The Ultimate Yacht Vacation – Is it for me?

How do you feel when you see people vacationing in a private Yacht? Doesn’t for a moment you wish, you could do the same! But, again the costs thought would crash all your dreams. It’s the common misconception that owning a Yacht is only the luxury of millionaires. With technology at its peak and Yacht business flourishing, Yacht financing has gained a lot of popularity in the market!

With majority of people opting for Yacht vacations, luxury cruise liners are definitely on business loss. People are aware about the Yacht rental process. With proper resource management, they can get their own rental Yacht at an economical price! Various websites offer Yacht vacations with an option that allows you to rent Yacht. You can also buy your own Yacht from the ‘Yacht for Sale’ option. Since it’s online before making a decision, you have the choice to go through the Yacht catalogue.

Once, the decision is made, opt for the Yacht that suits your needs and budget. Before, you know you’re the owner of your own Private Yacht! See, making dreams come true was never such an easy experience. If still you think yacht is out of your budget, then you can easily opt for some Private Yacht Charter Company.

Private Yacht Charter Company shows you different beautiful locations, be it the deep sea-green Caribbean islands or the pacific oceans or the scintillating Miami vacation, you can opt for the desired location once you have made your mind about the Yacht Charter Company you’ll be going to hire!

This option is coming out to be one of the most affordable options for the vacations. As you are able to enjoy the luxury if the vacation plus it doesn’t make any holes in your pocket!

Traveling through a Private Yacht is once in lifetime kind of experience. Don’t suppress your desires before researching on the costs and making it suit your budget. You’ll realize you were missing on the best opportunity of your life. Opting for a Private Yacht Charter Company is considered as a smart choice if you’re low on budget as most of these companies offers you Yacht Financing! So, that you don’t have to pay all at once and you can manage your money well.

It’s the time for you to make an effort yourself to make your dreams for a perfect Yacht vacation come true! Sail through the winds and enjoy the sea life in your own private Yacht and relish the moment throughout your life.

Sailing is great fun! Look at all the aerobics you get to do. Have you noticed the shape you get in from all the sailing? How about that tan! Power boaters are usually under canopies or pilothouses, drinking anything from beer to martinis … and that’s underway. Wait till they dock up. The drinking really begins when the captain can join in. That’s when the good stuff really starts flowing. No aerobics on powerboats – there boats stay flat and go, go, and go.

Sailboats are different. We heel over (lean), the drinks usually fall over and, listen to this, we have plastic cups to drink from.  Power boaters have real glasses! You can hear the ice clinking!! On sailboats there is not much drinking. This is due to the fact that when sailing we heel, or tack, the drinks. If not getting spilled, they are mixed up from moving to the other side of the sailboat. It’s times like this that you’ll read about in the newspaper; a boater was rescued from the water. It’s possible that it was a guest or crew member aboard a sailboat that was chasing his drink before both were launched overboard. When we do get to our destination, you never see us on deck drinking or otherwise. We are usually below sleeping to regain our strength. Aerobics knocks us out. Then once we do regain our strength, its back on deck and look out… we’re fixing, adjusting, and tightening everything in site. Then, you guessed it, back to sleep. When we are back to ourselves, we are usually sanding down teak, varnishing, or oiling it. We do break out the alcohol, but we have wine. We are reserved. How reserved, I don’t know.  If you remember, we’re drinking out of plastic.

Now, let’s get serious. It’s not like that at all. Well, some of it is, but generally not. Sailing is just that – sailing through the water, and with some people it gets through to their hearts. I’ve sailed from Montauk to Bermuda, taking 4 ½ days and, on some of those days, there was not a need to even adjust the sails. I’ve gone to Block Island and Nantucket needing to only attend the sails (winching and adjusting) rarely. It’s once you get through the “Boot Camp” and venture out on your own that you realize how mellow sailing really is.

With a powerboat, as the weather changes and the waves get bigger or smaller, they just adjust their throttle. Our throttle is those sails, Main and Genoa. As the wind picks up, our sails are either reefed (brought in some) or taken down to only one sail. And with the opposite (wind easing), we put out more or even bigger sails. All this action is physical. Do we do it all the time? No, but as weather fronts roll by, it definitely keeps us busy. So when we have a sailing trip that is just perfect, we don’t forget. How often is the weather perfect? Sea conditions? Wind? All this has to come together to achieve that perfect sail. Who has patience for that? Because, it doesn’t come that often. Usually something is off. Well, we’re always waiting for that perfect sail. Sometimes it seems like a long time, especially if we are just drifting with no wind. You know and I know we have engines, but we’ll wait and just drift with sails up for a puff or two to come along. I don’t know why we don’t just start our engines. It can’t be the fuel usage. We only use up to a gallon an hour. Even at full throttle, we don’t use much fuel, and to tell you the truth, we don’t go that fast either. That could be the reason, or I think we just like our surroundings and want to savor the moment as long as we can. We are always rushed on land; I guess this is our break.

It’s a great feeling to be out on a sailboat, not worrying where the next fuel dock is, but only looking forward to that next breath taking harbor or cove. To be out for days sailing, offshore, seeing whales, dolphins, tuna, flying fish, and then hundreds of miles later, pulling into an island harbor people normally take planes to. It’s not that difficult. It’s almost easy. The hard part is having the time. Oh, that so precious commodity.

There are sailboat clubs and associations that hold races, which include not only racing sailboats, but a “cruising” division for the rest of us. Here is where you hone your skills by knowing your tides and currents to add a boast. Tweaking those sails to get every bit of knotage out of them. Tacking (oh no!) as efficiently as possible to pull ahead of others and take every advantage. This “racing” builds knowledge and know-how in all weather conditions from race to race. Some are long (Around Long Island Race) and some are short (around a few buoys in a bay), but in all, determination to be more efficient, faster, and quicker, comes from your growing racing knowledge which in turn makes you a better sailor. Hey! Did I give away a secret or something? To give some examples, you watch the surface of the water for wind puffs, the skies for changes (dark clouds coming in or different formations).  Your electronics help by giving you other information about your last sail adjustment, i.e. did the knot meter on board show a plus or a minus to your knotage before? Is the depth sounder showing quick depth changes that might slow you up, caused by undo currents or wave action? This awareness gradually becomes automatic as you strive for other tell-tail signs to bring you ahead.

There is more than just getting addicted to racing. There are those before and after get-togethers, award dinners, and barbecues. It’s the finding of new friendships, boating pals and mates, plus maybe a few of their racing secrets that just tightens it all up. The funny thing is that you don’t have to be rich. Sailboats come in large and small sizes. Even trailerable sizes of 26 feet or so with roomy interiors. These naval architects are working hard for us to give that performance with comfort. A tough combo, but they’re making strides. By going on other sailboats for an afternoon sail, or as crew in a race, you get to feel the different characteristics of other models. Their upwind and downwind abilities, the amount of heeling at certain wind speeds, and other aspects. All this unknowingly makes you a better sailor, giving you the option to look at further destinations. Ones you never imagined.

More Sailing Articles

Purchasing a used motor yacht can be tricky, but going it alone can be dangerous.  See how to make the task a enjoyable and safe venture.

Introduction

The other day I returned a phone call left on my cell phone from a gentleman asking about used yachts I have in stock.  When the caller answered I identified myself and asked what I could help with regarding the used yachts he had telephoned about.  The caller right away responded that he did not want to buy a used yacht through a Yacht Broker and hung up.  I shrugged my head and wondered why he would NOT want to buy a yacht through a Yacht Broker.

If you are considering buying a used yacht, here are some things to consider.

Finding a Good Used Boat

A yacht broker will have access to information about boats you will not have or be able to get.

A yacht broker with integrity will be honest about used yachts.  If there is something wrong with a used yacht, he will inform you.  I use a disclosure to inform purchasers about troubles with the boats I represent.  If you are using a buyer’s broker, he/she will investigate other used yachts for you, and help decide which used boats are worth inspecting or considering.  He’s going to be able to talk to to other brokers about their used boats asking the right questions, and find out selective information that you would probably not get on your own.  He’s going to have access to information than you will not have making the search procedure more simplified and quicker.

What’s a Good Price?

Once that potential used yacht is located, what is a good and fair price to pay?  Using data found at soldboats.com, he’ll give you the monetary values of similar used boats bought recently.  Remember, a vessel is only worth what you are willing to give and the seller is willing to take.  Most significantly, he’ll know the motivation of the seller and lead you in making an offer that will allow you and the owner to negotiate to a satisfactory selling price.

Who Handles the Money?

Professional yacht brokers write purchase aggreements that specify each step in the purchasing procedure; the amount of time for the seller to accept the offer, the particular date by which you the buyer will either take or decline the used yacht, any particular conditions that the offer is dependent upon, and the expected closing day of the month.  The contract will also spell out your getting your deposit moneyback if you back out of the deal.

And oh yes, an offer requires a good faith down payment.  Who will hold that deposit if a transaction involves you as a buyer and the seller without a third party?  Purchasers beware!

Lien Checks

When we help in the sale/purchase of a vessel, yacht brokers complete checks to make sure you get clear title to the vessel.  Any active ship’s mortgages are paid in full.  In addition, documentations are reassigned and Bills of Sales are prepared.  When working with a yacht broker, you get the essential legal documentation naming the used boat as yours.  Buying used boat from an individual can be risky if these checks are not completed.

Getting her Home

You have located the perfect used boat and got her for a fair price; but handling a 42′ vessel has you intimidated.  She’s a pretty big yacht.  But its ok, when dealing with full-service yacht brokers nothing is left to chance.
Be sure you choose a yacht broker that will agree to assist you with learning your new used yacht as well as getting her home.  I do this with all my clients.

Choose Your Broker Carefully

Most yacht brokers are very dependable and treat their clients accordingly.  But I’ve heard many horror tales from my clients about their dealings with less than professional yacht brokers.  Many of them are out for the quick buck and could care less about you as a customer.  I have even had dealings with them myself and often wonder how they have ANY customers.  They don’t return phone calls or electronic mails, don’t seem to know very much about used boats and don’t show up for work until lunch it seems.

Be sure your selected broker is very experienced about the used vessel you think you want.  For me, powerboats, particularly trawlers are my forte.

Pick your broker carefully.  Do bit of research to determine the quality of the person you are dealing with.  Ask for character references.

More Yachts Articles

A Floating Paradise

Yachts have captured the imagination of people the world over and nothing signals luxury more than the ultimate floating home. The term luxury yacht encompasses any privately owned vessel that is professionally crewed and was coined at the beginning of the 20th century when yachting for pleasure became a reality for many.

Classifying yachts into a list of the world’s most impressive vessels is not an easy task. Most people use length as the deciding factor in determining the largest and most spectacular vessels, but in technical terms, it is gross tonnage that really determines one yacht’s size in relation to another. This measure of weight refers to a yacht’s volume and what it can carry or accommodate.

The World’s Five Longest Motor Yachts

But it is length that is more tangible for most people and is a huge determining factor in the status of a yacht. In classifying the world’s privately-owned yachts into the top 5 by length, there are actually six that emerge as clear contenders. The world’s largest yacht is actually yet to be launched and will be vying for the top spot by the end of 2008.

Most of the world’s five longest yachts were built in Europe, with only the Platinum/Golden Star being constructed in the United Arab Emirates. Germany is currently the top yacht producing country with the esteemed Lurssen Company being behind three of the world’s current longest luxury yachts. This trend of European dominance in the field of yachting is also prominent in yacht charters and brokerage. Yacht brokerage companies sell and charter some of the world’s longest and most luxurious yachts, making magnificent vessels of this type more accessible.

The Golden Star

The world’s biggest and most majestic yacht to date, the Golden Star is also known as the Platinum Star and is truly a sight to behold. Launched in Dubai in April 2006, the 160 metre yacht is owned by the Sheikh of Dubai. The yacht was originally commissioned by Prince Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei in 1996, but when his funds ran out two years later, construction was halted indefinitely. The partially-finished skeleton of the yacht sat in a German dry dock until the project was taken over by Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai. The name of the yacht as well as her features have been held secret, even after her launch with rumours of submarines and missile detectors neither confirmed nor denied. Originally named the Golden Star, the Sheikh of Dubai is said to prefer the more sophisticated Platinum Star while latest rumours have simply named the current world’s longest yacht the Dubai.

Sunflower

At 155 metres, the Sunflower is the world’s second largest yacht and currently one of its youngest, as it was only launched in 2007. Its design is typically Arabian, even though it was built in Germany, hinting that she may have been built for a Middle Eastern owner and her unique design includes a triple mast and a double funnel. The owner is still unknown but rumours abound that she is the next successor to the Al Said due to her similar colouring and features. The Omani Royal Yacht Al Said is now over 25 years old and was originally built in Italy.

Prince Abdul Aziz

The world’s current third largest yacht was built back in 1984 and actually holds the record of being the biggest ever built in the 20th century. The Prince Abdul Aziz, built for the King of Saudi Arabia, ruled the oceans with the title of the world’s largest yacht for over 20 years until it was usurped by the Platinum/Golden Star. The interior of the yacht was completely redesigned and refitted in Greece in 2002 to create a more modern and luxurious look. Sixty-five crew members are reportedly needed to keep the Prince Abdul Aziz afloat and she more resembles a cruise ship than a privately-owned yacht.

Al Salamah

The Al Salamah is one of the most mysterious yachts currently sailing our seas as very little information about its features has ever been released, leaving rumours to circulate about its incredible design and luxurious touches. Lurssen Yachts in Germany were given only two years to complete the construction of the 139 metre yacht, making its completion a remarkable feat. Owned by Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz, the Saudi Defence Minister and son of the late King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, the Al Salamah has all the expected features of a yacht of this size, including private cinemas and Jacuzzis, but it is the rumoured extra features that truly set her apart. Her indoor swimming pool covered by a glass roof is unique and her interior was designed by the famed British designer Terence Disdale.

Rising Sun

At 138 metres, the Rising Sun is the world’s fifth longest yacht and encompasses five stories with 82 rooms to house its privileged guests. The yacht cost current owners Larry Ellison, CEO of the Oracle Corporation, and David Geffen over 0 million to build. Constructed by Lurssen in Germany from a Jon Bannenberg design, the Rising Sun has an estimated living space of over 8000 square metres. There are plenty of features to keep guests entertained with a basketball court, gymnasium spa and sauna as well as a giant plasma-screened cinema. The wine cellars ensure that there is always something special on hand to drink and the teak deck and onyx countertops accentuate the luxurious design.

Eclipse – Coming Soon

The buzz surrounding the build of the Eclipse is keeping the yachting fraternity in frantic anticipation awaiting the world’s newest and most spectacular Super Yacht. Owned by Roman Abromovich and constructed by Blohm and Voss in Germany, the Eclipse has an estimated price tag of over 0 million. Accommodating 24 people, this yacht is built for luxury and privacy, with anti-paparazzi measures and a unique design that separates the owner, guests and crew. The features on board range from two helipads to a disco, pool, and a round glass room offering panoramic views, as well its own private submarine.