About CYI

Lauren Hodgins, the founder of Caribbean Yachts International, has chased adventure for years. After graduating from college with a degree in biology, she put her freshly printed diploma on the shelf and went off in search of a more exotic lifestyle. Her adventures started with two duffel bags (one, hilariously, stuffed with a rather large VCR/DVD player), excellent knowledge of service and fine dining, an open water dive certification from Australia, and a one-way ticket to St. Thomas. She started work in a dive shop where she earned her Divemaster, then made the switch to the water by working on day charter boats.

One fine evening, she met a handsome, seasoned sailor who convinced her to go cruising with him on his 32 foot sailboat, Maoti. She soon moved aboard (ditching the huge dvd player in the process) and they began working together on crewed yachts as captain and chef. Today, they’re married and co-manage a private luxury yacht charter along with raising their two boys and border collie on the beautiful island of St. Thomas.

To date, Lauren has sailed over 8,000 nautical miles in the beautiful Caribbean and beyond, and has explored 5 continents and counting. She has sailed to Venezuela and back, explored the Virgin Islands extensively, crossed the Gulf of Lion, sailed the Whitsunday Islands, and made the voyage from St. Thomas to Charleston, SC 3 times. After 16 years of life in the islands, she is delighted to share the perfect weather, excellent cuisine, vibrant culture, and turquoise waters of the Caribbean with her yacht charter clients.

Culebrita, Spanish Virgin Islands

Taking a dip in the warm, crystal clear water is part of an every day routine when you live in the Caribbean. When they lived aboard their sailboat, Lauren and Ken would have a salt water “shower hour” just in time to watch the sun go down from their cockpit with a toddy in hand.

Cruising the Caribbean

Lauren and Ken sailed Maoti, their 32 foot Bristol, for years with their border collie, Jake. Picture this: 2 type A overachievers who both know they are right all of the time. Squeeze into a space smaller than most bedrooms and add a hyperactive border collie. Douse with copious amounts of salt water, shake well. Expose to stressful situations. Bake for months at a time. Freeze occasionally. Not a recipe one would think would lead to domestic tranquility.