IGY Marinas Launches Inaugural Million Dollar Sportfish Challenge

IGY Marinas is to host its inaugural Million Dollar Sportfish Challenge! The IGFA all-tackle world record catch contest takes place from select marinas in their marina network and runs from May through December 2013, with registered anglers vying for a million-dollar prize.

IGY Marinas is inviting anglers from all over the world to participate in the challenge and fish the designated waters for the ultimate IGFA all-tackle record breaker.

Marinas in the group are home to a number of top nationwide sportfishing tournaments, and the company sees this contest as an opportunity to give back to the anglers that have used the marinas for so many years.

Destinations chosen for the sportfish challenge include company owned marinas as well as its marinas under management agreements. The following destinations are participating marinas in the Million Dollar Sportfish Challenge:

• American Yacht Harbor - St. Thomas, USVI
• Montauk Yacht Club - New York, NY
• Blue Haven Marina -Turks & Caicos        
• La Amada Marina – Cancun, Mexico
• Marina Cabo San Lucas - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
• Rodney Bay Marina - St. Lucia, WI

Oscar Nominated Film Crew Excel in Super Yacht Movies

Richard Gold Media is more than just a production company that specialises in high-end corporate film productions and TV commercials. 

The firm has a string of films featuring super yachts to its credit.

They cover the complete creative process for our clients from scriptwriting and storyboarding right through to the end production, they also develop and create brand concepts for a wide range of online and offline marketing materials.

Company head Richard Gold is justifiably proud of his super yacht client list and the long-term relationships he has built with owners and shipyards irrespective of their film budget sizes.

Having commissioned a film about Polar Star the charter brokers IYR reported "The film helped quadruple the number of charter booking we had for Polar Star within three months, we think because before that no one could see how beautiful and spacious it was from the still photography".

From broadcast to non-broadcast Richard Gold Media has an ever increasing catalogue of productions and creative projects which can be viewed on their Web site. 

You can see their film about Aurelia here
 
Richard Gold told us, "The reason we do not see anything as impossible is because I used to work on feature films. People think that asking a helicopter pilot to fly backwards 10ft over water to get a shot is crazy! But perhaps they do not know that I was in charge of the barbarian hordes in the opening scene of Gladiator so I have learnt what is possible from the very best, as well as being an  ORC in Lord of the Rings and was Tom Cruise's stand in on the Stanley Kubrick film Eyes Wide Shut. I also put together the team that produced The Cove and received a Screen Actor's Guild Award for saying one word on the Oscar winning film Shakespeare in Love, purely by accident.  Right place right time. My team include Oscar nominated and Bafta nominated people."

He is also quite proud that in all his time filming on board super yachts his film crews have never so much as scratched the teak on a yacht.

Armada to Take Part in Trailblazing Foghorn Requiem

Sadly not a single super yacht took up our invitation but nevertheless an armada of vessels is preparing to set sail for the North East coast to take part in a trailblazing concert in celebration of the foghorn.

More than 50 craft - from a 162m long cruise ferry to traditional, Northumbrian fishing boats - are due to anchor off the coast at South Tyneside on Saturday June 22 for the Foghorn Requiem, created by artists Lise Autogena and Joshua Portway.

The Requiem is a tribute to lighthouse foghorns, which are gradually being decommissioned, and at 12.30pm the vessels will sound their horns in time to the musical score by renowned composer Orlando Gough.

Thousands of spectators are expected to line the shore at Souter Lighthouse on the South Shields coast for the free event, when three North East brass bands will lead the ships horns and the Souter lighthouse foghorn for the 50 minute performance.

The Foghorn Requiem is unique in that it will use pioneering technology to conduct and control ships horns – some of which will be more than a mile out to sea - to a musical score that will take into account climatic conditions, the landscape and distance from the shore.

19 Entries Confirmed For Superyacht Cup Palma

Top names in super yachting have stepped forward to again sponsor the Superyacht Cup Palma, which will be held in Palma Mallorca from June 19 -22^nd.

Now in its' 17^th year, The Superyacht Cup attracts some of the most spectacular sailing super yachts in the world to an annual regatta in the Bay of Palma for four days of competitive sailing and a relaxed and informal social programme.

As builders of several of the participating yachts, Dutch yacht builders Claasen Shipyards are returning as Silver Sponsors for 2013.

The yachts they have built competing in this years regatta include:

• The stunning J Class yacht Lionheart
• The F Class Firefly
• The 27m classic Atalante

This impressive range of beautiful yachts highlights their world-class skills and craftsmanship.

Organisers offer a warm welcome to returning Silver Sponsors, Marina Port Vell. Located in the heart of the Spanish City of Barcelona, a favorite vibrant cosmopolitan destination for yachts of all sizes, the Marina is currently undergoing a huge transformation to create 162 fully serviced berths for sail and power yachts up to 180m. The significant investment in state-of-the-art infrastructure and new seven-star services will position the marina as one of the leading superyacht destinations in the world.

Based in the Netherlands, Rondal is a powerhouse of the superyacht industry, serving a global clientele. Modern engineering skills, excellent craftsmanship and a constant emphasis on ingenuity are the hallmarks of a company that believes above all in forward thinking. They have had a long-standing relationship in supporting the Superyacht Cup Palma and building relationships with their clients participating in the event.

The highly experienced race team at Real Club Nautico de Palma headed up by Gaspar Morey will again manage the all so important racing.

The Super yachts will be using the new ISYR rating system, which was well received at the recent British Virgin Islands regatta and the St Barth's Bucket, whereas the J Class yachts will fleet race in their own class under their JCA rules.

The SYC Dock is now at full capacity with 19 entries and a few places remain for yachts who shall be accommodated in close proximity. As in previous years the yachts will be berthed stern-to at Moll Vell (formerly Pier 46) and STP and a central tented area will be the base for the post-race social programme.

The Prize Giving Evening will be held at Es Baluard Museum overlooking the Paseo Maritimo and the yachts in the Port of Palma with live music from Groov Collectiv.

Feadship's Old Timers Form Heritage Fleet

Feadship have formed their own Heritage Fleet, an association for the owners of company built yachts that are more than thirty years old.

The association’s objectives are to unite the owners of classic Feadship yachts, promote the continuance of the sailing Feadship heritage, organise events for its members and offer them services related to their yachts. Membership will be strictly restricted to owners of registered Feadships built more than thirty years ago. In recognition of people who have been of particular service to the association, honorary members can also be appointed by the annual general meeting.

The board of the Feadship Heritage Fleet will be comprised of Feadship owners and the association, with support from Feadship directors. “Our intention is to organise various events around the world that will attract owners and their Feadships,” says Bas Nederpelt, the company’s sales and marketing director. “There is an incredible number of Feadships sailing that were launched more than three decades ago. As well as being a testimony to our standards of construction, many of these yachts have been scrupulously maintained by their owners. They are very proud of the heritage of their superyacht and still enjoy cruising the world in the style and comfort which is unique to the brand.”

The first three members of the Feadship Heritage Fleet have already been accepted: The 16-metre Ammerland, launched in 1966, the 35.42-metre The Highlander from 1967, and the 32.22-metre Heavenly Daze (launched in 1972 as Aldebaran). The owners of these three Feadships – Arthur van Berge Henegouwen, Victor Muller and Rory Brooks, respectively – will be the founder members of the board.

Jamaica Joins the Me Too Race for Super Yacht Registration

It would seem that it is not only the Flag State of the Cook Islands that is after the super yacht business dominated by other registries.  Jamaica has entered the fray and is giving the competition a run for their money

The flag was launched in December 2012, and coincided with the removal by government of Customs duty, customs user fees, and General Consumption tax on Jamaican-registered yachts were scrapped in favour of a single annual fee.

At the time of its creation Jamaica’s Information Minister pledged that it would “stimulate nautical tourism and yacht registration in Jamaica."

The flag is administered by IYB (International Yacht Bureau) a corporation based in Fort Lauderdale that according to its publicity material is dedicated to the safety, environmental protection, and security activities of private and commercial yachts. 

Its network of survey and plan approval stations can be found in every major yachting location worldwide. 

Now the technical team within the registry has in a bid to make registration more superyacht friendly ,overhauled the rules to give the flag what it sees as 'strong advantages' over peer flag states.

Captain Jake DesVergers, International Yacht Bureau (IYB), who was appointed advisor to Jamaica’s flag on technical and statutory issues, believes the flag to be in a position to offer unique advantages, given Jamaica’s, close but independent relationship with British law.

He said, “Jamaica because it remains a member of the British Commonwealth, can be selective in using the best practices of the yachting world, while eliminating any negative or bureaucratic actions that may hinder an efficient programme.” 

“This is most easily seen in their acceptance of the MCA’s Large Yacht Code, but their own national interpretation allows well-built unclassed yachts the opportunity to achieve commercial certification for charter.”

Jamaica’s superyacht flag has three types of registrations:

• Private,
• Private Charter
• Commercial

The Private Charter option allows private yachts to recoup its operating expenses through limited charter operations providing that they do not exceed 84 days in any one year.

DesVergers says the registry shares similarities with Marshall Islands and St. Vincent & the Grenadines in this respect, but with a key difference: He said, “Jamaica has taken a “realistic approach” to tailor requirements based upon a yacht’s size and number of crew.  “Jamaica identifies that a single blanket standard is not acceptable for a 45m motor yacht in comparison to that needed on a 20 metre sailing yacht. There are some 12 yachts completing the registration process currently, a level of response that I am pleased with.: Interest in the flag still in its early stages has been good."

With 15 different ports of registry to choose from there are other differences that stand out from Jamaica’s requirements when compared to other flag states:

These  include:

• No requirement for re-registration for private to commercial
• No need to have a corporate entity in Jamaica save for local representation

Hurricanes and Piracy, You Need Expert Advice on Both

If Adrian McCourt is the man you go to find out how Hurricanes might affect the super yacht then Michael Frodl is the man to trust when it comes to no nonsense advice on Piracy.

Michael G Frodl

Just because it is not in the news everyday does not mean it has gone away.  It exists as a threat to shipping and the free movement of super yachts around the world.  So it pays to know what’s going on if the super yacht you own command or manage is making voyages off the beaten track.

Michael G. Frodl, the Washington, DC-based attorney who founded the risks consultancy, C-LEVEL Maritime Risks knows what he is talking about.  

He has served as an emerging risks adviser to members of the national security community in Washington, as well as to underwriters in Bermuda and then London for many years now.

Since the 1990s, Michael has advised on numerous emerging risks: first environmental energy, and climate change risks, then cyber, anarchist / anti-globalist, and terrorist risks (including WMD terrorism), and most now modern maritime piracy, terrorism and supply chain risks.

He helped acquire an early understanding of the nature of modern piracy as was being conducted off the Horn of Africa by Somalis, and where it was likely headed, and, through his liaison work / risk diplomacy, he helped each learn what the other was able and willing to do so as to respond to the threat.

Given the work Michael did to help first Washington, Bermuda and London, and now Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore, not just understand Somali piracy but also forecast its developments, in early 2012 his clients asked him to do the same with Nigerian piracy and SE Asian piracy. They also asked him to do the same with threats to strategic sea lanes through choke points such as the Straits of Hormuz and of Malacca and the Suez Canal, as well as even do the same with potential threats to navigation and commerce in the South China and  East China Seas.

His Website describes how his advisory work on modern maritime piracy has become the finest of self-informing, self-course-correcting and therefore self-improving networks, that incorporate top decision-makers in the public and private sectors and across the full spectrum of all the maritime stakeholders across North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.