Sailing & Watersports: Water-sports
A guide to watersports and water-based activities in Tobago
The seas off Tobago are no place for weekend sailors or for those with less than expert knowledge of the area. Insurance costs are prohibitive and as a result visitors will be unable to hire “serious” motorised or non-motorised sailing vessels of any type.
Visitors can, however, hire small catamarans, dinghies, windsurfing and kitesurfing equipment and jet skis, from several sources. The safest place to conduct any of these activities is inside Buccoo Bay, which is normally accessed via Pigeon Point. This area provides clean wind and calmer seas, due to the protection of Buccoo Reef. Visitors must be careful not to venture too far out to sea – fatal accidents are not unknown.
The following list represents the most reliable water-sports services on Tobago and we should advise some degree of caution before considering anyone not listed here. We particularly recommend Pigeon-Point-based Radical Sports and Charlotteville-based Tobago Sea Kayak Experience. Details of both are provided below.
Hold your mouse over any Reader Satisfaction Rating (RSR) for further information. Click on the RSR rating to cast your own 'satisfaction' with those services you have experience of.
RSR 
Gone Against
New for the 2005/2006 season is Gone Against, an 18-foot powerboat operated by Greg Downes and offering waterskiing, wakeboarding and donut rides, plus personalised charters for up to five passengers.
Gone Against is based at Pigeon Point and the waterskiing and wakeboarding are both conducted in the calm waters of the Bon Accord Lagoon. The donut rides (sitting in a circular ring-like float which is pulled along by the boat) are conducted anywhere along the coast, because it is more fun to have a little sea chop to bounce around in.
Based At: |
Pigeon Point |
Website: |
- |
Telephone: |
(868) 786-8213 (Cell) |
Email: |
RSR 
Radical Sports
Radical Sports is Tobago's leading watersports service. They are based
at Pigeon Point, and offering windsurfing, parasailing, wake-boarding, water skiing,
banana boat and ringo rides, using a 31-foot boat custom-built for
parasailing and licenced to carry 12 passengers. They also rent single and double sit-on-top kayaks, ideal for visiting the mangroves in Bon Accord Lagoon and No Man's Land.
Radical Sports is owned and managed by Rikky Knowles, one of the director's of World of Watersports, so although the business is new, the pedigree is well established.
Based At: |
Pigeon Point |
Website: |
|
Telephone: |
(868) 688-2628 |
Email: |
RSR 
Trinidad & Tobago Surf Experience
Based in the Surf Shack at Pleasant Prospect, Dominic Ferdinand's Trinidad & Tobago Surf Experience is a surf school and shop. Their website claims "Trinidad and Tobago Surf Experience is the only surf school/rental/surf holiday company in both Trinidad and Tobago. Our goal at TTSE, is to provide you (the avid surf enthusiast or the curious first timer) with a fun filled, surf experience designed for both holiday makers and locals alike. All of our instructors are enthusiastic teachers with years of surf experience and safety training under their belt.
Based At: |
The Surf Shack, Pleasant Prospect |
Website: |
|
Telephone: |
(868) 355-5691 |
Email: |
Most of the big hotels have a selection of small dinghies and kayaks. These are normally only available to resident guests but it could be worth approaching them to see if you can hire one.
