CharterWave eNewsJuly 2006Rikki Davis Merges with Churchill Yacht Partners
Longtime independent, crewed-yacht charter broker Rikki Davis has announced a merger with Newport, Rhode Island-based Churchill Yacht Partners.
The deal, which Davis says is a major step toward her retirement, will result in the formation of a division called Rikki Davis Worldwide Yacht Charters at Churchill Yacht Partners.
Rikki plans to remain in Florida, where she has been based for many years. Churchill’s in-house charter broker, Sandy Carney, will continue to take bookings from the Newport office.
Charter Your Way to California Wine Country
We’re drinking in all that California has to offer this month with skippered bareboat cruise to the storied Napa Valley in California.
Now, you may be thinking, “How exactly does a person take a boat to the middle of a grape-farming valley?”
The answer is that you cruise right up to its edge, as CharterWave expert Yvonne Michie Horn did onboard a Mainship 43 trawler yacht with local bareboat and instructional charter outfit Club Nautique. Yvonne is a local—born and raised in Sonoma County—but reports that she never experienced all that Napa’s wine-making region has to offer in quite the same way as she did when cruising along the Napa and Petaluma rivers. She even snagged a ticket from one marina area to several of the most storied vineyards by way of the Napa Valley Wine Train.
If you want to combine wine tasting with a bareboat cruise or skippered charter, this just may be the booking for you. Read our full review if you're a CharterWave member.
Turkey and Croatia: Exploring New Charter Grounds
Fraser Yachts Worldwide charter brokers Liz Howard and Diane Fraser recently completed a fact-finding tour of the cruising grounds in Turkey and Croatia.
The Eastern Mediterranean countries are both opening up more and more to charter, with increasing options for both bareboats and crewed yachts alike. Liz and Diane handle only crewed yacht bookings, and they tell CharterWave that there are exciting options available for anyone interested in exploring new areas of the world by water next summer.
As we always say here at CharterWave: If you can book a boat through a broker who has actually been to a destination herself, you’ll be in the best possible hands.
And if you want to know more about Liz, you can read her members-only interview.
You can reach both Liz and Diane through the Fraser Yachts site, www.FraserYachts.com.
Crewed Yacht of the Month: Revelation in Galapagos
We have a new CharterWave Fave for you this month: a weeklong crewed charter with Venture Pacific Marine’s 180-foot motoryacht Revelation. This yacht offerd the best charter experience we’ve ever enjoyed in the protected waters of the Galapagos Islands—thanks largely to a phenomenal naturalist named Yvonne Mortola.
The Galapagos Islands are about 600 miles west of Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean, and they’re a wildlife preserve of fantastic proportions. Many of the islands are nothing but trails and beaches full of wild sea lions, blue-footed boobies, and iguanas—and we mean nothing but animals, sometimes not even a dock for your yacht’s dinghy to approach.
In a place like this, where nature rules, you need a terrific onboard guide to ensure you understand everything you’re seeing and not miss a single sight. Yvonne was all of that for us as well as being a charming, fun-loving companion for the week. She added immeasurably to the already high-end experience that Revelation’s crew brought to this emerging cruising area.
If you're a CharterWave member, you can read our full review of the Revelation in Galapagos experience. Bear in mind that the yacht’s weekly base rate has nearly doubled since our first-look evaluation; it’s now listed at $120,000 per week for 12 guests, or about $12,500 per person with 25-percent expenses included.
Members-Only Crewed Yacht Reviews Added to the CharterWave Database This Month
Motoryacht Melimar in Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas
Motoryacht Revelation in Galapagos
Motoryacht Lady Elizabeth in New England
Members-Only Bareboat Reviews Added to the CharterWave Database This Month
Thousand Aces in California Wine Country
Members-Only First Impressions Added to the CharterWave Database This Month
Motoryacht Mary-Jean
Motoryacht Montigne
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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
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.
Shannon Webster is a longtime AYCA member. She books yachts worldwide from 80 to 400 feet long. Email Shannon
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
