TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands What Day to Start Charter

Ok everyone, I need some local perspectives on when to start a charter.

I have done over 7 bareboat charters over the years and for some reason, I always started on a Sunday. Fly down, stay onboard first night then strike off Sunday morning.
But this time CAN be different.
If you could start from Nanny Cay any day of the week, what day would you start?
Thanks
RedBeard

Avoiding the sa answer about picking any day ending in “y” or recommending this time of year when more ten days for the price of 7 are available, I don’t think it makes a lot of difference. An advantage of a midweek start that come to mind. Not as many boats wanting to get off the dock “early” and you might just do it. If Anegada is on the itinerary, with the preponderance of boats getting turned in on Sat or Sunday, bu hitting Anegada on a Friday, Saturday, there will be fewer boats vying for balls and likely less crowded. But again with the increasing numbers doing ten days or two weeks in the lower rate seasons, that might not be as noticeable as high season.

We started on Wednesday because it's cheaper for us to fly in onTuesday and leave on Thursday. No other reason.

Great input guys and thanks. It's kinda what I was thinking but wanted to hear others thoughts.

Tuesday or Wednesday keeps you out of the main charter boat flow.

We always try and start mid-week for the same reason above.
1. cheaper flights
2. less crowded anchorages - The charter boat flow is very predictable and pretty much do the same counter clockwise loop. starting mid-week means you're not bunched up with the majority of people starting on the weekend.
3. much better ratio of Charter company dock-hands, service people etc. to patron

We're like Scurvyd in that we scour the flight prices first and pic our start day. Also, we like 10 days so a Tuesday flight/Wed start uses 2 weekends and fewer days out of the office. We really do like not being on the Sat/Sat schedule that many use.

I think every trip I've done has been a Friday sleep aboard and hit Drakes Lake on Saturday (simply because we always have gone down based on starting Super Bowl Weekend.) Not doing that this coming trip...sleep aboard Sunday and head out on Monday...it'll be interesting to see if it's any different.

Many people fly in on a friday or saturday, and start on a sunday. Due to available vacation times from work. .

Possibly that makes for a lot of starts for the charter companies, weekend days , which can slow things up for getting out of the docks after the provisioning, any pre inspection of the vessel on your own , filling the water tanks,
checking the dink and outboard motor, getting the chart brief, and the systems check out, etc.

We chose WEDNESDAY, but we all have our own individual procedures as to how we handle our personal bare boat charters and have things run smoothly, and avoid problems that can arise not of our doing.

Two week sailing vacation. We add in some additional wiggle room with a hotel prior and post charter. Just in case of airline or weather problems, or other travel situations.
No rushing madly about with tight schedules. This was our First time via St. Thomas.

The only problem that we had was the absolute mess at St. Thomas Airport, when heading back to MIA, to LAX. We were advised to get there THREE HOURS AHEAD OF TIME, That was good advice.
From the checking in at the terminal desk...American....and large groups of six to eight people ahead of us. Then the customs / imigration line, and the deposit baggage check inspection line, and the TSA line,
it was about two hours until we cleared that mess. That gave us some time to belly up to the terminal pub for a couple of relaxing drinks before boarding. Of course, everyone is totally free to handle that situation in their own way.

Bare Boat Charter:

With Conch , We do get the early 4:30 pm boarding and spending the night before departure on the boat, and this allows us to stow our gear, and get our own provisions ourselves and stow them. We also go thru much of the systems,
and rigging and vessel inventory after the 4:30 pm boarding. An hour and half to two hours later, we take a well earned break for drinks and dinner ashore and hit the rack . We finish our own personal pre sailing check of the vessel
the next morning, and are all ready for the chart brief and boat system brief. Out of the docks on on our way by 11:00 am. Sailing. Hello, Willy T.

Reason we leave the docks on Wednesday....very few other starts. This year there was one other start. Same for returning the boat and getting the post sailing check done in short order. This was Conch Charters/ They were great..

We understand that this is from a retired lifestyle, and most people are still hard at work with major career and family responsibilities and they are constrained by vacation and school schedules.

P,S. for the OP.....

this trip for the fist time, we stayed at Nanny Cay for a couple of days, and absolutely loved it, We had November 5 in the new Marina, great slip neighbors, helpful and friendly staff, and many new acquaintances, plus Peg Legs, the Beach, and
and the swimming pool. Good choice of departure point or replenishment stop .

Have fun!




.

we actually did that in May...overnight Sunday and then leave Monday and return Monday. We unexpectedly got out Sunday night (thanks to being less crowded) but really like that slot of Sunday/Monday to Monday or even Tuesday to Tuesday and hit Anegada towards the end of week. We also go clockwise and avoid cruise ships

This year, for a change we arrived Thursday. Off the dock from Sunsail/Moorings at 9.30am Friday.

It seemed like we spent our entire 4 weeks out of sync with everyone else! It was fabulous!

Maybe we were just lucky...who knows.

The day after you arrive.

This is the best, being out of sync with others. We usually try to start on Wednesdays. We've had some really atrocious experiences at Cow Wreck when its at its peak. People being completely rude, making inappropriate comments to the women on the boat, bordering on sexual harassment.

Y'all can take it, I'll arrive when the crowds are gone.