new bene 51s 368
Footloose Sailing Charters, which offers bareboat vacations for the budget-minded, added the Footloose 51.5 to the fleet in the summer of 2010 in the British Virgin Islands, and it plans to make three available for the 2011 season.
The Footloose 51.5 is a spacious Beneteau with more than six feet of headroom in the saloon and a 16-foot beam. The bluewater cruiser features a large cockpit, dual helms for better visibility, four double cabins plus a forepeak bunk, and an ample galley. The U-shaped saloon offers an additional double berth. For details, visit the company’s website (www.footloosecharters.com).
Who’s Where and When
Crewed yachts available through CharterPort BVI (www.charterportbvi.com) include Infinity, a Simonis 50 cat in Belize; Gazelle, a Gunboat 66 in Central America for the winter of 2011; Two If By Sea, a Leopard 45 cat in Tonga, in the South Pacific Ocean; Zingara, a Matrix 76 cat headed down island in the Caribbean to St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the fall of 2010 and available in Antigua for New Year’s Eve 2010; and Cool Change, a Leopard 47 cat in the Virgin Islands for October and November 2010.
B.V.I. Tourist Board Opens VIP Club Airport Lounge
The British Virgin Islands Tourist Board has opened a B.V.I. VIP Club Lounge at Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport, on Beef Island. The club is designed to reward repeat visitors to the territory.
The club is a three-tiered program offering memberships at basic, silver, and gold levels, each providing a corresponding set of benefits. The program supplies repeat visitors with a membership card, an introductory booklet, a newsletter subscription, and numerous exclusive discounts from participating tourism partners and retailers throughout the territory. Register online through the tourist-board website (www.bvitourism.com/WhereToStay/SpecialOffers.aspx).
In the Spotlight
The Morrelli & Melvin-designed Leopard 38 has won Asia-Pacific Boating magazine’s Best Production Multihull Award for 2010, presented at the Gold Coast Hong Kong Boat Show. The cat, the owner version of the charter Sunsail 384, was named Best Multihull Cruiser as well as Import Boat of the Year by CW in the magazine’s 2010 Boat of the Year program.
Steve and Doris Colgate, Offshore Sailing School owners, received the prestigious Junonia Award from the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau in Florida.
The Junonia Award was created to recognize those who’ve contributed to the local tourism community by demonstrating unique capabilities, leadership, commitment, and dedication.
Sunreef Yachts Charter has joined the Florida Yacht Brokers Association. Created in 1987, the association ensures and promotes standards of professionalism for marine-industry services provided by more than 1,000 individual members. Also this year, Sunreef opened an office in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
