Ericsson 4 team leading Volvo Ocean Race and setting records

A world record has already been achieved in the first leg of the gruelling Volvo Ocean Race (formerly the Whitbread Round the World Race) by Sweden’s Ericsson 4 team.  The yacht managed to achieve smashing the previous 24-hour monohull distance record by travelling an astounding 589 miles (1,085km) in the journey from Alicante in Spain to Cape Town in South Africa.  The previous record was 562.97 miles and was set by ABN Amro 2 in January 2006 in theimage of racing sailors Indian Ocean.

The Ericsson 4, looks set to enjoy a healthy lead as the race reaches Cape Town, currently leading by 30miles ahead of the US Puma Racing team and could even break the record again with the prevailing weather conditions. The race is due to take in 10 legs encompassing Africa, Asia, the Americas and finally Europe before finishing in St Petersburg after covering 42,600 miles.

Some information courtesy of ChannelNews Asia.

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Where does the word ‘Yacht’ come from?

Today the yacht is symbolic of luxury vessels that cruise the oceans and seas elegantly in pursuit of leisurely indulgence.  However, its origin is a little distant from this current image and heralds yacht imagefrom a time when Pirates pestered the shallow waters of the Low Countries of Europe.  The word yacht comes from the Dutch word jacht which means to hunt, the vessels described as jachtships where light, fast and used for pursuing (or hunting) the pirates and bucaneers that hounded the waters of these countries.  It wasn’t until King Charles II of England famously chose the vessel for his return to Britain from the Netherlands for his restoration to the throne that the yacht was then identified as a vessel to transport important people and consequently as a luxury item for the rich and famous. Today this luxury has become accessible to more people than ever with the facility to charter a yacht available to everyone who considers themself to be important.
Some information courtesy of Wikipedia

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Fort Myers in Florida recognised as a Clean Marina

As we look to take more responsibility of our effect on the environment around us, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection along with the Clean Boating Partenership have been recognising steps to protect our Earth in the boating community.  The Fort Myers Yacht Basin in Florida has recently been added to a growing list of Clean Marinas in the state, setting the benchmarks for environmental stewardship whilst providing a public service.

image of floridaThere are more than 2000 marinas dotted along Florida’s coastline and the effects of year-round boating activity contributes to the growing pressure on Florida’s sensitve aquatic and marine ecosystems.  Marinas awarded with Clean Marina status go above and beyond the required environmental regulations by adopting practices that keep solvents, sewage, fuel and oil out of the water and look to protect the native manatees and other marine creatures.  As a yacht charterer, you too can help to protect the environment and ensure the sustainable future of our planet and the yachting industry wherever you are by making concerted green chartering decisions and efforts, including reducing your carbon footprint and taking responsible care of your waste.  If we all try to make a difference, we can help to keep our seas and oceans as glorious as they are today for the yachting lovers of the future.
Some information courtesy of News-Press.com

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Bermuda Triangle thwarts Branson’s trans-atlantic sailing record attempt

Sir Richard Branson spoke via satellite today from his 99ft sailing yacht VIRGIN MONEY about the picture of richard branson on yachtassault on the yacht by 40ft waves in the Bermuda Triangle.  The huge waves stripped the boat of one of its life-rafts, took out the spinnaker and ripped the main sail, leaving the boat to limp along until the decision is made as to whether they can still break the record if they repair the damage and carry on.  Branson remains confident as the crew of the British 2009 America’s Cup team ‘Team Origin’ form part of the 30 strong crew and are adept at coping in such situations.  Teambut if the weather worsens accepts that the day to break the record will have to wait for another time.

The intention of the attempt is to break the current trans-atlantic record of 6 days, 17 hours, 52 minutes and 39 seconds, joining him on this attempt are his two children Holly and Sam Branson and the Olympic hero, Ben Ainslie.
Information courtesy of the Telgraph online

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Chartering a Yacht on a Budget

During these uncertain times, one thing the most families don't want to cut back on is their holiday.  People are looking to spend less, and insisting on only the best value for their holidays this year.

The same applies for yacht charter.  If you are looking to charter but want to make sure you stretch every dollar, euro or pound, here are some tips that will help you get the best charter this year as possible:

– Charter Sailboats and Catamarans – Sailboats and catamarans are significantly less expensive than motor boats, and may offer even more room.  Catamarans offer very large saloons, lots of privacy in the staterooms located in the pontoons, and of course  an infinitely lower fuel consumption.  There is no longer a dichotomy between motor yachts and sailboats when it comes to comfort, but the price can be 2/3rds less when all expenses are added up.

– Check the fuel consumption –  A similar sized boat may have dramatically different levels of fuel consumption, and therefore cost.  A 40 meter Benetti Super Yacht may consume less than half of the fuel of a Mangusta. Yes, it will not go quite as fast, but the savings could pay for many meals and shopping excursions along the way!

– Look for deals – Not surprisingly, it's more of a “buyer's market” than we've seen in many years in the yacht charter market. If you would like a certain class of boat, let us know what your budget is and we'll see what we can do to find a boat for that price.

– Charter where your money stretches further – Areas such as Southeast Asia have a lower cost of living than, say, Western Europe, and once you're there, your currency will stretch much further for provisioning.  Also, within Europe, Croatia and the Canary Islands offer some of the lowest prices for yachts, with no compromise in the beauty of the charter area!  Similarly, the cost of living varies dramatically in the Caribbean Islands, with Mexico having some of the lower charter and cost of living costs in the region.

– Book Early! There are plenty of discounts if you book early – before January for the Mediterranean, before September for the Winter season in the Caribbean.  You can easily save 10% to 20% on your charter fee, and your flights will be cheaper as well!

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