{"id":10501,"date":"2026-10-09T13:44:56","date_gmt":"2026-10-09T13:44:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/internationalyachtscharterandbrokerage.com\/yacht-charter\/caribbean\/saint-martin\/"},"modified":"2026-10-09T13:52:29","modified_gmt":"2026-10-09T13:52:29","slug":"saint-martin","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/internationalyachtscharterandbrokerage.com\/en\/yacht-charter\/caribbean\/saint-martin\/","title":{"rendered":"Saint Martin"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"10501\" class=\"elementor elementor-10501 elementor-10483\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7190132 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"7190132\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6910400 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"6910400\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Yacht Charter in Saint Martin \u2014 Crewed Charter in the Northern Caribbean<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a2bea74 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"a2bea74\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"iy-page\">\n  <p class=\"iy-page__lead\">Saint Martin is the natural starting point for the Northern Caribbean. Not for its scenery, which its neighbors can match, but for an operational reason: it is the island that is the hub for infrastructure, and the one that places Anguilla and Saint Barth within a day's reach.<\/p>\n  <p>This page explains what truly defines a charter here: a bridge with fixed schedules, two jurisdictions on a single island, and a short season.<\/p>\n  <ul class=\"iy-keys\">\n    <li><span class=\"iy-keys__label\">Simpson Bay Bridge clearance<\/span><span class=\"iy-keys__value\">17 m<span class=\"iy-keys__unit\">width<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n    <li><span class=\"iy-keys__label\">Useful draft<\/span><span class=\"iy-keys__value\">6 m<\/span><\/li>\n    <li><span class=\"iy-keys__label\">High Season<\/span><span class=\"iy-keys__value\">Dec. \u2013 Apr.<\/span><\/li>\n    <li><span class=\"iy-keys__label\">Entry Formalities<\/span><span class=\"iy-keys__value\">2<span class=\"iy-keys__unit\">one per jurisdiction<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n  <h2>One island, two jurisdictions<\/h2>\n  <p>Saint Martin is divided between a French collectivity to the north and Sint Maarten, a Dutch entity to the south. For a shore-based charterer, the border is invisible. For a yacht, it requires two distinct sets of formalities.<\/p>\n  <p>On the Dutch side are Simpson Bay Lagoon and the highest concentration of technical services, provisioning, and shipyards in the area. On the French side, Marigot and Grand Case offer anchorages and dining.<\/p>\n  <p>A crew familiar with the island utilizes both sides within the same week. A crew discovering it for the first time loses half a day with each passage.<\/p>\n  <h2>The Simpson Bay Bridge \u2014 the constraint no one explains<\/h2>\n  <p>Simpson Bay Lagoon is one of the largest yacht basins in the Caribbean. Entry and exit are only possible during bridge opening hours, and only if the vessel's dimensions allow.<\/p>\n  <div class=\"iy-table-wrap\">\n    <table class=\"iy-table\">\n      <thead>\n        <tr>\n          <th>Published Data<\/th>\n          <th>Simpson Bay Bridge<\/th>\n          <th>Causeway Bridge<\/th>\n        <\/tr>\n      <\/thead>\n      <tbody>\n        <tr>\n          <td>Passage Width<\/td>\n          <td>17.0 m<\/td>\n          <td>23.0 m<\/td>\n        <\/tr>\n        <tr>\n          <td>Useful Draft<\/td>\n          <td>6.0 m<\/td>\n          <td>6.0 m<\/td>\n        <\/tr>\n        <tr>\n          <td>Closed Bridge Height<\/td>\n          <td>2.4 m depending on tide<\/td>\n          <td>6.2 m<\/td>\n        <\/tr>\n        <tr>\n          <td>Openings<\/td>\n          <td>8:30 AM S \u00b7 9:30 AM E \u00b7 10:30 AM S \u00b7 11:30 AM E \u00b7 2:00 PM E \u00b7 4:00 PM S \u00b7 5:00 PM E<\/td>\n          <td>8:00 AM \u00b7 10:00 AM \u00b7 3:30 PM, both directions<\/td>\n        <\/tr>\n        <tr>\n          <td>Radio Watch<\/td>\n          <td>VHF Channel 12<\/td>\n          <td>\u2014<\/td>\n        <\/tr>\n      <\/tbody>\n    <\/table>\n  <\/div>\n  <p><em>S = outbound, E = inbound.<\/em><\/p>\n  <div class=\"iy-note\">\n    <span class=\"iy-note__label\">Dimensions are determined before the itinerary<\/span>\n    <p>17 m passage for 6 m useful draft. Beyond the beam, the vessel remains at an outer anchorage or passes via the Causeway. This question is settled upon booking, not upon arrival.<\/p>\n  <\/div>\n  <p>Two concrete consequences. A vessel whose beam exceeds seventeen meters cannot enter the lagoon via the Simpson Bay Bridge \u2014 it anchors in the outer bay or passes via the Causeway. And a day departing from the lagoon is structured around the opening slots, not around breakfast time.<\/p>\n  <p>This follows the same logic as the distinction between yacht availability and anchorage availability, detailed in our <a href=\"https:\/\/internationalyachtscharterandbrokerage.com\/en\/blog\/yacht-guides\/booking-a-yacht-charter-in-2027-the-month-by-month-calendar\/\">2027 season booking calendar<\/a>. The schedules above are those published by port authorities and may be modified by notice: they are confirmed before each passage, never six months in advance.<\/p>\n  <h2>Anchorages<\/h2>\n  <p><strong>Marigot.<\/strong> French capital, formalities, market, and direct access to the city. Bay open to the west, comfortable with established trade winds.<\/p>\n  <p><strong>Grand Case.<\/strong> Long, calm bay on the French northwest coast, lined with restaurants. The most sought-after anchorage on the island for an evening ashore, and the one that fills up fastest between Christmas and New Year's.<\/p>\n  <p><strong>Anse Marcel.<\/strong> Further north, sheltered, with a marina at the back of the bay. A practical starting point for Anguilla.<\/p>\n  <p><strong>Great Bay.<\/strong> Dutch side, in front of Philipsburg. Useful for provisioning and crew movements, less so for tranquility.<\/p>\n  <p><strong>Simpson Bay Lagoon.<\/strong> Total shelter, full services, and the bridge constraint described above.<\/p>\n  <h2>Two formalities for a single island<\/h2>\n  <p>On the French side, formalities are handled through the port offices in Marigot \u2014 ferry terminal and Marina Fort Louis \u2014 or through the commercial port of Galisbay, with an electronic declaration system.<\/p>\n  <p>On the Dutch side, entry is processed with the port authority and Sint Maarten immigration in Simpson Bay or Pointe Blanche. A vessel entering the lagoon via the Dutch bridge must report immediately to the Simpson Bay Lagoon Authority dock, next to the bridge control tower.<\/p>\n  <p>This point is settled upstream, by the broker and the captain. It is not discovered upon arrival.<\/p>\n  <h2>The Northern Caribbean Triangle<\/h2>\n  <p>Saint Martin's appeal lies less in the island itself than in its position. Three very different destinations are within a day's reach, allowing for a week-long itinerary without any long crossings.<\/p>\n  <p><strong>Anguilla<\/strong>, to the north, for its beaches and deserted cays. A British Overseas Territory, whose entire waters are classified as a national park \u2014 with the associated mooring constraints.<\/p>\n  <p><strong>Saint Barth\u00e9lemy<\/strong>, to the southeast, for Gustavia, dining, and Gouverneur anchorage. A French collectivity, and the most selective of the three regarding dock space during holidays.<\/p>\n  <p><strong>Saint Martin<\/strong> itself as a technical base: provisioning, crew, repairs.<\/p>\n  <p>A charterer booking a week in this area is therefore not buying an island, but a triangle. This explains the format of the vessels operating there: a very fast and mobile unit provides more service than a larger but heavier unit to move. <a href=\"https:\/\/internationalyachtscharterandbrokerage.com\/en\/locations-yachts\/manatea\/\">MANATEA<\/a> is positioned exactly on this logic, with day charters offered from the three islands.<\/p>\n  <h2>The Season \u2014 December to April<\/h2>\n  <p>The Caribbean season is short, and its upper limit is meteorological. The North Atlantic hurricane season officially runs from June 1 to November 30: the US National Hurricane Center uses this window because it concentrates approximately 97% of the basin's tropical storms and hurricanes.<\/p>\n  <p>Vessels therefore return from the Mediterranean in late autumn and depart in spring. <a href=\"https:\/\/internationalyachtscharterandbrokerage.com\/en\/locations-yachts\/rilassata\/\">RILASSATA<\/a>, our 49-meter Tankoa, announces Caribbean availability from December to February, with a main base in Martinique, Saint Martin, or Saint Barth depending on the chosen itinerary.<\/p>\n  <p>Consequence for booking: the weeks of late December and February are locked in very early. A request submitted in November for the holidays comes after allocation.<\/p>\n  <h2>The Fleet Departing from Saint Martin<\/h2>\n  <p><a href=\"https:\/\/internationalyachtscharterandbrokerage.com\/en\/locations-yachts\/manatea\/\">MANATEA<\/a> is the only unit in our fleet based in the Caribbean year-round. A 95-foot Peri Yacht, 29 meters, eight guests, four cabins, four crew members, built in 2008 and fully refitted in 2023. Its profile offers charters from Saint Martin, Anguilla, and Saint Barth\u00e9lemy, for day trips as well as weekly charters. This is the ideal format for this area: mobile enough to link three islands, compact enough for protected anchorages.<\/p>\n  <p>For larger units, four yachts declare Saint Martin as part of their winter cruising area:  <a href=\"https:\/\/internationalyachtscharterandbrokerage.com\/en\/locations-yachts\/anna-i\/\">ANNA I<\/a>  67 meters,  <a href=\"https:\/\/internationalyachtscharterandbrokerage.com\/en\/locations-yachts\/bleu-de-nimes\/\">BLEU DE N\u00ceMES<\/a>  72 meters,  <a href=\"https:\/\/internationalyachtscharterandbrokerage.com\/en\/locations-yachts\/st-david\/\">ST. DAVID<\/a>  60 meters, and RILASSATA mentioned above. Two very large units also declare the Leeward Islands \u2014 the archipelago comprising Saint Martin, Anguilla, Saint Barth\u00e9lemy, and Antigua \u2014 as part of their cruising area:  <a href=\"https:\/\/internationalyachtscharterandbrokerage.com\/en\/locations-yachts\/chakra\/\">CHAKRA<\/a>  86 meters and  <a href=\"https:\/\/internationalyachtscharterandbrokerage.com\/en\/locations-yachts\/christina-o\/\">CHRISTINA O<\/a>  99 meters. These are declared areas, not fixed bases: their positioning is confirmed on a case-by-case basis depending on the season. The entire fleet is listed on  <a href=\"https:\/\/internationalyachtscharterandbrokerage.com\/en\/yachts-for-charter\/\">our available yachts for charter<\/a>.<\/p>\n  <p>The base rate never represents the full cost of a charter. Our <a href=\"https:\/\/internationalyachtscharterandbrokerage.com\/en\/blog\/yacht-charter\/apa-in-yacht-charter-complete-guide-to-understanding-everything-before-signing\/\">APA guide<\/a> details what is added, item by item.<\/p>\n  <h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n  <div class=\"iy-faq\">\n    <div class=\"iy-faq__item\">\n      <h3>What is the best time to charter a yacht in Saint Martin?<\/h3>\n    <p>From December to April. The North Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, which closes the area to leisure charters during the summer. The weeks of late December and February are the most requested and are booked several months in advance.<\/p>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"iy-faq__item\">\n      <h3>Are two entry formalities required between the French and Dutch sides?<\/h3>\n    <p>Yes. The island is divided between a French collectivity and Sint Maarten, a Dutch entity, and each side applies its own procedures \u2014 Marigot or Galisbay on the French side, Simpson Bay or Pointe Blanche on the Dutch side. The broker and captain handle this point before embarkation.<\/p>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"iy-faq__item\">\n      <h3>Can my yacht enter Simpson Bay Lagoon?<\/h3>\n    <p>That depends on its beam. The Simpson Bay Bridge passage is 17 meters wide with a useful draft of 6 meters. Beyond that, access is via the wider Causeway Bridge, or the vessel remains at an outer anchorage.<\/p>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"iy-faq__item\">\n      <h3>Can one reach Anguilla and Saint Barth\u00e9lemy from Saint Martin?<\/h3>\n    <p>Yes, both are accessible for day trips, making Saint Martin the logical base for the Northern Caribbean. Anguilla, however, requires a cruising permit and day-use moorings, making it a day-trip destination rather than an overnight stop.<\/p>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n  <h2>Preparing your charter in Saint Martin<\/h2>\n  <p>The area requires early preparation and hinges on operational details: a bridge slot, anticipated formalities, an anchorage chosen for the day's trade wind direction. This is the broker's job, not the charterer's.<\/p>\n  <p>Tell us your dates and the number of guests, and we will get back to you with the units actually available for your target window and a breakdown of costs. <a href=\"https:\/\/internationalyachtscharterandbrokerage.com\/en\/contact\/\">Let's discuss your project<\/a>, or first consult <a href=\"https:\/\/internationalyachtscharterandbrokerage.com\/en\/yacht-charter\/caribbean\/\">our Caribbean hub<\/a> and the neighboring <a href=\"https:\/\/internationalyachtscharterandbrokerage.com\/en\/yacht-charter\/caribbean\/saint-barthelemy\/\">Saint Barth\u00e9lemy<\/a> page.<\/p>\n  <div class=\"iy-cta\">\n    <p class=\"iy-cta__title\">Organizing a cruise in Saint Martin<\/p>\n    <p>Provide us with your dates and the number of guests. We will get back to you with the units actually available for your target window, bridge slots, and a breakdown of costs.<\/p>\n    <div class=\"iy-cta__actions\">\n      <a class=\"iy-btn iy-btn--inverse\" href=\"https:\/\/internationalyachtscharterandbrokerage.com\/en\/contact\/\">Request Availability<\/a>\n      <a class=\"iy-btn iy-btn--ghost\" href=\"https:\/\/internationalyachtscharterandbrokerage.com\/en\/yachts-for-charter\/\">View the Charter Fleet<\/a>\n    <\/div> \n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Yacht Charter in Saint Martin \u2014 Crewed Charter in the Northern Caribbean Saint Martin is the natural starting point for the Northern Caribbean. Not for its scenery, which its neighbors can match, but for an operational reason: it is the island that is the hub for infrastructure, and the one that places Anguilla and Saint [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10502,"parent":4800,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-10501","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/internationalyachtscharterandbrokerage.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10501","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/internationalyachtscharterandbrokerage.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/internationalyachtscharterandbrokerage.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/internationalyachtscharterandbrokerage.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/internationalyachtscharterandbrokerage.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10501"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/internationalyachtscharterandbrokerage.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10501\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10503,"href":"https:\/\/internationalyachtscharterandbrokerage.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10501\/revisions\/10503"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/internationalyachtscharterandbrokerage.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4800"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/internationalyachtscharterandbrokerage.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10502"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/internationalyachtscharterandbrokerage.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10501"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}