The Bahamas are a great escape if one wants a week of peace and tranquil. Just off the coast of Florida, the Bahamas and the Abacos beckon people with their crystal blue waters even as people fly over them in their flights. They are not as crowded as the Caribbean islands and other prominent sailing destinations and hence are favorites with peace lovers.

Sailing vacations in the Bahamas are mainly conducted on yachts. Both small and big yachts ply the coasts of Bahamas carrying people in groups of all sizes. Families hire small boats – either bareboats or skippered boats. Even catamarans can be seen in Bahamian waters; however yachts outnumber all other modes of sailing vehicles. Yachts are usually chartered by people along with food and drink, as also locations to stay overnight.

Daytimes are spent exploring the various cays in the Bahamian waters. Most of these cays are inaccessible by huge catamarans. People also go snorkeling in the Bahamian waters. Scuba diving and other water sports such as surfing are also popular. The greatest appeal of the Bahamas lies in the clear azure waters that envelop the entire island. Even beachcombing is a wonderful pastime on the pristine beaches of the Bahamas.

Meals include various varieties of seafood such as prawns, lobsters, crabs and conches. Popular stops in the Bahamas are the Green Turtle Cay, Great Guana Cay, Man-o’-War Cay, Tahiti Beach and Hope Town. The candy-striped lighthouse is a tourist attraction at Hope Town.

The Bahamas are also popular for their regattas. Regattas are boat-races that may be competitive or non-competitive. Local instructors take visitors on guided regattas for a small fee. Regattas are also coupled with parties, barbecues and social events. They are a great way to making friends on vacation.

The Bahamas are like tropical islands. They are perennial sailing destinations, i.e. they can be visited throughout the year. Winters are a bit colder with winds tending to be faster. Yet, the climate is welcoming enough all year round.

Purchasing one of Sunreef’s floating palaces might make the owner weary with the thoughts of not getting enough use out of it. Many future boat owners don’t know how much time their boat could sit at idle. A recent survey showed that the average boat owner spends about 45 days per year on his/her yacht. For the rest of the time that yacht sits at a marina, when it could be making them money. If you take the cost of the yacht, its upkeep, and divide by the days used? It becomes costly indeed!

Add to this the effort of keeping the catamaran clean and well maintained for the season and you can see it takes a big commitment to own a cat, especially, one of Sunreef’s million dollar yachts.

If you have purchased a Sunreef through us or another company there are ways of reducing the work and cost of owning a yacht. A great way to do this is to put your Sunreef Yacht into our charter fleet. While not is use your new yacht could be paying back for itself and even better yet, earning you money. You will have the privilege of always having your yacht is sailing shape in a convenient Caribbean location.

When you own a charter yacht you can sail any time you like. Your yacht is always in perfect condition, clean, technically perfect. You won’t have to worry about getting your yacht ready when it comes time for you use it. It will be always ready to sail where the sun is shining and the wind is blowing.

With more leisure time and expendable income, demand for charter mega yachts is strong and rising. Our strategic location down in the beautiful British Virgin Islands gives us an advantage in the growing charter market. The Caribbean is the area in which the most charter revenue is earned. Within the Caribbean the British Virgin Islands is renown for the amount of sailing vacations they have. Interested? Become a partner in this exiting venture.

For additional information, please visit www.catamarans.com

There is no better way to experience a tropical adventure than with Bahamas island yacht charters. Take a step into the past as the captain navigates through the deep blue waters of the Bahamas using a method of travel thousands of years old. In fact, Christopher Columbus first landed in the Bahamas after crossing the ocean in a vessel only slightly larger than some of the luxurious charter boats. Of course, there is no comparison between the conditions endured by Columbus and vacation involving Nassau Bahama luxury yacht charters.

If you are an expert sailor or just a beginner, the friendly captain will cater the journey to your preference. For example, the level of activity and adventure. Your voyage does not have to be a typical cruise that might be found on a commercial cruise liner. The Islands in the Bahamas are rarely more than two hours apart. Provided the wind is strong, the entire vacation could be spent island hopping each day, trying to take in as much as possible. Planning the route ahead of time allows for the best experience and guarantees little downtime and a lot of excitement. For example, if the planned sailing route crosses the gulf-stream, the high winds could cause the captain to shout, “All hands on deck!”. Docking at the various ports throughout the Bahamas is also based on adventure level. Some ports offer high adventure hiking, mountain biking excursions and rock climbing, while others allow serenity and relaxation on calm sandy beaches. Other ports provide opportunities to snorkel, shop or tour historic ruins. One of the great things about chartering a yacht is the freedom to tailor the vacation to personal interests. Each stop along the journey can be completely unique and no two journeys are identical. The only constant is the inescapable breath-taking scenery that creates life long memories.

Additionally, if the party is interested in sailing or already has some experience, many private captains will give lessons or allow seasoned sailors to take the helm. What better way to learn sailing then in the beautiful warm waters of the Bahamas. Also, for young children, this is the perfect pirate ship adventure of their dreams. They can don a captain’s hat and eye patch and play pirate to their hearts content. This vacation destination truly has something for everyone and every age group.

If food is a large part of a successful vacation, it is possible to plan the route to sample the local cuisine on a different island each day. The Bahamas excel in the preparation and delivery of fine drinks and award winning seafood. Alternatively, there is also the possibility to eat right inside one of the larger chartered yachts while sailing between islands. With this option, it is possible to maximize the time you spend sightseeing or adventure seeking when docked. For anyone seeking a vacation that truly provides a one of a kind experience and that will create an indelible mark on your memory, nothing else compares with Bahamas island yacht charters.

Canada is situated in North America, just north of the United States. However, it’s not a landlocked area. As a matter of fact, it’s bound by Pacific Ocean in the west and the Atlantic Ocean in the east. There are also a lot of beautiful islands that make up the country. That’s why many people want to go to sailing in Canada during vacations and breaks.

There are a lot of places where you can go sailing in Canada. You can start at the British Columbia. There are more than 75 marine parks scattered all over this area. They are well preserved in compliance with the environmental laws of this country. This Canadian province is also situated near the Pacific Coast. The best time to go sailing will be in the summer, when the weather is dry and warm. There are also several bays and inlets such as Black Lake, which could be a good place for kayaking.

The Gulf Islands North of the Strait of Georgia is also an great venue to visit during your holiday vacation. There are simply countless places to explore. These can include the Wallace and Prevost Islands. You may also want to enjoy the flora and fauna of various marine parks, like Pirates’ Cove and the Sidney Spit. These locations aren’t only interesting for couples but for families as well. You can set up camp or go fishing besides enjoying some sailing in Canada. Then you can all visit the main village in Saltspring Island, Ganges. Moreover, if you want to most perfect view of Gulf Island, don’t forget to proceed to Mount Norman, found in the island of South Pendar.

Vancouver Island consists of different mountain fjords and inlets. One of the largest is called the Alberni Inlet, which runs through the entire island. You can also find Port Alberni there, where you can charter a yacht. In the eastern side, you can find the Saanich Inlet.

Despite its name, Desolation Sound is a perfect getaway among tourists who go sailing in Canada. It’s gifted with so much natural resources, ranging from huge mountains, crystal seas, and beautiful fjords. There are also lots of beautiful anchorages. A good example is the Grace Harbor located in Gifford Peninsula. The place has also very nice camping spots and hiking trails. For kayakers, you can choose between Isabel Bay and Galley Bay.

During recent years the concept of larger catamarans has become heavily focused on, not only in Europe but in the U.S. as well. Their popularity for sailing vacations has dramatically increased, especially in the Caribbean. They are built in a range of sizes and designs and where by use of modern materials and building methods it has been further developed.
The stability of a catamaran is a blessing for those with a genuine interest in sailing but have yet to develop their sea legs.

Large catamarans are incredibly safe, probably the safest type of vessel afloat. This is due to hull stability which increases much more rapidly with size than does the power of the wind to overturn the boat.

The fact that multihulls don’t heel as much when sailing allows better use of both leeward and windward sides, increasing the capacity of comfortable cruising with more people on board – as shown by the many large catamarans used for day-excursions and the crewed charter industry in general.

More Speed and Less Heeling

As wind and boat speed increase, wave resistance becomes of increasing importance. Wave resistance is proportionally made lower by additional hull length and even greater by additional cross-sectional hull area on the water line. In sum, the larger the catamaran (48ft. plus), the more wind pressure is required for a wave-induced capsize. Larger catamarans are far superior in this respect to the conventional monohull power or sailing yacht of similar length. The concept of little or no angle of heel becomes a great advantage, particularly if you have children on board. They can play around on the boat, unconcerned if for instance you are in the middle of a tacking maneuver.

Vastly More Space Onboard

Compared to monohulls of equal length, these larger catamarans have far more space above deck. This allows your crew to be comfortably spread out in good weather; your guests aboard can find an excellent spot to recline either in the sun or under the shade of the sails. The net trampolines (esp. found on the faster designs) make excellent hammocks in good weather and while docked.

Larger catamarans feature a vast amount of interior living space which is great for privacy, with their roomy berths and galleys with separate bath and toilet facilities. Some of you might be saying to yourselves “if I purchase a boat that is 48ft. or above, it had -better- feature excellent interior volume!”, but the trick has been to design a spacious boat that will not weigh too much (since extra weight will reduce windward performance and speed under sail).

Sailing on the coast of Maine is a unique experience. Sailing here is also called as windjamming. Windjamming is done on board special crafts called schooners that are bigger than yachts, having more than two masts. Schooners glide noiselessly along the water due to their larger mast area. Maine has about 14 schooners, all of which are occupied by people over the peak season. Some of the more famous schooners are the Victory Chimes, Timberwind, J. and E. Riggin and the Mary Day among others.

Schooners were originally designed to transport cargo. Hence, they are spacious. They can accommodate 6 to 40 people including the crew and the deckhand. No prior knowledge is required before boarding a schooner. In fact, if you are enthusiastic enough, the crew would like to teach one or two tricks, thus making the sailing more exciting. Schooners don’t allow very young children; hence it is necessary to check with them beforehand.

The beauty of the Maine coast lies in the various islands that dot its coastline. Most of the islands are deserted. Windjammers anchor their schooners here and spend whole afternoons exploring their beaches. Other islands are tiny fishing villages where people sustain on handicrafts apart from fishing. Windjammers find it quite charming to interact with these natives, learn about their quaint customs and even buy a couple of their artifacts. Sailing along the Maine reveals new experiences each day. The entire sailing vacation lasts roughly a week.

When on board, the daytime is spent glued to the binoculars and observing elusive sea sights. Windjammers can see tortoises, porpoises and even whales surfacing out of the water. Apart from the sights, one important aspect of Maine windjamming is building camaraderie and lasting friendships with people aboard the schooner. Schooners also provide poke boats to people with which they can go individually to smaller inaccessible places along the coasts. Food may be on some beach or even on deck. During nighttimes, the schooner may be anchored on one of the islands and people may enjoy a campfire, or remain sailing and admire the beauty of the night of stars.

Maine windjamming is an experience unlike any other. As schooners are wind-driven, each cruise along the coast of the Maine will be different. There is always something for everyone to do on board. It is an ideal location for family and office get-togethers. A week aboard a Maine windjammer could cost approximately $1000.