Season Guide · St. Vincent & the Grenadines
The Best Time to Sail the Grenadines
The season runs December through July — settled trade winds, low rainfall, and flat protected water. Here is how it breaks down month by month, and when to book.
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From
$595from one day
Departure
Canouan · St. Vincent & the Grenadines
Aboard
Cap II · Flying Wing
The short answer: December through July. The Grenadines sit firmly in the northeast trade-wind belt, and from the start of December to the end of July those winds are reliable, the rainfall is low, and the water inside the island chain stays flat and protected. We run the fleet across that whole window and the sailing is good throughout it.
The longer answer has some texture. The season has a peak — roughly January to April — when the trades are at their most settled, the humidity is lowest, and the islands are at their busiest. It has shoulder months either side that many guests prefer. And it has a closed season, August through October, when we do not operate at all. This guide walks through each part so you can match your dates to the kind of week you want.
One thing worth saying first: the Grenadines do not have a 'bad' sailing month within the operating season. Unlike cruising grounds that get genuinely rough or wet at certain times, the variation here is between 'excellent' and 'excellent and quieter'. The choice is mostly about crowds, temperature, and price — not about whether the sailing will be good.
The trade winds are the engine of the whole thing. They blow from the east-north-east, twelve to twenty knots through most of the season, occasionally more in the depths of the peak. That consistency is why you sail every day here rather than motor — and why the Grenadines have the reputation they do among people who actually sail.
Highlights of this charter
December — season opens
The trades fill in, the rainfall drops off, and the fleet comes back on the moorings. Pleasant temperatures, a building buzz on the islands toward Christmas. The festive weeks book out early; the first half of December is quieter and excellent value.
January – February — early peak
The most settled trades of the year and the lowest humidity. Cooler evenings, reliably dry days, the classic Caribbean sailing postcard. The busiest stretch on the islands — book these weeks several months ahead.
March – April — late peak
Still firmly in the peak: strong steady trades, warm water, long bright days. Easter is the single busiest week of the year in the chain. Outside Easter, late April starts to ease as the season's first shoulder begins.
May – June — first shoulder
Our quiet favourite. The trades soften slightly but stay reliable, the islands empty out, the water is at its warmest, and rates ease from peak. The same sailing as April with a fraction of the boats in the anchorages.
July — late season
Warm, green, and quiet. The trades are lighter than the peak but still enough to sail on. The last full month we operate — a relaxed end to the season, and the easiest weeks to secure at short notice.
August – October — closed
We do not operate. This is the core of the Atlantic hurricane season in the eastern Caribbean. The fleet is hauled and refitted. Enquiries for these months are quoted for the following December onward.
November — refit, not yet open
The fleet is being recommissioned after the summer haul-out — new rigging, fresh varnish, sea trials. We do not run guest charters in November, but it is the right month to confirm a December-to-April booking.
Year-round — the water
Sea temperature in the Grenadines barely moves across the operating season — warm enough to swim and snorkel comfortably every day, December through July. The variable is the air and the wind, not the water.
Sailing this route with RexSailing
When to book
Peak weeks — January through April, and especially Christmas, New Year, and Easter — book out months ahead; six to nine months is not unusual for the marquee weeks. The shoulder months (May–July, early December) can often be secured six to eight weeks out. If your dates are fixed, enquire as early as you can.
Peak vs shoulder
Peak gives you the most settled trades and the liveliest islands, at the highest rates and the busiest anchorages. Shoulder (May–July, early December) gives you the same quality of sailing, warmer water, near-empty bays, and easier rates. Neither is wrong — it depends whether you want the buzz or the quiet.
Day charters across the season
If you are staying ashore on Canouan or Mustique and want a single day on the water, every operating month works. Day charters are least constrained by the booking calendar — even in peak season a day can usually be found within a week or two of your dates.
Weather, honestly
Brief tradewind showers can pass through any month — they clear in minutes and rarely interrupt a day. Genuine weather days are uncommon December to July. On a day charter, if conditions turn we rebook to the next available day at no charge. On a week charter, the captain simply reshapes the route.
Pair this charter with
Sailing the Grenadines — full guide
The complete cruising guide — the island chain, the route, and every anchorage worth knowing.
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Day Charters
A single day out of Canouan — six to ten hours, from $595, available across the whole season.
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Week Charters
Seven nights aboard — the classic Grenadines charter, from $11,750 all-inclusive.
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The Fleet
Cap II, Flying Wing, and SISU — three classic crewed yachts, from $595 per day.
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Before you enquire
What months can you charter in the Grenadines?
We operate December through July. August, September, and October are the core of the Atlantic hurricane season and we do not run charters then — the fleet is hauled out and refitted. November is the recommissioning month: no guest charters, but the right time to confirm a December-to-April booking.
When is the peak season in the Grenadines?
Roughly January through April. The northeast trade winds are at their most settled, humidity is lowest, and the islands are busiest. Christmas, New Year, and Easter are the single busiest weeks of the year. These weeks book out months in advance.
Is May, June, or July a good time to sail the Grenadines?
Yes — it is our quiet favourite. May through July is the season's first shoulder: the trade winds soften slightly but stay reliable, the water is at its warmest, the anchorages empty out, and rates ease from peak. You get the same quality of sailing as April with a fraction of the boats.
Why don't you operate August to October?
Those three months are the core of the Atlantic hurricane season in the eastern Caribbean. Rather than run a compromised or weather-disrupted operation, we haul the fleet out for its annual refit — rigging, varnish, sea trials — and reopen in December with the boats in their best condition.
How far ahead should I book a Grenadines charter?
It depends on the week. Peak weeks — January through April, and especially the festive and Easter weeks — often book six to nine months ahead. Shoulder weeks (May–July, early December) can frequently be secured six to eight weeks out. Day charters are the most flexible and can usually be arranged within a week or two of your dates, even in peak season.
What is the weather like during the sailing season?
Settled. December to July brings steady twelve-to-twenty-knot trade winds, low rainfall, and warm water. Brief tradewind showers can pass through in any month but clear in minutes. Genuine weather days that interrupt a charter are uncommon. If conditions do turn on a day charter, we rebook at no charge; on a week charter the captain reshapes the route.
Whichever part of the season suits you — the settled peak, the quiet shoulder, or a single day out from Canouan — tell us your dates and we will tell you honestly what to expect and what is available.
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RexSailing · Canouan · St. Vincent & the Grenadines