​Top 10 tips for a successful BVI bareboat charter vacation

1. Don’t overestimate your abilities, most accidents in the BVI waters are caused by human error, charter the size of boat you are comfortable with, do not fall into the trap of hiring a much bigger boat than you are used to, inviting your friends and family in an effort to reduce your overall costs, it can end in disaster if you overstretch your abilities as skipper, sailing a new boat can be stressful, the last thing you need is brother Charlie ( who does not like boats or you) commenting “does he know what he is doing” while you are trying to navigate onto the fuel dock in 20+ knots of breeze.
If you are taking on a boat that you are not familiar with there is no shame in taking a checkout skipper for the first day, his job will be to make sure you know how to use all the systems on the boat, secure the boat safely at night and make it to the next anchorage without any drama’s, make good use of the time with him he is not the enemy but there to help you make the most of your vacation.

2. Boat briefing time, DO NOT rush through the boat briefing, even if you have chartered the same vessel before, boat systems can be complicated, sometimes they change and are upgraded so its very important to take your time to digest all the information coming in during your briefing, take notes, even better record everything on video so you can play it back later, have a 2nd person present during the briefing so nothing is missed, most calls to the charter base in the first few days are for questions that have been missed on the charter brief, if you rush through the brief you are asking for trouble!

Remember that the guy doing the briefing probably does this every day of the week, do not just nod if you do not understand his explanation, ask questions if you are not sure, in my time as a checkout skipper I could easily judge the guys that would be running into trouble, it would usually be the ones staring at you like a frightened rabbit as you asked them to repeat the process you just explained to them. If in doubt check, a good idea once you have been briefed is to go over everything with your No.2, if you are both not sure how something works ask again, "do not be afraid to be a pain in the neck", your boat briefer will be happy to go over things now rather then dingying over to Peter Island at 4pm to flip your windlass breaker that he showed you the location of on the dock. ( and dont forget he will be expecting a big tip for that inconvenience)

3. Preparation ! I cannot stress enough the benefit of prior planning and preparation, before you arrive in the BVI for your charter I am sure you will have spent weeks researching your overall passage plans, laying out your itinerary, checking Facebook groups and constantly monitoring the forecast in advance of your trip, prior planning of your trip is a great start and something everyone should do, but there is a caveat, things can change rapidly in the tropics depending on the time of year that you visit, and the plan that you made 3 months ago may need to be revisited closer to the time, an example could be that during the Winter months violent storms far away on the East coast of the US can create big North swells ( swell is defined by the direction it is going, wind is defined by the direction it is coming from ) these swells can make the Northerly exposed anchorages in the BVI untenable and even dangerous and potentially the southern anchorages of Jost Van Dyke when the swell is reflected off the North coast of Tortola as well.

In this instance there may be a need to modify your weeks plan accordingly and avoid the Northern shores of the BVI Islands. My advice would be make your overall plan, decide on your anchorage for the first 2 nights once you have an up to date forecast and then revisit the plan on a daily basis taking into consideration the prevailing conditions, if everything stays as forecast follow your plan and enjoy your trip, however the worst type of skipper is the skipper that sticks to his pre-planned route whatever the conditions and puts his crew in danger, this can be avoided by the Captain giving an overall summary of the trip and keeping the specifics of each day flexible and then making the decisions on where to go next subject to the prevailing decisions, that way everyone is happy that you are in charge of the situation and not just carrying on regardless, tick off all the boxes you have promised if possible but be flexible in your approach, that way you will have happy crew and a happy boat.

4. Passage planning, Its very easy just to turn on your chart plotter after breakfast, drop in a few waypoints and head off to your next destination without a care in the world, a word of caution, most people drive over the top of reefs by mis-reading chart plotting information or missing important information on the charts, as a rule reefs do not move around and the BVI has pretty accurate charted information, if you hit a reef its too late to blame the equipment and its going to be very expensive, to avoid this I recommend the following procedure.
First thing in the morning or the night before whichever is your preference get out you charts and cruising guide and spend half an hour planning out your next route, first check your pilotage out of the anchorage keeping a note of any navigation hazards on the way out, make a sketch on a piece of paper if you think its helpful that you can refer to later, then get out your paper chart for the area and plan out your passage for the day, draw out your passage plan on the chart and mark off some waypoints, as your course takes you around headlands, mark off your waypoints on an area that you can identify a depth reading, that way you can double check your position as you near the waypoint by checking the depth sounder and a visual reference, like the tip of an approaching headland, once you have your waypoints identified transfer them to your chart plotter making sure they line up with the depth contours as a double check, finally do your pilotage plan into your chosen anchorage and make a quick sketch.
You may think this is a long winded exercise but the fact that you have taken the time to get out your charts, pilot book and studied your passage in detail this will give you time to identify any potential hazards along the way, its impossible to digest the same amount of information just by checking your chart plotter however big it is, there is no better way to plan your passage than with a adequately scaled paper chart, you will be prepared if the weather deteriorates and it only takes 10 minutes with a cup of coffee once you get used to it, remember prior preparation prevent piss poor performance!

5. DO NOT SHOUT! There is nothing more irritating than an ill prepared skipper attemting to dock his boat with a nervous crew while the skipper shouts commands at the top of his voice, this is not racing, its meant to be fun for all and shouting at the crew is unacceptable, it will not motivate them and will probably upset your neigbours while they realx with their cocktails, a skipper that shouts has not prepared his crew in advance for the manouvere and is not in command of his vessel.
To avoid this start with a brefing of the crew well before you enter the anchorage, organize your lines on deck, have everything planned in advance and the strongest memebers of the crew doing the tasks you think need the most strength and agility, agree on some easy to understand hand signals to communicate your commands and explain your strategy to the crew before the task, most important once you are safely tied up, debrief the crew in a constructive way on how the procedure went, if it was good then applaud them, if it needed improvement ask the team how they think the plan could be improved or changed for the next time, you will be amazed at how quickly the crew will work together to improve the procedures and docking or mooring will become an effortless task and not a nightmare to worry about at the end of the day.

​6. Get going early, most people only sall for 3 or 4 hours a day in the BVI, with modern mono's and Catamaran’s most anchorages are just a few hours away so depart and arrive early in the day at your chosen anchorage, its a much better idea to have time on your hands in a beautiful anchorage rather than turning up late when the last mooring has been taken and you must decide what to do next, if there really is no room then go to plan B, and move to the anchorage you identified in your passage plan as your 2nd choice, you should never be more than 30 mins away from a safe anchorage in the BVI.

​7. Reef early, always be conservative when sailing with friends and family, not everyone enjoys being pinned into the cockpit with the lee rail in the water, you may find it exhilarating but some of the crew may feel nervous with big angles of lean, be alert to your crews behavoir, if someone that is usually vocal sudenly becomes silent then thats a good sign they are not feeling well, sea sickness is a horrible thing to have to endure during a vacation so be considerate to your crew, if someone is really sick get them to lay down and close thier eyes eventually they will feel better. Not many people actually get seasick in the BVI, it is quite rare as the waters are reasonably protected, more people worry themselves sick than actually get real sea-sickness I can count on one hand the guests that I have actually seen be sick over the side.

8. Go Ashore, get some time off the boat to explore the BVI, there are some beautiful treks on the outer Islands and the mainland, the cruising giude is a good source of info for the treking paths Norman Island, Peter Island, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and Tortola all have excellent hiking trails not to be missed as part of your BVI bareboat charter vacation, remember not everyone wants to ber sailing all week, keep your crew happy and entertained and you will be rewarded with people that want to sail with you again.

9. Share the love, The BVI has suffered terrible hardship during 2017/18, the tourism industry is resilient but has taken some knocks, the local businesses have had 1/10th of their normal income but still had bills to pay and families to feed, if you love the BVI get out into the communities and spend your money with the locals, it will be appreciated and you will be rewarded 10 times over with your generosity, rather than eat on the boat try some local restaurants and flavours, I guarantee you will be suprised how good the local food can be and the money will tricle down through the communities.

10. Have fun, remeber that you are also on vacation, a BVI bareboat sailing vacation should be an unforgetable experience for all the family and friends you invite along, including yourself the skipper, keep your boat safe, relax enjoy your time with the family, try and turn off the internet now and again, enjoy the Islands, the people, the weather and the beautiful scenery that makes the British Virgin Islands the best sailing destination in the world.

No. 1 Spring bay, Virgin Gorda.
This magnificent Virgin Gorda beach, which is adjacent to The Baths, is a great place for snorkeling, swimming or just hanging out in the sun, probably one of the most beautiful bays in Virgin Gorda if not the whole British Virgin Islands, a must-stop on any BVI sailing vacation or charter,

​Reviewed March 2018 Jennifer wrote "Absolutely beautiful turquoise water!!! Such a serene stretch of breathtaking beach. We were going to snorkel, but the water was way too cold for this southern girl! We climbed over/around some rocks and enjoyed the waves crashing instead. 
It was so beautiful that we went back again another day!"

No. 2 Horseshoe Reef, Anegada.
​This Anegada reef is the third largest in the world and the site of many shipwrecks, making it a diver’s dream, Anegada used to be an intimidating trip for first time charterers in the BVI but now due to accurate GPS and chart plotters on almost every charter boat in the fleet the cautious mariner can safely navigate the tricky entrance into this one of a kind Island paradise in the BVI.
Reviewed by Janver in May 2018 he wrote "​Our group joined Captain Kelly on our second day in Anegada for a 4 hour excursion and needless to say, we were blown with the scenery and tribal knowledge the Kelly presented to us! He knew exactly where the big Lobbeys were hiding and got us up close and personal to the stunning pink flamingos. We also had the opportunity to take some fresh conch home to make some wonderful ceviche. Kellys passion for the islands and preserving its well being will allow myself and future generations to be in continued awe of this amazing place #bvistrong"

No.3 White Bay Jost Van Dyke.
The classic white sand beach, rum bar, azure blue sea, there is something unmistakable about this spot, instantly recognizable in any photo, this quiet little beach is transformed during the day into the party spot! People watching? This is definitely the place to do it but get there early as the anchorage can fill up quickly.

Reviewed by Lucy August 2018 she wrote "Literally, our favorite place on earth (STILL)!
We just made a return trip to Jost in August 2018. Fearing the worst, we weren't sure what to expect, but White Bay has been mostly restored to it's pristine glory after being ravaged by 2 Cat 5 Hurricanes less than 1 year ago. New mature palms have been planted and the beach bar favorites have been rebuilt/restored. The water is as crystal clear as ever and the white sand is as pure and clean as I've ever seen it. The locals have clearly worked their tails off rebuilding, and the result is nothing short of amazing. Every time we return to White Bay is better than the last, and we can't wait to come back again soon! If you've never been, you're missing out on the best beach in the Caribbean. If you've been before, you already know what you are missing so hustle back and show the locals your support by having a few Painkillers and getting some BVI Strong merchandise!

No.4 Savannah / Pond Bay, Virgin Gorda.
Virgin Gorda's loveliest beach is a long strand of powdery white coastline lapped by placid waters, can be tricky to get into and off limits to some charter companies very often you can be the only boat in the anchorage and the sunsets are quite stunning, not recommended in a Northerly swell.

​Reviewed by Roamin April 2018 he wrote "We went here on a day trip to the baths. We sailed with four couples and took a dingy in, then took a taxi to the baths. After lunch at the top of the baths we got a taxi over to Savannah Bay. We literally had this beach all to ourselves. Our driver left for a while and returned with beer for our group and we mostly splashed in the water with our drinks in hand. We took one of the best photos of our entire trip here. The beach is clean, and the sand is soft and perfect for walking barefoot or wading in the water."

No.5 RMS Rhone wreck dive.
Park that encompasses the wreck of the HMS Rhone, a mail ship that sunk during a hurricane in 1867.
People still travel from all over the world to dive the famous wreck of the "Rhone" the dive site suffered some minor damage from the hurricanes but is still a world class wreck dive.
Here is what Scott and to say in July 2018 "This is still a fantastic dive, even after the hurricane. Really great photography opportunities and a good place if you have divers of varying skill levels (novices on the prop, more advanced divers on the deeper sections)."
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So you are still a bit nervous about chartering in the BVI and are worried about the horror stories of devastation, well don't be, because the fact is 90 % of your time will be spent cruising the wonderful bays and Islands in the British Virgin Islands that have mainly escaped unharmed, the greenery is growing back, the beaches are still golden, the diving is still world-class, and the sea is still a beautiful blue-green color that can only be found in the BVI, the mainland is starting to recover so that being said here is my recommendations for a sample 7 day Itinerary in the BVI on-board a bareboat mono or Catamaran.

Day 1. Most charters start at Midday in the various charter bases on the main Island Tortola, to save some time you can always use Ritway Food stores https://www.rtwbvi.com/howto to get your provisions delivered straight to your boat (They deliver to all BVI charter boat locations). Once off the dock head straight over to Great Harbour, Peter Island for one of the many mooring balls in the anchorage, first night will be the famous Willie T floating bar and restaurant for an evening of mayhem, the new boat boasts a huge upper deck with lots of tables, the new bathrooms are clean and organized all great improvements from the original and you can still jump off the top deck, a right of passage for any BVI charter vacation.

Day 2. Head East from Great Harbor towards the South West tip of Salt Island for the wreck of the Rhone, you can pick up one of the many mooring balls there, and snorkell right over the wreck (Good visibility in 25' of water around the stern section) , once done you can continue along the reef where there are lots of fish and creatures to see, watch out for the surge along the southern end, from there head east again to Cooper Island early in the afternoon to pick up a mooring for the night (Cooper always gets full up quick so get there as soon as possible), great spot for paddle boarding and snorkeling the various reefs there, the rocks off Cistern point is a great place to Snorkel, always a great place to hang out for the day and cocktails at sunset at the Rum bar is a must.

Day 3. Head over to the Baths early in the day to avoid the crowds, lunch on the anchorage or at the restaurant " The Top of the Baths" a short hike up the trail from the beach, if there are North swells in the winter this coastline can be a bit rolly and sometimes untenable so I recommend heading up to North Sound, Virgin Gorda in the afternoon and anchor in fine sand off Prickly Pear Island or take a mooring or slip at Leverick Bay resort, always very reasonable and welcoming in this great little resort and the perfect place to re-provision mid-week, the grocery store is well stocked there and you will find lots of items there not available anywhere else on your trip.

​Day 4. Leave early and head North to Anegada for a day of adventure on the Sandy Isle, for the adventurous we always rent some scooters and explore the Island, Cow Wreck to the West and Big Banana to the east, 3 hours is plenty to see all the sights and even spot thew famous Pink Flamingoes on the way back, a beach BBQ at one of the many fine restaurants is a must on Anegada and of course hardwood smoked Lobster is the main event for the evening, dance the night away at Potters for those with some energy left!

Day 5. Another early start and straight to White Bay, Jost Van Dyke for a beach day in THE place to be seen in the BVI, the famous Soggy Dollar bar, which has been rebuilt and is just as much fun as ever and, depart around 4pm to Great Harbor for an evening at the famous Foxy's Tamarind bar, still a place not to be missed on any BVI itinerary, if you are lucky enough to be there on a Friday or Saturday the all you can eat BBQ is the best in the Islands.

Day 6. Continue Anti-Clockwise around Tortola and head on over towards Norman Island, moor off the Indians if there is room for a snorkel and then head into the Bight for the evening, Snorkel the Caves before sunset and then drinks at "Pirates" restaurant.

​Day 7. Your charter is nearly over just time for a quick dip before you head back to your charter base and return your home for the week at Midday, start planning the next one!