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Third Leg of Volvo Ocean Race won by Spanish team

performance sailing photoThe third leg of the Volvo Ocean Race, between Cochin in India and Singapore, has been won by Telefonica Blue of Spain. The favorites to win, Ericsson 4 of Sweden, came into Singapore in fourth position closing the ranks on the points table. The 1,950 nautical miles of the leg sawthe US Puma Ocean Racing team come in second and Sweden’s Ericsson 3 team come in thrid only 4minutes and 40 seconds ahead of their compatriots.  Whilst in Singapore the teams will undertake one of the 5 in-port races scheduled into the race before heading off to Qingdao, China on January 18th.

Some information courtesy of the New York Times online.

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Sailors of Vendee Yacht Race show Sportsmanship and Valiance

The Vendee round the world solo yacht race threw another twist to its unyielding and vicious tale on Thursday when French sailor Yann Elies suffered a broken leg, the result of his yacht being hit by a huge wave 800 miles off the coast of Australia.  Two other competitors, British yachtswoman Sam Davies and Frenchman Marc Guillemot, heroically altered their course to go to his aid and arrived at about the same time as an Australian naval frigate. As Davies noted “most of the time we are our nearest rescuers.” and due to their actions and sportsmanship Elies is now under a doctor’s care.  Davies and Guillemot have now returned to the race as it heads towards the open expanse of the Pacific Ocean along the clipper routes of old.

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Positano, the place that dreams are made of…

Famed as the star of the show in the film ‘Under the Tuscan Sun’, PositanoPositano lies on the charmed shores of the Amalfi Coast in Italy.  Steeped in myth and legend, the history of the town is heavily referenced by the major Mediterranean civilizations from over the centuries and the success of the region as one of the most import Italian Maritime Republics from the 9th to 13th century opened the towns up to influences from the East. Examples of Moorish architecture and its alluring beauty can be seen all over Positano and the pastel colours of the buildings in the misty haze of dusk are what makes this town so romantically inspiring.

Positano is the jewel of the Amalfi Coast, but the coast is a treasure chest overflowing with exquisite destinations and chartering a yacht on this coast is becoming more and more trendy as foreign visitors realise its attractiveness, the Italians have known this for centuries, the Romans first coming here to build their luxurious villas out of Rome, so now is your chance to experience life like an emperor!

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St Martin Boat Show “Concours de Chefs” Challenge Results

When you charter a crewed yacht, you expect the utmost in service and luxury, and one of the things that can make the charter for you is the food served to you whilst on board. At the St dessertMaarten-St Martin Boat Show a Concour’s de Chefs Challenge was held this year to praise and highlight the best. One of our Boatbookings USA Team was able to play a part in assisting in the event.  The theme this year, ‘The Spanish Influence on Caribbean Cuisine’, had to be expressed through the presentation of one entree and one dessert being judged not only on taste and appearance but also on the overall use of the theme, from table setting to the accompanying wine.

With only 30 minutes to get both dishes out onto the table, the challenge was a spectacle to behold, our Boatbookings team member was fortunate enough to get a guest spot on the splendid yacht Paramour. The meal was served alfresco style, overlooking the magnificent yachts docked in the marina. The service was impeccable, and timing was perfect. The crew was very friendly and upbeat, ready for the judging panel!

The results of the challenge are as follows
Division I (yachts over 140′):

    First – Guy Barrett of VA BENE
    Second – Nicolas Richert of LADY JOY
    Third – Christina Jones of TUSCAN SUN

Division II (yachts under 140′):

Best Dessert: Matthes Vanducci of CHEVY TOY

Best Crew Service, Ambience and Table setting:

    First – NAMOH
    Second – Tie with PARAMOUR and TUSCAN SUN
    Third – LADY JOY
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St Maarten-St Martin Yacht Charter Show Report and Top Yachts

IlonaThe 2008 MYBA St. Maarten Charter Show, held from December 6th-9th, went off without a hitch and was a huge success. There were plenty of yachts to see, crew to meet and of course the occasional fun event in the evening schedule. The USA Boatbookings Team was fortunate enough to attend this event, inspect the yachts and meet the crews.

Our team agree that the Best Yacht in Show was the 2007 132’ (37.3m) Heeson Ilona.

“Her modern minimalist Asian theme was a pleasant surprise amongst all the other contemporary yachts on show.  Her warm welcoming crew of 6 are looking forward to having a successful Caribbean charter season. She is eager to show off her state of the art equipment i.e Kalaidescape audio visual systems for aft deck, master and main saloon. She also comes with a Equator tender that boasts a 225hp inboard engine.  This is not your standard charter yacht she definitely stands out in a crowd.”

If you’re interested in chartering her just contact our agents who will try their utmost to get her for you!

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