Date toured: May 2007

There’s a little trend—well, a micro-trend, if that—happening over at Fraser Yachts Worldwide. One of my favorite in-house fleet managers over in Europe, I’m told, has been given the green light to satiate her love of classic sailing yachts by bringing a few into the charter fleet.
I realized this after attending two back-to-back boat shows in May. One was the show in Poros, Greece, where the 125-foot, restored 1921 build Aello left me drooling, she was so pretty. The other was the show in Genoa, Italy, where my jaw literally dropped as I got my first look around the 151-foot, restored 1920 build Lulworth.
These beautifully and painstakingly rebuilt sailing yachts often get a lot of attention on the docks because of their spectacular style, but they’re a tough sell for charter brokers because so many people nowadays want sleek, fast motoryachts. Walking around a boat like Lulworth, to many people, feels like strolling through a museum. The rooms are smallish, the deck seating isn’t always as plush as on new builds, and, well, it really does feel like you’re onboard your great-grandfather’s yacht.
I happen to be a sucker for the classics, so none of those things bother me. Just the opposite: They make me want to hit the water for a day of sailing just the way the Rockefellers and Vanderbilts used to do it (and at a top speed of 19 knots—yes, Lulworth is fast). No big-screen plasma TV in every cabin? No problem. I enjoy a long night’s worth of conversation followed by a good book, just like my great-granddaddy used to back in the day.
Another thing that I think makes classics like Lulworth worth a look is the price. Usually, you get a heck of a lot of yacht for the money, since the rates are far lower for classic yachts than for newer ones in the same size range. In Lulworth’s case, that translates into 70,000 euros per week for eight guests with 12 crew, a phenomenal ratio for good service at a price you’d be hard-pressed to find on other 151-foot boats, sail or power.
If you want to learn more about chartering classic yachts in general, check out this story posted in the CharterWave Helpful Articles section.
For specific information about chartering Lulworth, contact any reputable charter broker.—Kim Kavin