Category Archives: Yacht Types

Super Yacht of the Week: O’PTASIA

motor yacht, crewed motor yacht, superyacht, o'ptasia, luxury yacht optasia
The imposing O’PTASIA – Picture credit: Yachtfolio

O’PTASIA translates to ‘exhibiting one’s self to view’ which is an appropriate name for this luxurious yacht which is certainly worth showing off! This 85m new build has an unrivalled array of water toys and exhaustive entertainment facilities from the waterfall Jacuzzi pool to the beach club and helipad.

Starting from the exterior, her four decks provide ample space for relaxing, socialising or whatever suits you. The flybridge is the highest deck, a favourite spot for soaking up the Croatian sunshine on the numerous sunbeds available. One of her most sought after features is the generous sized waterfall pool, so you can cool off whilst floating past idyllic islands in the summer breeze. One deck down you will discover a large round table, with panoramic views of the stunning scenery, be it island hopping in Greece or exploring the Croatian coastline. Here, you can enjoy a sunset dinner created by your private and talented chef, and served by the attentive and friendly stewardesses.

O’PTASIA can cater for a variety of charter experiences. If you are looking to stay active she boasts a fully equipped gym on the bridge deck, and exhilarating water toys such as a Seabob or a Wakeboard. Alternatively, if you are looking to unwind and enjoy a tranquil trip, the wellness and spa centre, endless sea views and lavish lounging areas make the perfect spots for reading and relaxing.

yacht, motor yacht, superyacht
Picture credit: Yachtfolio

Moving inside, you will be equally in awe of the contemporary and captivating interior. The sophisticated design seeps throughout the yacht, with the cream and dark wood contrast creating a pattern of modernity. Being a new-build, each room is immaculate with state-of-the-art equipment throughout. The Saloon is a popular area to settle down into the stylish sofas for a cinematic screening, or enjoy a nightcap before retiring to the sumptuous cabins.

The crew of 26 are experienced, professional and eager to have guests on-board to explore the exotic surroundings and showcase this spectacular yacht. They will ensure your charter experience goes beyond expectations, with their can-do attitudes and yachting backgrounds. As O’PTASIA hosts up to 24 guests, you can either ‘live your best life’ and host a party or celebration, or keep it intimate and have this vast yacht for a close group.

As you can see, pictures speak louder than words and O’PTASIA is an overwhelmingly stylish yacht that is ready to explore desirable destinations. She is everything that a luxury yacht should be – entertaining, impressive and unique. So enquire now to find out more and be bowled over by her charm and grace.

O’PTASIA is available for charter out of Greece, Croatia and West Med from €800,000 per week plus expenses. Please contact Boatbookings for more information on superyacht charter.

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A Day in the Life of an Intern Part VIII

Whoever said the life of an intern was filled with those horrible jobs that nobody else wants to do? A sunny September’s day saw broker Ben and I heading off to the glamorous St Tropez for an amazing day at sea aboard the beautiful KIDI ONE.

Strolling through St Tropez, it’s not hard to see why so many return to this stunning town year after year. St Tropez is a beautiful little fishing village at first glance, however, through the windy cobbled streets, lined with charming terracotta buildings lies a vibrant shopping capital. Designer boutiques nestled into petite, classically French buildings with shuttered windows and golden walls. Eventually the narrow, windy streets open up to the port, a fascinating juxtaposition of beautiful, quaint buildings against immense, modern Super Yachts and bustling bars. St Tropez truly is a sleepy, fishing village that has been brought to life and doused in glamour and I was instantly enchanted.

Upon meeting our fellow travellers, a lively and welcoming group of brokers from other companies, I was gifted with a beautiful little bracelet to commemorate my day at sea in St Tropez! We were all split between 3 beautiful yachts NEGARA, OF VILLA ROMANA and ours, KIDI ONE. KIDI ONE glided toward us, effortlessly cutting through the water, a vision in sparkling white with royal blue detailing. KIDI ONE was beautiful, with the theme of turquoise running throughout the exterior, hints of blue in the salon and then glossy, cherry brown and crisp white with splashes of gold spreading elegance and class throughout the guest cabins and bathrooms, the photographs truly do not do it justice.

Ben and I sat on the sun pads on the bow of the yacht and the views were breath taking, stunning yachts, towering mountains flourishing with green and the sparkling sea, St Tropez is paradise. Finally, we came to a halt and anchored beside Plage de L’Escalet, the hillside teeming with lavish villas and the sea, an incredible shade of turquoise. Now it was time for water toys! My first choice, the humble paddleboard – easy! Or so I thought. My first attempt at standing up resulted in my first plunge into the icy cold water, the September Sea is beautiful and wonderfully energising. I powered through, yet round 2 was still unsuccessful and resulted in another soaking, perhaps paddleboarding is not for me. On to the big boy toys, the Sea Bob, whizzing across the surface of the sea was the most incredible feeling, though I didn’t dare dive beneath the surface, it was an amazing rush to skim across the surface of the water like a human jet ski, that’s a new one for the Christmas list!

The afternoon was spent munching on Foie Gras sandwiches, sipping wine and getting to know everyone in an incredible setting. Too much food and too much fun resulted in a quick power nap on the sundeck in the warm glow of the sun – bliss. After an amazing day in dazzling St Tropez we finally cruised back to dry land.

Being able to meet so many wonderful people and experience such an incredible yacht in the most enchanting place was truly surreal and an experience I will never forget! Boatbookings internships are definitely not your average internship, with so much responsibility making way for valuable experiences and, of course, it doesn’t hurt getting to charter for the day on a stunning luxury yacht!

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The International Unveiling of the New Lagoon Seventy 8

Since 1984, Lagoon have produced over 3,000 sailing catamarans globally, firmly placing themselves as one of the leading pioneers within the industry. In more recent years they have been at the forefront of the catamaran world and they continue to push the limits of innovation and quality.

In an interview earlier this year, the globally renowned designer Patrick le Quément, who designed the exterior of the Seventy 8, stated: ‘Our desire was to increase the emotional charge of the Lagoons, giving them greater charm to accompany the architectural breakthroughs that have made the brand an archetype.’

So, how has Patrick and the rest of his design team attempted this and has it been successfully achieved? Our brokers went to the international launch of the Lagoon Seventy 8 at the Cannes Yachting Festival 2017 to check it out.

From the get-go, we were completely enchanted by the Seventy 8. Stepping aboard, we were greeted by a large wooden dining table, complete with super comfortable seating pads, we couldn’t help but fall in love with her effortless style.

Walking into the cleverly compartmentalised saloon, it was obvious to see why Lagoon has become serious competition for the builders of luxury power catamarans. Two large corner sofas dominate the living area – perfect for relaxing evenings with family. The innovative design of the saloon allows for further sofa space whilst keeping the Captain’s controls separate from guests.

Head downstairs into the Master Cabin and you will notice that the elegant interior styling flows seamlessly throughout, with subtle trim lighting adding a modern edge. Without a doubt, the highlight of the Master Cabin is the drop down hydraulic balcony. This space allows for total privacy; your own personal platform for gazing out onto breath-taking views, peer through the glass floor and you may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the kaleidoscopic sea life in the crystal-clear waters below.

The flybridge provides another shaded platform for dining and enjoying the surroundings as well as a bar for endless cocktails and canapés. The Lagoon Seventy 8 is seriously impressive and stylish, we’re hooked!

What’s changed from the Lagoon Seventy 7?

What we believe has been achieved in the Lagoon Seventy 8 is the outstanding and innovative use of space on the bow, never seen before on their previous models. For example: on the Seventy 7 range, the bow is dominated by duo netting for sunbathing, whilst the Seventy 8 has opted to replace these nets with teak decking and beautifully appointed sunpads and puffer-stools, resulting in both aesthetically pleasing and ergonomically advanced effects, as well as opening-up the space.

So, the question is, has Patrick and his design team achieved what they set out to do? Does the Lagoon Seventy 8 host features of emotional charm and architectural breakthroughs? Overall, our brokers unanimously agree that the new Lagoon line is 78ft’ of expertly designed, yachting perfection. From aft deck to bow, from master cabin to the four-peak cabin, from the state-of-the-art entertainment system to the silverware; the Lagoon Seventy 8 is simplistic innovation at its finest.

Watch this space for Lagoon Seventy8’s debut into the charter market, we can’t wait to get our hands on it!

 

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The Peaks of Luxury: How Big and Bold are these Boats going to Become?

I was reading an article, the other day, regarding the new technologies revolved around glass in construction on Superyachts; for example, some yachts now have an underwater viewing deck, such as Feadship’s SAVANNAH, which has a charter price of €1 million a week…

SAVANNAH’s underwater viewing lounge, photo courtesy of https://www.yachting-pages.com

At the sheer astonishment of such a hefty price tag for- well, no one can disagree that SAVANNAH illustrates the snowy peaks of haute-décor luxury, I began my descent down a marble-coated, golden-detailed, velvet-carpeted rabbit-hole with one burning question in mind: How far are these Superyachts going to go in order to obtain new standards of luxury?
I remember, when I was younger, a 50ft yacht was a very impressive sight; lining the harbours of Monaco, Greece and elsewhere around the world; I remember gazing in awe and wonder at any and every boat- big or small. Now, as I get older, I find myself only really looking for the larger yachts; the 100+ footers- the Megayachts. Gargantuan vessels, bright white, like icebergs jutting out of the ocean- an air of calm serenity floating around them, slowly moving across the horizon, dwarfing both people and other boats in comparison. Speculation over who owns them and what the interior is like is all part of the excitement upon encountering these yachts, and one can only imagine the swathes of leather, antiqued wood and Italian marble that spectacularly crowns the inside of these floating palaces.

The Boats during the Monaco Grand Prix, photo courtesy of https://www.f1i.com/infos/programme-tv-grand-prix-de-monaco/

 

Although, since working in the yacht industry, I have to admit I’ve become slightly desensitised to a lot of these ships. Superyachts like VICKY, a 73m Turquoise, and O MEGA, a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries 83m Megayacht, with all the bells and whistles one expects of a Superyacht, is perhaps starting to become the norm of the luxury industry. This is an industry that will always go by comparisons, with the same question in mind: How can we make it better?

VICKY’s helipad- don’t worry, there’s a plunge pool round back!

Does this mean more gold? More marble? Rarer wood, and fancier light fittings? Does this mean just bigger in general? Stretching 150ft to 250ft? I think, maybe, this means a lot of different things.

All yachts have to be manufactured under certain terms and conditions; such as SOLAS and PYC, which ensure the safety and structural integrity of the vessels. All of these conditions limit the extent to which Superyacht manufacturers can go regarding design, shape and size.
However, where manufacturers may be limited in some aspects of Superyacht design, it’s opened-up a Pandora’s Box of innovations within the technological side of manufacturing. Going back to SAVANNAH, with the underwater viewing salon, that was only made possible due to the advancements in glass technology and the invention of Gorilla Glass.
Progression in computing technology has allowed for much more precise navigation of these Superyachts, allowing the captains to get a more intimate feel for the waves and surroundings, meaning that sailing on through the night will be absolutely no issue! Advanced controls in the wheelhouse also means more control over the yacht itself; security measures such as locking systems, cameras and alarms are all computerised now, so, although you may not see it, it can almost certainly see you!
But, more advanced tech doesn’t just mean stronger glass and computerised security, it also means more fun, more luxury, more comfort- it just means more!

Wheelhouse on board POLARIS I

Stronger glass means that maybe, within a few years, it will become a standard for Superyachts to feature an underwater viewing deck- and maybe the top end ones will feature an entire glass panoramic viewing room! Imagine, wherever you travel, having a changeable, giant and most importantly all-natural aquarium for you to gaze into from the comfort of a plush, leather sofa…

Lightweight construction material such as aluminium has vastly reduced the weight of these ships whilst maintaining the strength of the superstructure, resulting in more room for the fun stuff: that bigger jacuzzi, more gym equipment, more toys and maybe even a bigger tender. It has also opened up a plethora of options for new designs, due to its malleability.

Some Superyachts nowadays look more like spaceships than boats, for example the Superyacht ADASTRA by John Shuttleworth Designs. With boats like this making full use of the modern technologies and new materials being created daily in the construction world, it really makes you think about the future of the luxury Superyachts we have become accustomed to!

Superyacht ADASTRA, photo courtesy of https://www.shuttleworthdesign.com

Whilst the future of Superyachts may be an open book, the one certainty is that- whatever the next move- Boatbookings will be ready to welcome the next generation of nautical vessels with open arms, and provide you with an experience of luxury, technology and innovation!

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