How Far in Advance?

[Chuck M.]

[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]My wife and I have done four bareboat trips in the BVI and we are looking to "expand our horizons". I have been lurking on this forum and the "other one" as well (I must say I like the "freedom of speech" allowed on this board). After reviewing all of the helpful info found here and on Dr. Ralph

[Watercolours]

Our two br. cottage is already reserved all weeks in May 2007. Our one br. cottage is open the first three weeks of May 2007 If you are flexible as to when you come to Lubbers you can wait to reserve later. The best places book early as we all have regular customers That come back year after year!
www.watercolourscottages.com (http://www.watercolourscottages.com)
www.cruiseabaco.com (http://www.cruiseabaco.com)

[SamFamAustin]

It is rather like Nantucket in the summer but all year long ... many people stay, fall in love with the place, and book a reservation before even they leave the islands - or at least pencil one in. So my advice as "as soon as possible" if you have specific places in mind. Loads of people have fallen in love with the Abacos! The best time to go is right now!!! You might pick up the phone and talk with the proprietors. :)
/Sam

[Eva]

Chuck, you can bareboat in the Abacos, too. I've got a half dozen BVI charters under my belt, but the Abacos are my favorite. May is a perfect time to charter there. If you want some trip reports, mine are at http://homestead.com/islandtime/MainPage1.html.

Not to diminish land-based trips in the Abacos -- I've done a few of those as well. A boat is always part of those, as well.

P.S. I won't tell the BVI devotees you're cheating on them...

[Chuck M.]

Thanks everyone...sounds like NOW is the time to book.....

Watercolors: Thanks for the info.

Sam: Thanks for the input

Eva: We thought about a bareboat for this trip, but decided to do land-based and then perhaps a bareboat the following year. It was tough deciding not to return to the BVI, but it will still be there whenever we decide to return. The bareboat trip there this year tunred into one of those "Crew from Hell" storeis and I have decided I'm just too old to be sharing 44' boat with three other couples. Anyway....thanks for not ratting me out to the BVI fans.........

[SamFamAustin]

LOL, I've been on a few of the CFH charters, Chuck. That's "crew from heck." If you care to share any of the more humorous moments, there is always the "Rant" section on this board, which I think you will find quite liberal as to its policies - just be cool and you'll be fine.

I'll get things started. My worst CFH involved the rock band known as Emerson, Lake, and Palmer - some of you youngsters might recall them. We sailed on an old schooner to Newport RI and met them there. The band was very interested in (1) the female cook and (2) the gin. I was the deck man, hired crew for almost no money but hopefully some tips.

So instead of being "Sam" I became "Charles can you please get me a gin, dry this time?" when trying to fly a few thousand square feet of sail and set a fisherman's stay-sail. This was not good, as they wore black-soled boots that turned the decks black and got caught in all the lines and sheets. Plus, I was having to defend poor Becky's honor every half hour or so.

Fortunately we found some larger seas and they commenced to being sea sick, which was a blessing. Mr. Emerson was the worst, and insisted upon helping me bring in the fisherman's stays'l, which for a moment flew him 20 feet into the air. The captain turned back for Newport and deposited the band at the closest public dock.

We all got stiffed and the captain felt so bad he took us to Block Island for all the fun we could have, which at that young age for us, was a blessing. I hummed and whistled as I scrubbed the last of the black boot marks off the topsides. The Whistler, 1973 or 1974.

~Sam

[DaGoose]

Sam, that's hilarious! Well, in retrospect it is, must have been awful when you were being subject to such behavior. Too bad, they used to be one of my favorite bands. Now I won't be able to get the image of Keith Emerson puking over the side of the boat! Ha!

Yep, even a big boat can get mighty small when there's a few nasty characters on board.

Tina

[SamFamAustin]

Oh, heh, I upchucked at one of their concerts so I guess we're even.

One thing I did learn on a sailboat is to be REAL careful making coffee in anything more than totally smooth waters. Ground coffee defies all the laws of gravity and can end up everywhere in a flash. Down goes the boat, up goes the coffee grounds. Due to the physics of coffee dispersal, it is now in your sleeping bag, the cushions, your duffel bag, and incredibly, your underwear. So here we show up at the docks, happy to be home, and they look at us like we're the Creatures from the Black Lagoon.

Tea, anyone?
;)