Catamaran Charter Bahamas: A Complete Sailor’s Guide to the Exumas and Abacos

Catamaran Charter Bahamas: A Complete Sailor’s Guide to the Exumas and Abacos

The Bahamas runs to seven hundred islands and over two thousand cays scattered across 100,000 square miles of ocean — a charter ground big enough that you have to choose your week around either the Exumas, the Abacos, or the Berry Islands rather than trying to combine all three. Where the British Virgin Islands works like a tight, protected highway, the Bahamas works like a series of long-distance reaches between deserted cays, swimming pigs, and shallow turquoise banks where the seafloor is visible at thirty feet of water. A catamaran is the right tool here: shallow-draft for the banks, fast under reaching sails, and able to anchor where deeper-draft monohulls cannot.

Why the Bahamas suits a catamaran

The Exuma Bank and the Great Bahama Bank both sit in 8 to 20 feet of water for stretches of fifty miles or more. A catamaran with a 1.4 to 1.6 metre draft cruises confidently across these banks while a monohull with a 2.2 to 2.6 metre draft has to plot careful routes around them. That difference in draft is why local charter operators in Nassau and Marsh Harbour run almost exclusively cat fleets. Add the trade-wind sailing — easterly 12 to 18 knots December through April, lighter and more variable in summer — and you have ideal conditions for a 45-foot catamaran reaching at 7 to 9 knots all afternoon.

The three main charter areas

The Exumas (south of Nassau, 365 cays running 130 nm long) deliver the iconic Bahamas — Pig Beach at Big Major Cay, the Thunderball Grotto from the James Bond film, and the Land and Sea Park. The Abacos (north, accessed from Marsh Harbour or Treasure Cay) feel more relaxed and developed — Hope Town’s lighthouse, Man-O-War Cay’s boat-building heritage, and the long protected sailing inside Sea of Abaco. The Berry Islands sit between Nassau and the Abacos and are the quiet alternative for charterers who want fewer other boats and more privacy.

Sample 7-day itinerary: Nassau to Staniel Cay (Exumas)

This is the most-booked Bahamas charter route. Charter base in Nassau (Palm Cay Marina or Albany Marina), one-way drop-off in Staniel Cay or return to Nassau.

Day 1 — Nassau to Allen Cay

Provision in Nassau, cast off after lunch, sail 35 nm south-east to Allen Cay. Anchor for the night in the protected pocket between Allen and Leaf Cays. The famous Allen Cay rock iguanas — endemic, protected, friendly — come down to the beach to greet anyone with sliced apple. No development, no facilities, just iguanas and a beach.

Day 2 — Norman’s Cay

14 nm south to Norman’s Cay, the former drug-runner’s hideaway turned barefoot-luxury island. MacDuff’s Bahamas — the rebuilt beach restaurant — serves cracked conch and rum drinks, with a moored small plane wreck visible from the bar. The mooring field on the bank side is well-protected from north and east.

Day 3 — Warderick Wells (Land and Sea Park)

10 nm south-east to the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park headquarters at Warderick Wells. The mooring field requires a reservation 24 hours in advance via VHF Channel 9. The hiking trail to the top of Boo Boo Hill (where charterers leave hand-painted boards from their visit) takes 25 minutes; the snorkeling on the Banshee Creek mooring field is some of the best in the chain.

Day 4 — Compass Cay and Cambridge Cay

14 nm south to Compass Cay. The marina here has resident nurse sharks that swim around the dock; non-aggressive and used to people, but watch fingers. Continue 4 nm south-east to Cambridge Cay for a quieter overnight mooring with crystal-clear water; the nearby Aquarium reef is a 10-minute dinghy ride to a snorkel-only zone with abundant reef fish.

Day 5 — Big Major Cay (Pig Beach)

10 nm south-east to Big Major Cay. The swimming pigs of Pig Beach are the Instagram destination of the Exumas — feral pigs that swim out to boats expecting fruit. Plan a morning visit before tour boats arrive; afternoons get crowded. Anchor in the bank-side cove for protection from prevailing easterlies.

Day 6 — Staniel Cay

2 nm south-west to Staniel Cay Yacht Club, the social hub of the Exumas. Order conch fritters at the bar, charter a Boston Whaler half-day for tours of Thunderball Grotto (the underwater cave used in the James Bond film) and visit the Iguana Beach on Bitter Guana Cay. Marina berths fill quickly in February and March; book ahead.

Day 7 — Return or one-way drop

If returning to Nassau, leave at first light for the 65 nm passage north-west — a comfortable 9-hour reach in trades. If dropping off in Staniel Cay, charter flights run direct to Nassau (45 minutes) and US-bound connections via Florida.

Catamaran types and pricing

The Bahamas charter market is split between Nassau-based fleets (The Moorings, Dream Yacht Charter, Navigare Yachting) and Florida-based fleets that deliver boats from West Palm Beach or Miami. Lagoon, Bali, and Fountaine Pajot dominate; expect 42 to 50 foot cats with 4 cabins and 4 heads. Bareboat shoulder season (May, October to early December) runs USD 7,500 to 11,000 a week. High season (mid-December to mid-April) bumps to USD 12,500 to 22,000. Crewed packages add USD 5,500 to 7,500.

One-way charters and positioning fees

Many guests want to start in Nassau and end in Staniel Cay or George Town for the flight home. Most operators charge a USD 750 to 1,500 one-way positioning fee in addition to the base. Plan ahead — one-way slots are limited especially in March and April.

Bahamas weather and the cruising calendar

Trade winds are most reliable from Christmas through Easter. April and May see lighter easterlies and excellent calm-water sailing. June through August are warm with occasional thunderstorms; the swimming pigs are particularly active because there are fewer tour boats. September and October are formal hurricane season — water is at its warmest, but charter bookings drop and named-storm refund clauses become important. November is the comeback month for many charterers, with trades reasserting and Christmas flights still affordable.

Snorkeling and dive sites

The Bahamas’s underwater life is one of the chain’s underrated assets. Sea turtles graze the seagrass beds in the Exuma shallows; reef sharks and southern stingrays patrol the reefs north of Compass Cay; the Land and Sea Park’s no-take protections have kept the reef structure intact across 22 miles of cays. Bring snorkels, masks, and reef-safe sunscreen — many charter boats provide them.

Provisioning and local food

Nassau provisioning at Solomon’s Lucaya or Bahamas Wholesale runs about USD 95 per person per day for chef-prepared meals across a week, USD 35 to 45 for groceries plus the dinner stops at marina bars. The Bahamian dishes worth ordering ashore: conch salad (raw conch with lime, hot pepper, and onion — citrus-cured at the table), cracked conch (battered and fried), peas-and-rice with stewed chicken, and Kalik beer. Order rum punch with Bacardi 8 Año for the cocktail-only nights.

How a Bahamas charter compares

Compared to the British Virgin Islands — short legs, dense mooring infrastructure, all-day painkiller bars — the Bahamas trades that density for distance. Days at sea are longer (35 to 65 nm passages between groups). The reward is the cruising-ground feel: stretches of 50 nm where you’ll see no other charter boats, beaches where the only footprints are yours, and water so clear that the anchor chain reads from 25 feet of water. See our BVI catamaran guide for the contrast.

For full Bahamas details, see our Bahamas destination overview. To compare boats — the Lagoon 46, Bali 4.6, or Fountaine Pajot Saona 47 — browse our Caribbean catamaran fleet. Ready to lock in dates? Request a personalised quote with preferred routing.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the best month for a Bahamas catamaran charter?

Mid-February to early April hits the sweet spot — peak trades, water temperatures around 78 °F, low rainfall, no crowding from spring break until late March. May offers similar conditions at 20-30% lower rates. Avoid the September–October hurricane window for new charterers.

Can I sail one-way from Nassau to Staniel Cay or George Town?

Yes — most major operators offer one-way drops. Expect a USD 750 to 1,500 positioning fee added to the base. Book the one-way slot at the time of charter; they sell out for March and April months in advance.

Do I need permits for the Exuma Land and Sea Park?

Yes. A cruising permit covers most needs (USD 25 to 50 depending on boat size, valid for 90 days). Mooring fees within the park are USD 30 a night and require VHF reservation. Anchoring is permitted in some zones, restricted in others — check with park headquarters at Warderick Wells.

How is the Bahamas different from chartering in the BVI?

The BVI is dense — 6 to 12 nm legs in protected channel water, mooring balls every few miles, shore amenities everywhere. The Bahamas runs longer — 25 to 65 nm reaches with deserted-cay anchorages between marina stops. Both are catamaran-friendly but they suit different week styles. The BVI is the social, relaxed week; the Bahamas is the longer-distance, exploration week.

Is the swimming pig beach worth the visit?

For first-time visitors, yes — it’s the iconic Exuma photo and the pigs really do swim out for fruit. Visit early (08:00 to 10:00) before tour boats arrive. Bring sliced apples or carrots; do not feed bread or processed food. Expect 30 to 60 minutes; not a full day.

About this guide

This guide was prepared by the Catamaran Charter Caribbean editorial team — a group of charter brokers and sailors who have been organizing yacht charters across the Bahamas, BVI, and the rest of the Caribbean since 2007. Every itinerary, mooring, marina, and pricing range described here reflects current first-hand fleet experience and direct partnership with licensed Bahamas charter operators in Nassau and Marsh Harbour. Last reviewed: May 2026.

If a detail looks out of date, write us at www.catamaran-charter-caribbean.com/contact — we update destination guides quarterly.