Charter

Ellis 36 Charter at Claremont Hotel in SW Harbor

By Peter Janssen on February 22, 2023 Charter

If you’re thinking of heading to Maine this summer, you might want to treat yourself to a charter on a classic Ellis 36 express cruiser, appropriately named Downeaster, from the docks at the elegant Claremont Hotel in Southwest Harbor. Once you’re on board, you can cruise around Southwest Harbor, home to Ellis, Hinckley and other Downeast builders, across the way to even smaller and quieter Northeast Harbor, or head up Somes Sound, the four-mile-long fjord-like protected cruising ground that basically cuts Mt. Desert Island in half. To purists, Somes Sound is technically not a fjord, although it comes close. It…

Le Boat Opens New Base in Ottawa

By Peter Janssen on February 12, 2023 Charter

Le Boat is opening a new base this May in Ottawa, the capital of Canada, to make it easier to cruise along the Rideau Canal, one of the most historic and picturesque boating areas in North America. Le Boat also is adding two new cruisers to its fleet of houseboat rental boats on the Rideau, bringing the total to 32. Boating season starts there on May 19 (the Victoria Day long weekend in Canada). A UNESCO World Heritage site, the Rideau Canal opened in 1832, making it the longest continuously operated canal system in North America. It has a system…

New Slowboat Flotilla Heading to Alaska

By Peter Janssen on February 1, 2023 Charter

The Slowboat Flotilla just announced that this year’s voyage up the Inside Passage will be a six-week expedition starting on May 10 in the San Juan Islands above Seattle and ending in late June in Juneau, Alaska. During that time, the flotilla will travel through some of the most beautiful cruising grounds anywhere, with majestic vistas, tumbling waterfalls, icebergs, glaciers, and the ever-present possibility of a sudden appearance of whales, eagles, and bears, among other wildlife. Announcing this year’s schedule, Laura Domela, one of the flotilla’s leaders, with her husband, Kevin Morris, wrote that the scenery and sense of adventure…

Aquila Launching New 42 Power Cat

By Peter Janssen on January 23, 2023 Charter

Aquila just announced that it will launch its new 42 Yacht Power Catamaran at the Miami show, starting Feb. 15. The new Aquila, designed by VPLP, the French naval architects, will be on display at the show’s One Herald Plaza site. Aquila just celebrated its tenth anniversary last summer. It now makes power cats from the 28 Molokai to the 70 Yacht. The 42 fits in a popular size range for owners who want to cruise (or charter) with their families; it’s small enough so it can be handled easily by a couple, while it’s large enough to carry that…

Moorings Adding New 403 Power Cat

By Peter Janssen on January 2, 2023 Charter

The Moorings just announced that the new 403 Power Catamaran will join its charter fleet in the fall. The new 40-footer will have three cabins for up to six guests, with two heads and three showers. There certainly will be enough room for everyone to stretch out; the cat’s beam is 21’ 8” – more than half its length. And they’ll be comfortable; the cat has standard air conditioning and a water-maker with a purifying filter system. The Moorings 403 is built by Robertson and Caine in Cape Town, South Africa, which has launched more than 1,000 catamarans from 39…

Best Dive Spots in the Bahamas: Navigare

By Peter Janssen on December 14, 2022 Charter

What to do on a charter vacation in the Abacos? Problems, problems. The Abacos are known for some of the most beautiful waters in the world, as well as white sand beaches, warm breezes and easy cruises (as long as you watch your depth). But they’re also a great place to go diving, for beginners and experts alike. The Abacos are a little more secluded than many other spots in the Bahamas, so it’s easy to enjoy the marine life and dive with the turtles and tropical fish by yourself. The reefs there get more exposure to Atlantic temperatures, and…

BoatUS and The Moorings Forming BVI Flotilla

By Peter Janssen on November 29, 2022 Charter

BoatUS and The Moorings just announced that they’re forming a new cruising flotilla in the British Virgin Islands next May. In normal (non-pandemic) years, The Moorings hosts a week-long BoatUS Flotilla in the BVI, where BoatUS members can charter power and sail boats to cruise as a group through some of the best cruising grounds in the world. The next flotilla will be from May 20-27, and will include stops at some of the BVI’s most popular destinations. A flotilla offers a feeling of security for people who may not have a lot of charter experience. There’s safety in numbers,…

MarineMax Vacations Celebrates 10 Years in BVI

By Peter Janssen on November 2, 2022 Charter

MarineMax Vacations is celebrating its tenth anniversary in the British Virgin Islands, and it has created a sweepstakes offering a free charter vacation there. You can enter the sweepstakes through the rest of this year. If you win, you’ll get a six-day/five-night charter on a MarineMax 443 power cat next year in the BVI. The MarineMax base is on Nanny Cay on Tortola, a central location to start a charter in the BVI, with some of the most beautiful cruising grounds in the world. The BVI also are a relatively easy place to cruise; most navigation is line-of-sight. The base…

Cooper Island: A Bit of Paradise in the BVI

By Peter Janssen on October 25, 2022 Charter, Destinations

Cooper Island, a small island in the British Virgin Islands, seems to have it all: Location, a boutique-like resort along a sloping white beach, a mooring field for visitors, snorkeling right off your boat, and a western view for fantastic sunsets. Cooper Island is close to Tortola, home of the larger charter fleets, and to Virgin Gorda, where The Baths are on almost everyone’s charter itinerary. If you don’t have a boat, you can get there on a water taxi from Tortola. The Cooper Island Beach Club is now fully restored from the hurricanes of 2017. It’s a family-owned, eco-resort…

Photo by Nicholas Claris

Lagoon Starts Fractional Ownership with Sea Style

By Peter Janssen on October 11, 2022 Charter, Cruising Life

Lagoon Catamarans and Sea Style Partners just formed a joint venture to promote a fractional ownership program for Lagoon’s multihull power and sail yachts. The two companies announced their new partnership at the Cannes Yachting Festival, saying it will give owners access to Lagoon’s international network of yachts and Sea Style’s experience in fractional ownership, yacht management and crew services. Mathias Chouraki, the president of Sea Style, said the new partnership “shows that fractional ownership is not only trending, but also will become an important part of our industry in coming years.” The program offers owners a 25 percent or…

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