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Bareboat Yacht Charters Blog

Serious bareboat charter customers and first time Caribbean yacht charter sailors all agree – making frequent checks of the weather is the first step to a safe, multi-day sailing experience. If you are planning a bareboat charter vacation in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), there are several options available for accurate weather updates.
 
The first option is so basic and simple, but widely overlooked – call your charter base either via cell or VHF.  No one has more of a vested interest in your safety – the charter fleet manager wants his Caribbean yacht charter vessel to come home safe and sound at the conclusion of your bareboat charter. 
 
You can also monitor NOAA on WX 5 (out of Culebra) and 6 (out of St. Croix) on your sailing yacht VHF radio. The broadcast are cycled in both Spanish & English. Important note: double-check your sailboat’s VHF, as not all models have a WX channel selector. Some cruisers have reported the NOAA signal does not come in very well at Leverick; this is probably due to the surrounding mountains.

Roadtown (capital of the British Virgin Islands) monthly weather chart

Roadtown (capital of the British Virgin Islands) monthly weather chart

If your Caribbean yacht charter sailboat has an FM radio, local BVI radio station 90.9 gives local weather several times a day, along with local news and music.
 
If you have a Blackberry handheld device, by far and away the most accurate information you can retrieve is a text message report directly from NOAA. Here is how it works:
 
Send an email to ftpmail@ftpmail.nws.noaa.gov and paste the following into the body of the message:
 
open
cd data
cd forecasts
cd marine
cd coastal
cd am
get amz710.txt
get amz715.txt
get amz725.txt
quit
 
After sending the email, wait about 3 to 5 minutes, and you will receive a new mail with the most up-to-date weather info for the British Virgin Islands.  
 
Go ahead…try it now on your home computer!
 
Finally, if you ask any old salt who has sailed in the BVI, he’ll probably tell you the best way to check the weather is, “Open your eyes, look out your hatch…and smile!”

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British Virgin Islands Renovated Moorings Bareboat Base

British Virgin Islands Renovated Moorings Bareboat Base

Luxury awaits bareboat charter sailors planning a Caribbean yacht charter vacation.  The Moorings, managers of the largest bareboat charter fleet in the Caribbean, proudly opened the new Moorings Village on January 29, 2009. Part of a $15 million expansion by The Moorings of their flagship base in Road Town, Tortola, BVI, the Village brings a touch of luxury to the barefoot yacht charter marketplace.  The new facility also highlights the company’s efforts to protect the area’s natural resources.
Caribbean yacht charter enthusiasts, especially bareboat charter customers, will appreciate the company’s commitment to the environment and efforts to preserve the BVI cruising grounds.  A new desalination plant provides 60,000 gallons of water daily, while the revamped laundry operation recycles treated water to save 12,000 gallons on a daily basis.  There is also pump-assisted flowthrough breakwater in the new marina that can circulate over 50 million gallons of water weekly.   Local officials believe the new facility has already greatly improved water quality in Road Town Harbor.

The new Moorings Village is nothing short of a luxurious treat.  The complex was designed entirely around the needs of sailors.

The staff greets you and takes your bags directly to your barefoot yacht charter vessel while you are greeted in the reception area with a tasty island drink.  The reception area opens onto a landscaped plaza, with panoramic views of the Sir Francis Drake Channel. From here, visitors can stroll among the new retail shops or stop in the café serving locally-made island pastries, ice cream and gourmet coffee.

Before heading off to sea, sailors can enjoy dinner ashore, at Charlie’s Bar and Restaurant, built over the water and overlooking the harbor, where the coldest cocktails and a sumptuous yet informal menu are offered.

New oceanfront hotel rooms offer luxury accommodation overlooking the harbor, perfect for those sailors wishing to extend their Caribbean yacht charter vacation by a few days.  The majority of the existing rooms have also undergone a major renovation. Customers choosing an evening start or simply wishing to freshen up prior to departure will also be able to benefit from the use of a new, modern club-style shower facility with private dressing area.

A full service spa offers the latest relaxing treatments.  Sailors who need to stay in touch with the outside world can use the village business center and enjoy free WI-FI internet access.

1-800-BAREBOAT (see www.bareboat.com) is an authorized representative of The Moorings and their global fleet.  “Great Prices and the Newest Bareboats in the World’s Best Destinations” allows 1-800-BAREBOAT to present new yachts such as the Beneteau 51.5; the Robertson and Caine 4600 catamaran; and the Beneteau 43.3.

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