We are hoping to take our boat , a Moody 38cc to the Caribbean next autumn, and then leave the boat there as our winter escape for a number of years, leaving the boat ashore somewhere during the hurricane season . However it seems that the costss of insurance have gone up significantly after the hurricanes of recent years. Can anyone suggest a good place to leave a bost that is economical both in terms of yard costs and what underwriters want?

Any advice and experience gratefully received!

Chris Marchant

Hi Chris,

I don't talk with firsthand experience, but it seems most folk (not all) seem to favor Grenada and Trinidad - which are considered out of the hurricane belt I believe. The benefit to my mind of being staged in Grenada, is that you'd be closer to the other windward islands for your winter cruising and I think people had good things to say about yards like Clarke Court...

The climate is pretty harsh in the summer - so you may want to consider making special arrangements to protect the boat from the tropical sun during the layup period.

Since we are full time liveaboards, we decided to move ourselves out of the Caribbean entirely for the summer and headed to New England.

Insurance companies certainly do seem to be calling the shots these days :-(

Good luck with it.

Bill Balme

Chris
Our boat was 4 years in the Caribbean.
Trinidad was our first overwinter. Excellent facilities, and easy access to anything you need sorting on your boat. Chagueramas is shielded by mountains to the east, and I found it particularly hot to work on the boat - no wind at all. So if you can stand the heat - an ideal location. (I am presuming you are leaving the boat and not living aboard).
Next year we went to Clarke’s Court for haul out.Newly established and infrastructure on shore still developing (3 years ago).
Due to parents’ ill health we had to miss a season and the boat stayed ashore for 18 months.
Boatyard was fine and the yard had improved greatly since we had left the boat. Unfortunately what Bill says is true. The summer is brutal, not so much when you are afloat, but with the boat on land for so long many things got affected by heat. Many rubber parts, like screwdriver handles and electric appliances deteriorated badly. The (old) TV antenna landed on the deck in pieces - the plastic having gone very brittle - as did the sail chafe discs on the spreaders. The newish fridge stopped working and wouldn’t hold a re-gas. I don’t think this would have been the case if we had been able to relaunch after 6 months.
I personally rate Grenada more than Trinidad. Very friendly island, lovely people and again you can get any job done somewhere. And the trade winds blow!! Also, once you’re afloat you can shakedown cruise around the south coast and always have somewhere nice to hole up if you need bits and pieces or work done. In Trinidad you only have a very busy Chagueramas.
We had no problem with our insurers for both of these locations (pre Irma). Our present insurers, Y Yachts, had a much more favourable excess clause than our previous company. You do need to compare the named storm clauses and the storage requirements on an insurance policy. Y Yachts was recommended to me, and I have recommended it to others - there policy is plain language is available on the web. And from experience they do sort claims out very efficiently!!
We are back in UK waters now - and still keep bumping in to Bill and Laurie on Toodle-oo!

Have a great time, and if you have the chance spend some time in the Cape Verde islands.

Ian and Linda

‘Ocean Hobo’
Amel Santorin

All

Looking for any updates on useful advise already provided here regarding where to leave a boat for the hurricane season in Grenada. Currently have quotes from Clarkes Court, Grenada Marine & Spice Island Services but struggling to differentiate except on price. Plan to leave boat on the hard for six months and for insurance purposes need to have mast removed.

Any advise welcome. Thanks B