Grenada Catamaran Charter: Why the Spice Island Belongs on Your Sailing List

Grenada Catamaran Charter: Why the Spice Island Belongs on Your Sailing List

Grenada sits at the southern end of the Windward chain, just outside the official Atlantic hurricane belt — and that single geographic fact has shaped the island’s sailing culture for thirty years. Charterers who want catamaran weeks in July, August, and September gravitate to Grenada precisely because insurance rates and weather risk both drop south of 12 degrees north latitude. Add the dense Grenadines chain stretching north to St. Vincent, the spice plantations and cocoa houses inland, and the working harbours of St. George’s and Mt. Hartman, and Grenada earns the nickname Spice Island twice over.

Why catamarans suit a Grenada charter

The leg from Grenada north to Carriacou is 35 nautical miles of open water, with reliable easterly trades blowing 12 to 18 knots December through April and softer 10 to 14 knot conditions in summer. A 47-foot catamaran reaches that crossing in under five hours under main and reefed genoa, with the espresso machine still on the salon table. Beyond Carriacou, the Grenadines island chain delivers shallow turquoise-water anchorages — Tobago Cays, Petit St. Vincent, Mayreau — where catamaran draft (1.3 to 1.6 m) pays off compared to the 2.4 m draft of a comparable monohull.

Charter bases on Grenada

Three charter bases serve Grenada: Mt. Hartman Bay (the largest, home to The Moorings, Sunsail, and Dream Yacht Charter fleets), Port Louis Marina in St. George’s (newer, walkable to the capital), and Le Phare Bleu on the south coast (smaller, calmer feel). All three sit within 25 minutes of Maurice Bishop International Airport.

The classic Grenada-to-Grenadines route

A standard 7-day catamaran charter loops from Mt. Hartman north through the Grenadines and back. The legs are short enough that days end before sunset and long enough that you cover real water. Daily distances range 18 to 35 nm — comfortable trade-wind reaching weather.

Day 1: Mt. Hartman to Halifax Harbour, Grenada

A 12-mile shake-down sail along Grenada’s leeward coast. Halifax Harbour is the quiet bay charterers use to test the boat and crew in calm water before the open-water leg north. Anchor in 7 to 10 m of sand, swim, and have the first dinner aboard while planning the week.

Day 2: Halifax to Tyrrel Bay, Carriacou

A 25 nm reach north to Carriacou, the smaller Grenada-state island that’s the customs-and-fueling stop before the Grenadines. Tyrrel Bay holds 30+ moored boats; check in at the customs post for clearance into St. Vincent and the Grenadines (separate jurisdiction from Grenada). The Slipway restaurant is the dinner pick — local mahi-mahi grilled, with a glass of Westerhall Plantation Rum from Grenada’s signature distillery.

Day 3-4: Tobago Cays

The destination of every Grenadines charter. Five uninhabited cays, a horseshoe reef, and the protected anchorage between them — turtles graze in the seagrass, sting rays patrol the shallows, and frigate birds nest on Petit Tobac. Spend two nights here. The barbecue boats — local fishermen who beach on the cays at sunset — serve grilled lobster from coolers off small motorboats. About 60 to 80 USD per person for the lobster dinner.

Day 5: Mayreau and Saltwhistle Bay

3 nm west to Mayreau. Saltwhistle Bay, on the north end of the island, is the iconic crescent of white sand bordered by the Atlantic on one side and Caribbean on the other. Walking distance from the bay to the village of Old Wall, where Roberts Bar serves the local fish stew called oildown — the unofficial national dish of Grenada and the Grenadines.

Day 6: Petit St. Vincent or Union Island

A short hop south to either PSV (private resort island, anchorage outside the lagoon free to use) or Union Island’s Clifton Harbour for customs check-out before returning to Grenada. Clifton’s Happy Island Bar — built on a sandbar of conch shells — is the unofficial midpoint stop for charter weeks.

Day 7: Union to Mt. Hartman

A 60 nm reach south back to Grenada — the longest day of the week. Plan a 06:30 departure to arrive at Mt. Hartman by mid-afternoon. Customs clearance back into Grenada is at Prickly Bay or Mt. Hartman Bay.

Boat types and pricing

Grenada’s charter fleets favour Lagoon, Bali, and Fountaine Pajot. A 45- to 50-foot bareboat in shoulder season (May to early November, including the formal hurricane months) runs USD 7,000 to 11,500 a week. Peak season (mid-December to April) bumps to USD 12,000 to 19,500. Crewed packages add USD 5,500 to 7,500 for skipper, hostess, and provisioning.

Hurricane-belt insurance and timing

Grenada’s location south of 12 degrees north means most insurance carriers classify it as outside the hurricane belt. Charter contracts in July, August, and September still face named-storm risk but insurance rates drop dramatically. Many charter operators allow Grenada-based weeks year-round, while their BVI fleets relocate to Grenada in September and October — meaning Grenada actually gets the largest fleet selection during shoulder months.

Local food, rum, and culture

The Spice Island label is literal: Grenada produces 20% of the world’s nutmeg and is one of the Caribbean’s largest cocoa exporters. Visit Belmont Estate on the north coast for a cocoa tour and the chocolate factory. River Antoine Distillery still uses water-wheel-powered crushing — the only one operating in the Caribbean. The local rum to order: Westerhall Plantation 8-year, or River Antoine’s overproof for the cocktail bar onboard.

For dinner ashore, the dish to order: oildown (chicken or salt fish slow-cooked with breadfruit, coconut milk, and dasheen leaves). The St. George’s Carenage waterfront has half a dozen working tavernas — Patrick’s Local Homestyle Cooking is a charter favourite.

Comparison with other Caribbean grounds

Grenada feels less developed than the BVI and bigger than the Bahamas Exumas. The legs are longer than BVI charters (5-hour reaches vs 90-minute hops) but each anchorage feels remote in a way the BVI’s mooring fields no longer do. Compared to the British Virgin Islands, Grenada trades density for depth. Compared to the Bahamas, you get bigger waves and bigger islands but the same uninhabited-cay payoff.

For full destination data, see our Grenada destination overview. To compare boats — Lagoon 46, Bali Catspace, Fountaine Pajot Saona 47 — browse the Caribbean catamaran fleet. For routing detail, see our 7-day Grenada-Grenadines itinerary. Ready to lock in dates? Request a personalised quote.

Frequently asked questions

Is Grenada outside the hurricane belt?

Grenada sits at 12 degrees north latitude — the unofficial southern edge of the Atlantic hurricane track. Hurricanes do hit Grenada (Hurricane Ivan in 2004 caused major damage; Beryl in 2024 struck Carriacou hard) but the historical frequency is roughly one major event every 50 years compared to roughly one every 4 years in the central Caribbean. Most insurance carriers classify Grenada as outside the belt for premium calculation purposes.

Do I need separate customs clearance for the Grenadines?

Yes. Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines are separate sovereign nations. Clear out of Grenada at Prickly Bay or Mt. Hartman, clear into Carriacou (Grenada side) at Tyrrel Bay, then clear into Grenadines (St. Vincent jurisdiction) at Union Island’s Clifton Harbour. Plan one half-day for clearance procedures. Bring boat papers, all crew passports, crew list, and exit fees of USD 50 to 90 per boat.

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

December through April is peak — reliable trades, low rainfall, water 27°C. May, June, and November are excellent shoulder months with 20-30% lower rates. July, August, and September overlap formal hurricane months but Grenada’s southern position makes weather risk lower than central-Caribbean alternatives.

How does Grenada compare to chartering from Antigua?

Antigua is 250 nm north of Grenada — same latitude as Guadeloupe — and sits firmly within the hurricane belt. Antigua charters take in different islands (St. Barts, Anguilla, Nevis) on shorter legs but face higher summer insurance rates. Grenada is the better choice for hurricane-season charters; Antigua is the better choice for tight-island-cluster sailing.

Is Tobago Cays really worth the visit?

Yes — it’s the iconic Grenadines anchorage and a UNESCO-protected marine park. Pay the park fee (USD 25 per person), follow the no-anchor zones (mooring buoys provided), and respect the turtle and ray feeding zones. Two nights is the right pacing — one to settle in, one to dive the reef. Don’t skip it.

About this guide

This guide was prepared by the Catamaran Charter Caribbean editorial team — a group of charter brokers and sailors who have been organising yacht charters across the Caribbean since 2007. Every itinerary, anchorage, and pricing range here reflects current first-hand fleet experience and direct partnership with licensed Grenada and Grenadines charter operators. 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.