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In my opinion, stationary retreats don’t hold a candle to a good yacht charter experience.
by Jill Bobrow
photography by Dana Jinkins
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04/01/2007
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Thinking about summer holidays? There are villas to rent in
Tuscany, sybaritic Aman resorts in Asia and relaxing Relais & Châteaux
worldwide. But, in my opinion, these stationary retreats don’t hold a candle to
a good yacht charter experience.
The floating, movable venue and the royal service aboard a
luxury crewed charter are unrivaled in travel. On today’s finest charter yachts,
500-thread Egyptian cotton sheets are de rigueur, and when you have had
your beauty rest, how about a workout in an atrium gym on the sun deck? But aha
(and herein lies the difference): On a charter yacht, you are not bound to landlocked precepts. Get off that treadmill and indulge in some watersports.
Lift your head from your book for a nanosecond and a steward will slip you some
sunscreen and discreetly refill your iced soursop tea. All the while, the
seascape is changing—today Saint-Tropez, tomorrow Cannes. Whether you are
anchored, under way or along the quay, vacationing on a yacht is the mother of
movable feasts.
Each winter, ShowBoats editors attend the Antigua
Charter Yacht Meeting and the St. Maarten Charter Yacht Exhibition. In the
spring, we attend charter shows in Genoa, Italy, and Poros, Greece. None of
these shows are open to the public. Strictly geared to the trade, these events
are where international charter brokers inspect multitudinous yachts, taking
notes on beds, baths and beyond. They want to be prepared for your phone call.
And, indeed, when you call, you may rest assured he or she will create the
perfect fit for you. After all, if you enjoy yourself, you’ll become a repeat
customer.
The yachts offered for the 2007 season are of exceedingly high
caliber: large and moderately sized motor yachts; sailboats for two and for 20;
modern, classic and custom. It’s always best to book well ahead for traditional
holiday times, but it’s not too late to make plans for this summer.
For her article in this issue, "Summer Escapes,"
ShowBoats Managing Editor Danielle Wallin attended the charter shows in
Antigua and St. Maarten and surveyed a broad range of yachts that are available
for the upcoming summer charter season. With notebook in hand, she traipsed up
and down companionways, sampled sun decks (and hors d’oeuvres) and interviewed
captains and crew. In her article, you’ll find a smorgasbord of summer charter
options to fit your pocketbook and your palette—or even palate (or do I mean
Pilates?).
There are options galore including New England, the Med, the
South Pacific and the Pacific Northwest. Are you interested in family fun? Are
you planning to include the kids and grandkids? Maybe you are seeking a romantic
getaway or a getaway from romance? Perhaps you’re looking to spend a week
fishing and playing poker with the guys. The possibilities are endless. To give
you a taste of the more exotic, we also have in this issue a charter feature by
contributing editor/photographer Justin Ratcliffe who was on board the unique,
164-foot schooner Silolona as she sailed from Langkawi in Malaysia to
Phuket, Thailand.
One given fact on all charter yachts is that the food will be
outstanding. Yacht chefs are comparable or superior to those in the best
restaurants ashore. In this issue you’ll find the results of the St. Maarten
charter show’s chefs competition sponsored by ShowBoats International and
Moët & Chandon. A team of eminently qualified chefs, restaurateurs and wine
distributors from St. Maarten/St. Martin spent three days judging chefs from 15
yachts on presentation, use of ingredients, table settings, ambiance and wine
pairing. It was tough duty, but as you might imagine, no one complained.
Speaking of food and wine, we are introducing a new department
in this issue called "Essentials: The Connoisseur’s Guide to the Good Life
Afloat." For the debut installment, our contributor is a master sommelier and
former yacht stewardess who has written about lower-alcohol-content wines that
are perfect for all-day sipping while on charter. This new department is by no
means relegated to food. Stay tuned for snippets on fashion afloat, art
collections aboard and more.
One last important note: On page 31 we have published our list
of nominees for the 17th installment of the annual ShowBoats
International Awards, which will take place in Monaco on June 21, during our
annual rendezvous. And speaking of the rendezvous, it’s not too late to book a
slip for that. See you there?
 Underway: Chartering and Transcendence
March 2007
Charter Choices
October 2005
April 2005
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