Compass Cay anchors the central section of the Exuma Cays, a private island whose nurse sharks, tidal pools and immediate access to the Exuma Land and Sea Park have made it a benchmark for what a Bahamas charter anchorage should be. Heesen Yachts builds in Oss in the Netherlands, producing fast aluminium displacement yachts from 37 to 70 metres, known for combining superyacht interior quality with genuine offshore performance capability.
Heesen yachts available in the Bahamas typically run from 40 to 55 metres, with four to six guest cabins, crews of nine to twelve, and the combination of low displacement and high power that produces cruising speeds 20 to 25 percent above equivalently sized steel vessels. In the Exumas that speed translates into longer time at anchor and shorter passages between islands.
Weekly charter rates for Heesen yachts at Compass Cay run from 105,000 to 455,000 euros per week, with an advance provisioning allowance of approximately 30 percent. No Bahamian VAT applies. Heesen yachts sit in the upper tier of the Dutch superyacht market, offering engineering quality comparable to Feadship at somewhat more accessible price points.
The Exumas around Compass Cay reward a yacht that can cover ground efficiently. The standard circuit north through Shroud Cay and Warderick Wells and south through Staniel Cay and Big Major Spot covers around 60 miles of protected water. A Heesen can extend that circuit to Georgetown in the south or Nassau in the north without losing significant time at anchor, adding anchorages that slower vessels cannot reach within a week.
