Classic yachts bring a different perspective to the Bahamas. Where modern motor yachts conquer the distances, a classic sailing yacht moves with the wind and takes time over the anchorages, which suits Andros Island well. The barrier reef here is best appreciated slowly: a morning drift dive along the wall, an afternoon on the blue holes, an evening at anchor watching the sun set over the bank. The classic charter fleet is small but purposeful, running to eight vessels in the region.
Classic Bahamas charter yachts tend toward traditional ketch or sloop rigs with teak decks and interior joinery that reflects a different era of yacht building. They range from 20 to 35 metres and carry crew of two to four who often have deep knowledge of the cruising grounds. On Andros, the lack of marinas on the west coast is no obstacle for a classic yacht: anchoring off a deserted beach and landing by dinghy is exactly how these boats were designed to travel.
Weekly charter rates for classic yachts in the Bahamas begin around 30,000 euros and rise to 250,000 euros for the most celebrated historic vessels. The advance provisioning allowance of roughly 30 percent covers food, fuel, port fees and crew gratuity. Classic charters are unhurried by nature, and the Bahamas off-season, April through November, offers the chance to have anchorages to yourself with rates well below the December to April peak.
Andros is particularly well suited to a classic yacht itinerary because of its colonial and maritime history. Nicholls Town in north Andros retains its sponge-fishing heritage and gives a genuine sense of the island pre-tourism era. Fresh Creek, the main settlement on the east coast, has a small boatyard where local craftsmen still build traditional Bahamian vessels, making it an ideal overnight stop for a classic charter.
