Newbie Q about keeping a yacht in the Caribbean without being on it full time...

[HopewellCatamarans]

Just a general question as we are considering buying and keeping a yacht in the Caribbean to eventually live-a-board... but for now it would be travelling from home to the yacht in the south ~5 times a year. Eventually to transition to it full time living. Having read some of the security threads, is it a bad idea to buy a yacht and keep it in the Caribbean unless you are with it full time? There are marinas that say they will keep it for you on the water and in dry dock for portions of the year. Is doing this only going to bring about heartache with our yacht getting ransacked and robbed if we are not there all the time? Or just getting aged and damaged from Caribbean conditions etc., if you are not with it every day?
Just wondering opinions...
Thank you!

(was thinking St. Vincent and the Grenadines/Grenada, but open to moving it annually to other islands to add to the experience).

 

[Bobc]

Give Al Ashford at Horizon Yacht Charters in Antigua a call. They may be able to put it on their fleet and charter it out when you're not there, or I think he also keeps an eye on owners boats left in Jolly Harbour for a small fee. Horizon also have a base in the Grenadines, so they may be able to do it there too, or will certainly know someone who can.

 

[SimonJ]

There are a number of marinas where you can sail keep your boat afloat. While St Lucia is a Caribbean crime hotspot Rodney Bay marina appears to look after many boats while owners are away perhaps on a home visit post ARC and so on. Better and safer places include Jolly Harbour, Antigua where many boats are left. There are several options for gardinage if required. Also in Antigua Catamaran Marina in Falmouth. Elsewhere there are possibilities in the French islands which have cheap options for flights home via France. Grenada has marina possibilities also and plenty of choice in BVIs. The facilities in St Vincent are more basic. From a cost point of view the availability of direct flights is an important factor. Antigua incidentally has cheapest flights (albeit weekly only) with Thomascookairlines.
I write this from the perspective of cruising in the Caribbean over an 18 year period and laying up in Trinidad, Antigua and currently, Grenada. What we do is not quite what you suggest ie leaving the boat for lengthy periods in a marina, but it would seem your idea is very doable and low risk - outside the hurricane season when securing ashore is more advisable, although many do stay afloat with or away from boats especially in Grenada.
I consider St Lucia to be the most risky but would use the marina facility there and the others mentioned without any great concerns.
Some sun damage to your dinghy, sails, deck etc if left exposed is inevitable over a long period so hiding things away or providing covers is a good idea.
Good luck.

 

[TQA]

Lots of people keep their boats in the Eastern Carib and only use them a few months of the year. First of all check your insurance, they may have very definite rules regarding exactly where and how your boat is to be stored while you are away.

Out of the water in Grenada or Trinidad is the usual option. The yards there will add tie down straps to heavy blocks or better still sand anchor screws.

It is unlikely that you will get regular full comp insurance for the Northern islands anymore after Irma and Maria. It is also worth noting that major marina Jolly Harbor in Antigua no longer allows boats to stay in the water on their docks in peak hurricane season.

Why well this was the aftermath of Irma

View attachment 72759 View attachment 72760

This was supposed to be a good hurricane hole.

As to theft from your boat while you are away. Very unlikely in a major boatyard. Fairly unlikely in a major marina like port Louis in Grenada. Risky if you are on some random mooring with a local popping by once a week.

 

[typhoonNige]

Worth having a look at this when choosing where to moor / store your boat.
https://safetyandsecuritynet.org
Insurance for the hurricane season even in Grenada is now hard to find without huge excesses.
Wherever you leave the boat afloat be prepared to clean the hull after long stationary periods, unless you are willing to use the globally banned TBT based antifoul which is still on sale in many of the islands. Port Louis marina in Grenada also suffers from very oily water which can make a mess of your hull. I'm told Trinidad has this problem too.
If you choose Grenada talk to Gary Haynes at Horizon. They provide useful services for absent owners.