Great Crewed Yacht Charters to try – Lolalita and Soterion [Photo Slider + Video]

Savouring the Sail – Luxurious Crewed Yacht Charters

Photography courtesy of respective yachts

Charter Yacht Society (CYS): An introduction to Dining on Deck with crewed yacht charters

Vacations in the BVI are an indulgence for the fortunate, consistently motivating return visits from guests who are attracted by the incredible amenities offered by the 60 isles and cays.

Simultaneously, there is a specific BVI vacation style, that has amassed phenomenal popularity and is yet to be attempted by many guests, who come to our shores for the islands’ rejuvenating effects: Crewed yacht charters – amid their impeccable reputation, there are a multitude of holiday-makers who remain oblivious to this exquisite form of escapism, which has been patented as a floating luxury resort with mobility to traverse the BVI’s azure blue seas.

Starting in the late 70’s early 80’s, crewed yachts have constantly incited adulation in the BVI, making priority spots on bucket lists and provoking immense followings for the crews.

The Charter Yacht Society (CYS) is an organisation that continually strives to improve the crewed charter vacation experience by proactively enhancing the business and regulatory environment for crewed yachts.

The CYS is a non-profit organisation that was founded in August 1982 by five owner operators of crewed charter yachts – three of the five still living in the BVI: Duncan/Annie Muirhead owners of Cuan Law, Dick Nichol owner of Wanderlust (now retired from the fleet) and Mick Gardner former owner of White Squall and Willy T.

Janet Oliver, the Executive Director who has been with the CYS since 1996, handles a myriad of duties. These include day-to-day operations, organising the boat show, serving and representing the CYS on several committees such as the Marine Association and the BVICCHA, interfacing with various Government ministries, helping individual yachts, their owners and crews through issues encountered, and generally keeping the industry informed.

There are currently 80 members in the CYS fleet, who are granted a common voice with government and the industry via the diligent efforts of the CYS.

Progressing, the CYS is unveiling a new partnership with Seaborne Airlines to make it more accessible and affordable for guests to travel to the BVI for crewed charter vacations.

Remaining innovative for the goals of the CYS has been a governing factor in their success, exemplified by the creation of the cookbook Dining on Deck.

Dining on Deck—originally conceptualised by VIPY’s renowned skipper-scribe David Blacklock—brought to CYS by former VIPY editor Traci O’Dea, and carried to fruition by Janet, is a venue for crewed charter chefs to display their talents and showcase the CYS yachts.

Following the success of the first volume of Dining on Deck, 2013 has seen the creation of Dining on Deck Volume II – an all-new recipe collaboration of charter yacht chefs in the BVI. It is anticipated that Volume II will complement Volume I with the probability of subsequent publications every two years, inspiring avid cooks and fans of crewed charters to collect the entire set.

The undisputed fact is, with CYS and their crewed charter yachts, guests receive a service that takes vacationing to a new standard of comfort and relaxation – Dining on Deck permits residents and visitors to take a souvenir of that grand experience. Peruse the following few pages to learn why crewed yacht charters are prevalent in the BVI and more importantly, why it is one of the best kinds of vacation in the world.

Yacht Lolalita: Fun, great food and memories that will last a lifetime

An incredible example of the crewed charter yacht service sails in with Lolalita, a beautiful 65ft Jeantot Privilege catamaran.

Owner-operated by husband-and-wife team Captain Ernie and Chef Megan Schlobohm, who are devoted to fashioning a tailored paradise for their guests, Lolalita facilitates all the amenities of a five-star hotel and restaurant with the flexibility to explore the BVI in its entirety.

Crewed yacht charters are founded in the amicable and enthusiastic nature of the crew. Captain Ernie is a true son of a sailor. His adoration of travel began early in his life, privy to voyaging across the world via his father’s Navy career and his own love of exploration. Ernie worked as a Captain on various types of vessel, from dive boats to fishing vessels to luxury yachts, and shares that wealth of experience with Lolalita. He currently holds a USCG 1600-GT All Oceans Master, which he has earned over the last 15 years.

Chef Megan from Atlanta, Georgia of the US met Ernie while completing her Master’s Degree in Mental Health Therapy. She decided she wanted to join the sailing world and prior to her admission, developed a fierce passion for cooking.

Perfecting her menu on various yachts she and Ernie have worked, most of her phenomenal culinary abilities are self-taught, mixed with a loving collaboration with Ernie from his vast experience in the industry. The combination of remarkable flavours and perceptive presentations reflects her great skill.

Motivated by her expertise and passion for innovative and tasty cuisine, Chef Megan participated in Dining on Deck Volume II this year. She submitted an hors d’oeuvres recipe: Filet Mignon with Herbed Goat Cheese Mousse and a cocktail recipe—created by Captain Ernie—the Lolalita Ting-A-Ling. Her specialty when serving on-board is her Thai night and multiple guests—new to the exotic cuisine—form a relentless addiction to the food.

Below: See the unique, innovative and most importantly delicious cuisine of Lolalita’s Chef Megan

 

Working alongside this crewed yacht is Ernie’s son, 20-year-old Jeff, who acts as the ‘d-man’ for Lolalita: deckhand, dive instructor, dinghy driver, dish-washer, and on occasion, disco dancer. Jeff is consistently ready to entertain, adding a great element of humour to the professional environment.

For exciting excursions, Megan and Ernie recognise that there is more to a crew than just knowing the prime locations to visit. They testify to their adoration of the BVI, which flows out in their impeccable service: “We absolutely love the BVI and love even more sharing her treasures with guests. We have learned over the years that it’s not entirely about where you go-it’s important to know when is the best time to be somewhere too.”

This is exemplified in their timing for Little Harbour, Peter Island, where they know to be there before lunch so guests can witness the entertaining spectacle of pelicans and seagulls hunting for fish mid-afternoon. They love Great Dog, where there’s a beautiful snorkel spot for a lunchtime activity. “Eustasia sound is an amazing place to sleep for the night, and if you anchor just so that your stern falls back on the beach, guests can easily access the shore for seashell hunting,” said Megan. “There’s even a resident Barracuda that we call ‘Flat Top’, who will stay next to us all day and night; he’s great fun to snorkel with. Jost Van Dyke is our favourite stop for the whole week, and we know that Friday night is when the real fun happens with Foxy’s extremely popular Barbecue.”

Megan continued: “An ideal day at Jost Van Dyke has you moored at Sandy Cay within swimming distance of the beach after sleeping in Little Harbour-maybe even having enjoyed Abe’s By The Sea for a lobster dinner the night before. After a hearty breakfast we guide a hike to the top for a breath-taking view of the northern shore of Tortola. Then we move to White Bay to enjoy the Soggy Dollar Bar, beach games, sunbathing, swimming in the beautiful blue waters, and of course, sampling the very famous Painkiller, made with love by our famous bartender, ‘Old Timer.’”

The vessel itself—yacht Lolalita—was built in France in 1996. Designed as a racing catamaran, there are only five similar boats built. The vessel has been upgraded to a hydraulic sailing system with a carbon-fibre boom and mast, with top-of-the-line rod rigging; a wide inventory of custom-made sails; and a rotating mast for more precise sailing.

Among the many toys on-board for watersports, Lolalita is also a dive platform for guests, with dive gear and tanks for 10 people and a professional-grade dive compressor on-board to facilitate unlimited diving. While all crew members are dive instructors, Jeff is the main dive instructor on-board. The yacht offers a free Discover Scuba course to all guests and many visitors complete their Open Water and Advanced Open Water certifications while out with the crew.

To conclude, Lolalita’s crew would summarise the entire experience asserting that their ultimate goal is to make every guest who charters with them, feel like family.

Soterion: Bestowing salvation and safe passage to paradise

Soterion’s crew, Captain Ben Raley and Chef Rachel Haskovec are two individuals who love the water and derive great pleasure in sharing the BVI with people from a variety of backgrounds. They are fulfilled by their guests’ sentiments of appreciation and amazement on their fun-filled charters, unveiling to vacationers of all ages and preferences a pristine, paradisiacal perspective of this region.

The yacht Soterion, originally named Double Feature was owned by a Hollywood movie producer who had an input in the design and layout of the boat, building her with attributes specifically tailored for chartering in the BVI. The vessel was sailed over from France in 2000 by the first captain, who is now skipper of the largest catamaran in the world, Hemisphere. The current owner chartered several different catamarans in the BVI including Double Feature before purchasing and renaming her Soterion.

Soterion—the Greek word for ‘salvation’ or ‘safe passage’—is a Lagoon 570 sloop rig, currently boasting a new paint job, refinished interior and furnishings, new rigging, with a dedicated and diligent crew.

 

Participating in both Dining on Deck and its successor Dining on Deck Volume II, Soterion’s motivation to showcase their cuisine emerged from the book’s purpose of crediting yacht chefs for the delicious meals that their guests compliment consistently. It also presented a convenient method to share the recipes created by their chef as guests often ask for the ingredients of the fare they have enjoyed on-board.

Attempting to keep their menu sophisticated yet simple, Chef Rachel leans heavily on local ingredients. Dinner dishes include salt-baked whole red snapper with local long beans, and braised rabbit in creole mustard sauce with cracked new red potatoes to satisfy diverse appetites.

However, cuisine served, varies weekly – the chef procures the preferences of the guests and considers the season they are in when planning the menu, sourcing from renowned local locations like Good Moon Farm on Tortola. Generically, the cuisine is gourmet, created from fresh, healthy, flavourful ingredients to form well-presented dishes.

Soterion is special because the vessel sails noticeably smoother than other boats. With 57ft in the waterline, twin keels, and a large sail area, she boasts improved performance upwind than most yachts equal in size. In addition, the asymmetrical spinnaker catalyses momentum down-wind. Possessing the lines of a classic sailing catamaran, the boat is one of the few yachts in this size range that has four equally appointed cabins. All cabins have queen+ size beds and en suite heads forming suitable features for groups of four adults, two small families, or one extended family.

For activities, Captain Ben’s focal function is to adhere to the requests of the guests. When they receive hedonistic party-goers, the crew’s knowledge dictates they travel to festive island Jost Van Dyke or equally enjoyable area North Sound in Virgin Gorda. If the crew acquire visitors seeking unparalleled escapism, a sail to the tranquil island Anegada ensues. With their experience, Ben and Rachel can even take guests to some of the secret locations in the BVI for unrivalled seclusion – secret to even many residents.

“If we have children aboard, or adults who are children at heart, the water toys come out and there is water skiing, wakeboarding, tubing, and knee-boarding. Most people enjoy a mix of socialising and solitude, so we spend time in a number of different locations during the course of the week. This is the beauty of vacationing on a yacht in the BVI.”

Rare opportunities in weather or ocean conditions allow for Soterion’s most unique adventures. Captain Ben explained: “We had a group that wanted to snorkel and hike everywhere and they wanted their own secluded anchorage every night. After we had exhausted our known options for private bays, intimate snorkel spots, and adventurous hikes, we started to really branch out and discover places that were new to us.”

They have witnessed a set of whales making their way North through Sir Francis Drake Channel and seen amusing wildlife soap operas between families of sea creatures ‘arguing’ – spectacles that evoke awe, entertainment, and hilarity. If the crew of Soterion promise anything, it’s that your BVI sailing vacation will be delivered in peak condition, with the attentive crew ensuring every comfort and amenity is readily available.

This is a snippet of the options available for crewed yacht charters. Each one is an astonishingly professional and smooth service, travelling beyond the provision of satisfaction, inciting a healthy addiction to this type of charter, and potentially fashioning friends for life in the crew.

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