NSC British Virgin Islands Bareboat Charter Trip

I wish to thank all 21 NSC members who met at Paul Prozillo’s place of business to discuss the possibility of the NSC organizing a bareboat charter trip to the British Virgin Islands.   The purpose of this e-mail is to describe the outcome of the meeting and to suggest a date for the trip.  The outcome of this meeting was the following:

There is strong interest and sufficient number of people interested for us to go.

We want to go for eight days from Saturday to the following Sunday.

We want to go during February or March of 2011.  The actual date will be announced soon so people can get it on their calendars.

We will negotiate a deal with the charter company for a group rate once we know how many vessels we will need.

Money for the charter boats will likely be due in July 2010 in order to take advantage of discounts for booking six months in advance.

Everyone will be responsible for their own airline and other transportation costs to and from the BVI.

Although we will have some group dinners we will leave arrangements for restaurants up to each vessel’s captain and crew.

People will try and link up with others as best they can to fill each vessel.

We will limit the number on board each vessel to six.

We will charter out of Tortola.

We will likely use SunSail as the charter company unless we find a better deal.

We will provision the boats ourselves.

Cost for the trip including airfare and meals was estimated to be between $2000-$2500 per space.

We will charter classic (3-6 year old) 39.5 foot vessels with three berths and two heads.

I called SunSail again and asked them about any discounting during the Feb/March 2011 time frame, including “Reef Week” discounts, and they said that “Reef Weeks” are not announced until a few months prior to the time they take place.  Since we plan to book six months in advance in order to get the 10% discount it seems unlikely we will be able to take advantage of “Reek Week” rates.  I was able to get the agent to admit that they would give us a discount for multiple vessels even if less than five vessels.  My guess is we can get a discount of 13-15% or possibly more.  I do not plan to revisit this again with SunSail until we are actually in a position to book in July 2010 and then take the gloves off and negotiate as good a deal as we can get.

I have decided to wait to put out an e-mail to the NSCPA until after we come up with a date for the trip.  Regarding a date I suggest we go Saturday, February 19 – Sunday, February 27, 2011.  Please look at your calendars and let me know if this date works.  Please let me know in the next couple of days since I would like to get the dates established as soon as possible so people can get it on their calendar.

Regarding communications, I have included everyone that I know who is interested in the distribution list for this e-mail.  We should communicate on this subject using this limited list and not the NSCPA.  I am not certain I have a complete list of e-mails.  I have an e-mail address for Glen Wesley but not Dorothy Wesley.  I also have an e-mail address for Pam King but not Tom King.  Please let me know if I should add their e-mails to the list.  I do not have an e-mail address for Graham Knight.  If anyone knows Graham’s e-mail address please let me know.

I wish to thank Paul Prozillo for use of his place of business for the meeting, Norma Hall for her note taking, Diane Paxton and Norma Hall bringing drinks and snacks to go with our pizza, and Greg Morrison and Dave Stadler for bringing their BVI charts.  Although they were not able to attend the meeting I have also copied Ralph Erickson, Kevin Docherty, Marsha Cooper, and Carolyn Wigmore who are also interested.  If anyone else should be added please let me know.

Mike Brown