BoatyBall is the online reservation system that lets you guarantee a mooring in the British Virgin Islands instead of gambling on a first come, first served buoy. Reservable moorings opens at 7:00 AM local time, and the smartest move is to create an account and join BoatyCrew before you ever leave the dock. The program covers three mooring types, Reservable, First Come First Serve (FCFS), and Day Use, so knowing which one you’re tying to matters as much as knowing when to book.
- Reservable moorings become available at 7:00 AM local time, with a four-minute payment window that requires prior account setup and payment method saving.
- Accurate vessel details, including draft and length, are essential for selecting suitable moorings, especially during high demand periods in popular bays.
- Prices for reservable moorings are usually around $55 per night, with FCFS and Day Use options costing less; identification involves matching buoy numbers or stickers.
- Proper mooring etiquette includes tying only to balls confirmed by your reservation, using appropriate gear, and reporting damaged moorings to avoid conflicts and fines.
- Pre-arrival planning and coordination with yacht charter services help secure moorings without last-minute rushes, especially in peak season or for high-demand anchorages.
Table of Contents
- How Does the BoatyBall Mooring System Work?
- Step-by-Step: Booking a BoatyBall Mooring Before 7:00 AM
- Where Are BoatyBall Moorings Located in the BVI?
- Didn't Get a BoatyBall? Don't Change Your Itinerary Yet.
- BoatyBall vs. First-Come, First-Served Moorings
- When Should You Arrive for a First-Come, First-Served Mooring?
- You Don't Need BoatyBall to Cruise the BVI
- Once You Reserve a BoatyBall, When Can You Arrive?
- What Happens If Someone Is On Your Reserved BoatyBall Mooring?
- What Do BoatyBall Moorings Cost, and How Do You Tell Them Apart?
- Mooring Etiquette: How to Avoid Fines, Fights, and Bad Holding
- Additional BoatyBall Benefits: Mooring Oversight, BoatyAlarm and AeroMD
- Should You Snorkel Your Mooring Ball?
- How Virgin Charter Yachts Helps With Mooring Planning
- How Do Cancellations and Refunds Work?
- Who Can Use BoatyBall, and Do You Need a Membership?
- Our Advice: Don't Let BoatyBall Dictate Your BVI Vacation
- Book a BVI Charter With Mooring Planning and Concierge Support
- Sources
How Does the BoatyBall Mooring System Work?
BoatyBall runs on a map interface where color and shape tell you everything before you get close enough to read a sign. Orange, numbered balls are reservable. White buoys with orange stickers are First Come First Serve (FCFS). Everything updates in near real time, so a mooring that shows available at 6:58 AM can vanish by 7:01.
The release schedule is the whole game. Reservable moorings go live at 7:00 AM local time, and the moment you tap “Reserve,” the system holds that specific ball for you for four minutes to complete payment. Miss the window and it goes back into the pool for the next person watching their screen.
Once payment clears, the website generates a confirmation with your mooring number, and that number becomes your proof of right to the ball. The map reflects your hold immediately, showing the mooring as taken so other boats scanning the bay know not to bother.
A few things worth knowing before your first login:
- Reservable access typically requires one paid BoatyCrew membership per vessel, not per person.
- The map lets you scout multiple bays at once, useful when your first choice is likely to sell out fast.
- Confirmations arrive by email and on the website, so check both if one seems slow to load.
BoatyBall’s own team has described the platform as a shift from an arrival-based, first-in-line system to a cloud-native reservation model built specifically to cut down on the dockside scramble that used to define BVI mooring life.
Pro Tip: Although people frequently refer to the BoatyBall “app,” reservations are made through the BoatyBall website, so there is no separate BoatyBall reservation app you need to download before your charter.
Step-by-Step: Booking a BoatyBall Mooring Before 7:00 AM
Getting a mooring in a high-demand bay like Cooper Island is less about luck and more about preparation. Here’s the sequence that actually works.
Before you arrive:
- Create your BoatyBall account and enter your vessel details, including length and draft in advance
- Add a payment method to your profile so nothing needs typing during the live window.
- Join BoatyCrew if you want membership perks and smoother access to reservable balls.
- Confirm the time zone conversion for 7:00 AM local (Atlantic Standard Time) against your phone’s clock.
At release time:
- Log in and open the map five to ten minutes early, well before the clock hits 7:00.
- Zoom into the specific bay you want and identify the orange, numbered ball.
- Tap the mooring, hit Reserve, and complete payment within the four-minute hold.
- Screenshot or note your confirmed mooring number and check your email for the receipt.
Pro Tip: Practice the tap-to-payment sequence on a slow morning first. Fumbling through a saved card entry during a live four-minute window is how good moorings slip away.
If payment times out, the hold releases automatically and someone else can grab the ball, so you’ll need to search again immediately. And if you’ve already tied up to a buoy that turns out not to carry a BoatyBall number or sticker, untie and move. That’s not a reservable or FCFS mooring, and staying put can put you in a dispute with its actual owner.
Where Are BoatyBall Moorings Located in the BVI?
BoatyBall is available at a number of popular destinations throughout the British Virgin Islands, but there is one important thing to understand:
Just because you don't get a BoatyBall reservation does not mean you can't go to that destination.
Many BVI mooring fields have a combination of orange reservable BoatyBalls and traditional first-come, first-served (FCFS) mooring balls. If all of the reservable BoatyBalls disappear from the app at 7:00 AM, there may still be first-come, first-served balls available when you arrive.
BVI BoatyBall Locations
| Location | Reservable BoatyBalls | First-Come, First-Served Moorings |
|---|---|---|
| Cooper Island | Yes – 20 | Yes – 20 |
| Leverick Bay, Virgin Gorda | Yes | Yes |
| Saba Rock, Virgin Gorda | Yes | Yes |
| Oil Nut Bay, Virgin Gorda | Yes | Other mooring options may be available |
| Setting Point, Anegada | Yes | Yes – traditional FCFS moorings are also available in the harbor |
| Diamond Cay, Jost Van Dyke | Yes | Yes |
| B-Line, Little Jost Van Dyke | Yes | Yes |
| Little Harbour, Jost Van Dyke | Yes | Yes |
| Great Harbour, Jost Van Dyke | Yes | Other moorings are available in the harbor |
| Cane Garden Bay, Tortola | Yes | Other moorings may be available |
| Soper's Hole, Tortola | Yes | Other moorings are available |
| Marina Cay | Yes | Yes |
The number and availability of moorings can change, and not every first-come, first-served mooring in a bay is necessarily operated by BoatyBall. Always verify current mooring information when you arrive.
Didn't Get a BoatyBall? Don't Change Your Itinerary Yet.
This is one of the biggest misunderstandings we see with guests who are new to chartering in the BVI.
You wake up at 6:55 AM, open the BoatyBall app and try to reserve a ball at Cooper Island. At 7:00 AM everyone starts clicking and, a few moments later, all of the reservable balls are gone.
That does not mean Cooper Island is full.
Cooper Island is a great example. The mooring field has 20 reservable BoatyBalls and 20 traditional first-come, first-served moorings. If you don't get one of the 20 reservable balls, you can still cruise to Cooper and try to pick up one of the 20 FCFS balls.
The same concept applies at several other popular BVI destinations. BoatyBall represents only part of the available mooring inventory in many bays.
BoatyBall vs. First-Come, First-Served Moorings
There are essentially two ways to secure an overnight mooring in many BVI bays:
Reservable BoatyBalls allow you to reserve a specific numbered orange mooring through the BoatyBall app. Standard reservations become available at 7:00 AM BVI time, and your reservation runs from noon that day until noon the following day.
First-come, first-served moorings cannot be reserved in advance. If the ball is available when you arrive, you can pick it up and follow the payment instructions for that particular mooring.
The advantage of BoatyBall is certainty. Once you have successfully reserved your ball, you don't need to race across the BVI hoping to find a place to stay that night.
The advantage of FCFS balls is that not getting a BoatyBall doesn't automatically eliminate a destination from your itinerary.
When Should You Arrive for a First-Come, First-Served Mooring?
Timing matters, particularly during the busiest charter weeks.
If you don't have a reservation and you're heading to a popular destination such as Cooper Island, we recommend arriving earlier in the day rather than waiting until late afternoon.
During peak periods, popular mooring fields can fill quickly. During quieter periods, you may have considerably more flexibility.
This is also one of the reasons we encourage guests not to make their BVI itinerary too rigid. Weather, sea conditions, crowds and mooring availability can all influence where it makes the most sense to spend the night.
You Don't Need BoatyBall to Cruise the BVI
BoatyBall is a very useful tool, but it is important to keep it in perspective.
There are many excellent BVI destinations and mooring fields that are not dependent on BoatyBall at all. Norman Island, Peter Island and other popular stops have traditional mooring options outside the BoatyBall reservation system.
If your preferred BoatyBall destination sells out at 7:00 AM, you generally have several choices:
- Continue to the destination and arrive early enough to look for a first-come, first-served mooring.
- Choose another nearby mooring field for the night.
- Adjust the order of your itinerary and visit that destination another day.
One of the best parts about a BVI yacht charter is how close the islands are to one another. Missing a BoatyBall reservation should rarely ruin your plans.
Our Advice After 30 Years of BVI Charter Experience
At Virgin Charter Yachts, we've been operating yacht charters in the British Virgin Islands since 1996. Our advice is simple: use BoatyBall as a helpful tool, not as the system that dictates your entire vacation.
Try for a reservation at destinations where having one gives you peace of mind. If you get it, great. You can enjoy your day knowing where you'll be spending the night.
If you don't get one, don't panic.
Check the first-come, first-served options, consider arriving earlier, or ask our team about the best alternative for that day's conditions and itinerary.
And regardless of whether you're on a reservable BoatyBall or a traditional first-come, first-served mooring, we recommend snorkeling your mooring whenever conditions safely allow. Visually inspect the pennant, line and visible connections before relying on the mooring overnight.
A reservation tells you that the ball is yours for the night. It doesn't replace good seamanship.
Once You Reserve a BoatyBall, When Can You Arrive?
For standard BoatyBall reservations, available moorings are released at 7:00 AM BVI local time. When you select an available orange mooring in the app, BoatyBall holds it for four minutes while you complete payment. Once payment is complete, your reserved mooring appears as a red flag on the map, and you will receive a confirmation email.
One important detail: reserving a ball at 7:00 AM does not mean you can immediately occupy it.
BoatyBall's check-in and check-out time is 12:00 noon. Your reservation gives you the right to use that specific numbered mooring from 12:00 PM on the day of your reservation until 12:00 PM the following day.
For example, if you reserve BoatyBall #12 at Cooper Island at 7:00 AM on Tuesday, the boat that reserved that ball for Monday night has the right to remain on it until noon Tuesday. Your reservation begins at noon Tuesday, and you can remain on the ball until noon Wednesday.
You can certainly arrive in the area before noon, but you should not expect your reserved ball to be available before the 12:00 PM check-in time. If the previous boat leaves early and the ball is vacant, that may make an earlier arrival possible, but the prior night's guest is entitled to use it until checkout.
When you arrive, make sure the number on the orange BoatyBall matches the number in your reservation. Your reservation is for a specific ball, not simply any available orange ball in that mooring field.
What Happens If Someone Is On Your Reserved BoatyBall Mooring?
Your BoatyBall reservation begins at 12:00 PM, so the boat that reserved your ball the previous night is entitled to remain on it until noon.
If you arrive after noon and another boat is still occupying your reserved ball, first double-check that the number on the orange mooring matches the number in your reservation.
Do not simply pick up another orange BoatyBall. That ball may be reserved for another boat.
If you have the correct ball, politely let the other captain know that you have it reserved and show them your confirmation. Often it is simply a misunderstanding or someone who has lost track of the noon checkout time.
If the boat refuses to move or there is a dispute over the reservation, contact BoatyBall for assistance rather than getting into a confrontation. BoatyBall specifically prohibits boats from occupying reservable moorings they have not reserved, and violations can result in suspension of the boat and account.
If your reserved mooring is unavailable, BoatyBall's terms provide options for resolving the situation, which may include locating an alternative mooring or issuing a refund.
A Simple Way to Remember BoatyBall Times
7:00 AM: Standard reservations open for that day's moorings.
12:00 PM: The previous night's reservation ends and yours begins.
12:00 PM the following day: Your reservation ends and the ball needs to be available for the next boat.
This means that once you've secured a BoatyBall at 7:00 AM, you don't have to immediately race to your next destination. You can enjoy your morning knowing that your mooring will be waiting for you beginning at noon.
What Do BoatyBall Moorings Cost, and How Do You Tell Them Apart?
Reservable moorings run around $55 per night, while FCFS moorings typically cost $30 to $40. Prices shift by location and season, so always check the app for current numbers before you commit.
Identification matters as much as pricing. Here’s what to look for on the water:
- Reservable: orange buoys with visible numbers, matching the number on your confirmation.
- FCFS: white buoys marked with orange stickers, no number reservation required.
- Day Use: yellow-striped buoys meant for daytime stops, not overnight stays.
If you’re heading into a bay known for heavy traffic, book reservable in advance. If you’re making a spontaneous stop for lunch or a swim, FCFS or Day Use is the practical call. Either way, confirm your vessel’s draft against the posted depth. A mooring ball is only useful if your boat actually clears the seafloor at low tide. The maximum length to be on a mooring ball is 60.'
Pro Tip: Payment procedures vary depending on who operates the mooring. BoatyBall-managed moorings can be paid through the BoatyBall system, while many traditional first-come, first-served moorings throughout the BVI are still collected locally, often by someone who comes through the mooring field by dinghy. Sometimes this needs to be paid in cash, so it is good to keep some cash on hand. Always check the markings and payment instructions on the specific mooring you are using.
Mooring Etiquette: How to Avoid Fines, Fights, and Bad Holding
Never tie to a reservable, orange, numbered mooring unless the number matches your own confirmation. That ball belongs to someone else the second they’ve paid, even if no boat is on it yet.
A few habits keep you safe and in good standing with other boaters and with the marine operators who maintain these fields:
- Use a proper pendant and chafe gear; a bare line through a mooring eye wears through fast in a rolling anchorage.
- Check tide tables before committing to a shallow mooring field, especially near coral heads.
- Report a damaged or frayed mooring line to the operator rather than using it and hoping.
Pro Tip: If a mooring field looks crowded and you can’t confirm a ball’s status from the boat, circle once before committing. A few extra minutes beats an argument with the vessel that actually reserved it.
Mooring fields exist partly because they reduce anchor damage to the seabed, and that only works if boaters respect the numbering system instead of treating open buoys as fair game.
Additional BoatyBall Benefits: Mooring Oversight, BoatyAlarm and AeroMD
The ability to reserve a mooring is the feature most charter guests associate with BoatyBall, but there are additional benefits that we think are worth knowing about.
BoatyBall works with its participating mooring providers to maintain and inspect the moorings within its network. No mooring system can ever be guaranteed, and conditions underwater can change between inspections, but having an organized system of maintenance and oversight provides an additional level of confidence when choosing an overnight mooring.
BoatyCrew members also have access to BoatyAlarm, BoatyBall's mooring monitoring system. Once you're secured to a mooring, you can establish a safe zone around the yacht. The system can alert you if the boat moves outside that designated area.
Another valuable benefit of a paid BoatyCrew membership is access to AeroMD medical evacuation coverage. Under the current program, eligible members can receive up to 12 months of medical evacuation coverage, subject to AeroMD's terms and eligibility requirements.
If an eligible member experiences a qualifying medical emergency and is hospitalized as an inpatient in Tortola or the USVI, AeroMD can arrange medically necessary fixed-wing air and/or ground transportation to an appropriate hospital in Puerto Rico or Florida.
For guests spending a week cruising throughout the BVI, we think this is a membership benefit worth knowing about before your trip.
BoatyCrew membership also currently includes access to a 24/7 medical concierge service, participating merchant discounts and other member benefits.
Should You Snorkel Your Mooring Ball?
Regardless of whether you pick up a reservable BoatyBall or a traditional first-come, first-served mooring, we recommend visually inspecting your mooring whenever conditions safely allow.
Once the yacht is securely attached and settled, put on a mask and snorkel and inspect as much of the mooring system as you can see. Look for excessive wear or chafe on the pennant and visible lines, inspect visible shackles and connections, and follow the mooring toward the bottom if the depth and visibility safely allow.
If something looks badly worn, damaged, disconnected or simply doesn't look right, don't assume it will be fine overnight. Move to another suitable mooring and report the questionable ball to the mooring operator.
Professional installation and regular maintenance are important, but underwater equipment is exposed to weather, waves, corrosion and heavy loads every day.
The captain is ultimately responsible for the safety of the vessel, so a quick visual inspection is always good seamanship.
How Virgin Charter Yachts Handles Mooring Reservations for You
Pre-arrival mooring planning is a routine part of how some yacht charter teams prep a charter. Some crews build mooring strategy into the broader trip plan instead of asking guests to sprint through an app at sunrise.
That includes:
- Recommending which bays to target based on season, guest preferences, and current demand.
- Coordinating BVI mooring reservations alongside provisioning and itinerary planning.
- Advising on backup bays when a first-choice mooring is likely to sell out.
For guests chartering a crewed yacht, this kind of planning is folded directly into the crewed charter experience, where a captain familiar with current mooring demand can adjust the itinerary on the fly. It’s the difference between hoping a bay has room and knowing it does before you round the point.
How Do Cancellations and Refunds Work?
Cancellation policies on reservable moorings are tied to how far in advance you cancel, similar to how most reservation-based travel services operate. The general principle across BoatyBall’s reservation model is straightforward: cancel with enough lead time and you’re more likely to see a refund or credit; cancel last minute and you’re less likely to.
Because reservable balls are limited and released on a strict daily schedule, canceling early actually matters to other boaters too. A mooring you release at 6:00 AM the day before is far more useful to someone else than one you abandon at 6:55 AM the morning you were supposed to arrive, since it may not free up in time for anyone to grab it before the day’s new inventory drops.
Refund specifics, including exact windows and any processing fees, are best confirmed directly in the app at the time of booking, since policies can be adjusted seasonally based on demand in specific bays. If you’re chartering through an operator who handles reservations on your behalf, ask them directly how changes to your itinerary affect any mooring already booked. That’s one advantage of having a local team manage the reservation: adjusting a mooring booking around a shifted itinerary is a phone call, not a solo negotiation with an app’s cancellation window.
Who Can Use BoatyBall, and Do You Need a Membership?
Anyone with a vessel visiting BVI waters can create a BoatyBall account and view the mooring map. Access to reservable, high-demand moorings is where membership starts to matter.
BoatyCrew membership is generally required, or at least strongly recommended, for full access to reservable balls, and it typically works on a per-vessel basis rather than per person. That means one paid membership usually covers everyone aboard, so you’re not stacking memberships across a crew of six.
Membership brings more than mooring access. BoatyBall documents perks like medical evacuation coverage and local incentive programs, sometimes called Bar Hop rewards, that reward members for visiting partner establishments around the islands. For a family or group planning a week or more on the water, the medical evacuation benefit alone is worth reading closely before you decide whether membership is optional.
Eligibility itself isn’t restrictive. You don’t need a BVI cruising permit in hand before creating an account, and you don’t need to own your vessel outright, chartered boats qualify the same way. What you do need is accurate vessel information entered ahead of time, since draft and length affect which moorings are even suitable for your boat.
If you’re chartering rather than sailing your own vessel, confirm with your charter operator whether mooring reservations and any required membership are handled on your behalf or fall to you directly. That single question saves a lot of confusion on your first morning in the islands.
Our Advice: Don't Let BoatyBall Dictate Your BVI Vacation
BoatyBall is a great tool for cruising the BVI, but don't worry if you don't get the reservation you wanted at 7:00 AM. A sold-out BoatyBall location does not necessarily mean the destination is full.
Many of the most popular bays throughout the BVI also have traditional first-come, first-served mooring balls, so you can still head to your preferred destination and try to secure one of those. During busy weeks, we recommend arriving earlier in the day if you are relying on a first-come, first-served ball.
You also don't have to spend every night on a mooring. Many BVI marinas offer overnight dockage, which can be a great addition to your itinerary — particularly if you would like to step ashore for dinner, replenish supplies, enjoy marina facilities or simply have the convenience of being tied to a dock for the evening.
Most importantly, don't let mooring availability dictate your entire BVI vacation. The islands are close together, plans are easy to adjust, and there is almost always another great option nearby.
If you're chartering with Virgin Charter Yachts, you don't have to figure it all out on your own. Our concierge team is always happy to help you plan your itinerary, talk through the best options for that day's destination, and assist with marina and dockage reservations when needed.
After 30 years of operating charters in the BVI, one of our best pieces of advice is simple: have a plan, but stay flexible. Use BoatyBall when it makes your trip easier, take advantage of first-come, first-served moorings when it doesn't work out, and remember that sometimes changing the plan leads to one of the best days of your charter.
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