BVI Tandem Charters: The Best Way for Big Groups to Charter Together

Why the 12-Guest Limit?

It’s due to international maritime regulations. Unless you charter a rare commercial vessel, 12 guests is the standard max on private yachts. But with a tandem charter, you just split the group across two boats and enjoy the entire week together.

What a Tandem Charter Looks Like in the BVI

You will, for example, have two catamarans cruising side-by-side, each with their own chef, captain, and crew—but with a shared itinerary. Think:

• Beach BBQs organized by both crews

• Group snorkelling sessions at the Indians

• Drinks together at Soggy Dollar

• Private dinners on shore booked in advance

We’ve done trips with two Bali cats like KORU and ITHAKA cruising in sync. Or triple tandems like BAREFOOT COWBOY, AD ASTRA, and SAIL AWAY. These are yachts that know how to work together—it makes a huge difference.

What You Can’t Do

While you’ll spend a lot of time together on land, most yachts won’t allow guests to move between boats while sailing or use each other’s water toys or chefs. It’s an insurance and safety thing.

People imagine hopping from boat to boat all day—it’s not really how it works. You mainly hang out onshore or raft up if the captains allow.

That said, rafting (tying up side by side at anchor) is sometimes possible—and incredibly fun when conditions allow.

What We Recommend

You can’t just pick two random yachts and expect a tandem to work. We know which boats play well together—and which crews genuinely enjoy teaming up. To ensure you get your charters to actually work in Tandem we recommend you:

• Choose two very similar yachts (to avoid envy or imbalance)

• Ideally, book yachts from the same central agent or management company, and we will help you find them.

• Let us guide the timing and logistics—boarding schedules, start points, and even marina distance can vary