Catamaran Mimbaw

The crew was fantastic. Bastiaan is extremely sociable, knowledgeable, and overall just fun to be with. Christina is great too. She was a bit quiet to start, but after a couple days was talkative and less reserved. They were both always attentive and were good listeners – about asking what we’d like to see, do, eat and drink. There was never a request that wasn’t met, and with joy!

The dives and snorkeling were great fun. In particular, I appreciated that Bastiaan wanted to make sure we had a good experience. For example, at one dive site we were planning, we snorkeled over it first and after consulting with Bastiaan, we decided it wasn’t worth it and held off for a different spot. That was indicative of the trip - Bastiaan and Christina really wanted us to enjoy ourselves and maximize the week, not just a “check this box” approach to filling our time.

Mimbaw is a good yacht. It’s comfortable and well-laid out. This was our second trip on Mimbaw (different crew the first time), and it felt good to be back “home” for the week.

The food was very good. Breakfast was fairly standard, by request – bread, fruit, coffee, etc. One morning we were in the mood for eggs and bacon, which were provided no problem. Another morning, Bastiaan headed out on the dingy early in the morning and returned with some fresh pastries from the local French bakery. Each lunch and dinner was a good meal – hearty and eclectic. The risotto inside pineapple was especially memorable, as was the grilled lobster. And Bastiaan hooked us up with a local who provided fresh conch that we took back to the boat for lunch. That was a nice surprise after a long day of hiking.

Sailing around St. Maarten-St. Barths is a little different from the Bahamas or BVI. There is actually a lot of sailing to be done! On that level, this trip was different from others we’ve gone on. The plus side is sailing is relaxing and enjoyable. The downside – a couple long stretches of rough seas! But this was a good place to be in part because it offers such a different experience.

John at Sailing Directions is fantastic. He makes chartering easy, from matching up with boat/crew, to taking care of all the business details. And he answers emails with hours (if not sooner), no matter how big/little the question. I’m not sure when he sleeps! We’ve done three with Sailing Directions already, and expect #4 once we know our schedule for 2017.

Stephen S, aboard Catamaran Mimbaw March 2016  sailing the Caribbean Leeward Islands

The crew were fantastic - friendly, fun, and engaging, but all very professional. They knew the waters well and were expert at handling the boat at all times. They were also very flexible with the planning, offering good suggestions every day.

The boat was perfect for us. It was roomy enough for us (2 guests, each with our own room) and there was plenty of space on the boat to be together or apart.

The food was really good. Every meal was tasty. Kim asked about favorite kinds of dishes and ingredients. When I happened to mention that I love cilantro, lo and behold, our next dinner had plenty of it, along with a salad the next day!

Every day was a perfect mixture of excitement and rest. We did some snorkeling, diving, hiking, wakeboarding, etc. Even tried surfing when we spotted some breaking water.

Sailing Directions continues to be a great brokerage to work with - always quick, helpful replies; always help finding the boat and type of crew/experience we're looking for.

Stephen S, aboard Catamaran Mimbaw March 2015  sailing the Virgin Islands

What a wonderful, stress-less trip. The crew was great, the interaction couldn't have been better. Mimbaw was all it claimed to be. The food was wonderful, chef Marie is one of a kind, what a nice person. The sailing itinerary was spot on. Sailing Directions is first class, communication was very good and will recommend to our friends. Our group is already discussing about doing this charter again next year. A real trip of a life time.

Mark R, aboard Catamaran Mimbaw March 2014  sailing the British Virgin Islands

In the words of my 23 year old son, "the trip was awesome".

Captain Bastiaan makes the Dos Equos guy look like a minor leaguer. Bastiaan is quite possibly the world's most interesting man. He is always on his game whether it be planning the route, fishing, navigating the boat, grilling, diving, hiking, etc. He does it all and does it all very well.

Chef Amsa was a pleasure. Very kind and accommodating. She was attentive to our requests and did a fabulous job in the galley. She prepared a nice variety of dishes and presented us with some delicious meals.

We were concerned with the lack of air conditioning. No problem. Plenty of ventilation kept us comfortable at night. Mimbaw offered plenty of room for our family of 6.

The best part of the trip was seeing and doing. We presented Bastiaan with a very ambitious agenda. He managed to get all the places we requested, including Christmas on Anegada.

If you like to do things and see places and have a bit of adventure in you, a crewed yacht charter is a great way to vacation.

Michael W, aboard Catamaran Mimbaw December 2013  sailing the British Virgin Islands