CharterWave eNews

November 2008

Report from the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show
Traffic appeared to be light on the docks at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in late October, when about two dozen charter yachts were among the countless boats on display. Reputable charter brokers who attended the show reported that charter inquiries were also light heading into the winter Caribbean season, but that everyone was remaining optimistic about business picking up after the U.S. presidential election.
Most brokers, when asked which charter yacht they were most excited to see at the show, responded by naming the newly launched, 161-foot Trinity motoryacht Destination Fox Harb’r Too, which is part of the Northrop & Johnson fleet. The light, airy interior (see the photo above) full of natural materials such as lacewood and travertine earned a good number of compliments throughout the show.
Also getting some attention were the new-to-charter sisterships offered for charter by Sunseeker and owned by the same British venture capitalist: the 105-foot motoryacht Shadow and the 100-foot motoryacht Murcielago. Both turned heads because of their sexy black-and-silver exteriors, which stood out in the sea of white hulls up and down the quay.
Hargrave Yachts had its charter department promoting the newly launched 100-foot motoryacht Seafarer, whose interior décor was done around a chess table because the owner’s son is a competitive player. It is the owner’s third yacht, but the first that he is putting into charter. We’ll have an exclusive First Impression review here on CharterWave soon.
Fraser Yachts Worldwide proudly displayed the 141-foot CRN motoryacht Paramour, which was built in 2002 and has just completed between $5 million and $7 million worth of refit work, according to the crew. The crew said that the yacht’s appearance at the Fort Lauderdale show was its first since all the work has been completed, leading up to the 2008-09 charter season. We’ll have an exclusive First Impression review of Paramour posted soon.
We’re also working on our exclusive First Impression review of Paladin, an 87-foot Johnson motoryacht that was on display in Fort Lauderdale with Neptune Group Yachting. It’s the new yacht from the same owner we wrote about in our review of the 120-footer by the same name late last year. That boat is now called Scot Free and is no longer in the Neptune Group fleet.



Ocean Independence Opens Austria Office, Launches New Branding
Ocean Independence, which is able to claim the second-largest charter yacht fleet in the world after buying Cavendish White in April, has opened a new office in Austria and launched a rebranding campaign. (See the super-wide logo above.)
The new office, located in Vienna, will be run by professional skipper Rainer Wilhelm. His expertise is in high-performance sailing, the company says. No word yet on whether he has a background in charter.
Vienna is the second new office that Ocean Independence has opened in recent months, with another office having just opened in London’s Cavendish Square in August. The company also maintains offices in Zurich, Albourne, Antibes, Athens, Dubai, Dusseldorf, Fort Lauderdale, Geneva, Monaco, Palma de Mallorca, St. Tropez, and Uster.
The new logo went on display for the first time at September’s Monaco Yacht Show. It was designed by London-based Bostock & Pollit and will be the basis for a redesign of the Ocean Independence website, which is happening now.


YCO Celebrates New Office in London
YCO Yacht, in partnership with Lamborghini London, celebrated the opening of its new Chelsea office in late October. The decorations for the festivities included a new Lamborghini Gallardo as well as a scale ice sculpture of a 203-foot motoryacht.
“As an important financial center and a hub for the global elite, it is key for YCO to have physical representation in London,” YCO partner Charlie Birkett said in a press release. “We have no doubt that London will lead the way in the economic recovery and will continue to be a very exciting place to be.”
YCO says it is also celebrating its best summer yet in the charter industry, having booked larger yachts for longer periods of time than ever in the past. The company cites continuing strong demand in the 200-foot-and-larger market, which managing partner Gary Wright says is YCO’s specialty.

U.N. Foundation Inaugurates Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria
The United Nations Foundation, along with 27 environmental and tourism groups, has created Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria to help travelers judge whether one tourism option is better than the next in terms of environmental impact and to ensure that tourism helps, rather than harms, local communities and the environment.”
Just as you can now go to sites such as Expedia.com and search for the lowest-priced hotel room, you soon should be able to do searches that include a hotel or airline’s ranking regarding these new sustainability criteria
The criteria focus on four areas:

• Maximizing tourism’s social and economic benefits to local communities
• Reducing negative impacts on cultural heritage
• Reducing harm to local environments
• Planning for sustainability

CharterWave contacted the U.N. Foundation to figure out how these new criteria might be applied to yacht charter, and the Foundation basically said, “however you wish.” We’re looking into ways to use these criteria to help charter clients gauge yachts in this manner.
If you want to learn more about the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria, click over to the partnership’s website.

We’re Scouting for You in Tortola and Thailand—and Inquiring about St. Thomas
CharterWave editor Kim Kavin will be at the industry-only charter show on Tortola, in the British Virgin Islands, early this month. After that, she’ll be on a plane bound for Phuket, Thailand, to do a firsthand evaluation of the 134-foot sailing yacht Queen of Andaman.
As always, Kim will do her best (given local communications options) to post her thoughts and discoveries from each trip on the CharterWave Editor’s Daily Blog.
Kim will also publish an interview with a reputable charter broker later this month about the industry-only St. Thomas charter show. Stay tuned.

Dream Cruises Cited in Indie Book Awards
Dream Cruises: The Insider's Guide to Private Yacht Charter Vacations has been named on the honored list of finalists for the 2008 Indie Book Awards.
This honor marks the third year in a row that the first and second editions of CharterWave editor Kim Kavin’s how-to-charter book have been cited as among the best travel guides of the year.
If you’re thinking about chartering and haven’t ordered your copy yet, please click here to check out the book’s reviews and links to online booksellers.
You also can read excerpts for free in the FAQ content here on CharterWave.


Best of the Editor’s Daily Blog
The Return of Caste Cruising. The Chicago Tribune posted an interesting article under the headline “Classism Making a Comeback on Cruise Ships.” The gist is that cruise ships are becoming more and more like airlines, where people will pay for coach, business- or first-class treatment–and enjoy privileges at the upper levels that other passengers do not receive. … Read more …


Best of the Sponsored Blogs
Livelong Green Charter Broker. From the Shannon Webster Yacht Charters blog: There is so much hype these days about “going green”. Turn on the TV or radio and at least 3 out of 5 advertisements seem to be about living more “green”. What a laugh!! My husband Dan and I have lived “green” our whole life together. … Read more …

Motoryacht of the Month: Destination Fox Harb’r Too
This 161-foot Trinity motoryacht wowed brokers and press alike on the docks at late October’s Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. With a light, contemporary interior by designer Patrick Knowles, Destination Fox Harb’r Too offers a split-level master suite with panoramic views and nine-foot ceilings.
See our exclusive photos in this First Impression review.

Sailing Yacht of the Month: Fearless
This 72-footer was built in 1991 and has had two new owners in the past two years. Combined, they sank more than a half-million dollars into refits and renovations, leaving Fearless ready to charter year-round. Also new for the upcoming winter season is a captain with extensive Caribbean cruising experience.
Check out our exclusive First Impression review here.

Captain of the Month: Jeff Guymon
Capt. Jeff Guymon has spent more than a quarter-century working his way up from small charter yachts to big ones. He’s been at the helm of the 158-foot CRN motoryacht Kanaloa for the past few years, cementing his reputation as the leader of a team that continues to provide excellent family charters.
Our exclusive interview includes more on Guymon’s background, as well as his advice for charter clients no matter which yacht they select.

Chef of the Month: Jessica Madeline Arbour
Jessica Arbour is new to the luxury charter industry, having joined the 105-foot Sunseeker motoryacht Shadow after completing her tourism degree and serving as cook on a liveaboard scuba diving boat. She is enthusiastic about succeeding, and about bringing her environmentalist ideas to the marketplace.
Check out our exclusive interview, which was conducted just a few weeks after she stepped onboard Shadow for the first time.

Broker of the Month: Steve Elario
Longtime megayacht captain Steve Elario became a charter and sales broker with International Yacht Collection in 2000. He books large motoryachts worldwide, mostly for repeat clients, and he has a particular fondness for the western Mediterranean as a prime cruising destination.
Learn more about his background and favorite charter yachts in our exclusive interview.

Fleet and Management Company News
BCR Yachts tells us the 75-foot Oyster sailing yacht Holo Kai will be available for charters in the San Blas Islands in February, and then in Costa Rica in March… The 65-foot sailing yacht Viking Girl II has a new owner who is “keen to charter” and is accepting all inquiries for bookings after April 1…

Blue Latitude Yachting says the 58-foot sailing catamaran Emotion2 is still available for winter charter bookings in the Seychelles and Maldives… New to the fleet is the 50-foot sailing catamaran Naej, which will be in the Virgin Islands this month…

Camper & Nicholsons International says the 228-foot motoryacht Sherakhan is in the yard getting new exterior hull paint and will be available for charter this winter in the Caribbean with her new, dark gray bottom half… The same owner is progressing on renovations of the 102-foot sailing yacht Thuraya, which is being rebuilt in time to offer Mediterranean charters starting in March…

Charter Experience, a new company with offices in the United Kingdom, Spain, and New Zealand, welcomes former Camper & Nicholsons charter broker Gertrud Annevelink as charter manager…

CharterPortBVI fleet's 45-foot sailing catamaran Double Feature has had a rescheduled charter and is now available for a Thanksgiving booking in the Virgin Islands. In addition, a 10-percent discount is being offered for any charters that take place before December 21…

Churchill Yacht Partners has five yachts available for winter holiday charters. The 121-foot Crescent motoryacht Olga takes eight guests and will be in the Virgin Islands. The 110-foot Broward motoryacht Kaleen takes nine guests and will be in the Caribbean. The 102-foot Palmer Johnson motoryacht Banyan takes six or eight guests and will be in Florida and the Bahamas. The 88-foot Rayburn motoryacht Lady Victoria takes eight guests and will be in the Bahamas. The 154-foot Perini Navi sailing yacht Andromeda la Dea takes eight guests and will be in the Caribbean…

Fraser Yachts Worldwide, in conjunction with 37 South, congratulates the 112-foot motoryacht VvS1 on winning three awards at the World Yachts Trophies in Cannes in September. The awards were for Best Motor Yacht Under 40 Metres, Best Interior and Best Functionality—and marked the first time in the event’s history that a single yacht won three awards… Fraser Yachts also congratulates the 157-foot motoryacht Piano Bar, which won Best in Show at San Diego YachtFest…

Hargrave Yacht Charters welcomes the 100-foot motoryacht Seafarer, a brand-new build, to the fleet. She takes eight guests with four crew at a lowest weekly base rate of $42,500 and will be in Florida and the Bahamas this winter…

International Yacht Collection has a newly launched website that features profiles of all its charter brokers… The company also welcomes CharterWave favorite Capt. Russ White, fornerly of the 120-foot motoryacht Kayana, to the 130-foot Hatteras motoryacht Charisma...

Nautor's Swan has 10 sailing yachts available for charter this winter in the Caribbean. They range from 51 feet long with a base rate of about 5,000 pounds sterling per week to 90 feet long with a weekly base rate of about 50,000 euro per week…

Newport Yacht Management says the 80-foot sailing yacht Eliza is en route to the Grenadines to offer charters this winter, beginning at the end of January …

Nicholson Yachts says the 104-foot performance sailing yacht Kalikobass II is available for charters during the upcoming Superyacht Cup Antigua, St. Bart’s Bucket, Cannes Film Festival, and Super Yacht Cup Palma. She takes eight guests at a lowest weekly base rate of $57,500…

Northop & Johnson tells us the 130-foot Westport motoryacht Arioso is now available for Christmas and New Year’s charters in the Caribbean, thanks to the owner releasing previously blacked-out dates. She takes 10 guests with six crew at a lowest weekly base rate of $95,000…

Primo Yacht Charter says the 56-foot Sunseeker motoryacht Sleek has completed a refit. She has a newly painted exterior, re-sanded teak decking, a newly fitted hard top, new cushions, satellite television, and new wood paneling…

Regency Yacht Vacations welcomes a new crew to the 47-foot sailing catamaran Tachyon in the British Virgin Islands. Jay DeShay is a dive master with a background on fishing and charter boats, while Bernadette DeShay has been a pastry chef for Ritz-Carlton hotels. Both are licensed captains…

Sunreef Yachts Charter says the 62-foot sailing catamaran Diamond Girl, which is in the Bahamas, is now also accepting inquiries for Caribbean charters. The winter holiday weeks are still open… The 62-foot sailing catamaran Mauni will be offering charters this winter in Belize… The 62-foot sailing yacht Zahora will be available for Virgin Islands charters beginning in the middle of November…

Three Moons Yacht Charters says it has just opened the dates and is seeking a last-minute booking for the Christmas holiday aboard its 72-foot Irwin sailing yacht in the U.S. Virgin Islands…

Voyage Charters tells us that there is still holiday availability for bookings aboard the 58-foot sailing catamarans Moon Shadow and Yes Dear…

New First Impressions Posted on CharterWave This Month:
Destination Fox Harb’r Too, 161-foot motoryacht
If, 115-foot motoryacht
Insignia, 182-foot motoryacht
Kanaloa, 158-foot motoryacht
Murcielago, 100-foot motoryacht
Shadow, 105-foot motoryacht

New Crew Interviews Posted on CharterWave This Month:
Jessica Madeline Arbour, chef, 105-foot motoryacht Shadow
Jeff Guymon, captain, 158-foot motoryacht Kanaloa

New Broker Interview Posted on CharterWave This Month:
Steve Elario, International Yacht Collection

Please Support CharterWave’s Sponsors:

BoatBookings.com

Regency Yacht Vacations

International Yacht Charter Group

Virgin Island Sailing

Fine Yachts

C.U. Yacht Charters

Abiego Yachts

Shannon Webster Charters

Northrop and Johnson Worldwide Yacht Charters

Broker Gail Hartman