North Sound, Virgin Gorda, BVI (May 9, 2011) – Shortly after the Easter Holiday, work began in earnest on a new and improved state of the art "Quarterdeck Marina" installation at the Bitter End Yacht Club. The new facility, slated to be completed for a July 4th Grand Re-Opening, replaces what was already one of the most popular "boutique-style destination marinas" in the Caribbean. With over 18 slips on the primary docks (depending on the types and sizes of boats accommodated), the Quarterdeck Marina is looking forward to soon welcoming back charter-vacation sailors, cruising voyagers, keen deep-sea anglers, and fine-yacht aficionados.
Some may think of Bitter End Yacht Club primarily as a Caribbean top-10 rated 85-room luxury resort. But in addition to their regular complement of resort visitors, a very large contingent of boat-visitor guests who are "in-the-know" regularly visit Bitter End Yacht Club by charter yacht and private yacht. And in recent years, larger charter catamarans, top-of-the-line sportfish "battlewagons," and private megayachts have frequented Bitter End's anchorage and docks, making the North Sound of Virgin Gorda, in the words of Bitter End's Chief Operating Officer Sandra Grisham, "perhaps one of the most popular watersports playgrounds in the Caribbean."
As recognized leaders in the development of the overall BVI waterfront experience for the last 35+ years, the management team at Bitter End have listened closely to the needs and desires of those "yachting" guests, and are in the process of creating a facility custom-tailored just for them. According to Bitter End Yacht Club's Owner and Managing Director, Dana Hokin, "the previous facility was certainly more than sufficient, and fit our needs in the 80s, 90s and until recently. But the new installation, built from the ground up, will have wider slips, improved decking surfaces, enhanced skirting, upgraded power, and best of all a better dockage layout to accommodate a wider variety of boat sizes and shapes. We think it will be a wonderful complement to our world-class shoreside offerings."
Richard Starkey, of well-known Tortola-based Meridian Construction Company, is the General Contractor on the project. Noted architect Peter Brill penned the designs. Both worked closely with ownership and management to fulfill their goals. According to Starkey, "the project here at Bitter End will fit the needs of the clientele perfectly. It's such a lovely location, and the new facility will blend in nicely." While the Quarterdeck docks are being completed, the L-Dock, Service Dock (for fuel and water), and Gazebo Dock all remain in service, providing an additional 10 slips for transient yachts. For more information, including aerial renderings, go to http://www.beyc.com/index.php/the-quarterdeck-marina.html
