Category Archives: Destinations

What boats and yachts are HOT!

Boatbookings Onboard Palmer Johnson 87′ Flybridge CLARITY

Recently Boatbookings was delighted to have the opportunity to visit luxury motoryacht CLARITY, an elegant 87ft Palmer Johnson available for charter in the Bahamas and Caribbean. CLARITY is an equally superb yacht for a family charter or a romantic adventure, featuring a magnificent master stateroom and three spacious guest cabins. With a 24-foot beam, CLARITY has extraordinary interior volume without sacrifice to generous exterior spaces including walk around side decks.

Captain Warren Thompson and Mate/Engineer Gary Hallas, consummate gentlemen helping the ladies board gracefully due to the unusual height of the top starboard step, greeted us. Entering the main salon we were immediately impressed by the spacious interior, augmented by the surround of windows. The space is open, airy, unobstructed by partitions accept the handsome columns and cabinet that suggest a separate formal dining area.

The master suite onboard CLARITY is both stylish and functional, featuring a delightful sweep of panoramic windows and elegant his and her facilities reached a couple of steps down. The flybridge has it all, Jacuzzi, bar, an unusual array of three helm chairs and comfortable built-in settee at the elegantly polished table with exotic burl inlay.

The aromas issuing forth from the galley made it impossible for us not to sample the gourmet delicacies prepared by Amy Thompson, the Chef/Stew onboard CLARITY. We can attest to her culinary talent.

Boatbookings is pleased to offer CLARITY as part of our expansive selection of charter yachts. Please see Our Charter Yachts for comprehensive listings or visit our Caribbean Yacht Charter Guide and Florida, Bahamas Yacht Charter Guides for destination information.

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Custom 90’ Sailing Yacht BEQUIA: Classic Aesthetic in a Modern Context

BEQUIA, recently launched from Brooklin Boat Yard, is a custom world-class sailing yacht with graceful sheerline, lengthy overhangs and the classic aesthetic of the 76’ W-Class day-racing sloops. While her ambience recaptures a bygone era, her engineering and seaworthiness are state-of-the-art.

BEQUIA is designed by Robert Stephens and Paul Waring and represents the largest project to date for the design firm and the yard. BEQUIA is far more of a design achievement than immediately meets the eye. Perhaps the most difficult task in a build based on a classic hull is the integration of modern systems and amenities. In addition to these, BEQUIA features fully automated sail-handling with a hydraulic system running 27 different functions such as sail furling, winches and anchor deployment.

On deck, the elegant teak charthouse has a twofold purpose, containing chart table, electronics displays, autopilot controls and sufficient headroom for the crew to stand watch in comfort, it doubles as an elevated saloon where owners and guests can luxuriate surrounded by sweeping panoramic views.

Onboard BEQUIA interiors are warm and welcoming, featuring an effective contrast of different woods to suggest a definition of spaces. The soothing creamy color palette of joinery and upholstery hints at retro but is essentially timeless. The luxury sailing yacht features a roomy double stateroom forward, a spacious owner’s suite aft and a crew cabin.

BEQUIA, with all the charm of a traditional sailing yacht, is a thoroughly modern build. Constructed of cold-molded wood-epoxy, the yacht is extremely strong, lightweight and low maintenance. Designed to go the distance, BEQUIA is a transoceanic build that will transport owners, guests and crew in safety and with superb style.

Although BEQUIA is not available for charter, Boatbookings.com has an extensive listing of exquisite sailing yachts. See our guide to Chartering a Crewed Luxury Sailing Yacht including a full listing.

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38th Grand Pavois Signals Industry Recovery

The 38th Grand Pavois drew to a close on a high note this year, attracting over 100,000 international visitors who enjoyed the show in perfect, sunny weather. The claim of show officials is that all exhibitors made sales leading to an optimistic consensus of industry revival.

Attendance was up by 3% over last year and trade visitors up by 20%. According to the boatyards, renewed interest in the 35-40-foot range is significant as this sector felt a greater impact, due to the recent economic climate, than the superyacht sector. The prognosis for recovery, though tentative, is positive.

According to show officials, 50% of visitors stopped at show guest Tahiti and her Islands Hall. Bernard Bousquet, Director of Tahiti Tourisme in Paris, is delighted with the important success in promoting Tahiti as a spectacular yachting destination.

The 2011 Grand Pavois will be held September 14-19, and delegations that attended this year’s event, including Bulgaria, China and Morocco, will likely be on the short list of candidates as the 2011 guest. The decision will be made at the 50th Nautic Paris Boat Show, which takes place December 4-12, 2010.

If you were unable to attend the Grand Pavois Tahiti guest pavilion Boatbookings.com has extensive destination information. Here are a couple of  links to get you started: Tahiti Yacht Charter guide, Fiji Yacht Charter Guide

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103ft Johnson Luxury Yacht DIAMOND GIRL: A Rare Commodity

Symmetry, proportion and polish, DIAMOND GIRL is a luxury motor yacht that incorporates those factors important to the quality of any precious gem. This 103ft Johnson motor yacht is both supremely elegant yet teasingly playful. Boatbookings was invited onboard for an intimate look at what makes this a truly dazzling superyacht.

The exterior of DIAMOND GIRL is striking; sweeping curvilinear glass adds boldness to the bright white of her stacked decks. The imposing yacht is as powerful as she appears, equipped with twin MTU 16V2000 engines DIAMOND GIRL cruises comfortably at 19 knots, making her an ideal charter yacht for island hopping in the Caribbean.

Entering DIAMOND GIRL a plush expanse of bone white carpet flows forward through the seamlessly integrated space. An innovative placement of the dining area allows guests to enjoy sweeping views off the aft deck. Spacious interiors are contemporary, understated and feel superbly well balanced.

What makes these elegant interiors really shimmer is the innovative use of aqua tinted glass that bands the perimeter of the ceiling and tops cabinet surfaces, not just in the main salon but also as a decorative motif throughout the yacht. Ocean waters reflect on the glass positioned above panoramic windows to create a magical play of light and motion that is mesmerizing.

DIAMOND GIRL has four ensuite staterooms, state-of-the-art equipment, first-class amenities and a well-stocked toy chest including underwater scooters. The highly skilled crew are charming, professional, yet like DIAMOND GIRL, are endowed with a lighthearted sense of playfulness and an endearing sense of humor.

DIAMOND GIRL has been selected for Boatbookings.com Preferred Yacht Program designed to showcase yachts that repeatedly provide clients with a superlative experience. For more information here are some helpful links:

DIAMOND GIRL – Johnson 103 ft – Bahamas – Florida and Boatbookings.com Preferred Boatbookings.com preferred charter yachts
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Luxury Charter Superyacht 130ft MUSTANG SALLY: Perfectly In Tune

MUSTANG SALLY is a testimony to Westport Yachts` stunning architecture, engineering and meticulous craftsmanship. Boatbookings was invited to tour the elegant superyacht while berthed in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Her sleek white profile, elegantly bisected by dark swaths of vertical windows made a stunning first impression.

Stepping onboard MUSTANG SALLY we were greeted by a smilingcrew, busily attending to their duties yet magically ever-present to answer our questions. The aroma of gourmet delicacies wafted forth from the galley.
Comfortable furniture in the main salon beckons relaxation, to simply sink down amidst the plump sofa cushions and exhale deeply. The 26-foot beam on MUSTANG SALLY, unobstructed by partitions or bulky built-in cabinets, creates voluminous interior spaces. The ambience is soft and elegant, featuring rich dark woods complemented by furnishings in earth tones accented by delicate floral upholstery.

The sizeable ensuite staterooms are variations on the same rich design theme, featuring comfortable leather headboards and wrapped rails, with built-in cabinetry that does not detract from a very spacious feel. When not lost in a reverie of bliss, guests can access state-of-the-art entertainment systems available in all cabins.

MUSTANG SALLY is a tri-deck with expansive exterior spaces for dining, lounging or soaking up the sun. There is also a full compliment of water toys and tenders. Most impressive, however, was the custom-designed tender. This speedy Mini Mustang is equipped with four Mercury Verado 300 HP engines and plenty of seating in the bow for your entire charter group.

MUSTANG SALLY is an ideal luxury yacht for cruising in Florida and the Bahamas and will be sure to thrill fishing aficionados who choose to include the 66-foot Spencer sportfish, available as an option to their charter package.

Please visit: Our Luxury Charter Yachts or Contact Us for complete information on MUSTANG SALLY.

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