Yacht Charter Rodney Bay

Yacht Charter Rodney Bay

Guide To Sailing In Rodney Bay, St Lucia

On a Rodney Bay yacht charter with Borrow a Boat you can explore St Lucia and the Windward Islands within an easy sail. A chance to enjoy the Caribbean Sea to the full, a Rodney Bay sailing holiday is going to be an unforgettable experience.

Rodney Bay is the epicentre of St Lucian tourism thanks to its beaches, natural beauty and its top marina. On the north coast of the island, it is close to the buzzing township of Gros Islet where you can party til dawn, and Pigeon Island where you can forget yourself in the tropical forest.

Rodney Bay Marina is a great place for yachting types and locals alike to hang out thanks to the excellent restaurantsand bars closeby. It is also the end point of the Atlantic Racing Cruise (ARC Race) from Europe thanks to its outstanding facilities. As such it is for many, the final stop before heading to North America when globetrotting by sea.

Gros Islet is a party town that frequently shuts down for street parties. Get your liver and stomach ready for some serious fun ashore! To relax (and perhaps let your ears stop ringing), cross the manmade causeway to Pigeon Island and Fort Rodney where you can take in the views (and perhaps sweat some poisons out on the climb...). Fort Rodney was the centre of the tussle between the French and Brits for St Lucia in the 1700s and 1800s, and has quite a story to tell in its own right even before its beauty made it such a draw for tourists.

On a Rodney Bay sailing holiday you'll want to explore further afield. Read on to find out more!

Explore Rodney Bay By Renting A Yacht

Heading west around St Lucia you should pop into Marigot Bay, a well protected and deep bay set between the Piton mountains on the island. It is a resort with a marina that rivals Rodney Bay in terms of quality if not the number of berths. Further down, you will find exquisite beaches such as that at the resort of Anse Chastanet, again with a steep climb to get anywhere off the beach thanks to the terrain.

One of the northernmost of the Windward Island section of the Lesser Antilles, St Lucia is a great starting point to explore these islands. On legs of no more than 50 miles you can island hop south to the Tobago Cays, an uninhabited group of islands in St Vincent and the Grenadines. These are particularly good for fishing and snorkeling thanks to the coral reef surrounding them.

Heading down to the cays or coming back, do visit Admiralty Bay on Bequia - arguably the most beautiful anchorage in the Caribbean - and Salt Whistle Bay on Mayreau, an exclusive resort that is also famous as a sailing destination.

On a longer sailing holiday, you can go north from Saint Lucia up the Leeward Islands as far as the British Virgin Island group, again never sailing much more than 30-40NM on a leg. This central location makes a Rodney Bay yacht charter so attractive! Book your sailing holiday with Borrow a Boat today.

**How To Get To** **Rodney Bay**

There are two ways of getting to Rodney Bay. The first is a direct flight to Hewanorra International Airport and then to take a shuttle via Castries to Rodney Bay.

Cheaper is a direct flight to Barbados Grantley Adams International Airport, connect to a flight to St Lucia Vigie Field and then take a bus on to Rodney Bay.

Both options take around 12-14 hours from London.

Marinas In Rodney Bay

**Rodney Bay Marina:**

IGY Marina Rodney Bay is widely held as one of the best marinas in the Caribbean, with its facilities including restaurants, bars and yachting necessities closeby. It has boat owners and charter companies offering crewed yacht charter and bareboat charter of catamaran , sailing yacht, luxury yacht charter and fishing boat rental.

Berth Characteristics:

253 berths

Max Length 86.6m (254 Feet)

Max Draught 3.9m (12 Feet)

List of additional services: Shore power, water, WiFi, shower/WC, launderette, garbage disposal, cash machine, supermarket, restaurant.

Suggested Sailing Routes From Rodney Bay

So, what do you want from a Rodney Bay yacht charter? Serious chill on a sandy beach? Snorkeling or scuba diving on a protected coral reef off your charter yacht? Big game fishing? Your Rodney Bay boat charter will allow you to do all these, perhaps on a crewed yacht charter - or bareboat charter basis for the braver souls...

**7 Days - Tobago Cays:** As a shakedown cruise, head to Marigot Bay resort on the west coast. Onward now to Kingstown on St Vincent - a 50NM or so sail but fun nonetheless. Admiralty Bay on Bequia will be a shorter sail as a last stop before the Tobago Cays for fishing and snorkeling for the next day. Back to civilisation, this time to Salt Whistle Bay on Mayreau. A long sail northward now, via Praslin Bay on Saint Lucia back to Rodney Bay Marina.

**14 Days - Leeward Islands:** You could conceivably make the British Virgin Island group as an end point on this sailing itinerary, depending on how much sailing and how much fun ashore you want. The islands are never more than 30NM apart, and you can cruise NE around the island curve to destinations like Nelson's Dockyard on Antigua, St Maarten and the French Antilles islands of Guadaloupe, Dominca and Martinique immediately to the north of St Lucia.

Best Times To Hire A Yacht In Rodney Bay

Unlike Europe, the sailing season in the Caribbean Sea runs from November to May - perfect for a dose of winter sun. The NE Trades are settled and you will encounter weather between 25-35 degrees C.

Within this period, March and April after the winter northerlies have passed are cooler yet the sailing is just as fun as the rest of the year.

For those who want to try something a little outside their comfort zone, August and September are said to be the very best sailing months of all.

There's a problem with this - many yacht charter fleets will not be in the area thanks to hurricane season that runs between July and November. If booked and a hurricane is on its way your holiday will be cancelled.

The Climate

**North East Trade Winds**: These are regular and can get up to F6 at times, but steady and predictable during the sailingseason of November to May.

FAQs:

### What should I consider when hiring a Yacht or Boat?

The main points to consider are what is your budget, have you got the necessary sailing experience and qualifications to manage the boat if it's not going to have a skipper, whom you are taking sailing, where exactly you wish to go and what will the weather be like on the proposed dates of your trip.

### **What are the Marinas in Rodney bay?**

Rodney Bay Marina, part of the IGY Marina chain, is widely held as among the best in the Caribbean. It has 253 berths capable of taking yachts of 86m LOA.

### When are the best times to hire a boat in Rodney Bay?

Rodney Bay is in the northern Tropics and this means blissful trade winds and comfortable temperatures year round. The cooler part of the year from November to May is better for yacht charters simply because the hurricane season coincides with the hotter and wetter part of the year. As ever, if serious chill is the name of the game, then come out outside of school holidays.

### Do you have to pay a deposit when hiring a Yacht in Rodney Bay?

You will typically pay 50% up front on booking the yacht hire and the balance on arrival. You will either pay a security deposit with your credit card on departure or can get insurance covering damage in advance. In some cases (such as the recent Covid situation) charter companies may be more flexible but this depends on the individual charter companies themselves.

### What happens if my Yacht breaks down?

If you are at sea and in danger, call MAYDAY on VHF Ch16 or ring the coast guard on your phone if you have reception. If you have a mechanical fault and can make it to or are on a mooring you will be able to phone a help line number given by the boat charter company.

### What should I think of before I hire a Yacht or Boat in Rodney Bay?

You should consider do you have the experience to handle the yacht charter or boat hire before you book and where do you want to go along with what the weather will be like. Dress for warm weather but do have something for tropical rains - light but waterproof.

### What Qualifications Do I need to hire a boat or yacht?

If you want to sail without a skipper then you will need relevant qualifications like RYA Day Skipper/International Certificate of Competence (ICC)/ASA 104 Bareboat certificate or the US Sailing Certificate. For small 'day boats' or if you choose to have a skipper on board your yacht charter you typically don't require licences.