CharterWave eNews

Broker Report: 2012 Newport Charter Yacht Show

Karen Kelly, who operates Nicholson Yachts, just attended the 2012 Newport Charter Yacht Show in her hometown. CharterWave caught up with her for our Broker of the Month feature to ask how the show went in its first year of operation under new owners Newport Harbor Corporation.

“The level of professionalism was very, very good,” Kelly says. “There were some small hiccups, as you would expect with any new organization taking over a boat show, but there were a good number of boats on the docks, and the boats were good quality. So overall it was a good show. A high number of charter brokers attended, too, which is always a sign of good-quality boats and great crew that the industry wants to see.”

Motoryachts that attended the show included the 160-foot Delta Newvida, the 114-foot Hatteras Capricorn, and the 142-foot Palmer Johnson Lady J. Sailing yachts on display included the 74-foot catamaran Cattitude, the 67-foot Discovery More Magic, and the 72-foot Southern Wind Campai. Show director Nancy Piffard says the goals for next year’s show include doubling the in-water fleet by using not only the Newport Yachting Center venue, but also nearby Bannister’s Wharf and 41° North.

Kelly said there was a good bit of talk on the docks about the America’s Cup trials that began in Newport around the same time as the Newport show. Charter demand for the trials was much lighter than expected, with some day-charter requests but few full-week bookings.

On the other hand, Kelly said, New England business in general is shaping up nicely for the rest of the summer season.

“I think things are looking good,” she said. “It’s a last-minute market now, so when I say ‘good’ I mean ‘on target,’ but there are quite a number of bookings and inquiries now for July and August. It feels solid.”

Report of Explosion on Motoryacht Blind Date Now Considered a Hoax

About 4:20 p.m. on June 11, the U.S. Coast Guard received a call that a yacht called Blind Date had suffered an explosion about 17 miles off the coast of Sandy Hook, N.J. The caller stated that he had been one of 21 passengers aboard the yacht and that seven had been injured. All were in life rafts because the yacht had sunk, the caller stated.

Several yachts available for charter are named Blind Date. The most publicized is the 161-foot Trinity that launched in 2009. Others include the 135-foot Lurssen that launched in 1995, the 154-foot Heesen that launched in 2009, and the 115-foot Benetti (called Blind Date Too) that launched in 2003.

The Coast Guard and local authorities mobilized a rescue effort that included helicopters, rescue boats, and more than 200 first responders from agencies including the New York City Police and Fire Departments, the New Jersey State Police, and the Nassau County (N.Y.) Police Department. But when search-and-rescue teams arrived at the coordinates that the caller gave, they found nothing. There was no sign of any distress, no sign of life rafts, and no indication that anything had gone wrong. Two Coast Guard boat crews and four Coast Guard helicopter crews searched about 683 square nautical miles. That's a larger area than the entire chain of Abacos islands in the Bahamas.

By about 7 o'clock that night, the Coast Guard was reporting that it suspected the initial distress call was a hoax. In the following days, a reward of $3,000 was announced for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the hoax caller; an audio file was publicly distributed; and the hoax call was tied to a similar one in Texas.

Anonymous tips may be phoned in at (646) 872-5774 or (212) 668-7048.

Bruce Brakenhoff, Sr., 1932-2012

Bruce Brakenhoff, Sr., a co-founder of Bartram and Brakenhoff in Newport, Rhode Island, died of a heart attack on Friday, June 15, 2012, at his home in Jamestown, Rhode Island. He was 80 years old.

Bruce was a fixture in the yacht charter community and was a notable absence as the Newport Charter Yacht Show opened immediately following his death. He began his career more than 50 years ago with Orienta Marine in Mamaroneck, New York. He then worked as vice president of Northrop and Johnson before co-founding Bartram and Brakenhoff with partner Joe Bartram in 1967. He was an active member of many professional organizations including the American Yacht Charter Association, the Florida Yacht Brokers Association, and the Yacht Brokers Association of America.

He was also, at various times, a member of the governing boards of the yacht clubs at Larchmont, Storm Trysail, and Conanicut. He is a longtime partner with International Yachting Events, helping to manage racing events from Massachusetts to Florida.

Bruce’s many friends and colleagues remembered him with comments like these from charter broker Jan Henry of Fraser Yachts Worldwide: “Bruce was a true yachtsman and a gentleman. So well respected in the industry and the go-to guy when you needed an opinion on a legal, moral or ethical issue. Not a lot of people knew he also had a great sense of humor and I loved being able to get him laughing. We’ll never have another like him.”

Additional colleagues had kind words to say to Boat International, which quoted former Bartram and Brakenhoff broker Jonathan Chapman, now at Northrop and Johnson, as saying, “As a gentleman broker for over 50 years, I’d sometimes introduce Bruce as one of the Founding Fathers of our industry. He’d smile and downplay it all, but he really was. I will miss him.”

Bruce is survived by his wife of 60 years, Noel H. Brakenhoff; his son, Bruce R. Brakenhoff, Jr. of Portsmouth, R.I.; and his daughter, Betsy Brakenhoff Hickey of Hanalei, Hawaii. He also is survived by several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The Providence Journal published Bruce's formal obituary. A memorial service is being planned for July.

Best of the CharterWave Daily Editor’s Blog

Yacht Charter Opportunity in Antarctica. It's rare for a proper, luxury charter yacht to be offered in the exotic destination of Antarctica.

Hence the excitement about the recent announcement from Auckland-based 37 South, which manages the motoryacht SuRi for charter.

SuRi's owner is working with both 37 South and Henry Cookson Adventures to provide multiple itineraries in Antarctica from October 2012 through March 2013… Read More …

Best of the CharterWave Sponsored Blogs

Greek Charter Yacht Show Charter Chefs’ Competition. From the Northrop and Johnson Worldwide Yacht Charters sponsored blog on CharterWave.

This year at the 11th-annual charter yacht show held in Poros, Greece, Missy Johnston from Northrop and Johnson Worldwide Yacht Charters was pleased to be asked to be a judge for the chef’s competition in the megayacht category … Read More …

Motoryacht of the Month: Darlings Danama

Darlings Danama is a 196-foot CRN motoryacht that was one of the most celebrated new launches into the Camper and Nicholsons International charter fleet for 2011. She was also one of the top new megayachts at the recent MYBA Charter Show in Genoa, Italy, as she prepared for her first full season of charter during that year’s summer Mediterranean season.

Darlings Danama was built by the previous owner of the 141-foot CRN motoryacht Emerald Star (which is now called Emotion and remains available for charter). Don’t, however, make the mistake of thinking that Darlings Danama is just a larger version of that yacht. With Emerald Star, the owner bought the yacht after the shipyard had largely completed her. With Darlings Danama, the owner had control of the build process from the start—and he used it to create a uniquely luxurious boat.

Read more in our First Impression review of the motoryacht Darlings Danama.

Sailing Yacht of the Month: Sunny Hill

Sunny Hill is a 118-foot Amstel sailing yacht that was built in 1987 specifically for charter. Her previous owner called her Alyssa M and kept her private, and her current owner bought her in 2007 and also kept her private through 2008. After that, Sunny Hill began a complete rebuild that took three years to complete in Sweden.

“She was gutted to the hull. They were sandblasting the engine room,” Capt. Paul Cools told CharterWave’s editor as they sat in the cockpit. “She got all new engines, all new audiovisual and communications systems, and a completely new interior in the guest areas. She was always a very well-designed yacht, built to charter from the start, and the refit really brought her back.”

Learn more about the recent refit and upcoming charter opportunities in our First Impression review of the sailing yacht  Sunny Hill.

Captain of the Month: Aaron Clark

Aaron Clark is captain of the 144-foot Palmer Johnson motoryacht Four Wishes, which has won more crew and yacht awards from Fraser Yachts Worldwide than any other charter yacht in the company’s fleet. Four Wishes has maintained a healthy charter schedule all throughout the recession, with many repeat clients and at least one booking already confirmed for 2013.

“We have huge repeat business,” Clark told CharterWave’s editor as they toured the yacht. “We actually have to limit our bookings to no more than 80 percent repeat business every year because we always want to have at least a few weeks available for new clients.”

Learn more in our exclusive interview with Capt. Aaron Clark about what he and his team do to keep Four Wishes at the forefront of her class in the charter industry.

Chef of the Month: Emmanuelle Malfrettes

Emmanuelle Malfrettes is a self-taught chef who served a lovely luncheon for CharterWave’s editor onboard the 70-foot Sunreef powercatamaran Abuelo.

“I am from France, but close to the border with Spain—the very last town before Spain, in fact—so I learned the style of Mediterranean cuisine from both countries,” Malfrettes says. “I like to cook fresh seafood, all kinds, especially fish. I can do a lot of things with fish. I make sushi, ceviche, tartare, grilled fish, all of it. And I believe in cooking healthy. I do not use much butter or fat. To me, good product means good cuisine.”

Malfrettes instead focuses on spices to infuse new flavors.

“I can cook Moroccan dishes, also Greek, Turkish, Lebanese, African, Asian, and South American,” she says. “For me, the spices are where the flavor comes from. You do not need to add a lot of fat.”

Learn more about the cuisine and charter experience aboard Abuelo in our exclusive interview with chef Emmanuelle Malfrettes.

Fleet and Management Company News

37 South has launched this new website devoted entirely to its growing charter division… The 208-foot expedition yacht SuRi has re-launched following a major refit and extension, and will now begin working her way toward a winter season of charter availability in Antarcitca…

Aris Drivas Yachting says the 98-foot Tecnomar motoryacht Aurora has availability August 14-20 in Croatia…

Athens Yachts sends word from Greece that the the 133-foot ISA Rodriguez motoryacht Alfa XII, the 130-foot Admiral motoryacht Aqua, the 132-foot Perini Navi sailing yacht Ellen V, and the 130-foot Westport motoryacht Endless Summer are all dropping their weekly base rates from €110,000 to €99,500 through the end of July…

Blue Latitude Yachting says the 86-foot CNB sailing yacht Spiip is giving 10-percent off charters in French Polynesia during July and September…

C U Yacht Charters tells us the 72-foot Park Isle Marine motoryacht Wanderbird is available this summer in New England at a lowest weekly base rate of $18,000…

Camper and Nicholsons International welcomes the 135-foot Palmer Johnson motoryacht Griffin to the charter fleet. She is a 2012 build available for charter in the Mediterranean at a lowest weekly base rate of €140,000… Also new to the fleet is the 141-foot CRN motoryacht Magenta M, taking 10 guests at a lowest weekly base rate of €140,000… Also new to the fleet is the 154-foot Christensen motoryacht One More Toy, taking 12 guests in the Mediterranean at a lowest weekly base rate of $180,000… The 141-foot CRN motoryacht Hana is being offered at a weekly base rate of €135,000 from July 27 through August 9 on an itinerary from Naples, Italy, to the South of France…

Churchill Yacht Partners sends word that the 121-foot Crescent motoryacht Olga has dropped her lowest weekly base rate to $55,000 for charters through August in the Bahamas…

CSO Yachts says the 118-foot Siar Moschini motoryacht Sunliner X is available for charter in Croatia starting in August… The 180-foot Oceanfast motoryacht Obsession has dropped her lowest weekly base rate for the rest of the Mediterranean season from €200,000 to €180,000… The 100-foot Couach motoryacht Mayama has had a charter cancellation and is now available through July 17. She is currently near Naples, Italy…

Edmiston and Company sends word that the 204-foot Oceanco motoryacht Lady Christina is giving 10-percent off seven-day charters, 15-percent off 10-day charters, and 20-percent off 14-day charters in the West Mediterranean… The 127-foot Hakvoort motoryacht Snowbird is fully booked in the Mediterranean but has availability again in September… The 112-foot Leopard motoryacht Anita has dropped her lowest weekly base rate to €70,000 for the rest of the Mediterranean season… The 89-foot Leopard motoryacht Serenity is giving 20-percent off all charters booked before July 15… The owner of the 164-foot Codecasa motoryacht Mariu is willing to be flexible on the lowest advertised weekly base rate of €185,000 for 12 guests… The 206-foot Feadship motoryacht Lady Britt is now a certified RYA Training Center and can issue Jet Ski licenses… New to the fleet is the 105-foot Sunseeker motoryacht Willpower, taking eight guests in the West Mediterranean at a lowest weekly base rate of €45,000… The 249-foot Amels motoryacht Reborn has four weeks of availability during July and August in the West Mediterranean…

Fraser Yachts Worldwide says brokers are seeing a slight dip in charter inquiries from European clients as well as a slight increase in charter inquiries from American clients… New at Fraser is Anastasia Legrand, a Russian charter broker who speaks four languages and previously worked at Imperial Yachts…

Imperial Yachts tells us that the 132-foot Mondomarine motoryacht Manifiq has one week of high-season availability left in the South of France, from August 24-31…

Infinity Yacht Charters says the 47-foot sailing catamaran Solstice has Bahamas availability in early July and then again after August 3… The 114-foot classic motoryacht Pacific Yellowfin has availability in British Columbia from July 16 through August 22…

International Yacht Collection welcomes Fabien Roché as director of yacht management in Europe, a newly created position in the Monaco office. Roché comes to IYC with a background working on well-known charter yachts including Felicita West and Indian Empress…

Luxury Charter Group says the 51-foot sailing catamaran Ombre Blu has just two weeks of availability remaining this summer, one in Sardinia and one on the Amalfi Coast…

Neo Yachting welcomes the 68-foot Azimut motoryacht Beauty to the charter fleet. She will be available in the South of France beginning July 15…

Neptune Group Yachting tells us the 103-foot Johnson motoryacht Diamond Girl is available out of Nassau, Bahamas, with no delivery fees and a new 25-foot towed Sea Hunt tender. She takes eight guests at a lowest weekly base rate of $42,000… The 102-foot Palmer Johnson motoryacht Banyan is giving discounts as large as 33 percent in the Florida Keys and Bahamas…

Nicholson Yachts congratulates the chefs onboard the 70-foot Hylas sailing yacht Destiny and the 72-foot Southern Wind sailing yacht Campai on their recent wins in the culinary competition at the 2012 Newport Charter Yacht Show…

Northrop and Johnson tells us that if you book the 154-foot Delta motoryacht Mr. Terrible by July 15, your weekly base rate drops from $198,000 to $175,000… The 123-foot Palmer Johnson sailing yacht Axia is giving two bonus days with every one-week booking during August and September in New England… The 116-foot Intermarine motoryacht Kipany has availability in New England throughout July… The 120-foot Crescent motoryacht Impetuous also has remaining availability in New England… New to the fleet is the 130-foot Westport motoryacht Amarula Sun, taking 10 guests at a lowest weekly base rate of $120,000 in the Bahamas…

Ocean Independence says the 146-foot Astilleros de Mallorca motoryacht Berzinc is available after August 17 in Croatia… The 150-foot Heesen motoryacht Sea Dweller is giving 20-percent off charters of 10 days or more in the West Mediterranean during August… The 82-foot Monte Fino motoryacht Andiamo is offering free fuel on charters from South Florida to the Carolinas… The 116-foot Leight Notika motoryacht Phoenix has dropped her lowest weekly base rate to €69,000 for the rest of the summer… The 113-foot Codecasa motoryacht Mimu is willing to accept reasonable offers to fill booking gaps in Croatia this summer… The 104-foot Feadship motoryacht Heavenly Daze has dropped her lowest weekly base rate to €40,000 for the rest of this summer… The 116-foot Horizon motoryacht Wheels has dropped her lowest weekly base rate to €50,000 through July 20… The 141-foot Holland Jachtbouw sailing yacht This is Us is offering a “substantial rate reduction” for July, but not giving any more details unless you call a broker… The 163-foot Benetti motoryacht Cuor di Leone has dropped her lowest weekly base rate from €185,000 to €130,000 for the rest of July… The 140-foot Cantieri di Pisa motoryacht Element is available at a base rate of €50,000 July 28 to August 1 on an itinerary from Nice, France, to Calvi, Corsica… The 203-foot Amels motoryacht Sarah says “bring all offers” for July charters… The 230-foot Benetti motoryacht Reverie is giving 30-percent off July charters in the West Mediterranean… The 99-foot Benetti motoryacht Salu has availability 16-22 and is entertaining all reasonable offers… The 120-foot Palmer Johnson motoryacht Natalia has dropped her lowest weekly base rate by €10,000, to a new rate of €88,000… New to the fleet is the 80-foot Wim van der Valk motoryacht Paradise, taking eight guests in the Bahamas at a weekly base rate of $30,000 starting in August… Also new to the fleet is the 84-foot Lazzara motoryacht Cold Gecko, based in South Florida at a lowest weekly base rate of $28,000 for seven or eight guests in four cabins… Also new to the fleet is the 98-foot Azimut motoryacht Leonardo, taking eight guests at a lowest weekly base rate of €46,000…

Ocean Partners International sends word from Turkey and eastern Greece that the 112-foot sailing yacht Bairudo VI still has availability in July and August… New to the fleet is the 79-foot classic motoryacht Larimar, taking six guests in Turkey and eastern Greece at a lowest weekly base rate of €24,500…

Oceanstyle tells us the 136-foot ISA motoryacht Ti Voglio Tanto Bene has been temporarily withdrawn from the charter market… The 110-foot Evolution motoryacht Benita Blue has new availability in the South of France, Corsica, and Sardinia… The 108-foot Mangusta motoryacht Ares has a new lowest weekly base rate of €75,000… The 100-foot Sanlorenzo motoryacht Solona now has zero-speed stabilizers… New to the fleet is the 90-foot Maiora motoryacht Nikca, taking 10 guests at a lowest weekly base rate of €42,000… The 90-foot Pershing motoryacht Tiger Lily of London is acquiring a license to charter in Spain… The 88-foot Sanlorenzo motoryacht Marcelina of London is available starting late July in Corsica and Sardinia, and is open to offers on the weekly base rate… The 70-foot Sunseeker motoryacht Seferino is now licensed to charter in Turkey… The 116-foot Azimut motoryacht La Dea has availability August 10-18 and again after September 18 in the West Mediterranean…

Peter Kehoe & Associates says the 157-foot Christensen motoryacht Top Five is currently accepting inquiries for charters this summer along the St. Lawrence Seaway… The 80-foot Hatteras motoryacht Sea Vista has summer availability in Florida, the Bahamas, and the Florida Keys... New to the fleet is the 80-foot  Hatteras motoryacht Bama Breeze, taking six or eight guests in Florida and the Bahamas at a lowest weekly base rate of $21,000, which includes use of a 31-foot Jupiter tender…

Regency Yacht Vacations tells us that the 47-foot sailing catamaran Dreaming On will be available in the British Virgin Islands through August 30… The 59-foot Beneteau sailing yacht Blue Passion is now offering scuba for certified divers in the British Virgin Islands…

Select Yachts sends word that the 65-foot sailing yacht Lady Ann is now in Italy, but will do charters in other parts of the Mediterranean if inquiries come in… The 57-foot Beneteau sailing yacht Lion King is available after August 20 in Croatia… The 70-foot Jongert sailing yacht Alina is available through October in the Canary Islands…

Sunreef Yachts Charter tells us that the 62-foot sailing catamaran Anassa is giving a €4,000 discount on an itinerary from August 29 through September 5 from Rhodes to Athens in Greece… New to the fleet is the 62-foot Sunreef sailing catamaran Moonstone. She takes eight guests and is based in Greece this summer at a lowest weekly base rate of €22,000… The 70-foot powercatamaran Abuelo is available in Spain’s Balearic Isles starting this month…

The Catamaran Company is giving one stateroom free to anyone who books the other three staterooms aboard one of its new Lagoon 450 sailing catamarans in the Virgin Islands during November or December…

YCO Yacht welcomes Steve Elario as the newest broker in the Fort Lauderdale office. Elario previously was with International Yacht Collection and, more recently, Sapphire Seas… The 228-foot motoryacht Sherakhan will return to South America and Antarctica for charters during the winter 2012-13 season.

New First Impression Reviews Now Posted on CharterWave

Abuelo, 70-foot Sunreef powercatamaran
Darlings Danama, 196-foot CRN motoryacht
Four Wishes, 144-foot Palmer Johnson motoryacht
IFA Cannes, 89-foot Maiora motoryacht
Seagull II, 177-foot custom ferry conversion
Sunny Hill, 118-foot Amstel sailing yacht

New Crew Interviews Now Posted on CharterWave

Aaron Clark, captain, motoryacht Four Wishes
Emmanuelle Malfrettes, chef, sailing catamaran Abuelo

New Broker Interview Now Posted on CharterWave

Karen Kelly of Nicholson Yachts at the 2012 Newport Charter Yacht Show

New “10 Best” Lists Now Posted on CharterWave

10 Best Ports of Call for West Mediterranean Yacht Charter Vacations
10 Best Charter Yacht Sundeck Bars
10 Best Charter Yachts for Parties
10 Best Charter Yacht Chefs