Tahiti is a good base from which to explore more Society islands.

French Polynesia offers world class sailing, private boat chartering, and marine touring opportunities. Because of its strategic location to anybody crossing the Pacific Ocean, Tahiti Island and her Capital city of Papeete have become an important stopover and resupply point for both small and large scale vessels.

The island of Tahiti itself is and has been a popular boating destination for years past for obvious reasons...

Perhaps most important of these is to serve as a place for sailers and yachtsmen to recharge their batteries after many days at sea and refresh themselves before embarking on further journeys to other surrounding Society islands. It's also amazingly picturesque and a quick 11 mile jaunt to Moorea, her closeby sister island.

There are also a handful of Marinas and anchorage areas on Tahiti as well as a deep water harbor in Papeete for the largest of vessels.

Tahiti is also home to a sailing center, French Polynesias finest marine repair services and parts stores, and a few yachting clubs too.

This page is your starting guide to all the sailing, boat charter, and marine information of the Society archipelago of Tahiti Polynesia.

Please note this page under construction. ( Much of the information and details on it for now are credited to Noonsite.com, "The Global Site for Cruising Sailors")

Sailing & Boat Charters

Tahiti is a homebase for many sailing and boat charters that travel throughout the various archipelagoes that comprise French Polynesia for a number of reasons, the most obvious one being access to the city of Papeete, and all the businesses and energy that exists there.

Another reason is that Tahiti has several harbors, yachting services, boatyards, marinas, (including the largest marina in French Polynesia known as Marina Taina, located just outside of Papeete), and assorted other businesses catering to just about any boaters or sailors needs and desires. (See the links below for more details.)

Below is a list of sailing and boat charter companies for you to experience the Tahitian waters with... Cruising around the waters of Tahiti or Moorea islands, taking a daytour to the atoll of Tetiaroa, or planning a sailing excursion to the famous Raiatea and Tahaa lagoon are just some of the options you can choose from.

Tahiti Sun Travel Recommends:

A Blue Island

P.O. Box 10105, Paea, 98711- TAHITI
Telephone- (689) 77.94.10, or (689) 43.74.85
Contact: Francine Passal
E-MAIL & Bookings

A bespoke cruise, setting off from Tahiti.. Organized in the heart of the Society Islands by sailing and yachting devotees, this polynesian sailing adventures specialist combines delightful Polynesian discoveries, breathtaking landscapes, with a passion for sailing that goes far beyond your wildest Polynesian dreams.

A fleet of 3 top quality sailing vessels to choose from, depending on your sailing fantasy, await your discovery.

Please see our website for all the details.

Clearance

Before entering or departing Papeete harbour all yachts must contact the Port Captain on Channel 12 or 2683 kHz. On arrival in Papeete one must report first to Immigration, then to Customs, then to the Harbour Master's office, all of which are in the Bureau des Yachts, Quai des Paquebots, close to the tourist office on the waterfront in Papeete.

Yachts sailing or motoring to and from Taapuna, west channel, or Marina Taina must request permission to cross the airfield axis east or west 10 minutes before doing so by calling VIGIE on VHF Channel 12.

Permission should be obtained for any cruise which takes a yacht more than 50 miles from Tahiti. On departure yachts must clear with customs and immigration and apply for a permit to leave from the harbour master.

Resources for help are listed here:

Customs Office
Tel:+689 420122
Opening Hours: Monday-Thursday 0700-1445, Friday 0700-1330

Harbour Office
Tel:+689 505451/505482 , Fax:+689 433612
Opening Hours: Monday - Thursday 0715-1130, 1215-1600, Friday 0715-1130,1215-1500

Immigration Office
Tel:+689 424074 , Fax:+689 424074
Opening Hours: Monday-Friday 0800-1200,1330-1600

Polynesia Yacht Services
Laurent Bernaert offers a very comprehensive range of services to cruisers, including help with clearance and other formalities.

Docking

There is no marina in Papeete harbour, but with the recent upgrades on the waterfront there is water and electricity. Visiting yachts dock stern to the quay along Boulevard Pomare, a busy avenue in the heart of Papeete. Although noisy, most people prefer to stay here as it is only a few steps from the market, post office, banks, restaurants and the various offices. Hurricane chains have been laid in the harbour and occasionally yachts foul their anchor on them.

There are several other places outside Papeete used by those staying longer, such as the anchorage in front of the Beachcomber Hotel, close to the airport. Taina Marina on Tahiti's west coast, is administered by the Papeete Port Authority. All dock spaces are occupied by local yachts, although there is a visitor's quay for large yachts and also anchoring space available for visitors who must make arrangements with the management to use the marina facilities.

Theft has become endemic on boats moored along the quay. Any boat that does not take the precaution of pulling themselves away from the quay at night, or even during the day while away, and locking themselves in at night, will be robbed. The Port Captain has acknowledged the problem but no additional security has been assigned.

The Tahiti Water Ski Club (ski nautique club de Tahiti) uses the Maeva anchorage so boats should take care not to anchor or drive dinghies through their waterski area.

Resources for help are listed here:

Bounty Yacht Quay
Papeete
40 berths for yachts up to 15m and 20 berths for larger yachts. Water and electricity to all berths. Restaurants, shops, chandlery and Clubhouse planned for 2004.

Marina Taina
13003 Punaauia Tel:+689 410225, Fax:+689 452758, VHF Channel 9 Mainly aimed at the resident motor cruiser market. Papeete Harbour (Quai des Yachts) Papeete Centre Tel:+689 505451, Fax:+689 433612, VHF Channel 12

www.portoftahiti.com
This busy quay is right in the centre of Papeete, close to all facilities. Water, electricity and toilets. The holding is in mud.

Port Autonome de Papeete
Tel:50 54 54 , Fax:42 19 50 You can dock (Med-moor) in the center of town if you can obtain a space or anchor (Med-moor) along the shore a little further.

Tahiti Nautic Center
PK58 Taravao, BP 7305 , 98719 TARAVAO Tel:54 76 16, Fax:57 05 07
Marina with docking, repair and haulout facilities. 15 ton cradle, chandlery, sail and engine repair, boatbuilding.

Yacht Clubs
Association de Voiliers en Polynesie BP 4880 Papeete, Tahiti Tel:(689) 74 10 02
Call Michel, the president, on Teva 3 on VHF CH 69 in Maeva Beach anchorage.

This association was created in 1981 to help visiting cruising sailors and to protect the rights of sailors in French Polynesia. Since 97, the association tries to keep the Maeva Beach anchorage open to passing boats. It can also inform you about the "etiquette" in the anchorage and the latest security and theft problems. The association organizes and promotes events like nautical flea markets, beach cleanups, potlucks, boat parades, etc. It maintains close contacts with the written press and local television to inform the local population about cruising, living aboard, rallies and other cruising related info. AVP maintains a trash disposal container at the disposition of cruisers who are welcome to join the association or give a donation.

Yacht Club de Tahiti
PK 4.5 Arue Tel:(689) 42 78 03 , Fax:(689) 42 37 07 , VHF Channel 06

Located in Arue, 5 km east of Papeete, the Tahiti Yacht Club is a welcoming and friendly yacht club with an active racing fleet. The Club docks are full with local boats, and often do not have spaces for visitors; anchoring space is also limited, so one should contact the club first on VHF channel 6 and ask for advice. The manager, Michel Alcon, is very helpful.

Charts

There are many places to buy current, up to date charts for Tahiti and her surrounding Polynesian islands, and any sailor worth his salt knows that having up to date charts is always well worth the investment.

To get updated charts for Tahiti and closeby Moorea, we recommend these 3 places:

Specify: Society Island Archipelago- French Polynesia.

South Pacific Weather

TST is always on the lookout for the boater's and yachtsmen's most popular choices for dependable and accurate online weather forecasting for sailing and boating in the Polynesian islands.

Here's a good source for English speaking sailors and yachstmen: Weather.org's South Pacific Forecast

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