Through many years of hard work and a sterling reputation for honesty, Commander Nicholson and his sons promoted the growth of the yacht charter industry -- even advising and assisting in the upstart of many competing charter companies. Nicholson has continued to thrive and grow to become the major player it is today in the yacht charter industry.
The V.E.B. Nicholson office in English Harbour offers yacht services and yacht charters worldwide, as well as organizing the world's largest charter yacht show each December, posing a tremendous benefit to Antigua's economy. In the 1970's Nicholson established a retail charter office in Boston, Nicholson Yacht Charters, and in 1992 opened an office in Newport for its busy clearinghouse division, offering charter management services for upwards of 70 yachts sail & power ranging in size from 50 to the 250 modern clipper ship Stad Amsterdam.
Throughout the years the Nicholsons have encouraged Antiguans to become involved in yachting and many can be found crewing on yachts worldwide as well as operating prosperous marinas and yacht service businesses in Antigua. Antiguan born Sylvia Weston is well known and respected throughout the yachting industry and has been a charter broker with Nicholson Yacht Charters for nearly 40 years! According to Desmond Nicholson, Newporters Robert H. Goddard and Hope Goddard were the first most faithful yacht charterers at English Harbour at the start of Antigua's yacht industry.
Later they were sponsors of the yacht Freelance, Antigua's entry for the 1976 Tall Ship's Race and also of Hugh Bailey, one of the leading Antiguan yachtsmen, for which he later received an award Order of the British Empire. Constantly seeking ways to nurture its ties with Antigua, the Nicholson Newport office annually collects items to be donated to churches and schools on her sister-island.
In the fall children's summer clothing, books or educational supplies (as well as nautical books for Desmond Nicholson's Dockyard Museum Library) are collected and arrangements made for the items to be carried to Antigua on their yachts heading south for the winter season. The items are in turn distributed to local churches by the Nicholson Antigua office. Blessed with ideal conditions for sailing, constant winds, superb marinas and fine holding grounds to anchor or moor, Antigua and Newport are names synonymous with legendary yacht races. The America's Cup Races were held in Newport from the 1930's until the Cup was lost to Australia in 1983.
Each island hosts many other world-class sailing races, maritime events and superb vacationing opportunities during their respective high seasons. Antigua's harbors hum with activity from the festive start of the Nicholson Charter Yacht Show, the traditional kick off of the Caribbean yachting season. Now in its 42nd year, it is the oldest & largest charter yacht show in the world, and is held annually early each December, showcasing the world's finest power and sailing charter yachts to brokers from all over the world.
The prime Caribbean yachting season continues through the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta and Antigua Sailing Week from mid April to early May each year, following which yachts begin their annual migration to summer cruising grounds typically New England (primarily Newport) and the Mediterranean. The government of Antigua, aware of the significant contribution of the Nicholson family to the history and present economy of the island, has recently presented Rodney & Desmond with awards of recognition and dubbed the annual Nicholson Charter Yacht Show a National Treasure.
The Nicholson office in Antigua continually works closely with the Antiguan government to improve all aspects of service and hospitality for visiting yachts. In early March of this year a major project was begun on restoration and fortification of the sea wall in historic Nelson's Dockyard. Well under way at this writing, the project also includes improved shore power facilities & amenities for yachts, electricity will include 380 volts, three phase at 125 amps to 125/250 volt, single phase at 50/100 amps. Telephone and cable TV connections will be added as well.