Posted By: ScurvyD
Sailing St. Martin/ St. Barts - 07/27/2017 05:49 PM
We are thinking about chartering a small monohull out of St. Martin in the summer. Any information on the sailing? Is it about the same as the BVI? Must do stops for overnight or day? Thanks for experience and knowledge. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />
Posted By: Maria_and_Steve
Re: Sailing St. Martin/ St. Barts - 07/27/2017 07:03 PM
Sint Maarten/St. Martin sailing is totally different from the BVI's. Think big winds and much bigger waves. Mooring balls are rare so anchoring skills are necessary. The common route is sailing to Anguilla and St. Barths, along with sailing around SXM and anchoring there.
Conditions in the summer are tropical waves that bring, typically, 25-30 knot winds for a day or two before subsiding to more typical trade wind conditions. These occur every 4 days or so.
If you are comfortable sailing in more "lively" conditions then you have an idea of what sailing out of SXM will be like. Charter boats are located in Oyster Pond, on the windward side and you will have a guide to lead you out and back in, so don't worry about that (a difficult exit and entrance).
I hope this helps!
Posted By: Carol_Hill
Re: Sailing St. Martin/ St. Barts - 07/27/2017 08:30 PM
Please check out
this post, which has links to some good threads on the topic.
also check out posts by tmsxmsails, including
this video
Posted By: OhDrinkBoy
Re: Sailing St. Martin/ St. Barts - 07/28/2017 03:43 PM
Maria and Steve got it right. The seas can be calm like BVI or "lively." Lively meaning looking up at the wave about to break on you. Never forget first time looking over my shoulder at the dinghy bottom as we were towing it. The dinghy was riding the wave coming in behind us. Feel free to pm me if you want to start a dialogue. BVI and St. Martin are also totally different culturally.
Posted By: tmsxmsails
Re: Sailing St. Martin/ St. Barts - 07/30/2017 09:01 PM
Lots of good info in the links that Carol posted (and thanks for the video plug Carol!).
Feel free to come back with specific questions after wading through all the previous posts.
One note about chartering a "small" monohull. At The Moorings at least, you probably won't find anything smaller than a 45. They used to have a 43 but they are being phased out for the 45s. I only have experience with The Moorings however so other places might have smaller boats.
Posted By: sailbynight
Re: Sailing St. Martin/ St. Barts - 08/01/2017 01:29 AM
And lots of time checking in and out....