Gludy - My BVI experience with a Powercat

G

Gludy

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 Aug 2001
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7,171
Location
Brecon, Wales
www.sailingvideos4us.com
We arrived in the BVI OK but when we were shown the Powercat we had hired, we were not impressed.

The boat was 52 foot loa but only a 17 foot bean - a bit like a mono hull with a bit down the middle scooped out 0- seemed to offer a lot less space for no advantage - anyway it felt like two coffins strapped together - very poke. I suppose as a sports boat for a gang of lads doing diving etc it would be fine but we did not like it and requested another boat.

Originally we had booked a 56 foot Horizon and then paid a few thousand dollars more than that to upgrade to the cat - Virgin Traders kindly changed the boat for an Horizon 48 - which was much more roomy and a bit like being back in Trader days. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

So we never sailed in the powercat and frankly can see little point in then when they offer no extra beam.

Even though I am now without doubt changing over to a sailing cat - I still think the future of power boats does is with the cats and we have seen some good ones including the Fountaine Pajot ones.

However I am still baffled by power cats that seem to be a mono hull with the bit scooped out of the centre and less space.

We had a great time out in the BVI and have lots of great video footage that includes being stalked by a 4 foot barracuda that stayed with us for 3 days and followed us every time we left the boat in the inflatable kayak!!! I have the video to prove it - sort of limited out snorkeling a bit in that bay.

It was also great to be on a boat again!!!

There is a huge reaction out there to fuel prices - I was paying $5.55 cents for a usa gallon which equates to £3.52 an imperial gallon. I do not think this will harm the charter market much but it is a huge talking point.

I will post some videos if anyone wants to see what BVI cruising is like.

Also spent some time in Antigua - met some very interesting trans-atlantic boaters who crossed in a boat that I would worry about crossing Swansea bay in.
 
HI Gludy

Yes please, can we have the BVI videos. I would really like to see a 4 ft Barracuda stalking an inflatrable anything.

Cheers /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Drew.
 
I will publish the video next week - I have a problem in that I have to edit it carefully as there is a bit of nude bathing going on behind the barracuda and i do not wish to offend anyone by including those shots.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I will publish the video next week - I have a problem in that I have to edit it carefully as there is a bit of nude bathing going on behind the barracuda and i do not wish to offend anyone by including those shots.

[/ QUOTE ]
Let's not be too hasty here. Are we talking big fat German male nude bathing or slim Swedish blonde female nude bathing?
 
[ QUOTE ]
. . . . .that includes being stalked by a 4 foot barracuda .

[/ QUOTE ] Doesn't everything look 1/3 bigger under water?

This would make the actual size of the Barracuda 3'0".

Medium size roiund here.

Mind you I suspect the other boaters have probably feed the damn thing so it follows boats for easy pickins.

Hope you took off all jewellery (rings look like appetising bait = lost fingers or hand) before you went into the water.

Barracuda teeth are sharp but I believe Wahoo teeth are sharper.
 
Fish actually look smaller underwater.
We caught 3 footers on a fishing trip and those were babies compared to this one.

SWMBO hooked it twice when it took the reef fish she had just hooked.

I think you are right - it was fed by boaters and had its buoy. It was there when we returned 2 days later.

The video shows it and its size very clearly.

When it took SWMBO's last fish it did so at great speed from underneath our boat.

Both times show lost it even though the second time she had baited a large hook on a stell trace with the fish.

The video show it coming underneat the blow up clear floored kayak and looking firectly up at SWMBO.
 
I look forward to seeing the video. SWMBO and I got hitched in the BVI 16yrs ago and spent our honeymoon on a crappy old trawlery type tub which looked nothing at all like the brochure. I got my revenge by putting it on a reef. Worth every penny of the $500 lost deposit
Yup, I came literally face to face with a Barracuda whilst snorkelling off Jost van Dyke. I don't who was shitting himself more. Him or more /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Horrible looking thing. About half teeth and half body. Apparently the local Barracudas are not aggressive though
 
The insurance liability now is extreme - even if its not your fault. $5000 for the rib alone, but the total liability runs into many, many thousands of dollars.

Next time I am there - it will be in my own boat. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Paul,

As a matter of interest, how did you get there? Can you fly direct? How long did it take?

I like the look of the BVI as a holiday destination but it looks like a big hassle to get there (with young kids)

Peter.
 
Virgin or BA to Antigua, followed by LIAT puddle jumper to Tortola seems the easiest route from the UK.

There are other options via the US to Puerto Rico or St Thomas, but that involves dealing with US Homeland Security, which is something to be avoided if at all possible.
 
If you want more flexibility Barbados has daily flights from the UK, just a bit longer on a little one the other end.

Antigua flights tend to get a bit full, more so now they have built Sandals Vegas style at Dickenson's...
 
Strange that... Last time we were in Gt Harbour, got the dinghy painter wrapped round the shaft/prop (dont ask)
Went down several times with hacksaw to cut it free and got my back all scratched on the barnacles on the hull. realised I was bleeding a bit but no problem.

Went under for the next hack and came face to face with an inquiitive 6' shark, didnt stop long enough to discuss whether hungry or not!

SWMBO did wonder why my hands were shaking a bit
 
We chose the wrong route via US Vigins - should have gone to Antigua then Beef Island by LAIT - we actually went ashore by dinghy at the airport in Beef Island (which is connected to Tortola) to change our tickets. Thats the first airport visit by dinghy I have ever made.

The outward flight to Antigua was empty the return flight full.

IMHO the BVI is a boating destination for very simple but great safe boating - its not a great destination unless you charter a boat.
 
Fully agree it's a great place but going home with LIAT to Antigua can be stressful when connecting flight does not turn up on time. No-one tells you anything either /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif Happens a lot according to local expats.

Would recommend staying over a night or two in Antigua to avoid this.

Antigua airport however not pleasant - we queued for 2 hrs outside in the sun for security /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif - this was 2006 - maybe better now?

Inbound also tiring - think we were 24 hours from leaving home to Tortola hotel. Think we had 3 stops on LIAT to Beef Island which after a long day is no fun.

Most people reckon route via USVI to US less stressful.

Overall though it's a fantastic place when you get there - shame no direct UK flights /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
Unfortunately thats the norm now, you have the Virgin, First Choice sometimes BA and another US carrier all coming and going at the same time, so most the time (Wed, Fri and Sat) there will be a queue.

Ether go via Barbados (daily) or sit it out in the Sticky Wicket as the bar airside is now nothing more than a food counter and a hot one at that...
 
That's what we did. We spent a couple of days lazing around in English Harbour before we came back.

Security queues were minimal when we went through (mid-March). We did try and miss any rush by arriving early and spending a couple of hours at Sticky Wickets bar across from the airport.

I'll accept that LIAT are a pain in the butt, though. They definitely work on island time and getting information out of them is pretty tough.
 
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