Caribbean Compass Yachting Magazine February 2017

ANTIGUA CHARTER YACHT SHOW 2016
Solidarity at Work
by Hubert Winston
The 55th Annual Antigua Charter Yacht Show was a success and a blazing
reminder of Eastern Caribbean solidarity and camaraderie at work.
While nothing can compare with the English Harbour, Antigua setting (above),
with so many yachts the show extends to Falmouth, too
reporter on this event and also as a yacht service provider in Dominica for Dominica
Yacht Services. At the charter show, I see that the quality of charter boats in the
region has been picking up for over five years now: every year has been better than
the previous year, and 2016 would be the best year in the Caribbean since 2010. As
a yacht service provider in Dominica, business has been increasing to the destination
every year as more yachts look for virgin lands to visit — rich in interest, yet
with little tourism congestion.
The Eastern Caribbean island governments have also been playing their part in
promoting the region and, for the first time ever, have been working collectively
under the umbrella of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). (See
www.oecs.org/yachting for more information.) More resources are being put into
yachting tourism, and our geographic proximity to North and South America and
improved infrastructure have helped the Caribbean charter industry develop.
Famous sailing vessels such as the 289-foot, three-masted S/Y Maltese Falcon have
returned to the Caribbean for a full season and many boats that had left for the
Mediterranean are returning.
The Eastern Caribbean has always been rich with diversity and affordability. While
newer yachting destinations such as Dominica, St. Lucia and Grenada have been
promoting their waters and resources in competition with those of traditional destinations
such as St. Maarten, Antigua and the British Virgin Islands, all of the OECS
member states — Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts &
Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent & the Grenadines — are working together in the
campaign to promote the Eastern Caribbean as a whole.
The Eastern Caribbean islands will always be a favored destination for vacationers
and yachts alike. By working together and by showcasing a selection of top yachts
in Antigua every year, we will help our yacht charter industry continue to thrive.
Visit www.antiguayachtshow.com for more information
on the Antigua Charter Yacht Show.
The show started off with a captain’s briefing, with drinks to follow. Registration,
information and welcoming dinner all took place at the historic Copper & Lumber Store
Hotel at Nelson’s Dockyard in English Harbour. Nothing and nowhere can compete with
the beautiful backdrop of the old harbour and the Dockyard’s cobblestone walkways.
The event started on December 4th, 2016 and officially ended on December 10th.
It was a great success and a very busy show according to Captain Alderman aboard
M/Y Narvalo, the largest motoryacht made by Cantiere Delle Marche at 33.4 metres,
and the flagship of the company.
On Day Four of the show and the day of my arrival, yacht crews seemed relaxed
and were happy to open up and discuss their love for the Caribbean and the Antigua
Charter Yacht Show. Many were newcomers to the region, such as Captain Apostolos
Gakis aboard the 40-metre M/Y ANKA. Others, including Captain Jean-Francois
Cleach of the 34-metre cat S/Y Muse, are real veterans of the Antigua Show.
The crowds were steady and there were 84 yachts registered. Although the consensus
seemed to be that the 2015 show was a bit busier, Afsaneh Franklin, one of the show’s
organizing members, was pleased with the turnout and organization of the show.
I am fortunate to see the Caribbean yacht charter business from two sides: as a
FEBRUARY 2017 CARIBBEAN COMPASS PAGE 11
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