Grenada essential information

Sail

About the marina

Marina facilities
Fresh water 
Electricity
Wireless Internet Access
Cable TV
Night security
Refuse disposal 
Toilet 
Showers
Restaurant 
Swimming Pool
Bar 
Duty-free shopping
Weather forecasts 
*Supermarket 
*Chandlery
*Yacht club 
*Fuel station 
*Cinema

*Just a two-minute dinghy ride away.

Dock facilities
Fuel is available at the base and costs approximately USD 1.23 per liter.

Sailing licenses

Experience level

Although no sailing licenses are required for cruising in Grenada, we strongly advise that you take any sailing certification on vacation with you.  This may be useful should you be contacted by Customs or Port Police.  If you have not already done so then Skipper and 1st Mate will be required to fill in a Sailing resume to confirm that you have the necessary skills to sail in this region.

Get more information on Grenada's sailing conditions.

Sailing grounds

Skippered charter information
The skipper’s time is booked from 12:00pm to 12:00pm in 24-hour periods. If you have reserved him for the first day of your charter and have a 6:00pm start, he will use this time to ensure he is happy with all aspects of the yacht and will be at the base to meet you upon your arrival. If you have reserved him for a later date on your charter he will start at 12:00pm on that day.

The skipper is responsible for the safety of the yacht at all times. He is not permitted to dive with you, nor leave the vessel overnight. He must conduct a safety brief with you before leaving the dock regardless of the duration of his contract with you.

For “check out charters” (anything less than the full duration of the charter) the checkout skipper’s time is booked from 6:00pm to 6:00pm to allow for a meet and greet in the evening and go over basic systems, then a full day with you the next day. This skipper is required to give you a thorough briefing on all aspects of the yacht and dinghy in addition to assisting you with planning an itinerary for the trip and advising you how to contact the base, the return to base procedures and the emergency assistance procedures. It is suggested that you attend the scheduled chart brief that will be supplemented by the skipper during his time with you on the yacht. It is also suggested that you make it clear exactly what you want to cover…anchoring, docking, etc.

The skipper will be required to give you as much information as you require concerning the yacht and its systems, sailing skills and navigation in general.

The skipper fee does not include food or beverages for the skipper and are the responsibility of the client. It is suggested that you discuss this on the first day with the skipper and establish whether you will give the skipper cash for meals, whether you have included him in your provisioning or whether you will accommodate him as part of the group for meals ashore.

The skipper must have his own cabin. We prefer not to put the skipper in the bow due to the shared head and size of the cabin. If you expect him to stay in the bow, please let us know well in advance so that we can choose the appropriate (small) skipper.

For one-day check out skipper’s it is your responsibility to get the skipper back to the base. If you prefer not to come back to the base you must pay for his expenses (ferry, taxi, etc.) to get him back to the base.

The average tip for a skipper is 15 to 20% of the skipper’s fee. This is, of course, at your discretion.

There are several different countries represented within the cruising grounds of the Windward Islands and each of them require customs/immigration clearance upon arrival and departure. Fees vary based on the country, yacht, number of passengers, itinerary etc. All charters with a skipper are encouraged to provide the skipper with an initial $500 at the beginning their charter. This money will be used to cover costs for customs fees as well as mooring ball fees for the duration of the charter. The total amount needed may be less or it may be more. At the end of the charter the skipper will return any remaining funds along with receipts for all money spent. ATMs are limited in the cruising grounds so it’s important to plan ahead for these fees.

More information on Skippered Charter Options.

Sailing area
Sailing lanes are generally open from Falmouth Harbor counter clockwise to St. John's Harbor.

Martinique/Guadeloupe: Selected yachts in Antigua cannot go into Martinique/ Guadeloupe at any time.

Download Sunsail's Grenada Cruising Guide here.

Sailing area restrictions
This information is covered in the chart briefing.

The area around Soufriere and the Pitons in St. Lucia is a national park with restrictions on anchoring.

All windward sides of the islands should be kept well clear of.
The Tobago Cays is restricted from the south side due to the large number of coral heads in the channel which are difficult to see.
In all bays, anchor with caution to avoid damaging coral or sea grass beds.
Anchoring is not allowed off Grand Anse Beach in Grenada.  Need to anchor at least 2 miles away from beach.  

Blue Lagoon in St. Vincent has a difficult entrance and is best avoided.

BVI: - All the British Virgin Islands, including Anegada and US Virgin Islands.
For Bareboat Charter with Sunsail Crew. No sailing in US Virgin Islands and Spanish Virgin Islands. To sail with St Martin boat to Guadeloupe/Martinique, please check with your sales agent if the boat has the necessary flag/registration (French/Octroi De Mer)

Rest of Caribbean: No further than 20 miles out from Puerto Rico to Grenada,
excluding Montserrat, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago
There are some other restrictions throughout the whole Caribbean, which are detailed in the Caribbean Introduction section.

More information on the sailing in this area.

Night sailing
Night sailing is not permitted; you must be moored at least one hour before sunset at all of our locations.

Charts + pilot books
All the charts and pilot books you will need for the sailing area are on board the yacht. 

Sailing permits + taxes
There is a cruising tax when entering Grenada which is valid for 30 days.

You must clear customs as you pass through each country and fees are associated with the clearing process.  If you sail from Grenada into St. Vincent and the Grenadines then a $35ec per person cruising tax is collected by the customs agent

Moorings fees + taxes
None.  Mooring Balls in this area are not recommended as they tend not to be well maintained. However, those in Dragon Bay are government placed and recommended.

Health + safety

Swim Safe 

Swimming is often a fun and important part of a vacation. However local rules, flag systems, currents and where swimming may be permitted, can be different and vary from country to country. Snorkel vests, Life Jackets and Diver Down flags are all available on board. 

Children:

• Talk to children about water safety at the start of a vacation, making them aware of the potential dangers.
• Accidents can happen at any time on vacation, but often they happen on the first and last day, so keep watch and do not get distracted when your children are playing by, or in the water.
• Children in or near water should always be supervised by an adult and never left unattended. 
• Get in the water with them, it is easier to keep an eye on them as well as good fun. Floatation devices are highly recommended for children but are not a substitute for supervision.

Be aware of your surroundings

• Check warning flags and signage on the beach and only swim where it is permitted. 
• Beware of dangerous currents, these can be very powerful. Not all beaches have lifeguards and/or warning flags.
• Beware of underwater hazards, such as reefs, rocks, sudden changes in depth and marine life.
• Never swim where a sign says not to e.g. in zoned areas for jet boats or jet skis.
• Never swim at night or after drinking alcohol.

Look out for others

• Never swim alone, ‘buddy up’ with others in your party and use the snorkel vests provided.
• Know how and where to get help. If you see someone in difficulty; raise the alarm, preferably the emergency services. Ensure you know the correct number for the country you are in.

Do not overestimate your ability

• Consider swimming lessons before you go if you think it would be useful to learn proper swimming technique.
• Even if you regularly swim in a pool, remember that open water swimming can be very different.

Safety

All yachts are equipped with adult life jackets, harnesses, snorkel vests & diver down flags. You can see all this equipment demonstrated in our online safety briefing, and we strongly recommend that you make use this equipment during your vacation. This safety equipment will be displayed in the saloon of your boat on boarding - If you have any questions feel free to ask our base staff during your briefing. 

We have a very limited supply of children's life jackets on base so highly recommend that if you are travelling with children, you bring their own. This ensures that children have correctly fitting jackets that are comfortable for them.  

Children should not be allowed in the dinghy without a life jacket or buoyancy aid and should wear a buoyancy aid or harness whilst on deck. 

Children under the age of 16 should not operate an outboard engine and should be supervised at all times when in the dinghy. 

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