{"id":50401,"date":"2023-08-01T14:57:59","date_gmt":"2023-08-01T18:57:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/?p=50401"},"modified":"2023-08-01T14:58:04","modified_gmt":"2023-08-01T18:58:04","slug":"local-knowledge-since-1902","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/sponsored-post\/local-knowledge-since-1902\/","title":{"rendered":"Local Knowledge, Since 1902"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Mooring <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Barefoot Yacht Charters owns a set of 25 moorings in Blue Lagoon that can be made available to enable owners of visiting yachts to leave their boat for a few weeks or months.<\/span>\n Philip Barnard<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n

Philip Barnard\u2019s family arrived in St. Vincent and the Grenadines more than a century ago, in 1902. His grandfather sailed the local waters. His father then grew up on local boats, and his mother started Barefoot Charters in 1991\u2014an unusual, if not monumental, achievement for a woman in those days. Barnard followed his family\u2019s lead and, today, owns the company known for its well-developed charter base and sailing school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have relationships that go back generations with service providers,\u201d Barnard says. \u201cI know every inch of water down here, taught to me by my dad and granddad before we had GPS. That allows us to show people an experience that\u2019s a little different.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

St. Vincent and the Grenadines is in the southern part of the Caribbean, which is far less developed than the northern charter meccas such as Antigua and Saint-Martin. The experience in this part of the Caribbean is often described as untouched\u2014much like the other, busier islands were decades ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, there are modern conveniences. The $259 million Argyle International Airport opened just a few years ago on the eastern side of St. Vincent, giving visitors a first-class travel option for accessing the tranquility of the archipelago. American Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Air Canada and other providers offer service here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Tobago <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n The beach in Tobago Cays<\/span>\n Philip Barnard<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n

The islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines run north to south, like an unfastened string of pearls. Conditions are different from other charter hotspots such as the British Virgin Islands, and sometimes include sailing in pure Atlantic Ocean winds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barnard describes the locale as ideal for bareboaters who want to step up their sailing game with a bit more of a challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not like the fishpond sailing in the Virgin Islands,\u201d he says. \u201cDown here, the winds are stronger. This is better-suited for intermediate and advance sailors\u2014and it\u2019s why our sailing school is so good. We can access just about any conditions we want.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Tobego\" <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Aerial views of the pristine waters and lush tropical terrain of Tobago.<\/span>\n Philip Barnard<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n

Barefoot Charters offers American Sailing Association and Sail Canada classes that start at beginner level and go up to teaching people how to become instructors. The company also has specialty programs focused on living aboard offshore, preparing for offshore passages and learning how to make decisions in high-stress situations, such as major storms. In some cases, instructors include former participants in the Vend\u00e9e Globe singlehanded, nonstop round-the-world yacht race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese extra courses are for people with bigger aspirations, who want to take the family and go all around the world,\u201d Barnard says. \u201cThese techniques make you a better sailor in everyday situations too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Barefoot Charters has a well-established base that not only has a restaurant and rooms for bareboat clients, but that also can handle repairs on everything from sails to fiberglass to diesel engines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Island <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n The Island of Mopion is all beach with one umbrella and a bottle opener hanging from a string just in case.<\/span>\n Philip Barnard<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not a dock with three boats and a guy in a little office,\u201d Barnard says. \u201cWe don\u2019t have a chandlery in St. Vincent; although it\u2019s a sailing location, there\u2019s no sail industry, so we have to be self-sufficient.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teaching boaters to be self-sufficient is also part of the Barefoot Charters operation. The company offers a program that it calls a mentor charter, where clients are on their own chartered bareboat, fully in command and control, but moving through the islands on itineraries that are like a flotilla, so there is always help nearby if needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s for confidence-building the first time out,\u201d Barnard explains. \u201cYou can say that you sailed a boat for a week. You got your first 50 miles. That\u2019s the prerequisite a lot of the charter companies have.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Barefoot <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n A peek at the Barefoot Yacht Charters fleet.<\/span>\n Philip Barnard<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n

That kind of sailing\u2014and all other types of bareboating\u2014can be done aboard the diverse fleet of boats that Barefoot Charters offers. Unlike other companies that focus primarily on, say, only one type of catamaran, Barefoot Charters offers cats as well as monohulls that are built for different purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barnard says that the fleet breaks down into two general categories: performance boats and boats that offer luxury comfort at anchor. The idea is that different boats are meant to do different things, so bareboaters should be able to enjoy whichever aspect of cruising appeals to them most. Want to go fast on a broad reach? You\u2019ll need a different type of boat than one packed with amenities for use at anchor. At Barefoot Charters, clients can choose either one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur philosophy is to let the fast boats do what they do, and let the other boats be more comfortable,\u201d Barnard says, adding that some clients come back year after year, chartering different styles of boats to learn what they like best. \u201cI have owners here who learned to sail here, and they\u2019re getting ready to go off cruising now that their kids are graduating.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barnard also says that Barefoot Charters takes its obligation to the natural environment seriously. Stewardship of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is a major part of the company\u2019s philosophy, so much so that each charter guest receives a tree to plant while they\u2019re in the archipelago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Happy <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n The view from Happy Island.<\/span>\n Philip Barnard<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n

\u201cWe give a casuarina or flamboyant tree\u2014they\u2019re hardy and can grow here,\u201d Barnard says. \u201cIt\u2019s to offset the emissions from the flight down to the islands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All in all, Barnard says, the experience that charter guests can have with Barefoot Charters is unlike any other. As just one example, there\u2019s the island of Mustique, which often closes to the public because it\u2019s a favorite haunt of the rich and famous. Here, as with other locations throughout St. Vincent and the Grenadines, clients of Barefoot Charters enjoy special privileges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been able to negotiate access for our clients to Mustique,\u201d Barnard says. \u201cThey can go horseback riding, rent a Mule\u2014the golf cart, not the donkeys\u2014and go all around the island. The same is true at Palm Island, which is also exclusive. Our guests can access the hotel grounds and spa with a day pass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBecause we know so many people around these islands,\u201d he adds, \u201cwe have access to a lot of back doors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To book a vacation with Barefoot Yachts, visit barefootyachts.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Barefoot Charters specializes in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a charter destination unlike any other in the Caribbean.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":50402,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"BS_author_type":"BS_author_is_guest","BS_guest_author_name":"Contributing Partner","BS_guest_author_url":"","hydra_display_date":"","hydra_display_updated":false,"_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"30","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Experience \"untouched\" beauty in the southern Caribbean aboard a Barefoot Yacht Charter. With decades spent chartering St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Barefoot Yacht Charters has become a staple of the community, a mentor to visitors of the surrounding waters and a steward of environmental conservation.","_yoast_wpseo_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","arc_story_id":"","arc_website_url":"","custom_permalink":"","arc_subtype":"","arc_exclude_from_feeds":true,"sponsored":true,"sponsored_label":"Sponsored Content","sponsored_display_label":true,"sponsored_image":false,"post_right_rail":true,"post_right_rail_ad_1":true,"post_right_rail_ad_2":true,"post_right_rail_ad_3":false,"post_right_rail_ad_4":false,"post_right_rail_recirc":true,"fixed_anchor_ad":true,"post_top_ad":true,"post_off_ramp":true,"post_taboola":false,"labels":true,"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":"\"\"","apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":"","ad_settings_ads_on_this_page":true,"ad_settings_automatic_ad_injection_into_the_content":true,"ad_targeting":"","sponsored_url":"","social_share":true,"sponsored_label_style":true},"categories":[30],"tags":[1962,196,169,339,160,273,1963],"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50401"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50401"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50401\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50402"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50401"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50401"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50401"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}