Horizon Power Catamarans PC6566' 4" (20.22 m)
View Specs & ReviewA 40-ton lift, a 28-foot catamaran rail, and 8 feet of water at Green Cay
Yachting in St Croix
A Minted Location · St Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Every island in the Virgins will sell you a berth. St Croix is the one that can lift the boat out of the water.
**St Croix Marine Center publishes a "40-ton Travelift capable of lifting monohulls and catamarans up to an 17.5ft beam", and a rail system "capable of hauling out catamarans which do not have a keel, up to a 28ft beam."** Behind it sits a 44-slip marina taking vessels to 125 ft (38.1 m), with gasoline and diesel on the dock.
Which matters because of where the island sits. St Croix lies alone across open water south of the St Thomas and St John group — a passage rather than a hop. An island you cannot casually day-trip off is an island that has to be able to fix its own boats, and the yard is what that looks like.
The second published number is the one that will decide your boat: eight feet. Green Cay Marina publishes maximum length, depth and width together — "max L, D, W = 100ft, 8ft, 30ft" — so 8 ft (2.4 m) of draft is the constraint across its 154 slips, not the hundred feet of length. And thirty feet of width is an open invitation to multihulls, which the marina then prices accordingly: $3.00 a foot a day for a monohull and $4.00 for a catamaran, widening to $24.00 against $36.00 a foot monthly, and $30.00 against $48.00 live-aboard.
Buck Island, off the north-east corner, is a day anchorage and nothing longer. The National Park Service states "There is no overnight anchorage at Buck Island. Hours of operation are from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. year-round." It costs nothing to enter — "An entrance pass is not required to access Buck Island Reef National Monument" — and vessels over 42 feet may not enter the lagoon.
⚠️ St Croix is a foreign port to US customs. CBP treats St Thomas, St John and St Croix as foreign ports under United States customs law, notwithstanding that the USVI is US territory. Arriving from Puerto Rico you must report; going back you must report again, with fines that typically begin at $5,000.
So treat St Croix as what it is: a base rather than a stop — the yard, the rail, the fuel and eight feet of published water, with a day-use park off the north-east corner.
Where to keep a yacht in St Croix
Two operators publish figures on St Croix, and between them they define the market.
| St Croix Marine Center | |
|---|---|
| Slips | 44 — "a professional, 44 slip, mixed-use marina" |
| Max vessel size | "125 Feet" (38.1 m) |
| Fuel | "Gasoline & Diesel" |
| Haul-out | "40-ton Travelift" — monohulls and catamarans to "17.5ft beam" (5.3 m) |
| Catamaran rail | Keel-less catamarans to "a 28ft beam" (8.5 m) |
| Moorings | "Short Term: $30/day" · long term "$12.50/ft/mo includes free dinghy dockage", "MINIMUM MONTHLY CHARGE $500/MONTH" |
| VHF & hours | "VHF channels 16 and 06 from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm during the weekdays and Saturdays" — hail on 16 |
| Where | 5063 Gallows Bay, Christiansted |
| Green Cay Marina | |
|---|---|
| Slips | "154-slip marina" |
| Max length · depth · width | "max L, D, W = 100ft, 8ft, 30ft" — 100 ft (30.5 m) · 8 ft (2.4 m) · 30 ft (9.1 m) |
| Daily | $3.00/ft monohull · $4.00/ft catamaran |
| Monthly | D Dock to 26 ft $22.00/ft · monohull $24.00/ft · monohull live-aboard $30.00/ft · catamaran $36.00/ft · catamaran live-aboard $48.00/ft |
| Fuel | Gas $4.80/gal · diesel $4.90/gal |
| Utilities | Electric $0.60/kWh, $10 minimum · potable water $0.15/gallon |
| Hours | "Weekdays: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm" · "Weekend: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm", with "08:00 am – 06:00 pm" also published — plan against the early close |
| Where | 5000 Southgate, Christiansted |
Read Green Cay's three-number line the right way round. "max L, D, W = 100ft, 8ft, 30ft" looks like a length limit and is really a draft limit: eight feet of water is what selects the boat, and a 90-foot yacht drawing nine feet does not fit a marina rated to a hundred. Check the D before the L.
⚠️ The catamaran surcharge is published, and it is real money. A 45-foot catamaran on a monthly non-live-aboard berth is $1,620 against $1,080 for a monohull of the same length — and $2,160 against $1,350 live-aboard. The operator adds that "All rates are subject to change without notice."
The Virgin Islands Port Authority publishes the island's two commercial piers, and they carry the official depth figures. Gallows Bay Marine Facility, about a mile from downtown Christiansted: "The length of the dock is 400 feet with a maximum draft of 13 feet" (121.9 m and 4.0 m), taking "mini-cruise vessels, small inter-island sloops, ferries, private yachts, cargo vessels, and U.S. Coast Guard vessels." And at the west end, the Ann E. Abramson Marine Facility in Frederiksted: "The 1,526-foot pier" (465.1 m) with "drafts of 29 feet on the north and 36 feet on the south side" (8.8 m and 11.0 m) — a cruise berth rather than a yacht berth, and the deepest water on the island by a wide margin.
Salt River is the island's other harbour, and it works by telephone rather than by tariff. Slip availability, maximum length and depth are all agreed on the call, so confirm what is there before you plan around it.
The St Croix Yacht Club sits at Teague Bay and receives visiting yachts by arrangement rather than by published terms — in its own words, "extending to visiting yachtsmen the hospitality of St. Croix." Call ahead.
Coming into Christiansted, take the water from the people who work it: hail VHF 16 and follow the instruction you are given.
Marinas
| Name | Where | Max yacht | Slips | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Croix Marine CenterThe market's anchor, with the island's haul-out behind it. "A professional, 44 slip, mixed-use marina" with a "Maximum vessel size: 125 Feet" (38.1 m), gasoline and diesel on the dock, showers, WiFi and an on-site chandlery. Moorings at "Short Term: $30/day" and long term "$12.50/ft/mo includes free dinghy dockage", with a "MINIMUM MONTHLY CHARGE $500/MONTH". Radio is "VHF channels 16 and 06 from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm during the weekdays and Saturdays" — hail on 16. 5063 Gallows Bay, Christiansted. | Gallows Bay, Christiansted | 125 ft | 44 | "Gasoline & Diesel" |
| Green Cay MarinaPublishes the number that actually selects the boat: "max L, D, W = 100ft, 8ft, 30ft" — so 8 ft (2.4 m) of draft is the constraint across its "154-slip marina", not the hundred feet of length. Catamarans are welcome to 30 ft of width and priced on three separate bases: daily $3.00/ft monohull against $4.00/ft catamaran; monthly $24.00/ft against $36.00/ft; monthly live-aboard $30.00/ft against $48.00/ft. D Dock, for boats to 26 ft, is $22.00/ft monthly. Electric $0.60/kWh with a $10 minimum, potable water $0.15/gallon. "All rates are subject to change without notice." Office and fuel dock hours are "Weekdays: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm / Weekend: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm", with "08:00 am – 06:00 pm" also published — plan against the early close. A sheltered lagoon basin with "excellent protection during a storm". Arrange the berth with the office rather than on the radio. | Southgate, east of Christiansted | 100 ft | 154 | Gas $4.80/gal, diesel $4.90/gal |
| The Port Authority's two St Croix piersThe Virgin Islands Port Authority publishes the island's official depths. Gallows Bay Marine Facility, about a mile from downtown Christiansted — "The length of the dock is 400 feet with a maximum draft of 13 feet" (121.9 m and 4.0 m) — taking "mini-cruise vessels, small inter-island sloops, ferries, private yachts, cargo vessels, and U.S. Coast Guard vessels", with a passenger lounge, lighted walkway and a roll-on/roll-off ramp. At the west end, the Ann E. Abramson Marine Facility in Frederiksted: "The 1,526-foot pier" (465.1 m) with "drafts of 29 feet on the north and 36 feet on the south side" (8.8 m and 11.0 m), a cruise berth with a fendering system designed for submarines. Deep water, but not a yacht berth. | Gallows Bay and Frederiksted | — | — | — |
| Salt RiverThe island's other harbour, on the north coast, and it works by telephone rather than by tariff: slip availability, maximum length and depth are all settled on the call. Confirm what is there before you plan around it. | Salt River Bay, north shore | — | — | — |
Yacht clubs
| Name | Where | Max yacht | Slips | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Croix Yacht ClubThe club sits at Teague Bay, on the stretch of coast facing the Buck Island monument, which is the practical reason a visiting boat is out there at all. It receives visiting yachts by arrangement rather than by published terms — in its own words, "extending to visiting yachtsmen the hospitality of St. Croix." Moorings, dockage and visitor access are settled by telephone, so call ahead. | Teague Bay, east end | — | — | — |
Figures are as each facility publishes them on its own site; blank cells mean the facility doesn't state a number. Confirm slip availability and current rates directly — or ask us to make the calls.
Cruising from St Croix
Three sets of rules govern a boat on St Croix: a federal customs line, a federal park, and a yard that can actually lift you.
First, the customs line, because it catches people. CBP treats St Thomas, St John and St Croix as foreign ports under United States customs law, even though the US Virgin Islands are US territory:
- A vessel arriving in the USVI must report on arrival — including from Puerto Rico.
- A vessel returning to Puerto Rico must report again. CBP's own wording: boaters navigating between Puerto Rico and the USVI "have to report entry in both locations, in addition to reporting entry when arriving from a foreign destination."
- Fines typically begin at $5,000. Under 19 U.S.C. § 1436 the civil penalty is $5,000 for a first violation and $10,000 for each subsequent one, with the vessel subject to seizure and forfeiture.
- CBP ROAM satisfies the face-to-face inspection requirement except for anyone requiring an I-94, a cruising licence, or who owes duties — they must still report in person at the nearest CBP facility.
- St Croix is its own port of entry, Christiansted, port code 5104. CBP publishes telephone reporting on (340) 773-1011 in the day and (340) 773-1490 after hours, and (340) 719-2857 for ROAM problems on St Croix.
Second, the park — and Buck Island is a day anchorage, with the clock as the whole of it.
| Buck Island Reef National Monument | |
|---|---|
| Entrance fee | None — "An entrance pass is not required" |
| Anchoring permit | "Anchoring permits are not required at this time" |
| Where you may anchor | Only in "the anchorage area off West Beach" |
| Overnight | "There is no overnight anchorage at Buck Island." |
| Hours | "7 a.m. to 5 p.m. year-round" · "Closure times are from 5:00 p.m. to 7 a.m. all year" |
| The lagoon | "Vessels over 42 feet are not permitted in the lagoon" (12.8 m) |
| Grottoes | "Maximum water depth in the grottoes is 12 feet" (3.7 m) |
| Scuba | "only at two designated scuba moorings" |
On permits the agency publishes two positions, and both are current. Its live pages say permits are not required "at this time" and that "As of 1/17/25, anchoring is allowed without a permit in the designated location on the west side of Buck Island," with "Updated permitting procedures will be announced at a later date." Its own Day-Use Anchoring Permit document sets out a full permit regime: vessels over 90 feet (27.4 m) "will not be eligible for an anchoring permit" under 36 CFR 7.73(d)(1) and must instead apply for a special use permit and be assigned a designated area; commercial vessels are not eligible at all, and one operating "under a paid charter of any type will not qualify for a special use permit"; applicants should allow seven business days. If your boat is over 90 feet, or working, call the park on (340) 773-1460 before you plan the day.
The forty-two-foot lagoon limit is the number to plan the day around. Above it you are anchoring off West Beach and taking the tender in, which is what the park itself suggests. Below it you still cannot stay: the gate shuts at five.
Third, the yard — and this is why you would base a boat on St Croix rather than visit it.
| St Croix Marine Center boatyard | |
|---|---|
| Travelift | 40-ton — monohulls and catamarans to "17.5ft beam" |
| Rail system | Catamarans without a keel, to "a 28ft beam" |
| On site | "Gasoline, diesel fuel, and haul and launch services" · chandlery · showers |
| Work published | "bottom prep and painting, pressure washing, minor fiberglass repair, fuel polishing and minor electronics trouble-shooting and repair" · "Full-Service Department with Certified Mechanics" |
Note precisely what the two lifting figures do and do not cover. The travelift takes 17.5 feet of beam — a monohull, or a catamaran narrow enough to fit slings. The 28-foot rail is for catamarans that do not have a keel, which is the operator being exact rather than generous: the hull form decides which machine you get, not the tape measure alone. Above 28 feet of beam the answer is Nanny Cay on Tortola and its 70-tonne wide-body lift to 32 ft of beam — an international border and a customs report away.
On depth the island publishes three figures: Green Cay's 8 ft, the Port Authority's 13 ft at Gallows Bay, and 29 ft and 36 ft at the Frederiksted pier. For the approach into Christiansted, hail VHF 16 and take the instruction you are given.
- Buck Island Reef National Monument — day use only — Off the north-east coastDay use, and the clock is the whole of it. The NPS's own Day-Use Anchoring Permit document states "There is no overnight anchorage at Buck Island. Hours of operation are from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. year-round", with "Closure times are from 5:00 p.m. to 7 a.m. all year." No entry cost: "An entrance pass is not required to access Buck Island Reef National Monument." Anchor only in "the anchorage area off West Beach". "Vessels over 42 feet are not permitted in the lagoon" (12.8 m). "Maximum water depth in the grottoes is 12 feet." Scuba "only at two designated scuba moorings". On permits the agency publishes two positions: its live pages say "Anchoring permits are not required at this time" and "As of 1/17/25, anchoring is allowed without a permit in the designated location on the west side of Buck Island", with "Updated permitting procedures will be announced at a later date", while its own permit document sets out a regime under which vessels over 90 feet "will not be eligible for an anchoring permit" (36 CFR 7.73(d)(1)) and commercial vessels are excluded outright. If your boat is over 90 feet, or working, confirm on (340) 773-1460 before you plan the day.
- Reporting to CBP — the USVI is a foreign port — Between Puerto Rico and the US Virgin IslandsThe rule most owners never plan for. CBP treats St Thomas, St John and St Croix as foreign ports under United States customs law despite the USVI being US territory — so a boat must report arriving from Puerto Rico and report again on returning. CBP's own wording: boaters navigating between Puerto Rico and the USVI "have to report entry in both locations, in addition to reporting entry when arriving from a foreign destination." Fines typically begin at $5,000; under 19 U.S.C. § 1436 the civil penalty is $5,000 for a first violation and $10,000 for each subsequent one, with the vessel subject to seizure and forfeiture. CBP ROAM satisfies the face-to-face requirement except for anyone needing an I-94, a cruising licence, or owing duties. St Croix is its own port of entry — Christiansted, port code 5104 — with telephone reporting on (340) 773-1011 by day and (340) 773-1490 after hours, and (340) 719-2857 for ROAM problems.
Service, refit & supplies
Shipyards & refit
| Name | Where | Max yacht | Dockage |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Croix Marine Center boatyardThe finding of this market, and the reason to base a boat here. A "40-ton Travelift capable of lifting monohulls and catamarans up to an 17.5ft beam" (5.3 m), plus a rail system "capable of hauling out catamarans which do not have a keel, up to a 28ft beam" (8.5 m). Read the second figure exactly as written: the 28-foot rail is for catamarans WITHOUT a keel, so hull form decides which machine you get, not the tape measure alone. Published work: "Gasoline, diesel fuel, and haul and launch services", "bottom prep and painting, pressure washing, minor fiberglass repair, fuel polishing and minor electronics trouble-shooting and repair", and a "Full-Service Department with Certified Mechanics". Above 28 feet of beam the answer is Nanny Cay on Tortola — a 70-tonne wide-body lift to 32 ft — across an international border and a customs report away. | Gallows Bay | — | — |
On the St Croix calendar
St Croix works year-round, and the clocks that matter are a yard's, a park's and a federal agency's.
- St Croix Marine Center: VHF 16 and 06 monitored 08:00–16:30, weekdays and Saturdays. Hail on 16 and expect 06.
- Green Cay Marina office and fuel dock: weekdays 08:00–17:00, weekends 08:00–16:00, with 08:00–18:00 also published by the operator. An early close either way; do not leave fuel to the end of the day.
- Buck Island is day-use only: 07:00 to 17:00, year-round, with closure "from 5:00 p.m. to 7 a.m. all year" and no overnight anchorage.
- Buck Island costs nothing to enter — "An entrance pass is not required" — and anchoring permits are "not required at this time." The agency's own permit document still publishes a regime with a 90-foot eligibility cap and a commercial-vessel exclusion, so confirm on (340) 773-1460 before the trip.
- Vessels over 42 ft may not enter the Buck Island lagoon. Anchor off West Beach and tender in.
- CBP reporting is per movement, not per season — every arrival in the USVI and every return to Puerto Rico. (340) 773-1011 by day, (340) 773-1490 after hours; ROAM problems on (340) 719-2857. ROAM does not cover an I-94, a cruising licence or duties owed.
- Green Cay's monthly rates run on a live-aboard/non-live-aboard split — $24.00 against $30.00 a foot for monohulls, $36.00 against $48.00 for catamarans — so how you intend to use the berth changes the bill before length does.
Race and regatta dates are set by the organising clubs — confirm them directly with the organiser.
Yachts we'd shortlist for St Croix
Reviewed the same way as everything on this site — specifications verified against the builder's own numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to dock a catamaran in St Croix?
Green Cay Marina publishes a catamaran surcharge on three separate bases. Daily it is $4.00 a foot for a catamaran against $3.00 for a monohull. Monthly non-live-aboard it is $36.00 a foot against $24.00. Monthly live-aboard it is $48.00 a foot against $30.00. In money, a 45-foot catamaran on a monthly non-live-aboard berth is $1,620 against $1,080 for a monohull the same length, and $2,160 against $1,350 live-aboard. The marina's published width limit is 30 feet, so multihulls are explicitly accommodated — they are simply priced for it. Rates are stated to be subject to change without notice.
What is the largest yacht that can berth in St Croix?
One hundred and twenty-five feet, at St Croix Marine Center in Gallows Bay, which publishes a maximum vessel size of 125 feet across 44 slips with gasoline and diesel on the dock. Green Cay Marina, with 154 slips, publishes 100 feet — but its 8-foot depth limit will usually bite before its length limit does. Salt River and the St Croix Yacht Club both work by telephone rather than by tariff, so call before you count on either. Above 125 feet the answer in the territory is St Thomas and the megayacht berths at Yacht Haven Grande.
Do you have to report to customs sailing between Puerto Rico and St Croix?
Yes, in both directions. CBP treats St Thomas, St John and St Croix as foreign ports under United States customs law even though the US Virgin Islands are US territory, and states that boaters navigating between Puerto Rico and the USVI have to report entry in both locations. Fines typically begin at $5,000; under 19 U.S.C. section 1436 the civil penalty is $5,000 for a first violation and $10,000 for each subsequent one, with the vessel subject to seizure and forfeiture. The CBP ROAM app satisfies the face-to-face inspection requirement except for anyone needing an I-94, a cruising licence, or who owes duties. St Croix is its own port of entry at Christiansted, port code 5104, with telephone reporting on (340) 773-1011 by day and (340) 773-1490 after hours.
Can you anchor overnight at Buck Island in St Croix?
No. The National Park Service's own Buck Island anchoring document states there is no overnight anchorage at Buck Island, with hours of operation from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. year-round and closure from 5:00 p.m. to 7 a.m. all year. It is a day anchorage only, and you may anchor only in the designated area off West Beach. Vessels over 42 feet are not permitted in the lagoon. There is no entrance fee and the NPS states anchoring permits are not required at this time, while its own permit document sets out a regime under which vessels over 90 feet are ineligible and commercial vessels are excluded. Confirm with the park on (340) 773-1460 before you go.
Can you haul out a boat in the US Virgin Islands?
Yes — on St Croix. St Croix Marine Center at Gallows Bay publishes a 40-ton travelift capable of lifting monohulls and catamarans up to a 17.5-foot beam, plus a rail system capable of hauling out catamarans which do not have a keel up to a 28-foot beam. Read the second figure exactly: the 28-foot rail is for keel-less catamarans, so hull form decides which machine you get. The yard also publishes bottom prep and painting, pressure washing, minor fibreglass repair, fuel polishing and a full-service department with certified mechanics. Above 28 feet of beam, the answer is Nanny Cay on Tortola and its 70-tonne wide-body lift, across an international border.
How deep is the water at the marinas in St Croix?
Green Cay Marina publishes the marina figure: max length, depth and width of 100 feet, 8 feet and 30 feet respectively — so 8 feet of draft is the constraint, not the hundred feet of length, and a 90-foot yacht drawing nine feet does not fit. The Virgin Islands Port Authority publishes the island's other official depths: a maximum draft of 13 feet at the 400-foot Gallows Bay dock, and 29 feet on the north side and 36 feet on the south of the 1,526-foot Frederiksted cruise pier. For the Christiansted and Salt River approaches, hail VHF 16 and take the instruction you are given.