Bonaire’s trade winds blow steadily from the east-northeast for most of the year, averaging fifteen to twenty knots and creating ideal conditions for crewed sailing yachts. The island sits within what sailors call the lucky latitudes, well south of the hurricane belt and clear of the erratic squalls that trouble the northern Caribbean. A sailing charter here is not about white-knuckle passages but about unhurried afternoons under canvas, the ridge of the island always in view and Klein Bonaire’s turquoise shallows a natural turning point.
The sailing fleet available for charter in and around Bonaire includes oceangoing sloops, catamarans and ketch-rigged yachts. Monohulls offer the performance sailing that experienced sailors seek, while catamarans bring wide deck space, a shallow draught suited to reef anchorages, and the stability that appeals to families. Vessels range from 18 to 30 metres, accommodating between two and ten guests.
Weekly rates for sailing yachts in this part of the Caribbean start from around 25,000 euros for a performance monohull and reach 150,000 euros for a large, fully crewed catamaran. The advance provisioning allowance, covering fuel, food, drinks and berthing, adds roughly 30 per cent. December to April is high season, with calmer seas and assured trade winds.
From Bonaire, a sailing yacht can reach Curacao in half a day and Aruba in one long passage, making an ABC Islands sailing circuit a natural itinerary. Closer to hand, the dive sites along Bonaire’s west coast and the wild east coast at Lac Bay are best approached under sail, dropping anchor where the motor boats cannot easily go.
