TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums US VI and Puerto Rico USVI-SVI-PR 1 way Bareboat

Hi All, I wonder if your experience could help guide me. I am considering a 4th BVI & USVI Bareboat sail charter. I'd also like to see the SVI. It occurs to me that since I could fly out of San Juan to return to US, I could fly in to ST. Thomas, get a US registered boat, then visit the USVI, the BVI, then swing to the SVI and Puerto Rico to finish a one-way charter. Am thinking a 2 week charter should make this quite comfortable and include Anegada.
I assume that only companies like Moorings or Sunsail would do this. Any guidance?
Thanks in advance, Pat

Feel a little silly. Now that I look at the charts the SVI is really very close to PR for a boat return....

You might look into chartering out of STT - a Company like CYOA which is in the center of your itinerary.
take a week heading East to the BVI - then a week to the West in the SVI
Fly in and out of STT.

That would also be my opinion. Send CYOA an email and Ask John to give you a quote.

Perfect. Thank you

Sail Caribe in Fajardo. Pretty sure they do one way charters from STT to PR. Easy sail down wind all the way vs beating back up to STT.

A one-way is a great idea for a trip like that and two weeks would be a great amount of time for that itinerary. We've gone round trip twice from PR to the BVIs and back and it involved a lot of moving around and being on a schedule over a 10-14 day charter.

On both of those trips we chartered through Sail Caribe and they took good care of us. Their main base is on the PR mainland in Fajardo, but I believe they are now operating out of their base in St. Thomas as well. I'm sure they would be happy to do a one-way where you get the boat in St. Thomas and return it to Fajardo. Their fleet is almost all newer Lagoon cats, but they also have a few Jeaneau monos as well.

Dream Yacht Charters also has a base in Fajardo now according to their website. You could start at their BVI base and do a one-way without having to make the upwind leg from the USVIs and the associated C&I hassle into the BVIs. We've done a one-way with DYC before, but it was in the Leewards and not the BVIs. Was pretty easy and straight forward dealing with them. We have also chartered within the BVIs through DYC once and it all went fine.

Likewise, it looks like Mooring has a Fajardo base too. I've never chartered from Moorings, but I would imagine they are happy to work with a qualified sailor on a one-way trip. I think though that their Fajardo fleet are all motor-cats so not certain on their stance of doing a one-way like that on a sailing boat. Don't see why it would be a big deal, but you never know.

Finally, CYOA has a good reputation here and I believe allows trips to the SVIs. Just not sure about doing a one-way with them. I suspect they would only be open to a return at their base.

Unless you have a water maker on the boat, make sure you are topped off before leaving the USVI as there are no good options for it in the SVIs. Likewise for the diesel and outboard fuel. And be sure to have a good handle on clearance requirements for the USVI/SVIs. You will have to clear customs in the SVIs regardless of whether you clear into the USVIs first. We've always been able to do it over the phone, but sometimes you have to go to the airport in person.

Feel free to PM me, or just post here if you have any further questions.

Matt