Competitions spotlight crew talents at 2025 USVI Charter Yacht Show
by Virgin Islands Professional Charter Association 7 Oct 16:49 BST
November 7-10, 2025
A birds-eye view of the 2024 USVI Charter Yacht Show © Mango Media
From bragging rights to bookings. Earning top honors in the highly anticipated culinary, mixology, and designer water competitions, as well as Best in Show titles, at the 2025 USVI Charter Yacht Show provides a powerful platform for yachts and crews to boost visibility, credibility, and reputation with brokers.
Around 50 yachts and crews and twice the number of brokers are set to attend this Virgin Islands Professional Charter Association (VIPCA)-hosted Show, November 7-10, at IGY's Yacht Haven Grande, St. Thomas. Yachts and brokers can still register to attend (usviyachtshow.org/register/). The Show's contest schedule includes the rum and vodka mixology competition on November 7, from 5-8 p.m., and the culinary and designer water contests on November 8, starting at 9 a.m. This year, St. John Meats will supply culinary competition chefs with individual cuts of Australian Wagyu filet mignon to showcase their skills.
"The competitions are always a highlight! They give the crew a chance to showcase their personalities and talents—whether that's mixing up a creative cocktail, serving something delicious, or simply sharing their unique flair. As brokers, we enjoy being part of that, and it's wonderful to see friends and colleagues shine and succeed," says Stephanie Lowrey, owner and yacht charter specialist at Songs In The Sails Yacht Charters, in Athens, GA. "The real value, though, is that competitions showcase the caliber of the crew. At the end of the day, the yacht is important, but it's the crew that makes the charter unforgettable. Awards carry weight during that season, especially if the crew remains with the same yacht; however, even beyond that, they become an integral part of their professional story. Those experiences follow them, and as brokers, we remember who impressed us and are more likely to recommend a crew we know and trust."
Protein Provisioning Made Easy - St. John Meats
St. John Meats, a new premium butchery located in Cruz Bay, St. John, USVI, aims to alleviate provisioning challenges for the yachting industry by offering a reliable supply of top-quality organic meat products, including Carrara Australian Wagyu and Bell & Evans poultry, two prominent and premium brands, and will soon provide Berkshire pork. Flexible order sizes, from bulk to pre-portioned, cater to the logistical and refrigeration constraints of smaller vessels in the Virgin Islands.
"Our sponsorship is rooted in the core belief that exceptional cuisine is built on the highest quality ingredients," says Joe Alicandro, owner of St. John Meats. "Understanding that while culinary skill is crucial, the finest raw products are the true foundation of any great meal. Providing product for the competition allows the chefs to experience the difference in working with our products directly, enabling them to provide their future charter guests with the highest level of upscale dining."
St. John Meats will also sample Australian Wagyu tenderloin for guests at the Show's Mix & Mingle on November 7 and feature Australian Wagyu skirt steak tacos alongside Bell & Evans organic lollipop drumsticks at the post-show Crew Party on November 10.
'Culinary Nostalgia: A Taste of Memories' is the theme of this year's Culinary Competition. Exhibiting yacht chefs can register at usviyachtshow.org/culinary-competition/ Crews can also register for the Mixology Competition at
usviyachtshow.org/crew-information/
CYBA Designer Water Competition
Crews can put their best flavored water forward at this contest, hosted by the Caribbean Yacht Brokers Association (CYBA). It's a fun and creative way to reduce plastic water bottle waste, while providing guests with delicious drinking water. Waters must be prepared using water produced by the yacht's desalination/filtration system, flavored with natural ingredients without alcohol, tea bags, and store-bought juices, and served in reusable containers. Judging is based on taste, presentation, and creativity. Crews can enter at usviyachtshow.org/crew-information/
"Crews showcasing their creativity prompts you, as a broker, to imagine other ways they'd 'think outside the box' to provide for their guests - cocktails, meals, entertainment as well as special events," says Susan Wilbar Russell, charter yacht specialist with Caribbean Soul Charters, LLC, in St. Thomas, USVI, who directs the contest. "It's also just another great way for the crews to stand out and for the broker to get to know the crews more personally outside the regular broker/crew boat show chats. And yes, winning should lead to more bookings because the more deeply you get to know a crew and appreciate their unique talents, the more you would be inclined to offer that crew/boat to your clients."
Spotlight on Showing Yachts - Atlas
Sail and power, multihulls and monohulls will be on display. This includes the Bali 5.4, Atlas, managed by Charter Vault Clearing House, with award-winning Captain Brynn Moultrie returning for another season. Moultrie, on Atlas, earned Runner Up for Best Yacht in Show 51'-60', and Runner Up for Best Crew in Show in the 2023 USVI Charter Yacht Show.
"Attending the boat shows helps us keep Atlas on the radar while also showcasing how the onboard experience continues to evolve and improve each year," says Moultrie, who will be working with Chef Olivia Paine. "Winning an award at the Show was such an honor. It definitely carries weight with brokers and gives them confidence in recommending Atlas to their clients. It validates the hard work and attention to detail we pour into every aspect of our charters, from hospitality and cuisine to the overall guest experience. Awards also help brokers remember Atlas when they're booking, which absolutely translates into more inquiries and stronger trust in what we deliver."
This year, Atlas plans to enter the Designer Water Competition, as well as the Best Crew in Show category.
Strong Sponsor Support
Sponsors of the 2025 USVI Charter Yacht Show include the USVI Department of Tourism; IGY Yacht Haven Grande, St. Thomas; Risk Strategies, Cigna; Mango Media; Maho Crew; Tito's Handmade Vodka and Cruzan Rum, distributed by CC1; One Communications; St. John Meats; Cardow Jewelers; The Market and Moe's Fresh Markets; Blue 11; Indigo 4; CYBA, Northern Lights by Parts and Power; and Chef Julius Jackson.,
For more information about the USVI Charter Yacht Show, visit usviyachtshow.org. For details about VIPCA and its programs, visit www.VIPCA.org, Email: , or call (340) 642-0656.