Big Changes Coming to BoatyBall Next Season – Here’s What You Need to Know

The British Virgin Islands are magical — turquoise waters, steady trade winds, and endless adventures waiting just beyond the next mooring ball. Here at BoatyBall, our mission has always been simple: make your BVI charter easier, safer, and more fun. We’ve been listening to feedback, studying what works (and what doesn’t), and getting ready for our busiest season yet. As part of that preparation, we’re rolling out some important changes for next season that will improve your overall experience, increase safety and security, and help keep the BoatyBall system running smoothly for everyone. Let’s walk through what’s new, why we’re doing it, and what it means for you as a member of our boating community.

1. Time to Re-Enter Your Credit Card Information – Here’s Why

This is one change you’ll notice right away — everyone will need to re-enter their credit card details before booking next season. Why? We’ve partnered with Stripe, one of the largest and most trusted credit card processing companies in the U.S., to take advantage of their newest security upgrades.

One of the biggest improvements is 3-D Secure credit card authentication, which allows your bank to validate your charge instantly. This extra verification layer helps protect you from fraud, ensures your payment goes through smoothly, and keeps our system safe from misuse.

This upgrade isn’t just about payment processing — it’s about peace of mind. You can trust that your transactions are secure and that we’re doing everything possible to protect your account by transitioning to Stripe’s 3D security.

2. Moving to a $15 Annual Paid Membership

For next season, all members will need to pay $15 for their annual BoatyBall membership in order to reserve a mooring.

We know — nobody loves paying for something that used to be free. But this small change will have a big impact. Over the last year, we’ve seen a massive spike in fake or duplicate accounts, which creates false demand at 7:00 AM every morning when reservations open.

This false demand makes it harder for real boaters to get the mooring balls they need and creates frustration across the system.

Here’s how the $15 annual membership helps:

• Eliminates fake accounts – The small fee weeds out bots and non-serious users.
• Improves security – If someone violates our terms or behaves poorly, we’ll have a verified account to track and take action on.
• Reduces demand pressure – With fewer fake accounts, real boaters have a better shot at securing a mooring.

Already a Boaty Crew member?

Good news — if you’ve already paid and signed up for Boaty Crew, your membership will automatically transfer to the new paid membership platform. Your existing membership will remain active for up to 12 months from your original signup date.

For example:

• If you signed up on January 1, 2025, your paid membership will be valid until December 31, 2025.
• When it expires, you’ll simply renew on the new platform to continue enjoying your benefits.

In short, this is about protecting the integrity of the system and improving the experience for everyone, while making sure our current loyal members are taken care of during the transition.

3. Membership Comes with Serious Perks

The $15 membership isn’t just about security — it also unlocks some great benefits for you. Here’s what’s included:

🚤 AeroMD Medical Evacuation Service

Every paid member will be automatically covered by AeroMD, a trusted medical evacuation service in the BVI. If a true life-threatening emergency occurs and a clinician deems transport necessary, AeroMD can get you to a hospital equipped to handle your needs. For more details, check out our full blog on AeroMD

⚓ Boaty Crew Online Community

Your membership makes you part of the Boaty Crew, our exclusive online community for charter guests. You’ll be able to:

• Join live planning meetings to help map out your dream BVI trip
• Share tips, photos, and recommendations with other boaters
• Get insider updates from the BoatyBall team before anyone else

🚨 Boaty Alarm – Early Mooring Detection System

Safety at sea starts with knowing when something’s wrong. Members will have access to Boaty Alarm, our early detection system that alerts you if your boat drifts outside the geofence of your mooring. That means you can respond quickly before a small problem becomes a big one. Learn More

🎁 Exclusive Member Incentives & Discounts

We’ve teamed up with charter companies, restaurants, and bars across the BVI to give our members extra perks, including:

• Discounts on charters
• Free drinks at partner bars through the BoatyBall Bar Hop program (More to come!)
• Special giveaways like…

🏝 The Big One – Win a Free Week on a Brand-New Voyage 510!

All paid members who sign up before October 12, 2025 and have a current membership will be entered into a raffle to win a free week aboard the brand-new Voyage 510. We will be doing the raffle on October 12, 2025 at the Annapolis Boat Show. That’s right — you could be sailing the BVI on a luxury catamaran for zero dollars. To learn more read our blog on this amazing give-away!

Why We’re Making These Changes

Our goal has always been to help you spend more time enjoying your vacation and less time stressing about logistics. But in recent seasons, the rise of fake accounts, excessive system demand, and security vulnerabilities have been chipping away at that goal.

Here’s what these changes will accomplish:

• Better booking experience – Less false demand means better availability for real boaters.
• Increased safety – From payment protection to early mooring drift alerts, your trip will be safer.
• Stronger community – Membership creates a sense of belonging and helps us reward loyal boaters.
• More fun – With giveaways, discounts, and bar hops, you get more out of your BVI adventure.

What You Need to Do Before Next Season

1. Re-enter your credit card info when prompted — this will ensure your account is set up with Stripe’s new security features.
2. Upgrade to the $15 paid membership to unlock benefits and keep your booking access.
3. If you’re already a Boaty Crew member, relax — your membership will transfer over until your current 12-month term ends.
4. Mark your calendar for October 12, 2025 — sign up before then for your chance to win the Voyage 510 charter.
5. Read our AeroMD blog to understand how the medical evacuation coverage works.
6. Check out the Boaty Crew once you’re signed up — join a live planning meeting and start connecting with other boaters.

Final Thoughts from the BoatyBall Team

We know change can feel a little uncomfortable at first, but every one of these updates is designed with you in mind — to make your BVI boating experience smoother, safer, and more rewarding.

From secure payments to exclusive perks, from reducing booking stress to giving away dream vacations, we’re committed to making BoatyBall the best part of your trip planning.