SUP paddle boarding – HOW?!

SUP boarding, originating in Hawaii is a spin-off from surfboards. As opposed to the paddle-less sister, sup boarding offers a range of activities perfect for your summer and winter charters!

Standing Up Paddleboards have become available to the masses, with almost all bareboat yacht owners offering SUP boards as an extra to their charters why not add one onto yours? Most crewed yacht charters will now have SUP boards, along with other water toys. But did you know there are so many ways to use them?! See below!

The classic – SUP Boarding.

In the Mediterranean, you will often see people push their sups off the side of the yacht and go for a paddle – join them! Bend your knees and make sure you have the paddle the right way around! As you become an expert over the week start to use some technique and draw a ‘J’ in the water. By doing this you only need to paddle on the one side.

Yoga

Downward dog!

Get up early, enjoy the stunning scenery of Croatia, Greece, Italy, Caribbean, wherever you are and get out on the SUP board. Go through some simple yoga exercises to get you ready for the day. Early morning around 6 am is the most special time on the water – so get out and enjoy it.

Balancing

Back in my Flotilla days in Greece, SUP boards were used for almost everything. Something which was seriously good fun, with not only the kids but also the adults was ‘The Balance’. Very simple – how many people can you get standing. Not as easy as it sounds!

Sun Bathing

Sup boards come with a wrist strap, to save you floating away to one of the other islands attach it to your bathing ladders or your anchor chain. It’s super relaxing – until someone thinks its a great idea to jump off the yacht and splash you! Yes – even the adults sometimes cannot resist making someone scream out of shock!

Darling, lets go to the races!

In your stunning anchorage, be it Greece or the Caribbean some people on the yacht might need to expel some extra energy! Or to get the whole group up with a little bit of competitive sport! This is a great way to have some quality time together and make memories. Try racing around the yacht and timing each other – or attach a fender to a kedge anchor and use it as a racing buoy! Make sure you use the correct knot to attach the kedge!

Wobble wars

It is what it says on the tin! Get two people to stand up on the board and wobble the yacht until someone falls off! A simple and effective game that brings hours of fun on the water. Very popular with kids, but it has been known for some 68-year-olds to get involved.. perhaps the G ‘n’ T had something to do with it!

If you would like to know more about adding sups to your charters, or interesting in chartering with us this coming summer or winter do email here!

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Visiting Greek Wineries

Greece is one of the oldest vinicultural countries in the world, with a plethora of local grapes. The quality of Greek wines has tremendously improved over the past decades as new, highly educated and inspired sommeliers have applied themselves to the task of creating new labels. Many of the wineries have opened their gates to guests who can walk along the vineyards and then taste the wines in the cellars. Given this boom in the wine industry, an increasing number of yachties want to include a visit in wineries during their charters. Driven my own personal interest in wine, I am always happy to guide my clients and propose vineyard visits.

Santorini wines

The volcanic soil of Santorini island in the Cyclades offers the best terroirs for the Assyrtiko grapes. Assyrtiko wines are undoubtedly the flagship of Greek whites and a visit at the Hatzidakis winery in Sanotini offers a unique chance to view a unique and interesting wine in the making. Make sure to taste the award-winning Nukteri label. The thing, however, is that Santorini is way too far for a weekly itinerary starting and finishing in Athens, so I always advise my clients to fly to the island before or after their charter and combine this with a stay in one of the caldera hotels, enjoying the magnificent views.

Skouras Domaine

Skouras Domaine

Much closer to Athens I recommend clients to leave their yacht in Nafplion port and take a 30-minute drive to Skouras Domaine – one of the most modern and spectacular visitor-friendly wineries in Peloponnese. The prevailing force here is the Aghiorghitiko grape, which grows in the rocky terroirs nearby and is used in the much acclaimed Megas Oinos and Labyrinth labels. My personal favorite, however, is the fruity Viogner Eclectique, which grows in a small terroir called “spilitsa – little cave”.

The tempting Greek islands sun and the surrounding sea, together with the hospitality of your crew may keep you onboard your yacht through your charter. Do try to taste Greek wines during your visit – your chef will surely recommend the best pairings to their culinary creations. Contact now our expert broker team and start planning your next Greek motor yacht, sailing yacht or catamaran charter!

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Antigua Sailing Week

After having competed in the Antigua sailing regatta last week and gaining third place in class, charter broker and regatta expert, Alice gives her personal insight into the best parties, races, sailing, and restaurants that the regatta has to offer.

Every April, thousands of competitive sailors gather from all corners of the world to compete in the unmissable Antigua Sail Week. For any yachtie, this rum-fueled week is not to be missed out!

Rum-fuelled racing

The warm Caribbean trade winds allow for some of the world’s finest yacht racing conditions. The regatta has many different classes for yacht racing and welcomes boats of all sizes including bareboat, sports boats and many larger vessels. 

Since the 1950s this prestigious event has been the home to some of the finest yacht performances in boating history. The week includes 6 competitive racing days in some of the best sailing conditions throughout the regatta world.

Many different types of boats will compete in the regatta, giving many different class options to join. There is even the option of entering this regatta in a bareboat class if you wish to add a different dimension to a standard yacht charter!

Regardless of the size of boat you are on, at the beginning of every race everyone is in the same position, competition for victory at the end of the day.

Expect to see:

  • Crews hanging over the boat rail.
  • All boats in the realm of possibility
  • Bruises.
  • Sunburn everywhere
  • Windswept sailors with a rum in hand at all times.
  • Windward-leeward racing
  • Ripped sails and ruined sailors!
  • Global sailing champions
  • The sunsetting every night in Paradise

Après-sail

No Caribbean regatta can be complete without dancing, copious amounts of rum and live reggae bands. Notorious live parties, team-building competitions, prize giving ceremonies, and onboard cocktail parties allow the perfection combination of sailing and socializing.

Be sure to walk up to Shirley Heights to get the best sunset and I may add the best rum punch that the island has to offer. This year, the sailing event was sponsored by Fever Tree tonics, as such the traditional Caribbean rum had some very strong competition for being the tipple of choice for the 2019 Antigua Sailing Week.

Tough competition, idyllic racing winds, structured race courses, rum punch and of course  lobster on the BBQ  are the key ingredients to a world class regatta for novices, experts or even beginners!

Please click here to get in contact with Alice for your next regatta charter. We specialize in global regattas and travel extensively to review the best regatta charters for you!

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THE LY650 LEXUS SUPERYACHT

All the details you need to know about this ground breaking yacht.

Why this yacht is important to us.

Boatbookings are always looking at new technology and pioneering movements within the yachting industry. Lexus has always been in the eye of Boatbookings, after all the owner of our company has one! After 30 years of being in the car industry, Lexus has recently celebrated selling over 10 million vehicles worldwide, an incredible feat seeing as they have worked through recessions and crashes. Not only have the surpassed the 10 million mark, they have also started to touch into the Maritime Industry.

Will this just be a concept yacht too?

The short answer is NO!! Following the release of the 42-foot concept sport yacht, Lexus are back at it again, only this time bigger, better and far more luxurious! What’s better is that you can actually buy the LY650. With dates set for production in the fall, we will be going over a few aspects of the yacht to give you an idea of what to expect.

Why it is important to us.

What really caught Boatbookings attention is that you will actually be able to buy this yacht. Time and time again we see manufactures teasing us with concepts – but this time it’s real life. The price is TBC, but I think we can all safely say that it’ll be easier to charter one of these yachts as opposed to buying one! Sale of the yacht will start in America, but it’s only a matter of time before she will be in the heart of the yachting world – the Mediterranean!

Design

Through a blend of artisanal craftsmanship, Lexus has teamed up with Marquis-Larson, a yacht designer from the US to help create concept into real life. The yacht will boast 3 staterooms, and as you can imagine no expense will be spared when furnishing this superyacht. The Flybridge gives you 360 panoramic views, while the saloon area makes you feel like you’re on deck with natural light flooding every corner. Imagine being on the French Riviera with a glass of cold Rosé overlooking Monaco’s impressive town in the set back mountains!

Go on, tell me more…

Her beam of 18’8 gives you space where you need it most. Creating a dynamic space in the saloon/living area, this yacht will allow you to walk around without feeling cooped up. Her huge windows provide a 360-degree view of the impressive scenery that I know you’ll be in! The natural light will enhance your wellbeing and just ads to the luxuriousness of this yacht.

Let us know!

We would love to hear your thoughts on this Yacht. Would you charter her? Or would you rather something different? Chat to one of our expert yachties to find your perfect yacht for your Summer or Winter vacation!

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MY 3 FAVORITE RESTAURANTS IN THE CENTRE OF ATHENS

Athens, being the base of almost all Greek Charter Yachts, is the most common start/finish point for your Greek Islands Yacht Charter. I always recommend our clients to spend a couple of days before or after their charter, exploring the museums, archaeological places and tasting the vibrant Athens nightlife.

Athens is abundant with excellent restaurants (including several Michelin star establishments), and I would like to clarify that the 3 restaurants I recommend below are just my favorite places! I am into modern, creative cuisine and I adore wines, so wine and food pairing is a priority for me. Most importantly, I highly value personalized service in a restaurant.

Number 1: SIMUL

SIMUL gastronomic situ: A small gem of a restaurant, situated in the heart of the posh Kolonaki neighborhood, SIMUM is steadily in my top favorite go-to restaurants. Chef Nikos Thomas’s creative interpretations of Greek/Mediterranean cuisine uses the freshest local ingredients and as such the menu changes with the seasons. During the summer, I prefer to sit in the lovely little garden.

Number 2: SUSHIMU

Maybe the best sushi place in Athens – Sushimu is a modern day traditional Japanese sushi bar. 12 high stools on one side of the bar, with Sushi chef Antonis Drakoularakos on the other side. While Chef Antonis prepares his nigiris, sashimis, and makis he interacts with his clients … It doesn’t come more authentic than this! The fish is also super fresh, selected by the chef himself every morning!

Number 3: OINOSCENT

My absolute favourite wine bar in the centre of Athens. Oinoscent offers one of the widest selections of Greek and international wines. Most importantly a professional, dedicated and super friendly team of sommeliers who will talk with each of their clients and propose wines according to each one’s tastes. Oinoscent also provides a short, gourmet catalogue of warm dishes, cold cuts and cheeses, so is absolutely fine for light dinner.

Contact now our expert broker team and start planning your Greek motor yacht, sailing yacht or catamaran charter!

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