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Re: BVI sailing with St Thomas bareboat charter
[Re: tradewinds]
#135363
07/11/2017 07:06 PM
07/11/2017 07:06 PM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 507 Here and There in Michigan
HoosierDaddy
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 507
Here and There in Michigan
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I am about done with C&I via ferry into Tortola. They are always extremely slow. BVI C&I should take a flight into Punta Cana and see how to process tourists. Note to BVI C&I: After a 12 hour day of driving, flying then ferrying to Tortola, the last thing I want to do is wait 1 or 1-1/2 hours on the dock at Roadtown to clear C&I for entrance to my vacation. While I love my BVI vacations, BVI C&I is pushing me away to other vacation destinations.
Last edited by HoosierDaddy; 07/11/2017 09:37 PM.
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Re: BVI sailing with St Thomas bareboat charter
[Re: HoosierDaddy]
#135364
07/11/2017 07:55 PM
07/11/2017 07:55 PM
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 152 Encinitas, California
sbrownell
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 152
Encinitas, California
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We have done the STT chartering several times. We love CYOA, but this time have decided to try the new VI Yachts near Redhook. Its a bit closer to St Johns. We find spending the first night or two in St Johns is really a great way to unwind. A quick trip over to West end to clear customs into the BVI is easy, and then over to Norman for a night, and off we go with the BVI route. Coming back, clearing into STT at Cruz bay hasn't been a problem, and it will be interesting to see how much time we save by returning to the base near Red hook. PM if you have any specific questions.
Steph
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Re: BVI sailing with St Thomas bareboat charter
[Re: sail2wind]
#135366
07/11/2017 08:43 PM
07/11/2017 08:43 PM
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 256 42.99N 76.46W
jmon
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 256
42.99N 76.46W
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We used to charter out of STT back in the 80's but have switched to flying to EIS from SJU. BVI Tourism gets us through C&I at Letsome Airport hassle free and we start our charter from Road Harbor w/o having to spend the 1st sailing day messing with C&I in West End or Jost.
Jeff Tug William B
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Re: BVI sailing with St Thomas bareboat charter
[Re: HoosierDaddy]
#135367
07/12/2017 01:26 AM
07/12/2017 01:26 AM
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 375 now - or when ?
CGB
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 375
now - or when ?
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HoosierDaddy said: I am about done with C&I via ferry into Tortola. They are always extremely slow. BVI C&I should take a flight into Punta Cana and see how to process tourists. Note to BVI C&I: After a 12 hour day of driving, flying then ferrying to Tortola, the last thing I want to do is wait 1 or 1-1/2 hours on the dock at Roadtown to clear C&I for entrance to my vacation. While I love my BVI vacations, BVI C&I is pushing me away to other vacation destinations. ((sigh)) Sadly - no one can please everyone... It does take "effort" to find one's nirvana, here or anywhere.... But - once you find it - no effort will matter
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Re: BVI sailing with St Thomas bareboat charter
[Re: HoosierDaddy]
#135368
07/12/2017 09:57 AM
07/12/2017 09:57 AM
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 5,720 Massachusetts
maytrix
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 5,720
Massachusetts
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HoosierDaddy said: I am about done with C&I via ferry into Tortola. They are always extremely slow. BVI C&I should take a flight into Punta Cana and see how to process tourists. Note to BVI C&I: After a 12 hour day of driving, flying then ferrying to Tortola, the last thing I want to do is wait 1 or 1-1/2 hours on the dock at Roadtown to clear C&I for entrance to my vacation. While I love my BVI vacations, BVI C&I is pushing me away to other vacation destinations. 12 hours of driving? Where are you driving to and from? If you want to avoid C&I delays, fly into EIS. Or charter from STT. Or take a water taxi. Only ways to avoid a painful wait on the ferry dock.
Matt
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Re: BVI sailing with St Thomas bareboat charter
[Re: daysailor]
#135370
07/12/2017 12:45 PM
07/12/2017 12:45 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 966 Middleburg, VA
cwoody
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 966
Middleburg, VA
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Lots has been logged on BVI and USVI forum about just this subject. Do a little search digging to uncover.
Did exactly this in April this year. Chartered out of CYOA. We added an extra day onto the beginning and end of trip for the added travel time in/out of the USVI waters. No downside to that and St John was great.
Chuck W.
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Re: BVI sailing with St Thomas bareboat charter
[Re: daysailor]
#135371
07/12/2017 09:24 PM
07/12/2017 09:24 PM
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 559 Apex, NC
agrimsrud
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 559
Apex, NC
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Yea... several posts here historically on this subject. And it always ends the same way, i.e., it all depends on what you value and what you consider up/down sides.
One of the posts here suggested that the cruising fees for non-BVI boats is going up. This is true but probably meaningless. Run all the numbers and see where you are. If you bring a boat in from USVI you pay some fees. But you don't take a ferry boat each direction. Only you can figure out the total cost for your party but I'm going to guess that any difference - one way or the other - is going to be in the noise. So cost is probably not going to drive the decision. There are a host of other drivers which you will have to weigh such as the time it takes to get to your boat, the boat condition/equipment/age, provisioning, if you value seeing the pretty bays on St. John, (see previous postings on this issue) etc. If you are not sure I would recommend giving it a try. You can then compare it to your Tortola charter experiences and make a real informed decision if you like/dislike the location.
Is it rougher sailing out of CA in the winter? Maybe. There is about an hour+ motoring (we don't bother sail this portion) ride upwind that is exposed to the swells. But these are long period swells mostly on the nose for most of that 1hr+ ride. I have had guests on this ride and while I was concerned about the people that have never been on a boat I have never had an issue.
Good luck and happy sailing!
Life's short - sail more!
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Re: BVI sailing with St Thomas bareboat charter
[Re: HoosierDaddy]
#135375
07/14/2017 07:07 PM
07/14/2017 07:07 PM
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 8,530 Ya never know...
HillsideView
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 8,530
Ya never know...
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West End is a breeze compared to RoadTown.
My foot fits right into my shoe and my shoe will fit right into your...
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Re: BVI sailing with St Thomas bareboat charter
[Re: GeorgeC1]
#135376
07/15/2017 01:09 AM
07/15/2017 01:09 AM
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 304 Rockford, Michigan
aarpskier
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 304
Rockford, Michigan
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GeorgeC1 said: With the new cruising taxes you can hire a private ferry for the same cost and avoid that. The SVI must be delighted! G Or, with the new cruising tax, you can be your own ferry! On an 8-day charter starting June 14 with a crew of 11, we paid $66 in BVI cruising fees, but $1,000 in round trip ferry fares. And we had to endure C&I in Road Town. After August 1, the cruising tax for that trip would be $528 for a BVI - based boat, plus the $1,000 in ferry fares, or roughly $1,500. Or, we could avoid the ferry and Road Town C&I by chartering out of St Thomas, and pay a BVI cruising tax of $1,408. While the captain sanely cleared the crew in and out at West End, they could spend the $100 "savings" on painkillers! I wonder if the BVI government realizes that it has just created an incentive for BVI-bound charterers to favor St Thomas bases over BVI bases, and to avoid the dreaded ferries? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />
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