Lagoon 50 · Bottoms up_X
Four home bases cover the four cruising grounds we broker: Road Town and Nanny Cay, Tortola for the British Virgin Islands; Palm Cay Marina, Nassau for the Bahamas (Exumas); Le Marin, Martinique for the northbound Grenadines and Saintes; Port Louis Marina, St. George's, Grenada for the southbound Grenadines. Round-trip charters from each base are standard. One-way options include BVI → St. Martin, Grenada ↔ St. Vincent, and Le Marin ↔ St. Lucia on request.
For a 4-cabin Lagoon 42 or Bali 4.2 expect €7,500-€11,500 per week bareboat in shoulder season (April-May, November) and €13,500-€19,500 per week in peak season (December-March). Larger 46-50 ft catamarans run €18,000-€28,000 peak. Skipper adds €220-€280/day, hostess €180-€220/day, chef €240-€300/day plus food. Variable costs paid at base: Bahamas cruising permit ($300 USD), BVI marine park fees ($15/yacht/day), Grenadines mooring fees ($30-50 USD/night), fuel, and end-cleaning — all itemised on every written quote.
Licence rules differ by country. BVI and Bahamas accept a self-declared sailing résumé at check-in — no formal licence required for bareboat; the base may insist on a co-skipper if experience reads thin. Martinique follows French rules — ICC, French Permis Hauturier, or recognised equivalent. Grenada requires ICC, RYA Day Skipper or ASA 104 minimum plus a VHF SRC certificate. Always send a scan ahead of booking — we'll confirm acceptance with the home base before contracts go out.
BVI is the easiest first-time bareboat — line-of-sight navigation between Tortola, Norman Island, Cooper, Virgin Gorda and Anegada, 25-30 mooring buoys per anchorage, all passages 5-15 nm. Bahamas (Exumas) rewards longer crossings with empty sandbars, swim-with-pigs at Big Major Cay, and Thunderball Grotto — passages run 15-30 nm with the occasional 40-50 nm jump to Eleuthera. Grenadines (Martinique → Grenada) packs the densest snorkel anchorages in the Caribbean — Tobago Cays Marine Park, Bequia, Mayreau, Mustique — with 5-12 nm hops between islands and the most cultural variety: French Creole, British, independent island states all on one week.
Plan 3-4 hours under way most days and anchor by early afternoon for swimming, snorkelling and sundowners. BVI averages 5-15 nm passages — Tortola → Norman → Cooper → Virgin Gorda → Anegada → back. Bahamas Exuma chain runs 15-30 nm between cays with the Nassau-to-Eleuthera or Nassau-to-Andros crossings stretching to 40-50 nm. Grenadines packs 5-12 nm island-hops between Bequia, Mustique, Canouan, Tobago Cays and Union. With 15-20 knot trades on the beam most passages are sailed not motored.
A one-time $300 USD permit on arrival at the port of entry (Nassau, Marsh Harbour, Bimini) covers a 12-month cruising and fishing licence for yachts up to 35 ft; vessels over 35 ft pay $500 USD. All foreign-flagged yachts entering Bahamian waters must clear in within 24 hours of arrival — fly the yellow Q flag until cleared. Departure clearance is also required. If you charter a Bahamian-flagged catamaran from Nassau or Palm Cay the boat is already permitted; no separate fee.
Caribbean trade winds blow east-north-east at 15-20 knots December through May, dropping to 10-15 knots June through November. The Christmas Winds reinforce trades to 20-25 knots from late December to early January — booking around that window is the trade-off between strong reaching conditions and busier anchorages. Atlantic hurricane season runs 1 June - 30 November (peak August-October). Most charter insurance excludes named-storm-zone cruising July-October, restricting BVI / Bahamas / northern Antilles charters. Grenada and Trinidad sit below 12°N — outside the main hurricane belt — so the southern Grenadines stay open year-round with minor insurance surcharges.
Discover Lagoon 50 – Bottoms up_X, a 6-cabin catamaran that pairs the laid-back rhythm of a BVI trade-wind cruise with the comfort and stability of a modern multihull. Launched in 2023 and measuring 14.75 metres (48.4 ft) overall, Bottoms up_X is currently based in BVI, Tortola, Nanny Cay Marina — a perfect launchpad for week-long sailing escapes across the Sir Francis Drake Channel and the British Virgin Islands.
With 14 berths spread across 6 sleeping cabins and 4 bathrooms, Bottoms up_X comfortably accommodates up to 12 guests — well suited to two families travelling together, a circle of friends or a small group exploring deserted cays and turquoise lagoons at their own pace. Linens, pillows and blankets are included in the charter price, so you can step on board, stow your provisions and head straight for the open water.
Boat equipment features rolling mainsail. Whether you're picking a buoy at The Baths off Virgin Gorda, diving the wreck of the RMS Rhone at Salt Island, or snorkelling the reef off Sandy Cay, Bottoms up_X gives you the platform to design the trip on your own schedule, with the support of our local BVI charter team from check-in to check-out.
Deck
Anchor with chain
Batteries
Bimini
SAPHIR HELM STATION CANVAS BIMINI WITH WINDOW & WINDSCREENCockpit cushions
Dinghy
Highfield Ultra Light 360 PVC with Honda 20 HPDSC station
Electrical kettle
GPS chart plotter
Grill/Barbecue/Plancha
Charcoal grillHelm station
Ice box
51 literIndoor speakers
Moka pot
Outdoor speakers
Outside shower
Cockpit/stern, outside showerRadio CD mp3 player
Speedometer (Speed log)
Spring cleats
Swimming ladder
Teak cockpit
Toaster
Wind instrument/Anemometer
Galley
Coffee machine
Electrical filter coffee makerFreezer
Kitchen utensils
Kitchen utensils (Galley equipment, cutlery)Microwave
Refrigerator
Water maker
Black Water TankInterior
Electric toilet
Towels
hotel size” 2 pcsNavigation
AIS
Autopilot
Compass
Sails
Electric winches
Electric winchLazy bag
Yacht electrics
Air conditioning
Air ConditioningBattery charger
Generator
Heating
Inverter
Shore connection 220 V
USB sockets
Safety
VHF radio
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