I’d like to share some information and news from the yachting industry with you. It‘s mostly links to interesting stories and news bit from around the globe, regarding new builds, sailing regattas and races, charter destinations and opinions on what’s happening in our treasured industry.

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I’d like to link you to an interview I had with Kim Kavin about the boatshow in Poros, Greece I visited last month. You can find the article here.

The superyacht sailing season will be kicked off by the Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta in Sardinia hosted by the prestigious Yacht Club Costa Smeralda. The line-up is impressive and the social program will be glamorous.

Then just when you’ve caught your breath from racing in Porto Cervo you should dash over to Palma de Mallorca where The Superyacht Cup is gearing up for its annual regatta from June 24 – 27. It is, as they claim, the longest running superyacht regatta in Europe. It is an incredible spectacle with many well known superyachts participating in this fun race. It has a staggered start which means that the slowest boat will start first and the fastest last. Result is they all get to the finish line at the same time, which makes good watching for spectators.

And here a link to another article of Charterwave on cruising in the Balearics.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it me if you’d like to charter a yacht in Porto Cervo or Palma de Mallorca to watch these regattas.

The International Superyacht Society (ISS) is seeking nominations from the yachting industry and yachting public for its annual recognition programs. You can read more about this here.

Sarah Meek from The Yacht Report writes about the plans from the Tahitian Port Authorities to improve the security and services for Superyachts visiting Papeeta during this cruising season. You can read more about it here.

Also from The Yacht Report is the update on the launch of the 65.22 m Feadship Trident by Royal Van Lent Shipyard. I might be biased being Dutch but Van Lent is a very good yard!

This is it for today. I will keep you posted on news from the yachting industry.

Gertrud

PS Don't forget to visit our website Charter Experience for a wide array of luxury yachts available for charter and sign up for our email updates.

Please visit the website of Charter Experience for a selection of luxury yachts available for charter.

I will soon do a post on my favourite charter yachts but this yacht deserves a bit of private attention. MY Sherakhan is I think my most favourite charter yacht at the moment. I've known the (also Dutch) General Manager Jan Verkerk for a long time and have followed him and his yacht progressing from being a bare hull to this most amazingly luxury vessel.

Sherakhan is almost 70 mtr of sheer luxury and abundance. Whether it be the incredible dining room or the amazing luxurious cabins or the onboard Spa (see picture left) the interior design is quite spectacular.

The crew of MY Sherakhan is among the best you will ever find on a charter yacht and they will make sure that everything will happen before you even finish thinking about it!

She takes an amazing 26 guests in 13 luxury cabins (there are not many yachts that take more than 12 guests) and her summer destination will be the Eastern Mediterranean. 

Her weekly rate is EURO 380,000 plus expenses.

Please contact us ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) for more information and the availability of MY Sherakhan.

Gertrud

I just come off an amazing "little" boat in Palma de Mallorca, the yacht charter hub in the West Med. Champagne O Clock is a 86' Falcon and has an amazing amount of space for a yacht this size and she is legal to charter in Spanish waters.
What do you get for your EURO 40,000 + 16% VAT and expenses?

A fully refitted, refurbished yacht in excellent condition with lots of space for 8 guests in 4 cabins. You can have a master with a King size bed, a VIP with King size bed and the other two cabins can be converted in either double or twin! any configuration is possible.
The sound system is up to date and you will find iPod docking stations throughout the yacht. The power showers are brand new and fantastic!

I don't think I've ever seen such a huge fly bridge on this size yacht. A perfect place to lounge and enjoy sun drenched days in Ibiza and sneak over to Formentera for a swim in the bluest water in the Med.

You better hurry in booking this gem! She's almost fully booked for this summer but still has a couple of gaps for you to grab and enjoy a week of Spanish life style in the fantastic Balearic Islands.

Contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Gertrud

Please visit the Charter Experience website for a wide array of luxury charter yachts.

The following press release has been issued by Sardinia-based companies Luise Group and Sardinia Yacht Services in reaction to the cancellation of the luxury tax in Sardinia, which will affect superyachts visiting the island and comes at the perfect time for those vessels looking to charter in and around it: Sardinia Yacht Services, the concierge and maritime agency services in Sardinia for Luise Group, is pleased to communicate that the Sardinia Luxury Tax that has been in effect since 2006 has been cancelled.

On Wednesday, 6 May, the local regional government of Sardinia approved Article 2 of the Financial Regional Act. The approval of this act effectively cancels the law known as the “luxury tax” in Sardinia. This tax was felt throughout the tourism industry and had a negative effect on the local tourism economy. Il Consorzio Rete dei Porti Sardegna (The Consortium of Sardinian Touristic Ports) is pleased about the cancellation. In the past three years there has been a decline of approximately 50 per cent in the number of yachts present in Sardinian ports. The law, which has now been cancelled, stipulated that yachts berthed in any port in Sardinia had to pay up to 15,000 euros for their sojourn.

This tax had a visibly negative result on Sardinia’s image as a premier vacation destination worldwide. As other regions in the Med are actively trying to promote their regions, in particular with regards to high quality tourism, this tax in Sardinia had the exactly opposite effect. Fulvio Luise, Managing Partner of Luise Group commented today, “This is a very significant step forward for everyone who works in the yachting and luxury sector in Sardinia. Despite our best efforts in the past three years to help clients understand this tax, we faced enormous challenges and incurred a drop of approximately 20-25 per cent each year in superyachts travelling to Sardinia.”

Renato Azara, Managing Partner of Sardinia Yacht Services said, “We have been working very closely with the local authorities for the past three years, first in trying to have modifications made to the law and secondly in its cancellation. We were successful on both points.

The megayacht industry is an important economic component of Sardinia’s tourism industry and we are very pleased that we have a positive relationship with the local authorities and that they have a full understanding of the potential of this market for Sardinia.”

The above means that Sardinia is again a very sought after destination this summer. Be quick to book your charter yacht for the early weeks of August. In one of my earlier posts (which is here) you can find a great itinerary for Sardinia and Corsica. There is much to see and do and enjoy. Contact us for your booking This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Gertrud

PS meanwhile i have arrived in Palma de Mallorca on the Balearic Islands and shall inspect the local fleet here and report back to you.

The traveling for me has not yet come to an end. I am preparing to go to Palma de Mallorca to inspect the charter fleet based in the Balearics. You can find some more information on chartering a luxury yacht in the Balearics on our website. In the picture you see MY Mizar, one of the yachts I will be seeing and many others that are permanently based in Palma and are legal to charter in Spanish waters.

Spain has a special stipulation for yachts and commercial activities. Therefor any yacht willing to take on paying charter guests has to have a special charter license. Consequence is that the owner has to charge 16% VAT on the charter fee. or many years the charter industry has been lobbying to change this situation and bring it in line with the French and Italian situation but until the law is changed we can only offer yachts that are legal to charter in Spanish waters. Luckily the fleet is growing every year. The number of yachts and the quality is absolutely increasing.I shall report back with my findings and some real gems that are still available for this summer!

Having lived and sailed in Palma de Mallorca for 6 years I can wholeheartedly recommend the Balearics as charter destination and we know where to go and what to do!

Our Charter Experience is your free local knowledge.

Contact us ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) for more information on chartering in Spain or check our website for a wide array of luxury charter yachts.

Gertrud