|
 First Impression: Montigne (187-foot sailing yacht)
Date toured: May 2010
This 187-foot Turkish sailing yacht is one of at least two boats named Montigne that are available for luxury yacht charter as of this writing. The other is this 152-foot motoryacht. The sailing yacht Montigne was built in 2009 in the style of a Chinese, three-masted schooner—making her wholly unique on the charter market, even if she does share a name in the industry.
Montigne performed only one charter in all of 2009, which makes summer 2010 her first full season in the charter business. She is part of the fleet at Ocean Independence, and she stands out not just because of her style, but also because of her ambience.
“If you’re young, fast, and furious and just want to go roaring around on Jet Skis, I don’t think we’re your boat,” engineer Niels Sondergaard told me as we sat on the spacious aft deck (shown in the photo above). “Families, adult couples, people who want to relax and sail—that’s who we are.”
I think I’m safe in saying that Montigne is the only charter yacht in the Mediterranean with two huge, green dragon heads on her stern, as well as a 6-foot-long wooden sculpture of a dragon-head Chinese boat in her main salon. (The intricate beauty of this wooden sculpture is simply breathtaking; it was carved from a single piece of wood. See the photo below, which shows a half-foot section of the piece.) The salon itself feels exceptionally large and roomy, and it boasts a Yamaha baby grand piano that guests can play, or that can be used as a self-playing piano.
 The master cabin is aft and, to my eye, looks as large as the master cabins aboard some charter motoryachts. Its furnishings include a king-size bed, a full-size sofa, two full-size desks, a sitting chair, and a large bathroom with a marble décor. Also worth noting is that the television screen in the master cabin is 52 inches, the same size as those in the main salon and aft deck. The rest of the guest cabins have 42-inch flat screens—quite large for guest cabins by any standards in the charter industry.
Another full-beam cabin is amidships and rivals the master in size. It has a slightly smaller bathroom, but not a bathroom that I would in any way describe as small. And both full-beam cabins have dancing lights in the ceilings above the beds, a popular feature in East Asian decorating, I’m told.
Montigne is promoted as taking 12 guests, but there are actually 14 guest beds in six cabins. Two of the queen-bed cabins also have a single twin bed in them, making them ideal for children with a nanny, siblings who don’t want to share a bed, or couples who prefer a little extra space at night.
Sondergaard told me that after the summer 2010 season in the Mediterranean, Montigne is expected to become available for charter in Thailand. The lowest weekly base rate is €140,000 with 10 crew. Any reputable charter broker can tell you more or help you book a vacation onboard.—Kim Kavin |
Nicole Caulfield is licensed, bonded, and a longtime member of FYBA and AYCA. She brings a unique perspective as a broker, having worked aboard yachts for nearly 10 years. Email Nicole
Sharon Bahmer is an expert at booking charters in the Americas, from Alaska to Brazil. She's also a member of FYBA and CYBA. E-mail Sharon
Shannon Webster is a longtime AYCA member. She books yachts worldwide from 80 to 400 feet long. Email Shannon
Ed Hamilton has worked in every part of the charter industry over the last 37 years and heads one of the largest, most respected charter brokerages.
Liz Howard joined Fraser Yachts as a charter broker in 2002 after more than 15 years in the maritime industry. E-mail Liz.
Trina Howes has 10 years of experience in the charter industry finding great pleasure in creating the best yachting vacations possible. E-mail Trina
Beverly Parsons has been chartering since 1969. She is a licensed, bonded broker and a founding member of the professional groups AYCA and CYBA International. Contact Beverly.
