Yacht Design Awards
The finalists for an international design awards program have been announced and several mega yacht charter vessels lead the pack.
The International Superyacht Society has released its lists of finalists for the 2011 International Design Awards. Four of the five nominees in the Best Power category for yachts 40 to 60 meters in length are charter vessels:
McMullen & Wing motor yacht BIG FISH
Holland Jachtbouw motor yacht Ninkasi (ex-CALLIOPE)
Perini Navi motor yacht EXUMA
Lürssen motor yacht HUNTRESS (x-SOLEMATES )
Based solely on peer review, the International Superyacht Society Design (ISS) Awards celebrate the finest naval architecture, design, interiors, and engineering in the newest yachts in the large yacht industry.
Winners will be announced at 7 p.m. Oct. 27 at ISS’s annual International Design Awards Gala at the Marriott Harbor Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale.
This entry was posted in News Special Events Educational and tagged Exuma, solemates, award-winning, Huntress, Calliope, international design awards, superyacht awards, special events, Fort Lauderdale, yacht charter Florida, Big Fish
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The myriad of recreational toys offered by private yacht charter vessels continues to grow each year, as more and more yachts continue to battle for the same handful of HNWI for whom yachting is a lifestyle, not a once in a lifetime adventure.
Gone are the days when a yacht only carried a windsurfer and some snorkel gear. Today, the onboard watertoy inventory sheet on most superyachts reads like a wish list from the Hammacher Schlemmer Christmas catalog. Jetlev hover boards, giant waterslides, even mini submarines are now the norm.
While most of the toys have straightforward names that define their intended use (for example, stand up paddleboards, water skis, etc.), some have downright funny names, associated with foods that come to mind when looking at the toys.
Here are our favorite food-inspired charter toys, found on many Virgin Islands yacht charter vessels:
DONUT – There are actually several types of donut watertoys. The most common ones look like giant tire inner tubes, hence the term, “donut.” A totally new “spin” on the water donut is the BBQ Donut, where several people can sit inside a floating donut-shaped vessel, complete with sun awning and bbq grill.
BANANA – This colorful towable toy is pulled along by the charter yacht’s tender. It’s all about a fast, bumpy ride. Bananas aren’t typically “fast food,” but this banana fits the bill! Depending upon the size of the banana, some carry 2 riders, and some six or more. Hang on tight – falling off at high speed can sting a bit when you splash into the water!
HOT DOG – Take a towable banana, paint it red, and add a couple “buns” to the sides and voila, you’ve got a towable hot dog watertoy. The inflatable buns actually perform a purpose – by adding extra stability to the toy. In other words, you don’t fall off as much as you do on the banana…but hey, falling off is part of the fun!
BROWNIES THIRD LUNG – ok, so you don’t really “ride” this one. Work with me, here – it’s a watertoy, and its name sounds like food! This is basically an air compressor situated in a floating donut. (If you’d like, we can refer to it as YET ANOTHER TYPE OF DONUT WATERTOY!) The compressor pumps air into long tubes that tie into a snorkel mask. Swimmers wear the mask and breathe fresh air, allowing them to do very shallow dives, while safely tethered to the floating compressor. It’s a great way for novices to experience the sensation of SCUBA diving while snorkeling in shallow water.
This entry was posted in Gadgets News Educational and tagged SCUBA, watersports toys, watersports, donut, brownie's third lung, hot dog, brownie, banana, yacht charter Florida, barbecue donut, bbq donut, Watertoys, snuba
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When we first chartered this beautiful 100ft Hargrave motoryacht, she was named motor yacht KATINA, and owned by a former NFL All-Pro linebacker (and a runner-up contestant on ABC’s Dancing With The Stars). Though the football star no longer owns her, motor yacht DA BUBBA as she is now named, is as beautiful as the day she was launched.
This 100 ft Hargrave yacht calls South Florida its home port, and her talented crew of 4 are eager to offer Florida Keys as well as Bahamas yacht charter vacations throughout 2013.Hargrave yacht DA BUBBA can accommodate up to 8 guests in 4 staterooms.
Captain Brandon Washington has a professional crew of 3. They take great care of their superyacht charter guests.
Hargrave yachts are comfort-built. They are also popular with small to medium sized families looking to escape to the Bahamas for a long weekend. M/Y DA BUBBA will fill a void recently created by the departure of two other same-sized Hargrave yachts leaving the charter market. Specifically, motor yacht SEAFARER and Hargrave yacht COCKTAILS.
This entry was posted in Destinations Yacht of the Week Yacht Charter and tagged Nassau yacht charter, yacht charter Bahamas, motoryacht charter, Hargrave, yacht charter Florida, cocktails, Seafarer, Da Bubba, Katina
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Planning a yachting holiday this year? If you haven’t selected your specific dates yet, here’s a great idea. Add a little extra “pizzazz” to The Superyacht Experience™. Select your charter dates to coincide with the cycle of the full moon!
There’s just something extra special about being anchored in a protected cove with a sea of stars above. Suddenly, a rust-colored orb begins to appear on the distant horizon. It pushes slowly into the air. As it rises, the color changes from rust to white. It glows brighter and brighter by the minute. Finally, the bright full moon ascends to its lofty place among the stars above. It casts lunar light across your superyacht’s deck. You sit with your family and friends. All mesmerized by the natural beauty of the night. Expressing gratitude to be at sea enjoying this special experience together.
BEWARE HIDDEN YACHT CHARTER COSTS – AVOID THESE THREE PITFALLS
To help you plan a moonlit yacht charter holiday, here is the full moon calendar for 2106. Keep in mind that you’ll have nights both before and after the full moon that will add plenty of moonlight to your adventure.
24 January
22 February
23 March
22 April
21 May (Blue Moon)
20 June
20 July
18 August
16 September
16 October
14 November
To maximize the opportunity for clear skies and great weather, match your full moon dates with a seasonal destination. For example, if you are considering a Florida yacht charter vacation, March and April offer warm (but not hot) weather, and minimal chances for rain. The same idea holds true for a Greek yacht charter in summertime, as August and September usually offer clear skies, fewer winds, and smooth sailing.
Which full moon date from our calendar would you most like to experience this year? Please leave a comment below!
Let a yacht charter specialist help you organize a true superyacht experience. First, from choosing the right destination, and last, to selecting the right wine for dinner! Contact the team at 1-800 Yacht Charters today. Call 305-253-7245 (Florida and international) or 1-800 922-4824 (toll free North America).
This entry was posted in Educational Yacht Charter News Special Events and tagged yacht charter Florida, 1800yachtcharters, yacht charter Greece, lunar, full moon yacht charter, full moon calendar, yachting by moonlight, private luxury yacht charter
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Yikes, did that get your attention? Perhaps you are planning a mega yacht charter or a luxury sailing charter. You are wondering if “Jaws” is out there in the deep blue. A giant shark waiting to take a bite out of your vacation.
If you’re planning a Florida or Bahama yacht charter, for example, you have little to worry about. Shark attacks of people swimming from their luxury yacht charter vessels an unheard of occurrence! These incredible creatures don’t want to be around a lot of activity and motorized toys and large yachts…
Before people became green and eco-conscious travelers, boaters used to often throw garbage overboard. Now, the real danger is to those land lubbers putting a toe in the water at the beach.
Here is some educational information, in case you have friends who aren’t lucky enough to own a superyacht or prefer luxury sailing charter vacations. Feel free to share this information with them.
Due to its thousands of annual beachgoers, and toothy inhabitants hunting offshore, New Smyrna is the shark attack capital of the world. That’s according to the International Shark Attack File (ISAF), which cites 210 attacks in the beach’s home county of Volusia, Florida. However, gorgeous weather, miles of white sand, and consistent surf breaks draw vacationers into New Smyrna’s waters.
No. 2 on the ISAF for unprovoked attacks is Oahu, where Tiger, Galapagos, and Sandbar Sharks congregate in high numbers, especially near beaches on the island’s north shore. This doesn’t stop surfers, who flock to Velzyland Beach, the Leftovers Break, and dozens of additional wave-beaten beaches where apex predators search and swim.
Though it didn’t happen at a beach, the death of an Austrian lawyer who was diving with them in February 2008 off the Bahamas has sharpened attention in these tropical waters, which Patrick Douglas, owner of Shark Diver, an ocean guiding outfit in San Francisco, said are “among the shark-iest places on the planet.” He has seen 14-foot-long tiger sharks offshore from beaches were thousands of tourists swim and sun each year.
In the shadow of Marin County’s Mt. Tamalpais, Stinson Beach is a spot where great white sharks swim into the shallows. Patrick Douglas said he has sighted them at Stinson – which is a neighboring stretch of sand east from Bolinas Beach (No. 3 on the list) – in less than 20 feet of water. “They’re coming to feed on seals, though it’s not uncommon for surfers to see them,” he said.
In the past 100 years, there have been 90 reported shark confrontations on beaches in this county on Florida’s east coast. Visitors head east from Orlando to the ocean to dip their toes in the tepid waters at Cocoa Beach, Jetty Park, and Klondike Beach, a 24-mile-long wilderness beach accessible only by foot in Canaveral National Seashore preserve.
South Carolina has seen more than 50 total shark attacks over the past century, according to the International Shark Attack File. Of those, 16 attacks are recorded off the beaches of Horry County, where the town of Myrtle Beach is famous as a tourist destination. The good news: The International Shark Attack File cites no fatal shark attacks in South Carolina since 1852.
A freak great white attack in 2008 at Solana Beach in San Diego County, California, killed a 66-year-old swimmer. He was on a morning swim, training with a group when the attack occurred. Solana Beach, home to a population of seals, is at the periphery of the corridor where great sharks commonly roam.
The International Shark Attack File cites one fatality and 12 attacks since 1911 at the beaches of Galveston, Texas, which is a city on an island on the Gulf Coast. It is by no means an attack hot spot, but swimmers are justified in their concern as to what’s roaming offshore.
Over the course of a month last spring, the beaches near Zihuatanejo, a city on the Pacific Coast north of Acapulco, saw three shark attacks and two fatalities. A shark hunt ensued, with local fisherman baiting lines and patrolling waters where surfers regularly bob.
This entry was posted in Yacht Charter and tagged yacht charter Bahamas, private luxury yacht charter, yacht charter Florida, Bahamas yacht charter, florida yacht charter, shark attacks, shark yacht charter, are there sharks on a yacht charter?
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Ask anyone who has enjoyed a yachting vacation what activity they enjoyed the most, and chances are they will tell you, “the snorkeling.” Indeed, there is something magical about donning a pair of fins, strapping on a mask and snorkel, and exploring the world below the waves.
It is this opportunity to explore first-hand the undersea world that draws so many travelers to South Florida, to enjoy a Florida yacht charter vacation, and spend part of the time off the boat – and in the water.
With so many areas easily accessible and filled with interesting sights, we asked our charter department to put their heads together and come up with their favorite snorkeling spots in South Florida. In no particular order, here are their top 3:
Above the waterline, it’s hardly a remote, tropical oasis. This unique eighty acre public park is a man-made island situated in the Intracoastal Waterway near the Lake Worth Inlet in close proximity to the City of Riviera Beach, and the Port of Palm Beach. Locals take small boats, kayaks and rafts and float out to the park for picnics – and it can be super crowded on weekends. The real reason to visit this destination during a private yacht charter is the opportunity to snorkel around the island and the see the sea life. The list of creatures you can encounter is a long one – squid, rays, octopus, and thousands of brilliantly-colored tropical fish. If you’re lucky, you might even see a Florida manatee!
Tip: The best time for snorkeling is around high tide. The waters here are a bath-like 85 degrees well into September.
The further south you head in Florida, the warmer the water gets, even in winter. It’s the warmth, both air and sea that draws boaters to the Florida Keys. Many charter yacht vacations begin in Miami. Key Largo, about a 2-3 hour cruise from Miami, is often the first night’s destination. This island is a snorkeler’s dream – shallow coral reefs, tropical sea life, and oh yeah – really warm water!!! In the summer, the water temp can climb to nearly 90 degrees – ahhhh…
Tip: A snorkel outing to John Pennekamp Coral Reef (underwater) State Park is a must.
LASTLY,
At the southernmost tip of the chain of islands that make up the Florida Keys, is the island of Key West. 70 miles to the west lies Dry Tortugas National Park. 100-square miles of mostly open water with seven small islands makes this a great snorkeling destination. Rarely crowded, its accessible only by boat or seaplane, the park is known the world over as the home of the Civil War’s Fort Jefferson, picturesque blue waters, and abundant coral reefs and marine life.
Tip: After snorkeling, take a tour of the old fort, hosted by National Park Rangers.
Did we overlook your favorite snorkel site??? Tell us where you like to snorkel in South Florida, and what makes it special. As a thank you, we’ll send you an Eco-tote bag that you can use to carry your towels and your snorkel gear. Leave us a comment below or fill out our convenient online form at https://www.1800yachtcharters.com/book-now-contact-us/ today.
We’ll see you below the waves…
This entry was posted in Good Times Destinations and tagged yacht charter Florida, snorkel florida keys, Destinations, best places to snorkel, 1800yachtcharters, John Pennekamp Park, Snorkeling, Underwater Reef, Dive sites, John Pennekamp Park Underwater State Park, National Parks, Florida Keys, Key West, marine life
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