Yacht Haven Grande Brief

Yacht Haven Grande Luxury Yacht Charter & Superyacht News

IGY Caribbean Anchor Pass program encourages mega yachts´ cruising in the Caribbean

January 31, 2012

Becoming an increasingly popular and convenient way to cruise the Caribbean all year round, IGY’s Caribbean Anchor Pass (CAP) is the method of choice for a large number of mega yachts looking to save on dockage, while keeping the freedom and flexibility to travel to several islands under one package.

Caribbean Islands - one of the best yacht charter destinations

Caribbean Islands - one of the best yacht charter destinations

Thus far, a number of mega yachts ranging in size from 99 to 154 feet have taken full advantage of the only program that encourages cruising in St. Thomas, St. Maarten, St. Lucia and Puerto Rico – collectively. Exclusively created for yachts over 80 feet, the CAP program was inspired from mega yacht captains who voiced the need for more flexibility in dockage with a program that allows them to roam the Caribbean throughout the year while enjoying the best-in-class luxury marinas.

Under the pass, yachts travel between 5 different IGY marinas across 4 destinations over the span of a full year, while only paying for 120 days. Anchor Pass holders receive priority reservations at significant savings off the daily dockage rate, all the while maintaining the flexibility to move about the network freely.

Participating marinas in the IGY Caribbean Anchor Pass are:
Yacht Haven Grande, St. Thomas
The Yacht Club at Isle De Sol, St. Maarten
Simpson Bay Marina, St.  Maarten
Rodney Bay Marina, St, Lucia
Palmas del Mar Yacht Club, Puerto Rico

“Over the last year, the Anchor Pass has grown to be a popular choice among IGY customers. The cost savings are significant and the flexibility of the program follows the very nature of transient mega yachts. We look forward to another successful year with the program as 4 yachts have already renewed their pass from last year.” says EVP of Operations for IGY Marinas, Kenny Jones.

Holders of the Anchor Pass all have positive feedback about the flexibility and convenience of the program, “We are very pleased with the professionalism shown by the staff at IGY Yacht Haven Grande, St. Thomas.  Our vessel will be traveling south through the Caribbean and on to Curacao and Colombia.  For our program and schedule, the Anchor Pass proved to be a link between the finest marinas in the Caribbean, while at the same time giving the assurance that the service and facilities will exceed those of most other marinas.”

“The IGY Anchor Pass has been a great convenience for us, knowing that we’ll have a dock when we wish, and has also has provided us with peace of mind. It is also wonderful that the marinas offer amenities such as a gym and lounges for our crew. Not only in St. Thomas, we can also count on the same service at other islands and the IGY marinas where we travel.”

“I would recommend the IGY anchor pass for anyone who is looking to spend time down here in the Caribbean. We have explored only Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and IGY has made it as easy as possible to have a slip lined up and ready for us when we arrive. We found the marinas and staff to be very impressive, with everyone always willing to lend a hand if needed. For us it is an easy decision to choose the Anchor Pass, a choice we will be making again next year when we come back!”

International Rolex Regatta St.Thomas, US Virgin Island

January 17, 2011

Hundreds of sailors head to the Caribbean each year to compete in the St. Thomas Yacht Club’s International Rolex Regatta, and this year, from March 25-27, the three-day event will prove once again–for the 38th time, in fact–that its unique blend of island-style hospitality, competition and camaraderie is the perfect formula for attracting new talent as well as die-hards devoted to returning year after year.

The event offers IRC and CSA handicap and one-design racing in a strikingly beautiful setting, with courses that thread through and around the cuts and cays of St. Thomas and St John. Featured distance races stretch from Cowpet Bay to Charlotte Amalie Harbour and back, showcasing the coastline and harbor capital of the US Virgin Islands.

International Rolex Regatta St.Thomas, US Virgin Island Photo credit Rolex Ingrid Abery

International Rolex Regatta St.Thomas, US Virgin Island Photo credit Rolex Ingrid Abery

“This will be our first time ever to race in the Caribbean and the International Rolex Regatta,” said John Bowden, project manager for Pat Eudy’s Big Booty, a Grand Prix 42 out of Charleston, S.C. “Everyone is looking forward to getting down there.” “Everyone” is a crew of 12 that includes Eudy’s regular crew aboard his J/105 sailed in South Carolina and two additional crew, Landon Wyatt and his 20-year-old son, also named Landon, who secured their berths when Eudy auctioned them off to benefit the charity First Tee of Charlotte.

“I grew up sailing, and my son is a life-long sailor,” said the elder Wyatt. “Crewing on a boat like Big Booty has been one of his dreams, so my wife and I jumped at the chance when Pat offered these spots.”

Eudy bought Big Booty—a fast, planing sport boat–less than a year ago and is modifying its keel to improve upwind and downwind performance. “The International Rolex Regatta is the perfect place to see what we can do with it,” said Bowden, who added that the boat will be tested at Key West Race Week before sailing down to St Thomas. “That said, the overall goal is to get out on the water, go fast, and have fun.”

IRC class competition for Big Booty will include the Swan 42 Arethusa, sailed by Phil and Wendy Lotz (New Canaan, Conn./Newport, R.I.); the Grand Soleil 43 Antilope, sailed by Willem Wester (New Zealand); the Swan 601 Aquarius sailed by Bill Alcott (St. Clair Shores, Mich.); and the TP52 Interlodge, sailed by Austin and Gwen Fragomen (Newport, R.I.)

“Big Booty is a mini TP52, and we may end up in the same class as her,” said Interlodge’s captain Kris Matthews. Interlodge competed in the International Rolex Regatta for the first time last year and lost on the final day to Richard Oland’s (New Brunswick, Canada) IRC 52 Vela Veloce. While the Fragomens’ crew are looking for redemption this year, Matthews says timing of the regatta is also important. “The owners like to ski, so the late-March date works to give them more time back home to do that.”

This year, Bill Alcott, who has been sailing in the event since the 1980s, is replacing his Andrews 70 Equation with the chartered Aquarius, which will be sailed by his regular crew from the Midwest. He is known for exemplifying how winning is important but not everything. “It’s not necessary in order to have a good time at the Rolex,” he contends, making it clear that fun is something no one leaves the International Rolex Regatta without having experienced whether it’s by reconnecting with old friends, making new ones, or simply participating in a variety of social gatherings, including the reggae music concert at Yacht Haven Grande or the traditional beach parties at St. Thomas Yacht Club.

For some, owning a boat or being a long-time member of an existing racing campaign is not a requirement for participating in the International Rolex Regatta. Through Safe Passage Sailing, individual or team competitors can plug in as crew to one of two programs: one with Brian Thompson (UK) and Rich Stearns (USA) mentoring on the Frers 80’ Kialoa V and another with Suzette Smith (Hawaii) leading an all-woman crew aboard the Swan 51 Northern Child.

Sailing yacht KIALOA V International Rolex Regatta St.Thomas, US Virgin Island Photo credit Rolex Ingrid Abery

Sailing yacht KIALOA V International Rolex Regatta St.Thomas, US Virgin Island Photo credit Rolex Ingrid Abery

“We’re simply offering a service that’s turn-key and engages racing pros as mentors,” said Safe Passage Sailing’s Randee Fowler, who added that registrations thus far have come from as far away as Russia and Australia. “It’s an opportunity not only to participate without owning a boat but also to have these world class sailors onboard with you.” Thompson is widely recognized as one of the world’s most talented multihull sailors, holding 25 sailing records; Stearns is a veteran of U.S. Olympic and America’s Cup campaigns; and Smith is a charter captain and an award winning instructor who was also a member of the first and only all-woman America’s Cup Team America3.

St. Thomas Yacht Club assures all competing yachts are provided appropriate facilities. Once again, free dockage and container storage is available during the regatta at American Yacht Harbor and Yacht Haven Grande for boats that prefer to be at a full-service marina rather than anchored off the Club.

The Notice of Race for the 2011 International Rolex Regatta is available for download www.rolexcupregatta.com, where online registration, current entries and competitor updates are available. During the event, race fans enjoy daily video highlights and real-time race information, including blog updates and live results, via the internet and on large screens at the yacht club.

More about the International Rolex Regatta

The international Rolex Regatta typically hosts classes for IRC, CSA (Spinnaker Racing, Spinnaker Racing/Cruising and Non-Spinnaker Racing), One-Design and Beach Cats. It has been hosted by St. Thomas Yacht Club since 1974, making it the oldest regatta in Rolex’s portfolio of international sailing events. Rolex is known for sponsoring famous offshore and grand-prix events such as the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, Rolex Fastnet Race, Giraglia Rolex Cup, Rolex Middle Sea Race, Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Farr 40 World Championship.

A.H. Riise, Official Retailer of Rolex watches in the US Virgin Islands, takes an active role in sponsorship of the International Rolex Regatta.  The St. Thomas shop is one of the largest in the Caribbean and is located on the historic waterfront of downtown Charlotte Amalie.