Expert: Drew Wilmoth - 11/17/2006

Question
I am a yacht captain and am thinking of visiting the Caymans with a motor yacht in summer 2007. What marina dockage facilities are available ? The boat is 75 feet long with a 22 foot beam and a draught of 6 feet. Are berths available ? Is 50 amp power as well as water available ? Is there a proper marina or just a basic boatyard ? Does the Caymans encourage visiting yachts of this size or just sail boats ?
Any help will be much appreciated plus any contact info for marinas etc. Thank you.

Answer
Many islands of the eastern Caribbean are well known centers of yachting.  The western Caribbean does not have the same network of extensive yachting resources.

Typical berths in the local working marinas cater to smaller vessels.  The small dockage at Kaibo Yacht Club is sized to handle vessels to about 50ft, with a beam of perhaps 18ft.  The larger facilities at the Cayman Islands Yacht Club are essentially similar dimensions.

Fuel is available for purchase at either location, and Kaibo has a restaurant and bar.  Water and electric hookups are available, though I've never had cause to evaluate the capacity of the electric hookup.

The more commercial marina is Harbour House.  This is where small commercial vessels are lifted out for work.  Actual dockage space is limited there, and I am not aware of water or electric hookups.  They have the only proper chandlery, and facilities for maintenance and repairs.

Entrance to these areas is through Grand Cayman's North Sound, an area where vessel draft can be a limiting factor in certain spots.

Larger vessels do call on Grand Cayman, but they tend to hold at anchor or mooring along the island's lee (west) shore.

Finally, few sailboats in transit call in Cayman.  It can be an expensive island, and it is well off the normal cruising tract.  

Kaibo Yacht Club  1(345)-947-9975   www.kaibo.ky
Harbour House Marina 1(345)-947-1307  www.harbourhousemarina.com
Cayman Islands Yacht Club 1(345)-945-3131