Dinghy Storage

Whilst your boat is stored for the season in the boatyard, your dinghy needs a home ideally away from dust, damaging UV damp and potential wind damage in the event of a storm.  Most Caribbean cruisers have ribs which are too bulky to store down below, and a storage plan is needed.

Cleaned and upside down on the foredeck or trampoline is an option, covered by a tarpaulin.

For a catamaran, under the boat is an option – again covered with a tarpaulin for dust protection.

If hanging in davits, it should be strapped so it doesn’t swing and covered to protect from UV.  An overall cover should have some means of enabling the water to drain into the unplugged dinghy or over the side.   If you don’t have dinghy chaps, maybe this is the time to have them made – we recommend Turbulence and Tropical Sails & Canvas.  It would be worth checking that your insurance policy will cover a dinghy stored in this manner, as it may be considered additional unnecessary windage by the yard or the insurer.

The gold standard option is storage inside for both outboard and dinghy.  At Clarkes Court Boatyard, contact Sea Safety Service who offer this service.

Finally, you will not be doing your outboard any favours by using the remains of this season’s fuel to begin next season.  Sell it, give it or use it before you leave and start with fresh fuel next season.

Contact us at info@islandreamsgrenada.com for more information on our guardianage and maintenance services.

Moving into Clarkes Court Bay and Celebrating ….

As the newest tenant at Clarkes Court Boatyard and Marina, we are moving into our premises located adjacent to Adrift Restaurant & Bar.

We have been providing guardianage checks and maintenance and management services to yachts at Clarkes Court Boatyard since its opening, and having an additional office and workshop base there will enable us to improve and expand the services we offer.

To celebrate Clarkes Court’s second anniversary on 8th June, we are entering all the boats in our care at Clarkes Court into a draw for a meal at The Aquarium Restaurant at Point Salines – perfect for a romantic beachside dinner or a relaxed Sunday lunch with live music.

New for 2017 in Grenada Yachting

Yacht owners and crew who have not been to Grenada for some years have been commenting on the changes they see – especially in services & facilities for yachts.  So, what has Grenada gained in the last few years?

Liferaft servicing

Sea Safety Service opened their workshop in Prickly Bay in 2016, climate and humidity controlled for Liferaft servicing and inflatable repairs.  Great to have liferafts serviced in Grenada, so we no longer need to ship them off-island, and we can take a look if any specific issues are raised during servicing.

Clarkes Court Bay

This has always been a popular anchorage and there are now many more facilities available around the Bay.  At Whisper Cove Marina, Mary and Gilles offer excellent service in their restaurant and provisioning store.  Benjy Bay hosts lively Full Moon parties, and keeps the tradition of junior sailing alive in the bay by hosting the Woburn Wind Warriors.

Of course, the biggest development in the bay is the transformation of Clarkes Court Marina, which has become Clarkes Court Boatyard and Marina under new ownership and management.  With a 242 ton boatlift, a slipway with 32 ton submersible trailer, on-site chandlery and a wide range of technical services available, we are delighted to be opening a new Island Dreams office there.

Electrical and electronics expertise

Electrical expertise is always in demand and in addition to the electrical teams at Grenada Marine and Spice Island Marine, we work with two independent electrical specialists – MarineTech & NaviComm.  Both are mobile, and MarineTech have a marina electrical store near Island Water World in St Georges.

And when you need some time away from the boat

Check the website to see what’s on at The Movie Palace at Excel Plaza.  Or how about 10 Pin Bowling?  With 8 bowling lanes, and 2 restaurants, Lavo Lanes is Grenada’s newest attraction.

Island Dreams’ New Style Guardianage Check Reports

We are enhancing our yacht guardianage check reports, to make them:

  • Quicker – so owners and captains receive report emails immediately following each check
  • Photographic – we can now include photos within the report
  • Cloud-based – all boat check information is now recorded online during the check, eliminating the risk of paper records going astray

The check schedule and details are tailored to each boat in agreement with the owner or captain, and a report is sent after each check.

Photographs enable us to better communicate any potential issues such as chafe, mildew, evidence of insects or leaking hatches or ports.

We are implementing the new style reports over the next few weeks for boats under Island Dreams guardianage at Port Louis Marina, Clarkes Court Boatyard & Marina, Spice Island Marine, Grenada Marine and Le Phare Bleu Marina.