Yacht Charter Brokers - Tortola, British Virgin Islands (BVI)

My name is Liane Le Tendre. I was the owner of a yacht brokerage firm in Toronto prior to moving to the British Virgin Islands in 1993. Since arriving in Tortola I was the office manager responsible for charter sales at a local BVI yacht charter company. I left in 1997 to start All-In-One BVI Vacations - Bareboats BVI. We specialize in British Virgin Islands crewed and bareboat charters based in Tortola.

First hand knowledge of each sailboat and powerboat we represent as well as regular yacht inspections are the primary responsibility of any bareboat charter broker.

As a Caribbean based broker, I would not feel comfortable selling holidays aboard any boat unless I am able to personally inspect it. I could broker bareboat vacations anywhere in the Caribbean ... just as most charter brokers do, but how can anyone sell vacations aboard boats they have never even seen? That's why you won't see headlines on our web site claiming *hundreds of yachts to choose from* or simply link to the bareboat company sites. I have purposely kept our boat selection between 80 to 90 of the best BVI based boats in each of the fleets we represent. Its a manageable number to inspect and my confidence in the sail and powerboats we represent in Tortola is unwavering.

I will not broker holidays aboard any yacht I wouldn't put my own family aboard! Safety, cleanliness and routine maintenance are the three key ingredients by which I judge any boat. Once a yacht fails to pass my standards of acceptability, it simply gets dropped from our inventory. My reputation is at stake when I sell a sailing vacation and I need to KNOW and be confident in what I recommend to my potential clients.

What are the advantages of using a yacht charter broker?

• Brokers enjoy the freedom to personally choose the yachts he or she feels confident in and are not obliged to sell charters on boats which may be past their prime or which have not been properly maintained, simply because they are there. I personally inspect and "hand pick" each sailboat and motor yacht represented by Bareboats BVI from several small to mid sized bareboat companies located on Tortola.
• In the unlikely event of a dispute between you and the charter company, we will act as your advocate in an effort to come to an amicable solution to the problem. It is always handy to have a representative "on island" who has first hand knowledge of all the yachts, the companies and their staff and who will investigate the cause of any problems you may encounter. Your bareboat broker will act as a buffer between you and the company should the need arise.
• There is no additional charge to book your power boat or sailing vacation with a yacht charter broker and you are entitled to the same discounts available through the bareboat company which may be offered from time to time. Should you decide to return for a future sailing vacation, you will also be entitled to any repeat customer discounts offered by that company.

Choose your yacht charter broker wisely:

Many brokers selling bareboat charters in the British Virgin Islands are reputable, seasoned professionals who have a *reasonable* working knowledge of the yachts they represent. However, a large majority do not have the advantage of being located in the British Virgin Islands year 'round, with the ability to inspect any boat at any time.

Some "part time brokers" have never set foot on any of the yachts they sell holidays aboard and rely solely on the reputation of the company. I find this astonishing! It's a real slippery slope to put such a burden on the charter company. For every bareboat, there is an owner. If that owner cannot or will not put the money into the boat required to maintain it properly, there is very little the company can do! They could be the best company in the world, but if you are stuck with an uncooperative owner who does not allot sufficient funds to maintain the boat, well .....

When you hire a broker, he or she should be your eyes, ears and nose. How can anyone do their job if they have never been aboard the yachts they are trying to sell you?

You will note that we have taken the time and gone to the expense to photograph nearly every yacht represented, as time and availability of the boats allow. There are few (if any) brokers (or bareboat companies for that matter) who have provided this service for their clientele. Most have their webmasters borrow/steal photos from the internet. I will not do that ... EVER! From time to time, if the yacht is not yet here on Tortola or if I have not had the opportunity to get photos, I will link to the manufacturer's web site. Taking my own photos and creating photo pages is both time consuming and labour intensive ... but it confirms my commitment to our clients and verifies my personal knowledge of each and every yacht we represent.

As a BVI based broker, I believe photos of the individual yachts and regular inspections are an absolute necessity in today's market. Who wants to buy a pig in a poke? If I were in the market for a Caribbean sailing holiday, I'd ask my broker for pictures of the *actual yacht* first. Wouldn't you? Who is going to put down several thousand dollars on a yacht they have never seen? It doesn't make sense!

Need more information about power boat or sailing charters?
Call or write Liane Le Tendre today!

Phone: (284) 495-4168 Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Bareboats BVI