I ran into Egor Lyfar of Neo Yachting while touring the 141-foot JFA motoryacht Axantha II at last week's MYBA Charter Show in Genoa, Italy. I'll have more for you soon on Axantha II, but first I want to share details that Lyfar gave me about the new flagship in the Neo fleet: the 226-foot Austal motoryacht Saluzi.

Saluzi is a 2003 build that used to charter in the South Pacific as Tia Moana. She was known for her almost small-cruise-ship capacity for as many as 50 guests. Lyfar tells me that the new owner has just completed a refit that essentially halved the number of guest cabins while at the same time doubling each cabin in size. When she returns to charter in November, Saluzi will now accommodate 32 guests in 16 cabins. So Saluzi will still be a super-size charter yacht, but in a way that feels more exclusive and in keeping with the nature of yachting itself.

The plan is for Saluzi to begin chartering this fall in the Maldives, after which she is expected to become available for charter in East Asia. Neo Yachting is hoping to introduce the Chinese market, in particular, to the concept of large-yacht charter, offering Saluzi in her entirety for week-long bookings or by-the-cabin if that's what it takes to help the new clientele understand the concept of chartering.

Also in the spirit of introductory flexibility, Saluzi will be offered with a weekly base rate or with a daily base rate if anyone wants to book a short charter just to test out the concept. The weekly base rate will be $395,000, while the daily base rate will be $70,000. That includes a crew of 32.

Specific details about Saluzi's location in East Asia are still being worked out. Until then, any reputable charter broker can tell you more or help you become one of the first clients to book her post-refit.

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