First Impression: Golden Compass

Date toured: May 2010

I was invited aboard the 151-foot Picchiotti motoryacht Golden Compass for a stunning six-course luncheon prepared by Sardinian chef Severino Contu. I had the pleasure of being seated next to Capt. Fernando Silvano, a Uruguay native who recounted the yacht’s uniquely interesting history.

She launched in 1982 with the name Southerly and had an Indian owner who kept her for private use only. In October 2008, the current owner, a Seattle resident, became her second or third owner. He immediately began an intensive refit designed to prepare her for what the owner considered his trip of a lifetime. The owner brought Silvano onboard in February 2009, and the refit was completed in September 2009.

Then, Golden Compass did some serious cruising.

She started in the Bahamas and moved from there to Santo Domingo, Puerto Rico, the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Colombia, the Northern Caribbean Islands, the Southern Caribbean Islands, Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao. From there, Golden Compass cruised the eastern coast of Brazil and went up the Amazon River, nearly to the border with Peru.

“The owner left the boat for Christmas and New Year’s Eve,” Silvano said, “but other than that, he was on the boat with us, even for some of the long passages.”

The result is a crew who know how to achieve top-level service and cuisine even in the most remote locations. They also have the skills to get things done virtually anywhere that charter yachts typically cruise. Silvano alone speaks five languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and French.

Golden Compass herself reminded me of an Errol Flynn boat, with furniture that creates an adventurous atmosphere. I almost felt as though some of the pieces could tell stories about their adventures in places like Morocco and Rio de Janeiro. Everything from the side tables to the wine glasses emanated a feeling of worldliness.

Silvano said the owner is currently deciding where to enjoy his next world cruise. The yacht will spend this winter in the Indian Ocean, and summer 2011 will find Golden Compass in either China, Japan, and Vietnam, or in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Burma.

No matter which route the yacht takes, the charter opportunities should be unique.

Golden Compass is part of the International Yacht Collection charter fleet. She takes 12 guests with 10 crew at a weekly base rate of $130,000. Any reputable charter broker can tell you more or help you book a week onboard.—Kim Kavin