Benetti B.NOW 72M236' 3"
View Specs & Review377 feet on one island, 90 feet on the other, and a strait between them
Yachting in St Kitts & Nevis
A Minted Location · St Kitts & Nevis, The Leewards
Safe Harbor St. Kitts publishes 80 to 377 feet of length overall, 70 feet of beam and 18.5 feet of draft. That berth sits on the south-east peninsula of an island you can drive across in twenty minutes.
Then look across the water. Nevis' own port authority publishes moorings in three classes that stop at 90 ft (27.4 m), a designated area where "vessels over 90 feet can drop anchor", and a main pier where "Vessels with draughts up to 3 meters can dock alongside." Same federation, same afternoon's run — and a 287-foot gap between what one island offers and what the other does.
That gap is the whole planning problem here. A 300-footer has a home in St Kitts and no tie-up in Nevis at all. A 90-footer has both. A 60-footer has both, plus a haul-out.
Because the third fact is the one nobody expects. Twenty-odd miles up the coast from the megayacht dock, at Sandy Point on the north-west shore, St. Kitts Marine Works runs a travelift and publishes a full price list — a "164 ton travel lift" on its home page and "one of the largest rated travel lifts (150T) in the English speaking Caribbean" on its own services page, taking "boats up to 35 ft wide and 120 feet long."
So treat St Kitts & Nevis as what it is: a megayacht berth at one end of St Kitts, a working yard at the other, and a mooring field across the strait. Pick the one your boat needs and plan the trip around it.
Where to keep a yacht in St Kitts & Nevis
Safe Harbor St. Kitts is the market's serious marina, and the operator publishes the numbers.
| Length overall | "80' – 377'" — 24.4 m to 114.9 m |
| Max beam | "70'" (21.3 m) |
| Max draft | "18.5'" (5.6 m) |
| Max height | "Unrestricted" — no bridge, no overhead |
| At the slip | Shore power hookups · fresh water hookups · pump-out · in-slip fuelling · complimentary Wi-Fi · "24/7 Property and Dock Security" |
| Fuel dock | Regular gas and regular diesel, high-speed pumps · daily 08:00–17:00 |
| VHF | 71 and 16 |
| Office | Monday–Sunday, 08:00–18:00 |
| Ashore | Crew lounge · fitness centre · pool · padel courts · dock carts · parking · the waterside restaurant, Salt Plage |
| Address | "Safe Harbor St. Kitts, South East Peninsula, St Kitts" · 869.765.0312 |
| Slip sizes, availability and rates | On request — 869.765.0312 |
Eighteen and a half feet of draft is the figure to read twice. It is the operator's stated maximum draft at the berth rather than a depth for the approach, and it is generous even by megayacht-marina standards — the deep-drafted end of the 300-foot fleet is not automatically excluded here. Confirm the approach with the marina on 869.765.0312 before you commit a deep boat to it. Unrestricted air draft is the other quietly useful line: nothing to duck on the way in.
Port Zante, in Basseterre, is the working alternative and the primary clearance dock. The St Christopher Air & Sea Ports Authority states that "Our Marina provides docking & berthing facilities for private yachts and smaller vessels. Enjoy access to fuel stations, fresh water, customs clearance, and a range of other amenities." Its office runs Monday–Saturday, 08:00–16:00, at Building ¾, Port Zante, Basseterre, +1 869 466 5021, and the port authority's clearance guide tells you to "Call Port Zante Marina on VHF channel 68 once your ETA is stable." Berth length, depth and rates are settled on the telephone, so call before you plan around it.
Nevis publishes a mooring field rather than a marina, and it publishes it clearly. NASPA's yacht moorings run "along the western or Caribbean coast of Nevis from Oualie Beach to Charlestown" in three classes — "Up to 35 feet in length or 50 tons", "36 to 60 feet or 50 tons", "61 to 90 feet or 80 tons" — and above that, "A safe area has been designated where vessels over 90 feet can drop anchor." At the pier itself, "Vessels with draughts up to 3 meters can dock alongside the main pier" and "Yachts up to 90 feet are required to tie to moorings." Charlestown "Averages 700 yacht calls per year" with 24-hour security year-round.
So Nevis works on moorings rather than berths. Oualie Bay marks the north end of the field, and NASPA's Long Point Port offers "a safe and secure designated area for boat and yacht operators to rent to properly store their vessel" — storage ashore rather than berthing, arranged with NASPA.
Marinas
| Name | Where | Max yacht | Slips | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Safe Harbor St. KittsThe operator publishes length overall "80' – 377'", max beam "70'", max draft "18.5'" and max height "Unrestricted" — no bridge, nothing to duck. Shore power and fresh water hookups, pump-out, in-slip fuelling and "24/7 Property and Dock Security" at the slip; crew lounge, fitness centre, pool, padel courts and the waterside restaurant Salt Plage ashore. The 18.5 ft is a maximum draft at the berth rather than a depth for the approach, so confirm the approach — and slip availability and rates — with the marina on 869.765.0312 before you commit a deep boat to it. | Christophe Harbour, South East Peninsula, St Kitts | 377 ft | — | Fuel dock — regular gas and regular diesel, high-speed pumps, daily 08:00–17:00; in-slip fuelling at the berth |
| Port Zante MarinaThe primary yacht entry point for St Kitts, run by the St Christopher Air & Sea Ports Authority: "Our Marina provides docking & berthing facilities for private yachts and smaller vessels. Enjoy access to fuel stations, fresh water, customs clearance, and a range of other amenities." Building ¾, Port Zante, Basseterre, +1 869 466 5021. Berth length, depth and rates are settled on the telephone, so call before you plan around it, and hail the marina on VHF 68 once your ETA is stable. | Basseterre, St Kitts | — | — | — |
| Charlestown Port, NevisNevis' port of entry, and the island's berthing answer. The port authority states "Vessels with draughts up to 3 meters can dock alongside the main pier" — 9.8 ft — and that "Yachts up to 90 feet are required to tie to moorings." Charlestown "Averages 700 yacht calls per year", with "24 hr security service throughout the year." Customs, Immigration and the port authority sit together. Nevis works on moorings rather than berths: pier length, berth count and alongside depth beyond the 3-metre draught figure are settled with NASPA on VHF 16. | Charlestown, west coast of Nevis | 90 ft | — | — |
| Oualie Bay and Long PointOualie Bay marks the northern end of NASPA's mooring field — take a mooring and tender in. NASPA's Long Point Port offers "a safe and secure designated area for boat and yacht operators to rent to properly store their vessel" — storage ashore rather than berthing, with terms arranged directly with NASPA. | North-west and south-west Nevis | — | — | — |
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 Kitts & Nevis
Three ports of entry, one online system, and it is SailClear rather than eSeaClear.
The port authority's own clearance guide names the ports of entry as Port Zante Marina, Basseterre — "the primary yacht entry point for St. Kitts" — Christophe Harbour, and Charlestown Pier in Nevis, under NASPA's jurisdiction. St Kitts & Nevis is one of the 32 jurisdictions CCLEC lists for SailClear.
The published sequence, in the authority's own order:
- "File SailClear, ED Form and eAPIS before entering territorial waters" — with CARICOM Advance Passenger Information submitted.
- "Call Port Zante Marina on VHF 68 upon approach".
- "Dock or anchor and hoist the yellow Q flag" — and "Fly the yellow Q flag until clearance is granted."
- "Captain proceeds ashore with documents", Customs reviews, Immigration stamps passports, fees are paid, clearance granted.
CCLEC states that the SailClear notification "can be done any time prior to arrival" — file it whenever suits the passage — and that "On arrival, the yacht captain is still required to present himself to authorities at the port of entry bearing essential documents such as passports and vessel registration information." Filing early does not save you the walk ashore.
Dues are assessed rather than tabled. The port authority states that "Clearance and port dues are assessed based on vessel size and duration of stay" and that "marina services such as electricity, water, garbage disposal, and security access are billed separately." Settle the figure on the VHF call, or ahead of it with Customs & Excise on +1 869-466-7227 / 7228 or Immigration on +1 869-465-8470. Customs & Excise keeps Monday–Friday, 08:00–16:00, at Church Street, Basseterre.
⚠️ Nevis puts a clock and a permit on you. NASPA publishes that "All vessels approaching Nevis are required to contact the Nevis Air and Sea Ports Authority (NASPA) on VHF Channel 16 in order to be assigned a mooring within the first 24 hours upon arrival", and that "Coastal mooring permits must be obtained prior to proceeding coastwise." Two obligations, both on the captain: hail 16, and hold a coastal permit before you move along the shore.
The Narrows is the passage between the two islands. The Department of Marine Resources publishes that "The Narrows is the name of the strait that separates the Caribbean Islands of St. Kitts and Nevis", that the area "consists of dense sea grass communities and coral which make it a rich fish nursery" and is "the breeding ground for commercial fish species, lobster and conch." There is no marked channel through it — cross it on your own soundings.
A Marine Managed Area is coming, and it is not in force yet. The Department publishes that the area "within a 2-mile radius around the coastline of St. Kitts and Nevis will be declared as the Marine Managed Area", with proposed Transportation, Fishing, Recreation and Conservation priority zones and yachting named among the activities inside it. Until it commences, plan against NASPA's mooring rules, which are live.
And then the yard, which is the reason to keep a boat here rather than visit.
St. Kitts Marine Works states a "164 ton travel lift" on its home page and "one of the largest rated travel lifts (150T) in the English speaking Caribbean" on its own services page. Plan against 150 tons and confirm anything heavier with the yard before you book.
| Lift | 164 tons (home page) · 150 T (services page) |
| Takes | "boats up to 35 ft wide and 120 feet long" — 10.7 m beam, 36.6 m LOA |
| Proven | "successfully lifted vessels up to 172 gross tones without incident in the past five years" |
| Haul | $15 × boat length in feet |
| Tie down | $3 × boat length in feet (one-time) |
| Storage | $10 × boat length in feet per month |
| In sling / hoist time | $200/hr |
| Trades | Marine electrician $45/hr · marine mechanic $45/hr |
| Water | $4.50/day, mandatory for liveaboards |
| Deposit | US$250, refundable on four weeks' notice · "All prices are in US dollars" |
Run that on a real boat. A 60-footer hauled and stored for a month is $900 to haul, $180 to tie down and $600 in storage — under $1,700 before a single hour of labour.
And the multihull rate is on the same card. Pressure washing runs $3/ft to 40 ft, $4/ft from 40 to 70 ft and $5/ft above 70 ft for monohulls — and $4, $5 and $6 per foot for multihulls. A flat $1 per foot premium at every band, with "Heavy Scrub & Scrape ......... $3/ft or by estimate for multi-hulls."
- Nevis moorings — and the 90-foot line — West coast of Nevis, Oualie Beach to CharlestownThe port authority publishes moorings "along the western or Caribbean coast of Nevis from Oualie Beach to Charlestown" in three classes — "Up to 35 feet in length or 50 tons", "36 to 60 feet or 50 tons" and "61 to 90 feet or 80 tons" — and above that, "A safe area has been designated where vessels over 90 feet can drop anchor." Two obligations sit on the captain: "All vessels approaching Nevis are required to contact the Nevis Air and Sea Ports Authority (NASPA) on VHF Channel 16 in order to be assigned a mooring within the first 24 hours upon arrival", and "Coastal mooring permits must be obtained prior to proceeding coastwise." Rates on request on VHF 16, and the surcharges are published: standard Monday–Friday 08:00–16:00, +25% from 16:01 to 07:59 and all day Saturday, +50% on Sundays and public holidays.
- Clearing in — three ports of entry, and it is SailClear — St Kitts & Nevis watersSt Kitts & Nevis uses SailClear rather than eSeaClear, and is one of the 32 jurisdictions CCLEC lists for it. The published sequence: "File SailClear, ED Form and eAPIS before entering territorial waters", "Call Port Zante Marina on VHF 68 upon approach", "Dock or anchor and hoist the yellow Q flag", then the captain ashore with documents, Customs, Immigration, fees, clearance. "Fly the yellow Q flag until clearance is granted." CCLEC states the notification "can be done any time prior to arrival", and that the captain must still present himself in person on arrival. Dues are "assessed based on vessel size and duration of stay", so settle the figure on the VHF call. Customs & Excise +1 869-466-7227 / 7228, Monday–Friday 08:00–16:00, Church Street, Basseterre; Immigration +1 869-465-8470.
- The Narrows — The strait between St Kitts and NevisThe federal Department of Marine Resources publishes that "The Narrows is the name of the strait that separates the Caribbean Islands of St. Kitts and Nevis", that it "consists of dense sea grass communities and coral which make it a rich fish nursery" and is "the breeding ground for commercial fish species, lobster and conch", with "mangroves, salt ponds, sea turtle nesting beaches, and bird nesting" at the coast. There is no marked channel through the strait — cross it on your own soundings. A Marine Managed Area is proposed for the area within a 2-mile radius of the coastline, with Transportation, Fishing, Recreation and Conservation priority zones and yachting (anchoring) named among the activities inside it. It is not in force yet, so plan against NASPA's mooring rules, which are.
Service, refit & supplies
Shipyards & refit
| Name | Where | Max yacht | Dockage |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Kitts Marine WorksA yard at Sandy Point on the north-west coast that publishes both a lift capacity and a full price card. It states a "164 ton travel lift" on its home page and "one of the largest rated travel lifts (150T) in the English speaking Caribbean" on its own services page — plan against 150 tons and confirm anything heavier with the yard before you book. The lift takes "boats up to 35 ft wide and 120 feet long", and the yard states it has "successfully lifted vessels up to 172 gross tones without incident in the past five years." Established 2000; 24-hour security; DIY as well as professional facilities. Published fees, all US dollars: haul $15 × boat length in feet, tie down $3 × length (one time), monthly storage $10 × length, in sling/hoist time $200/hr, marine electrician and marine mechanic $45/hr each, water $4.50/day mandatory for liveaboards, US$250 reservation deposit refundable on four weeks' notice. Book the lift ahead rather than turning up for it. | Sandy Point, north-west coast of St Kitts | — | — |
Chandleries & specialty suppliers
- The multihull surcharge at St. Kitts Marine Works — St. Kitts Marine Works, Sandy PointThe yard's own fee card prices pressure washing at $3/ft for vessels up to 40 ft, $4/ft from 40 to 70 ft and $5/ft above 70 ft for monohulls — and $4/ft, $5/ft and $6/ft respectively for multihulls. A flat $1 per foot premium at every band, plus "Heavy Scrub & Scrape ......... $3/ft or by estimate for multi-hulls." On a 65-foot catamaran that is $325 against $260 — small money, and it is on the card before you arrive rather than on the invoice after.
On the St Kitts & Nevis calendar
St Kitts & Nevis runs year-round, and the clocks here belong to the marina, the yard and the port authorities.
- Safe Harbor St. Kitts marina office: Monday–Sunday, 08:00–18:00. Seven days, every week.
- Safe Harbor St. Kitts fuel dock: daily 08:00–17:00 — an hour before the office shuts. Fuel first, then check in.
- Port Zante office: Monday–Saturday, 08:00–16:00. Hail the marina on VHF 68 once your ETA is stable.
- Government Customs & Excise, Church Street, Basseterre: Monday–Friday, 08:00–16:00.
- Nevis, the 24-hour rule: NASPA must be contacted on VHF 16 "in order to be assigned a mooring within the first 24 hours upon arrival." This is an obligation, not a courtesy.
- ⚠️ Nevis mooring surcharges run on a clock, not a season: standard rates apply Monday–Friday 08:00–16:00; +25% from 16:01 to 07:59 on weekdays and all day Saturday; +50% on Sundays and public holidays. Rates on request from NASPA on VHF 16.
- SailClear: file it any time before arrival. CCLEC states the notification "can be done any time prior to arrival" — but the captain still reports ashore in person on arrival.
- **Clearance and port dues are "assessed based on vessel size and duration of stay".** Ask on the VHF call.
- St. Kitts Marine Works takes a US$250 reservation deposit, refundable on four weeks' notice. Book the lift, don't turn up for it.
Regatta and race dates are set by the organising clubs — confirm them directly with the organiser. The surcharge clocks above are the authorities' own, and they are the times that actually change what a stop costs.
Yachts we'd shortlist for St Kitts & Nevis
Reviewed the same way as everything on this site — specifications verified against the builder's own numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you haul out a yacht in St Kitts?
Yes. St. Kitts Marine Works at Sandy Point on the north-west coast states a 164-ton travel lift on its home page and "one of the largest rated travel lifts (150T) in the English speaking Caribbean" on its own services page — plan against 150 tons and confirm anything heavier with the yard before you book. The lift takes boats up to 35 feet wide and 120 feet long, and the yard states it has lifted vessels up to 172 gross tons in the past five years. Its published fees run $15 per foot to haul, $3 per foot to tie down and $10 per foot per month to store, in US dollars, with a US$250 reservation deposit refundable on four weeks' notice.
What is the largest yacht that can moor in Nevis?
Ninety feet. The Nevis Air and Sea Ports Authority publishes moorings in three classes along the west coast from Oualie Beach to Charlestown — up to 35 feet or 50 tons, 36 to 60 feet or 50 tons, and 61 to 90 feet or 80 tons — and states that a safe area has been designated where vessels over 90 feet can drop anchor. At the pier itself, vessels with draughts up to 3 metres can dock alongside and yachts up to 90 feet are required to tie to moorings. Nevis works on moorings rather than berths. Contact NASPA on VHF 16 to be assigned a mooring within the first 24 hours of arrival.
How do you clear into St Kitts and Nevis by yacht?
Through SailClear, at one of three ports of entry — Port Zante Marina in Basseterre, Christophe Harbour, or Charlestown Pier in Nevis. St Kitts & Nevis does not use eSeaClear. The published sequence is to file SailClear, the ED form and eAPIS before entering territorial waters, call Port Zante Marina on VHF 68 on approach, dock or anchor and hoist the yellow Q flag, then send the captain ashore with documents for Customs and Immigration. Fly the Q flag until clearance is granted. There is no minimum notice window — CCLEC states the notification can be filed any time prior to arrival — and dues are assessed on vessel size and duration of stay rather than set out on a tariff, so settle the figure on the VHF call. Customs & Excise is on +1 869-466-7227, Monday to Friday 08:00 to 16:00.
Is there a catamaran surcharge in St Kitts?
Yes, and it is on the yard's own price card. St. Kitts Marine Works prices pressure washing at $3 per foot for vessels up to 40 feet, $4 per foot from 40 to 70 feet and $5 per foot above 70 feet for monohulls — and $4, $5 and $6 per foot respectively for multihulls. That is a flat $1 per foot premium at every band, plus heavy scrub and scrape at $3 per foot "or by estimate for multi-hulls". On a 65-foot catamaran the wash is $325 against a monohull's $260, and you know it before you arrive rather than after.
What is the largest yacht that can berth in St Kitts?
Three hundred and seventy-seven feet, on the operator's own published figures. Safe Harbor St. Kitts, at Christophe Harbour on the south-east peninsula, publishes length overall of "80' – 377'", a maximum beam of 70 feet, a maximum draft of 18.5 feet and unrestricted air draft. The 18.5 feet is a maximum draft at the berth rather than a depth for the approach, so confirm the approach — and slip availability — with the marina before you commit a deep boat to it. Hail VHF 71 or 16; the office runs 08:00 to 18:00 seven days a week.
Is there dock and dine in St Kitts and Nevis?
One venue, and the marina publishes it rather than the restaurant. Safe Harbor St. Kitts lists Salt Plage as its waterside restaurant on the south-east peninsula, so you are already berthed when you eat there and the terms are the marina's. Beyond that dock, dining here works the way it always has: take a mooring and go in by tender. On Nevis that is a NASPA mooring, assigned on VHF 16. Worth knowing before you plan an evening: the mooring surcharge is 25% after 16:00 on weekdays and all day Saturday, and 50% on Sundays and public holidays.