Bareboat
You skipper, navigate, dock, moor and manage the vessel. Best for crews with recent, comparable experience.
← Back to the BVI guideSailing
The complete charter-planning guide
Sailing
the BVIs
Short passages. Serious beauty. A different island every evening.
Bareboat · Skippered · CrewedReviewed July 26, 2026
White Bay, Jost Van Dyke · Mattes / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 DE
Best seasonDecember–April
Classic charter7–10 nights
Typical windE–NE trades
ExperienceEasy to intermediate
Why this place works
The world’s friendliest serious charter ground.
Protected Sir Francis Drake Channel, visible islands and short legs make the BVIs unusually forgiving. That does not make them hazard-free. Reefs, crowded mooring fields, squalls, ferries, north swells and the Anegada approach still demand a proper briefing and a skipper willing to change the plan.
01
Choose the crew level
Bareboat if your resume and close-quarters skills are current; skipper or crewed if vacation matters more than proving a point.
02
Protect day one
Arrive before embarkation when possible. Sleep-aboard options prevent airline delays from consuming the boat briefing.
03
Plan around weather
Build anchorages from wind, swell and available daylight.
04
Reserve selectively
Use reservable balls where they solve a real problem, while keeping alternatives for crowded or uncomfortable bays.
Charter choices
First choose how much responsibility feels like vacation.
Skippered
A professional runs the yacht or supports your sailing. It is ideal for a first BVI charter, mixed-experience crew or anyone who wants to learn.
Crewed
Captain and chef handle boat and meals. The price rises sharply, but so does the time available for swimming and being entirely unreasonable about lunch.
Catamaran or monohull?
Catamarans deliver space, stability, shallow draft and an excellent social cockpit, but carry more windage and cost more. Monohulls reward sailors with feel, point higher and are often less expensive, but heel and offer less living space.
Do you need a license?
BVI law and charter-company acceptance are separate questions. Major operators commonly assess a sailing resume, but each company can require a checkout skipper or reject insufficient experience. Submit the actual skipper’s resume before booking.
Largest full-service base
The Moorings / Sunsail
Wickhams Cay II, Road Town
Broad catamaran, monohull, power, skippered and crewed options with a large base operation.
Current fleet & terms ↗Independent boutique fleet
BVI Yacht Charters
Joma Marina, Road Town
Locally established operator offering bareboat and crewed choices from a convenient Road Harbour base.
Current fleet & terms ↗Long-running local specialist
TMM Yacht Charters
Road Reef Marina, Tortola
Catamarans and monohulls with a reputation built around a smaller, hands-on base.
Current fleet & terms ↗Nanny Cay convenience
Horizon Yacht Charters
Nanny Cay, Tortola
Bareboat and skippered charters beside a full-service marina, hotel, beach and provisioning.
Current fleet & terms ↗Premium newer yachts
Waypoints
Nanny Cay, Tortola
Bareboat through crewed options with Nanny Cay’s shore-side services immediately available.
Current fleet & terms ↗Catamaran-focused west base
VOYAGE Charters
Soper’s Hole, Tortola
Bareboat and crewed catamarans from West End—particularly convenient for Jost and USVI connections.
Current fleet & terms ↗Conditions
Trade winds set the rhythm.
Prime season
December–April
Generally drier, breezier and busy. Christmas winds can strengthen, and north swells affect exposed bays.
Sweet shoulder
May–July
Warm water, fewer boats and often gentler wind. Squalls, heat and tropical-weather risk increase.
High caution
August–November
Atlantic hurricane season, with peak historical risk in late summer and fall. Fleet closures are common.
Wind
Trades usually blow from east through northeast. They funnel and accelerate between hills, ease in lee areas and can turn the return west into glorious sailing.
Sea state
Sir Francis Drake Channel is comparatively protected. Exposed north coasts, the Anegada passage and gaps between islands can be markedly rougher.
Squalls
Reef early, close hatches, track the dark line and brief the crew. A short tropical squall can deliver much more wind than the day’s forecast.
Night movement
Most charter contracts prohibit night sailing. Reefs, unlit craft and crowded fields make “moored before dusk” an excellent rule even when no contract says it.
Documents & clearance
Know which border your boat is crossing.
01
BVI-based charter
Your operator normally prepares the vessel’s cruising documentation and explains local limits. Every crew member still needs appropriate travel documents. Confirm what cruising permits, park fees and taxes are included in the quote.
02
Arriving from the USVI
Clear out as required by the departure jurisdiction and enter only at an open BVI port—Road Town, West End, Great Harbour or the designated Virgin Gorda office. The captain handles vessel clearance; all crew follow immigration instructions. Port hours change.
03
Foreign charter yachts
A charter boat starting outside the BVI may need permissions and fees beyond ordinary private-yacht clearance. Never assume a USVI charter can legally carry paying or charter guests into BVI waters; get written operator approval and current permit guidance.
Moorings & anchoring
A ball is not automatically a good ball.
Reservable
BoatyBall
Selected private moorings can be reserved through the app. Confirm the field, boat-length limit, pickup time and payment status.
Open BoatyBall ↗Park system
NPT moorings
National Parks Trust balls protect coral at key sites. Some are day-use only. Pay the current permit and follow time and vessel limits.
National Parks Trust ↗First-come
Private balls
Restaurants, marinas and local operators maintain many fields. Ask who owns the ball and inspect pendant, tackle and swing room.
Anchor only where allowed
Sand, never coral
Use the chart and clear water to confirm the hook is in sand, then back down and allow full swing. Seagrass and reef are habitat, not holding experiments.
Arrival strategy: reach popular Cooper, White Bay and North Sound stops early, carry two credible alternatives, and do not let a dinner booking pressure you into a poor mooring decision.
Anchorage directory
Choose protection first, personality second.
Tortola & Beef Island
The logistics hub. Use the south coast for bases and services; choose north-coast bays with the swell forecast open.
Road Town / Wickhams Cay
Marina · clearanceMajor charter bases, customs, groceries and repairs; practical.
Nanny Cay
Full-service marinaFuel, water, restaurants, hotel, pool, chandlery and a comfortable arrival or last night.
Soper’s Hole
Moorings · marinaProtected West End harbor with customs, provisions and easy access to Jost Van Dyke.
Cane Garden Bay
Moorings · north swell cautionBeautiful beach and lively shore; uncomfortable or unsafe when a winter north swell wraps in.
Trellis Bay
Moorings · airport accessUseful for EIS crew changes and full-moon evenings; busy, shallow and exposed to some weather.
Marina Cay / Scrub area
Moorings · resort nearbyA scenic eastern stop with access that has evolved as properties changed—confirm current landing rules.
Norman, Peter, Cooper & Salt
The classic first half of a clockwise loop: short legs, protected water, snorkeling and easy alternatives.
The Bight, Norman Island
Many moorings · livelyProtected, spacious and home to the Pirate’s Bight; an excellent first night after a late handover.
Privateer Bay & the Caves
Day mooringsIconic snorkeling. Use a proper mooring and leave before conditions or traffic make the stop uncomfortable.
Great Harbour, Peter Island
Moorings · room to anchorGood protection in normal trades and more breathing room than resort-facing bays.
Little Harbour, Peter Island
Quiet anchorageMore secluded, with holding and swing room that demand careful placement.
Manchioneel Bay, Cooper Island
Moorings · no anchoringPopular sunset stop with beach club, snorkeling and limited balls—plan an early arrival.
Salt Island Bay
Day stop · weather dependentAccess point for the RMS Rhone and Salt Island history; not every forecast makes it a comfortable overnight.
Virgin Gorda & North Sound
Granite day stops lead to the BVIs’ best collection of protected resort and marina options.
The Baths
Day moorings onlyPick up a park mooring outside the swim zone and land by dinghy only as conditions allow. Never take the yacht inside.
Spanish Town
Marina · provisionsUseful for ferries, groceries and island time; less atmospheric than North Sound.
Leverick Bay
Marina · mooringsFuel, water, market, laundry and restaurants make this the practical North Sound reset.
Bitter End Yacht Club
Moorings · marinaSailing-centric resort stop with dining, watersports and a lovely North Sound setting.
Saba Rock
Moorings · diningA compact, stylish stop in the heart of North Sound; reserve dinner and verify mooring procedure.
Prickly Pear / Sandbox
Moorings · beachQuieter daytime swimming and a useful counterpoint to the busier resort docks.
Anegada
The only genuinely offshore-feeling leg in a standard BVI week. Go in settled visibility with the charter briefing fresh.
Setting Point
Large mooring fieldThe standard base for lobster dinners, taxis and beach days. Reserve dinner and shore transport after securing the boat.
Loblolly Bay
Taxi from anchorageExcellent beach and reef scenery; not a yacht anchorage for a typical charter itinerary.
Cow Wreck Beach
Taxi from anchorageBeautiful shallow water, relaxed bars and a long horizon—reach it overland.
Jost Van Dyke
The social finish. Anchorages are close together but each has different protection, depth and shore personality.
Great Harbour
Moorings · clearanceFoxy’s, customs and ferry dock. Busy and rolly at times; keep the channel and ferry maneuvering area clear.
White Bay
Day stop · reef entranceSpectacular sand and beach bars. Enter only through marked reef openings with excellent visibility and local confidence.
Little Harbour
Moorings · lobsterProtected, quieter and lined with family-run restaurants that often help guests with moorings.
Diamond Cay
Moorings · national parkAccess to Foxy’s Taboo and the Bubbly Pool; use care with shallows and reef edges.
Provisioning & boat life
Buy the heavy things before the dock cart disappears.
Full provisioning
RiteWay, OneMart and major charter-base services can deliver to Tortola marinas. Order water, breakfast, snacks, staples, beverages and first-night dinner ahead.
Top-ups
Road Town, Nanny Cay, Soper’s Hole, Spanish Town and Leverick Bay are the most dependable resets. Jost has smaller shops; Anegada selection is limited.
Water & fuel
Confirm tank capacity, watermaker rules and return-fuel policy at briefing. Marinas such as Nanny Cay, Soper’s Hole and Leverick provide services, but hours vary.
Ice & trash
Ask each marina or restaurant where disposal is permitted. Never leave bags beside a beach bin or aboard a public dock. Reduce packaging before departure.
Dining ashore
Reserve Anegada lobster and peak-season dinners. Radio or call before arriving; a restaurant table does not guarantee a mooring.
Dinghy discipline
Carry a light, kill the engine near swimmers, lock up where advised, use the dock’s outer end and never tow with the outboard down.
Passage scale
Most legs fit comfortably between breakfast and lunch.
Road Town → The Bightabout 7 nm
A classic first-day reach across the channel.
Norman → Cooperabout 10 nm direct
Shorter with Peter Island stops omitted or rearranged.
Cooper → The Bathsabout 6 nm
Leave early enough for a day mooring and park visit.
The Baths → North Soundabout 8 nm
Allow time for traffic and the chosen North Sound entrance.
North Sound → Anegadaabout 14 nm
Open-water navigation with reef approach at the end.
Anegada → Jost Van Dykeabout 28–32 nm
A long BVI charter day; begin early and reassess weather.
Approximate planning distances only. Actual mileage depends on departure point, route, tacks, restrictions and sea state.
Sample routes
A week for the classics. Ten days for Anegada.
Seven-day first charter
Day 1
Tortola → Norman Island
Short shakedown sail; snorkel the caves and sleep in the Bight.
Day 2
Norman → Cooper Island
Morning at the Indians, then Manchioneel Bay before the moorings fill.
Day 3
Cooper → Virgin Gorda
Early Baths stop, then continue to North Sound for the night.
Day 4
North Sound
Keep the boat still: explore, provision, hike or enjoy the resort circuit.
Day 5
North Sound → Jost Van Dyke
The week’s longer sail; choose Little Harbour or Great Harbour by forecast.
Day 6
Jost → Peter Island
White Bay early, then a quieter final anchorage near Tortola.
Day 7
Peter → charter base
Refuel if required and return within the company’s contracted window.
Ten-day route with Anegada
Day 1
Tortola → Norman
Easy systems check and protected first night.
Day 2
Norman → Peter
Indians snorkel, then Great or Little Harbour.
Day 3
Peter → Cooper
Rhone dive option and early mooring at Manchioneel Bay.
Day 4
Cooper → Baths → North Sound
Land early at The Baths; sleep in North Sound.
Day 5
North Sound
Weather buffer, water toys, provisions and an unhurried dinner.
Day 6
North Sound → Anegada
Set out in good light and follow the charter company’s approved approach.
Day 7
Anegada
Taxi to Loblolly and Cow Wreck; lobster dinner ashore.
Day 8
Anegada → Jost Van Dyke
Longer open-water leg; Great or Little Harbour by arrival time.
Day 9
Jost → Soper’s Hole / Cane Garden
White Bay early, then choose protection based on swell.
Day 10
West Tortola → base
Leave margin for fuel, inspection and ferry or flight timing.
Why Anegada is omitted from the seven-day route: it is possible, but it turns a relaxed first week into a schedule. Add it only when weather, crew confidence and handover timing all cooperate.
Budget
The boat price is the beginning, not the total.
Charter rate
Season, yacht age, size, air-conditioning and cancellation terms create enormous variation.
Mandatory extras
Taxes, cruising permits, park fees, damage waiver or deposit and cleaning may sit outside the headline.
Daily boat costs
Moorings, fuel, water, ice, shore power, taxis, provisions and meals ashore accumulate quickly.
Professional crew
Skipper and chef rates, their food and crew gratuity belong in the initial comparison.
Travel
Flights, STT taxi and ferry, hotel nights and trip insurance can materially change the “cheaper” route.
Planning reserve
Keep a real contingency for weather, repairs, missed connections and an extra marina night.
Quote-comparison rule: ask every operator for the full checkout total with the same dates, crew, insurance choice, dinghy, outboard, Wi-Fi, park permit and sleep-aboard night.
Safety desk
A conservative skipper gets the better vacation.
VHF & emergency calls
Monitor the channels specified at briefing and know the radio’s distress function. VISAR provides 24/7 marine rescue: dial 767 in the BVI or +1 284 499 0911.
Float plan
Keep the charter base informed of major route changes, especially Anegada. Make sure a shore contact has the yacht name, crew list, operator and return date.
Crew brief
Before leaving the dock, cover life jackets, engines, heads, hatches, gas shutoff, windlass, fire extinguishers, MOB procedure and how to call for help.
Swimming & dinghies
Kill engines near swimmers, use a diver-down flag when appropriate, illuminate the dinghy after dark and keep intoxication away from boat handling.
Research desk
Official sources & live checks
Port hours, fees, mooring systems, weather and operator rules change. Start here, then confirm directly.