Come, service your yacht and lime in Trinidad and Tobago

Come, service your yacht and lime in Trinidad and Tobago

by Trinidad and Tobago 18 Dec 06:14 PST

SAIL AND SERVICE

Trinidad and Tobago boasts a wide range of world class yacht repair and maintenance services available for cruisers and is also the perfect spot for cruisers looking for their next adventure. Whether you are just stopping in for a quick service on your way to your next destination or looking to stay on for a bit longer, there are tons to do and see in this beautiful twin island state. From turtle watching along the coast of Trinidad to glowing plankton tours in Tobago, the opportunities for recreation and entertainment are endless. Book a tour to unique and exciting locations or check out the local food scene, there is always something to do. There’s also a vibrant fusion of festivals, food, music, and many other celebrations. So, for the perfect mixture of adventure, fun and entertainment or just to wait out the Atlantic Hurricane season, Trinidad and Tobago is the place to be.

Chaguaramas is a commercial port and the main hub of yachting activities in Trinidad and Tobago, found in the Northwest Peninsula of Trinidad, west of the capital city of Port of Spain.

There are several marinas and boatyards located in the Chaguaramas area that provide repair and on-land boarding services for yachts. Boaters can also refuel and stock supplies or just moor their yachts in a sheltered bay facility and visit the island. The three main boatyards, Peake Yacht Services , Power Boats and Coral Cove Marina Hotel and Conference Centre offer haul, slips and full services. Each boatyard also contains hotels, restaurants, Wi-Fi, and other amenities for cruisers. Combined the three boatyards have a total capacity of 670 boats (Power Boats – 250, Peake Yacht Services – 320 and Coral Cove – 100 boats).

WORLD CLASS SERVICE FACILITIES

Chaguaramas boasts of some of the best repair facilities in the Caribbean. Across the Caribbean, our boatyards offer great value repairs with readily available spare parts and are recognized for their high quality and competitive pricing, offering. The staff at the various boatyards are highly trained, widely experienced and are always available to provide excellent services. Services offered include but are not limited to painting, woodworking, mechanics, fiberglass repair, upholstery, chandlery, electronics and electricians, sails and canvas, propeller repair, signs and engraving, polishing, boat care and cleaning, refrigeration, air conditioning, tank cleaning, hydraulics and more. See main boatyards below:

Boatyard Services Available

Coral Cove: Project Management, Fiberglass Repair, Tank Cleaning, Mechanical Supplies, Marine Hardware, Upholstery, Chandlery, Paint Supplies.

Peake Yacht Services: Rigger, Marine and Insurance Surveyors, Sails and Canvas, Paint Supplies, Hydraulics, Woodworking, Propeller Repair, Welding and Fabrication, Metal Work, Air Conditioning, Engine Repair, Polishing, Osmosis Blister Repair, Antifouling and Bottom Painting, Machinists.

Power Boats:Electricians, Mechanical Supplies, Marine Hardware, Paint and Varnish Repair, Osmosis Blister Repair, Polishing, Dinghy and Bicycle Repair, Metal Work, Sails and Canvas, Engine Repair, Woodworking, Winch Repair, Outboard Engine Mechanics, Tour and Taxi Service, Paint and Varnish Finishers, Plumbing, Electronics.

For a more detailed listing of the services available in local boatyards see ysatt.com/services-table.

A wide range of activities throughout the islands

For cruisers who choose to visit Trinidad and Tobago, activities are not limited to those located within the Chaguaramas area. Trinidad and Tobago is full of activities that cruisers can take part in, year-round, from hiking, and tours of heritage sites, to nature trails, fabulous beaches and watersports, the possibilities for recreation are endless. Cruisers can dock their vessels in the many boatyards available in Chaguaramas and come ashore and enjoy all the different activities that Trinidad and Tobago has to offer. Or if you’re just stopping by mid-journey, the twin island state is ideal for refueling, provisioning, and undertaking any repairs that need to be done before continuing along on your way.

A proud culture

Trinidad and Tobago is recognized worldwide for its African and Indian cultures, brought to life by large and famous festivals and celebrations such as Carnival, Diwali, and Hosay. The islands are also the birthplace of steelpan, the limbo, and musical styles such as chutney soca, calypso, soca, rapso, parang and chutney.

A safe haven for boating

Trinidad and Tobago is the most southern of all the Caribbean islands, making it the ideal location for any cruising boater. During the Atlantic Hurricane Season (June 1st to November 30th), most Caribbean Islands are affected by tropical storms and hurricanes. However, Trinidad and Tobago’s location just south of the normal hurricane belt marks the twin island state as the ideal location for cruisers and other boaters seeking shelter from the storms, with hurricanes vanishingly rare. Cruisers are offered not only a safe place to store vessels during the Atlantic Hurricane Season that affects the islands of the Lesser Antilles, but visitors are offered “a home away from home” with plenty to do, explore and enjoy all year long. There are two seasons: the dry season (January to May) and the rainy season (June to December), with temperatures averaging a tropical 30-34 during the day. Steady and gentle trade winds ensure a refreshing breeze, with evenings dropping down to between 23 and 27 degrees.

STAY

Trinidad offers a wide range of tours that cater to everyone.
If a cruiser is interested in getting to know the history of the islands, there are tours of the city of Port of Spain and Fort George which starts in downtown Port of Spain, where visitors are given a guided tour of the Magnificent Seven around the Queen’s Park Savannah as well as the Lady Young Road Look-out. There are also tours of the 85 feet tall Hanuman Murti located in Central Trinidad as well as the Indo-Caribbean Museum. If you’re more interested in nature-based tours there are tours to places such as the Gasparee Caves, Paria Bay Nature Hike, Covinge River Trail and many more locations.

Nature and Wildlife:

Trinidad is home to some of the last remaining nesting sites of Leatherback turtles.

It’s also home to over 600 species of butterflies, 433 species of birds and 2300 different types of plants and shrubs, making it an idyllic location for nature lovers. There are several bird sanctuaries, including The Point-A-Pierre Wild Fowl Trust, a wetland habitat home to locally endangered wetland birds such as the Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks, The Asa Wright Nature Centre, located on an old coffee and cocoa estate and now home to over 160 species of birds, while The Caroni Bird Sanctuary is a Ramsar site and home to the national bird of Trinidad, the Scarlet Ibis.

Hiking and Biking

Trinidad has a vast number of hiking trails. Hikes vary in intensity and length so that there is something for beginners and the more trained and experienced. Less experienced hikers choose The Rio Seco Waterfall, a 30-foot waterfall with a large deep pool, the perfect place to cool off after a hard morning’s hiking. If biking appeals, Chaguaramas boasts some of the island’s best mountain biking trails. The trails are suitable for beginners as well as more experienced mountain bikers.

Beaches

Trinidad’s coastline has a wide array of beaches. A local favourite, Maracas Bay is a 30-minute drive through the mountainside from Port of Spain and no visit to Maracas Bay is complete without trying ‘Bake and Shake’, a local sandwich comprising fried bread filled with seasoned and fried shark fillets topped with various vegetables and sauces such as tamarind or garlic. For something closer to home, Macqueripe Bay is located in the Chaguaramas area. For the adventure lover, Macqueripe Bay has a 7-foot zip line adventure through the rainforest.

Cuisine:

Food in Trinidad is a mixture of African, European, and Indian influences. Trinidad offers a range of food from the ever-popular street food of Doubles to more high-end dining experiences offered by restaurants such as the www.themeenahouse.com. Doubles is a fried flatbread filled with curried chickpeas (“channa” in local parlance) and topped with sweet sauce, cucumbers, and hot pepper, and can be found all over both Trinidad and Tobago with some of the more popular spots being Curepe, St. James, Ariapita Avenue and Debe. At night the Queen’s Park Savannah is filled with food trucks that serve a range of different local delicacies.

For more information on things to do and places to visit, check out visittrinidad.tt

Tobago – how to get there

Tobago, Trinidad’s sister island, is just 20 miles from Trinidad. Cruisers can sail their vessels to Tobago or they can remain docked at their boatyard and catch a 24-minute flight with Caribbean Airlines (the national airline). There is also the inter-island ferry with a sailing time of three to seven hours.

Things To Do: Tobago

Tobago is home to the oldest protected rainforest in the western hemisphere. For cruisers interested in diving and snorkeling, Tobago’s reef system is rich in biodiversity with clear and pristine waters. There are many trained diving instructors that make Tobago the perfect destination for divers of all experience levels. For a one-of-a-kind experience, go on a tour of the island’s glowing plankton at night, by kayak or standup paddle.

Beaches:

Buccoo Bay is ideal for snorkeling with colourful reefs brimming with marine life. Nylon Pool offers crystal clear water with ample opportunities for snorkeling or just taking a relaxing swim. Arguably the most famous of all Tobago’s beaches, Pigeon Point Beach features long white sand and gorgeous ocean views.

If you are looking for a beach with lots to do, Store Bay is within walking distance of restaurants and souvenir shops. See www.visittobago.gov.tt/go-experience/sea-beaches for more information.

Water Activities:

There are plenty of watersports available in Tobago from Standup Paddle boarding and snorkeling to Kiteboarding and Windsurfing.

See here for more info:

radicalsportstobago www.facebook.com/waterholicstobago

Further information

For more information on entry requirements for cruisers visit Yacht Services Association of Trinidad and Tobago’s website ysatt.com/yacht_entry

Facebook

Instagram you can contact Jesse James at +1 (868) 683-5202 and Sharon Rose at +1 (868) 757-0139.

For accommodations and boatyards visit:

Peake Yacht Services online booking

Power Boats: powerboats.co.tt/bookings

Coral Cove: coralcovemarinatt.com/rooms-list Download the Trinidad and Tobago Travel Guide App and check out their Facebook page for more information: facebook.com/exploretrinidad