Saba 50

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Booking:
Was very easy!

Contact with the charterer:
Was also good ... thanks to Google Translate (French is not my specialty) very simple.

Boat pickup:
Very easy and straightforward. The people at the base were very helpful and also patient!

The boat itself:
Now, one must say the following... technically all safety-related equipment was present and worked perfectly. The sails were in good condition, the rig was okay, but the sheets and lines were not in perfect condition. Some fittings were already broken, there were missing pads, and you could see that the boat was in use. But that was it. The rest was really great. Enough space for 11 people (more is not advisable). The Saba50 has an extremely great performance. The handling is leisurely, but it does what you want. It turns on a dime as if you were driving a Smart....!
If you sail the boat without autopilot, you have a lot of work, but it’s a lot of fun; only the boat lacks a plotter at the helm, but you can help with a good app on your phone; otherwise, you have to pendulum back and forth between the galley and the helm. You need 2-3 people who know their craft to sail the boat. It is not a single-handed sailor! In conclusion, a really great boat and definitely recommended. I would sail it again immediately and at any time.

Area:
The start was Martinique. Out of the harbor and we were in blue water (as expected). It went over St. Lucia and St. Vincent to the Tobago Cays. Behind the islands, it was like in Croatia in the high summer. However, the highlight was the cays (A MUST!!!!). After a few days in the cays, we took a different route back. Here I will only say one thing! We will be back in 2024.......!!

Luggage:
A big question mark and a request.....! Arrival time and boat pickup rarely coincide, and that’s when the biggest problem starts!!! A huge service would be the possibility to securely store luggage upon arrival or departure, so that you can still do something, explore the island, and then take over the boat or start your journey home with great impressions. Unfortunately, this service is completely lacking. We would have been willing to pay for this, but this service is simply not offered. This was by far the biggest drawback, and as a result, we spent almost the entire arrival and departure day just waiting, which was endlessly disappointing for us!!

Conclusion:
This trip was a huge adventure for us, and we do not miss a single day. Land and people, boat, culture, and this garden of Eden was a piece of paradise that we were allowed to see, and for that, we are grateful. I wish everyone who follows us the same experience, always a handbreadth of water under the keel and mast and sheet break. (Fair wind and a following sea!)

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We had some technical issues with the boat, but thanks to the help of the local agency, everything was sorted out. I want to highlight our complete satisfaction with this agency, which is customer-oriented and very responsive. We have been renting boats for years in various regions, and this is simply the best one we have had. Well done and thank you.