Trimarine Cuan Law
Story and Photos by Gary P. Joyce
 

A couple of miles off the southern coast of Tortola the easterly tradewinds are blowing at a steady 20 knots. The crew hurriedly runs about the deck cranking winches and constantly keeping a watchful eye on the telltales. It could easily have been a scene from a hard fought battle in the America's Cup Race, except most of us were enjoying a rum punch and watching the huge mountains in the sea pass.

We were on a 105-foot trimaran, Cuan Law (CUE-en law), slicing through the blue-green waters of the Sir Francis Drake Passage in the British Virgin Islands. This not-so-little trimaran and the waters around the British Virgin Islands put things in a completely different perspective. The Cuan Law is a luxury 105-foot aluminum trimaran, and in my book there's not a finer way to introduce yourself to live-aboards.

This luxury trimaran is an amazing vessel and it's not fair to classify this live-aboard among the rest, it is truly in a class of its own.

The boat has 10 two-person cabins, each with its own individually controlled air-conditioning unit, private bathroom with freshwater shower and standard flushing toilet. The main salon is a huge lounge area with comfortable couches much like your own living room. A fully stocked honor bar and plenty of books and games from the library keep even the non-divers busy. There's even a phone aboard.

Divers visit some of the very best underwater sites in the BVI diving from two 20-foot, 85-hp rigid-hull inflatable boats. Diving or snorkeling from the Cuan Law is just as easy from the two oversized dive ladders at the end of the ama hulls. A wash-down station for dive gear and separate rinse tanks for cameras are located on the huge dive-staging deck and are the first thing you'll encounter on reboarding after a dive.

In between dives you'll find plenty of water toys to keep you busy. Some of these include two 14-foot Hobie cats, three kayaks and water skis, and, of course, there's always plenty of beachcombing available. Tanks and weights are new with plenty of 80s and 63s aboard so you can dive as much as you safely can. Rental Sea & Sea and Nikonos equipment are available and there is E-6 processing aboard. Custom personal videos of your week's vacation are also fun to have.

Then there's the food. We're talking honest-to-God gourmet here, folks. Classic sit-down dinners of several courses and buffet breakfasts and lunches, all served under a canopy on the very roomy rear deck.

Diving the BVI varies from typical Caribbean to extraordinary. You'll see a year's worth of critters and coral no matter where you go, and there's always the prospect of running into humpbacks in the winter season. You'll see huge jewfish and culebia snapper, green and spotted morays, southern stingrays, eagle rays and just about everything else you'd ever hope to see. And if you're a serious wreck diver there are plenty of historical sites to visit.

The Cuan Law divers get on the famous wreck of the Rhone before the day boats arrive, and you'll just be finishing your dive when the crowds start rolling in. You'll night dive there, maybe get out to the Chikuzen one morning, stay at or visit incredibly beautiful anchorage's off Salt, Peter, Norman, Ginger and Cooper islands and throw a beach bash at the Baths on Virgin Gorda. The crew will pamper you and perhaps let you take the wheel at the helm for just a flash of the excitement that comes from sailing this beautiful tri. If you want a great live-aboard experience, you won't want to miss the Cuan Law.

For more Information on the Cuan Law, contact: Trimarine: (stateside address) P.O. Box 4065, St. Thomas, VI 00803.