Racing In Paradise

Photo Courtesy Todd Van SickleIf you’re dealing with snow and slush right now, keep in mind that the annual BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival, known for great racing and even greater partying, is drawing close, running from March 26 to April 1.  And there are still boats available to charter.

In its 41^st year, the BVI Spring Regatta has a class specifically for bareboat racers, so get your crew together.  Now one of the three top Caribbean sailing events, it has been averaging 125 yachts to the starting line.

The Moorings is the official charter partner for the BVI Spring Regatta, with a variety of modern yachts and packages from which to choose.  Included in the packages are race measurement, registration, full provisioning and a local racing skipper can also be arranged. 

Based at Nanny Cay Marina and the Bitter End Yacht Club, and with sponsors such as Mt. Gay Rum, there is literally a party every night with the Regatta Village food booths and bar open from 2pm to midnight, while the music schedule is typically Caribbean: 4pm until the party ends.

For entry info and the Notice of Race, www.bvispringregatta.org

No More Queasy!

Everyone…really…gets seasick at some time, and it can turn an otherwise delightful bareboat charter into a living hell.  A new stylish solution are Psi Bands, acupressure wrist bands that relieve motion sickness.

Available in five different fun designs and fully adjustable, they fit around the wrist like a watch strap and apply pressure on the Nei-kuan acupressure point.  Since Psi Bands are drug-free, there are none of the side effects of nausea medications, such as blurred vision, dry mouth, and sleepiness.

Invented by two moms to relieve morning sickness, Psi Bands are waterproof, reusable and affordable.  Priced from $15 to $20, they are available at Rite Aid, REI, and some CVS pharmacies and Whole Foods stores, as well as online.

For info, www.psibands.com

MarineMax Unveils 46’ Powercat For BVIs

We're just back from the Miami Boatshow, our knees are killing us and, mercifully, we can’t feel our feet.  Lots of walking, but some fascinating news, too.

MarineMax Vacations showed off plans and renderings for their new 46-foot power catamaran that will be available in the British Virgin Islands for bareboat charters.  They have ordered 30 of the cats, which will be called the MarineMax 464, and charters will start as early as December of this year at their Tortola base.

The MarineMax 464 will have some innovative features and a list of equipment not found on most bareboats.  One that appealed to us is the easy access to the foredeck from the flybridge.  Stairs on each side of the bridge lead forward to the foredeck, making it easy for the skipper to help with anchoring or picking up a mooring buoy without having to go aft to the cockpit and then along the side deck to the bow. 

A second innovation we liked is the high-low cockpit sole.  The entire after section of the cockpit can be lowered electrically to water level, creating a solid “beach” for swimming and snorkeling, and vastly simplifying retrieval of the tender. 

Another great feature is the forward cockpit.  Shaded by the overhang of the bridge and reached by a very civilized door from the salon, it has wrap-around seating and a table.  This, in our opinion, is the perfect place on the yacht to enjoy a sundowner at anchor. 

Other niceties on the 464 are a Spectra watermaker (no stopping every day to buy water!), Kenyon electric barbecue (no messy charcoal!), full Raymarine electronics including radar, GPS and chartplotter, and Northern Lights air conditioning with generator.

While there is a three-cabin “owner’s” version, the 464s in charter service will have four double cabins, each with ensuite heads with showers. 

For info, MarineMax Vacations or 888-461-5497.

Moorings Opens In Corfu

Corfu, courtesy Greek National TourismThe Moorings announced before the 2012 Miami Boatshow that they are opening a new base in Corfu, just off the northwest coast of Greece, which opens the northern and southern Ionian islands for bareboat charters.

Called the “Jewel of the Ionian”, Corfu has consistently good weather and a choice of open sea sailing or short island hops and even some interesting ports along the mainland. 

Initially, the fleet will consist of Beneteau-built monohulls, including the Moorings 41.3 (3 cabin/2-head), 43.3 (3 cabin/3-head) and 50.5 (5 cabin/5 head).  Also available will be the Moorings 3900 catamaran, a private model of the Leopard 38, with an owner’s cabin in one hull with head and a pair of staterooms sharing a head in the other hull.

The Corfu base will be open during the primary sailing season from April through November, and charterers can expect 10-20 knot northwesterlies in the afternoons, air temperatures between 76F and 82F, and water temps of 78F.  The base is just ten minutes from the Corfu international airport.

Charterers can explore Ithaca, home of Odysseus, as well as the islands of Kefalonia, Lefkas and many more.  Expect great snorkeling and scuba diving, seafood tavernas, and quiet coves.

Info at The Moorings or 800-535-7289.

Italian Finances & You

We love Italy and, hey, my brother-in-law is an Italian winemaker.  But sometimes we just have to stand back and wonder what they are thinking. 

The Italians are talking about imposing a tax on any boat that visits or anchors in Italian waters during the 2012 summer and, apparently, this applies to everything from inflatables up to megayachts, including bareboat charters.  The rate hasn’t been set, although early indications are that a 30-40’ yacht would be hit about US$10-15 per day.  Yachts of 55’ will pay about US$40. Megayachts of 50 meters (164’) will pay 700 Euros (something less than US$1000) a day whether at anchor or docked. 

The politicians of Sardinia imposed a similar “luxury” tax in 2006 that applied to all yachts over 46’, with fees ranging up to $20,000 for the privilege of spending money in Sardinia’s jet-set harbors.  As you can imagine, the yachts left in droves and the harbors were empty until 2009 when wiser heads in a new government scrapped the tax.

This is just a heads-up for anyone planning to charter in Italy this summer.  Check with your charter company or agent for updated information.