Jan. 20, 2002 – Seven luxury sailboats of the V.I. Charteryacht League are offering free weeklong, all-inclusive sailing vacations with professional crew to rescue workers who have been on duty in New York since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
The idea came from charter captain Jack Feiereisen of Dreamwalker, a 57-foot sailboat. "We want to show support for the rescue workers," he explained. "Even though we are down here in the islands, we still feel what the rest of the country is going through, and want in our own small way to show our appreciation of what these individuals have been through and continue to go through."
Last fall, Feiereisen contacted the V.I. Charteryacht League, the St. Thomas-based not-for-profit professional association of crewed charteryachts, to see what interest there would be among the membership in developing a thank-you project. In reply, the owners of the yachts Ayacanora, Glory of Christiansted, Lady Jane, Orphee III, Phaedrus and Sea Nymph each offered to join Dreamwalker in offering a charter for rescue workers.
"These individuals came forward to show their support of the rescue workers and to offer them a vacation of a lifetime," Susan Chandler, VICL executive director, said. "I can't think of a better way to begin the healing process than in the calming waters of the Virgin Islands. We will give these individuals the red carpet treatment."
The VICL is arranging the vacation packages with the assistance of charteryacht broker Mike Johnson of Cruising in Paradise, a business based in Long Island, N.Y.
Johnson "volunteered his services as a broker because he has been involved in the charteryacht industry for years, starting off as a charter captain," Chandler said. "He is personally either calling or going to the firehouses to make this vacation offer to those who may be interested in a sailing vacation. He is also contacting individuals and families associated with the disaster."
Johnson said from Long Island that his company had a boat docked by the World Trade Center at the time of the terrorist attacks. For that reason "and because we had so many charter boats here that helped transport rescue workers and supplies to ground zero," he said, "is why I wanted to help."
Ironically, Johnson has found that making the offer of a crewed yacht vacation entails some educational outreach. "He's finding that many people he talks with don't know what the vacation is all about," Chandler said.
The sailboats that are offering the vacations normally charter for widely varying prices. The two-passenger boats start around $4,000 per week, including provisions and crew; the four-passenger ones start at $6,000, and the six-passengers vessels start around $9,000. "The boats in the program cover the entire price range," Chandler said.
The only snag so far in getting the program on the water has been in securing airfares. "We have tried and continue to try to get the airlines to help us out but have been turned down," Chandler said. "This has been the most challenging part of the giveaway."
She added, "I do have someone who is in New York working as a grief counselor to the rescue workers who has volunteered to help us negotiate."
The first rescue worker to take advantage of the offer was to have arrived on St. Thomas on Thursday. However, Chandler said, his plans have been delayed.
There is no expiration date on the offer of the seven charters, she said. The only condition is that each is subject to that particular boat's availability.
The VICL, with a term charter membership of 90 yachts, is the professional association for the crewed charter yachts in the territory. "It might not seem that only seven boats giving away a free charter is a lot, but considering the season and how expensive it is to operate a boat, this is a nice number and offers a good cross section of the boats that are in the charter business," Chandler said.