First Impression: Berzinc

Date toured: May 2008

When I see in a traditional-looking yacht’s brochure that it was built in 1978, I certainly don’t expect to step onboard and find a stylish, contemporary interior. Yet that’s exactly what happened to me when I entered the 140-foot motoryacht Berzinc, whose dark wood floors are surrounded by white walls, white decor—so much white that the yacht feels almost like the movie “Men in Black.”
     The interior is thanks to a refit that took two years, from 2005 until 2007, in Europe. The crew told me the technical work was done in Holland, while the interior styling was done in Turkey by one of the same companies that worked on the much-hyped 289-foot sailing yacht Maltese Falcon. As of summer 2008, Berzinc was planning to cruise in Croatia and Turkey while undergoing final MCA Code approvals, becoming fully available for charter during the upcoming winter season in the Caribbean.
      Berzinc’s crew had not done any charters together as of my visit, but some of them had experience from other yachts, they told me. After the refit ended in 2007, they cruised with the owner to Tanzania, the Red Sea, and Egypt. Their appearance at the May 2008 industry-only charter yacht show in Genoa, Italy, was their first proper introduction to the worldwide market.
     The yacht is listed as taking 10 or 12 guests, and to my eye, 10 adults is ideal. The outdoor dining area, which can be enclosed with heaters, seats 10 comfortably, and the sky lounge is a bit small for a yacht of this size (see the photo at right), perhaps ideal for a couple of children who want to play video games while adults relax in the more spacious main saloon on the main deck. I also noted somewhat limited seating for the full complement of guests on the sundeck, which has four sunpads plus one L-shaped sofa next to a coffee table.
     In the water toys department, Berzinc has something I’ve not seen on any other yacht: a flying dinghy. As I first reported on the CharterWave Editor’s Blog, this contraption is basically a traditional, inflatable dinghy tricked out with technology more often found on hangliders and airboats. It seats two people at a time, and one of those seats is reserved for the captain, who drives at speeds up to 65 miles per hour, according to a manufacturer’s website. Nifty stuff, indeed.
     Berzinc’s lowest weekly base rate is 75,000 euro with eight crew onboard. The yacht is part of the Ocean Independence fleet, and any reputable charter broker can help you learn more.—Kim Kavin