America's Cup stunt with a Motorbike!

A motorcycle daredevil from the Kiwi Crusty Demons yesterday backflipped over an America's Cup yacht in Auckland. Luke Smith became the first person in the world to perform this crazy stunt, falling the equivalent of 4 storeys once he had cleared the yacht.  When asked what was going on in his mind before going 'head over wheels' Luke admitted he was nervous and said:

“I wasn't sure how I was gonna end up you know. I wasn't sure if I was gonna over-rotate, or wMotorcyclist stuntas gonna be able to kick the bike away, but yeah, no it worked out great, there was nothing to worry about.”

Luke will continue to perform with the Crusty Demons in Auckland, though his motorbike, unfortunately, won't.  The America's Cup yacht belonging to the New Zealand team was not damaged in the stunt and awaits the onset of the New Louis Vuitton Cup Regatta to come to Auckland in next spring (see previous blog).

Information courtesy of 3news.co.nz

Car Manufacturers getting involved in Yachting; this time it’s BMW and Audi

Following on from the announcement of the Porsche Design collaboration with the Singapore based yacht builder Royal Falcon Fleet (see the blog dated September 12th) a further two German Automobile Companies have inspired sea worthy vessels; Audi and BMW. Audi R8 inspired power cat
The Swedish company Vizualtech were inspired by the Audi R8 and have designed a power catamaran in its image for a Dubai race boat company. It is 8.8m (29ft) in length, has two gullwing doors and uses either a modified biodiesel V10 engine or two smaller 320hp V8 engines taking the vessel to a top speed of 110 mph.

BMW yachtBMW Designworks USA meanwhile, has teamed up with Belgian yacht builder Zeydon to create the Performance Cruiser Z60 sailing yacht and enter a completely new yacht market; performance-oriented luxury sailing yachts.  The boat can reach downwind speeds of 23 knots under sail power alone or 10-13 knots using the yacht’s engines.

Will this trend from the automobile world to the yachting world continue?  Watch this space to find out.
Information and images courtesy of WorldCarFans.com and MarineBusinessNews.com

Monaco Yacht Show Top Yachts: MARTHA ANN

At 70m (230ft) MARTHA ANN is an impressive navy hulled luxury motor yacht built by Lürssen.  She was the talk of the Monaco Yacht Show this year boasting six decks, a 1,400 square foot master suite, numerous guest rooms, a glass elevator in the lobby, a huge sports bar and gym and a large Jacuzzi enclosed in her voluminous body created by her 12.8m beam.

Her proportions make her ideal for entertaining with spacious and private areas for guests both inside and out, including a large pool with an incorporated bar! MARTHA ANN possesses two 1500kW CAT engines that allow her a top speed of over 15knots, perfect for cruising the waters of the Mediterranean and the Caribbean where she will now join the league of super and mega yacht charters.

Sailing yachts more prominent at the Monaco Yacht Show this year

The number of sailing yachts on display at the Monaco Yacht Show this year was suprisingly increased from previous years.  There were a number of these beauties from Perini Navis, Alloys Yachts International and Dubois Yachts at the show all of which sat comfortably and elegantly next image of sailing yachtto the large and imposing Mega Yachts who usually dominate at Monaco.  The charms and advantages of sailing yachts may be the reason behind the increased interest in these types of yachts; with the increase in fuel prices and the move towards greener yachting practices sailing yachts are the obvious option if you still want to enjoy yourself on the ocean and use the wind as your friend instead of pure engine power.

This increased interest will mean that there will probably be more large and high end sailing yacht options available in the Caribbean this winter than previously, so take the opportunity to have a look at the way travelling the oceans was intended and experience the thrill of sailing yourself.

Charter a yacht in Beautiful Mauritius

With the trees changing colour, and summer tans fading, what better time to think about chartering a yacht in beautiful Mauritius?Yacht charter in Mauritius

Cystal clear blue waters, white sandy beaches and extremely friendly people make Mauritius an ideal yacht charter destination without breaking the bank!

Whether you want spacious catamarans for week charters, day boat charters or the experience of being “kidnapped” and taken aboard a pirate ship for the day, Mauritius has it all.

 Book now to avoid disappointment for the perfect winter break!