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A 30 to 40m charter yacht Canouan in the 2026 winter season prices at $96,000 to $140,000 per week peak (mid-December through mid-April), plus a 25 percent APA, takes 8 to 10 guests, and bases out of Glossy Bay Marina at the southwestern end of the island. Glossy Bay opened in 2017 with 26 superyacht berths, depths to 4m, and capacity for up to 100m LOA on the outer wall; the 30 to 40m bracket fits comfortably on the inner berths. Canouan is the upmarket hub of the central Grenadines, anchored by the Mandarin Oriental Canouan, the Pink Sands Club at Godahl Beach, and the Tom Fazio-designed golf course on the southern hills. The bracket holds 6 to 12 yachts at Glossy Bay on a peak-season Saturday and supplies the southern Grenadines through the marina's chandlery and provisioning network.
Why Canouan is the upmarket Grenadines base
Canouan's positioning is precise: 1,260 hectares of land, roughly 1,800 residents, two hotel groups (Mandarin Oriental and Soho Beach House through the Pink Sands Club affiliation), one marina, one golf course, one airport (CIW) handling private jets up to G650 on the 5,800-foot runway, and one customs and immigration desk that clears charter yachts in and out of the Grenadines without a Bequia or St Vincent detour. The combination of the deep-water marina, the private-jet airport, and the upmarket land hospitality makes Canouan the Caribbean's most operationally tight base for high-end charter weeks below St Barths.
Charter clients who want the dressed dinner ashore at the Mandarin Oriental, the morning golf round, the access to the airport without a connecting flight, and the moor-and-walk to a beach club book Canouan. Charter clients who want a deeper Caribbean texture book Bequia.
What the Canouan cruising area offers
Godahl Beach and the Pink Sands Club. The marquee western beach, 800m of white sand, the beach club lunch and afternoon swim. Reached by tender from Glossy Bay or by short transfer overland from the marina.
L'Ance Guyac and Carenage Bay. The two northern anchorages on the leeward side. L'Ance Guyac is a daytime swim stop; Carenage Bay is the alternative anchorage if the wind shifts and Glossy Bay is exposed.
Mandarin Oriental Canouan. The five-star resort on the central western coast. Dining access, spa access, and the golf course are open to Glossy Bay residents on the visitor framework, captain-arranged.
Tobago Cays. 8 nautical miles south of Canouan. The marine park is the marquee daytime excursion from the Canouan base. Captain runs the 60 to 90 minute push at first light, lunch and snorkel at Horseshoe Reef, return to Glossy Bay or push down to Mayreau for the second night.
Mustique. 12 nautical miles north of Canouan. The standard one-night or two-night excursion. See the 30-40m Mustique page for the Britannia Bay mooring framework.
Weekly rates from Canouan in 2026 winter
Ranges below are for peak season (mid-December through mid-April) before APA at 25 percent and gratuity at 15 percent. Glossy Bay berth fees for the 30 to 40m bracket run $400 to $750 per night peak. St Vincent and the Grenadines cruising-permit fee at 2 percent of charter fee.
| LOA bracket | Motor yacht (low to high) | Sailing yacht and motor-sailor (low to high) |
|---|---|---|
| 30 to 33m | $96K to $114K per week | $70K to $94K per week |
| 33 to 36m | $110K to $128K per week | $84K to $112K per week |
| 36 to 40m | $126K to $140K per week | $100K to $130K per week |
Canouan rates run 3 to 5 percent above Bequia for the same yacht and the same week, on the strength of the marina infrastructure and the upmarket positioning. Christmas-New Year prices at 1.6 to 1.9 times the published peak; the Glossy Bay New Year is heavily booked, with marina slots taken 9 to 12 months in advance.
What this bracket does in Canouan
Quay berths. Glossy Bay Marina inner wall handles the bracket easily. Mediterranean-mooring on the eastern face for 30 to 36m, stern-to on the southern face for 36 to 40m. The marina provides shore power (50Hz and 60Hz), pump-out, fuel, and the chandlery. Wi-Fi is functional but not fast.
Anchorages. L'Ance Guyac on the central western coast and Carenage Bay further north are the two leeward anchorages. The bracket does not anchor on the Atlantic windward side; the eastern coast is closed to charter operation.
Tenders. Two tenders is standard. The Canouan tender ops reward a fast tender for the Tobago Cays day-trip and a comfortable tender for the Pink Sands Club lunch.
At-anchor stabilizers. Required for the Tobago Cays and Mustique anchorages. Glossy Bay Marina berth is calm.
Provisioning. Strong for the Grenadines. The marina runs a chandlery with depth on Mediterranean-quality dry stores, the local fresh produce comes from the St Vincent ferry on Tuesday and Friday, and the Mandarin Oriental kitchen will sell prepared items to yachts on request, captain-coordinated. The bracket can run a 10-night charter without a Bequia or St Lucia provisioning detour.
Trip shapes that work
The 7-night Canouan round-trip with Tobago Cays and Mustique. Two nights Tobago Cays, two nights Mustique, two nights Bequia, one night Glossy Bay disembark. The standard central Grenadines week starting and ending at Canouan.
The 7-night Canouan to Bequia loop. The reverse rotation, embarking at Glossy Bay and disembarking at Port Elizabeth or vice versa. Useful for groups with one half flying into Barbados-Bequia and one half flying into Canouan direct.
The 10-night Canouan to St Lucia one-way. The longer northbound arc. Embark Glossy Bay, two nights Mustique, two nights Bequia, three nights St Vincent and the Pitons of St Lucia, three nights Marigot and Rodney Bay, disembark Castries. The case for clients who want the upmarket Canouan start and a deeper Caribbean push north.
What does not work at this bracket in Canouan
The flexible day-by-day week. Canouan is reservation-driven: Glossy Bay berth, Mandarin Oriental dining, Pink Sands Club beach access, and the golf round are all advance-booked. Charter clients who want a walk-up Caribbean week book Bequia.
The deeply local Caribbean week. Canouan's residential and hospitality scale is built around the upmarket residential community; it is not the place for the Caribbean village texture. Clients who want that texture book Bequia or Carriacou.
The pure sailing week. Glossy Bay is built for motor yachts; sailing yacht inventory exists but is thinner than at Bequia or St Lucia. The marina depth and the trade-wind sea state make Canouan a strong motor-yacht base.
What to book
For a couples-only 7-night Canouan round-trip in late February: a 36m motor yacht with at-anchor stabilizers, two strong tenders, and a captain with the Mandarin Oriental and Pink Sands Club arrangements. Berth at Glossy Bay for the embarkation, push to Mustique and Tobago Cays for the middle 5 nights, return to Glossy Bay for disembarkation. Budget: $128K plus APA, all-in roughly $185K. Booking lead time: 7 months.
For a family of 10, a 10-night Canouan to St Lucia one-way in mid-January: a 38m motor yacht with full tender complement, an at-anchor stabilizer package, and a captain who has worked the northbound Grenadines arc with a Pitons stop. Budget: $205K plus APA, all-in roughly $297K. Booking lead time: 8 months.
What sits next to this page
The neighbouring siblings are 30-40m Bequia, 30-40m Mustique, 30-40m Grenadines, and 30-40m St Lucia. For destination editorial, see Charter Grenadines and Charter Caribbean. For the Grenadines case, see Best Grenadines charters and Caribbean charter weekly rates.
Land-side context is on VillasForKings Canouan and HotelsForKings Canouan.