As one of the finest sailing and boating destinations globally, the Cayman Islands feature premiere service marinas dedicated to assisting boaters with docking facilities, buying parts and carrying out repairs and general maintenance.
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Read on for the procedure of arriving to Cayman via boat (who to notify and what requirements you will need to provide), as well as information on the Island's marinas and marine fuelling stations.
Arriving by Boat
Those intending to visit Grand Cayman via boat can, with advance notice, notify The Barcadere Marina and they can arrange all customs requirements prior to your arrival. Their phone number is (345) 949 3743 or visit their website on www.barcadere.com.
The Cayman Islands are a British Territory and, as such, are a highly regulated jurisdiction with entry to the Islands controlled exclusively by C.I. Immigration and H.M. Customs.
The official port of entry for Grand Cayman is the main port on the west coast of George Town. Without exception, once arriving within 12 miles of the Islands, all vessels wishing to clear into Cayman waters must notify C.I. Port Security via VHF 16 for instructions on how to proceed. They are open Monday-Friday 8.30am-4pm and Saturdays 8.30am-12.30pm; an extra fee is applied when you enter out of these times.
It is entirely up to Port Security to direct you to your clearing-in point as determined by Customs and Immigration, and failure to notify the authorities of your arrival in Cayman waters or to comply with Port Security instructions can result in fines and penalties for the vessel. You must have a passport valid beyond the date of stay to enter. However, with advance notice, and timely receipt of relevant documentation, it is also possible to request Customs and Immigration clearance for visiting vessels at the Barcadere Marina, in George Town.
Marinas
There are four marinas in Grand Cayman, though the Cayman Islands Yacht Club and the Barcadere Marina are more traditional long-term marinas for visiting boats, long-term residents who live on boats or a home for charter boats.
Kaibo Marina is great for a day or weekend trip away, and Harbour House Marina is a full-service maintenance marina (as is the Barcadere Marina) which has very few, if any, long-term dock spaces left available.
All four marinas are listed here:
Marine Fuelling Stations
On the North Sound there are three marine fuelling stations – Scotts Landing at the Barcadere Marina, the Cayman Islands Yacht Club and Marina on Governor’s Creek and Harbour House Marina on the West side of the North Sound.
No ethanol gasoline is sold at marinas in Cayman and the only land-based location is at Refuel in the Industrial Park.
Please note that Cayman Islands Law states that all fuel stations must display their fuel prices (within sight of the fuel dispensers) in CI dollars and imperial gallons. However, most marine and mobile fuel providers dispense fuel in US gallons, which is almost exactly 20% less per volume than imperial gallons. Make sure that you are being charged appropriately.
The diesel now being sold in Cayman is ultra-low sulphur diesel. However, it is worth checking which marine fuel stations add a lubricity booster to their fuel to help prevent deposits accumulating in fuel injector pumps.
Scotts Landing, located at the Barcadere Marina, is the island’s exclusive dealer for ValvTect Marine fuel, which has a very sophisticated combination of additives to ensure the best performance from your boat or watercraft, but can be used in generators, cars and other vehicles.They also offer a fuel delivery service. Alternatively, the dockside pumps are open seven days a week. They guarantee to use low sulphur diesel and the additive they use boosts the cetane level and the lubricity of the fuel. Scotts Landing also offers a complimentary sewage pump-out service to their customers.
Here are the phone numbers of the Marine Fuelling Stations:
Barcadere Marina: +1 (345) 949 3743
Cayman Islands Yacht Club: +1 (345) 747 2492
Harbour House Marina: +1 (345) 947 1307