Cat Island is one of the Bahamas’ most understated sailing destinations: consistent trade winds along its east coast, protected anchorages on the west, and a reef system that few visiting yachts have explored. Perini Navi is the Italian yard that defined the modern large sailing yacht, building aluminium-hulled sloops and ketches from 40 to 80 metres that combine performance with the interior comfort guests associate with motor yachts.
The Perini Navi fleet available in the Bahamas ranges from 45 to 60 metres, with four to seven guest cabins, crews of eight to twelve, and furling sail systems that the crew operates without guest involvement. These are not racing yachts disguised as charter boats. They are engineered for long passages with steady wind, and Cat Island’s east coast provides that consistently from December through April.
Weekly rates for Perini Navi charters around Cat Island run from 215,000 to 490,000 euros per week, with an advance provisioning allowance of roughly 30 percent covering fuel, food, marina fees and crew costs. The Bahamas applies no VAT to charter, and sailing yachts use significantly less fuel than motor yachts of equivalent size, reducing the effective APA spend.
Cat Island suits a Perini Navi particularly well. The east coast from Orange Creek to Port Howe offers open-ocean sailing in consistent 15 to 20 knot conditions, while the west coast from Fernandez Bay to Hawk’s Nest Marina provides sheltered anchorages for evenings. The Conception Island reserve to the south is an ideal overnight passage for a sailing yacht.
