Story and photos by Lexi Fisher

The Windward and Leeward islands made it through the 2025 hurricane season relatively unscathed, with only a single named storm making landfall in the region. The northern regions of the Atlantic were less fortunate, and despite the lower-than-usual number of named storms in the Eastern Caribbean, the intensity of those that formed farther north was much higher than average, with three of the 13 named storms reaching Category 5 strength. Quiet season or not, that contrast is a useful reminder that every boat in the Caribbean eventually has to decide where and how to spend hurricane season.

It can be overwhelming to haul out and pack up your home, entrusting it to the administration and tradespeople of a foreign country for months at a time. Within the Eastern Caribbean alone, there are about two dozen haulouts to choose from, and the best fit for you and your boat depends on a multitude of factors.

The goal of this article is to ease a bit of the stress of that decision by discussing some of these factors, and then outlining the main features of the boatyards available in the Windwards and Leewards, from St. Martin to Trinidad.

Specific pricing and cost of haulout and storage is a key issue for any yard. Anyone who has had the pleasure of deciphering a yard’s invoice knows that the haulout and storage fees can be convoluted: They often charge by the foot, fees differ for monohulls and catamarans, and only part of the fees are associated with hurricane preparation and storage. There are also often additional fees for chocking, cradles, tie-downs, mast removal and storage, water, electricity, etc. These fees are not only subject to change, but if I were to attempt to compare all of them for each yard, it would require an entire book. In general, the more services a yard has in terms of security and convenience, the higher the overall cost is likely to be.

So let’s get into it. Here are some of the things to consider when choosing a haulout for hurricane season, in no particular order.

Here are some of the things to consider when choosing a haulout for hurricane season, in no particular order:

Insurance Requirements
Many yacht insurance companies now require your boat to be hauled and stored outside the “hurricane belt” — latitudes that statistically see the most hurricane activity during the season. These requirements are subject to change from year to year based on weather trends, and some insurance companies that used to allow storage in Grenada may no longer, after Hurricane Beryl. There are some Caribbean insurance companies that will insure you for reasonable rates and will cover you throughout the region. Some yards require proof of insurance.

General Safety and Security
How concerned about theft are you? Yards with high-perimeter fences, 24/7 security guards and/or cameras, and gated and monitored entry points will provide the best chance of deterring thefts. Another important factor to consider is fire risk and what firefighting equipment the yard has, how accessible it is, and if the staff are trained in its use.

Boat Proximity
How close together are boats stored? Closely stacked boats can topple like dominoes in extreme weather, and fire from one can spread much more quickly without a buffer zone. An article on the topic by Drew Frye in Practical Sailor suggests that “six feet is a good minimum, and the yard should explain why they feel less is safe.”

Hurricane Protocols
Some yards have standardized protocols that require all boats that are stored during hurricane season to adhere to, which aim to decrease or mitigate the overall likelihood of damage. These can include things like how close together boats are stored, sail removal, mast removal, digging keel holes, using anchored tie-downs, welded single-piece stands or cradles, and having a certain level of insurance coverage.

Contractor Policy
If you’re having significant work done on the boat while it’s on the hard, you should consider whether or not the yard allows outside contractors (those not employed by them) to work on the premises. Those that do not allow outside contractors at all are referred to as “closed” yards. The argument for this is a presumed higher level of quality control, project management, and accountability, though in my experience this isn’t always the case. Yards that do allow outside contractors without any controls or extra fees are referred to as “open” yards, and the benefit of this is usually more competition and a larger selection of tradesmen, though less insurance if a job goes wrong. Most yards have a policy that is somewhere in the middle, where independent contractors are hired through the yard and you pay a 10 percent or 15 percent fee to the yard for project insurance.

Living Aboard
If you’ll be living aboard or ashore for more than a week or so after hauling, you’ll need to first consider if the yard allows staying on your boat, and second things like the availability and convenience of laundry services, groceries, restaurants, or onsite accommodation options like apartment rentals.

Yard Descriptions
These are listed from north to south. Most yards have toilets, showers, power, and water. Some require proof of insurance.

Chantier Naval, TOBY, St. Martin
Chantier Naval, T.O.B.Y. (Time-Out Boat Yard), is a cheerful and friendly place that has a large area for haulout and repair. They haul boats up to 18 tons, using a 65-ton crane. Restrooms, showers, storage lockers and free WiFi are available and you can do your own work or use contractors (no fees).

JMC, St. Martin
JMC Marina and Boatyard hauls boats with a 70-ton marine hoist that takes up to 22-foot beam, and they have a 100-ton crane in the yard. They insist that masts come out for storage and that yachts are insured, and in the summer they dig boats into the sand for security. You can do your own work, or bring in contractors (no fee).

Bobby’s MegaYard, Sint Maarten
MegaYard is a huge haulout facility with a 150-ton travelift that can haul boats of up to 33-foot beam, 10-foot draft. (They also have a 75-ton hoist.) The yard has good security with a perimeter wall, but living on board is not encouraged. This is an eco-friendly yard where all washdown water is treated, solids are removed, and clear, clean water is returned to the lagoon. Spray painting is not permitted unless you get the yard to build you a tent. The yard does all underwater work, but for other work you can bring in your own subcontractors for a 15 percent fee.

Bobby’s Airport Rd, Sint Maarten
Airport Mega Yard has a laundry and you can stay on the boat. Haulout is done with a 55-ton travelift and they have room to store about 80 yachts. Both mega yards are well managed by Jeff Howell, who has an excellent record of keeping boats upright in hurricanes. He removes and stores masts on monohulls as a matter of course.

Bobby’s Marina, Sint Maarten
Bobby’s Marina is a marina and haulout in Philipsburg that has space for about 60 boats on the hard. They have two travelifts, a 75-ton and a 100-ton, and a crane to haul smaller boats for both long and short term storage. Hurricane season storage includes cross-bracing, concrete slab tie-towns, and mast removal and storage (optional). If you need laundry done, talk to the office or one of Bobby’s security guards and they will get a laundry service to pick it up. Aziana, an Asian fusion restaurant, is at the base of the docks.

Polypat Caraibes, St. Martin
Polypat Caraïbes hauls with a 60-ton crane, which makes removing masts easy. Your crew can do the work themselves, or the yard can do it for you, but if you want to bring in outside contractors, you need to discuss it with the yard. Polypat is excellent at painting and fiberglass repairs. It is registered as a Gelshield agent for osmosis treatment. The yard has WiFi and 24-hour security. Polypat is an agent for Fontaine Pajot, and can help with Catana and Beneteau as well.

St. Kitts Marine Works, St. Kitts
St. Kitts Marine Works has 27 acres of storage, which is plenty of room and they now have two 150-ton travelifts and a 25-ton forklift. Digging keel holes, tying down cats, and securing yachts against hurricanes are easily arranged. This is not a manicured yard; it has basic, but adequate, field storage. The yard has a metalworking team and they can weld and repair all yacht materials and pressure wash, antifoul, and do minor glass repairs. There are a couple apartments for rent next door if you’re planning a longer stay.

Sammy’s Boatyard, Antigua
Sammy’s Boatyard is a simple, no-frills haulout for about 100 yachts with up to nine-foot draft (a bit more by working the tide), using a 50-ton lift which can take a 19-foot beam. There are forklifts for smaller vessels. It is a do-it-yourself yard, or Sammy can find you a contractor; the yard just hauls and stores.

Jolly Harbour Marina & Boatyard, Antigua
Jolly Harbour has two travelifts, a 75-ton and an 85-ton, can haul and store catamarans up to a 33-foot beam, and has storage room for 240 boats. A large area of hard standing means there is plenty of room for long-term storage on concrete for stability. Stands are welded for hurricane protection, and there are tie-downs, mandatory in the hurricane season. They have big steel cradles that are optional. You can do your own work here or arrange it through the yard. They have people to scrape and paint, and other services can be arranged.

Bailey’s Boat Yard, Antigua
Bailey’s is a haulout yard for work and storage. They have a 70-ton travelift and an 80-ton Ascon lift, and can haul boats up to 12 feet deep. This is a small, quality yard, clean and well laid out, and properly geared for hurricane storage. They have 20 huge, solid cradles. They will pull the mast for storage if you request it. They only store about 50 yachts, and all of them are well looked after. All outside work below deck must be done by an approved contractor.

North Sound Marina, Antigua
North Sound Marina at Crabbs is one of Antigua’s best, most versatile, and busiest yards. They have a 150-ton travelift with 30-foot beam and maximum haulout draft of 22 feet. The standing is nearly all on concrete with tiedowns and an optional 150-foot “hurricane-proof” refit shed with 60 feet of clearance is available. They have room for about 250 boats. The yard has a team that can provide most services, or the crew can do the work themselves. You can bring in outside contractors by arrangement, but they need to be insured and approved by the yard.

Antigua Slipway, Antigua
Antigua Slipway is a major haulout facility, using a railway that takes yachts up to 13-foot draft and 200 tons, and cats up to 38-foot beam. They have a hydraulic lift, allowing for the storing of 50 yachts with a maximum draft of seven feet. The yard is geared up for yacht storage in the hurricane season. The storage area is concrete; the newer part has tiedown rings. All stored yachts are propped on stands that are welded together using one-inch water pipe to create a rigid cradle. The yard does everything below the waterline. You can do your own topside work, but if you want someone else to do it, discuss it with them. There is no onsite accommodation, but they work closely with a nearby hotel and run an hourly shuttle to and from the yard.

IGY Rodney Bay Marina, St. Lucia
Rodney Bay Marina Boatyard has a 75-ton travelift that can take up to a 28-foot beam. They have room for about 120 yachts in long-term storage and another 20 undergoing work. You can work on your boat yourself or the marina boatyard can organize subcontractors to do it for you. A gelcoat stripper is available for osmosis work.

Carriacou Marine, Carriacou
Carriacou Marine is a charming small boatyard and marina. Yachts are hauled on a 40-ton marine travel-lift that can take up to 18-foot beam and 8-foot draft at high tide. It is an environmentally friendly yard, with a wash-down catchment to minimize the amount of toxic paint that goes into the sea. They can take about 50 boats. This yard is excellent for general work and for do-it-yourself jobs. They can recommend independent contractors for most things, including carpentry, electrics, and mechanics. Major spraying, sandblasting, and major fiberglass repairs may be restricted as they lack an enclosed area to contain the fumes and dust.

Tyrell Bay Marina, Carriacou
Tyrell Bay Marina has room for about 200 boats ashore to be hoisted by a 150-ton travelift that can take a maximum beam of 30 feet. They aim to be a full-service yard and currently have technicians available to handle welding, antifouling, buffing and polishing, mechanical, electrical, AC and refrigeration, and fiberglass work, though you are welcome to do your own work as well. They have a catchment pit to prevent antifouling from running into the bay, and a vacuum system for sanding work.

Spice Island Marine Services, Grenada
Spice Island Marine Services is a pleasant, orderly boatyard, with room for about 240 boats. Their travelift can take boats up to 70 tons and 25-foot beam. They have mast racks for those storing their masts off the yacht and tiedowns for all boats in the hurricane season. Yacht crew can do their own work or arrange it through the yard with their people or, in some cases, outside contractors. They can look after your yacht while you are away, as well as arrange all the work. They have storage lockers for rent and can store masts, dinghies, and outboards. While you are there, life is made easier with onsite studio apartments, self-serve laundry, a waterfront restaurant, and a Budget Marine chandlery.

Clarkes Court Boatyard & Marina, Grenada
Hauling at Clarkes Court Boatyard and Marina is done with a 242-ton travelift, which lifts up to a 37-foot beam with a 13-foot draft. Some smaller boats are hauled on a trailer, which takes 40 tons with a six-foot draft. There is room for about 300 boats ashore and tiedowns are available. It is a popular yard, so booking in advance is almost always necessary. There is a restaurant overlooking the docks and many onsite technical yacht services based in the yard. You can do your own work or the marina will help you arrange it through independent contractors.

Grenada Marine, Grenada
Grenada Marine is a work and storage yard with room for 250 boats. They use a 70-ton travelift that is specially designed at 31.5 feet wide to haul catamarans as well as monohulls. Yachts of up to 16-foot draft can be hauled. After hauling, a hydraulic stacking trailer puts yachts close together. You can do your own work but you cannot hire outside workers unless it’s a job that 12 N, which has an exclusive contract with Grenada Marine, cannot do.

Peake Yacht Services, Trinidad
Peake’s is another full-service yard that has space for 350 boats hauled on a 160-ton travelift that can take boats up to a 31-foot beam. They have a comprehensive team, onsite technical workshops, and a list of recommended independent contractors for most jobs. WiFi, a chandlery, a grocery store, and the Patches Restaurant are all onsite. The yard also offers a complimentary shuttle service that helps customers do provisioning runs, airport transfers, doctor’s appointments, and other errands based on schedule and availability.

Grenada: Hartman Cove

Hartman Cove [VHF 15] is Grenada’s newest haulout, just north of Secret Harbour Marina. They have an extra-wide 44-ton travel lift that can haul boats with a beam of up to 32 feet and a draft of up to seven feet. It is a medium-sized yard, currently with space for about 75 boats, though they do plan to expand. They have water and power ashore (110V and 220V, single-phase, with three-phase planned), as well as bathrooms, showers, Wi-Fi, and 24-hour security. They have concrete-block tie-downs for hurricane season, and plan to add in-ground anchors. Security cameras, landscaping, and a mini-mart are also planned. Secret Harbour, with a marina, restaurant, gym, and laundry services, is a short five-minute walk from the yard.

Power Boats, Trinidad
Power Boats is an excellent, comprehensive full-service yard with space for about 250 yachts. They haul using a 60-ton travelift and a custom-built catamaran trailer that can take up to 20 tons and a 28-foot beam. They have a long list of vetted tradesmen and onsite technical and general services available for anything and everything. Additional amenities include storage lockers, a chandlery, grocery store, DIY workshop, WiFi, and a restaurant. Appliance rentals like air conditioners and dehumidifiers make staying aboard more comfortable, and they have a cherry picker if you need to inspect your mast.

Coral Cove, Trinidad
Coral Cove is a waterfront hotel and the smallest of the haulouts in Trinidad, with space for about 50 boats hauled on a 60-ton travelift. It is less of a work yard but they can recommend or help arrange contractors. They have a swimming pool and there are multiple restaurants onsite and nearby.

Notes about the table: The info in this article was confirmed to the best of our ability before press. The table is meant to be a quick reference guide of basic services and amenities and lacks nuance. For example, while some yards have welded single-piece stands or cradles available, they may only have a limited number. 24-hour security could mean cameras or security guards. The presence of fire extinguishers says nothing of their accessibility or if staff are trained to use them.