Sailing Doodlesvideo
From French Chic to St. Barts Heat 🔥 | Caribbean Sailing Gets Wild
January 23, 2026 · 12 min · 179K views · Anse Marcel, St. Martin
What this video covers
A one-week catamaran charter aboard a Leopard 50 continues from Grand Case, St. Martin, toward St. Barts.Watch The crew lunches at the Rainbow Cafe on Grand Case beach before motoring a few miles to Anse Marcel marina, notable for an extremely narrow entrance channel with only feet of clearance on each side — Bobby judges the Leopard 50 near the maximum size that could safely enter.3:18 Docks there were in poor repair, and a resort on site had recently closed for a two-year renovation.5:24 Clearing out of St. Martin required a French-keyboard computer terminal at the marina.4:13 The sail to St. Barts ran about three hours, close-hauled in 13–15 knots of breeze at 6–7 knots boat speed — bouncy but manageable.6:21 One crew member, Ysaria, experienced seasickness below decks.7:52 Anchoring off Gustavia required a long dinghy ride to the town dock to clear customs; simultaneous check-in and check-out cost 50 euros and took 20 minutes.9:21 A $100 taxi ride over the mountains to a beachside restaurant followed.9:44 The anchorages at St. Barts sit well offshore from Gustavia, making every shore trip a substantial dinghy run.8:49
Boats in this video
More from Sailing Doodles
From Sailing Doodles — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analyzed video.
The Sailing Directory Newsletter
One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.