Posh Base Opening is Cause for Celebration

Timed with the company’s 40th anniversary, The Moorings’ yacht charter firm officially opened its newly expanded Tortola, British Virgin Islands, base last week with a grand celebration. With upscale amenities throughout, posh hotel rooms that look out across Road Harbour toward neighboring isles, spa facilities and a new waterside restaurant, the dramatically improved charter base sets a standard unmatched in our experience.

Anyone who’s spent time in the Eastern Caribbean can appreciate how elated the organizers are to have finally completed this ambitious $15 million project, which included the removal of a massive sea wall and the construction of a new one. A variety of features also make it ‘greener’ than most other Caribbean bases. The installation of huge seawater pumps which accelerate the flushing action of the marina basin have already resulted in the back bay water quality being cleaner than it’s been in decades. A huge desal plant lessens impact on the city water system, as does the recycling of laundry water.

In the four decades since Charlie and Ginny Cary launched the company with six Pearson 35s, the Tortola fleet has grown to 415 boats — the largest of any bareboat base in the world. It has 800 boats total in 29 bases worldwide and, like Sunsail, is now under the umbrella of Tui Marine, whose parent company is the largest travel outfit in the world. Read more about this flagship base in the upcoming edition of Latitude‘s World of Chartering section.