Beautiful yachts are sailing through Waterfront in St. Thomas this weekend. It is for the 2018 USVI Charter Yacht show. USVI Correspondent Kellie Meyer talks with organizers to hear about the big event. Interview below.
KM: So if you’re driving through St. Thomas this weekend chanes are you’re going to see a whole lot of YACHTS! Can you tell us what is happening here this weekend?
OB: Of course Kellie, we have got the USVI Charter Yacht show starting not officially tomorrow. Tomorrow is the first day for the crew- we have all the charter brokers flying in for Saturday. And it is a four-day event so quite a healthy amount of time for the charter brokers to come down and see all the charter vessels available for charter in the US Virgin Islands.
KM: And tell us what you’re helping out with this weekend as well?
SM: Hi, I manage a fleet called Charter Caribe we are a privately-owned charter company. And we have privately owned vessels available for crew charter. So we manage these boats and we crew them and we set them up with toys and amenities’ and we send them out for week long trips along the US and British Virgin Islands.
KM: And it is a really exciting weekend like we were talking about earlier too, to show that the Yacht Haven Grande Harbor is full here and seeing all the ships especially last years storms.
OB: And I think people here remember that after last year we actually had a very successful Yacht Show just within a couple of months of Hurricane Irma and Maria which people know hit here quite hard. We had a turnout of 36 boats which we were thrilled and proud about but if you look behind me now although they haven’t arrived quite yet we have got an attendance of over 60 vessels and we’ve even got vessels in the marina which we’re proud to have in St. Thomas if not exhibiting in the show such as the 435 foot Rising Sun which is just behind you right now.
KM: And there is a day where people can come out and get involved, which is for the day charters?
OB: Yeah absolutely so anyone who is an industry professional who works within the charter vessel industry is welcome to attend any of the events as long as they have an affinity with VIPCA the Virgin Islands Professional Charter Association. Beyond that there is the opportunity on Tuesday if you have any business with day charter vessels if you’re day charter crew or if you’re looking to have a knowledge about day charter vessels available so you might have an Air B&B a time share a guest house of course hotels concierge booking agents so the Tuesday night event is open to people to come down meet the day charter industry and everything between Friday night up until Monday night is specially for those who are exhibiting and those who‘ve been invited to look at the exhibiting yachts the charter brokers specifically.
KM: Thank you guys so much the sun is shining down and hopefully it stays out all weekend long so now you guys are in the know of what is happening at Yacht Haven Grande this weekend we’ll toss it back to you!
