Luxury Shirts for Your Summer Yacht Charter (From Guest Blogger Fraser Strand)

When it comes to this time of year there are few better luxuries in life than setting out on the open water and soaking up the fabulous sailing conditions of your ocean of choice. Perhaps the balmy waters of Fiji where you can settle into a steady 10 knots along its reefs, or the comfortable heat of the Caribbean seas which offer tantalising glimpses of the exotic sea life underneath. Wherever you choose to set sail, it pays to pack well for the occasion and deck out your wardrobe with some suitably luxury apparel.

A good pair of boat shoes and some tanned chinos are a given, but recently I have found myself investing in a wide range of tailored shirts and I haven’t looked back. After a conversation with a good friend of mine (who always looks frustratingly well dressed), I decided to investigate the famous series of traditional tailors in London’s Piccadilly. I was amazed by the range of tailors and menswear boutiques available, each with sophisticated shop fronts that exude historical elegance and invite you in for measurements and luxury apparel. After a while browsing around, I was perhaps most taken with Budd Shirtmakers (pictured below) who welcomed me warmly and began sizing me up before I could think twice.

Following in the sartorial tradition for over 100 years, like many shirtmakers in London, Budd is steeped in history from the ornate glass shop windows to the extensive classical range of materials, designs, and textures that adorn the interior. Surprisingly, they make all of their shirts by hand in their own cutting room above the shop (pictured below), which gives the whole experience a very genuine and timeless feeling. My personal request was to make a shirt with enough room to breathe as I’m sailing, but that didn’t make me look 5 stone overweight and they succeeded with flying colours.

After wearing my shirt a few times, I am converted. I love the feeling of a tailored fit and it looks so much better than before. In fact I have trip planned very soon during which I will be yachting near the South Pacific and can’t wait to christen my new attire on those sunny seas.

In addition to the bespoke “in-store” service, you can also get ready-made shirts from Budd via their new website along with bow ties, cufflinks, handkerchiefs and lots more men’s accessories to really deck out your boating gear on your next luxury yacht charter.

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Posted on June 25, 2013 by admin

Top 8 Luxury Travel Gadgets for a Sailing Holiday Part II (From Guest Blogger Fraser Strand)

In Part II of this blog, Fraser discusses the last four items of his Top 8 Luxury Travel Gadgets for a Sailing Holiday. See Part I here.

5. Belkin Rockstar Multi Headphone Splitter

Make sharing your music a fun experience with Belkin’s headphone splitter. Fantastic if you want to listen to music or watch a film with someone using headphones. A highly functional purchase , this gizmo is the perfect solution for sharing music with friends. It is also compact so won’t take up precious packing space and won’t break the bank either. You can connect up to 5 different headphones with this exciting gadget – great if you are lounging on the beach with friends and all want to listen to music together.

6. Bose QC15 Noise-cancelling Headphones

So you’ve got your iPad and your Belkin Headphone splitter, now all you need is a pair of decent headphones. Bose’s QC15 noise-cancelling headphones will reduce any unwanted ambient noise. Not only are these headphones comfortable, cocooning your ear in a little audible heaven, they also have the latest and most sophisticated technology, featuring microphones on the inside and outside of both cups which picks up and cancels out noise over a broad range of frequencies. With an average of 35 hours of battery life as well as being immensely portable these headphones are a must-have travel accessory.

7. The Bear Grylls Ultimate Multi-Tool

This is the latest answer to an Swiss Army Knife courtesy of expedition extraordinaire, Bear Grylls. The multi-tool is a long time coming. With over 70 years of knife and apparatus expertise, this piece is an essential accessory for any intrepid adventure.

The Ultimate Multi-Tool features 12 stainless steel, weather resistant components including: needle nose pliers, fine edge knife, saw, serrated Knife, 3 types of screwdrivers, bottle opener, can opener, scissors, wire cutters and lanyard ring. The makers of the multi-tool have literally thought of all manner of hairy situations and circumstances that you might find yourself in. This device also comes with a high quality, military-grade Nylon Sheath that’s lightweight and mildew resistant to protect it.

8. Handpresso Outdoor Set

Whether you are up a mountainside or sailing on the great ocean you don’t ever have to go without your caffeine fix again thanks to the ingenious handpresso outdoor set. This easily transportable, super light-weight machine makes a rich, velvety smooth and delicious espresso using a patented high pressure extraction system. All you need to get it to work is pump up the handle to 16 bar, add water to the mini reservoir, insert a coffee pod, and hey presto, you’ve got yourself one tasty espresso. This truly brilliant and highly innovative invention makes drinking coffee on the go easier than ever before. It also comes equipped with a chic shoulder bag full of essential items for an impromptu tea party including four unbreakable cups, a thermo-insulated flask and napkins.

Conclusion

If you’re inspired by these travel gadgets and still haven’t booked your spring holiday then why not see the sailing holidays available at Boatbookings.com.

Author Bio

Fraser Strand is an avid technology writer with a passion for traveling and sailing around the world. On his own blog (UK Gadget Review) he writes about luxury watches, premium sailing gear, and innovative technology.

Posted on November 15, 2012 by admin — No Comments ↓

Top 8 Luxury Travel Gadgets for a Sailing Holiday Part I (From Guest Blogger Fraser Strand)

Whether you’re touring around the BVI on a Catamaran, or to the Bahamas on a luxury super-yacht, make sure you’re prepared with these 8 must-have gadgets. Whether functionality is your main criteria or you just fancy the latest quirky gizmo, we give you the lowdown on next year’s top ten exciting gadgets:

1. Pebble portable charger

If you are embarking on an intrepid voyage or you think you might be away from a power socket for several days then the Pebble Portable Charger is the ideal travel accessory. Retailing at only £39.99, this heavily anticipated gadget has enough power to charge your phone 4 times over. This serious and essential bit of kit can charge anything from an iPhone, iPod to any other USB-friendly gizmo. What’s also great is that it is compact, highly functional and will even tell you how much charge you are on.

2. Breitling Transocean Chronograph

Wherever you are in the world, don’t lose track of time. Breitling’s stunning Transocean Chronograph Unitime 18-carat Rose Gold Chronograph watch is an indispensable travel gadget. This luxury Swiss watch made by watchmaking supremo Breitling reinstates their reputation as a leading luxury Swiss watch brand. This timepiece is a harmonious marriage of spectacular engineering, exquisite design with the finest materials.

The most exciting feature of this watch is its ability to show the time in all 24 time zones at the same time, an innovative and highly practical characteristic. Made from Rose Gold this watch oozes luxury and sophistication. It is also made with 56 jewels, has a minimum power reserve of 70 hours and glare-proof scratch resistant sapphire crystal as well as being water resistant to 100 metres-perfect if you are going sailing or scuba diving. The Unitime has a stunning brown crocodile leather strap with a rose gold pin & buckle.

3. Apple iPad

An iPad. I know it might be a cliched option but there is a reason why Apple remain at the forefront in terms of technology as their extensive portfolio of gadgets and gizmos are not only exciting and practical but also affordable. The key features of the iPad are the truly wondrous, crystal clear display, the processor, the cameras and the wireless connection. All these features work together to create a magnificent experience for the user and with 10 hours battery life, this will give you ample quality time with your Apple gadget. Discover a world capable of so much more than you ever imagined. With so many exciting features built-in, watch a movie, read your favourite newspaper, magazine or even a best-seller, send messages or check your emails – the options are endless and with over 275,000 apps to choose from, there is something for everyone.

If the iPad is too big for your liking then the iPad mini has all the same features of its counterpart but is more compact, fitting into the palm of your hand.

4. Izzi Orbit

Transform your iPhone with an Izzi Orbit. This state of the art camera accessory is the latest and greatest way to jazz up your iPhone. It features 3 lenses: the Fish Eye, Wide Angle and Telephoto options to enable you to create an extensive and diverse portfolio of images. These skillfully crafted lenses will revamp your iPhone in no time allowing you to take high quality, wide, super zoomed photos, quirky angles and dramatic perspectives. The newest addition to iPhone photography and a must-have travel accessory, invest in an Izzi Orbit to ensure you capture the greatest moments of your holiday.

Author Bio

Posted on November 15, 2012 by admin — No Comments ↓

The Top 3 Luxury Yachting Watches (from Guest Blogger Fraser Strand)

In my opinion there aren’t many experiences more pleasurable than sailing on the open sea. So whilst engaging in one of the most luxurious pursuits, it only follows that you should treat yourself to an equally luxurious set of gear to accompany you, the most intimate of which is a good sturdy watch. The following timepieces combine the height of men’s luxury with the rugged durability needed to face the oceans deep:

1. AUDEMARS PIGUET – The Royal Oak Collection

In 1914 HMS Royal Oak was launched as part of a Revenge-Class Battleship which was famously characterised by its octagonal cannon holes. This luxury sailing watch from Audemars Piguet acts as a tribute to the great ship by featuring an eight-sided rose gold bezel mirroring the distinctive and commanding nature of the Royal Oak’s weaponry. In my view, this is one of the most regal watches in the world with a unique historical relevance that gives it aura of commanding dominance.

2. CARTIER – Calibre de Cartier

It’s no secret that Cartier watches are one of the most luxurious watch brands in the world, however it’s less well-known that they make a lavish range of men’s watches that are ideal for the open seas. Made with glareproof sapphire-crystal glass, the Calibre has a large lens set in a robust stainless steel case that is water resistant to 30 metres. In fact, Cartier have perfected the essential mechanical movements by employing the Swiss-made Calibre 1904-PS MC automatic machinery to exact a level of nautical precision second to none.

3. JAEGER-LECOULTRE – Duometre

Not only does the Duometre have a stunningly unique and nautical design safe down to 3 meters, but its two independent power reserves provide an almost indefatigable reliability for up to 50 hours at sea. As with all their watches, Jaeger-LeCoultre guarantee over 1,000 hours of control tests which makes the Duometre one of the most reliable Swiss-made timepieces available.

Conclusion – Which is best?

Personally, when it comes to a yachting watch I think it has to be the perfect synthesis between reliability and luxury. Whilst no one does luxury better than Cartier, the Audemars Piaget Royal Oak has a robust yet distinctive style which I think gives it the edge as a true captain’s watch. If all this talk of luxury yachting has whet your appetite then check out some amazing charters at Boatbookings.com.

Fraser Strand is an avid technology writer with a passion for traveling and sailing around the world. On his own blog UK Gadget Review he writes about luxury watches, premium sailing gear, and innovative technology.

Posted on October 18, 2012 by admin — No Comments ↓