Memoires USVI Charter Yacht Show 2022
We have had the most beautiful time at the USVI Charter Yacht Show last November 2022. As part of our quality commitment to our clients, at Boataffair we know our yachts, crew and yacht managers, where we have built strong relationships over the years and know exactly what we offer to our guests. Our CEO Adrian Walker visited the show and met with the crew and management companies of the beautiful catamarans on display, attended the 40th AGM of CYBA and enjoyed a unique half day familiarization trip on one of the yachts. All under the basking Caribbean sunshine, taking in the local sounds and tastes as well as the mesmerizing landscape and beaches the island of St. Thomas has to offer.
The Caribbean offers an abundance of treasures you can explore and the best time to visit is widely considered to be between December and April. We highlight a few topics dear to us, memories and outstanding yachts we visited in below article.
Crew
The most important factor and the guarantee to a successful charter is to have a friendly, knowledgeable and upbeat crew. We loved meeting all the crew members on the yachts at this show. In the Caribbean, they are almost always a couple who operate and live on the catamaran, and this makes it so special to sail with them. They will know all there is to know about your sailing grounds, they will tell you about the hidden spots you should visit away from the tourist crowds, and they will welcome you on board the catamaran as if you would welcome guests to your home. This guarantees you will be pampered and looked after, fed beautifully presented gourmet meals sourced from fresh local produce and shown around the cruising grounds with much love.
Every crew have their own story to tell too. And they are happy to share it too. Each and one of them will have had their individual experience in a certain field. Be it in yachting, scuba diving and water sports, mindfulness training, yoga, cooking or massage therapy. They are happy to share their skill with you, so you have the most enjoyable holiday on board one of our catamarans. Make sure to look out for the crew profiles in each one of our Boataffair boat listings and find out how many crew members each yacht has.
CYBA Membership and 40th Annual General Meeting
One of our highlights at the yacht show was certainly the 40th AGM of the prestigious yacht charter organisation CYBA (Charter Yacht Broker Association). Our CEO Adrian was invited to attend the AGM at Yacht Haven Grande where the 40th birthday of the largest and most influential yacht association was celebrated. Adrian also gained CYBA membership in 2022 which marks another milestone on our Boataffair journey. Our CYBA membership cements our commitment to excellence for you, our guests. CYBA commits to promoting professionalism and education programmes within in the yachting industry and we are delighted to be part of it.
Familiarization Trip on Catamaran ‘Lady Catron’
On the last day of the yacht show we were blessed to be invited on a familiarization trip aboard the stunning catamaran ‘Lady Catron’. A familiarization trip (or fam trip for short) basically lets you experience a yacht, their crew, the yacht’s amenities and delicious food prepared by the chef for a few hours whilst sailing out on the water. See pictures, crew profile and more information about this yacht here. The crew, husband and wife team David and Emily Cuevas, looked after us very well whilst cruising the bay out of Yacht Haven Grande. A tasty breakfast with a yummy Mimosa cocktail made us feel at home instantly. We experienced the vast and comfortable lounging area on the trampolines and the sun deck outside at the front of the yacht. We took in the views of Charlotte Amalie, the capital of the island of St. Thomas, from the catamaran’s flybridge. This catamaran, and this is generally the hallmark of this type of yacht, made us feel comfortable and at home with her vast spaces indoors and outdoors – David and Emily were the best and most friendly hosts ever and we wish them a successful and enriching yacht charter season ahead in the USVI and the BVI.
A Small Selection of Outstanding Yachts at the Show
1. Relentness II. Catamaran Sunreef 80
The “superyacht” of Catamarans, this delicious and brand new Sunreef 80, that was built in 2022 and she can accommodate 8 guests on board in 4 luxurious cabins. One is a king size cabin plus 3 queen cabins with separate quarters for the crew. The water toys selection is outstanding: Water skis (adults & kids), Kneeboard, Wakeboard, Seabobs, 4 SUPs, Snorkelling equipment, Beach games, Dinghy with an outboard engine 90HP, Tube, Floating Mats and Fishing gear. All you need to round off your yacht holiday. The yacht's superb crew of 4 are discreet and professional and they will ensure the guests are pampered and truly looked after during their charter. The chief stewardess on board Rita is also a masseuse and wellness therapist ensuring extra relaxation for the guests on board.
2. Outta Touch. Superyacht.
Outta Touch – At 105 feet Outta Touch provides a luxurious and inviting atmosphere, accommodating 8 guests in 4 plush staterooms. And have you noted the Jacuzzi on the upper deck? What a way to relax on the high seas.
The primary cabin has its own writing desk and a beautiful en-suite bathroom, there is also a spacious VIP stateroom and two twin cabins, all of which have en-suite bathrooms as well. The main salon has ample seating and a beautiful marble bar that is perfect for entertaining and shaking things up! The private dining salon provides an elegant and intimate dining experience, or you may opt to dine al fresco aft or on the flybridge. The perfect yacht to experience those warm tropical mornings and beautiful sunsets in the Caribbean.
3. Tedavi
'Tedavi' means 'healing' in Turkish. The perfect name for this beautiful yacht on which you can experience the healing power of sailing on a vacation unlike any other. She is a brand new 2022 Fountaine Pajot Aura 51. Available in the USVI, BVI and other locations in the Caribbean. You do not need a celebrity budget to enjoy a superb catamaran holiday in the Caribbean – this yacht has everything you need on board and combines comfort with some serious sustainability credentials.
A sailing vacation as an opportunity to create a sustainable holiday. Their green initiatives include the use of organic/locally grown produce when available, reef friendly sunscreen and bath products/toiletries, filtered water to limit single use plastics, re-usable water/beverage tumblers to limit plastic/disposable cup use and marine/reef friendly dish soap and cleaning products. The crew Heiko and Rebecca are affiliated with 'Sailors for the Sea' - Keeping our Waters Blue by Boating Green!
4. Moon Dragon
This catamaran is the first of its kind and unique - a brand new and luxuriously appointed Moon 60' sailing catamaran. The yacht offers 5 exquisite queen en-suite guest cabins with large bathrooms, plenty of space to stretch out and relax in, and has been outfitted with lots of fun toys. A large cockpit for outdoor dining, an enormous covered flybridge with bar, tables, and seating for cocktails, snacks, and sun loungers, a huge saloon with comfy couches and TV, and a pass-through forward cockpit door to the bow lounge area make this vessel a dream to hang out on. And the solid foredeck makes for a great dance floor or bean bag lounging area!
At Boataffair, we look back at a successful and blessed 2022. We are over the moon to have had so many elated clients with us on board all over the world. Some thank us on our Google review page, some phone us up directly from the yacht to thank us (as it happened during a superyacht charter in Marbella, Spain!) and others send us emails of gratitude. We thank each and every one of you, we could not do this without you. Ultimately, this is the reason why we do what we do: We want to make you happy and provide the experience of a lifetime that will not be forgotten. We want to put smiles on our guests’ - on your - faces.
Feel free to get in touch via welcome@boataffair.com and we look forward to our conversation with you and to planning your unforgettable yacht charter holiday.
