Delivering Your Superyacht Experience Since 1976
local and international
+1.305.253.7245
toll-free north america
+1.800.922.4824
 

Tag Archives: Thunderball

164 Foot Superyacht Relocates to St Martin for Winter Holidays

Posted on

The 164ft tri-deck Trinity yacht charter vessel yacht AMARULA SUN will set her course for the Caribbean this winter and will be in place in St. Martin in time to accept year-end inquires for Christmas and New Year’s Eve.  The superyacht will remain in the islands throughout spring 2016.

Her weekly charter rate is $220,000 plus running expenses.

Amarula Sun white boat motoryacht profile underway

The news comes on the heels of the recent relocation announcement by Feadship yacht HURRICANE RUN to the Caribbean for year-end, 2015.

The 50 meter motor yacht AMARULA SUN is truly a one of kind.  Her many unique amenities include a split-level Master Stateroom with panoramic views, fully body massage chair, grand player piano, and a cozy fireplace.

There are accommodations for 10 adults in 5 staterooms, plus two Pullman berths each suitable for a small child.

Adventurous travelers take note – this yacht is packed with a wide array of sports equipment and water toys.  Here’s a partial list:

  • 32 foot Everglades towed tender
  • 21 foot custom Brigs tender with a killer six speaker sound system, GPS, and underwater lights
  • 4 Personal watercraft includes 2 Yamaha 3-person supercharged wave runners (VERY fast!!!) and 2 SeaDoo Sparks wave runners (painted Hot Pink!)
  • 2 SeaBobs (yes, just like James Bond 007 rode in Thunderball, only smaller and faster!)

…and my personal favorite toys:

  • Giant inflatable waterslide
  • High-flying Jet Lev backpack!!!

Back of yacht with inflatable slide set up and person flying over the water with a backpack like James Bond wore in the movie Thunderball

Look out below!!!

============

For additional information call our 24 hour yacht charter hotline at 305-720-7245, email info@1800yachtcharters.com, or use our online form to submit your yachting questions or suggestions here. We look forward to hearing from you!

This entry was posted in Destinations Good Times Gadgets News Yacht Charter and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted on

How Big Is Too Big? What’s The Best Size for Superyacht Charter Vessels?

Posted on

Vertigo superyacht launch

 

THE SIZE OF A FOOTBALL FIELD

In catching up on technical reading, I studied the launch of the 96 meter Feadship yacht VERTIGO.

For many of our clients, the epitome of luxury is a Feadship yacht charter vacation.  These fabled Dutch builders have placed a number of their award-winning vessels into the superyacht charter market.   Vessels like yacht HURRICANE RUN, motor yacht JOY, and the the 81 meter yacht AIR, the second largest Feadship currently available for charter, hold a coveted ranking among the most popular luxury yachts for hire in the world.

 

 

As I reviewed photos of yacht VERTIGO, Feadship hull 1066, I was floored by her massive size.  At 96 meters in length (about 315 feet), she is longer than an NFL football field, from bow to stern.  Even her onboard amenities are grand – like the 9 meter x 4 meter swimming pool and the below-deck helicopter hangar.

I thought to myself, “Our charter clients will be amazed when they see this yacht.”

 

AMAZED — BUT WILL clients be????

 

Is it possible vessels like Feadship yacht VERTIGO and similar sized yachts are too big for a superyacht charter, no matter how impressive their onboard amenities might be.  Too ostentatious?  An appropriate size to maneuver?  Is sher affordable?

 

VERTIGO coming out of Luerssen superyacht build hangar

 

IS THERE A BEST SIZE FOR A CHARTERYACHT?

So just how big is too big – and is there an optimal size yacht for charter?

 

As a person might expect, there is no simple yes or no answer.  More importantly, there IS a correct answer – and it comes from understanding not so much what the charterer wants, as what the charterer needs!

 

While the charter rate and yacht’s appearance and amenities are important, those details initially take a back seat to the primary factors used to determine the optimal size of the yachts we recommend to our clients.

 

 

 

 

Our charter consultants focus on two primary criteria when determining the right yacht. For instance, destination and intended use.

 

Girl snorkeling in clear blue water

 

DESTINATION DICTATES YACHT SIZE

“Where” the client wishes to charter is the first factor in determining how large a yacht they can enjoy.  Simply stated, some yachts are too large, and draft too deeply in the water to safely navigate certain destinations.

 

COMPANY PRESIDENT COMMENTS

Jana Sheeder, our company’s President best explains the challenge:

“A client who enjoyed a 175ft Feadship yacht charter vessel in the Mediterranean in the summer, might ask for a similar yacht to explore the Bahamas in the winter. However, the Bahamas are a shallow destination and many of the best beachfront anchorages are too shallow to be enjoyed by a Feadship with a typical 12ft draft. Instead of quoting a Feadship, we would probably recommend a yacht like the 164ft Mangusta MOONRAKER.  She’s just 10 feet shorter in length than a comparable Feadship, but drafts just 6ft – half the draft of a Feadship!”

 

 

USE DICTATES YACHT SIZE

“What” the charterer wishes to do during the rental period is the second factor in recommending a yacht based on size.  If the yacht is to be used for a corporate event, like the Cannes Film Festival, accessible dockage is crucial to the success of the charter.  Our friend Hansel describes the importance of analyzing dockage requirements in relation to the yacht’s size.

“For a static charter, the yacht is normally positioned stern-to (perpendicular to) the quay so VIP guests can come and go.  If the yacht is too long, it will have trouble docking stern-to, and it’s bow will jut out, and possibly restrict the passage of yachts entering and exiting the marina. It is far better to provide the client with a yacht shorter in overall length, but greater in volume via multiple decks for entertainment and socializing.”

Once the destination and use issues have been addressed, we can present the largest yachts that won’t compromise the needs of the client.  At this point, the focus shifts to cost and amenities, with many clients seeking the biggest yacht in line with their budget, as well as a vessel with unique watertoys.

 

THE SUPERYACHT OWNER’S PERSPECTIVE

As an interesting side note, the owner’s perspective on what is the ideal size for a superyacht for charter differs from that of the charterer and charter broker.  With many owners, bigger is better.  Driven in part by ego, yacht owners continue to build larger and larger yachts.   In a recent interview with Superyacht Times, John Rosatti, the owner of 65m yacht DOUBLE DOWN, commented on the growing trend to build bigger yachts:

“Everyone’s going bigger now, just look around. In 1988, I had a 34m Thunderball and it was in the top 100 largest yachts. Now I have a 65m, which may have just slipped out of the top 250. These boats get bigger and the ports get smaller. Where do you put them? It’s tough. If you look around there’s virtually nothing under 150 feet now.”

 

MANAGEMENT WEIGHS IN

Yet even when ego seems to dictate the size of yachts, there is still some semblance of reason for a few yacht owners.  Paolo Casani, managing director of C&N, believes new-build growth in charter yachts will be in the 45-65m sector.  Casani told Superyacht Times:

“They’re (45-65m yachts) easier to manage and you have more berthing options. Yachts this size are the most appealing for charter.  We had a 60m that did 96 days of charter in one season. The owner offset his running costs and actually made a profit. The pricing for charters becomes far less attractive for the market when you get above 65 meters.”

 

FINAL YACHT SIZE THOUGHT

While affluent owners will continue to push the bar and build yachts in the 100 meter range, and larger, for most charterers, the ideal charter vessel will be the yacht that is best suited for the client’s desired cruising destination and specific use.  Whether that yacht is 50 meters or 100, should remain a secondary factor in selecting the right yacht for the ultimate superyacht experience.

Interested in The Superyacht Experience™ with family and friends?  Click https://www.1800yachtcharters.com/book-now-contact-us/ to fill out a convenient form! 

 

This entry was posted in Yacht Charter News Educational and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted on

Superyacht Owner Pays Homage to James Bond

Posted on

John Staluppi, notably the luxury yacht charter world’s archetypical yacht owner, is at it again. He is driven by imagination and pride. As such, Staluppi takes possession of his 16th megayacht. 

Aerial photograph of the profile of motoryacht, Diamonds Are Forever. Solid white yacht. Heading toward the lower left side of screen. Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas is in the backrground.

Diamonds Are Forever Staluppi yacht

Launch took place on 26th November 2011 in Benetti shipyard in Livorno, Italy.  The 60 meter Benetti FB253 is the boat’s official identification.  Like his earlier yachts, the vessel has been christened to honor another James Bond classic novel and film.  Presenting motor yacht DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER.

Profile photo of motoryacht Casino Royale at anchor in the sunset. She is facing the left side of the screen. Big white boat.

Staluppi’s Casino Royale

BENETTI TRADITIONS

The boat is based on the shipyard’s famed naval architecture and engineering.  Elegant external line of the new Benetti FB253 M/Y (Motoryacht) DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER uses compact forms and dynamic slender lines.  She has traditional design elements and modern innovative stylistic solutions.  These features are the benchmark of Benetti’s throughout the world.

 

Photograph of a man in a purple suit sitting behind a desk. His hands are folded in front of him, and he's smiling at the camera. He is Italian. He is John Staluppi, car dealer and superyacht owner.

John Staluppi, Superyacht Owner

STALUPPI YACHTS

As a matter of fact, this man has long been a fan of the James Bond 007 saga.  To emphasize, Staluppi’s earlier creations include:

  • motor yacht OCTOPUSSY
  • motoryacht MOONRAKER
  • superyacht THUNDERBALL
  • M/Y THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH
  • mega yacht CASINO ROYALE  (A fixture at Atlantis Resort and Marina on Paradise Island)

 

SINGULAR FOCUS OF BUILDS

CASINO ROYALE and DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER are built for true luxury at sea.  Staluppi’s earlier Bond boats had a singular focus – SPEED.   They were setting records as some of the fastest superyachts in the world.  It was the 43.5 meter motor yacht OCTOPUSSY which broke the 50-knot speed barrier 20 years ago. This yacht brought the name of New York-born John Staluppi to the attention of yacht aficionados.

 

YACHT OWNER’S BEGINNINGS

He has a well-known background, but the self-made millionaire left school when he was 16 and worked as a mechanic in Brooklyn.  Due to this, he developed one of the most successful car dealerships in North America. It was a business that enabled him to indulge his passion for racing fast boats. He then started building megayachts for himself.

In conclusion, many charter yacht owners prefer to remain anonymous. Staluppi’s vision and passion bring fervor and excitement to a very conservative industry.  There aren’t many yachts aboard which guests are greeted by frosted-glass panels delicately etched with the silhouettes of Bond girls
The customized, whimsical James Bond boat themes are a refreshing breath of fresh air in an industry of white, cookie-cutter production boats.  It must be remembered. Let’s hope Staluppi doesn’t run out of 007 movie titles, or his passion, any time soon.

BOOK A BOND BOAT

Live the adventure – come explore an exotic destination on a James Bond boat.

Contact us HERE to make life-changing plans!

This entry was posted in Yacht of the Week News and tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted on

Yacht Maven Tours James Bond Yacht Octopussy after $7M Refit

Posted on

INSPECTION OF MOTORYACHT OCTOPUSSY

First, take an iconic former world-record holding yacht launched in the 80’s.  Second, add the allure of James Bond Agent #007.  Third, toss in wads of dough for refinements and upgrades.  The result is the spectacular, all-new Heesen motor yacht OCTOPUSSY.

Jana Sheeder, President of 1-800 Yacht Charters took advantage of an invitation to privately preview the “NEW” vessel near the owner’s winter home in Palm Beach, Florida, before the yacht enters the Bahamas yacht charter market.

 

COMPANY PRESIDENT COMMENTS

We received an invitation to see the yacht at the conclusion of a 7 million dollar refit,” beams Sheeder.  “To be the first in the charter industry to see this yacht in person as it returns to the market is so exciting – we can’t wait to share our report and photos with our clients!

jana sheeder and captain laugh on top deck of motoryacht octopussy

 

 

UPON BOARDING

Boarding to starboard, amidships and entering the interior passageway, visitors immediately catch a glimpse of the spectacular new décor by Jeff Lincoln of New York. Looking aft, the salon and dining area boast sumptuous fabrics and textures.  Sheeder notes how the designer stayed true to a classic yachting theme.

The clean lines defined by white-on-navy color patterns add a great, crisp nautical flair, similar to the classic nautical clothing designs of Ralph Lauren.  You know you’re in a yacht but you feel like you’re in a modern New York City apartment. I also love how the blue highlights allow the interior areas to melt into the exterior decks and the dark blue hull.”

 

THE TOUR CONTINUES

 

OCTOPUSSY main salon and dining salon entrance with blue and white geometric carpeting, light wood walls, and white furniture

As Sheeder continues her tour of the yacht, crew members point out the numerous highlights of the refit.

You can tell every mechanical system and all interior surface areas – from the headliner to the flooring and wallcovering, and all of the furniture – have been renewed or replaced,” says Sheeder.

 

Heesen yacht OCTOPUSSY further benefits from a remodeled stateroom plan – with a combination of Queen and Twin berths as well as two Pullman berths for small children.

Additional refit highlights include a new sundeck and extension of the uppermost deck.  The deck is complete with raised sunpads and Jacuzzi-style hot tub.  “Adding the small sundeck with a hot tub highly appeals to charter clients,” says Sheeder.

Clients love to spend a day swimming and exploring the James Bond Thunderball Grotto in the Exumas in the Bahamas.  There’s nothing like soaking sore muscles in a Jacuzzi hot tub as the sun sets over the ocean…

 

 

TRUE TO JAMES BOND THEME

jana sheeder 1800yachtcharters president stands on dock beside motoryacht octopussy before inspection

Octopussy’s 1988 builder is Dutch shipyard Heesen.  This iconic yacht is true to the James Bond theme that underlines all of the famous films.  Whether a plane, car, or boat, it goes AMAZINGLY FAST!  When first launched, the 143 foot vessel set a world record as the fastest superyacht in the world, hitting a top speed of 53.17 knots.  “The added renovations, and extensions have slowed her down a bit,” says Sheeder, “but not by much.”  Currently, the yacht can cruise at 25 knots, with a top speed of 35 knots.

The combination of speed in a setting of comfort and panache makes this an ideal yacht for exploring the Bahamas,” explains Sheeder. “Other yachts are stuck offering the traditional charter itinerary in the general area of Nassau, but this incredible yacht can get to remote islands far removed from the tourist areas.  After all, the idea is to enjoy a private yacht charter vacation – and this yacht can certainly deliver on that promise.”

 

 

 

james bond 007 octopussy film poster picture starring roger moore and maude adams showing maude with 8 arms and roger holding gun

 

 

Take the “James Bond Yacht Challenge” and win a prize!

Tell us the names of three 007–inspired yachts currently available for charter.  These are yachts named after actual James Bond movies. 

Need a hint? The yacht “Octopussy” is named after the 1983 film of the same name starring Roger Moore as James Bond.  Now you only need to name two more!   

Need another hint?  Go to  www.1800yachtcharters.com and use the SEARCH box in the top right corner of the homepage to search on names of James Bond movies.   

Email the names of three charter yachts named after Bond 007 flicks to info@1800yachtcharters.com, and we’ll mail you a special gift! 

[Note:  actual spies and secret agents are not eligible to play!]

 

This entry was posted in News Yacht of the Week and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted on