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MedSail 2009 in the British Virgin Islands
The Sixth annual Medicine for Mariners & Safety at Sea Conference
The Medsail course will provide an outstanding educational opportunity while you cruise the beautiful BVI’s. MedSail is a unique annual week-long marine medicine conference designed for physicians, health care professionals and persons active in aquatic sports and recreational boating. The course is accredited and supported by the Wilderness Medical Society, which provides 15 category I CME credits for medical professionals. The goal is to help seminar attendees understand the nature and treatment of common injuries, ailments, and medical emergencies encountered in the marine environment. Each morning, will feature a seminar ashore, and with the rest of the day free to sail to a different anchorage with stops along the way for diving, swimming, snorkeling, sightseeing, hiking or just relaxing. Join us for this exciting and outstanding educational opportunity in a stunning tropical paradise. MedSail 2009, the sixth annual Medicine for Mariners & Safety at Sea
Request your new 2009 Brochure
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The Moorings $15 Million Tortola Expansion
conference begins in Tortola, BVI.The dates are February 7th to 14th. Sail aboard a Moorings Signature Crewed Yacht with two other couples participating in the MedSail 2009 Conference or captain your own boat. Choose from our fleet of over 200 yachts ranging in size from 32 to 52 feet, monohulls or catamarans. To make charter and travel reservations call the Moorings at 888-703-3173, ext 13308 and ask for Barbara Daetwyler, the Moorings coordinator for Medsail, or via email: bdaetwyler@mooringsnet.com
Waypoints
First Time Treasures – BVI ................ Page 2 Fair Winds in Paradise – The Grenadines.................................... Page 3 BVI Calendar......................................... Page 3 Shaping Big Dreams............................ Page 4 Crewed Yacht Vacations ..................... Page 5 Regatta News........................................ Page 5 Moorings Power 372PC ...................... Page 6 Powerboat Charter in Baja ................. Page 6 Yacht Ownership ................................. Page 7 Moorings Yacht Brokerage................. Page 7 MedSail 2009 ....................................... Page 8 Captain’s Rewards ............................... Page 8
Our new 2009 Bareboat Sailing Vacations brochure is available now! Request your brochure at www.moorings.com or call 1-888-939-2248 today.
2008/2009 Boat Show Calendar
Ft. Lauderdale Intnl Boat Show october 30 - november 3, 2008 St. Petersburg Boat Show December 4 - 7, 2008 Strictly Sail Chicago January 29 - February 1, 2009 Strictly Sail Miami February 12 - 16, 2009
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The Moorings $15 Million Tortola Expansion
In addition, new ocean front hotel rooms offer luxury accommodations overlooking the harbor and a majority of the existing rooms have undergone a major refit. If you have elected an Evening Start or want to freshen up prior to departing you will find a new modern club-style shower facility with private dressing area. A special feature of the new Moorings Village is Charlie’s Bar and Restaurant built over the water and overlooking the harbor where you will enjoy the coldest cocktails and a casual menu. You will still find our existing pool, full service restaurant and dockside market available for your convenience and enjoyment. We look forward to seeing you in Tortola and are excited to host you in our new Moorings Village! Be sure to review our 40th Anniversary Special and see how we are making it as irresistible as possible to make your upcoming sailing vacation a reality. Custom EmbroidEry Now AvAilAblE
Captain’s Rewards Program
Charter with The Moorings just once and you’ll automatically become a member of our Captain’s Rewards Program. You’ll receive a Moorings Captain’s Card which provides you with valuable rewards for sailing with The Moorings including a 5% discount off the price of your yacht each time you book and sail with us as the head charterer. Plus, based on availability, you’re eligible to receive special yacht upgrades at no additional cost. You’ll also enjoy exclusive benefits and discounts from our partners. Visit www.moorings.com for complete program details and terms, and to view a full list of our partners.
Give a gift certificate towards a Moorings charter at one of over 28 exotic destinations. Call 888-939-2248 for details.
Certificates
Gift
As we kick off our 40th anniversary year we are proud to open our new multi-million dollar facilities at our flagship base in Road Town, Tortola in The British Virgin Islands. It is quite fitting that the new Moorings Village is opening as we begin our celebration of The Moorings founding in 1969 by Charlie and Ginny Cary in the British Virgin Islands. They set out with a vision of providing sailors from around the world with an opportunity to explore exotic cruising grounds with the comfort and confidence of sailing yachts from the best yacht builders in the industry. They combined this drive for innovation with a passion for ensuring that every customer could trust The Moorings to provide the utmost in comfort and customer service. In short the dream was to provide “The Best Sailing Vacations in The World!” and that remains our commitment throughout our 28 bases and vacation planning offices worldwide. The new Moorings Village in Road Town, Tortola is an example of this commitment. When you arrive at the new base you’ll be greeted under our covered porte cochere where our staff will take your bags and deliver them directly to your yacht.
Upon entering our spacious reception area you will be welcomed with a cool island drink and treated to a panoramic view of The Sir Francis Drake Channel and the new inner harbor where your yacht will be docked. The reception area opens onto a landscaped plaza offering island pastries, ice cream and gourmet coffee. A full service spa is available for your comfort offering the latest in relaxing treatments. If you need to make contact back home we offer a business center and free WI-FI internet access. cont. on back page
40th Anniversary SAVE up to 25% OFF*
Sail from our bases in Tortola, St. Martin, St. Lucia, Canouan, Belize and the Bahamas and save up to 20% off your next bareboat charter. Save 20% when you charter the Moorings 403 and 4000 club line yachts or save 10% when you charter most of our other model yachts. Just sail anytime before December 15, 2008 or from January 6 and February 12, or July 1 and September 30, 2009. Just be sure to book before October 31, 2008.
New bareboat bookings only on 6-day minimum charter. Subject to availability. Combinable with Captain Rewards savings. Not valid on the Moorings 4600. Call for details.
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Find Cool Gifts & Gear at the Moorings Website
You’ll find a unique collection of gear & apparel made of modern materials that feel great, are UPF rated, lightweight and quick drying, perfect for activities on and off the water. Most items are tastefully embellished with The Moorings logo, so whether it’s for a souvenir or gear for your crew, enjoy shopping and we’ll see you on board! Go to www.moorings.com or call 1-888-924-2050.
Carol hansen Editor
The Moorings Fleet
catamarans in our fleet with refinements such as the option to access the raised helm station from the cockpit as well as the side deck. The 4600 features four air conditioned cabins Moorings 43.4 plus two forepeak berths, four heads complete with separate showers and electric toilets. The main saloon includes a flat screen TV/DVD player, CD/Radio with AUX inputs for an MP3 player, blender and a cocktail sliding window for convenient serving access to the cockpit. The Beneteau 51.5 continues as the leader in the monohull family offering four cabins with en-suite heads, spacious saloon, cockpit with dual helms and an electric winch for the main halyard. All of this with the comfort of a generator and air conditioning on most models in the Caribbean. Our selection of monohulls continues to expand with a range of new yachts from the Beneteau Oceanis line of luxury yachts such as the Moorings 37.2, 41.3, 43.3 and 43.4. All of these yachts provide numerous comforts such as shore powered air-conditioning, flat screen TV/DVD, color chart plotters, wind instruments, autopilot and CD/Radio players with AUX inputs for MP3 players. The 37.2 is an ideal 2 cabin monohull with comfortable aft cabin and spacious v-berth. The Moorings Beneteau 40, operated as The Moorings 41.3 in our charter fleets, won “Best Midsize Cruiser” in Cruising World Magazine’s 2008 Boat of the Year Contest. For a midsize yacht it has many features of a much larger yacht with dual helm stations, comfortable seating for 6 – 8, separate navigation station and separate enclosed shower in the aft head. The new Moorings 43.3 and 43.4 provide the option of a three or four cabin yacht with the luxury of the Beneteau Oceanis range. The four cabin, two head version accommodates up to 10 people and the three cabin version provides for up to 8 people with shore powered air-conditioning. The 43.4 is available in Croatia, Turkey, The French Riviera & Corsica and British Virgin Islands. The 43.3 is available in La Paz, Mexico and St. Martin. Visit www.moorings.com to view more pictures of our world class yachts and to arrange your sailing vacation. Moorings 43.4
Sailing Vacations 1-888-939-2248 • Yacht Ownership 1-800-521-1126
Caribbean • bahamas • mexiCo • north ameriCa mediterranean • south PaCifiC • indian oCean PO Box 9064, Clearwater, FL 33758-9064 www.moorings.com • E-mail: yacht@mooringsnet.com • Fax: 1-727-530-9747
Presorted Standard U.S. Postage Tampa, FL Permit No. 708
PAID
P.O. Box 9064 Clearwater, FL 33758-9064
The Moorings is continually upgrading our fleet with the latest innovations in cooperation with world-class yacht builders such as Beneteau and Robertson & Caine. In the coming season we will be purchasing over $40 million in new yachts to insure you have the most comfortable and newest yachts of any charter company. The Moorings is proud to offer the most choice in catamarans of any company in the world from our award winning 40 ft Moorings 4000 to the innovative Moorings 4600. The 4600 continues to receive positive reviews from the sailing press and customers around the world. You will find new 4600
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SAMPLE DAILY MENU
BREAKFAST Waffles with Fresh Fruit & Cre am Tropical Fruit Platter Cereal & Fruit Juice Selection LUNCH Grilled Tuna Kebabs with Pap aya Salsa Scallop & Crab Cakes with Spin ach Salad HORS D’OEUVRES Wild Mushroom Bruschetta with Brie Coconut Shrimp with Orange Marmalade Dipping Sauce
Private Luxury Yachts with Professional Captain and Chef at Your Service
Excerpt from Cruising World Magazine, story and photos by Adam Oyebanji
A Great Lakes sailor meets the Caribbean, and it’s all good—very good.
If you’re an experienced bluewater sailor, I suspect that you view chartering a boat as a fairly ho-hum activity. But if you’re new to the experience, it’s all a bit intimidating, with little standardization among various companies. After dealing with some companies’ inconsistencies, the transparency of The Moorings process was a great relief. The staff talked me through the choice of vessel, provisioning, possible itineraries, and the sheer logistics of getting from Middle America to the middle of the tropics. They also assured me that the B.V.I. was a great place to start chartering. Yes, there are tides, but only about a foot, currents are seldom a problem, and coral reefs are only an issue if you don’t pay attention to the charts. I tried desperately to remember all this as the wheels hit the runway, but without a Moorings representative in the seat beside me, it was all rather difficult. It was a pleasure to finally reach our charter vessel, a 39-foot Beneteau/Moorings 403 named Adjourned, and to meet up with good friends Cori and Steve, who’d flown in from Colorado. The following morning was taken up with briefings, one for the boat and a captain’s briefing about the cruising grounds. Both briefings were relaxed but informative. It was clear and concise, and because it was clear and concise, it was useful. Even with a good boat and a good briefing, pulling out from the dock for the first time was cause for a few butterflies. Adjourned’s 41-foot deck loomed so large in my mind’s eye that I might as well have been taking out an aircraft carrier. But she responded in an entirely predictable way, and we were soon heading toward the Drake Channel. Sheltered as we were, the seas were calmer than they would’ve been on Lake Michigan, and Adjourned shouldered her broad way through the water at a delightful seven knots en route to Norman Island. After a two-hour trip, Adjourned pulled into Benures Bay, which is quiet and sheltered from the prevailing trade winds, and, with its muddy bottom, a perfect place to anchor if you’ve never done it before and you don’t want too many witnesses. Unlike most things in my sailing life, the anchoring process was straightforward. The flukes bit the first time, and we were on the hook. The evening that followed was, for me, the highlight of the trip. It was quieter than even the most rural marina, and we floated in the starlight and chatted randomly until, one by one, we fell asleep. Chicago this was not. Of course, random chatter has consequences. As Steve and I discussed the claim that our present location had served as inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, Alex demanded to know where the treasure was buried, “treasure” being the only word that she actually heard. So Steve and I forged a map, sneaked ashore the following morning, and buried some. Suspecting that my daughter’s enthusiasm for buried treasure was probably infinite, we made sure to include in the highly authentic Tupperware treasure chest a map leading to treasure at our next destination. This allowed us to leave Norman in a timely fashion and led to finds of pirate booty all over the B.V.I. We headed next for Cooper Island. As the weather forecast was benign, we left the shelter of the channel and chose to sail out into the Caribbean. Overly cautious, we started the day with a reef in, but once it became apparent that the long rollers were in no mood to gobble up some freshwater sailors, we shook it out and picked up a mooring at Manchioneel Bay before indulging in the novelty of making dinner reservations via VHF. By the third day, we were all feeling more at home. People puttered about the boat as if they’d always done so. Alex chatted endlessly and helped steer. We motorsailed up to Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbor, then dinghied down to The Baths, where we spent a fabulous afternoon snorkeling among the spectacular boulders and reef fish. In addition to The Baths, Virgin Gorda was also the place where we had the best meal of the trip by far, at the Flying Iguana in Spanish Town. Our jovial host told us what we were going to eat, and we enjoyed every last morsel. The next morning, we sailed up the west coast of Virgin Gorda (past Great Dog Island and Cockroach Island—no one suggested a detour) and entered North Sound. Eschewing
Treasures
the armada of vessels moored off Saba Rock, we headed for the solitude of Robins Bay and dropped anchor. My luck continued, and we succeeded again at the first attempt. The next day, we sailed south and east to Tortola’s Trellis Bay and said farewell to Cori and Steve. Trellis Bay is within walking distance of Tortola’s airport. Walking from the beach to a plane is, quite simply, surreal. The remainder of Adjourned’s crew spent the last full day of our charter at Jost Van Dyke. We considered the legendary Foxy’s, but it sounded a bit racy for a 4-year-old. We settled instead for Foxy’s Taboo, on Diamond Cay, and a visit to the Bubbly Pool, a grotto-like location where the sea races in and out through the rocks to create a natural whirlpool bath. Alex—and the grown-ups—had to be dragged away. The price of visiting Jost Van Dyke was a long haul on the final day back to Road Town. Beating up Drake Channel, we were confronted with a sight that would’ve filled me with dread earlier: a dark line of squalls marching down to meet us. Now, however, we calmly reefed down and passed through without incident. Delighted with this modest display of seamanship, I felt like a real sailor—a feeling that persisted for all of two hours. Returning to Road Town, I forgot to snug the dinghy up to the transom. More people than I had seen all week were on hand to watch me reverse over the painter and cut the dinghy loose in the harbor. When it comes to sailing, I am, and always will be, an idiot. But I had fun. Adam Oyebanji is a U.S. attorney, English barrister, and neophyte sailor. He can usually be found somewhere on Lake Michigan on Eagle Ray, a Hunter 36.
First-Time
ENTREE Blackened Mahi Mahi with Roa sted Vegetables & Spicy Potato Cakes Duck Breast on a Nest of Pear & Parsnip Puree with Baked Tomatoes & Bro ccoli Gratin DESSERT Cinnamon Poached Pears & Mascarpone Cream Mango Sorbet with Raspberry Puree BEVERAGES Wine • Full Bar • Tea and Cof fee
Choose From 13 Exotic Destinations
Crewed Yacht Vacations with professional captain and chef at your service are available in the British Virgin Islands, Bahamas, Belize, Grenadines, St. Lucia, St. Martin, Mexico, Seychelles, Tahiti, Tonga, Thailand, Greece and Italy. What’s Included: • Professional captain & chef • Private stateroom accommodations with air-conditioning • All meals, hors d’oeuvres, snacks and beverages • Open bar service • Daily cabin service • Kayak, fishing gear, snorkel gear • Inflatable dinghy with outboard • Sailboard available upon request PrePare Yourself for oceans of fun Imagine having nothing to worry about all day except how many adventures and delights you’ll experience before sundown! Our yachts are equipped with all the gear you need for snorkeling, kayaking, fishing, kneeboarding, windsurfing and more. All this and that’s just a prelude to the adventures awaiting you on the pristine islands dotting your course. tWo Great WaYs to Go Private Yacht - Full yacht rental with accommodations for 6-10 guests. Stateroom Vacations - Reserve a cabin for this all-inclusive vacation.
Crewed Yacht Vacations
from for
Even in the sunniest of places, it’s possible to find small pockets of darkness. In my case, I was staring morosely out of an aircraft at the impossible green and blue of the Puerto Rican coast. Everyone else was happy: My wife, Barbara, our daughter, Alex, and our good friend Connie were all bouncing in their seats. After all, what wasn’t there to be excited about? Armed with a freshly minted bareboat-charter certificate, I’d rashly promised them a sailing holiday in the British Virgin Islands. Seven days in paradise. It had seemed like a good idea at the time. I had the certificate, so why not? And the B.V.I. seemed like an ideal place to start. Nice and warm, steady winds, line-of-sight navigation, short sailing distances, and, most important of all, sheltered waters. Protected from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea by the islands themselves, the Sir Francis Drake Channel allows the novice charterer to enjoy the best that the trade winds have to offer without the heavier seas that can accompany them. When it comes to sailing, I’m not a brave man: Sheltered water is good. But now, as we headed toward the airport in San Juan, I wasn’t so sure. Sheltered or not, we were talking about the ocean here, home of the Titanic, not to mention tides, currents, and coral reefs, none of which you can readily find in my home waters of Lake Michigan. Up until now, when I felt my confidence draining away like this, a call or an e-mail exchange with someone from The Moorings usually would be enough to put me right. I like The Moorings. Nice people. I don’t know what The Moorings mission statement is—although, as a corporation, I’m sure it has one—but based on their excellent handling of me, I imagine that it’s something like “Even though you’re an idiot, we’ll get you through this in one piece, and you’ll have fun.”
Based on 6 people on a 554, non-peak season. Restrictions apply. Call for details.
6 nIGhts all-InclusIve!
$1,315
Per Person
Visit www.mooringssignature.com or call 1-888-939-2248
neW destInatIons! ItalY & thaIland
BVi CalenDaR oF eVents
A Year-Round Sailing Sensation
O C T O B e R
october 25 - november 1 17th Annual women on the water week Bitter End Yacht Club’s 17th annual week for women combines exceptional hands-on instruction with superb shoreside activities for a one-of-a-kind experience. For more information, please visit our website: www.beyc.com. october 24 - october 26 11th Annual Foxy’s Annual Cat Fight Daytime catamaran race and Halloween Masquerade Ball that evening. West End Yacht Club. Visit www.weyc.com or 284-495-4559. november 27 Foxy’s thanksgiving Feast A Caribbean spin on a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. A wish-bone is broken, bands play on the beach. Foxy’s is the place to give thanks! For additional information, visit www.foxysbar.com.
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March 10 bomba’s Full moon Party Bomba Shack March 10 Fireball Full moon Party Aragorn’s Studio, Trellis Bay, BVIA March 30 – April 5 2009 bvi spring regatta & sailing Festival A four day festival with 3 days of racing, there’s something for everyone who attends. Whether you race, cruise, practice or just come to party! Visit www.moorings.com to book your yacht. Nanny Cay Marina, Tortola www.bvispringregatta.org
D e C e M B e R
december 12 bomba’s Full moon Party Bomba Shack december 12 Fireball Full moon Party Aragorn’s Studio, Trellis Bay, BVI december 31 Foxy’s New year’s Eve Celebration Foxy’s Tamarind Bar Jost Van Dyke is known as one of the top three places in the world to be at for New Year’s Eve. Plenty of food and lots of entertainment. www.foxysbar.com
January 10 bomba’s Full moon Party Bomba Shack January 10 Fireball Full moon Party Aragorn’s Studio, Trellis Bay, BVI
N O V e M B e R
november 13 bomba’s Full moon Party Bomba Shack november 13 Fireball Full moon Party Aragorn’s Studio, Trellis Bay, BVI
February 9 bomba’s Full moon Party Bomba Shack February 9 Fireball Full moon Party Aragorn’s Studio, Trellis Bay, BVI
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Big Dreams
shApinG
In 1999, Tim and Stephany were planning their wedding. The options seemed limitless, but in the end they booked a seven-day crewed charter with The Moorings, in the BVI, for themselves and their two best friends. They chose a Signature 4500 catamaran, which promised luxury and a stable sailing platform. They set sail from Tortola on a Saturday in May 2000, and by Wednesday, they were moored off the Bitter End Yacht Club on Virgin Gorda, where they held the wedding ceremony. “It was absolutely gorgeous, intimate and beautiful,” Stephany said. “The BVI is like the Disney World of sailing.” The captain and crew showed the Mauers the best of the BVI, and pampered them all the way. The crew also let them sail the boat and answered their questions, giving them pointers on what it takes to sail efficiently and safely. The adventure planted a seed, which sprouted in May 2005. In celebration of their fifth wedding anniversary, Tim and Stephany booked another crewed charter with The Moorings in the BVI. Friends accompanied them on a Signature 4500. “As we were sailing, we thought, ‘How wonderful it would be to do this on our own,’” Stephany said. A woman of action, Stephany researched sailing schools as soon as she got home. She chose the Offshore Sailing School because it offered US SAILING-certified courses, and because one of its schools was at The Moorings base in Tortola. She and Tim enrolled in a seven-day Live Aboard Cruising Course scheduled for December 2005, and she booked an additional nine-day bareboat charter to follow immediately after they finished the class. “There was a bit of pressure on us to pass,” Stephany said with a laugh. “We had a nine-day charter on the line.” Offshore Sailing uses boats from The Moorings. In Tim and Stephany’s case, they spent the week with their instructor on a Moorings 403. The study was intensive, covering a wide variety of subjects from basic piloting and seamanship to maintenance and cooking. “We learned so much,”
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Fair Winds
One couple’s unexpected voyage into bareboat chartering.
in Paradise
make the waters from St. Lucia south among the premier cruising grounds of the eastern Caribbean’s Windward Islands. Oriented along a north-south line, the Windwards separate the Caribbean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean. The Grenadines are part of the Windwards and consist of a chain of more than 100 islands, islets, and cays extending about 60 miles south from St. Vincent to Grenada. Cruisers from North American ports thrash east against the trade winds along the Thorny Path, hence the prickly name, to reach the Windwards and especially the Grenadines, where making the miles gives way to lingering. For the Ehrensbergers, there was no Thorny Path, just a flight to St. Lucia, a taxi ride to Marigot Bay, and then off on a new adventure. Their inaugural sail was a jaunt of a couple hours south to the anchorage off Petit Piton and Gros Piton, ancient volcanic cones. Gros Piton juts more than 2,000 feet skyward from the water’s edge. Anchoring there was Andy and Ernesto’s first taste of paradise. In the coming days, Nita romped south, always on a fast reach in winds of 20 to 25 knots. On St. Vincent, Andy hiked to the famous Falls of Baleine, a 60-foot cascade of cool water in the rain forest; Ernesto stayed aboard the boat, preferring relaxation in the cockpit. On Bequia, just south of St. Vincent, the Ehrensbergers explored Port Elizabeth on the waterfront of Admiralty Bay, the island’s main harbor, searching for delicacies in the local markets. The Moorings staff had provisioned the boat for three days, as Andy had requested, but he wanted to experience the food and culture of the islands firsthand; Bequia delivered. “Our plan was to buy food in the local markets,” Andy said, adding that it was a great way
fAther And son find enchAntment in the GrenAdines
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by David Shaw
The sloop Nita, a 40-foot Moorings 403, cruised briskly south from St. Lucia on a beam reach, warm easterly trade winds filling the sails that shone white against an azure sky. Puffy fair weather cumulus clouds seemed to hang like puffy balls of cotton against the blue backdrop. Off the bow, the semi-dormant volcano Mount Soufrière soared 4,048 feet above the lush rain forest cloaking St. Vincent. At Nita’s helm was Andy Ehrensberger, a 27-year-old doctoral student on spring break from Stanford University, near San Francisco, California. Andy and his father, Ernesto, who had flown to St. Lucia from Mexico City, Mexico, for the seven-day charter, were relative newcomers to the Caribbean. Ten years earlier the family had booked a bareboat charter with The Moorings in BVI, opting for a captain and cook as part of the package because of a lack of sailing experience. Andy never forgot what it was like to sail a big boat, but it wasn’t until 2007, when a friend took him gunkholing on San Francisco Bay, that the cruising bug bit hard. He bought a 32-foot sloop, and, like many sailors, he dreamed of the Caribbean. Last April, Andy’s dreams came true in the waters stretching 80 nautical miles south of St. Lucia. Unspoiled beaches, pristine reefs, abundant wildlife, secluded anchorages, and welcoming locals
Tim and Stephany Mauer love their home in Chicago, Illinois, but when the cold winter winds blow off Lake Michigan, the warm trade winds of the Caribbean beckon. Last December the Mauers escaped to the British Virgin Islands, chartering a Moorings 473 out of The Moorings base in Road Town, Tortola, to explore the islands, snorkel, and sail in one of their favorite places on the planet. Tim, 45, and Stephany, 38, are competent and confident sailors. Handling a 47-footer came easily. As they sailed, deciding on where to stop, The Bight at Norman Island, North Sound at Virgin Gorda, Manchoneel Bay at Cooper Island, the choices were many, they dreamed of cruising around the world one day. Such a notion never would have occurred to the Mauers eight years ago, when neither of them knew a thing about sailing, except that they liked sailboats. Their evolution as sailors took time, and it had a magical beginning.
Stephany said, “and every day we felt more confident about sailing a boat by ourselves.” The Mauers successfully completed the course. And off they went, bareboating a Moorings 403. Sailing in the BVI is mostly in sheltered water and the harbors are protected and easy to enter, making it ideal for new cruisers. While Stephany said they were both nervous on the first day, their anxiety quickly faded as the experience of sailing in paradise on their own took hold. “It’s hard to describe the feeling when you board the boat and sail away,” Stephany said. “It’s like your moving castle on the water. The freedom you feel is amazing.” The Mauers returned to the BVI for another charter in April 2006, again on a Moorings 403. The following year, in May 2007, wanting to try their hand at sailing a bigger boat, they booked a BVI charter on a Moorings 443, a 44-footer. Every time they chartered, they came home wanting to do more sailing. The Mauers have considered buying their own boat, and they plan to in the future. However, chartering is presently the best option because they can sail when they have time and they don’t have to deal with maintaining a boat. Tim and Stephany plan to charter in the Caribbean again this spring. “We may try a different Moorings base this time. There’s a whole world out there we want to see,” Stephany said, adding that their next charter boat will be “a big cat!” Visit www.moorings.com for more information on bareboat and crewed charters.
to meet local people as he and his father went from shop to shop, ending up with assorted fruits, vegetables, and some pasta. In Canouan, they anchored in Charlestown Bay, home of The Moorings base there, and enjoyed the sunset and balmy breezes. A quick four-mile sail south took them to the prime snorkeling on the horseshoe-shaped reef at Tobago Cays. Often called a “jewel” of the Grenadines, Tobago Cays is a protected area where sea turtles swim amid rainbows of reef fish. The visit to Tobago Cays marked the end of Andy and Ernesto’s southward journey. They set a course north, ending up at The Moorings base in Marigot Bay, but there was more to see on the way back and many more experiences to share together that would remain as fond memories for years to come. For more details on chartering from St. Lucia or Canouan, check out our web site at www.moorings.com or call 1-888-939-2248.
REGAttA nEWS
you race, cruise, practice or just come to party, we have it all! The weeklong BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival takes you throughout the beautiful British Virgin Islands. Starting at Nanny Cay the Sailing Festival races up the Sir Frances Drake Channel to the renown Bitter End Yacht Club. After the warm up the BVI Spring Regatta kicks off three days of some of the best racing in the Caribbean. Only the best survive to take home the Gold and the Glory, along with great stories and experiences that keeps sailors coming back year after year. You can participate in the entire seven day BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival, just the four-day Festival, or the three-day Regatta. It’s an exciting format that allows participants to experience locations throughout the British Virgin Islands. Call 1-888-939-2248 for more information or to reserve your yacht for 2009! setting, welcome to the Tahiti Pearl Regatta. It combines sailing and dugout canoe regattas, and allows you to meet like-minded sailors as well as explore an amazing island paradise. Contact The Moorings today at 1-888-939-2248 for more information or to book your yacht for the Tahiti Pearl Regatta 2009.
highland Spring hIhO 2009
June 29-July 6, 2009 Tortola, BVI
Spend a week exploring the BVI’s as you windsurf and sail through the Caribbean’s most beautiful islands. The annual Highland Spring HIHO combines great windsurfing with a yacht flotilla. Participants will call a captained Moorings yacht home for the week as they wind their way through the islands. Each day there is great windsurfing racing along with other activities. Each night a great party is highlighted with live music and entertainment. Come solo or with a group. You will meet windsurfers & sailors from all over the Caribbean and around the world. The 2008 edition of the event was outstanding and with participants reporting a fantastic time. Don’t miss out on the the 2009 events — the 25th anniversary!
t h e m o o r I n G s 40 t h a n n I v e r s a r Y P hoto
& v Ideo c ontest
29th St. Maarten heineken Regatta
March 5-8, 2009 – St. Martin
The 29th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta is coming up! The organizing authority is the Sint Maarten Yacht Club, and preparations are in full swing. Bareboats are the largest and very competitive division. Last year 281 yachts from all over the world came to enjoy the clear skies and steady breezes; it’s yacht racing at its very best. Three days of offshore racing around the beautiful island of St. Maarten will provide you with the perfect balance of competitive sailing and good fun.
Share your best Moorings sailing vacation photos or videos and be entered to win a grand prize of a 7-day sailing charter in the British Virgin Islands, or a 7-day stateroom vacation for 2 on a Moorings crewed yacht. Second prize is 7-days of provisioning for 4 people and third prize is $500 credit towards your next Moorings yacht charter. Submit your entries by June 1, 2009. Visit www.moorings.com for detailed rules and information on how to submit.
As always Caribbean hospitality is turned on in the evenings, with plenty of beach parties, live Caribbean reggae and of course the continual flow of Heineken and rum punch. The mantra “Serious Fun” is taken seriously by the Regatta Organization on the race side of things as well as on the party side. For more information call 1-888-939-2248.
March 30-April 5, 2009 Tortola, BVI
The BVI Spring Regatta, sponsored by The Moorings, is the one Caribbean Regatta that has something for everyone who attends. Whether
BVI Spring Regatta
Tahiti Pearl Regatta
May 7-10, 2009 Raitaia, Tahiti
If you’re in need of an excuse for a Tahiti sailing escape, you’ve found it! Specialist or yachtsman, experienced or beginner, or just looking for festive evenings in an enchanting
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the new Moorings Power 372PC
debutInG at the annaPolIs PoWer boat shoW
october 16-19, 2008
The 372PC is our newest luxury power yacht ideal for couples and small families looking for a freestyle cruising experience. Developed in partnership with the world’s leading architects, this new yacht follows a heritage of successes and sets a new standard of efficiency, quality, good looks and ease of use. Inside, the increased headroom throughout the yacht, along with light cherry wood finishes and large panoramic windows create a bright and airy feel. Wrap-around shelving provides additional storage while the dining and settee area converts to an additional sleeping area for two. High ceilings, recessed lighting, and large windows create an airy, voluminous feel. Two spacious cabins each offer double bed berths with wrap-around shelving, ample hanging storage, and panoramic side windows. The forward en-suite lavatories with large stall showers in each hull are equipped with electric flushing toilets. On deck, the oversized fly-bridge and steering station area offers comfortable seating, dining and lounging areas for up to 6 guests to fully enjoy the best of their exotic surroundings, while the large cockpit and foredeck provides additional lounging and seating. The 372 PC is also equipped with an electric davit winch for easy stowage of the dinghy. The Moorings Power 372PC will be available for charter in Tortola and the Bahamas starting in 2009. Call 1-888-939-2248 to reserve your yacht today!
WORRY-FRee
Yacht Ownership
Ownership Details:
• Choose your sail or power yacht and where she will be based • Enjoy up to 12 weeks of owners use per year • Use your yacht or a sistership at many worldwide destinations • Receive a guaranteed monthly revenue every month from the Moorings • never pay maintenance or operating expenses
Charlie Cary, founder of The Moorings in 1969, launched the first yacht ownership program in 1971 in the British Virgin Islands. This was the foundation of The Moorings Yacht Ownership Program today. The community of Moorings yacht owners has experienced tremendous growth since its modest beginning almost 40 years ago and now boasts more than 700 current owners and over 3000 total through these last
four decades. Year after year, this number continues to grow as we satisfy more and more sailors looking for a way to own the yacht of their dreams without the traditional drawbacks. With The Moorings Ownership Program our promise is simple: experience all the pleasure of owning a luxury yacht without any of the work or expense. It’s the smart way to own.
Contact a yacht ownership representative at 1-800-521-1126 for more information.
POWeRBOaT ChaRTeR IN
Baja
New Yachts for 2009
Excerpt from Pacific Yachting, by Linda Aylsworth
The Moorings Ownership Program is offering 3 new models built by Beneteau: The brand new Moorings 37.2, the Moorings 43.3 and Moorings 43.4.
The Moorings 37.2 is an elegant and well thought-out design by Groupe Finot and Nauta Design. Not just for short range cruising, the Moorings 37.2 is capable of supporting long range requests. She features 2 cabins and 1 head, a roomy salon and L-shaped galley; all with plenty of storage, lighting, and ventilation. Electronics upgrades include TV/ DVD and dockside air-conditioning. The Moorings 43.3 and 43.4 were designed by Berret-Racoupeau and built for comfort and performance. Twin steering stations with navigation instruments nearby make for ease of handling. This model offers a roomy saloon to starboard, Moorings 37.2 and a practical galley to port with plenty of work space. Fully equipped with TV and DVD player plus shore power air-conditioning. Moorings Yacht Ownership is a safe, costeffective way to own the yacht of your dreams. Entertain clients, reward employees, or just treat yourself, friends and relatives to memorable vacations all year long. Contact a yacht ownership representative today for more information on all of our models, destinations and specials.
desert, abundant wildlife, crystal waters, secluded anchorages and a chance encounter with fame
cliffs that surround part of the bay have been dramatically sculpted and filigreed by wind and wave action. Clinging to them with a hold that even the most determined wave can’t loosen, are colorful and elusive Sally Lightfoot crabs. We even had our own pair of sea turtles in the bay. Each day when we set out for our next destination, we were confident we would see something remarkable. There were always dolphins eager to ride our bow and wake, and the humpback whales never failed to amaze us. But it was the great 80-foot-long fin whales—the second largest creatures on earth—we grew most fond of. They live in the Sea of Cortez year-round, and while they are described as the “greyhounds of the sea,” on this day we came across one that was taking its time. We cut our engines and watched for over an hour as it fed in slow, wide circles. I can think of few more peaceful moments in my life than this—these were the experiences we had hoped for. There was one sighting, however, we never could have expected. We were on the small, uninhabited Isla San Francisco. An impressive luxury yacht was anchored just outside the bay known as The Hook. While walking along the long crescent-shaped beach, we saw a substantial dinghy leave it and deposit two people on shore. You notice those things when you are the only people around. When we met up, the usual pleasantries were exchanged before carrying on our separate ways. But we felt that these were not strangers—that while we had never met them before, we knew them. Once again we met on the beach and chatted about the trails and the whales. It was John who finally asked, “Are you Bill and Melinda Gates?” The answer was yes. One of the wealthiest couples in the world needed to unwind for a week. They could have gone anywhere in the world but they chose the Sea of Cortez. As if there had been any doubt, we most certainly chose our vacation destination well. Moorings 43.4
Wildlife Wonders
Moorings Yacht Brokerage Great Value on Pre-owned Moorings Yachts
The following exceptionally well maintained yachts are available with asking prices starting as listed below.
POWER PLAY
It’s the youngest sea on the planet. Born 5 million years ago when the earth’s plates shifted—separating what is now the Baja peninsula from mainland Mexico. Today, the Sea of Cortez, also known as the Gulf of California, is as geographically stunning as it is ecologically diverse. The 1,400-kilometre strip of subtropical water is home to 39 percent of the world’s marine mammal species. So when we heard that The Moorings had added powerboats to their fleet in La Paz, we jumped at the chance to explore. My husband John and I, with two dear friends, David and Anne, arrived a couple of days early to enjoy the amenities at the Costa Baja Resort and Marina. On the day we were handed the keys to our impressive 474 Powercat we were both excited and intimidated at the thought of being entrusted with such a large new
boat. Forty-seven feet of length was one thing, but a 24’ beam was quite another. And yet it didn’t take any time at all to become comfortable navigating our floating estate (complete with four state rooms, each with its own head) through this amazing sea and its gorgeous islands. The boat handled beautifully and— accustomed to twin engines on our own boat— we found it was a breeze to drive. Once we left the marina, we were on our own. We were told there was only one place to fuel up and get extra supplies. Fortunately, we needed neither. The boat was provisioned with everything we needed. Like most of the anchorages, Ensenada Grande is full of wonders to investigate. John and David preferred doing so in the 5-horsepower inflatable dinghy. But Anne and I chose kayaks. The steep rose-colored
Chance Encounter
Call now to request your new 2009 Moorings Power Brochure.
Monohulls
jeanneau Sun Odyssey 54DS....From $355,000 Dufour Gib’Sea 51........................From $200,000 Beneteau 50 .................................From $195,000 Beneteau Cyclades 50 ...............From $275,000 jeanneau Sun Odyssey 49.........From $220,000 Beneteau Oceanis 473................From $180,000 jeanneau Sun Odyssey 45.2.....From $160,000 Beneteau Cyclades 43 ...............From $170,000 Dufour Gibsea 43 .......................From $115,000 jeanneau Sun Odyssey 43DS....From $135,000 Beneteau Oceanis 413.................From $105,000 Beneteau Oceanis 391.................From $105,000 Beneteau Oceanis 361.................From $75,000 jeanneau Sun Odyssey 35.........From $75,000
CataMaRans
Leopard 62 ..................................From $1,490,000 Privilege 65 ..................................From $1,200,000 Fountain Pajot Marquise 56.....From $545,000 Leopard 47 ..................................From $315,000 Leopard 45 ..................................From $280,000 Leopard 42 ..................................From $315,000 Lagoon 410 ..................................From $330,000 Leopard 40...................................From $290,000 Lagoon 380..................................From $220,000 Leopard 38 ..................................From $175,000
MotoR yaChts
Fairline Squadron 78................. $3,550,000 Lion 46 Powercat........................From $300,000 Fountaine Pajot Maryland 37 Powercat .............From $229,000 Carver 360 Sport Sedan............From $185,000 PDQ 34 Powercat ......................From $230,000
the Moorings introduces its latest powercat for ownership; the Moorings 372 PC.
The Moorings 372PC is ideal for a freestyle cruising experience. Working closely with world leading architects, this new 37 foot yacht utilizes the latest building technology to achieve a light strong structure. Powered by 2 x 110HP Yanmar diesel engines, she boasts better than average efficiencies and great performance. Large usable deck spaces and a climate controlled interior with indoor and outdoor dining areas, and 2 double cabins with 2 en-suite toilets and showers offer comfortable accommodations for owners to fully enjoy the best of their yacht ownership experience. Own a Moorings 372 PC in the Bahamas or the British Virgin Islands. Looking for something bigger? We also have the 47’ Moorings 474 PC available. Contact a Power Ownership representative today at 1-800-416-1077.
these new powercats are also available for private ownership as Leopard Catamarans. www.leopardcatamarans.com
Under Way
Ensenada Grande
1-800-416-0224
Call Moorings Brokerage at 1-800-850-4081 or visit www.mooringsbrokerage.com.