Sailing and More ???

[sailandcruise]

I will be in St. Maarten from 7:00 am through 4:30 pm on a Sunday in January. I'm planning to rent a sailboat from Lagoon Sailboat Rental http://www.lagoonsailboatrental.com for half a day -- 9:00 am through 12:30 pm. I've never been to St. Maarten before and would like to see more of the island too, but I don't want to be overly rushed or take a chance on being late back to the ship. I'm not interested in shopping at all. There are two other ships in port the same day, but they don't depart until 5:00 and 6:00 pm. I have several questions.

 

1. Should I rent a car so I can drive around the island after sailing? Or would taxis be cheaper and/or more convenient?

 

2. Where else should I plan to do? Will I have time to drive around the island or should I just go to a beach near the lagoon or the port in the afternoon? Is it worth the drive to Marigot on a Sunday when I understand most of the shops and restaurants are closed?

 

3. When should I head back to Philipsburg so I don't get caught in traffic and risk missing the ship? How much earlier should I head back if I have a rental car than if I take a taxi?

 

4. If anyone has rented a sailboat from Lagoon Sailboat rentals, can you tell me about the experience? Were the boats in good shape?