TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums US VI and Puerto Rico Sail Caribe: BVI to PR One Way

We are considering using Sail Caribe and doing the BVI to PR One Way trip. Having chartered for years in the BVI's and Antigua, crewed on passages, and owned multiple sailboats for over almost 20 years, we plan to "cut the dock lines" in a couple of years and thought this downwind run would be fun.

Don't know anything about Sail Caribe, so curious if anyone else here has used them and made that trip.

made the trip often -- very easy down wind sailing. Get some good charts for the SVI is my best advice.

Is there a different rate for the one way or is it the same weekly rate?

We chartered with Sail Caribe a few months ago and they were a great outfit. Very convenient base location for us. However, have you asked them if the one-way trip is an option? When we were inquiring they told us it wasn't an option, even though it shows it on their website. We ended up making the round trip from PR to North Sound and back on a ten day charter and it was A LOT of sailing (and motoring) to squeeze in. The upwind portion of that trip has the potential to be an uncomfortable and wet grind directly into the swell and wind. It wasn't terrible for us, and the return trip was a fun downwind sail in 8-10' swells. Also, keep in mind that when you are out of SVI waters their chase boat isn't available. If there are any boat problems you are on your own with only phone support from them. We had a couple of issues that we had to deal with, but it all worked out and I feel that I am better for it.

That said, it was one of our more memorable charters and I would do gladly it again if we had two weeks or more. However, if it is an option, on a charter of less than two weeks starting at Scrub and ending at PR would be ideal. I have a trip report if you haven't read it yet: http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/s...ue#Post1552685. I believe there are a few other trip reports as well that detail trips between the SVIs/USVIs/BVIs if you do a search. I am sure that the cost would be more as they have to get the boat to Scrub Island. Also, they have charts of all of the Virgin Islands on their boats, as well as fully loaded chart plotters. However, if you are going to pick the boat up at Scrub Island I would ask them to be sure that anything that could possibly be missing from the boat is actually on it (charts, boat pole, etc...).

Matt

Thanks to all for the info.

I've got a call into them to find out the cost and availability. Quite honestly I wanted feedback from past customers for digging too deep into the costs.

Matt: we've been doing this long enough to know how little we really know <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/drown.gif" alt="" /> I carry a pretty good arsenal of charts and communications equipment. I can't imagine doing EIS to PR and back in 10 days. That becomes more of a race than a cruise (I also gave up racing YEARS ago). If forced to do the loop, we will probably stretch to 2 weeks and just swing around SVI without touching PR.

I'll let everyone know what they say.

IF they call you back. been a big complaint with them.
YMMV

Do they allow sailing to St. Croix? It's listed on their website as a destination. Might consider a 2 week charter if we could take a few days to visit St. Croix.

Answer is no, in case anyone else was planning a longer charter.

I was very impressed with the service we received chartering with Sail Caribe. I highly recommend doing the one way if they let you so that you don't have to beat your brains out getting back to the BVI. I also agree that if you do have to go round trip, skip PR and spend lots of time in Culebra and Culebrita.

We had very good luck with SailCaribe on a PR/SVI charter in 2012. Probably the best service we've ever had from any charter company. The boat (Lagoon 450) was in like-new shape.

I recently inquired about sailing from Scrub Island, and was told that all charters must _end_ in Fajardo, but you can start on Scrub Island or Crown Bay, St. Thomas. There is a one-way charge, that I think is basically the cost of delivery to STT or SI. Unfortunately that's not what we had in mind for this charter--but it might be perfect for the OP.

Can't say anything bad about Sail Caribe they seem to be doing a good job. But I can offer another alternative. CYOA, the company I work for allows both Spanish Virgins and St Croix as destination options. With a ten day trip leaving from St Thomas you can do both.
Jay