NO SAFE HARBOR and DRAGGING ANCHOR - British Virgin Islands | SailAway 264

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BVI CRUISING was always our DREAM. But is it RUINED for CRUISERS? As we try to withstand a week of 25-KNOT WINDS, the most popular sailing charter destination in the world now feels UNWELCOMING as live aboards. Soaring prices and mooring balls increasingly crowding every anchorage make it tough to exist there on a daily life budget. Even though we were married here 10 years ago...is this our last visit? Enjoy!! And be sure to SUBSCRIBE for WEEKLY CONTENT EVERY SUNDAY! Cheers!!
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Опубликовано:

29 сен 2024

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Комментарии : 47

@Bleemus 6 месяцев назад

The BVI has become an RV park. So glad I cruised it 40 years ago. Sail on!

@julianbatcheler9970 6 месяцев назад

Sad. Will make sure to avoid once I get to the Caribbean.

@SaltySailor5050 6 месяцев назад

I know you’re down an engine, however, the working engine just does not sound healthy. You need to deal with the broken engine sooner rather than later. I would not go electric. Watch Beau and Brandy chug along at 2 to 3 knots!! Good luck. Love your casts.

@SailAwayVlog 6 месяцев назад

Thanks for watching. It actually runs quite well...sometimes how the audio comes across in videos is misleading. Don't get me wrong, it's no 5 year old Yanmar, and simply being 30 years old, I wouldn't say my trust in it is solid. Beau and Brandy are great - they're good friends of ours actually. The electric route we're going is definitely a different approach and of course a much different kind of boat...I'm very confident in it, but we'll all find out I guess! Lol. We'll start outlining the plan in more detail for viewers very soon.

@robertgranafei2781 6 месяцев назад

Things have changed here since I first came in the late 80s. But that is true of everywhere. While the overall tenor of this piece is correct the BVI still offer some of the best sailing in the world. What I noticed is that these folks headed to the same places the charter boat crowds visit.: White Bay, The Baths, Peter Island, The Willie T, etc. However there are still places where you can anchor and which aren't flooded with charter cats. For example, The Dogs, North Sound on Virgin Gorda, Savannah Bay, to name a few. Sadly, I believe these places will some fall to the greed of the charter boat companies which have no interest in either sailing or preserving what makes (made) the BVI special. Few, if any, are locally owned, and are the product of an American business philosophy that more is better regardless of the social impact. One single bareboat charter company has over 900 boats under management. One of the major marinas in Tortola now leases only to charter companies; private owners are barred. Each year the impact of big money is felt more and more, and the quality of the sailing life is diminished. The BVI is not exempt from the effects of economic disparity. Cruisers for the most part are middle class of modest means. The "let's party for a week" charter boaters have enough disposal income to drop 15-30k for a week on the water, and not even miss it. If the past is prologue, we will see more of the same in future years. Try to enjoy it before it's gone.

@dennisreeves632 6 месяцев назад

You guys seem so much happier on that cat than you did on the mono hull. Do wish the bad motor would fix its self. Thank you for the fun videos!

@SailAwayVlog 6 месяцев назад

Ha, wouldn't that be fantastic! We've got a pretty intresting plan in place for it...much to come. Thanks for watching!

@svZia-Switch51 6 месяцев назад

I've said it many times but in so many ways, the charter industry and cruisers are completely at odds. Marinas are filling up with empty charter cats and at the end of the season they take up the bulk of the limited on-land storage. The last time I was walking through Clark's Court in Grenada it was completely full of cats with a very small section designated for monohulls. The bulk of the cats were huge (55' plus) charter cats with many in the 65' plus range. They aren't making more land and very few marinas so it's all coming to a head. Cruising is definitely getting more and more difficult.

@ralphholiman7401 6 месяцев назад

Go to the Bahamas. Enjoy them now. In fifteen years, they will probably look like the BVI's. They are already twice as crowded as they were just a few years ago. I cruised them in 1987 and we were the only boat in sight. In 2010-2011, there were a lot more, but only a couple of super yachts. 2015-2016 and everywhere we went we saw superyachts and lots more sailboats. Today, it's getting crazy there, but you can still find places like the Ragged Islands and be alone.

@tartansailor 6 месяцев назад

I am on my way from SXM to the BVI's, does it mean that it is not worth stopping by and should I sail direct to St-Thomas?

@SailAwayVlog 6 месяцев назад

Not at all! From our perspective, it's just better to go in for a week or two and just accept that you'll need to use the mooring balls most nights. And also expecting that groceries, dining out, etc. will be pricey or just provision well beforehand. You just kinda have to have a vacation mentality and the spare cash to enjoy it. There are some beautiful sites, great sailing, and definitely fun party/beach spots there. It's not particularly expensive to clear in, so if it's not your thing, you can get out and be in the USVI in a flash.

@tartansailor 6 месяцев назад

@@SailAwayVlog thanks a lot for your feedback, I will follow my initial plan and stop for two weeks. Cheers, Richard

@carolkar5687 6 месяцев назад

Zeke is such a good boy

@michaelsmith-0744 6 месяцев назад

I used to have catamaran and I dragged once and this old man told me you always put out two anchors put out a bowel anchor and and you'll never drag again

@mitchellmccaffery4220 6 месяцев назад

I bet your looking forward to having two engines again.

@carltontweedle5724 6 месяцев назад

Do not go to the Greek Islands in high season not a clue how to anchor. Plus do not give a brown jobby. Like trying to drive in a city after doing the back lanes.

@julianbatcheler9970 6 месяцев назад

I agree

@MrJoelkamins 6 месяцев назад

Exactly what I heard about the BVI... Glad we stayed away... Saw you in St Maarten last week as a squall was coming in... Hope all is well....

@jimduke5545 6 месяцев назад

100% spot on about the mooring fields overlaying most of the good anchorages in the BVI. Even for vacationing, it is almost a KOA atmosphere during the season. Just wait until you get to the Med…the anchorages are, well, there are many cultures clashing

@jeffw.6821 6 месяцев назад

Zeke was a happy dog on the St. John hike.

@10marlie 6 месяцев назад

Decades of abusive habits of Cruisers who expect a free vacation in one of the most beautiful places in the world, complete with free garbage drop off, free dinghy docks, its no wonder there is mooring balls everywhere. To say nothing of the destruction of corral beds.

@SailAwayVlog 6 месяцев назад

You certainly have a point regarding coral heads and the decades of traffic there. But directing that comment at cruisers is misplaced. Cruisers on whole have good anchoring technique which includes looking for sand when possible. Charter traffic on the other hand isn’t often experienced at good anchoring practices, so those balls are probably a necessary “evil”, which is why I said cruisers need a “vacation mentality” if they go there. Also, it’s not a “free vacation” for us as we’re not on vacation. The boat is our only home and we’re living our daily lives and many of us are working full or part time while doing it, so yeah, most of us are trying to do it as inexpensively as we can. BVI is no longer an option for that.

@monumentmom7593 6 месяцев назад

So true about not being able to anchor anymore in the BVIs. Did you see that Brewer's Bay in St. Thomas has recently been declared a no anchoring zone? Supposedly so it can be a coral regrowth area, but I think it's to make money on the new mooring balls they conveniently added for $35 a night. 😑

@SailAwayVlog 6 месяцев назад

Ugh…that’s really disappointing to hear. They had just put in 10 or so balls before we left but there was still tons of anchoring space too. SMH.

@angeltyson1966 6 месяцев назад

Oh, another question is why aren’t you guys doing any sponsoring to make more money for yourselves you never sponsor anybody or any equipment or anything like that? Have you felt out for feelers on doing sponsoring? What’s the deal?

@SailAwayVlog 6 месяцев назад

We've done a good bit of that actually. Cruise RO watermakers, Chins Lithium, Precision Sails, plus several smaller deals for gear or services. But those sponsorships don't actually pay much. Generally you get the item in question for free and feature it in return. Spots for things like Surfshark pay (another one of ours) but not very much.

@V8guy3500 6 месяцев назад

Come to Scotland guys hundreds of secluded free anchorages ,miserable weather that’s probably why they are empty 🤔 but when the sun shines (it did once 2003) it’s beautiful

@julianbatcheler9970 6 месяцев назад

LOL a very honest description

@captratty2167 6 месяцев назад

Or come to Tasmania, where we have two seasons…winter and February. Where 25 knots is considered a brisk sailing breeze. But where we are never too far from safe, scenic and uncrowded anchorages to suit most conditions. And no charter boats! I have sailed the Pacific, the Med and the BVI back when it wasn’t too crowded. Despite the sunshine in those places I wouldn’t trade. But the west coast of Scotland is on my wish list.

@captainsview3303 6 месяцев назад

Before mooring balls in Great Harbor on Jost we were anchored along the eastern shore. The anchor was set in 15'-20' but our stern was over the edge of a 65' hole. It was NYE so, as you can imagine, the harbor was slammed full. We had the best time watching the "qualified captains" attempting to anchor in that hole. They would lower 20'-30' of chain and start backing down at full speed. As it was NYE and my 50th, I had consumed a few passage drinks so I can't say this really happened but I swear I saw several of the anchors skiing across the water as they backed down. Hated it when we arrived to find mooring balls there. Agree with everyone that the BVI are over mooring balled. Have you tried Lee Bay on the west side of Great Camanoe?

@stevethurlow9059 6 месяцев назад

last time I was sailing around there was 1979... I don't think I want to go back...

@cbthomas9577 6 месяцев назад

You guys, get it together! In order to properly manipulate a cat, one needs 2 engines.

@SailAwayVlog 6 месяцев назад

Have you ever seen those “Captain Obvious” commercials?

@cbthomas9577 6 месяцев назад

@@SailAwayVlog Lol you know I love you guys but get that engine fixed

@SailAwayVlog 6 месяцев назад

Lol. ;-). The plan is in place, don't worry. I'm very much over the one-motor crawl.

@chrisbailey6986 6 месяцев назад

I prattle on excitedly exactly like that on the rare downwind day. 😂

@douglasrobbie9998 6 месяцев назад

Sailing downwind- cruiser's dream. Would have thought Cane Garden Bay or Brewers Bay would have provided the wind and wave protection you needed, but not as interesting as Jost. Maybe even the Bight on Norman island. Heard other cruisers talk /complain about the lack of BVI anchorages and high cost of moorings. Former cruisers GBU found ok free anchorage off south side Little Jost Van Dyke, but probably not ok for that wind and wave direction. Not sure what you are doing about electric especially the LiFePo4, but you might want to look at Will Prose episode of 1 yr ago where he talks about people not buying cells. He has a link to sellers- one has 320ah ones with 32 of them costing $1800 (33Kwh) w free shipping (china though)- so two 16.5K 48v bats , plus two 200ah JK bms at $200 each- so around $2200 before wiring, fuses, buss bars etc. Just thought I mention. Also the cost of PV panels has dropped and seeing 22-24 cents (in US) a watt for 350-400w mono panels with 20-21% eff- what a change from just a few yrs ago. Still think bifacials good for dinghy davits.

@douglasrobbie9998 6 месяцев назад

Typo Correction- 32 320wh 3.2v cells are $2800 not $1800, and Will Prose episode dealing with raw cells was 2 yrs ago.

@tullydraperyshop 6 месяцев назад

Another fun video. Thank you!

@alexstevenson2222 6 месяцев назад

San Blas ??

@RoseTabone 6 месяцев назад

😀😀😃😃👍👍👍👍

@angeltyson1966 6 месяцев назад

I thought the point was to go somewhere where you were going to work and save some money so that you could get the new engine and get the boat fixed what happened to that plan? Why are you guys always risking it ending up being stuck out somewhere where you can’t get back from.

@SuperNaude 6 месяцев назад

I guess that's why we follow them... iets all about the adventure.

@SailAwayVlog 6 месяцев назад

Well, first, we sail and we do it full time...there's nowhere we need to "get back" to. Like any other boat with one motor (all monohulls), if our motor goes down, we'll stay where we are and fix it. Or we'll sail to a better location for fixing it. Too many people think of the motors on a sailboat as their "savior". They're called auxiliary motors for a reason. And second, that plan is still in place, just in a new location. We're gonna talk about it in the next video since we haven't really filled folks in yet.

@julianbatcheler9970 6 месяцев назад

not really a risk... most boats on the water only have one engine... it's a sailing boat.