The landscapes of both islands offer stunning walks in addition to unperturbed coral gardens and some impressive caves. As only around 400 people live here, there is no hustle and bustle, and almost no tourists. This provides you with the perfect environment to just unwind in complete serenity, or mingle with the locals over some chilled, tropical cocktails. Chartering around the lagoon you can take in the panoramic view of the secluded area and enjoy the islands exactly as they were found by Christopher Columbus.

Explore the Virgin Islands with IYC aboard the #1 cruising yacht in the most popular cruising ground in the world! Since 1977, IYC has earned a reputation as the premiere Virgin Island charter company, offering exceptional personal attention and unequaled yacht quality. Sail one of our lovely Island Packets and enjoy the US and Spanish Virgin Islands as well as the British Virgin Islands.“The saloon doors have proper hatch locks that are very clever,” said Alvah Simon. “The benches were long enough to sleep on, which cruisers do. The placement of the winches and sheets is good. They have a traveler forward, and a proper binnacle with a single wheel. The lifelines are high and coated, which is something I always like. Everywhere you go on the boat there’s a stout, shiny rail to hang onto; there are no finger jammers or knuckle breakers in there. It’s all very nicely done. The whole boat will make an elegant, heavy, easy to handle, safe home. It’s old fashioned, and I mean that favorably.” “The deck is cluttered, but in a good way,” said Ed Sherman.

There is a dream-like ambience to this destination, so don’t be surprised if you’re suddenly lulled away by the breeze. Acklins and Crooked Island are extremely remote and not well known as a tourist hotspot. But don’t let their natural surroundings fool you. Both offer plenty of exciting activities for the adventurous visitor, such as pristine diving spots, deep-sea fishing, unchartered nature walks, and even paragliding if the weather permits. Crooked Island boasts sparsely populated settlements such as French Wells and Gun Point, which are reminiscent of early plantation lifestyles.

Say what you will about Island Packet, but they’ve got a very, very devoted following, and this feels like a company that’s going to stay very well connected to that group. I wouldn’t call it a ‘cult,’ but they’re sailors who really identify with each other. It feels like it’s going to be a continuation of that.” What, exactly, does that mean? Well, rest easy, Island Packet fans, original founder and designer Bob Johnson remains a consultant, and his iteration of a full keel will still grace the underbody of IP’s yachts. But the Allens are open to tweaking the interiors of their boats, which is something new, and your IP no longer needs to have the famous ivory gelcoat. Yes, you can have one any color you wish.

“Everything there is a useful component. For example, there are lots of handholds. Looking at the deck, I envisioned the mold that had to be created to make it. It has to be one of the most complex molds that I have seen in the world of composite construction. Lots of indents, lots of curves, but the glasswork is beautiful. I love the boat. It’s very different than anything else we looked at this week, especially compared to all the very contemporary designs with twin helms and wide transoms. But it’s among the most well-built boats we inspected for 2019.” So, there you have it. Welcome back, Island Packet. We missed you. Nice to have you back on the water.

There the folk live in the complete bliss of the nature that surrounds them and are extremely welcoming to travellers. Just over 350 people call Crooked Island home, making it a great place to explore your natural surroundings in peace. Separated by a 1,000-square-mile lagoon known as the Bight of Acklins, both islands are a haven for bonefishing, snorkelling, and diving. Here you can expect to find miles of undisturbed sandy beaches, coral gardens, and limestone caves just waiting to be explored on your luxury yacht charter. Be sure to visit Turtle Sound, one of the natural wonders of.

Let’s get this out of the way right off the bat. In a resounding return to national prominence after a change of ownership that resulted in a few seasons of sitting on the sidelines, Island Packet Yachts has returned, and in a big way. Its comeback boat, the 37-foot-10-inch Island Packet 349, is Cruising World’s Domestic Boat of the Year for 2019. “The firm’s new owners, Darrell and Leslie Allen, were longtime Island Packet dealers in San Diego,” said Tim Murphy. “They’ve bought the rights to all the designs, and they’ve got the molds. This new boat was based on the hull of the old Island Packet 36, with the addition of a sugar-scoop transom and lots of other tweaks, large and small.

The Bahamas. It runs nine miles from the French Wells Channel to just behind some of the northern settlements. There you will discover winding coves of mangroves, as well as the marine and birdlife that are native only to that region. Incorporating Acklins and Crooked Island in to your Bahamas itinerary can be set in motion today. If you would like to in to start planning your trip to this tropical paradise, view the entire fleet of superyachts available for.

“The sail plan is terrific,” Murphy said. “It has a really nice solent rig with an inner headsail for short tacking, but when you’re on a longer reach, you have a code-zero-style reacher that’s right there and very accessible. I think the sail plan makes up for all the wetted surface of the full keel. During our sea trials, in only about 8 knots of true wind, the boat labored a bit under the jib, but once we put out that reacher, it really lit up. I was pleasantly surprised by how well it sailed.”

Bahamas yacht charters.Two of the best kept secrets in the Bahamas chain, Acklins and Crooked island offer a new level of tropical seclusion far from the reaches of the tourism that you come to expect from the region. Partitioned by a breathtaking lagoon teeming with aquatic life, the pair of islands here offer sanctity and the opportunity to relish and enjoy some quality you-time. With miles of undisturbed beaches, you will find that your footprints are the only ones around the next day.