First Impression: Bel'Mare

Date toured: May 2007

When I first got onboard the 2005 custom-designed powercatamaran Bel’Mare, she was coming off two successful years of charter in the South Pacific. She had made her way to Genoa, Italy, to begin two years of chartering in the Western Mediterranean, where she planned to stay until around 2009 before going back to the New Zealand owner’s home waters. 
     You don’t see a whole lot of powercatamarans in the Western Med, but I have to say, she’s the sort of “best in breed” boat that can turn even the most die-hard classic motoryacht lovers into believers. As with most catamarans, Bel’Mare has vastly more interior volume than single-hulled yachts of the same length, and because her cabins are in two separate hulls, they offer an inordinate amount of privacy.
     “As people get onboard, they’re falling in love with her,” Capt. Mark Phelps told me. “We take just six guests. It’s a lot of boat for six people with four crew.”
     That’s true, especially in the master cabin (shown in the photograph at right), which has a his-and-her bathroom—something you rarely find on an 86-foot-long boat. This cabin also has some exceptional overhead hatches that let in a ton of natural light.
     Bel'Mare is also an especially good choice for water-sports enthusiasts, since catamarans offer exceptionally easy water access and have the space onboard to carry a good deal of toys. Bel’Mare’s stash includes a wakeboard, water skis, ten sets of snorkeling gear, a three-seat Wave Runner, three sets of scuba equipment, and a pair of kayaks. She also has a swim platform that's big enough to hold four chaise lounges, for anyone who wants to relax and just watch all the activity.
     Because powercatamarans are so much wider than regular motoryachts, you should expect to be charged different dockage fees in the Med—where marinas will have to use a slip designed for a far longer motoryacht to accommodate a boat as wide as Bel’Mare.
     “I’m usually charged the rate plus half,” Phelps says. “But then again, we use less fuel, almost half the amount as some other motoryachts the same size. So you make it up.”
     Bel’Mare is part of the fleet at Fraser Yachts Worldwide. Her lowest weekly base rate is 35,000 euros. Contact any reputable charter broker for information on how to book.—Kim Kavin