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| BEFORE YOU BOOK A CHARTER | |
| KNOW BEFORE YOU GO - F.A.Q.s | |
| READ CAREFULLY | |
| Why a catamaran? |
| In the mid 1980’s, the catamaran began attracting charterers because of its comfortable cruising accommodations. What they found was not only more space, luxury and sailing without heeling, but a shallower draft which allowed them entry into a world of anchorages that deeper draft monohulls were not able to enter... and a lot more speed. |
| Where can I charter? |
| We operate our own fleet of catamarans out of Tortola. Along with this base, we are the exclusive North American representatives for Tropical Yacht Services who operate their own bases throughout the Bahamas, Florida, & the Leeward & Windward Islands, including Martinique and Guadeloupe. Moving further adrift we have access to catamarans in the most popular sailing destinations such as Belize, the Seychelles, the Mediterranean, the South Pacific & more! |
| Am I qualified to "skipper" a cat? |
| This is the most frequently asked question we hear each day. There is a very simple answer. If you can handle a monohull sailboat, chances are you should have no trouble handling a cat. You will require suitable navigational experience to safely navigate in these waters. Please remember that the BVI is tidal salt water, with some areas open to the Atlantic Ocean, so we can get some fairly large swells. This may affect potential anchorages and sailing plans whilst here. You will also require suitable prior skippering experience on a comparably sized vessel, not simply crewing experience. This is especially true of our largest cats, the Lagoon 500's and the Lagoon 570. For these vessels we require the skipper's resume and a resume for the first mate. These vessels are large and it is far easier to operate them with an experienced crew, that knows how the vessels systems operate and to help assist in docking, anchoring etc. To enable us to get this information from you, we provide a resume to be filled in. This resume is vital for us to ascertain your experience and decide if you can safely operate the catamaran that you have chosen, in the waters of the British Virgin Islands. Please get this resume back to us as soon as possible, so that we can vet it and give our recommendations. We make it even easier for you to familiarize yourself with the catamaran providing “Cat Check”, a 1-4 hour program designed for first time catamaran sailors covering jibing, tacking, anchoring and general catamaran sailing. Check with us for cost. Before beginning your bareboat charter, a yacht familiarization and chart briefing will be conducted at the base. All of your questions will be answered at this time. If you are unsure about sailing a catamaran on your own, your charter consultant will discuss your qualifications during the booking process. |
| How do I choose the best cat for my needs? |
| This part is the most fun! You can choose
from a large variety of models & sizes to suit your taste.
Usually, it will depend on the number of people in your party.
Other factors that may influence your decision are whether you
want your cat to have a head and shower for each cabin, whether
you prefer the galley to be “up” in the salon, or “down” in
one of the hulls along with many options. We also offer an array
of ‘owners’ and charter version catamarans. On owner’s version expect starboard hull dedicated to the captain with enlarged cabins, separate en-suite bathrooms, generous closet space and office space. Charter versions offer identical cabins with usually one extra cabin allowing more guests onboard. Our knowledgeable charter consultants will help you every step of the way to sort through all of these choices and help you obtain the best cat for your vacation. |
| Who are you going to call? |
| THE CATAMARAN COMPANY. (800) 262-0308, (954) 449-4601, e-mail:info@catamarans.com. No matter what your requirements are; if you’re sailing with young children or require a special menu, our knowledgeable catamaran experts will answer all of your questions, tend to your transportation needs, assist with hotels, provisioning questions and see that absolutely nothing slips through the cracks. Call the Caribbean Travel Network at 1-800-825-9648 for flight details and let them know THE CATAMARAN COMPANY sent you! |
| Is The Catamaran Company on the web? |
| We sure are! Check out our interactive website
at www.catamarans.com. It’s full of catamarans with layouts,
pictures and information about all of the cats we offer. You can also E-Mail us at info@catamarans.com. |
| How much sailing time do I have? |
The Catamaran Company provides you with as much sailing time as possible. We also allow you to start on any day of the week to cater to your schedule. In the BVI’s, St Martin, Guadeloupe & Martinique. In Tortola BVI your charter will start at noon on any given day and ends the following week on that same day at noon. Union Island starts Saturday at 5:00pm and ends the following Saturday at 9:00am. |
| What charter details should I be aware of? |
| You invest a lot of time and money in your
charter vacation. That’s why we are pleased to offer our
Trip Protection Program. This special coverage protects your
investment both prior to and during your charter vacation. This
protection program covers cancellations, postponements and charter
interruptions. The premium for this “safety net” is
only 7% of the total charter cost. Without this coverage, the following CANCELLATION TERMS apply: Cancel 90 days or more prior to departure and a fee of $300 will apply: 45-90 days before departure and 25% deposit is lost; and if a charter is cancelled 45 days or less there is no refund given. |
| Payment plan & details: |
| A deposit of 25% of the charter’s fee is required to confirm your charter. Upon receipt of the deposit, your contract will be mailed to you. Advance payments will automatically be charged to your credit card on file. Please contact us at least 5 days prior to your next payment if additional credit card information needs to be submitted or if payment will be made with a personal check. A late fee of $50.00 will be applied for payments not received by due date. |
| What to bring: |
| You’ll need a bathing suit, some T-shirts, a couple of pairs of shorts and a good hat to fend off the sun. You’ll also need some sunscreen of the highest SPF rating you can get and some canvas deck shoes or sneakers. Insects are seldom a problem, but it’s a good idea to bring repellent just in case. Of course you’ll want your toothbrush, some shampoo etc. The Catamaran Company provides snorkeling fins of high quality, so there’s no need to worry about that. Anything beyond these essentials is up to you, but don’t over pack if you can help it. Be sure to use duffle bags since there is little storage space for suitcases on a boat. Life vests are standard Coast Guard sizes, so if you want life jackets for the kids please bring them with you. |
| What does my charter include? |
Most catamarans will come fully equipped with the following items. For the specialties on the boat you will be chartering, please ask your charter consultant: |
| Starter kit: |
| The following is supplied complementary to all bareboat charters: 2 Rolls of toilet paper and two complimentary soaps per head 1 roll of papertowel 1 bottle (sm) of Dishwashing liquid 1 bottle (sm) of disinfectant 6 boxes of matches 1 green scouring pad 1 pkt of handiwipes 1 box of garbage bags large 1 bottle of rum GALLEY: TOOLS & SPARES: STATEROOM AND CABIN: FUN STUFF AND MISC.: DECK AND COCKPIT GEAR SAFETY AND SECURITY GEAR NAVIGATION TOOLS |
| Sleep aboard kit: |
| The following is supplied complementary to all bareboat charters that select for the sleep aboard option: Fruit basket (apples, pears, oranges limes, bananas etc) and 3 different chocolate bars 4 cans of juice assorted 1 bottle of water 1 bag of ice (The 2 Rolls of toilet paper and two complimentary soaps per head from the Starter Kit will be aboard when you arrive) |
| BEFORE YOU BOOK A CHARTER | |
| KNOW BEFORE YOU GO - OPTIONS, EXTRAS & COSTS | |
| READ CAREFULLY | |
| At The Catamaran Company we know that everyone has different ideas of “the perfect charter”. That’s why we offer plenty of options and extras to allow your charter to be as unique and exciting as YOU want to make it! All of the charter companies have different payment and cancellation terms, as well as various options - your charter consultant will help you discern the difference. The following information represents The Catamaran Company’s options and extras. |
| CDW - The Collision Damage Waiver: |
| • CDW - The Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) is mandatory for all charters and provides coverage for the yacht and its equipment excluding dinghy/ob/ (see below, DDW), except in the case of gross negligence or intoxication. The cost is $39 per day with no deductible for a “worry-free” charter for boats 49ft and under. For yachts over 50ft the cost is $49 per day. Yachts 55ft & above, CDW is $55 per day |
| DDW - The Dinghy Damage Waiver: |
| • DDW - The Dinghy Damage Waiver (DDW) is recommended for all charters and will insure against damages, destruction or loss of the tender, outboard and its equipment. The cost is $10 per day. In event of a lost dinghy (stolen or otherwise), Catamaran Charters will make attempts to replace the dinghy at a rental fee of $60 per day of charter (excluding DDW, and delivery costs when applicable). DDW is payable 45 days before the charter commences. |
| HOLIDAYS: |
| • HOLIDAYS - Any charter encompassing Christmas Day, New Year’s Day or Thanksgiving will incur a surcharge of $250 per week. If both Christmas Day and New Year’s Day falls within your charter dates a $500 premium will be charged. |
| MANDATORY AND OPTIONAL EXTRAS | |
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| BEFORE YOU BOOK A CHARTER | |
| KNOW BEFORE YOU GO - HELPFUL INFORMATION | |
| READ CAREFULLY | |
| LOCATION: |
| Nanny Cay Marina |
| BUSINESS HOURS: |
| The base is open every day from 8:30 am to 5:00 p.m. - CHARTER BASE TELEPHONE NUMBER: 1-284-494-6661 |
| IN CASE OF EMERGENCY: |
in case of emergency and emergency ONLY |
| TRANSPORTATION: |
| Transportation (airport / base / airport) is $12.00* per person/minimum of $36.00*. The Beef Island airport is at approximately 40 minutes to and from the base by car. Please supply all necessary information to arrange the pick up (arrival & departure date, time and flight number) at least two weeks before your charter. (See Ferry Schedule on the following page or visit us online www.catamarans.com) |
| SLEEP-ABOARD: |
| Due to flight availability it is rare for visitors to arrive in the islands prior to 1:00 pm causing limited time to provision, undergo boat briefing and chart briefings. We suggest a Sleep-Aboard where you can spend the night on board your yacht and start your charter at 12:00 pm the next day allowing no lost sailing time. The rate for a Sleep-Aboard (SAB) is half the daily rate of the weekly charter fee. The boarding time for a SAB is after 5 p.m. only. Normal procedure for provisioning is done on the day of your charter and not on the night of the SAB. |
| BOARDING, BRIEFING INFORMATION: |
Boarding time – 5pm the night of your sleepaboard and 12 noon the day your charter starts. |
| PROVISIONING: |
Provisioning is available upon request according to the proposed list. Choose Custom provisioning or our ‘shopping lists’. Provision will be delivered when guests are present on board to accept and check it and only between the business hours of 8:30AM and 5PM. The Catamaran Company cannot accept responsibility for provisioning delivered after The Catamaran Company business hours |
| BEDDING: |
| Sheets, pillowcases, towels, dishcloths are provided for each charter. Beach towels are not included. Wash cloths are NOT included. |
| Can I Bring My Ipod: | ||||
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| CURRENCY: |
| Local currency is US Dollars. Exchange is not possible on the island. It is recommended to bring US$. You may obtain US$ by using your credit card at an automatic teller in Road Town. |
| FORMALITIES: |
| A passport is needed for air and sea travel to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Central & South America. |
| SAILING LICENSES: |
| No sailing licenses are required for cruising in the British Virgin Islands. |
| HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS: |
| There is a hotel on the base (42 rooms) with a swimming pool. Please contact us to make your reservation prior to your departure at 1800-262-0308 All rooms are equipped with air-conditioning, TV and telephone. There are 2 restaurants in Nanny Cay: Peg Legs Landing and Gennakers. |
| SHOPPING AND ACTIVITIES: |
| At the base, there is a small souvenir shop, a dive shop and a small Chandlery. All sorts of shops and activities can be found at Road Town along with a Laundromat and Chandlery. Car rental in Road Town. |
| BOAT PHONES: |
| Set up fee and activation upon arrival. |
| TIPPING: |
| If you have a Catamaran Company crew on board your yacht, tipping is at your discretion, but standard is 15-20% of the crew fee. |
| WATER: |
| Your yacht comes with water but we advise to buy drinking water. |
| NIGHT SAILING: |
| Night sailing is not permitted. You must be anchored or docked one hour before sunset. |
| FISHING PERMITS: |
| Fishing licence required -To obtain a licence you need to go to the Department of Natural resources in the BVI (Roadtown), and fill out a form. The cost is $45 dollars per person and the licence is valid for one week. A passport photo only, not a drivers license or photo id is acceptable. |
| STATISTICS: |
| Average Wind: Winter: 15-20 kn, Summer: 10-15 kn, N-NE Average Temperature: Summer: 86 ° / Winter: 80 ° Average Annual Rainfall: 60” Population: 18,740 Average Water Temperature: 75-86 °F / 24-30 °C Average Water Visibility: 100 ft / 30 m |
| RETURN OF YOUR YACHT: |
| Please be ready to disembark your yacht no later than 12 noon on the final day of your charter ending date on your confirmation. Please call the base by VHF on your way in so that someone can meet you at the dock. We ask that you tidy up your yacht and leave the linens and trash neatly bundled. |
Base manager : Marianne Doux-Laplace |
| ST THOMAS / TORTOLA FERRY SCHEDULE : | ||||||||||||||||||
| Ferry service is required if your choose to fly into St Thomas, USVI rather than Beef Island on Tortola. The ferry ride is usually 45 minutes from St Thomas to Tortola. The cost is $23.00 per person each way. The following times are subject to change. We strongly suggest that you confirm times with the ferry services. • Native Son, Inc. Ferry Service St. Thomas (340) 774-8685 Tortola (284) 495-4617 www.nativesonbvi.com • Smith’s Ferry Service St. Thomas (340) 775-7292 www.smithsferry.com Upon arriving on Tortola please expect to clear customs. We will arrange a taxi transfer upon receiving your arrival information (rates for taxi’s are not included in charter fee) “Please fill in the name of your choice of ferry service on the crew/arrival form to expedite your transportation to and from ferry dock” See step 5
Ground transfer from Road Town to West End will be necessary for some connections. Schedule is subject to change without notice |
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