Cat Island is one of those Bahamian destinations that genuinely suits a sailing yacht better than a motor vessel. The prevailing easterly trades blow consistently across the island 48-mile length from November through April, and the west coast anchorages at Fernandez Bay and New Bight are protected from swell while remaining open enough for a steady breeze. The crossing from Nassau to Cat Island on a broad reach in 15 knots of easterly is a proper offshore passage, the kind that leaves a crew settled and ready for the quiet pleasures the island offers.
Nineteen crewed sailing yachts are available for Cat Island itineraries, spanning classic sloop-rigged monohulls and performance catamarans. The catamaran is well suited to the Bahamian banks, where draft matters and the platform shallow draw allows access to anchorages that a deep-keeled monohull must skirt around. Cat Island anchorages are uncrowded by Bahamian standards, and a sailing charter here typically means sharing the bay with a handful of local fishing boats rather than a flotilla of charter yachts.
Weekly rates for crewed sailing yachts for Cat Island range from around 18,000 euros to 75,000 euros for a modern performance catamaran. The advance provisioning allowance adds approximately 30 percent, covering provisions purchased in Nassau before the crossing, fuel for the outboard and generator, marina fees at New Bight and crew gratuity. Extended Bahamian circuits covering Cat Island, Long Island and the Exumas are available for guests who want two weeks or more.
The route home from Cat Island for a sailing yacht typically follows the Exuma Sound north through the cays, arriving back at Nassau with stops at Staniel Cay, Compass Cay and Norman Cay, each offering its own reason to linger.
