Nicole Caulfield is licensed, bonded, and a longtime member of FYBA and AYCA. She brings a unique perspective as a broker, having worked aboard yachts for nearly 10 years. Email Nicole
Beverly Parsons has been chartering since 1969. She is a licensed, bonded broker and a founding member of the professional groups AYCA and CYBA International. Contact Beverly.
Sharon Bahmer is an expert at booking charters in the Americas, from Alaska to Brazil. She's also a member of FYBA and CYBA. E-mail Sharon
Trina Howes has 10 years of experience in the charter industry finding great pleasure in creating the best yachting vacations possible. E-mail Trina
DJ Parker has been a leader in the charter industry since 1980. She is currently president of the American Yacht Charter Association. E-mail DJ
Greece Economic Woes Expected to Affect Charter Rates, Yacht Owners This Summer
A new increase on VAT rates is expected to affect the price of yacht charter vacations this summer in Greece, where charter brokers are also predicting stricter enforcement of existing charter license regulations and a cruising tax.
The news comes in the midst of continuing economic problems in Greece, where the budget deficit is reportedly 12.7 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product. The European Union limit is 3 percent. In an attempt to get the fiscal deficit under control, Greek authorities are cutting civil servant salaries, freezing pensions, increasing value-added tax rates, and calling for additional scrutiny on taxes that are seen as primarily affecting the wealthy, such as the August 2009 cruising tax.
The mid-March VAT increase is expected to change the rate of taxation from 4.5 percent to 5 percent for anyone who charters a yacht in Greece. Broker Costa Lourandakis of Ocean Independence tells CharterWave that the increase is expected to apply to charters that already have been booked for this summer, even if the VAT was 4.5 percent at the time the charter contract was signed.
For a €25,000-per-week yacht, the new VAT would add €1,250 to the charter fee. At a €50,000 base rate, the new VAT would be €2,500, and at €100,000, the new VAT would be €5,000.
“I am hoping that many yacht owners will decide to absorb this half-percent increase,” Lourandakis said. “Some are already saying that they will. Others are waiting to see. Even some brokers might absorb that small fee increase on charters for this season.”
Meanwhile, the newly released monthly newsletter from the charter broker professional association CYBA International states that the Greek yachting industry “feels besieged.” The country is expected to show renewed oversight of its charter licensing rules, which encourage the use of only Greek-flagged yachts in Greek waters (thus diminishing competition and, some would argue based on past practices, the quality standards of charter yachts in Greece).
At the same time, brokers are anticipating additional scrutiny concerning the payment of an August 2009 cruising tax, which the CYBA newsletter says makes owners of 114- to 230-foot yachts responsible for annual payments in the €12,000 to €72,000 range. This, the newsletter implies, makes it less likely for owners to offer their yachts for charter in Greece when they can locate them elsewhere and forgo such taxes.
New Trend in Charter Yacht Discounts?
As the saying goes, when you see something happen twice it might be a coincidence, but the third time makes it likely that you're seeing a trend.
This appears to be the case with a new type of discount being offered aboard large motoryachts worldwide. Instead of offering straight discounts and price breaks, several motoryachts are now offering deals that give you a discount off a second or third week of charter if you book a single week at full price.
In March, Northrop and Johnson send word that the 161-foot Trinity motoryacht Zoom, Zoom, Zoom (part of the International Yacht Collection charter fleet) is offering a 50-percent discount off the second week of a Mediterranean charter if you book a week at full price for this summer. The first week is priced at a base rate of $245,000, and the second week is being offered at a base rate of $122,500.
A similar deal was available in March for summer Mediterranean charters booked aboard the 160-foot Delta motoryacht NewVida, which is part of the charter fleet at Fraser Yachts Worldwide. NewVida offered 50 percent off the second week of two-week charters if the first week was booked at full price.
Also in March, Fraser Yachts said the 111-foot Inace motoryacht Sudami is offering the same discount structure on steroids. Anyone who books a charter in the Bahamas, Florida, or the Caribbean before July 31 can pay the regular weekly base rate of $68,500 for the first week, a 50-percent discounted rate of $34,250 for the second week, and a halved again base rate of $17,125 for the third week.
Charter Yachts Win Big at Heineken Regatta, St. Barth’s Bucket
The idea of chartering a yacht for a racing regatta got a big boost during the month of March, when chartered yachts took top prizes at premier Caribbean events such as the Heineken Regatta and the St. Barth’s Bucket.
At the Heineken Regatta in Sint Maarten, the 72-foot Andrews sailing yacht Safara took first prize in its class (Non Spinnaker 1) as well as the trophy for the Fastest Non Spinnaker Around the Island Race. Safara, which is shown in the photograph at right, was chartered for the event by broker Carolyn Titus of Northrop and Johnson Worldwide Yacht Charters, who says regatta charters are ideal for adventurous vacationers at all levels of sailing experience.
“You don’t have to be full-on racing people to do this type of charter,” Titus told CharterWave in this exclusive interview. “In events like the Heineken Regatta, there is a cruising class. It is different from racing class. There’s enough racing to keep everybody entertained and active, but you don’t have to overdo it. For instance, It can be one race a day as opposed to two or three. And the race days themselves aren’t going to crush you. During the Heineken Regatta this year, our second day of racing didn’t start until 1:45 in the afternoon. We lounged around all morning, raced, and then went out to enjoy a party at night. It’s a nice combination of racing activity and leisure.”
Later in March at the St. Barth’s Bucket, the 136-foot J-Class sailing yacht Ranger and the 154-foot Perini Navi sailing yacht Andromeda la Dea took first and second place, respectively. Andromeda la Dea also won the Perini Award.
Ranger is part of the Northrop and Johnson charter fleet with a lowest weekly base rate of $90,000 for eight to 10 guests, while Andromeda la Dea is part of the Churchill Yacht Partners charter fleet and is offering a reduced weekly base rate of $115,000 for eight or nine guests through the remainder of the Caribbean season.
For a taste of what it's like to sail aboard Ranger, check out the second half of this video that CharterWave's editor shot off the coast of Antigua:
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Marina Deadline Extension for Monaco Grand Prix Raises Eyebrows about Demand
Brokers from Antibes to Antigua raised an eyebrow last month when Hercules Port, which is ground zero for the annual Monaco Grand Prix, extended the deadline for yachts to apply for slips from February 28 until March 15.
The Monaco Grand Prix is one of the premier yacht charter events in the Mediterranean each summer. Traditionally, there are waiting lists for slips because so many yachts want to be inside the marina for the event, even when slips have reportedly cost as much as €30,000 for a single week.
A Hercules Port spokeswoman told CharterWave that the application deadline was extended because of “internal organization.” When asked whether that meant that not enough applications had been received to fill all the berths during the 2010 Grand Prix, the spokeswoman said no, that it instead meant the port was “still going through the applications that are already received.”
Even still, the idea that a deadline extension was deemed necessary struck some charter insiders as noteworthy.
“I’ve never heard of it happening before.” YCO Marketing Director Lisa Peck said. “It’s always been overbooked. It’s definitely unusual.”
Charter in the Land of “Twilight: New Moon”
There’s much buzz in the United States right now about a vampire movie called “Twilight: New Moon,” which is being released on DVD and is poised to break the $300 million mark on earnings. Just in time for the new round of hype, Pacific Northwest-based CEO Expeditions is offering a Twilight Tour as a day trip, bringing charter guests to the real-life areas associated with locations in the movie.
You can catch a few glimpses of the stunning scenery in this trailer for the film:
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CEO Expeditions, which is based in Washington state, is making its Twilight Tour available during San Juan Islands charters aboard its 100-foot motoryacht Katania and its 120-foot motoryacht Kayana. Company President Bruce Milne explains:
“The Twilight Tour is designed to help people see the natural wonder of the area. The movie has helped draw attention to Puget Sound and the Olympic Peninsula, specifically the Forks where the fictional Cullens live and La Push, the home of the Quileute tribe profiled in the movie.
“The San Juan Islands, where we cruise, are at the end of the Strait of Juan De Fuca, the same waters the tribe fished. Forks is in the only rain forest in the continental United States, which is why the Cullens liked it (vampires: no sun). It’s also home to primeval, old-growth forests and rough, windswept, raw ocean beaches where all the action in the movie happened. It's magical.
“Our itinerary is to cruise to the closest major port, Anacortes, or to nearby Port Angeles, where the movie ‘An Officer and a Gentleman’ was filmed. From either location, guests are shuttled to the sites of the Twilight series, namely Forks and La Push. We then spend the night in port, with sightseeing or shopping the next day. There will be a fishing option as well, either salmon or river fishing.”
Milne says he expects the Twilight Tour to add about 10 percent to traditional expenses such as food and fuel, to cover additional cruising fuel, port fees, tour guides, and the like. Weekly base rates for Kayana and Katania are up to $105,000 per week for 12 guests.
Three Brokers Say: Hot Charter Yachts for Summer 2010
Charter brokers are reporting increased inquiries for summer 2010 bookings compared to this time last year, when the market was being rocked by the global recession. The rising interest led us to ask three charter brokers for their opinions about some of the best yachts that are still available for summer bookings.
Big Fish to Launch, Charter in Tahiti. These renderings are of the 147-foot expedition motoryacht Go Fish, which is scheduled to launch from the McMullen and Wing shipyard in New Zealand next week. The images came my way courtesy of Auckland-based 37 South, which says “it is difficult to find adjectives” to adequately describe the yacht and the charter experiences that she will offer beginning this July in Tahiti… Read more …
Best of the CharterWave Sponsored Blogs
Yacht of the Day is Dragon. From the Paradise Yacht Charters sponsored blog. This is definitely ONE SEXY DRAGON! She is the motoryacht Dragon, a 137' Palmer Johnson launched in 2007. Heads turn whenever she pulls into port. Jump on board and be the envy of all those on other yachts… Read more …
Motoryacht of the Month: Samar
Our editor scored a one-on-one tour with the captain of the 254-foot Samar, whose weekly base rate of €650,000 makes her one of the world's most exclusive charter yachts. The yacht, which was the talk of the docks at the December 2009 Antigua Charter Yacht Show, just may offer more interior volume and classic décor opulence than any other motoryacht available for charter in the world.
This newly posted, exclusive CharterWave feature brings you onboard to give you a look at everything from the personal body dryers in the master bathroom to the chilled-water cool-down pool adjacent to the hot tub on the sundeck. (And just look at all that stunning artwork in the photograph of the main salon!)
Sailing Yacht of the Month: Swallows and Amazons
Also one of the most well-received yachts at the December 2009 Antigua Charter Yacht Show, the 77-foot sailing yacht Swallows and Amazons is a new launch from French builder CNB. Her crew are highly experienced in the charter industry, and her well-traveled chef (shown in the photograph at right) offers menus that are filled with fusion and international cuisines.
Our exclusive review provides details along with a discussion of the yacht’s flexible guest accommodations for different types of charter parties.
Captain of the Month: Chris Young
Chris Young has been a captain aboard charter motoryachts for the past decade, following a career running scuba diving boats in the South Pacific.
This month, he takes CharterWave readers aboard his current command, the 139-foot Feadship motoryacht Never Enough, which has oversized entertainment areas, a substantial onboard satellite system for Internet access, and even its own golf ball-shooting cannon. (Now that's something we haven't seen anywhere else on the global charter scene!)
Our editor was treated to a gourmet luncheon prepared by Chef Kin Hong aboard the 150-foot Trinity motoryacht Vita. Hong showed off a highly noteworthy skill for charter cooking: the ability to offer guests choices, not only when it comes to the main course, but also to the appetizers and desserts at every single meal.
Check out our interview with more enticing food photos by clicking here. That's Hong's ricotta gnocchi with sautéed Caribbean prawns in the photograph at right, and yes, it tasted just as good as it looks.
Charter Broker of the Month: Natasha Smekalina
Natasha Smekalina owns the New York City-based charter agency Nemo Yachts, which she opened after many years of working as a luxury travel agent and a charter broker with Edmiston and Company. She now works with clients worldwide, making good use of her international connections and multilingual sills in English and Russian.
Learn more about Smekalina and the types of charters she books by reading our exclusive interview, which is newly posted on CharterWave this month.
Fleet and Management Company News
37 South welcomes the 147-foot expedition motoryacht Go Fish to the charter fleet. She is expected to launch in early April from the McMullen and Wing shipyard and New Zealand, and then become available for charters in Tahiti beginning in July…
Absolute Yachting tells us the 112-foot sailing yacht Troia is offering eight days for the price of seven, or 13 days for the price of 10, for charters this summer in Greece. The lowest weekly base rate is €28,000 for 12 guests…
Atalanta Golden Yachts says the 115-foot Falcon motoryacht Helios has been delivered brand-new from the shipyard and is prepared for charters this summer in Greece under the command of Capt. Antonis Daglis, who previously ran the popular 138-foot Intermarine motoryacht O’Pari in the same waters. The owner of Helios is “ready to discuss all reasonable offers” based on the advertised lowest weekly base rate of €63,000 for 10 to 12 guests… New to the fleet are the 90-foot Canados motoryacht Alea, taking eight guests with four crew at a lowest weekly base rate of €43,000, and the 115-foot Falcon motoryacht Armeni, taking 10 or 12 guests with six crew at a lowest weekly base rate of €63,000… The 100-foot Azimut motoryacht Noni has completed a refit including interior and engine room work…
Athens Yachts sends word that the 100-foot Falcon motoryacht AK is offering a weekly base rate of €35,000, down from the regular €49,000, for charters between April 1 and May 30 in Greece. AK takes 10 guests with five crew…
Boatbookings says that after Easter weekend and the celebrations of Songkran in mid-April, Thailand enters its low season for yacht charter. June through August tend to be the best low-season months in terms of weather, and many discounts are expected to be available… It’s also not too early to book for the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta, the most popular in Asia, to be held December 4-12 this year…
BCR Yachts tells us the 108-foot Wally sailing yacht Wally B is available for charters throughout the Mediterranean, except for Spain, at a lowest weekly base rate of €54,000 for six guests… The 82-foot Swan sailing yacht Crackerjack is available this summer in Croatia at a lowest weekly base rate of €35,000 for eight to 10 guests… The 78-foot Baltic sailing yacht Midnight Sun of London is available this summer in the Ionian and Adriatic seas at a lowest weekly base rate of €19,000 for six guests…
Burgess Yachts welcomes the 121-foot Alloy sailing yacht Genevieve to the charter fleet. Previously known as Atlanta, the 1996 build was refit this year. She will be available this summer in the Mediterranean at a lowest weekly base rate of €63,000…
Carol Kent Yacht Charters reminds clients that the July Fourth holiday in America falls on a Sunday this year, and that a good number of yachts are available for charter in Boston, Massachusetts, overlooking one of the nation’s most impressive fireworks displays…
CharterPortBVI reports that the 66-foot Gunboat sailing catamaran Gazelle will spend this summer in New England making final preparations for an around-the-world cruise. The Grenadines are expected to be the yacht’s first stop later this year, followed by unusual charter locations such as Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao… The 58-foot Catana sailing catamaran Diadem is planning to offer charters this winter in Central America… The 60-foot sailing catamaran Pas de Deux is offering seven nights for the price of six for charters in the Virgin Islands until June 7…
Churchill Yacht Partners congratulates the 154-foot Perini Navi sailing yacht Andromeda la Dea on her recent wins at the St. Barth’s Bucket and reminds charter clients that the yacht is offering nine days for the price of seven for Mediterranean charters this summer, as long as they are booked before May 1. Andromeda la Dea also is available this month in the Caribbean at a reduced weekly base rate of $115,000… The 145-foot Heesen motoryacht At Last, now under the command of longtime charter Capt. Herb Magney, has arrived in the Bahamas and is available for charters with 11 to 12 guests at a lowest weekly base rate of $125,000… The 121-foot Crescent motoryacht Olga is offering eight days for the price of seven on Bahamas charters through the end of May. The yacht takes eight guests with six crew at a weekly base rate of $70,000…
C U Yacht Charters tells us the 90-foot Christensen motoryacht Yianoula is waiving the standard $2,000 delivery fee for charters in the Bahamas between April 15 and May 21. Yianoula takes six to eight guests at a lowest weekly base rate of $18,000…
Dahm International welcomes the 72-foot Sanlorenzo motoryacht Bachata and the 62-foot Neptunus motoryacht First Blue to the charter fleet. Bachata will be based in the South of France at a lowest weekly base rate of €23,000, while First Blue will be based in the Balearic Isles at a lowest weekly base rate of €16,000…
Edmiston and Company welcomes the 170-foot Feadship motoryacht Pegasus to the charter fleet. Pegasus completed an “extensive refit” this year and is being marketed as one of the finest motoryachts available for charter in Greece beginning this month. Pegasus takes 12 guests at a lowest weekly base rate of €195,000… The 146-foot Intermarine motoryacht Balaju is offering a three-day, $15,000-base-rate special from April 23 through May 17 in Bermuda… The J-Class sailing yacht Shamrock V will be available for charters the entire month of August in Croatia… The 130-foot river expedition boat Aqua is available for charter June 8-12 on the Peruvian Amazon at an inclusive rate of $66,200 for up to 24 guests… The 90-foot Nautor’s Swan sailing yacht Solleone is “keen to charter” in the Mediterranean this summer. Brokers are being urged to “bring all offers.” The lowest published weekly base rate for eight guests is €35,000… The 193-foot Austal motoryacht Outback has dropped its weekly, high-season base rate from €399,000 to €375,000 for Mediterranean charters…
Fraser Yachts Worldwide reports that green shoots of recovery are beginning to appear in the overall yachting market, with charter brokers “back to business as normal” with early booking inquiries for the Cannes Film Festival next month… New to the fleet are the 169-foot Alloy sailing yacht Kokomo, which will take 10 guests in the Western Mediterranean this summer at a lowest weekly base rate of €185,000; and the 117-foot Crystal motoryacht Crystal II, which will take eight guests in the Pacific Northwest and Southwestern Alaska this summer at a lowest weekly base rate of $70,000…The 112-foot Nautor’s Swan sailing yacht Highland Breeze is offering 15 percent off all charters for the rest of the Caribbean season. The weekly base rate is now €39,100 for eight guests…
International Yacht Collection welcomes the 114-foot SBF Freemantle motoryacht 5 Fishes to the charter fleet. The 1984 build was most recently refit in 2009 and will take 10 guests with eight crew year-round in the Mediterranean. Her lowest weekly base rate is €84,000…
Neptune Group Yachting sends word that the 102-foot Palmer Johnson motoryacht Banyan is available as of April 3 in Key West, Florida. She takes six guests at a lowest weekly base rate of $29,900…
Nicholson Yachts announces a “Super Bahamas Special” aboard the 108-foot gulet Quasart. From April 1 through June 15, the owner is offering a weekly base rate of $25,000 for 12 guests, down from the yacht’s regular weekly base rate of $45,500. Later this summer in New England, Quasart’s weekly base rate will be $29,500… The 72-foot sailing yacht Pacific Wave reminds clients that the sailing yacht is offering a $1,500 discount on all charter contracts signed by July 31, for charters that start before December 31 (including holidays)… The 90-foot Doggersbank motoryacht Tivoli is offering an inclusive weekly rate of $29,500 for six guests during May and June charters in the Caribbean. Tivoli also is offering a special Christmas and New Year’s base rate of $30,000 for one week or $42,850 for 10 days if the holiday charter is booked before June 30… The 64-foot Hinckley sailing yacht Gadget has reduced its weekly base rates for the remainder of the Caribbean charter season. They are now $14,900 for two guests, $15,900 for four guests, and $16,900 for six guests… The 58-foot Catana sailing catamaran Alidade is offering a 15-percent discount on charters during April in the Caribbean. Weekly base rates pre-discount range from $16,500 for two guests to $19,400 for eight guests… The 60-foot Southern Ocean sailing yacht Calliope has added a two-guest charter base rate of $6,000 to its regular list of higher rates for as many as eight guests…
Northrop and Johnson tells us the 44-foot sailing catamaran Catalyst is down to just two weeks of availability between now and November for charters in the Virgin Islands. The popular charter yacht has open booking windows from July 6-13, and from July 14-21… The owner of the 145-foot expedition motoryacht Devotion is welcoming all inquiries for charters this summer in the Pacific Northwest. The lowest publicized weekly base rate is $135,000 for 12 guests… The 115-foot Crescent motoryacht Kapalua is being offered at a weekly base rate of $39,000 for nine guests,down from $45,000…
Ocean Independence welcomes the 85-foot Benetti motoryacht Sofia of Tortola to the charter fleet. The yacht will take eight guests in Croatia this summer… Also new to the fleet is the 97-foot Jongert sailing yacht Flying Magic. She will take six guests this summer in the Mediterranean at a lowest weekly base rate of €35,000… The 90-foot sailing yacht Awol Again will be available this summer in Turkey. She takes eight guests at a lowest weekly base rate of €31,500…
Paradise Yacht Charters is telling clients that the 80-foot Lazzara motoryacht La Dolce Vita is ideal for three couples who want to split the weekly charter base rate of $27,500. The yacht underwent a refit in 2008 and is being marketed “as new”…
Primo Yacht welcomes the 144-foot custom build H2OME to the charter fleet. She is due to launch April 10 from the MMGI Shipyard di Montfalcone in Viareggio, Italy, and will take 10 guests with seven crew at a lowest weekly base rate of €150,000. H2OME will be available in the Western Mediterranean and already has a confirmed berth in Porto Canto for the Cannes Film Festival in May… The 148-foot Proteksean motoryacht Costa Magna is considering all offers for charters in the Western Mediterranean this summer. The lowest published weekly base rate is €90,000 for 10 guests with eight crew…
Sea Sense is offering an instructional powerboat course for charter clients from September 11-18 on Ireland’s River Shannon…
Sunreef Charters says the 62-foot sailing catamaran Tahaa II will be available in the Eastern Mediterranean this summer, with no delivery fees for clients who charter out of Croatia or Montenegro. The yacht’s lowest weekly base rate is €22,000… The new-to-market, 102-foot sailing catamaran Ipharra is now open for charter bookings and will become available beginning August 21 in the Eastern Mediterranean. Ipharra’s weekly base rate is €55,000…
Sunseeker Charters is looking forward to the April 14 launch of High Energy, a 90-foot, £4.5million Sunseeker motoryacht that is expected to be the most prestigious of its kind available for charters with a permanent home port in the United Kingdom. The launch is set to take place at Ocean Village Marina in Southampton, where the yacht will be based… New to the fleet is the 111-foot Sunseeker motoryacht Jiva, which will take 10 guests with five crew at a lowest weekly base rate of €105,000 in the Western Mediterranean this summer… The 90-foot Sunseeker motoryacht In All Fairness is available for charter during the Monaco Grand Prix in May. She can accommodate as many as 25 guests for parties, with eight overnight guests. The weekly base rate for the Monaco Grand Prix is £40,000…
Tachyon Yachting says the 47-foot sailing catamaran Tachyon recently received the following outstanding guest review from a longtime charter client: “Everything was perfect! From the incredibly delicious food to the perfect snorkeling spots to the great camaraderie. This is our eighth charter and you're the best!" Tachyon still has a handful of charter dates available this summer and fall in the British Virgin Islands…
The Sacks Group Yachting Professionals reports a successful Super Bowl charter in Florida aboard the 112-foot Westport motoryacht Milk Money. Details were reported in full last month on the CharterWave Daily Editor’s Blog…
Nicole Caulfield is licensed, bonded, and a longtime member of FYBA and AYCA. She brings a unique perspective as a broker, having worked aboard yachts for nearly 10 years. Email Nicole
Shannon Webster is a longtime AYCA member. She books yachts worldwide from 80 to 400 feet long. Email Shannon
Beverly Parsons has been chartering since 1969. She is a licensed, bonded broker and a founding member of the professional groups AYCA and CYBA International. Contact Beverly.
Sharon Bahmer is an expert at booking charters in the Americas, from Alaska to Brazil. She's also a member of FYBA and CYBA. E-mail Sharon
Trina Howes has 10 years of experience in the charter industry finding great pleasure in creating the best yachting vacations possible. E-mail Trina
Greece Economic Woes Expected to Affect Charter Rates, Yacht Owners This Summer
New Trend in Charter Yacht Discounts?
Charter Yachts Win Big at Heineken Regatta, St. Barth’s Bucket
Marina Deadline Extension for Monaco Grand Prix Raises Eyebrows about Demand
Three Brokers Say: Hot Charter Yachts for Summer 2010
Best of the Daily Editor’s Blog
Motoryacht of the Month: Samar
Sailing Yacht of the Month: Swallows and Amazons
Captain of the Month: Chris Young
Chef of the Month: Kin Hong
Charter Broker of the Month: Natasha Smekalina
Boatbookings
Nicholson Yachts
Northrop and Johnson