The Reef Sampler: Blend 2 ounces of Captain Morgan Rum, 2 ounces Triple Sec, 2 ounces apricot brandy, 4 ounces pineapple juice, a dash of lemon juice and a dash of strawberry syrup. Garnish with seasonal tropical fruits and a cherry.
Bitter End Tropical Punch: Place three slices of grapefruit on the inner sides and bottom of a 16 ounce glass. Fill the glass with ice. Shake up the following, adjusting to taste: 2 ounces of grapefruit juice, 1 ounce fresh lime juice, a splash each of ginger beer, Angostura bitters and simple syrup, and at least 2 ounces of Mt. Gay rum. Pour over the ice and garnish with a cherry.
Bitter End Yacht Club is extremely charter friendly and welcomes all boaters to tie up at the Quarterdeck Club and Marina and use the resort five star public facilities including their spa, restaurants and bars. Deep draft docking and mooring is available for yachts up to 200 feet.
Boatbookings regatta expert Meg Toppa is keeping her fingers crossed for her highly skilled charter client and his race crew who will be racing to win in the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta on board charter race yacht AQUARIUS.
AQUARIUS is a Nauter Swan 601 high performance sailing yacht with lightweight design for sailing at top racing speed. AQUARIUS classic lines and meticulously handcrafted interiors belie the most advanced building techniques and materials used in construction. AQURIUS features custom interiors and deck layout while maintaining hull shape and rig configuration that comply with one-design class rules.
Meg explains that AQUARIUS’ charter client has an impressive history of previous race participation aboard his own yacht, but this will be the first time he will be racing the superb charter Swan 601, AQUARIUS. He will set the agenda, although the captain of AQUARIUS will be on board (as per insurance requirements), and is sure to lend a most valuable hand to the team.
In a recent press release, AQUARIUS, a middle range contender, was described as “a dangerous presence” in the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, the first of three competitions that the AQUARIUS team will undertake. Prior to the Rolex Regatta in St. Thomas, March 25-27 and the Tortola BVI Spring Regatta, March 28-April 3, a between race cruise week is scheduled for March 17-23, when the charter client onboard AQUARIUS will get a little respite.
The St. Maarten Heineken Regatta is scheduled from March 3-6, which puts AQUARIUS in the delivery mode at present. Toppa explains, “there are three modes that the race yacht can be in; delivery, cruise, or race modes. Each of these three modes requires changing the sheets, halyards and sails.”
The delivery mode entails lots of logistics, shipping the container with gear, and hotel and flight arrangements for the crew of six, required by any transit exceeding 300 miles. This allows two watches of three crew; one navigating, one helming and one trimming.
This is also a critical time of preparation, which the Captain of AQUARIUS, ChrisRingdahl, describes as very labor intensive. In fact just a couple of days ago, he and his wife were still sanding the keel past midnight. This is all part of playing to win.
Coming up is racing mode on AQUARIUS, when on each exhilarating race day the yacht is stripped to reduce weight and the forward berth becomes the sail locker. At day’s end, numerous chores include removing the drums from each of the nine winches for cleaning.
Keep checking Boatbloggings for AQUARIUS updates from Boatbookings racing expert Meg Toppa. She will be reporting up to the minute news (hopefully from the rail) throughout the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta.
Whether you are witnessing the disembarkation or embarkation of private luxury yachts from a DYT (Dockwise Yacht Transport) vessel it is an amazing sight. Onlookers at the docks in Brisbane, Australia, were treated to the spectacle as DYT’s trademark bright orange semi-submersible ship, SUPER SERVANT 3, arrived in port this week.
Jason Roberts, President of Aurora Global Logistics and DYT’s exclusive commercial agent for Australia believes that the strength of Australian currency is stimulating the Australian yacht market and increasing demand for services within that sector. “Being market leaders, DYT and Aurora are working hard to service the South Pacific market for yacht transportation in relation to this large influx of yacht movements,” says Roberts.
SUPER SERVANT 3, with an impressive LOA of 456 feet, makes a striking entrance piggy-backing her precious multi-million dollar cargo. The vessel uses a unique float-on/float-off loading method that allows yachts of any size to be safely floated on and off as cargo. Captains, owners and crew, who may or may not elect to accompany their yachts on the DYT crossing, arrive for disembarkation, piloting their yachts off under their own power. It’s an amazing process,” said Roberts, “and no other shipping company has this ability to deliver boats in such a manner.”
Dockwise owns a total of four yacht carriers including the 686-foot super ship YACHT EXPRESS. The carriers submerge themselves by pumping nine million gallons of water into their ballast tanks; the vessels are floated into place one-by-one, then sea-fastened before the ship pumps dry to prepare for boat transport. The process is reversed to allow the yachts to safely disembark once they reach their final destinations.
SUPER SERVANT 3 will head from Brisbane to Auckland and return to Port Everglades, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, in late February, via Ensenada, Mexico. DYT’s second “float-on/float-off” voyage to the South Pacific of 2011 will begin in Port Everglades in early July, with stops in Golfito, Costa Rica, Brisbane, Australia, Auckland, New Zealand and return via Ensenada, Mexico to Port Everglades in time for the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. This particular voyage is ideal for those who want to attend the Rugby World Cup, which takes place in Wellington, New Zealand, in August 2011.
Luxury Motor yacht AQUASITION is a stunning 124ft Broward launched in 2007 that comfortably accommodates 10 guests in five staterooms. Our charter brokers were delighted to have the opportunity to view her elegant interiors, chat a bit with the delightful crew, and taste some delicious hors d’oeuvres prepared by the chef.
Entering through the double glass doors on AQUASITIONs aft deck the main saloon is spacious and welcoming. Everywhere we look the design details are impressive. Daylight floods through large panoramic windows and glistens on the high gloss cherry woodwork.
AQUASITIONs main deck salon and dining area are defined by elegant furniture groupings that feature goose down cushions, cashmere silk blend upholstery, and suede leather. The cozy L-shaped sofa surrounds a large cocktail table made from exotic Madagascar ebony wood and is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the 52 inch flat screen TV/DVD/stereo.
Moving forward we pass the elegant stairway in the foyer, and the galley of delightful aromas courtesy of Chef Mike, to reach the spacious, contemporary master stateroom. Here, and throughout AQUASITION, seafaring design details, from the undulating carpet to the marine themed artwork, emphasize the splendor of yachting.
Four ensuite staterooms are positioned on the lower deck of AQUASITION around a central foyer with refrigerator. Each is roomy and well appointed with plenty of storage and deluxe amenities.
Motor yacht AQUASITION has a well-designed sundeck that features a sprawling sunbed and Jacuzzi with magnificent views. Forward under cover is a dining area with plush banquette seating and a full bar with stools, making this area an excellent gathering spot.
Indeed, many brokers visiting AQUASITION lingered here, sampling the gourmet wizardry of Chef Mike. Everything was superb, from the delicate salmon canapés to the tuna tartar. We were also treated to luscious sangria, the secret recipe of Chief Stew Breanna, so laden with fruity antioxidants that charter guests could, with relatively little guilt, drink a glass or two for breakfast.
Captain Jay Roberts and his experienced crew are talented, gracious and entertaining. They are very attentive but with an ease that make guests of all ages immediately feel at home. This stylish yacht and personable crew make a winning combination for a superlative family charter or a getaway with friends.
Alaska has a longer coastline than all the other United States combined, which makes it an unparalleled yachting adventure with endless possible itineraries and ports of call. Captain Josh Kaberon, of the classic Burger 68’ LONGHORN, has lived in Alaska for decades and is intimately familiar with the region. He shared with us his favorite destinations for a weeklong yacht charter embarking from Ketchikan. Here, an overview of his Alaska itinerary reveals some highlights.
Ketchikan is both an air and marine transportation hub for Southeast Alaska, and facilitates international travelers with numerous convenient flights. Ketchikan is located on Revillagigedo Island, 90 miles north of Prince Rupert, British Columbia. It is a charming point of embarkation, known as the Salmon Capital of the World and boasting the most standing totem poles on the planet.
Ketchikan is also the gateway to the Misty Fjords National Monument, one of the areas major attractions. The protected area spans over two million wilderness acres of Tongass National Forest and is called “The Yosemite of the North” for its similar geology. Pale granite, 50 to 70 million years old, sculpted by glaciers, forms glacier valleys and natural canals filled with seawater. Here, near vertical walls soar an astonishing 3,000 feet above sea level.
Captain Josh’s itinerary includes time spent hiking around picture postcard Hugh Smith and Ella Lakes, where wild animals are ever-present and trout fishing is renowned. By day four, yacht charter guests have reached the spectacular destinations of Rudyerd Bay and Punchbowl Cove that are notable for dramatic sheer rock walls and breathtaking landscapes. Day five reveals spectacular waterfalls along the lake trail at Manzanita Bay.
The day prior to departure, Josh advocates a soothing soak at Bell Island Hot Springs where yacht charter guests will enjoy first class resort facilities and the opportunity to relax and share their experiences with other travelers over hors d’ oeuvre and cocktails.
Boatbookings.com features numerous exceptional itineraries, normally written by Captains who know the regional waters intimately and are experts at local attractions and intriguing points of interest both above and below the waterline atYachting Itineraries
