Barecat Charters

Morena; I finally got to get aboard her now that the other boats are off of her. Not pretty, another total loss.

So happy our underwater treasures made it through Irma and Maria.

EDIT: Despite my objection to taking handouts, several people have asked me to start a funding effort. I have acquiesced. https://www.youcaring.com/nelsonboothe-956339?utm_campaign=buttonshare&utm_medium=url&utm_source=copy&utm_content=cf_cp_01

Hello Barecat family.

We want you all to know we are safe and sound after Hurricane Irma. There is not much left standing around here and we have a long road ahead of us in order to rebuild The BVI. Unfortunately, while our people and Era are safe, our fleet wasn't so lucky. We cannot find a single intact Barecat boat in the hurricane hole, and in fact we only found two at all but they were turtled. My boat was destroyed there as well so I am homeless right now. The base was essentially wiped away, and the workshop is tumbled and structurally unsound. That is the story for 95% of the boats and 75% of buildings in BVI now.
The hurricane hole had somewhere close to 400 boats in it and I saw less than a dozen floating after the storm. Some are piled three high on each other.
My mechanic was in our marina for the storm and had a catamaran land on the roof of the building he was sheltering in, nearly killing him and Henry. They escaped during the eye to the bathrooms of the marina.
I was (and still am) in Cane Garden Bay staying with friends and had the roof fly off the house around 12:30 as the eye wall of Irma hit. We sheltered in the bathroom under mattresses and the adjacent hallway until the eye was upon us and we could run to the police station built wholly of concrete. We have heard numbers in excess of 280 mph winds, but it's hard to know what to believe.
Our island's new reality is one of living densely under a shared roof with a few possessions mingled with new friends and old, trying to help ourselves, our group, and our island as best we can every day. We are striving to get water flowing, power on, Internet restored, sanitation maintained, and roofs over our heads.
All of these things mean that more than likely there won't be much if any charter season coming up in 2017-2018. Tourism will come back here some day, but with no boats, no base, and little beauty, I can't see it being this year. I will strive to keep you updated as best I can as events unfold. I am not giving up on the BVI or on Barecat, but things will definitely be different next time you see us.
To those who have reached out to express their concern for me/us/Barecat I thank you very much and I will try to get back to all of you when Internet returns in any realistic form.

Peace, love, and good sailing to you all-
Nelson Boothe, Owner
Barecat Charters

Hurricane prep almost finished, we'll see you on the other side. Yes, those are all masts in the hurricane hole.

Can't build a new office without staying hydrated.