BVI bareboat charter guide: costs, fees, best time and a 7-night route

Updated 26 Oct 2026 · every price and rule links to its source, with the date we checked it

Sailing yachts at anchor after sunset off the Bitter End Yacht Club, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands. Photo: kansasphoto, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. All photo credits

On a bareboat charter you rent the yacht without crew and skipper it yourself. The British Virgin Islands are where a lot of people do this for the first time: short hops between islands you can see, steady trade winds and mooring balls in most bays. Here is who can do it, when to go, what a week really costs once the extras are added, and a 7-night route from Tortola.

Want a discount? This Week's Charter Deals #2 lists the BVI offers we checked by hand on 26 Oct 2026, from The Moorings, Sunsail, BVI Yacht Charters and Dream Yacht. For a quick price-by-season table, see our BVI charter prices page.

Who can bareboat in the BVI

The BVI doesn't ask for a formal sailing licence. The charter company decides whether you can take the boat out on your own, based on your sailing résumé.

The Moorings and Sunsail ask for an online sailing résumé at their "Level 1": at least 5 days or 100 miles as skipper on a yacht of a similar size. If base staff aren't confident in your skills, they assign a skipper at your expense.^{[The Moorings]}^[Sunsail]
BVI Yacht Charters wants recent experience as skipper of a boat within 5 ft of the one you're renting, within the last 5 years. For a catamaran you need catamaran experience. Depending on your résumé they may ask you to take a captain for one or more days, or the whole trip.^{[BVI Yacht Charters]}

If you're not quite there, a skipper for part of the week is a good middle ground. BVI Yacht Charters charges $250 for a one-day check-out skipper, $300 a night for a captain and $350 a night for an instructor. You feed the captain, they need their own cabin, and the company suggests a 10% tip.^{[BVI Yacht Charters]} The Moorings adds a skipper to a bareboat for $330 a night, without the skipper's food or Wi-Fi.^{[The Moorings]}

Two rules catch first-timers out: night sailing isn't allowed, so plan to be on a mooring an hour before sunset, and there must be at least two people aboard.^{[The Moorings]}

When to go

Months	Wind	What it's like
Dec–Apr	E/NE 15–25 kn^{[The Moorings]}	High season, busiest and most expensive. The "Christmas winds" can blow 25–30 knots for several days at a time.^{[BVI Yacht Charters]} Book Christmas and school-holiday weeks 10–14 months ahead.^[Sulu]
May–Aug	SE 15–20 kn^{[The Moorings]}	Quieter, warmer water and lower prices. Sulu puts May at 15–25% below high season.^[Sulu]
Sep–Oct	SE 5–15 kn^{[The Moorings]}	Peak hurricane risk. BVI Yacht Charters closes from August to mid-October^{[BVI Yacht Charters]}, and many restaurants close in September.^[Sunsail]
Nov	NE 5–20 kn^{[The Moorings]}	Shoulder season: The Moorings suggests November and April for lower prices and fewer crowds.^{[The Moorings]}

The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs from 1 June to 30 November. NOAA puts the peak on 10 September, with most activity between mid-August and mid-October.^{[NOAA National Hurricane Center]} If a hurricane heads for the islands, BVI Yacht Charters may call boats back and refunds the lost days pro rata.^{[BVI Yacht Charters]} Travel or cancellation cover is worth more on summer and autumn dates.

Compare every month at a glance in our best time to sail calendar for the BVI.

What a week costs, extras included

The boat

Weekly charter fee for the whole boat, before extras. These are published ranges, not quotes.

Boat	High season (Dec–Apr)	Low season (Jun–Oct)	Source
Monohull, 40–45 ft	$6,500–9,500	$3,500–5,500	^[Sulu]
Catamaran, 42–48 ft	$9,500–14,000	$5,700–9,000	^[Sulu]
Catamaran, 50–55 ft	$14,000–22,000	$8,500–13,000	^[Sulu]

Sunsail puts a 7-day BVI charter anywhere from $3,500 to over $25,000. In high season expect from about $7,000 for a 42 ft monohull or $10,000 for a 4-cabin catamaran. Rates can be double or more compared with low season, and even higher at Christmas and Spring Break.^[Sunsail]
The Moorings' own bareboat prices start at $3,284 for 7 days in low season and $14,484 in high season.^{[The Moorings]} Dream Yacht says its bareboats start from around $4,000 a week.^{[Dream Yacht Worldwide]}

The extras

The Moorings says many people add 25–50% to the charter price to cover the extras.^{[The Moorings]} Here is what they are.

Extra	Typical cost	Source
Cruising permit	$4 per person per day on a BVI-based charter boat (rate in force since 1 June 2025)	^{[Government of the Virgin Islands (via BVI Shipping Registry)]}^{[BVI Yacht Charters]}
National Parks permit	$160 a week per boat for up to 8 people, from 1 Nov 2026	^{[Virgin Islands News Online]}
Overnight mooring balls	About $30–55 a night depending on the bay (sources differ), up to about $65 at Peter Island	^[Sunsail]^{[BVI Yacht Charters]}^{[The Moorings]}
Marina berth	From $1.50–2.50 per foot per night (BVI Yacht Charters); Sunsail says $2.50–4.00	^{[BVI Yacht Charters]}^[Sunsail]
Environmental & tourism levy	$10 per person, cash, on arrival	^{[The Moorings]}
Departure tax	About $20 per person, whether you leave by ferry or plane	^{[The Moorings]}^[Sunsail]
VISAR (search and rescue)	$2 per person (Sunsail) or $20 per charter (BVI Yacht Charters)	^[Sunsail]^{[BVI Yacht Charters]}
Damage waiver or insurance	About $600 a week on a small monohull or $910 on a 44 ft catamaran with Sunsail. BVI Yacht Charters charges $50 a day (max $500) with a $1,500–3,500 deductible, depending on boat size.	^[Sunsail]^{[BVI Yacht Charters]}
Fuel	About $150–500 a week (Sunsail's estimate). You usually start with a full tank and pay for what you use; BVI Yacht Charters lists diesel at $6.50 a gallon.	^[Sunsail]^[Sunsail]^{[BVI Yacht Charters]}
Food on board	$28–35 per person per day for full pre-ordered provisioning (BVI Yacht Charters); Sunsail budgets $50–75	^{[BVI Yacht Charters]}^[Sunsail]
Eating out	Main courses about $30–50; a whole Anegada lobster at The Lobster Trap about $50	^[Sunsail]^{[The Moorings]}
Wi-Fi on board	$135–205 a week with BVI Yacht Charters, depending on boat size	^{[BVI Yacht Charters]}
Airport taxi to base	About $16 per person shared; private from $50 per person for 1–2 people	^{[The Moorings]}
Tips	10–15% in restaurants. For a skipper, 10–25% of the charter fee.	^{[The Moorings]}^[Sunsail]

Watch out for old numbers: The Moorings' 2026 cost guide still lists a $6 cruising tax and the old $25–55 park permit.^{[The Moorings]} The $4 rate is the one set in law^{[Government of the Virgin Islands (via BVI Shipping Registry)]}, and the park permit changes on 1 November 2026.^{[Virgin Islands News Online]}

Example: the fixed fees for 4 people, 7 nights

Cruising permit $112 (4 × 7 × $4), park permit $160, 7 nights on mooring balls about $210–385, arrival levy $40 and departure tax $80. That's roughly $600–780 before fuel, food, the damage waiver or any tips. These are our sums, using the figures in the table above.

A security deposit is taken on a Visa or Mastercard at the base, and the damage waiver lowers it.^{[The Moorings]} Before you compare two offers, read our checklist on how to read a charter deal.

Tortola charter bases

Wickhams Cay II, Road Town. The Moorings and Sunsail are both here.^{[The Moorings]}^[Sunsail] BVI Yacht Charters is at Ritter House Marina, also on Wickhams Cay 2, a short walk from Riteway, the island's largest supermarket.^{[BVI Yacht Charters]}
Nanny Cay, south coast between Road Town and West End. Horizon Yacht Charters has been here since 1998. The marina has a fuel dock, two grocery stores, restaurants and a pool, and it's a short reach across the channel to Norman, Peter and Cooper Islands.^{[Horizon Yacht Charters]}
Hodges Creek Marina, east end of Tortola. Dream Yacht's base, 15 minutes by taxi from Beef Island airport.^{[Dream Yacht Worldwide]}

Getting there: fly into Beef Island (EIS) on Tortola, or into St Thomas (STT) in the US Virgin Islands and take the ferry.^{[The Moorings]} Timings: at The Moorings you board at noon, or from 6 pm if you pay to sleep aboard the night before, and you're back by 11 am on the last day.^{[The Moorings]} Sleeping aboard costs $75 per person at BVI Yacht Charters (minimum $150) and at Horizon (minimum $200).^{[BVI Yacht Charters]}^{[Horizon Yacht Charters]}

A 7-night route from Road Town

This loop follows Sulu's BVI week, which adds up to about 85–100 nautical miles.^[Sulu] It does the upwind legs early, while the crew is fresh, and finishes with easy downwind days.

Day 1: Norman Island, The Bight (about 5 nm). A short first sail to a sheltered bay.
Day 2: The Indians, then Cooper Island, Manchioneel Bay (about 10 nm). Snorkel The Indians from a National Parks day mooring.
Day 3: The Baths, then North Sound (about 15 nm). Get to The Baths before 9 am for a day mooring. Spend the night at Leverick Bay or Bitter End.
Day 4: Anegada, off Setting Point (about 15 nm). A flat coral island with reefs on the way in. Some companies restrict it for less experienced crews.
Day 5: Jost Van Dyke, Great Harbour or Little Harbour (about 25 nm). The longest leg of the week.
Day 6: White Bay, Little Harbour and Sandy Cay (about 5 nm). Beach day.
Day 7: Cane Garden Bay or Smugglers Cove, then Soper's Hole (about 10 nm).
Day 8: Back to base (about 6 nm).

National Parks moorings are for day use only, with a 90-minute limit. Staying overnight on one is illegal.^{[National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands]}
Anegada: BVI Yacht Charters asks you to call before 9 am on the day. They only let you go with winds under 20 knots and seas under 8 ft, and monohulls drawing more than 6.5 ft can't use the Setting Point moorings.^{[BVI Yacht Charters]} Sunsail allows Anegada, but its chase boat and 4-hour repair guarantee don't cover it.^[Sunsail]

Distances are approximate. Plan each leg with current charts, a pilot book and the forecast, and swap days around the wind.

Catamaran or monohull?

Price: on the same date, The Moorings lists a 3-cabin monohull from $3,284 and a 3-cabin sailing catamaran from $4,084 for a week.^{[The Moorings]} In high season, Sulu's ranges are $6,500–9,500 for a 40–45 ft monohull and $9,500–14,000 for a 42–48 ft catamaran.^[Sulu]
Experience: some companies want catamaran time on your résumé before they'll hand you a cat.^{[BVI Yacht Charters]}
Draft: a deep-keel monohull (over 6.5 ft) can't use the Setting Point moorings at Anegada.^{[BVI Yacht Charters]}
Price per person: charter prices are for the whole boat. Sunsail notes that sharing a bigger boat works out cheaper per person.^[Sunsail]

A couple or a crew of keen sailors on a budget will usually get more for their money on a monohull. With three or four couples, a catamaran gives each cabin more space, and the price per person often ends up similar.

Ways to spend less

Sail in the shoulder season. May is 15–25% cheaper than high season^[Sulu], and The Moorings points to November and April.^{[The Moorings]}
Book very early or very late. Book peak weeks 10–14 months out.^[Sulu] If your dates are flexible, BVI Yacht Charters' standing offer is 30% off 7+ nights booked within 6 weeks of departure.^{[BVI Yacht Charters]} Current offers are in this week's deals.
Fill the cabins. The price is for the boat, so splitting it four ways instead of two halves your share.^[Sunsail]
Eat aboard more often. Pre-ordered provisions run about $28–35 per person per day^{[BVI Yacht Charters]}, while a main course ashore is $30–50.^[Sunsail]
Get to the mooring field early. Most overnight balls are first come, first served. The orange BoatyBalls can be booked online for the same day, but they cost more and are usually gone by 7 am.^{[The Moorings]}
Weigh the damage waiver against the deposit; without the waiver you usually pay a bigger deposit.^[Sunsail] Cancellation cover is worth a look too; BVI Yacht Charters sells it for $200 a charter.^{[BVI Yacht Charters]}

FAQ

Do I need a licence to bareboat in the BVI?

No formal licence, but you need a sailing résumé the charter company accepts. For The Moorings and Sunsail that means at least 5 days or 100 miles as skipper on a similar-sized yacht.^{[The Moorings]}

How much does a BVI bareboat charter cost for a week?

The boat costs from about $3,300–3,500 in low season^{[The Moorings]}^[Sunsail], and from about $6,500 for a 40–45 ft monohull or $9,500 for a 42–48 ft catamaran in high season.^[Sulu] On top of that, add fees, moorings, fuel, food and the damage waiver; The Moorings suggests 25–50% extra.^{[The Moorings]}

What's the best month for a BVI charter?

December to April has the steadiest trades and the highest prices. May and November are good-value shoulder months. Avoid the hurricane peak from mid-August to mid-October.^[Sulu]^{[NOAA National Hurricane Center]} See the month-by-month calendar.

Can I sail to the US Virgin Islands?

Only if your charter company allows it, and you have to clear out and back in through customs.^{[The Moorings]} Dream Yacht doesn't allow it.^{[Dream Yacht Worldwide]} BVI Yacht Charters needs to give permission first, and anyone who isn't a US or Canadian citizen needs a B1/B2 visa to enter the USVI by private boat.^{[BVI Yacht Charters]}

Can I stay overnight on a National Parks mooring?

No. They're day-use only, with a 90-minute limit.^{[National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands]}

How long should the charter be?

A week covers the classic loop of about 85–100 nm.^[Sulu] Sunsail also offers 5-night charters and 10- or 14-day trips.^[Sunsail]

Keep planning

Sources

Virgin Islands News Online, After 36 years, NPTVI increases park entrance fees (8 Oct 2026; checked 26 Oct 2026)
BVI Yacht Charters, General Questions about Chartering (checked 26 Oct 2026)
The Moorings, British Virgin Islands: Useful Information (checked 26 Oct 2026)
Sunsail, British Virgin Islands Travel Information & Planning Guide (re-checked 26 Oct 2026)
The Moorings, How Much Does A BVI Yacht Charter Cost in 2026? (15 Jul 2026, prices updated Apr 2026; checked 26 Oct 2026)
BVI Yacht Charters, BVI Weather Forecast and Climate (checked 26 Oct 2026)
Sulu, British Virgin Islands Sailing Guide: The BVI Week (14 Apr 2026; re-checked 26 Oct 2026)
NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Climatology (checked 26 Oct 2026)
Sunsail, How Much Does a BVI Yacht Charter Cost? (28 Feb 2026; re-checked 26 Oct 2026)
Dream Yacht Worldwide, BVI Yacht Charters (checked 26 Oct 2026)
Government of the Virgin Islands (via BVI Shipping Registry), S.I. 2024 No. 83: Cruising and Home Port Permit (Amendment of Schedule 2) Order, 2024 (in force 1 Jun 2025; checked 26 Oct 2026)
Horizon Yacht Charters, Nanny Cay Base (checked 26 Oct 2026)
National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands, Marine Conservation Programme (mooring system) (checked 26 Oct 2026)
BVI Yacht Charters, Special Offers and Discounts: Bareboats (checked 26 Oct 2026)