First Impression: Polycarpus

Date toured: May 2007

Ah, Polycarpus—I still remember the first time I saw this 114-foot motoryacht, back in 2004, a couple of years after her 1949 river tugboat hull was gutted and completely rebuilt in spectacular style. She’s just as beautiful now as she was then, only she’s been through two more mini-refits since, to add things like 24-hour Internet access and WiFi throughout the guest areas.
     Capt. Richard Wubbeling has been with her since 2003, completing the post-refit details and getting her reputation up to snuff in the worldwide charter industry. The Dutchman told me as we took a look around that the crew have already earned a three-peat client, plus repeat guests from the United States, Spain, and England.
    That’s the best praise you can get in the charter business, especially for a yacht like Polycarpus that is not only beautiful, but that also has a few unusual design elements thanks in part to her original construction as a workboat and in part to her owner’s modern taste in interior decor. One hard-to-miss design detail is the layout in the master cabin, which is multilevel but without the normal walls or doorways. For instance, you can see from the bed straight up and into the glass-encased shower—something that is fine for some couples, but that anyone used to privacy might find a bit strange.
     I love the style, since it’s both different from traditional motoryachts and comfortable in a stylish, modern way. My only quibble with this yacht is the spiral staircase that leads down to the other five guest cabins, as the stairs are somewhat narrow and a little hard to traverse. The good news is that once you’re downstairs, the accommodations are tailor-made for couples who might want to split the weekly charter rate. There’s not a single twin bed onboard, only double beds sized for adults.
     I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention that the chef onboard Polycarpus, Elias Verniers, is one of the most enthusiastic and talented that I’ve met during my years of covering the charter industry. There’s a reason the yacht’s owner stole him away from a Michelin-starred restaurant in Belgium, and I’m certain that the food charter guests enjoy onboard this yacht is one big reason that so many are deciding to return for second and third vacations.
     Polycarpus is part of the fleet at Camper & Nicholsons International. She takes 12 guests with seven crew at a weekly base rate of $102,000 plus expenses. Contact any reputable charter broker for booking information.—Kim Kavin