ST BARTHS BUCKET · 17–21 MARCH 2027

St Barths Bucket Regatta Yacht Charter 2027

A crewed superyacht base for four days of Bucket racing, Gustavia evenings and a considered Leeward Islands passage. Charter the yacht; confirm every berth and on-water position separately.

Answer in brief

A St Barths Bucket Regatta yacht charter 2027 is a crewed motor or sailing-yacht base for the 17–21 March event and a Leeward Islands cruise. Plan US$125,000–US$1 million or more per week plus expenses for 30 m+ yachts, with APA commonly 25–40% on plus-expenses terms. Charters usually embark in Gustavia or from St Martin/Sint Maarten after an SXM transfer; Saint Barthélemy is outside the EU VAT territory.

Quick facts

Official event window: 17–21 March 2027
Four race days: 18–21 March
Regatta eligibility: Invitational sailing yachts, normally 30.5 m+
Event harbour: Gustavia
Main air gateway: Princess Juliana, SXM
Charter tax context: Outside EU VAT territory

St Barths Bucket Regatta yacht charter 2027: the brief

The St Barths Bucket runs from 17 to 21 March 2027, with four coastal race days scheduled from Thursday 18 to Sunday 21 March. It is an invitational sailing-superyacht regatta, not a general charter race: the 2027 Notice of Race says invited cruising sailing yachts are normally 30.5 metres or longer, with separate 90 Foot and Maxi 100 Racing classes. A charter party can instead use a crewed motor yacht or sailing yacht as a private platform for the week, while a competing yacht must independently meet the organiser’s invitation, class and safety requirements.

Gustavia is the operational centre. The organiser states that the Port Authority has reserved the quay for Bucket participants, with space for more than 20 yachts; anchoring is necessary for some entrants and dockside assignment remains the Port Authority’s decision. That is why a non-competing charter should never be sold with an assumed Gustavia berth or a particular race-viewing position. The workable brief starts with guest numbers, whether the yacht is racing or observing, preferred nights ashore, tender requirements and a captain-approved harbour or anchorage plan.

March is high season in the northern Caribbean, with trade winds shaping sailing conditions and comfort at anchor. A seven-night charter can frame the Bucket with St Barths and an onward passage to St Martin/Sint Maarten or Anguilla. Saba and St Kitts need a longer, weather-flexible programme. Event-period minimum stays, berth charges and premiums are set by owners and ports, so rates and terms must be confirmed against the actual yacht, itinerary and dockage.

St Barths bases, anchorages and nearby cruising ground

The right programme balances a close Gustavia base with the limits imposed by port allocation, weather and the island’s protected waters. The captain and local agent confirm the legal anchorage, clearance and tender plan for every movement.

Gustavia harbour

Gustavia is the Bucket’s working harbour for embarkation and tender staging. The territorial environment agency describes a marina, commercial port and mooring area within the port zone. Call the harbour master on VHF 12 before manoeuvring, use the access channel and maintain the five-knot port limit. During the Bucket, the reserved participant quay and Port Authority allocation make a confirmed berth more valuable than a generic harbour-access promise. Keep an alternative base.

Yachts cruising in St Barths

SOUTH — 55 m · Heesen · 12 guests · Home port: Saint Martin · Weekly charter rate from €306,485/week
TOP FIVE II — 61 m · Royal · 12 guests · Home port: Bahamas | Nassau · Weekly charter rate from €240,810/week
OKTO — 68 m · ISA · 12 guests · Home port: France | Port de Saint-Tropez · Weekly charter rate from €240,000/week
KING BENJI — 47 m · Dunya · 12 guests · Home port: Bahamas | Nassau · Weekly charter rate from €182,432/week
YCM FIFTY — 50 m · Oceanfast · 22 guests · Home port: Mallorca | Marina Port de Mallorca · Weekly charter rate from €141,167/week
BG CHARADE — 47 m · Feadship · 12 guests · Home port: Bahamas | Nassau · Weekly charter rate from €108,728/week
AMICA MEA — 46 m · Hakvoort · 12 guests · Home port: USVIs | Crown Bay Marina · Weekly charter rate from €87,567/week
G3 — 44 m · Heesen · 12 guests · Home port: USVIs | Crown Bay Marina · Weekly charter rate from €80,501/week
NAMASTE — 37 m · Benetti · 12 guests · Home port: Saint Martin · Weekly charter rate from €76,621/week
JUST ENOUGH — 43 m · Ares · 12 guests · Home port: USVIs | Crown Bay Marina · Weekly charter rate from €60,859/week
CUPCAKE — 40 m · Westship · 12 guests · Home port: USVIs | Crown Bay Marina · Weekly charter rate from €57,794/week
ACCIDENTAL SUCCESS II — 29 m · Sunseeker · 12 guests · Home port: St. Barths | Gustavia Yacht Club · Weekly charter rate from €41,594/week
RISK & REWARD — 37 m · Crescent · 12 guests · Home port: Bahamas | Nassau · Weekly charter rate from €35,027/week
SHADES OF GREY — 24 m · Sunreef · 12 guests · Home port: Mallorca | Marina Port de Mallorca · Weekly charter rate from €35,000/week
THE PEDDLER — 26 m · Dreamline · 12 guests · Home port: Saint Barthélemy · Weekly charter rate from €32,500/week
DENISE ROSE — 34 m · Broward · 10 guests · Home port: BVIs | Nanny Cay Marina & Resort · Weekly charter rate from €22,767/week
ANOTHER ONE — 34 m · Sanlorenzo · 12 guests · Home port: Miami | Island Gardens Marina · Weekly charter rate from €21,892/week
BLUE DEVIL — 43 m · AB · 12 guests · Home port: USVIs | Crown Bay Marina · Weekly charter rate from €18,972/week
SEA AXIS — 38 m · Heesen · 12 guests · Home port: Bahamas | Nassau · Weekly charter rate from €16,638/week
BLACK SHEEP — 38 m · Palmer · 12 guests · Home port: Bahamas | Nassau · Weekly charter rate from €15,762/week
A-PLAN — 24 m · Sunreef · 9 guests · Home port: Mallorca | Marina Port de Mallorca · Weekly charter rate from €15,000/week
YCM120 — 37 m · ISA · 12 guests · Home port: St. Barths | Gustavia Yacht Club · Weekly charter rate from €12,405/week
SYNERGY — 26 m · Sunseeker · 12 guests · Home port: BVIs | Nanny Cay Marina & Resort · Weekly charter rate from €10,508/week
DESTINY — 24 m · Ferretti · 12 guests · Home port: Miami | Miami Beach Marina · Weekly charter rate from €5,911/week

View all yachts

Shell Beach and the Gustavia coast

The coast south of Gustavia is useful for a tender outing or early departure. Shell Beach sits close to town, allowing the yacht to remain focused on the confirmed port plan. The captain and local agent control landings, tender routes and time alongside. This does not substitute for a Bucket berth, nor confer event access, tickets or a reserved place within the race programme.

Colombier and Île Fourchue

Colombier and Fourchue lie within Saint Barthélemy’s Marine Park . The environment agency permits only tightly controlled use there and states that vessels over 25 metres are not authorised there. Ecological moorings and authorised anchoring also carry size and 96-hour limits. For a 30 m-plus charter yacht, plan an appropriate passage or use a different lawful anchorage. Do not treat a map pin or previous visit as permission to anchor.

St Martin and Sint Maarten

St Martin/Sint Maarten is the practical base for an international arrival after racing. The crossing between Gustavia and Philipsburg is roughly 13–15 nautical miles, so a motor yacht can make it a short passage in suitable conditions. SXM is the principal gateway for St Barths. Customs, guest manifests and the precise berth or anchorage should be set by the captain and agent before departure.

Anguilla, Saba and the longer southern reach

Anguilla is a natural add-on from St Martin for a quieter beach day; it suits a post-regatta extension when clearance and weather permit. Saba and St Kitts take the itinerary beyond a one-week Bucket circuit and need additional nights and passage planning. The yacht’s draft, wind angle, sea state and guest appetite should determine the route. Preserve a weather day rather than promise every island on a fixed sequence.

A 7-Day Superyacht Itinerary for the St Barths Bucket

This sample starts with Wednesday 17 March embarkation and follows the organiser’s preliminary four-race schedule. It assumes the yacht is observing rather than competing; the captain may alter position, tender use and onward passages for weather, port instructions and clearance.

Day 1: SXM – Gustavia | Embarkation and race-week set-up
Arrive through Princess Juliana International Airport, then continue to St Barths by small aircraft or ferry before boarding in a confirmed Gustavia berth or approved base. Use the afternoon to settle guest preferences, tender protocols and the captain’s contact plan. The Bucket’s registration, briefing and evening programme take place on 17 March, but are organiser-controlled activities. A charter yacht should not assume guest entry. Confirm harbour movement on VHF 12 and keep the first night flexible.
Day 2: Gustavia | Bucket Race 1
The preliminary programme gives the first signal for Race 1 at 1125 on Thursday 18 March. Begin with breakfast onboard, then follow the captain’s approved position and tender plan. The course, traffic controls and any safe observation area are not guaranteed by a charter contract and can change with conditions. Return to harbour only under Port Authority direction. Later, use Gustavia for dinner or remain aboard, according to the plan confirmed that day.
Day 3: Gustavia | Bucket Race 2 and harbour evening
Friday’s second race also has a preliminary 1125 first signal. A motor yacht offers stable deck space and efficient repositioning where lawful; a sailing yacht connects guests to the trade-wind conditions, but neither secures a view or access simply by being nearby. Keep the yacht outside the racing fleet and leave collision avoidance to the captain. After racing, build the evening around a confirmed tender return and shore reservation, not an unverified race-party invitation.
Day 4: Gustavia | Bucket Race 3
Saturday is Race 3 under the published preliminary schedule. Preserve the day for the regatta rather than attempting an ambitious island circuit: wind, swell, harbour traffic and a changing race area make a compact programme wiser. Guests can watch only from a captain-approved position and should expect a partial experience rather than a formal spectator product. On board, a long lunch, live updates and sunset service create a private rhythm after the fleet clears.
Day 5: Gustavia | Bucket Race 4 and final ceremony
Sunday 21 March is the scheduled fourth race, with a preliminary 1125 first signal. The organiser lists the final awards ceremony and party in the Collectivité area, but access and invitations are controlled by the event, not included with a yacht charter. Once the captain has confirmed clearance from operations, use the final Gustavia night for a private dinner aboard or planned restaurant transfer. Reconcile immediate port spending through the APA account.
Day 6: Gustavia – St Martin/Sint Maarten | Post-regatta passage
Leave St Barths after the race programme for the approximately 13–15-nautical-mile crossing towards St Martin/Sint Maarten, timing departure around weather and clearance. This is a useful reset after four event days: the crew can open water toys only where permitted, refresh stores and prepare the next jurisdiction’s paperwork. For guests departing later, a berth or captain-approved anchorage near the island provides a practical relationship with SXM. A short distance does not waive formalities or sea-state planning.
Day 7: St Martin/Sint Maarten – Anguilla – SXM | Beach day and departure
Use the final day for an Anguilla passage if weather, clearance and the captain’s route assessment make it suitable, then return towards the agreed Sint Maarten disembarkation point. The attraction is space and a slower day after Gustavia, rather than a race-week schedule. Leave sufficient margin for customs, luggage and onward SXM flights. Guests seeking Saba or St Kitts should add nights rather than compress the route. Final landing and transfer remain subject to permission and the operating plan.

When to charter St Barths and the northern Caribbean

The Bucket falls in the busiest northern-Caribbean charter window. Wind, harbour allocation and protected-water rules are as important as the calendar.

Period	Conditions	Demand	Notes
December–January	Winter Caribbean cruising with busy holiday periods and active island logistics.	Peak	Secure the yacht and holiday itinerary early; do not assume a later Bucket berth can be added.
February–March	High-season trade winds and the St Barths Bucket event window.	Peak	For 17–21 March 2027, confirm yacht, Gustavia operating plan and SXM transfer together.
April–May	A strong period for Leeward Island cruising and late-season regatta extensions.	High	Antigua Sailing Week follows on 21–25 April 2027 for clients planning a wider sailing calendar.
June–November	Outside the principal winter charter season, with regional weather monitoring central to routing.	Low	Use a flexible itinerary and confirm the yacht’s seasonal location before fixing flights or ports.

St Barths Bucket 2027 charter costs

These are planning ranges for crewed 30 m-plus yachts in the March event period, shown as weekly fees plus expenses. The final rate depends on yacht, dates, route and owner-set event terms; Bucket weeks can carry minimum-stay conditions and premiums, so request a live quotation.

Indicative weekly rates	Guests	Budget per week	Notes
30–40 m	Up to 10–12	US$125,000–US$250,000 per week + expenses	Crewed motor or sailing-yacht base with a tailored Gustavia and St Martin itinerary.
40–50 m	Up to 10–12	US$200,000–US$350,000 per week + expenses	More exterior entertaining volume, crew capacity and tender capability for an event week.
50–70 m	Up to 10–12	US$300,000–US$600,000 per week + expenses	A larger private platform for multi-generational guests, subject to berth and anchorage constraints.
70 m+	Up to 12, subject to yacht licence	US$500,000–US$1,000,000+ per week + expenses	Large-scale superyacht operations where port fit, crew logistics and route permissions require early review.

Rates exclude APA, local port or clearance charges, delivery/redelivery, berth charges, tax where applicable, and any event tickets or invitations. APA is the working fund for fuel, food, drink, berths and operating costs; on Caribbean plus-expenses superyacht terms, allow 25–40% of the charter fee, reconciled against receipts with any unused balance returned. Saint Barthélemy is outside the EU VAT territory, so the standard EU VAT regime does not apply; local tax treatment depends on the yacht, registration and confirmed itinerary. MYBA terms commonly provide for 50% on signing and 50% before embarkation, subject to the executed agreement.

2027 events that shape a St Barths charter

St Barths Bucket Regatta
17–21 March 2027; four race days 18–21 March
The principal event is an invitational sailing-superyacht regatta. The 2027 preliminary schedule lists a 1125 first signal on each race day, from Thursday through Sunday. Gustavia’s participant quay is reserved and assigned through the Port Authority, making a confirmed non-racing yacht base, tender plan and safe observation strategy more important than any assumed front-row position.
St. Maarten Heineken Regatta
4–7 March 2027
The official regatta calendar places the 47th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta two weeks before the Bucket. It gives sailing clients a separate reason to base around Sint Maarten, but should not be treated as a rehearsal for Gustavia: yacht inventory, harbour arrangements, shore access and individual event terms need independent confirmation.
Antigua Sailing Week
21–25 April 2027
Antigua Sailing Week follows the Bucket by a month and suits a longer Caribbean sailing programme rather than a compressed add-on. The organiser’s future calendar confirms 21–25 April 2027. Any repositioning, Antigua berth or event participation should be quoted separately against the chosen yacht and route.

St Barths Bucket charter logistics

Event dates: The official Bucket window is 17–21 March 2027; preliminary racing runs 18–21 March with a 1125 first signal each day.
International gateway: Princess Juliana International Airport, Sint Maarten (SXM), is the principal gateway for St Barths according to the destination tourism authority.
SXM to St Barths by air: Winair and St Barth Commuter operate ten-minute SXM–SBH shuttle flights. Gustaf III/Rémy de Haenen Airport has a 2,170-foot runway and only accepts small aircraft; plan a private jet to SXM, not SBH.
SXM to Gustavia by sea: Ferries connect Marigot, Simpson Bay and Philipsburg with the Gustavia ferry dock. Published services list crossings of roughly 45–60 minutes, but schedules can change.
Gustavia harbour movement: Call the harbour master on VHF Channel 12 before manoeuvring; use the access channel and maintain five knots in the port area. Bucket dockage is not automatic for charter yachts.
Marine Park and tax context: Colombier and Fourchue prohibit vessels over 25 m. Saint Barthélemy is outside EU VAT territory; route-specific local tax, clearance and port costs require confirmation.

Why Bluecharter by Bluebnc Yachting

Central-agency options

Bluecharter by Bluebnc Yachting can propose suitable central-agency yachts beyond the listings shown, including yachts on Yachtfolio. For Bucket week, this supports a disciplined comparison of yacht type, guest capacity, operating range and the separately confirmed Gustavia berth or alternative base.

MYBA E-Contract process

Charters can be documented under MYBA E-Contract charter agreements. The agreement records the yacht, dates, payment schedule, APA, cancellation terms and negotiated operating conditions, which matters when the charter requires a precise distinction between yacht use, berth planning and event arrangements.

Brokerage standards

Bluebnc Yachting is a member of IYBA and ECPY, and subscribes to MYBA E-Contract. This professional standing supports a brokerage process centred on accurate yacht information, clear charter documentation and the practical checks a Caribbean event charter requires before the guest programme is fixed.

Chartering experience

The von Eiberg family’s own records trace its history in yacht chartering back to 1963. For a regatta week, the useful outcome is a brief built in operational order: yacht suitability, confirmed terms, port or anchorage plan, transfers, then optional elements dependent on third-party approval.

Frequently asked questions

When is the St Barths Bucket Regatta in 2027?

The official Bucket event window is 17–21 March 2027. Four preliminary race days run 18–21 March, with a 1125 first signal each day; the organiser may amend the programme for weather or other circumstances.

What is the St Barths Bucket Regatta?

It is an invitational sailing-superyacht regatta based in Gustavia. The 2027 Notice of Race opens it to invited cruising sailing yachts normally measuring 30.5 metres or more, with separate 90 Foot and Maxi 100 Racing classes; a charter yacht does not become a race entry merely by being in St Barths.

Can I watch the St Barths Bucket from a yacht?

A crewed yacht can be a private base during the event, but does not guarantee a racecourse position, Gustavia berth or formal spectator access. The captain must keep clear of the fleet and follow current port, organiser and weather instructions.

Do I need a 30-metre yacht to charter during the Bucket?

No. The 30.5-metre threshold is for normal eligibility of an invited racing sailing yacht, not for chartering in the area. A competing yacht must satisfy the organiser’s separate invitation and class requirements.

Where can a yacht base during St Barths Bucket week?

Gustavia is the event harbour, but its participant quay is assigned by the Port Authority and should not be presumed for a non-racing yacht. A confirmed Gustavia position, another lawful St Barths base, or St Martin/Sint Maarten can work depending on yacht size, weather, clearance and tender arrangements.

How much does a St Barths Bucket yacht charter cost?

For a 30 m-plus crewed yacht, plan around US$125,000 to US$1 million or more per week, plus expenses. The final fee depends on the yacht, event terms, stay length and confirmed route; berth costs and third-party arrangements are separate.

What are APA and VAT on a St Barths yacht charter?

APA is the advance working fund for fuel, food, drink, berths and operating expenses. On Caribbean plus-expenses superyacht terms, plan 25–40% of the charter fee and reconcile it at the end; local tax, port and clearance treatment needs checking for the actual itinerary.

How do I get to St Barths for the Bucket Regatta?

Fly internationally to Princess Juliana International Airport in Sint Maarten, then take a small-aircraft transfer to SBH or a ferry to Gustavia. The tourism authority says SXM–SBH is about ten minutes, while SBH’s 2,170-foot runway limits it to small aircraft.

Can a 30-metre superyacht anchor at Colombier during the Bucket?

No. The Saint Barthélemy environment agency states that vessels longer than 25 metres are not authorised in Colombier or Fourchue bays within the Marine Park. Protected-water rules and any lawful alternative anchorage must be checked by the captain against current instructions.

How long should I charter for the St Barths Bucket?

Seven nights can cover the 17–21 March event window and a short St Martin/Sint Maarten or Anguilla extension. Add time for Saba or St Kitts rather than compressing offshore passages around four race days.

Plan your St Barths Bucket 2027 charter

For 17–21 March, begin with guest count, yacht preference, racing or observing intent, embarkation port and Gustavia berth priority. We will shape a live, terms-led shortlist around the route and operating constraints.

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