Give the Gift of Paradise this Christmas!

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We absolutely love this time of year in the Grenadines. It is such a special gift. The sun is shining, the breeze is perfect and days in the islands are filled with a special Christmas magic like no where else on earth.

This year we wanted to share a little of the magic with you, so we have decided to make your Christmas shopping a little easier and help find the most special presents for your loved ones.

Great news ! Barefoot Yacht Charters and Barefoot Offshore Sailing School are now offering Gift Certificates for courses in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Giving the gift of paradise is now easier than ever!

So now you and your family and friends can indulge in the Christmas magic that the Grenadines have to offer :) no matter where you are this holiday season!

Mopion Island, St Vincent and the Grenadines

Below are a couple of our ultimate Christmas specials that are bound to thrill both the relaxation seeker and adventurer alike! Our Learn to Sail ASA courses and Barefoot Navigator courses have great Christmas discounts:

 

 

 

 

 

That’s not all. We are also giving away a FREE dinner at our Barefoot base Driftwood restaurant with every Gift Certificate purchased in December 2017.

Simply purchase a Gift Certificate for a loved one this month and we will gift a FREE dinner for 2 at our beautiful Driftwood restaurant !

Just email us at bookings@barefootyachts.com for more information!

Sending island magic your way this holiday season

The Barefoot Family

Driftwood Restaurant – Barefoot Yacht Charters

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Learn the Art of Barefoot Navigation

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The Barefoot Offshore Sailing School is really excited about being able to offer this exclusive, no-tech/low-tech, barefoot navigation course.

We are the very first sailing school to offer this course and it we are launching the early bird price once this year! You can be one of the first to become a Barefoot Navigator! Be warned, places are limited to ensure you get the highest quality, learning experience. We’ve got you intrigued? Do you want to know more?

The Barefoot Navigator

Before we tell you about the course, we need to introduce you to Jack Lagan. Jack is the author of The Barefoot Navigator. Navigating with the skills of the Ancients, A, B, C –  as well as a very experienced sailor and a film maker.  In 2006 The Barefoot Navigator was nominated for the Mountbatten Maritime Prize,

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Jack Lagan, award winning author

awarded annually “to the author of a distinguished publication that has made a significant contribution to maritime history”.

In his book The Barefoot Navigator, which is the cornerstone of the Barefoot Navigation Course, Jack first looks at how the ancients were able to navigate without the technology we take for granted today.

For example, how did the Polynesians manage to populate such a large area of the ocean by using clouds, stars, the sun, wind direction and sea birds? The second half of the book takes this ancient knowledge and applies it to modern day use.

The Objective

To support modern sailors to become not only better navigators but Barefoot pioneers!

We’ll let Jack explain the objective of the course in his own words;

“After the course you’ll be a much better navigator than you were when you first stepped onto the boat.  You’ll boast new practical skills inherited from the seafarers of ancient times.  With practice, you will become confident enough to stand on deck, look at the sky, look at the sea around you and just kind of know where you are. You will be a shaman of the sea. You will be a Barefoot Navigator.”

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The Course

Pre-Study

The course is divided into 2 parts. The first part is the pre-study, or the theory. As well as Jack’s book, which will become your bible, you will have access to online eLearning material, specifically tailored for St Vincent and The Grenadines. Its user friendly with lots of graphics.

It’s interesting and not too heavy, plus you have the bonus of being able to work through it at your own pace. There are no exams!

The Practical

This is where it gets really exciting! The second stage of the course takes part on-board a yacht in The Grenadines. You get one week sailing around this beautiful part of the world whilst putting all you have learnt into practise.

And it gets better! Your instructor for the week is the Jack Lagan. Who better to help you than the author “The Barefoot Navigator”? And make sure you have your book for him to autograph.

Tobago Cays Marine Park – (Photo: Mark Pratley, Barefoot Yacht Charters)

The 3 Key Questions

The basis of the course is to help you to answer the 3 key questions:

  • Where are we?

  • How do we get to the next place?

  • Why has the ocean become a zone of uncertainty?

To answer these questions, you will learn to use the indigenous birds in the area, persistent swell directions and the stars, plus other tips from our ancestors.

Wait! No Technology?

All our yachts come fully equipped with up to date navigational equipment. This course is not meant to usurp what we are fortunate to have, however, reliance on such aids can dumb down our instincts.

This course is meant as a supplement. Say, for example, and in the worst case scenario, you end up out at sea with an electronics failure.  After completing this course you will have the confidence, the knowledge, and the skills to be able to reduce the zone of uncertainty regarding where you are and where you should be heading.

Plus, it is fun, it’s getting in touch with our ancestors, it’s going back to basics. It’s living a barefoot lifestyle!

The Details

This great opportunity to open to everyone from beginners to qualified sailors who want to enhance their sailing skills.

Places are limited so find more HERE or email info@barefootoffshore.com for more info on how you can secure your place using the early bird special for the January course! (early bird price available until 10 November 2016)

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BAREFOOT NAVIGATION. Remember, this is the first course of its kind, so not only will you be a barefoot navigator, you will also be a barefoot pioneer!

Email: info@barefootoffshore.com for more information and to book your place!

7 Reasons to Sail in Summer!

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There are so many great reasons to sail in summer and it’s not just for the amazing deals available in off-season.

La Mouette, in the Tobago Cays – (Photo: Mark Pratley, Barefoot Yacht Charters)

The Caribbean in the summer gets a lot of bad press…it’s too hot, it rains a lot, there’s a risk of tropical storms…but for some, including us, cruising in The Grenadines is better in the summer and here’s why.

First let’s address the hurricane risk.  The Atlantic hurricane season is officially from 1 June to 30 November. Statistically tropical storms are more likely to form in the north and The Bahamas and Bermuda have more to worry about than St Vincent and The Grenadines, which is considered to be at the southern edge of the hurricane belt.

With sophisticated weather forecasting, you can get at least 3 days’ notice of any potential problems.  Barefoot Yachting check almost obsessively the weather patterns and if there is any cause for concern they can get you and your yacht to safety. Quickly.

And yes. it is hot and it does rain in the summer, but it doesn’t rain every day and it never rains for long. Everything gets dried out quickly. It’s hot here all year long and whilst it may be a little hotter in the summer, on your yacht you will always get the sea breeze to cool you down.  Still hot? Just jump in and go for a swim.

Petit Tabac, Tobago Cays

Petit Tabac, Tobago Cays – (Photo: Mark Pratley, Barefoot Yacht Charters)

So now there is no reason not to sail in the off season but what are the benefits?

  1. For starters you will get a good deal on your charter, or on a sailing course through BOSS. Less demand means lower prices for you. Not only that but you will get a wider choice of yachts available.
  2. Ironically, despite being hurricane season, in general the winds are a little lighter and the sea state more comfortable than in the winter. Perfect sailing weather.
  3. The crowds have gone! You don’t have to miss out on a great days sailing by having rush to get a mooring buoy, or a decent spot in the anchorage.  Tobago Cays without a hundred other yachts there!
  4. The islands are completely different in the summer. They have a much more relaxed feel about them because not everyone is chasing a dollar or two and coping with the hoards. You feel you’re getting to know the true Grenadines.
  5. You may get good deals on mooring buoys, just ask what their summer rate is.
  6. Less queues at the bars and restaurants, better service, less waiting.
  7. The shops won’t run out of ice!

So, a bargain boat, good sailing, no crowds and ice for your Rum Punch.  It’s a no brainer really.

Join us next summer! www.barefootyachts.com

A brand new course to celebrate BOSS’s 20th Anniversary!

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This year B.O.S.S celebrates our 20th Year anniversary of sharing our Barefoot Offshore Sailing School with a brand new course! What an amazing journey it has been!

Over these years, thousands of sailors have passed through our Basic Learn and Cruise to Bareboat Skippers License courses.

Many of these students have gone on to complete their Advanced Offshore Courses on our exciting St. Lucia – St Maarten 9-day course and further their knowledge with our in-house add-on courses such as our Yachtsman’s Rigging and Diesel Engine Courses.

We are proud to welcome our graduates back to the waters of St Vincent and the Grenadines, to go on charter and partake in our very own homegrown courses.

A brand new course we are most excited and pleased to offer is The Barefoot Navigator alongside well-known author Jack Lagan. 

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The Barefoot Navigator course has been developed to provide hands on ancient navigation skills. We use everything  around us, from the indigenous birds of the area, wave and wind directions and the stars above to fix our position.

“Come join us as we rekindle the ancient navigation arts through the Barefoot Navigator”. Designed to help all sailors reduce their “Zone of Uncertainty” while out on the water. You may ask “how can we possibly do this?” The answer; by rekindling the navigation arts and techniques of the ancient seafarers!

Clients always ask us how are we able to set our prices at such excellent competitive rates. The answer is simple. We are the most active sailing school in the West Indies and have a high volume of clients who take our courses. We also own our own Marina and this helps us cut costs as we do all of our maintenance, turn arounds etc. all at our base.

We invite all sailors, old and new to come and join us as we continue to push forward purposefully to help all better their knowledge and skills both on and off the water. We are pleased to continue offering the full sleeve of ASA (American Sailing Association) Courses alongside our BOSS courses.

Come join us for some fun learning in the sun!

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We are Going Green! Smart Antifouling Solution at Barefoot Yacht Charters

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 We are going GREEN!
The beautiful waters of St Vincent and Grenadines are lush and filled with tropical flora and fauna for all to enjoy. At Barefoot Yacht Charters, we are dedicated to keeping it that way.

It is our goal to help reduce threats to our marine ecosystems by careful attention to boat maintenance and use.

Many antifouling paints are harmful to marine life such as turtles, rays, fish, sea birds, shellfish. Even a small amount of toxic chemicals can easily disrupt their natural habit and reduce their life span. We believe it is our duty to help to preserve our sea and wildlife.

 

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The new Sea Hawk Smart Solution is the next generation in antifouling technology.

It is engineered to be the most effective environmentally friendly antifouling paint available. Smart Solution provides equivalent performance to traditional antifoulants, but utilizes completely METAL-FREE biocides resulting in no bioaccumulation in the environment.

Sea Hawk have long been an industry leader in bottom paints and barefoot has used their products for sometime. Smart Solution is undergoing testing on our fleet with very promising results so far and will be fully employed through out our entire fleet by summer 2016.

Philip Barnard, Managing Director of the Barefoot Yacht Charters and The Barefoot Group of Companies shared the company’s vision and it’s decision to introduce the new Smart Solution to the fleet.

“The request for an environmentally friendly bottom paint was received by all other paint companies like asking for it to be day and night at the same time, it just could not be done. The addition of Smart Solution to the Sea Hawk product line came as a great comfort to us at Barefoot Yachts as we have been searching for an alternative to the poisonous bottom paints used in the charter industry for some years now. Smart Solution works with the environment instead of against it using nature to protect our boat bottom instead of trying to kill everything that comes close to it. This is another great leap forward for our Barefoot lifestyle”.

SeaHawk

Smart Solution is the next generation in antifouling technology.

is engineered to be the most effective environmentally friendly antifouling paint available. Smart Solution provides equivalent performance to traditional antifoulants, but utilizes completely METAL-FREE biocides resulting in no bioaccumulation in the environment. The coating’s reaction to salt water creates a slick film that encapsulates the hull, providing enhanced speed and premium performance against growth.

  • Environmentally-friendly metal free bottom paint
  • Slick film when launched
  • Copper-free
  • Compatible over existing antifoulants
  • Increased speed
  • Llyod’s Registry Certified
“In our ongoing effort to reduce our impact on the areas we sail, Barefoot is proud to continue our partnership with Sea Hawk paints and maintain the natural beauty of St Vincent and the Grenadines.” Philip Barnard

Meet Barefoot’s Sailing School Instructor

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Two years down and more to go

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Nancy Hancock

Nancy Hancock, ASA Sailing Instructor for Barefoot Offshore Sailing School

For 2 years now, I have worked as a Sailing Instructor at Barefoot Offshore Sailing School – who would have thought it – after a 25 year career as a clothing designer/manufacturer and mother of 4 grown sprogs that I would be doing this 10 years later.

Well perhaps I did have an inkling of it when I first took sailing lessons 17 years ago – and got well and truly hooked. No different from most of the students I teach here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, many of whom cannot believe what they have ventured into when we set sail from the Blue Lagoon on the south shores of St. Vincent (where Barefoot Offshore Sailing School is based) and head across the Bequia Strait on a beam or broad reach to Bequia.

After seeing their nervous reaction to the seas I often laughingly ask them if they know where they are, “Where is this place you’ve chosen to take your sailing lessons?” – blank response – my answer “the Windward Islands” and the look of realization always makes me laugh. And in 6 days these same people are taking the same Bequia Strait upwind back to Barefoot in the Blue Lagoon happily crashing through the waves and loving every minute of it. And they always want to know exactly how high these waves are for the purpose of bragging rights of course.

The American Sailing Association 101 to Bareboat Skipper curriculum we teach here at Barefoot, and the location in which we teach it is the perfect blend of information mixed with hands on experience, and of course FUN.

This live-aboard offshore sailing school travels from the Blue Lagoon to Bequia, to Tobago Cays, Union Island, Petite St. Vincent, Mayreau, Canouan and back. It includes living aboard, which takes a bit of getting used to, but is totally embraced by all of our adventure seekers, and everywhere we go after anchoring we’re in the water, and every location we sail to has fabulous snorkelling. For many students this is the first time they have snorkelled in water that is so clear it feels like you’re flying above eagle rays, turtles, barracudas, moray eels, squid and more, all living in underwater gardens of an infinite variety of corals and sponges.

We prepare food together on board some nights and on others we eat at a couple of really fabulous and reasonable restaurants, but the eating out experience most of my students take away as the best is when Tim cooks them a family style meal in a shack on the beach called “Bolheads”, why bolhead? Because the owner is bald?

Barefoot Sailing School

Barefoot Sailing School

And in 6 days many of the students, especially those with some previous sailing experience are confident, competent sailors. And most of the time our small group has become very fond of each other and tears are sometimes shed when we part, and invitations to each other’s homes.   There is also much talk about the boats they will buy and my opinion of how to conduct their research etc.   That’s when I feel I have done a really good job. They are as hooked as I was. So when I hand over their log books I strongly urge them to take the logging of their sailing time seriously. Who knows, they might want to pay it forward some time in the future.

I’ve just finished teaching my last course this season and am now preparing my boat, MoondancerX – my home, for a leisurely sail down to Grenada where I will leave her for the hurricane season, and then home to Vancouver Island, British Columbia to spend the summer with my children, grand children and friends.  Not sure how much sailing I’ll be able to do while I’m there, and I do still love to sail in our Gulf Islands, but as the summer wanes I’ll be thinking of my second home in St. Vincent and the job of a lifetime which I am so lucky to have at this time in my life – a combination of all that I love to do – Sail, Snorkel, Dive, and teach while I introduce people from all walks of life to what I have learned and what I hope they would also love to.

So I’ll be back for my third year with Barefoot Offshore Sailing School in the fabulous Windward Islands – St. Vincent and the Grenadines, where I know I will meet with past students who are coming back for more, and for the new recruits whose expressions always make me chuckle when we head out of the Blue Lagoon, sailing across the Bequia Strait on their first foray.

Learn To Sail!

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Learn to Sail in the Caribbean

Earn ASA (American Sailing Association) Certification during our Liveaboard Sailing Courses in the beautiful Grenadines. We offer One Week Basic, Catamaran and Advanced Coastal Cruising sailing courses.

Already have Basic Certification? Barefoot Offshore Sailing School offers Weekend Courses which will take you to the next level. All this and a Caribbean vacation a lifetime!

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