Igy marinas 368
Cruisers taking part in two of the more popular Caribbean-bound rallies this fall will find welcoming surroundings when they finally reach their destinations. IGY Marinas (www.igymarinas.com), an expanding international marina and marina-management company, has operations in Rodney Bay, St. Lucia, the end point of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, and in St. Maarten, where the 11th annual North Atlantic Rally for Cruisers will land at the Simpson Bay Marina.
Rodney Bay has long been the jumping off point for ARC participants arriving from Europe to explore the islands. This year, though, marks the NARCs’ first involvement with IGY. According to Brian Deher, Director of Simpson Bay and the nearby Yacht Club Isle de Sol, the partnership came about by happenstance and was the result of a conversation between an IGY representative and NARC founder Hank Schmitt.
NARC sailors will receive a couple nights free dockage when they arrive and will be offered a discount for the remainder of their stay. Meantime, it’s a chance for IGY to introduce newcomers to its facilities and services and give them a taste of what they might find at the company’s other marinas in the Caribbean and other cruising venues.
I caught up with Brian this past summer when I toured the Boston Boat Basin, in Boston Massachusetts, where IGY recently took over the management of the downtown marina. He was overseeing electrical and dock upgrades, as well as work on the facility itself, which includes a club house for entertaining crews and friends, as well as a 10-room hotel.
Though each IGY location is somewhat unique-Boston’s is geared to large sail and power yachts-the company’s intent is to provide captains, owners and crews similar services and amenities from base to base.
