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BAREBOAT YACHT CHARTER: Explore one of these glorious holiday destinations in your own sailing yacht.
FLOTILLA SAILING HOLIDAYS: Sail your own yacht with the added support of a lead boat crew.
LEARN TO SAIL HOLIDAYS: Start from scratch or brush up your skills.
MOTORYACHT CHARTER: Do you prefer power to sail?
CREWED YACHTS: Relax, let the crew do the work.
SAIL AND STAY HOLIDAYS: Why not add a few days ashore in a hotel?
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BAREBOAT YACHT CHARTER: Sail your yacht in any one of our glorious holiday destinations and explore at your own pace.
MOTORYACHT CHARTER: Do you prefer power to sail?
CREWED YACHTS: Relax, let the crew do the work.
SAIL AND STAY HOLIDAYS: Why not add a few days ashore in a hotel?
- PLAN YOUR TRIP
AIRPORT PARKING & HOTELS: Save up to 60% when you book airport parking & hotels in advance.
BOOKING CONDITIONS: Check our Booking Conditions.
CAR RENTAL: Rent a car instead of an airport transfer or if you add a week ashore.
CRUISING GUIDES: Start planning before you travel with a cruising guide or chart to your sailing destination.
PASSPORTS & VISAS: Check the passport & visa requirements of your sailing destination.
SAILING LOGS: Read our reports on sailing holidays we've been on.
TRAVEL INSURANCE: Don't travel without adequate insurance. We offer single trip or Annual multi-trip travel insurance.
TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN: Read our handy hints on taking small children on a sailing holiday.
USEFUL LINKS: Check these websites for more information on your sailing destination.
WHAT'S ONBOARD: Standard inventory for all charter yachts.
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- CONTACT
CONTACT: Check our details and opening hours.
REQUEST A BROCHURE: Order our latest brochure.
WHO WE ARE: Meet the Nautilus team.
WHY BOOK WITH US: How do you benefit?
- OWNERSHIP
Are you thinking of buying a new yacht and putting her with a charter fleet? Speak to us about the best deal for you. Nautilus Yachting has been arranging sailing holidays throughout the Mediterranean & Caribbean since 1992 so we are ideally qualified to advise you on yacht charter management. Find out more
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British Virgin Islands Yacht Charter
The British Virgin Islands were made for sailing holidays with over 60 unspoilt islands, islets and cays.
Come and see for yourself why the BVI is the most popular sailing destination in the Caribbean for yacht charter. Perfect sailing conditions and sheltered passages round the islands make sailing in the British Virgin Islands a delight for all levels of sailors wanting to relax in a Caribbean paradise with white sandy beaches and amazing snorkelling in warm, crystal clear seas.
Whatever your sailing experience you’ll love a sailing holiday in the British Virgin Islands where a couple of hours sailing in the warm steady tradewinds will take you to your next idyllic anchorage. Steady winds guarantee enjoyable sailing and a trip to Anegada will test your navigational skills.
There are dozens of white sandy beaches and hidden coves for you to discover on your yacht charter. An amazing variety of underwater life and the warm crystal-clear sea make snorkelling off your yacht a delight. A swim before breakfast is a pleasure.
Sailing in BVI
The BVI are perfect for bareboat yacht charter, even for less experienced skippers and crew. Wherever you sail in the British Virgin Islands you are within easy contact of the base should you need help or advice during your yacht charter.
There’s so much to do on your yacht charter holiday in the BVI. Drop anchor in a secluded cove one day and at the busy Bitter End Yacht Club the next. Swim above coral gardens and dive on sunken shipwrecks. Hike up Spy Glass Hill, an old pirate lookout, and beachcomb on miles of white sand. Taste delicious rum cocktails at driftwood beach bars.
It’s a great place to have fun, whether your idea of a good time is a candlelit meal at Brandywine Bay or dancing till dawn at Foxy’s on Jost van Dyke. There’s usually a cabaret act at the Last Resort and there’s always fresh lobster on the menu at Anegada. Come and see for yourself why the BVI is the popular area for sailing holidays in the Caribbean and why clients return year after year.
In a 1-week yachting holiday in the British Virgin Islands you can sail anti-clockwise around the main island of Tortola, leaving plenty of time to swim, snorkel and relax in the idyllic anchorages. In a 2-week sailing holiday extend your itinerary to include Anegada, "the Drowned Island", 16nm due north of Virgin Gorda.
DAY 1 : Easy reach to Norman Island (8nm), home of the Caves and inspriation for Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure Island". The Bight provides a perfect anchorage with a restaurant and floating bar aboard "The Willie T".
DAY 2 : As Salt Island grab your mask and snorkel and check out the wreck of the Royal Mail Steamship "Rhone" which sank during a hurricane in 1867. After lunch sail "right next door" to Cooper Island (8nm) where you can pick up a mooring in front of the beachfront restaurant.
DAY 3 : The Baths at Virgin Gorda are one of the most famous natural formations in the Caribbean. Huge granite boulders form small grottos and pools on the water's edge for you to expore and snorkel. Sail up to North Sound (13nm) a protected bay with a wide choice of anchorages and excellent restaurants.
DAY 4 : Snorkelling on the reef at Marina Cay gives you an appetitie for lunch. Trellis Bay (10nm) is a good place to spend the night, home to the famous restaurant and cabaret "The Last Resort".
DAY 5 : Cruise up to Guana Island for spectacuar snorkelling and a beach picnic at Monkey Point. An afternoon's sail west takes you to Jost van Dyke (15nm). Anchor in White Bay and swim ashore for cocktails at "Soggy Dollar Bar" or in Little Harbour where "Foxys'" is famous for its beach parties.
DAY 6 : Lunch at Soper's Hole Wharf, home of Pusser's Landing, reputedly built on the hideout of the pirate Blackbeard. Afternoon sail across Sir Francis Drake Channel to Peter Island (11nm).
DAY 7 : Watch the sunrise over Peter Island and take an early morning swim in the deliciously warm sea. Weigh anchor for the short sail back to the marina (5nm).
Sailing Conditions
Constant warm tradewinds at 10-20 knots provide excellent sailing. BVI is popular all year round with temperatures staying a balmy 30oC. but the best time to come is November to June. In summer winds tend to be lighter with greater humidity, but there’s still plenty of sunshine. There is a risk of tropical storms mainly during August and September. Experience Level 1.
There are very few marinas in the BVIs so most nights you are on anchor in a bay with a classic Caribbean white sand and palm tree beach. In many places there are laid buoys which cost US$25/night but give you a safe mooring within minutes of sailing into the bay.
SAIL & STAY IN THE BVI: Extend your sailing holiday with a few days or a week ashore in a beach hotel in the British Virgin Islands. Or stop-over on the holiday island of Antigua on your way out to or back from the BVI.
Yacht charter in BVI - Tortola
Yachts are based at Nanny Cay Marina, Joma Marina and Hodges Creek Marina, all on the south coast of Tortola. Charters start and finish any day (minimum 5 nights), giving you total flexibility over your holiday dates.
Click on the yacht names below to view yacht layout & specification
2 cabin
Yachts from Nanny Cay Marina
3 cabin
Yachts from Nanny Cay Marina
Bavaria 35, 36, 36(2011), 37, 39, 40, 40(2011), 42, 45, 46 Vision
4+ cabin
Yachts from Nanny Cay Marina
Catamarans
Yachts from Nanny Cay Marina
Yachts from Joma Marina
Yachts from Joma Marina
Yachts from Hodges Creek Marina
Yachts from Joma Marina
Yachts from Joma Marina
Yacht charter rates are shown WITHOUT flights giving you the flexibility to book your own flights.
If you want a flight-inclusive holiday Nautilus Yachting is a fully bonded ATOL tour operator and can book flights from the UK to fit your sailing holiday. Choose from a wide choice of airlines - we are not tied to any particular airline. All flight-inclusive holidays are fully bonded for your financial protection under our ATOL 3016. Airport transfers can also be pre-arranged.
FLIGHTS TO TORTOLA BVI:
British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have direct flights from Gatwick to Antigua. LIAT operate connecting flights from Antigua to Tortola. Transfer time to Nanny Cay Marina 40 minutes.
Whether you are an experienced sailor or setting foot on a yacht for the first time, we can offer you a holiday afloat to suit you. We have given all the sailing areas a level with 'Experience Level 1' suitable for less experienced crews and 'Experience Level 3' for the experts.
This takes into account the wind strength, tidal range and currents, distances between stops and ease of mooring. Of course even experts may choose to sail in Level 1 areas as they still offer stunning scenery and great sailing.
Experience Level 1: BVI, Bahamas, Florida Keys
Generally light winds Force 2-4, line of sight navigation, shorter sailing distances under 20nm. You will be Day Skipper standard having sailed at least 1 week or 100nm as skipper
Experience Level 2: Antigua, St Martin, St Lucia, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Grenada, Belize
Stronger winds up to Force 3-5 with some longer passages up to 30nm. You will be Day Skipper standard having sailed at least 2 weeks or 200nm as skipper
Experience Level 3: Cuba. One way itineraries, eg Antigua to St Martin, St Lucia to Grenadines
Stronger winds up to Force 4-7 which can lead to bigger seas on long passages between the islands. You will be Coastal Skipper standard with experience to a higher level having sailed at least 4 weeks or 400nm as skipper.
To charter a yacht bareboat or on flotilla you should be Day Skipper standard and be assisted by at least one competent crew.
At present you need an RYA Day Skipper qualification or RYA International Certificate of Competence (ICC) for charters in Croatia, Montenegro, Mallorca, Tenerife and Malta.
The RYA ICC will be ever more required by overseas port authorities but if you have skipper experience it is easily obtained in a day from RYA sailing schools in the UK such as Hamilton Sailing or Brixham Sea School
Yacht charter rates are shown WITHOUT flights giving you the flexibility to book your own flights.
If you want a flight-inclusive holiday Nautilus Yachting is a fully bonded ATOL tour operator and can book flights from the UK to fit your sailing holiday. Choose from a wide choice of airlines - we are not tied to any particular airline. All flight-inclusive holidays are fully bonded for your financial protection under our ATOL 3016. Airport transfers can also be pre-arranged.
FLIGHTS TO TORTOLA BVI:
British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have direct flights from Gatwick to Antigua. LIAT operate connecting flights from Antigua to Tortola. Transfer time to Nanny Cay Marina 40 minutes.
We sent Clive Loughlin of Sailing Today magazine on a Sail & Stay Holiday in the BVI combining a bareboat yacht charter of a Beneteau 323 from Nanny Cay Marina and a land-based stay at the super-luxurious Bitter End Yacht Club. "For me it was a win-win situation. I loved the sailing and exploring, but the days spent at the BEYC allowed me to turn back the clock and have loads of fun in al sorts of different dinghies." Click here to read the article >>
Anegada is a coral reef island and the name means "drowned land". Once off limits due to the treacherous Horseshoe Reef which has caused many shipwrecks, there is now a bouyed channel to guide you safely into the moorings. The restaurants are famous for their lobster dinners. Take a taxi to Loblolly Bay on the north shore - a pink coral sand beach with an enclosed lagoon for superb snorkelling. The Big Bamboo beach bar makes a perfect stop for lunch.
Jost van Dyke is named after a Dutch pirate. The Soggy Dollar Bar and Gertrude's in White Bay are renowned for drinks made with the island's famous rum, frosty beers and tales of pirates and sunken treasure. The "Painkiller," one of the most famous cocktails in the Caribbean, was invented at The Soggy Dollar Bar. Parties here are legendary, especially at Foxy's. This bar and its owner are known to yachtsmen from around the world for the New Year's Eve and Halloween parties, when Great Harbour fills up with yachts.
"Many years of excellent service from Nautilus. For food, atmosphere - Cooper Island is our favourite - but rolly moorings."
BVI 2012 - A.H.
