Who is CSY?

 In 1967, there were less than two-dozen boats in all of the Caribbean being offered for bareboat charter (you-are-your-own skipper).  In that year, Caribbean Sailing Yachts, Ltd. (CSY) was founded.  We introduced a new idea-full service chartering-with a fleet of 14 identical yachts, which allowed us to maintain a full set of parts and to standardize our procedures which were entirely new to the yachting world.  We first tried our idea out in Essex, Connecticut in the summer of 1967.  We then packed up the whole shebang and shipped it to St. Thomas in the Virgins.  CSY introduced the idea of provisioning the yachts with everything-our famous SailAway-Without-Delay Plan, We also were the first to provide for our charterers a complete Charter Manual for the operation of the yachts which is still tops in the industry.  In 1968, CSY published the first edition of the Yachtsman's Guide to the Virgin Islands out of dire necessity, since there was none at that time.  This has been revised annually, and has become the yachtsman's bible for anyone sailing the Virgins.

In 1969, CSY's success demanded an enlarged fleet.  So we devised the Sail 'N Save Plan whereby individual owners bought the yachts that we had especially designed and built for southern waters and then leased them back to CSY.  We added 25 Carib 41's to our fleet that year.  This was the landmark yacht that started a trend toward the comfortable and spacious center cockpit cruising auxiliaries so familiar today.  That same year, we opened our marina in St. Vincent and moved our operation out of the U.S. Virgins into the British Virgins at Maya Cove on Tortola in the center of the sailing area.  In 1 971, we brought full-service chartering to the Bahamas.  At the same time, we introduced the Carib 39-a shallow draft yacht designed especially for the Bahamas, which had as much living space as the Carib 41.  It was designed and built especially for CSY by Pearson Yachts, That same year, we added the sleek and beautiful Halsey Herreshoff-designed Carib 34 built by Bristol Yachts.  This brought our CSY fleet up to a total 85 yachts.  In 1972 we completed the first marina specifically designed for full-service bareboat chartering at Marsh Harbour on Abaco in the Bahamas. In 1973, CS introduced one of its most popular programs-the Sail 'N Learn Cruises in St. Vincent, which is described elsewhere.  Also, in 1973, we published the Yachtsman's Guide to the Windward Islands by the famed cruising author Julius Wilensky. In six months, half of the first printing was gone.

Late in 1973 and early 1974, we put into operation a new power yacht-the Carib Trawler.  This, too, is the fir motor yacht designed specifically for carefree charter i the islands which brought our total fleet in three marina up to almost 100.

In 1975, we opened the first marina-hotel designed specifically for bareboat charters at Baugher's Bay on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands.  A similar facility was opened in 1976, in St. Vincent.

In 1973, we began the long period of study and development which culminated in the plans and specifications worked out with our architect Peter Schmitt, for what is now known as the CSY 44.  We were so uncompromisingly demanding in the high standards to which this yacht was to be built, that we couldn't find a manufacturer to build it.  Therefore, in desperation in our quest to be true to our principles, we really went out on a limb and Iaunched the CSY Yacht Corporation on September 1 1976 to build the CSY 44 ourselves.  By June 1978, from standing start, we had produced the 1 00th CSY 44.  We were then building at the rate of two CSY 44's per week. We are now operating in a plant of 64,000 sq. ft. at 5250 W. Tyson Avenue in Tampa, Florida.  The telephone is (800) 237-2565.  We have 300 employees and have become, in less than two years, the sixth largest sailboat manufacturer in the USA.  But, we are number one in quality and we are going to stay that way.

Our charter boat marinas have over 1 00 employee who are the most experienced in the business.  Some o them are going into their twelfth year with us.  Each of our marinas has the most complete facilities in the business Each has its own simple hotel accommodations ... 9 rooms in St. Vincent to be expanded to 16 this year; 9 rooms at Tortola to be expanded to 12 next year; and adding 5,000 more square feet to the bar, restaurant, shops and showers there.  Our 335 foot dock at Tortola was completed last year.  A 20-room hotel marina complex designed in a Balanese style is going up in Roatan.  In addition, there are five people to serve you in our stateside booking office in Tenafly, NJ.  And there are five more full-time people at Anchor Travel to see that your travel arrangements are without foul-ups.

Last year, we served over 15,000 people and next year that will go over 25,000.  Probably more people have sailed with CSY over the last twelve years than with all o our competitors combined.

We never let the grass grow under our feet.  Although we may be the largest, our foremost thought in everything we do is to continue to render the most personal service available.  We are not just the biggest, we are the best, which is far more important.  As anyone who has chartered from us will tell you, CSY is where the standards are set, not met.  So do yourself a favor and try CSY first.