The best catamarans for a Grenadines charter

Short answer. For most groups the sweet spot in the Grenadines is a 45–50ft four-cabin catamaran: enough space for eight guests, shallow enough draft for the Tobago Cays, and stable enough that nobody feels the passage down from Bequia. Below are the models we charter most often, what each is genuinely good at, and where they fall short.

We manage and broker these boats week in, week out in St Vincent, so this is written from handovers and guest feedback rather than a manufacturer brochure.

The models we charter most

Lagoon 46

The boat we put most families on. Wide beam, a flybridge that becomes the social centre of the week, a saloon that opens straight onto the cockpit, and four ensuite double cabins that genuinely fit two adults each. It is not the quickest cat afloat and it will not point high upwind, but in 15–20 knots of trade wind on a beam reach between Bequia and Canouan that is not what you need. Bareboat or crewed, this is the safe recommendation.

Bali 4.6 and 4.8

The Bali layout — a solid foredeck instead of trampolines and a garage door between saloon and cockpit — divides opinion and wins most guests over within a day. The whole living area becomes one shaded, breezy space, and the foredeck lounge is the best sundowner spot of any charter cat. Downsides: the solid foredeck is heavier and slams a little more upwind, and the boat is tall, which you feel in a squall.

Fountaine Pajot Astrea 42 and Elba 45

The choice for guests who actually want to sail. Lighter than the Lagoons, better balanced, and quicker to accelerate in the puffs — a genuinely enjoyable boat to helm on the run down to the Cays. Slightly less interior volume, which matters most in the forward cabins. For four to six guests who are keen sailors, this is our pick.

Leopard 45 and 50

Built for charter and it shows in the best sense: hard-wearing surfaces, sensible deck gear, and a forward cockpit that becomes the kids' den for the week. The 50 gives you a fifth cabin or a proper crew cabin, which is what makes it a favourite for crewed charters at eight guests.

Lagoon 52 and 55

Where crewed charter in the Grenadines steps up. Air conditioning that runs all night, a flybridge with a proper table, a galley a chef can actually cook in, and space for e-foils, seabobs and paddleboards without tripping over them. Expect US $28,000–45,000+ per week fully crewed.

What actually matters when you choose

Draft. Anything over 1.5m limits where you can tuck in around Mayreau and inside the Tobago Cays reef. All the boats above are fine; older performance cats sometimes are not.

Air conditioning at anchor. Only worth having if the generator is rated to run it overnight. Ask us — we know which individual boats in the fleet manage it and which do not.

Cabin symmetry. Four identical ensuite cabins keep the peace on a group charter. A boat with one grand owner's cabin and three small ones does not.

Age. A three-year-old boat with an attentive owner beats a one-year-old boat in a big anonymous fleet almost every time. We inspect what we charter.

Tell us your group size, dates and whether you want to sail or simply arrive, and we will shortlist two or three specific boats — by name and year — from our own portfolio and our wider network. See our crewed catamaran fleet and our cost guide for the numbers behind these ranges.