# USVI vs Exumas for 1st Time Family Charter



## kawititnow

Hey all,

I'm trying to plan our 1st charter for NEXT summer (2022), but trying to do as much research as possible.
Initially, I was looking at renting from The Moorings, however now I'm leaning toward something like Ocean Getaways where we know EXACTLY what boat we are renting, as well as crew we'll be living with for a week.

We are US citizens, and looking at either USVI or Exumas. I would like to hear from you guys what would be more entertaining for a family with kids (ages 8-12)? I feel like there might be more to do/explore in USVI than Exumas, but it also seems like it's hard to beat the beaches/waters in Exumas. 

Also since we are first-timers I've heard that if we went the Exumas route that it might be better to rent a Power Cat, rather than sail, since that first leg could be an 8-hour sail vs a 2 hour motor.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!


Fair winds!!


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## Minnewaska

I can't help but first point out that summer is hurricane season. It can be done, but you need a solid plan B. You don't always get notice of the storm starting in the eastern Atlantic. Some have formed right on top of the islands.

As for location, I strongly prefer the diversity of the VIs, if it's your first charter. Is this going to be a bareboat? The BVIs are probably the best first experience on the planet, IMO. Very easy to navigate to limitless anchorages, more than you'll ever cover in a week or two. The next only a few hour sail from the last. We've gone many times. It's vacation and super simple. We often bring another couple and it's easier on them too. Most don't want to sail more than a few hours to the next spot.

Moorings is fine. They have a base on Tortola. I bit pricey, but you get the advantage of a huge fleet and significant support resources. However, everything I ever chartered has something that didn't work. The theory is they aren't very discriminating on the crews and they get more abused. I've also used smaller operations, which seem to take better care of their fleet, because they have to. They don't have the resources to come find you.


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## kawititnow

Minnewaska thanks for the reply!!

I should have prefaced that we are looking at June for the summer as opposed to July/August hoping to avoid any major storms/hurricanes.

We're looking at hiring a captain at a minimum, since we've never done any sailing ourselves.
Are there any other charter companies that you could recommend outside of Moorings?


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## Minnewaska

Unfortunately, I've not done a Captained charter, but others here have. I'm sure someone will make a recommendation. 

BTW, the USVI are quite limited themselves. We enjoy St. Johns, but not St. Thomas so much. We fly into St Thomas, as it has the most flexibility and have no issue with chartering from there, we just leave and go elsewhere. BVI are superior to USVI overall, IMO.


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## Antibes

Conch Charters in BVI was a great experience for my family. We did bareboat, but everything was smooth. Detailed orientation. Smooth operating vessel and dinghy. All questions answered in detail before our booking


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## Don L

kawititnow said:


> Hey all,
> 
> I'm trying to plan our 1st charter for NEXT summer (2022), but trying to do as much research as possible.
> Initially, I was looking at renting from The Moorings, however now I'm leaning toward something like Ocean Getaways where we know EXACTLY what boat we are renting, as well as crew we'll be living with for a week.
> 
> We are US citizens, and looking at either USVI or Exumas. I would like to hear from you guys what would be more entertaining for a family with kids (ages 8-12)? I feel like there might be more to do/explore in USVI than Exumas, but it also seems like it's hard to beat the beaches/waters in Exumas.
> 
> Also since we are first-timers I've heard that if we went the Exumas route that it might be better to rent a Power Cat, rather than sail, since that first leg could be an 8-hour sail vs a 2 hour motor.
> 
> Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!
> 
> Fair winds!!


Exumas has waaaaaay more than you can do in a week, especially restricted to a sailboat and wind conditions. And like you say you are going to lose a lot of time. I have never been to VI, but have read about it and have been to Bahamas the last 3 years on my boat. If me and I had only a week I would go to VIs


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## gdr

I've bareboated in the BVI and SVI in the spring, and both were fabulous. BVI was a lot more crowded, but then I was in the SVI relatively soon after Hurricane Maria, so it could be that I was lucky. For me, I enjoyed the SVI more. You can charter out of either Puerto Rico or St. Thomas for an SVI trip. While I haven't chartered with these folks directly, some friends of mine really liked CYOA Yacht Charters in St. Thomas. I've chartered from the Moorings in the VIs twice. Both experiences were fine, but it did feel like a large machine without a lot of personal touch. The Exumas are on my list of places to go, but I have no personal experience there yet.


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## Minnewaska

gdr said:


> St. Thomas for an SVI trip.


The passage between STT and PR can be nasty, I'm told. Haven't tried it myself yet, but in a one week vacation, you don't get much weather window choice. I've sailed up Sit Francis Drake Channel in a gale, with little issue.



gdr said:


> friends of mine really liked CYOA Yacht Charters in St. Thomas


I've used them at least three times. Small op, well run. I've had almost no trouble with their boats. I'm not sure they offer crewed charters, per se, but it makes me think. You can always hire a captain and chef/mate for any boat.


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## JoeDunn

I had a good experience with Dream Yacht Charters via a bareboat...


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## 22catcapri

BVI...less traffic with covid, lots of mooring balls, and Boatyball, if necessary. Use BVI Yacht Charters - IMO, much more costumer service oriented than the big M guys.


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## capta

In my opinion, the VI is the kindergarten of cruising, beyond your home waters. One can do a number of short windward hops, working your way to North Sound, then have a 40 mile down hill run back to Charlotte Amalie for your last day.
With the introduction of mooring buoys almost everywhere, one doesn't need to be a expert at anchoring, and the currents are probably rather mild compared to where you normally sail, if you sail north of the Tropic of Cancer. 
The officials can be a bit of bother in the BVI, but just shrug it off and enjoy the fantastic sailing, aqua water, good grog and food available at nearly every anchorage.


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## Minnewaska

capta said:


> one doesn't need to be a expert at anchoring


It's been years, but at least one of the bareboat outfits disallowed anchoring. It had to be either Moorings or Horizon. I strongly prefer to have the option. Some mooring fields, such as Foxy's, you want to arrive by noon to find an open mooring. Arriving at most by 2pm is sufficient and comfortably doable. Jost Van Dyke (Foxy's), is where we typically prefer to clear into the BVIs.


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