In general, when we charter a multihull, it’s to head for the sun. The Mediterranean in summer, the Caribbean, Asia, the Pacific for the rest of the year. How do you choose your destination? You must begin by defining your holiday dates: Christmas, February, Easter? In general, you should avoid the periods of frequent rain. An example – Christmas in the West Indies would be perfect, but it’s best to avoid this same period in Polynesia…
The second essential point consists of evaluating (as honestly as possible) your nautical skills. Because between sailing in the Virgin Islands and leaving from Martinique for the Grenadines, or envisaging real navigation between the atolls of Polynesia, there is a real difference… A few sailing basics and some good nautical common sense will suffice in the Grenadines, the BVIs, the Bahamas or the Seychelles, or again, if you remain inside the Polynesian atolls. On the other hand, you must have good nautical experience (or a skipper) to ‘get off the beaten track’.
Finally, you don’t sail in the same way as a family crew as when you are with a dozen of your pals who love sailing hard. In the first case, you must favor short legs, the possibility of stopping regularly at a beach, and finding areas where the snorkeling is easy and accessible. In the second case, nothing is better than a nice night sail, sporty passages and anchorages where you can party!
The ‘classic’ destinations, or how not to make a mistake
If over the past forty years or so the charter companies have set up in certain corners of the world, for the pleasure of leisure sailors, it’s because the destination is really worth it. The Virgin Islands, Greece, the Grenadines or the Bahamas are for example some of the destinations that all lovers of cruising in the sunshine should have visited at least once in their lifetime. You can’t be disappointed by these ‘classic’ destinations, which offer superb anchorages, sumptuous beaches, waters full of fish and all the conveniences fun-loving cruisers could dream of. Those of you who have experienced the parties on Jost Van Dyke in the BVIs, or enjoyed a barbecued lobster on a beach in the Grenadines will know what I am talking about. The advantage of these so-called ‘classic’ destinations lies in the large number of charter companies on the spot, offering a wide range of services and boats. For example, whether in Le Marin in Martinique or in the BVIs, you will find almost the whole of the world’s catamaran production available for charter. Lagoon, Fountaine Pajot, Leopard, Nautitech and even Outremer, Gemini or Neel - there really is something for all tastes.
Among these destinations, from which you will never return disappointed, there are:
Greece, the classic of classics, The British Virgin Islands, pleasant and easy to discover, the Grenadines, with their unique colors, or the hundreds of islands of the Bahamas. But you also mustn’t miss Guadeloupe and its dependencies, Corsica, the famous ‘Ile de Beauté’, and of course the one we all dream about – Polynesia.
Destinations for modern-day adventurers
If you have already enjoyed these classic destinations, don’t worry, there are many other places where you can have the time of your life. Over the last ten years, Asia has become a more and more attractive destination, and a few charter companies are now offering bases in Thailand or Malaysia. But there are also the Seychelles, Madagascar, Fiji, the Turks and Caicos, Los Roques, the Whitsundays or again Cape Verde, the Maldives and New Caledonia…plus a few other gems which the smartest sailors have succeed in discovering, and which are only shared among the initiated (and in the pages of Multihulls World).
These destinations have one thing in common: they really have to be ‘earned’. It takes numerous hours in an airplane to get there, often with several changes. And once in the destination, there is no marina, with all the usual conveniences, but often just a simple pontoon, or several boats at anchor, which you must reach in the dinghy. As for provisioning, it’s best to have a good fisherman aboard, the one who is so good, he can get the dinner out of the water whatever the conditions. But if you like discovering unspoilt areas, you will be delighted. Alone in the anchorage most of the time, you will have the opportunity to have some real encounters with the inhabitants of the country you are visiting. These destinations have to be earned, but they offer so much more, it would be a shame to deprive yourself.
So, that’s it? You’re convinced? This winter it’s a vacation on a cat or nothing! And to help you choose your future destination well, you will find one or two of our favorites in the following pages.
Original, exceptional or classic, it’s your choice!
The different charter areas
Caribbean
High season from December to April
The Caribbean Sea offers a wonderful, diverse cruising area. The charter companies made no mistakes, and there are very many charter bases. From the Virgin Islands to the Grenadines, the string of West Indian islands offers numerous destinations. The best period to enjoy it stretches from December to April… The weather is good, the trade winds steadier and the weather conditions are therefore more stable. And as a bonus, the nights are (relatively) cooler, therefore pleasanter. The hurricane season stretches in theory from June to November, but there are most depressions in September and October.
Indian Ocean
High season from December to April
The dry season extends from April to October. This is in general the best period for cruising in the islands of the Indian Ocean. During this period, the easterly trade winds become established, to finally reach 15 to 20 knots. The temperatures are very pleasant: between 25 and 30°C
The north-westerly monsoon (October to April) brings heavy, short-lived rain, especially in November and January. Ashore, the breezes cool the climate. The temperatures are stable, and generally around 29°C. Note that, depending on the island (Seychelles, Madagascar, Mauritius, Malaysia or Thailand), the conditions can be very different.
Mediterranean
High season from June to September
The summer months are the pleasantest in terms of the weather conditions. But they are also the busiest in terms of tourists… It’s therefore harder (or even impossible) to find yourself alone in an anchorage. At the end of August, the risk of storms and gales is real. And beware, when the Mediterranean gets angry, it’s not nice at sea! So, use a little common sense, watch the weather forecasts carefully and never overestimate your strength or that of your crew. The Mistral, Tramontane, Meltemi, Sirocco or Libeccio are all winds which can blow at storm force, and of which you should beware.
Pacific
High season from July to October
From November to February, you are in the hurricane season, but they are quite rare in this region. Outside this period, always critical for cruising, you can go to Polynesia whenever you want. The winds blow at between 15 and 20 knots from March to October, which makes this the most pleasant period for cruising. In any case, most people who charter in Polynesia don’t leave the lagoons, and only rarely risk long passages. There is actually enough to see and do close to the charter areas, and you don’t need to go and play with the Pacific swells.
Atlantic
High season from June to September
The cruising area is sumptuous, and although the summer months are the pleasantest in terms of the weather, the pre and post season periods offer some absolutely magical sailing.
As is the case everywhere, to avoid nasty surprises, it is advisable to consult the weather forecasts carefully before setting off…and to note on your charts the rocks to be avoided…
Then the exceptional discoveries are yours for the taking, the deserted anchorages, the delightful bays and the wonderful rivers to explore.
Good cruising!
