Evening start...

We have an evening start with Moorings in July. The start time is 6PM. How do you coordinate provisioning. Ride-Way delivers between 8AM and 6PM. Would they deliver at 6PM, would Moorings allow them to deliver earlier assuming boat is ready. If using Moorings would they have the boat provisioned that evening. I would not want to wait for the provisioning to be done next day as that would defeat the whole purpose of an evening start (leaving early next morning). Thanks in advance.

If you are chartering with Moorings (or Sunsail) with a 6pm boarding, then that is a sleep-aboard night. Your mandatory chart brief will be at 9:30 am the next morning (could be 8:30am some days- be sure to check). Your boat briefing will be immediately afterward. What you could do is have some of your crew wait for the provisions to arrive will you are attending the chart brief- only the Captain (and ideally the First Mate) need attend the chart brief.

My point is that if you have a 6pm boarding, be very flexible on anything beforehand. It might happen and it might not. We had a 6pm boarding a couple months ago and yes, our boat was ready at 3pm. We walked over to Rite-way (10 minute walk) and did our provisioning and taxied back with everything. So we were loaded and all aboard by 6pm but that is the sleep-aboard night and it's too late to go anywhere. So have a nice meal and a cocktail at Charlies. Of course when we were there it was dark by 6:30pm, so your options might vary.

Don't worry- you could still be on your way by noon if your crew handles the provisions and you and a couple others handle the chart and boat briefs. Still leaves you in easy range of Norman or Cooper or JVD. We even did Leverick Bay under those exact circumstances (though that was pushing it considering 30+ kt winds and 12+ foot breaking seas on the bow).

Okay- one other possibility. You don't mention when you are arriving at the Moorings base. In our case, we arrived the day before and stayed at the Mariner Inn. Had we wanted, we could have attended the 9:30am Chart Brief the day before our charter and possibly even finagled a boat brief for a similar vessel the day before. But like I said, you don't mention when you are arriving, and in any case it might work and it might not. Did I mention I recommend a cocktail at Charlies and the seafood pasta?

Kupe

We have done many evening starts with the Moorings. We order our provisions to be delivered at 5pm. We have always been able to board by then if not earlier. A few times we have been delayed and the provisions were on the boat when we arrived.

Our experience had been the same as NCSailor, just make sure they properly distinguish between the fridge and freezer. I believe you also have an option of an online chart briefing - especially if you have experience chartering in the BVI.

Have the Moorings provision the boat. They will be on the boat when you arrive. Walk over in the morning to Riteway for any filler items you might want. As easy as it gets in the BVI and I have provisioned via every method!
G

Ditto to what George said. Almost always on the boat when you arrive. I think we had one time when it wasn't. But probably the easiest to deal with given that it is the same company.

I am actually taking the 12 Noon ferry from St Thomas so I will be in Road Town quite early to settle in. Will eat lunch at base, make liquor run and shop Rite-Way for anything we forgot to provision. Hoping to do the 4PM or 7PM briefing so I can push off early in the AM after breakfast, Thanks for everyone's help. Kevin

Last time we got to the Moorings at round 2:30 and I started to get the boat check in process done as wife and others went shopping. We were doing an Early Start also and I was on the boat around 5 PM when the provisions were delivered. We pushed off the dock by 9 am the next morning. When are you going in July?

Evening start is 7/3. Cast off 7/4 for 7 days. This is actually my first charter, did the offshore power cruising course with Offshore Sailing School. I’m chartering a 433PC the same boat we learned on.

We will be there 7/20 on a 433pc. Don't break anything! Ha. Think you already got some good advice but I would suggest doing the chart briefing on NauticEd. It's an online boating school and is recognized by most of the charter companies including Moorings. They have the chart briefing course! Can't remember the cost but I think $10-15? It only takes 20 minutes or so and you take a short quiz. When you pass it, you download and print your certificate to email to Moorings or show them when you get there. Then you don't have to sit through the briefing. The downside to that is if there were any recent events/changes, weather concerns, etc. you would miss. I had Riteway provision and deliver last time as well and chose not to this time. We did a sleep aboard and Riteway didn't show up until 11am the next morning. The boat briefing was late as well. We had plenty of time to make it over to Norman but it ruined our plan of an early start. As much as Mooring's charges for the sleep aboard I expect to be able to leave early! Your boat briefing should be short if you learned on the 433pc. It's such a short walk over to Riteway and taxi back, that's what we're doing. You could have your order waiting for you and pick it up yourself or just do the shopping.

Nice! We are heading back out on July 27th on the 514PC again. You are going to love it and I am sure it will not be your last charter. We usually cruise at around 2500 RPMs which will give you right between 9 and 10 kts. You will sip the fuel and have a nice steady cruise. Have fun and safe cruising!

I’m leaning towards doing the bulk of provisioning with Moorings and rest with Riteway as my wife especially wants to see the freshness of veggies and fruit. Tico’s seems to have best prices for beer and is within walking distance of the Moorings. Schwendy thanks for the tip on Nauticaed. Steve27 are original reservation was for the 514PC but one family backed out, maybe best for me as I can get more experience on the 433PC although not much difference except when “parking” in a slip.

We have learned over the years not to wait passively for the boat briefer to show up to find him/her on the dock and ask for the briefing. You can also go to customer service and pester them to the get the briefer out to your boat.

Advice duly taken.

Have learned over the years also that the Report phone is the key. As soon as you get that and give them the number things start moving along. Yes pester them and they will get you out as soon as you can.

And with the best of plans, your liqueur order, provisioning order, and boat checkout will all probably arrive at the boat at same time.....

I would not plan on getting off the dock till around 11 am....

** And Remember... NO cardboard boxes on on-board