Bareboat and crewed charters with well-maintained boats like Nordic Tugs and Grand Banks for exploring the Pacific Northwest.
Cruise-and-learn courses and orientations to build confidence and skills for safe, enjoyable sailing adventures.
Assistance with purchasing quality boats, offering expert advice and a selection of vessels for sale.
Comprehensive maintenance and repair services to ensure all charter and owned boats are in top condition.
Personalized assistance from staff like Robin and Rob for itinerary planning, provisioning, and on-water guidance.
We have been lucky enough to charter with NW Explorations seven times out of their Sidney location and their old Granville Island location. We started off with a few cruise & learn courses on board their boats with capable instructors, and have graduated to bareboat charters. All our charter experiences have been terrific - the boats have always been well equipped and outfitted with everything that we could need. The staff have been easy to communicate with during trip planning, orientation, while underway and at debrief. Looking forward to booking our next adventure! Photo of our May, 2024 adventure on 44' Catalina About Time, when we were lucky enough to experience an aurora show while moored at Ganges Harbour.
Our 2 week charter of the 42' Nordic Tug, Pilot House in Desolation Sound was truly spectacular. The boat performed flawlessly and was quite comfortable for our group of 4 people. Robin was very helpful and responsive in the months leading up to our trip, and Rob did a great job getting us familiarized with the boat systems when arrived in Powell River. I brought a lot of my own boating essentials charts, guidebooks etc, only to find that Pilot House had most of those items on board. Everybody agreed that it was the best vacation ever!
Thank you to Rob and the team for facilitating an amazing experience!! We chartered Simply Dreaming out of Powell River and explored Desolation Sound. The boat was awesome!! Tons of room for our family (2 adults, 3 kids - 13,11,8) and super well maintained. Can't wait for next year's adventure!! Thanks again!!
Great yacht charter from the Powell River base. Rob Bombadir, the Base Manager, couldn’t have been more helpful. The boat was well prepared and clean. Powell River is a great place to begin an adventure to Desolation Sound and the Broughtons and we spent the most magical two weeks exploring it. We would highly recommend Rob and the Powell River base to begin your charter from. We are returning in 2025 and very much hope to use the NW Explorations Powell River base again.
Wow, what a great experience. Emo, Sarah and the rest of the in office staff are a pleasure to work with. Andrew checked us out on the boat systems in such an efficient and relaxed way. Navigator, the 42 Grand Banks is a wonderful boat, the perfect size for Just the two of us, and handled wonderfully. The San Juan Islands have so much to Explorer and are so beautiful. My only advice is don't bring too much food because the resort restaurants are fantastic.

Your gateway to unforgettable Pacific Northwest boating adventures—charter, learn, and explore with confidence.
No photos available
NW Explorations offers comprehensive yacht services including charters, sales, training, and maintenance from bases in Bellingham, WA, and Powell River. We specialize in providing well-equipped, meticulously maintained boats like Nordic Tugs and Grand Banks for adventures in Desolation Sound, the San Juan Islands, and beyond. Our expert team, including base managers like Rob Bombadir, ensures seamless trip planning, thorough orientations, and responsive support. Whether you're a novice seeking cruise-and-learn courses or an experienced sailor ready for bareboat charters, we deliver exceptional experiences with a 4.8/5 rating from satisfied customers.
Claim NW Explorations Yacht Charters, Sales, Training & Service to update business info, respond to reviews, and access analytics.