Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

Yacht show sees largest turnout since Irma

Yacht show sees largest turnout since Irma

Bamboushay pottery mugs and an award for volunteer work decorated the main cabin of a 62-foot Leopard catamaran called The Big Dog, which was on display at the Nanny Cay marina for visiting brokers to board last week.

Crewmembers Ruth and Terry Ross have lived in the Virgin Islands for the past ten years after moving here from Ireland, and they could not imagine living anywhere else, they said.

When they lost their previous boat in Hurricane Irma, they decided to stay in the territory and help the yachting industry recover.

“We were determined to get back no matter what,” Ms. Ross said. “We didn’t have a job. We rented a condo here in Nanny Cay. We got involved in the volunteer work and eventually found work here. We were lucky that we didn’t have to change [our careers] too much.”

The two were among the crewmembers for nearly 50 boats that attended the 38th annual BVI Charter Society Show — the largest turnout since Irma. Of those, almost two-thirds are based in the Virgin Islands.

Brokers were invited aboard to view the yachts and meet the crew, asking questions about the services and special details that each has to offer in order to match the boats with prospective clients. Brokers act as agents who pair vacationers with their ideal boat and crew, tailoring packages to their wants and needs.

The BVI Charter Yacht Society hosted a spring show in May, where 21 boats and more than 40 brokers showed up.

The annual fall show, organisers said, is usually much larger and includes boats that were unable to make it to the spring show.

This show was Bobbi Fawcett’s first as a new broker for Regency Yacht Charters, but she is no stranger to the industry.

“[The crew] are all bright eyes and bushy tailed, and the boats are all sprayed and polished. When I was crew, that’s what you would do,” she said. “[Regency books] all around the world, but here it’s a very great place for charter because of the multitude of anchorage in close proximities.”


Meeting the crew


Wearing hot pink shirts, Ms. Fawcett and other brokers made their way around the marina, hopping on and off boats and chatting with the crews.

Many of the meetings were reunions that began with hugs and smiles from familiar faces.

This was often true for the Rosses, who have been in the yachting business for 15 years.

“[Yachting] is an industry that the roots spread out far across the territory,” said Ms. Ross, who is on the board of the Charter Yacht Society. “Every single thing that we do for the charter, it all has to come from within the community.”


Other events


The show began Wednesday night of last week with a general meeting, followed by yacht viewings last Thursday and the official opening of the show that same night.

On Friday, crews participated in a cocktail competition, and brokers did a “Yacht Hop” where they boarded participating yachts at night.

The show continued into the weekend with culinary contests, a farewell dinner and awards ceremony, and a post-show crew gathering.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
×