TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Charter in March 2016

We will be sailing a Lagoon 450 out of TMM on March 20 - 27 next year. Looking forward to the trip hugely, but interested in advice. We will be getting into EIS from SJU at 1pm local, and looking to get off the dock the same day - aiming for first night in the Bight? Is that possible in this groups opinion? All thoughts welcome!

considering Sam's check out, you might have a tough time getting off the dock by 4 pm.

You will not get to the boat until after 2pm. If you have chartered with them before and don't require a chart briefing you might be able to do it. Everything will have to go perfect and your provisions will need to arrive when you do. That's not the norm.
G

That’s just plain crazy.
Arrive at 1:00 – clear C&I – Taxi to TMM. 2:30 if all goes well.
Provision check in plus Boat brief 4:00
Dark 30 @ 6:00.
It ain’t going to happen.

Don't recall ever hearing about an afternoon arrival by someone chartering a boat expecting to start that day. We owned a boat for many years with TMM, never had to do a checkout, always arrived the day before, usually stayed at Maria's..sometimes on the boat but by time provisioned..loaded stuff out of locker on to boat..got ice/ cooler...went across the street for some beef pates ...thought of something we forgot and fetched it...it was afternoon most times arriving around 8. I would not plan on getting off the dock till following day unless you don't need a checkout or chart briefing ..if that is the case you don't need chart briefing, checkout sail, extensive boat briefing because of previous charters with TMM and you grab minimal
provisions from the rite way adjacent to TMM ..everything works perfectly via flight, customs, taxi etc... It's remotely possible. I would suggest moving up flights a day if possible or be happy with an early departure the following am. In this case I think the fee for a sleep aboard is half the daily rate. If arriving at your time I would do the sleep aboard, use the savings for a nice dinner at the Dove or Cafe de Mare if want simple and casual...head out in the am.

Thanks for the thoughts all. We have chartered from TMM before so I would hope the briefing takes that into account. Sounds like if we get focused on that and the provisioning and we get off the wall prior to 4 then it may be possible. I guess in March (we normally go in June) the Bight will be full at that time of day...? Otherwise I think the approach of Will_L may be right.

What is TMM? Thanks

Tortola marine management.

Thanks Warren. Have always chartered out of STT before but planning June 2016 trip this time with Moorings or Footloose. New to this awesome site and trying to figure out lay of the land, provisioning, etc in Roadtown

Riteway in RoadTown is very close to moorings. The store is really nice. This site is addictive, but hey, so is the BVI.

Curtis - try TMM... they have some brand new Cats this year and they are small enough to be very focused and friendly. Chartered from them many times and I haven't found an operation to beat them.

We have chartered many times since 1985 and many of those times with TMM - now our favorite. I don't believe we ever tried to leave the dock the same day we arrived in the BVI. Too much stress on you and the crew...and isn't that the reason for vacation to leave the stress behind.

Take a day to relax and practice some limin mon.

Mcevog - we chartered with TMM this past March. It's a a really busy month - I agree with everyone else. Trying to get off the dock the same day could be hectic. Our first stop was Norman and it was super busy that time of year.
And we love TMM too - we're on one of their new cats in 11 days!