The Antigua Charter Yacht Show has pushed back the dates of this year's show to December 6-12 in an attempt to allow more yachts and…
From Dec. 4–9 captains and crew attending the Antigua Charter Yacht Show will be roaming the docks, networking with brokers, and working the show, but what other events can they attend while at the show?
Captains of each yacht attending the show can attend the Captain’s Briefing on Dec. 4 at 12:30 p.m., where tips and the best practices to enhance the boat show experience for you and your crew will be shared. Final instructions, including the expectation of captains and crew to be on board their vessel from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. each show day will also be discussed. The Captain’s Briefing is located at the hospitality area of The Copper & Lumber Store Hotel in Nelson’s Dockyard.
The Chef and Tablescaping competitions at the Antigua Charter Yacht Show are back, pinning chefs and stews against each other to deliver the best dishes and tablescapes. This year’s theme is “The Art of Charter,” inviting yachts to showcase their most impressive themed nights that wow charter guests. The competition entices crew to impress judges through “Wow Factors” like welcome cocktails, immersive themed ambiances, striking décor, unique crew attire, presentations, or entertainment. Some examples of different themes are Rock and Roll, Casino Night, and James Bond, but crew can pick anything! The chef and tablescaping competition’s participants are broken into three separate categories dependent on the size of the yacht they work on. Yachts 180 feet and over are judged on Thursday, Dec. 5. Yachts 126 to 179 feet are judged on Friday, Dec. 6. Yacht 125 feet and under are judged on Saturday, Dec. 7.
The Chef Competition asks the yacht chefs to create a three-course dining experience that includes a first course, main course, and dessert that utilizes the mystery ingredients that will be provided to them by Shoreside Support. The ingredients must be showcase in one of the three courses. Chefs participating in the 180 feet+ and 126–179 feet categories will also be presented with identical preference sheets for the judges, who will be judging each dish in a 30-minute time frame on board each yacht. Extra points can be achieved by offering an additional culinary aspect, creative welcome cocktails or mixology demonstrations, themed ambiance, and unique crew entertainment. Six printed menus will need to be provided to the coordinator and five judges. Five taster-sized dishes and one full-sized presentation dish are required to be served within the 30-minute time frame.
The Tablescaping Competition invites stews to show their creativity through designing table settings that reflect the theme, choosing appropriate music to enhance the ambiance, and creating themed decorations throughout the dining area and yacht. After the chef’s briefing each stew will be presented with one bottle of sponsored wine or Champagne from BWA Yachting that must be showcased within the tablescape design. The decorated table setting should be in the same location where the chefs serve their dishes. Judges will look at appearance, presentation, creativity, originality, and their overall impression when judging the tablescapes.
Captains are welcomed to a private dinner at Abracadabras on Dec. 7 from 7:30 to 10 p.m. ACREW, in collaboration with International Marine Management, is hosting the dinner and VIP Lounge with captains invited to spend time at the VIP area beyond 10 p.m. Live DJs from JW DJ Agency will spin throughout the night, offering captains a relaxed and memorable night of connecting.
Captains, crew, and industry professionals are invited to a festive evening with steel pan music and a live DJ at Nelson’s Dockyard Marina from 7 to 11 p.m. on Dec. 7. The party is hosted by National Parks Authority and National Marine Suppliers, with selected yachts open for viewing.
As the Antigua Charter Yacht Show comes to an end, enjoy one last hoorah with the captains, crew, and industry professionals you met during your time in Antigua. The party will anchor down at Dow’s Hill Interpretation Centre on Dec. 8 from 7 to 11 p.m. with a theme and dress code of “Pirates of the Caribbean.” The evening will be filled with competition, entertainment, live music, and food and drink available for purchase.