North South Yacht Vacations
Inner Harbor Marina - Tortola - British Virgin Islands
No. of Boats: 27
Monohulls: 22
Multihulls: 5
Website: www.nsyv.com
Phone: 905-822-9146
Email: northsouth@nsyv.com
Monohulls: 22
Multihulls: 5
Website: www.nsyv.com
Phone: 905-822-9146
Email: northsouth@nsyv.com
North South Yacht Vacations Location
Total of 7 reviews
Rating
5
Submission date:
12/31/06 | Charter
date: September 2006
Submitted by: Chass | From: United States
Type of sailor: Novice skipper (0-1 years) | Age: 41 - 50
Submitted by: Chass | From: United States
Type of sailor: Novice skipper (0-1 years) | Age: 41 - 50
Mediocre
Went with them trying to save a couple of dollars but came away less satisfied that I would have hoped. The crew at the Company were fine, but was not thrilled with the boat - fridge smelled and having not been adequately cleaned from the previous group and in general the boat was worn. The BVI was fun though, Fall is a great time of year to go.
Rating
2
Submission date:
5/29/08 | Charter
date: April 2008
Submitted by: Tom | From: United States
Type of sailor: Ancient Mariner (5+ years) | Age: 41 - 50
Submitted by: Tom | From: United States
Type of sailor: Ancient Mariner (5+ years) | Age: 41 - 50
Boat unprepared
We chose N/S like many others to save a few $$. Up front, the team (Sheila) showed some flexibility in allowing us to changes dates/times and sleep aboard. When we arrived, the boat appeared well used (!) but clean. On departure day, it took the N/S team until mid afternoon to install the main and get the engines to work. We still had to take the boat over to fuel, during which time the port engine overheated. A couple hours later, they pulled the thermostat on the engine and just said "Add water every day"! By the end of the charter, we found this band-aid solution applied to all maintenance. The main sail had been purchased used from another charter company and they used spray paint (!) to cover the logo on the sail!!! Every batten on the main popped out the first time we used it. The prop fell off the port engine (which over-heated anyway). There wasn't a fully working hatch on the boat. The main batteries were shot. In general, the boat should never have left the dock. And despite several calls and notices, they did not have dock space for us upon our return and we had to unload via dingy. Finally, to top it off, they had the gaul to charge us for maintenance items!!! Do not rent from this company unless you enjoy working on boats for vacation!
Rating
1
Submission date:
8/26/09 | Charter
date: December 2007
Submitted by: George | From: Canada
Type of sailor: Ancient Mariner (5+ years) | Age: 61 - 70
Submitted by: George | From: Canada
Type of sailor: Ancient Mariner (5+ years) | Age: 61 - 70
Avoid NSYV at any price
I have bareboat chartered over the past 20 years numerous times, both in the British Virgin Islands and other cruising grounds. Without exception all these charter vacations have been wonderful experiences. That does not mean they were perfect. Usually there was a breakdown of one type or another. However every company I have ever chartered from did their utmost best to cheerfully deal with whatever technical issue came my way with plenty of apologies for the inconvenience.
Last year however I made the gross error of booking a charter with North South Yacht Vacations (NSYV).Instead of a holiday in paradise, it turned out to be a most disappointing and frustrating BVI charter experience. Out of the 10 day total charter there were really only 3 days of stress free and enjoyable vacation i.e. no breakdowns or waiting for repairs to be done.
I have documented all the breakdowns and complaints about lackluster service in a Charter log. This log was the basis for extended email and telephone discussions with Mr. Brian Rose, the owner of NSYV, however in the end he became so insulting and irrational, that I have stopped communicating with him.
Here is a summary of the more serious complaints I have about NSYV:
- The most serious complaint I have is re the Reverse Engine Failure towards the end of the charter. After our departure NSYV found that it was due to a broken keyway in the flange that connects the engine transmission with the propeller shaft. In his usual way the owner initially blamed it on my heavy handedness on the gear shifter. After I explained that I was an experienced sailor and know better that slamming the gear lever around, they looked for another root cause. A diver was sent down and he found that the strut was bent. Now the owner claims that I caused the bent strut. It is well known that given the location of the strut between the rudder and the keel. That it is impossible to bend the strut through a collision or any other mishap. A collision should also show some collateral damage none of which NSYV have been able to demonstrate. I consulted an industry expert in Toronto Canada and he suggested that a bent strut is usually the result of a boat hauling operation, where the aft sling is misplaced and the strut carries half the weight of the boat while it is being lifted. Despite all this logic and lack of collision evidence the owner is adamant that I caused the bent strut and is withholding $2323 from my $2500 security deposit to pay for the repair cost. (No written estimates, just a bunch of numbers pulled out of the air).
- As the log details we were on 2 boats. The first a Catalina36 broke down beyond the repair capabilities of NSYV after one day and we were transferred to a really derelict Beneteau35. Both boats we were on were in poor state of maintenance asking for breakdowns. The owner thinks it was quite normal for hatches to leak, cockroaches to be resident etc.
- NSYV has taken cost management to a new level in the charter industry. You are supposed to bring your own toilet paper, matches etc. A 10 year old dog eared cruising guide is defended with “what’s the problem?” Twice they tried to send us off with an empty water tank.
- The base manager has a customer attitude issue.
- The competency level of the base technical staff is low to intermediate. They don’t know anything about their own boats, have no tools or spare parts, don’t know the difference between ATF and engine diesel oil. One of the fellows was outright rude when I tried to help him with some electrical trouble shooting and he had to admit he came without a basic instrument like a Digital Voltmeter
- Communications with the base are difficult. There is no decent VHF system and the landline is hardly ever answered. Leaving messages does not work. Promises to call back never happen.
- Twice a promised chase boat call never happened. No apologies. Just a surprise comment that we stayed with the boat instead of drinking our bad luck away at Foxy’s.
- The owner consistently tries to blame the charterer for the breakdowns. In his opinion motor sailing in light airs causes the engine electrics to fail.
Last year however I made the gross error of booking a charter with North South Yacht Vacations (NSYV).Instead of a holiday in paradise, it turned out to be a most disappointing and frustrating BVI charter experience. Out of the 10 day total charter there were really only 3 days of stress free and enjoyable vacation i.e. no breakdowns or waiting for repairs to be done.
I have documented all the breakdowns and complaints about lackluster service in a Charter log. This log was the basis for extended email and telephone discussions with Mr. Brian Rose, the owner of NSYV, however in the end he became so insulting and irrational, that I have stopped communicating with him.
Here is a summary of the more serious complaints I have about NSYV:
- The most serious complaint I have is re the Reverse Engine Failure towards the end of the charter. After our departure NSYV found that it was due to a broken keyway in the flange that connects the engine transmission with the propeller shaft. In his usual way the owner initially blamed it on my heavy handedness on the gear shifter. After I explained that I was an experienced sailor and know better that slamming the gear lever around, they looked for another root cause. A diver was sent down and he found that the strut was bent. Now the owner claims that I caused the bent strut. It is well known that given the location of the strut between the rudder and the keel. That it is impossible to bend the strut through a collision or any other mishap. A collision should also show some collateral damage none of which NSYV have been able to demonstrate. I consulted an industry expert in Toronto Canada and he suggested that a bent strut is usually the result of a boat hauling operation, where the aft sling is misplaced and the strut carries half the weight of the boat while it is being lifted. Despite all this logic and lack of collision evidence the owner is adamant that I caused the bent strut and is withholding $2323 from my $2500 security deposit to pay for the repair cost. (No written estimates, just a bunch of numbers pulled out of the air).
- As the log details we were on 2 boats. The first a Catalina36 broke down beyond the repair capabilities of NSYV after one day and we were transferred to a really derelict Beneteau35. Both boats we were on were in poor state of maintenance asking for breakdowns. The owner thinks it was quite normal for hatches to leak, cockroaches to be resident etc.
- NSYV has taken cost management to a new level in the charter industry. You are supposed to bring your own toilet paper, matches etc. A 10 year old dog eared cruising guide is defended with “what’s the problem?” Twice they tried to send us off with an empty water tank.
- The base manager has a customer attitude issue.
- The competency level of the base technical staff is low to intermediate. They don’t know anything about their own boats, have no tools or spare parts, don’t know the difference between ATF and engine diesel oil. One of the fellows was outright rude when I tried to help him with some electrical trouble shooting and he had to admit he came without a basic instrument like a Digital Voltmeter
- Communications with the base are difficult. There is no decent VHF system and the landline is hardly ever answered. Leaving messages does not work. Promises to call back never happen.
- Twice a promised chase boat call never happened. No apologies. Just a surprise comment that we stayed with the boat instead of drinking our bad luck away at Foxy’s.
- The owner consistently tries to blame the charterer for the breakdowns. In his opinion motor sailing in light airs causes the engine electrics to fail.
Rating
8
Submission date:
10/12/09 | Charter
date: January 2003
Submitted by: Bill | From: United States
Type of sailor: Ancient Mariner (5+ years) | Age: 61 - 70
Submitted by: Bill | From: United States
Type of sailor: Ancient Mariner (5+ years) | Age: 61 - 70
Great vacation
I have sailed in the BVI for over 12 years and have chartered from at least 5 different companies. While North South does not offer the newest boats, they are a great value for the money spent. Also the staff are very friendly and helpful. As a sailor I really do not care if I have air conditioning or lots of AC power. I go to the BVI to sail!
Rating
8
Submission date:
12/26/09 | Charter
date: March 2009
Submitted by: alan | From: Canada
Type of sailor: Ancient Mariner (5+ years) | Age: 51 - 60
Submitted by: alan | From: Canada
Type of sailor: Ancient Mariner (5+ years) | Age: 51 - 60
fair value
They have always given me fair value if not better. Their boats are older and will have some problems. I've chartered with them for many years, and have had breakdowns, actually had to buy ice one year, I can live with that any time, boats break. Otherwise they have taken good care of me and I have been happy with the boats I've chartered.
Rating
1
Submission date:
1/1/10 | Charter
date: December 2009
Submitted by: Greg | From: United States
Type of sailor: Crew only | Age: 26 - 30
Submitted by: Greg | From: United States
Type of sailor: Crew only | Age: 26 - 30
DO NOT USE N/S
My family and I have chartered a number of boats in the Virgin Islands over the past 15 years and have always had good experiences up until this last trip. The reservation process was very substandard and we even had concerns that the company was not real and that all the upfront fees were part of a scam. This is how unprofessional and unresponsive the company was leading up to us even arriving on the island. When we did arrive at the boat, there was no office and we came to find out all the bookings are done through a home office n Ontario. This left us with no contacts on the island and no way to get a hold of anyone after they were 2 hours late past our agreed upon meeting time. The company was several hours late arriving with our provisions and to check us out on the boat. From the get-go, we realized we had made a major mistake in choosing this company just from looking at the boat. The boat was DIRTY and all the heads and refrigerator had clearly not been cleaned after the last charter. We experienced multiple problems along the way, to include; a dinghy that was flat and flooded every morning, all three heads leaking and one was totally unusable after the first day and required us having to try to fix while standing in other peoples excrement, inoperable fans in the berthing, almost all hatches leaking and 2 lazarettes that leaked constantly on the two aft berths where we had young kids sleeping. It really came down to all the little things that most boaters take for granted. There were no life vests onboard; there was no flashlight and the one they gave us died after a day with no spare batteries. There was not a single piece of rain gear in the boat. There were no charts. Overall, the boat was totally unsatisfactory and our experience on the trip suffered greatly because of it. This company does not deserve your business or money and you would be better off using another company.
Rating
7
Submission date:
5/24/10 | Charter
date: May 2010
Submitted by: Dave | From: Canada
Type of sailor: Experienced skipper (1-5 years) | Age: 51 - 60
Submitted by: Dave | From: Canada
Type of sailor: Experienced skipper (1-5 years) | Age: 51 - 60
Good price & service
We were given a complimentary upgrade to a larger boat (4 ft bigger) and given an early check-out on our 1st day. The boat was in good working order, but a little tired looking. We had a couple of minor mechanical problems which were fixed promptly by the chase boat without delay.
This charter company was recently bought by its local manager, Chandi Singh, and is now called Caribbean Sailing BVI Ltd. Chandi told me he and his employees are working hard to deliver a superior client experience. Bookings can still be made through North South or directly with CSBVI. The local operation is now in the hands of a family run business -- great motivation to keep clients happy. We were, and will be using them again in future. Good value for the money. And we've chartered with others inc. the Moorings, LaVida, & GoVacations.
This charter company was recently bought by its local manager, Chandi Singh, and is now called Caribbean Sailing BVI Ltd. Chandi told me he and his employees are working hard to deliver a superior client experience. Bookings can still be made through North South or directly with CSBVI. The local operation is now in the hands of a family run business -- great motivation to keep clients happy. We were, and will be using them again in future. Good value for the money. And we've chartered with others inc. the Moorings, LaVida, & GoVacations.