Norman Island, The Baths, North Sound, two nights on Anegada, Jost Van Dyke and a pirate night at Leverick Bay. A private trip for friends, family and their friends.
Three catamarans, eight of us on each boat including the skipper, eleven nights. The BVI is made for it: short hops between islands, warm water, anchorages sheltered by reef, and a beach bar at the end of most days. It's a friends' trip, subsidised in exchange for feedback, a few photos and a review.
The club is named after Sir Francis Drake, England's most famous state-sponsored pirate. The main channel through the British Virgin Islands carries his name too: the Sir Francis Drake Channel.
When I left the Army, my first business idea was a sail training course for managers. I pivoted to SailChecker, but kept the Drake name and branding for everything that isn't SailChecker: the suppers, the events and these trips. It keeps the fun side separate from the day job. Chris
Our fleet for BVI '27 is three Bali 4.2 catamarans: Bella Luna, Seas the Day and Le 113, all with Navigare Yachting at Hodge's Creek Marina, Tortola. We're planning eight people on each boat, including the skipper, giving us 24 places across the fleet. We'll sail together from 17 to 28 April 2027, eleven nights.
Each boat has four double cabins and four bathrooms, plus a generator, air conditioning and an inverter. The Bali 4.2 is around 42ft (12.8m), with an open living area, a forward cockpit and space to relax together between island hops. Check-in is at 17:00 on Saturday 17 April; check-out is at 10:00 on Wednesday 28 April.
Photos supplied by the operator; some may show a sister yacht. Boat-page prices are general charter prices; our group trip price is below.
Tap a stop for details. Numbers are overnight stops, white dots are day stops, and the dot shows the boat. Weather decides the final order.
| Day | Date | Route | NM | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sat 17 Apr | Board at Hodge's Creek | 0 | Briefing, dinner ashore |
| 2 | Sun 18 Apr | To Norman Island | 8 | The Caves, Pirates Bight, the Willy T |
| 3 | Mon 19 Apr | To Cooper Island | 7 | RMS Rhone wreck, beach club |
| 4 | Tue 20 Apr | To Marina Cay | 11 | Monkey Point turtles, full moon |
| 5 | Wed 21 Apr | To Leverick Bay, North Sound | 17 | The Baths before 09:00, Saba Rock, Drake's 1595 anchorage, pirate night |
| 6 | Thu 22 Apr | To Anegada | 14 | Lobster on the beach |
| 7 | Fri 23 Apr | Anegada | 0 | Loblolly Bay, Cow Wreck Beach |
| 8 | Sat 24 Apr | To Cane Garden Bay | 24 | Downwind sail, beach bars |
| 9 | Sun 25 Apr | To Jost Van Dyke | 9 | Sandy Spit, Bubbly Pool, Foxy's |
| 10 | Mon 26 Apr | To Soper's Hole | 5 | Soggy Dollar Bar at White Bay |
| 11 | Tue 27 Apr | Back to Hodge's Creek | 14 | Peter Island swim, last dinner |
| Wed 28 Apr | Home | Off the boats by 10:00 local BVI time |
BVI Spring Regatta, 2009
Sandy Cay, 2017We've been here before. The Sail Army raced two boats, No. 54 and No. 55, in the 2009 BVI Spring Regatta; Drake Sailing came back in 2012, and again in 2017.
These were reported open in 2026, but we haven't confirmed April 2027, so check before you sail; some close for hurricane season, from late summer to autumn, and are back by April.
Foxy's Tamarind Bar is in Great Harbour and has been there since 1968. Its 2026-27 season is open, with doors at 9am.
Soggy Dollar Bar is on White Bay, with no dock. Anchor off the beach, then swim or take the dinghy ashore.
Hendo's Hideout is also on White Bay, a beachfront bar and restaurant that opened in 2022.
The Willy T is a floating bar in The Bight, reached by boat only. The current, larger boat has been back there since 2019.
Cooper Island Beach Club and Rum Bar is in Manchioneel Bay, with moorings in the bay. It is known for its rum list and has its own brewery.
Saba Rock reopened in October 2021 after being rebuilt. Tarpon feeding is every day at 5pm.
Bitter End Yacht Club has also been rebuilt after Irma. Its Quarterdeck marina has 70 mooring balls.
CocoMaya is on the beach at Spanish Town, with Balinese-style pavilions.
Callwood Rum Distillery is a working distillery at the west end of the beach. It is closed on Sundays.
Marina Cay Bar and Grill reopened in summer 2023 and is now run by Scrub Island. There are 29 mooring balls.
£1,600 per person in a shared double cabin for eleven nights. You get one discount, set by when you book and pay your deposit. Discounts don't combine.
| Rate | Who it's for | Price | Deposit | Balance by 20 Feb 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Returning crew15% off | Sailed with us to Croatia (May '26) or Sicily (October '26), or are the spouse or partner of someone who did | £1,360 | £680 | £680 |
| Early bird10% off | Deposit paid by 1 November 2026 | £1,440 | £720 | £720 |
| Second early bird5% off | Deposit paid 2 November to 31 December 2026 | £1,520 | £760 | £760 |
| Standard | Deposit paid from 1 January 2027 | £1,600 | £800 | £800 |
A 50% deposit secures your place and the rest is due by 20 February 2027. Deposits and all other payments are non-refundable; the trip PDF has the full terms.
The kitty. Part of your £1,600 goes into the kitty, which pays for food and drink on board, fuel, water, moorings and the BVI park and cruising permits. How much depends on how full the boats are: when every boat is full the kitty is healthy, and when we spread crews across boats that aren't full it's smaller. Either way, be ready to top up on the trip.
| Included in the £1,600 | Not included |
|---|---|
| ✅ Eleven nights in a shared double cabin | ❌ Kitty top-ups on the trip |
| ✅ Skipper | ❌ Flights, the island hop and taxis |
| ✅ Yacht cleaning and insurance | ❌ Hotel nights before and after the charter |
| ✅ Use of the dinghy and snorkel gear on board | ❌ Meals and drinks ashore |
| ✅ A contribution to the kitty | ❌ BVI US$10 arrival levy, and the US$50 air departure tax if your fare doesn't include it |
| ❌ Travel insurance and personal spending |
Our charter is booked from Saturday 17 April 2027 at 17:00 to Wednesday 28 April 2027 at 10:00, at Hodge's Creek Marina, Tortola: eleven nights. All boarding and departure times are local BVI time (AST, UTC−4). We plan to return to the marina on Tuesday 27 April and sleep aboard for the final night.
We will share the flights we are planning to book once the final checks are complete. Some of us expect to arrive a day or two early, and we are considering an optional Antigua stopover. Join whichever parts suit you, or make your own travel plans.
Arriving the day before, Friday 16 April, is recommended where possible, but it is not a requirement for this trip. We can coordinate collection for later arrivals once we know your timings. We are also trying to arrange early boarding on Saturday, but this is not confirmed, so please do not plan a last-minute arrival. Send us your proposed flights so we can coordinate getting everyone aboard.
Flights home are up to each guest. Check-out is by 10:00 on Wednesday 28 April; allow time for the airport transfer and airline check-in when choosing a flight. Any hotel nights or stopovers outside the charter dates need to fit your own travel plans.
Everything else, from what to pack to the BVI's online arrival card, is in the trip PDF.