Sailboat Rentals - vaguely off topic...

[paul1959]

i have tried posting this in the Ports of Call section, but not gotten any responses. I'm not really sure how active those MB's are anyway. Since all of you have been so patient and kind with my questions so far, may I impose once again?

Our 14 year old son is a competitive sailor - he races and takes lessons every day at our summer home on Lake Michigan - and he would really like to do some sailing on the islands during our march 10 trip to the Caribbean.

 

Do any of you have any experience with this sort of thing? HE wants to do the sailing - small boats. NOT ride on a sailboat with a tour guide. Do you think if we get there and just ask at the ports someone might know?

 

Thanks

Paul

[SeaMatesNYC]

i have tried posting this in the Ports of Call section, but not gotten any responses. I'm not really sure how active those MB's are anyway. Since all of you have been so patient and kind with my questions so far, may I impose once again?

Our 14 year old son is a competitive sailor - he races and takes lessons every day at our summer home on Lake Michigan - and he would really like to do some sailing on the islands during our march 10 trip to the Caribbean.

 

Do any of you have any experience with this sort of thing? HE wants to do the sailing - small boats. NOT ride on a sailboat with a tour guide. Do you think if we get there and just ask at the ports someone might know?

 

Thanks

Paul

 

I might suggest doing some internet searches for tourism sites for islands you will visit. They often have lists of outfits offering many kinds of "for hire" pursuits (of the above-board nature, of course;) ).

[paul1959]

We've been doing internet research for several days. It's surprisingly hard to find something besides a 30' catamaran type of thing. I suppose we'll just get down there and ask locals. Often, these sorts of places that we're looking for are not the luxury yacht/catamaran hard core tourist stuff and so do not advertise on the net. Lots of clubs and villas include them in their package. I suppose it's not a big enough money maker to attract boat loads of business. (pun intended)!

hmmmm. maybe the Qm2 would let us tender a sunfish to its stern. they wouldn't even know it was there...bobbing along in the wake. I'm sure it wouldn't hurt that gas mileage....

Paul

[Wadadli1]

We've been doing internet research for several days. It's surprisingly hard to find something besides a 30' catamaran type of thing. I suppose we'll just get down there and ask locals. Often, these sorts of places that we're looking for are not the luxury yacht/catamaran hard core tourist stuff and so do not advertise on the net. Lots of clubs and villas include them in their package. I suppose it's not a big enough money maker to attract boat loads of business. (pun intended)!

hmmmm. maybe the Qm2 would let us tender a sunfish to its stern. they wouldn't even know it was there...bobbing along in the wake. I'm sure it wouldn't hurt that gas mileage....

Paul

 

Paul,

 

I've been wracking my brain over your question all day and I've got a little something.

 

North of Castries on St. Lucia there are a bunch of resorts, Sandals, etc. If your son gets a taxi and asks to go to the beach up there he will find the place where they rent out the watersports type things like sailboats, jetskis, etc.

 

Otherwise there is some sort of yachting thingie at Barbados where you can be part of the yacht crew and they have a race:

 

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Board your transportation for a very short transfer to the sailing yachts. After an orientation and safety briefing, take your assigned place on the yacht and prepare for an exciting regatta. Each boat is manned by a professional sailing crew and you will have the opportunity to fill the remaining spots doing tasks such as helmsmen, tactician, grinder, and foredeck. You can help to hoist sails, steer, or just hang out on the rail and cheer your team to victory. Various courses will be set, and depending on wind, weather, and sea conditions, may vary slightly. Complimentary non-alcoholic cold drinks and bottled water will be available during the race. Upon completion of the race a victory party will be hosted on shore with complimentary rum based drinks, soft drinks and snacks.

[pb82]

We've been doing internet research for several days. It's surprisingly hard to find something besides a 30' catamaran type of thing. ...

Here is what I got Googling "sunfish rental" and Tortola/St Kitts/Barbados/St Lucia:

 

ON THE GO IN THE ISLANDS; Vacationers Look Beyond the Beach - New ...

Sunfish rental usually costs $10 an hour with a deposit of $150. ..... Like Stevens, Moorings also has a base in Tortola, the British Virgin Islands. ...

 

ON THE GO IN THE ISLANDS; Vacationers Look Beyond the Beach - New ...

Sunfish rental usually costs $10 an hour with a deposit of $150. .... Transportation From St. Kitts or Antigua on L.I.A.T. and Carib Aviation and on the ...

 

Cruising the Eastern Caribbean - Google Books Result

by Laura Rapp - 2004 - Travel - 300 pages

Underwater Barbados runs its operation from Carlisle Bay and is willing to pick ... chauffeured Hobie Cat sailing ($80/hour), Sunfish rental ($34/hour) and ...

 

Martinique, Guadeloupe, Dominica & St. Lucia Alive! - Google Books Result

by Lynne M. Sullivan - 2000 - History - 360 pages

Guidebooks Saint Lucia Geography of & travel in North America Saint Lucia ... $15 per hour for sunfish rental, $5 for an hour on the pedal boats, ...

 

Hope this may help. Bon voyage,

 

Paul

[cruisegal101]

We have chartered small sailboats in Bermuda but not in the Caribbean. Since we were unable to find anything online, we asked at a marina and they directed us to a place that rented by the day. The boats were much like Flying Scots--19 or 20 ft with open cockpits with main, jib and spinnaker. I would think that if you asked after you get off the ship, someone could point you in the right direction.

 

If you are going to St. Kitts, you might send an email to thenang06 at yahoo dot com We have toured with Thenford Grey and he is very, very knowledgeable and helpful and might have some suggestions for where you could rent one there.

 

Good luck. Just curious but where on Lake Michigan is your place?--very good friend of mine here in VA has a place at Crystal Lake outside of Traverse City. It is beautiful country!

 

Bettie

 

[paul1959]

To all - thanks for your help and suggestions.

 

 

Paul - I bow to your google prowess. I looked for two days.

 

Angela - The crewing thing on a big boat might happen. He has done some crewing on the big boats - more this summer since he is now 14. That might be a special thrill as well - crewing a big boat in the Caribbean. Not bad.

 

Bettie - Our summer home is in Bay View, next to Petoskey (Little Traverse Bay) just one hour north of Traverse City. I know Crystal Lake well. Please don't let it be known that it is such a beautiful part of the country. Out here near NYC, I tell people that the Jersey Shore is the best place in the whole world to spend a summer and that we would spend our summers in Asbury Park if we only could. It's getting crowded enough out there!

 

Thanks all for all your help

Paul

[Wadadli1]

Here is what I got Googling "sunfish rental" and Tortola/St Kitts/Barbados/St Lucia:

 

ON THE GO IN THE ISLANDS; Vacationers Look Beyond the Beach - New ...

Sunfish rental usually costs $10 an hour with a deposit of $150. ..... Like Stevens, Moorings also has a base in Tortola, the British Virgin Islands. ...

 

ON THE GO IN THE ISLANDS; Vacationers Look Beyond the Beach - New ...

Sunfish rental usually costs $10 an hour with a deposit of $150. .... Transportation From St. Kitts or Antigua on L.I.A.T. and Carib Aviation and on the ...

 

Cruising the Eastern Caribbean - Google Books Result

by Laura Rapp - 2004 - Travel - 300 pages

Underwater Barbados runs its operation from Carlisle Bay and is willing to pick ... chauffeured Hobie Cat sailing ($80/hour), Sunfish rental ($34/hour) and ...

 

Martinique, Guadeloupe, Dominica & St. Lucia Alive! - Google Books Result

by Lynne M. Sullivan - 2000 - History - 360 pages

Guidebooks Saint Lucia Geography of & travel in North America Saint Lucia ... $15 per hour for sunfish rental, $5 for an hour on the pedal boats, ...

 

Hope this may help. Bon voyage,

 

Paul

 

Must you be so clever and efficient and helpful so as to make the rest of us look like goobers? :p

 

Obviously I don't Google like I used to.