First Impression: Jess Sea

April 2008 update: One of the twin beds in the master cabin has been converted to a queen, so this yacht can take eight guests in three cabins.

Date toured: December 2007

The week that I was onboard this 87-foot sailing yacht was the very first week it has ever been available for charter. She still is owned by the man who built her in 2000 at the Merrifield-Roberts shipyard in Rhode Island, but up until this point, he has kept her for private use.
     “His children are starting to have grandchildren, so they’re coming to the boat less,” I learned from charter manager Lara-Jo Houghting of Fort Lauderdale-based Northrop & Johnson, which manages the yacht. “Now, his schedule is flexible around charter use. We hope to book eight to 10 weeks a year.”
     Whenever I hear that a boat is just entering charter, my first instinct is to ask about the crew. Sometimes, crew who have only worked for a private owner have a difficult time adjusting to charter clients being aboard.
     Captain Diarmuid O’Connor told me that he’s been with the owner for two years and has no charter experience, while chef Cecilia Flatres has worked as a chef onboard yachts since age 18, as her career choice. They both seemed nice during the brief time that I chatted with them, and both certainly were eager to give charter a try. That’s a good sign. They also have multiple skill sets, with O’Connor having an engineering degree and Flatres being a certified kite board instructor and advanced scuba diver. Also a good sign. And with the third crew member included, the team speaks English, Spanish, French and Swedish. Yet another good sign.
     Jess Sea herself is a yacht that is set up for the owner’s desires, including having exceptional 7-foot headroom in the guest cabins and main saloon to fit his tall frame. There is also WiFi throughout the boat, and each cabin has its own en suite bathroom. These are all good charter features.
     She takes seven guests, each of whom will sleep in a twin-size bed, as there are no doubles, queens, or kings onboard. One of the beds is a “high twin,” meaning you have to hop up onto it, and another is a bunk-style upper-lower berth. Again, this layout is to suit the owner’s needs, but Houghting also believes it will be good for some charter guests, such as friends who don’t want to share beds.
     “We have a single mom with three sons who wants to charter the vessel,” Houghting adds. “Having all twin beds works for the owner, and it works for some clients.”
     The weekly base rate for chartering Jess Sea is $30,000, or about $5,300 per person with all seven beds filled and taking into account typical 25-percent expenses.
    To learn more or book a week onboard, contact any reputable charter broker.—Kim Kavin