Ferries
From St Thomas to Tortola and vice versa the ferry rates are $45.00/ person round-trip and the ferry ride is 45 minutes each way. The ferries run about every 1.5 hours from approximately 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.

Captain only yachts & Bareboats with skipper
The captain/skipper is responsible for the safe operation of the yacht and the guests should be willing to help sail the yacht.

The guests are responsible to supply meals and beverages for themselves and the captain (and mate when applicable,) and do all the cooking and cleaning of the dishes and the yacht. The captain requires a private berth for the duration of your charter. He/she will show you all the sights of the Virgin Islands plus take you to the best snorkel spots and beaches.

The guests will need to pay for meals, beverages, fuel, water & ice, and BVI cruising taxes. A gratuity of 10-15% of the charter fee to the captain is customary.

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Virgin Islands - Sleepaboard

Sleepaboard or Hotel

Depending on your arrival time, you may want to spend your first night in a hotel or sleep aboard your yacht at a reduced rate. Sleepaboards generally allow you access to your yacht around 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM.

The sleepaboard is convenient since you have to unpack only once and is often an economical option for large groups. The cost is between $25.00/person up to 85% of the daily rate of the yacht. It also gives you the opportunity to do your provisioning ahead of time if you arrive at a reasonable hour. At the same time, you get the chance to become familiar with the yacht prior to the yacht orientation. Good time to check things out!

On the other hand a sleepaboard can be uncomfortable, especially in the summer when most marinas are very protected and can be hot and buggy. Ask us about individual marinas. The yacht's lights will be on, the refrigerator cold and there will be instructions describing the yacht's systems and where the head and shower are on shore. We recommend bringing a flashlight. The staff will show you the yacht’s complete systems the next day in a yacht orientation.

Please note that all companies offer a sleepaboard.

Most hotels will accept one-night reservations. Their prices start around $90.00 per room/night in low season and around $200 per room/night in high season, plus tax and service charge. Remember that a good night sleep in a nice cool room after a long day of travel can be the best way to start your vacation!

You can see & book a good selection of hotels and Inns on our “Local Information” pages by clicking here: Local Links

Sleepaboard rates are posted on the individual bareboat company’s rate pages.

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Virgin Islands - Provisioning

Pre-arranged Provisioning versus Self-Provisioning
For any bareboat charter in the Virgin Islands you can either go to the grocery store yourself or have the Bareboat company provision the yacht for you so the food will be on board when you arrive. We also have outside gourmet provisioning companies that can provision any charter with any company.

Having the yacht pre-provisioned is the most convenient and a great choice if your vacation time is limited or if you prefer not to use your vacation time shopping. The food is of good quality and there are plenty of choices. In most cases you get to do quite a bit of customizing with these plans.

Provisioning yourself is usually the best choice for people who must pick out their own food.
The grocery stores offer food items you don’t see on the provisioning programs like yellow bell peppers, romaine lettuce, & whole legs of lamb (great butterflied on the grill.) You will also have a greater selection of beverages, beers, wines & liquors.

Typical prices for provisioning packages are:

Dinners Ashore
Includes 7 breakfasts, 7 lunches and daily snacks @ $15.50 - 25.00 per person/day

Split Provisioning
Includes 7 breakfasts, 5-7 lunches & 4 dinners @ $21.00 - $28.50 per person/day

Full Provisioning
Includes 7 breakfasts, 5-7 lunches and 7 dinners @ $24.00 - $30.00 per person/day

A-La-Carte Provisioning
Allows you to completely customize your provisions and beverage orders. Prices vary depending on your order.

Not all charter companies offer all provisioning plans.

If your yacht charter includes hired crew, you are responsible for providing their meals and beverages so you must consider them when calculating your costs for provisions.

If you prefer to have most meals aboard, but would like to eat ashore a few meals, you would select the "split provisioning" option. If you have a party of (4) and you will be chartering for 7 days your costs would be calculated as follows:

(4) persons x $21.00 (split provisioning) x (7) days = $588.00

Once you confirm your charter, a provisioning list with set prices will be sent to you with your paperwork. Please note that beverage costs are not included in the provisioning plan fees. Lists for a-la-carte beverage orders will be provided together with your provisioning options.

If you decide to self-provision, the local stores are very good and offer a wide range of items. In St. Thomas, USVI, the prices are about 10% higher than in the U.S. In Tortola, BVI, the prices are about 15-20% higher.
When it comes to alcohol, however, the prices in the Virgin Islands beat the U.S. mainland in most cases. For example Jack Daniel's costs around $17 a bottle and Mount Gay Rum costs around $9 a bottle. Wines are slightly cheaper than US and the beer is a little higher. You will pay more for sodas, approximately $16 case for Coke.

When chartering out of Tortola you can bring in provisions through the airport or ferry dock. However, you should be aware that Customs will charge an import duty of approximately 15% on the value of the items. If you are considering bringing your own meats you will need to obtain an import license from the Department of Agriculture (DOA.) If you wish to bring frozen meats for your charter, you should contact the BVI-DOA at 284-495-2532. An application form along with a fee of approximately $25.00 is required. The form may be faxed directly to the BVI-DOA at 284-495-1269 or mailed to: Government of the British Virgin Islands, Department of Agriculture, Paraquita Bay, Tortola, BVI. A minimum of 48 hours should be allowed for processing. If you arrive at the airport without a permit, customs may confiscate and destroy any meat products. Only non-perishable and dry goods may be brought in the BVI without a permit. No fruits or vegetables may be allowed. We have application forms if you need one.

When chartering out of St. Thomas, there are no restrictions on the food items you may bring. However, we don't recommend bringing too much because again the provisions selection is very good.

Grocery stores & provisioning in Tortola:

Roadtown (main town of Tortola) is the best location for self-provisioning. Here are the details of our top recommended provisioners.

Rite Way Food Market
Phone: (284) 494-2263 or e-mail rtwinfo@rtwbvi.com
Offers pre-ordered provisioning delivered to your yacht for free.
Roadtown store is open Monday to Saturday 7:30 AM to 10:00 PM and Sunday 7:30 AM to 9:00 PM.
Click here for web site: Rite Way Food Market

Bobby's Marketplace
Phone: (284) 494-2189 or e-mail bobbys@surfbvi.com
Offers pre-ordered provisioning delivered to your yacht for free.
Open daily from 7:00 AM to midnight, 365 days a year.
Click here for web site: Bobby's Marketplace

Ample Hamper Yacht Provisioners has 2 stores:
(284) 494-2494 (Road Town, Inner Harbor Marina) or e-mail amplehamper@surfbvi.com
(284) 495-4684 (West End, Soper's Hole Marina) or e-mail ahamperw@surfbvi.com
Offers pre-ordered provisioning delivered to your yacht for free.
Road Town store is open daily 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
Click here for web site: Ample Hamper

K-Marks Yacht Provisioning
Phone: (284) 494-6999 or e-mail kmarks@surfbvi.com
Open Monday to Saturday 7:30 AM to 11:00 PM and Sunday 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM.

Ms. Penguin "Heat & Eat" Frozen Meals
Phone: (284) 494-3690 or e-mail sales@mspenguin.com
(Free delivery for orders over $150.00 anywhere on Tortola.)
Orders must be placed 5 days in advance of delivery.
Click here for web site: Ms. Penguin

Sailor's Ketch Seafood Provisions
Phone: (284) 495-1100
e-mailsailorsketch@aol.com
East End, Tortola
Sailor's Ketch offers provisioning to all charter bases on Tortola. Specializing in fresh and frozen fish, crab, lobster, oysters & more seafood!
Click here for web site: Sailor's Ketch Seafood Provisions

Tico: Beer - Wine - Spirits and Mixes
Call: (284) 494-2211
e-mail mail@ticobvi.com
Offers pre-ordered provisioning delivered to your yacht for free.
4% surcharge on credit cards.
Click here for web site: Tico: Beer - Wine - Spirits and Mixes

Grocery stores in St. Thomas:

When chartering with CYOA in Frenchtown, you can walk to the Pueblo supermarket and take a cab back. There is a Gourmet Galley (Phone # 340-774-5555) at the Crown Bay Marina in the next cove to the west.

When chartering out of the east end with any of the other companies, there is a good new store near Compass Point called "Food Center" open 7 days / week till 10:00 pm. There is a huge supermarket in Tutu (center of island) called Plaza Extra (Phone #340-775-5646).
There is a wonderful gourmet store in Red Hook called Marina Market (Phone # 340-779-2411).

Their are also small grocery stores in Cruz Bay, St. John.

The best provisioning company in St. Thomas is Fine Food Afloat (Phone # 340-776-2067).

There are many other smaller stores within the cruising area to reprovision some items during your charter.

Call us any time if you have questions.