Whether casual or competitive racing, the charter options are numerous!

Registration is open for BVI Spring Regatta 2025 (BVISR), and competitors from around the world are already signing up to compete in one of the Caribbean’s top-rated regattas.

While some sailors compete on their own boats, a sizeable number of the annual BVISR fleet compete on charter boats, and there are a plenty of charter options available from bareboat to performance race boats. But the desirable boats don’t last long so if chartering is the way you will compete at BVISR in 2025, check out the options early.

For many, chartering a boat provides an accommodation solution while alleviating any headaches not from too many painkillers but issues that may go wrong with the boat while racing. Long-time BVISR sponsor The Moorings, well-regarded worldwide and with a huge base in Tortola, facilitates easy access to service. Suitable boats for racing charter in The Moorings fleet include Jeanneau, and Beneteau monohulls between 38ft – 52ft, and Robertson Caine catamarans in the 39ft – 58ft range. Sunsail also has a large Tortola base and offers 32-to-52-foot monohulls and multis from Beneteau, Jeanneau, Lagoon, and Robertson and Caine.

Carl Hansson, from Michigan, USA, has just registered for his third BVISR event. He’s chartered and Moorings 46.3 from Moorings for 2025. At home he races his J/111 Variance, and races regularly all over the Great Lakes.

“We have chartered from The Moorings in the past and that seemed the most efficient route to go again this year,” noted Hansson. “We treat this as a very casual regatta—get around the course, have fun, enjoy the weather, and we have a small crew so the Moorings boats are easier to handle for us than a full-on racing boat. Most important for us is a boat we can sleep on at night! It really saves with the expense to not have to rent accommodations in addition to the boat.”

BVI Yacht Charters is a boutique charter company that offers entirely unique catamarans and monohulls, ranging in size from 31 feet to 55 feet, many offering features not typically found on charter boats.

Likewise, LV Yachting is an independent yacht charter company with a range of charter options from Grand Prix racing yachts to racer cruisers, all available for BVISR 2025. Boats available for individual berth charter include Panacea X, a Salona 45 racer-cruiser with a proven track record which won in class in the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta 2023 and 2024, took third in class at BVISR, and was on the podium at every major Caribbean regatta of the 2024 season. Emily of Cowes is a twin ruddered 45-foot Rob Humphreys design launched in 2008. She has a retractable bow sprit to fly her asymmetric spinnakers and flying jib and can race with up to 10 crew.

“We offer charter yachts that will race in the CSA racing classes and can use spinnakers,” noted Lucy Jackson, co-owner LV Yachting and a racing sailor. “Among the most popular boats for charter in the BVI currently are the 40-foot racer cruisers, similar to what teams might be racing at home. LV Yachting has a J122, Sigma38, Salona 45, Elan 450 and Hanse 470 that fit into this category, as well as a Melges 32 for those looking for a smaller sports boat, and bigger performance options like a RP86 for those wanting something fast, and multihulls. Many of the teams who charter from us come back year in and year out, we are still chartering to people that I first met over ten years ago!”

Ondeck Sailing owns a Beneteau First 36.7 available for charter, as well as the Farr 65 Spirit of Juno which regularly achieves podium finishes and is very competitive in class.

Tony Mack, from Sussex, UK, will race with his team McFly in CSA on the J/122 El Ocaso which he has already chartered for 2025 from Caribbean Yacht Racing. At home he also races a J/111, having won the National Championship title in class eight times. Mack has raced BVISR some twelve events, six times in Bareboat and six times in CSA racing, more often than not taking first in class. He’s all too familiar with what it takes to win and he is studious when it comes to chartering the right boat for his team’s needs. His advice for chartering a performance race boat is simple.

“Charter from a reliable source; we like LV Yachting and Caribbean Yacht Racing and be sure that the sails are good and everything is working!” emphasized Mack.

Other popular individual charter boats can be viewed here. It’s time to get your race game on for BVISR 2025!