Superyacht Crew Travel Agent Sells Out

The specialist yacht crew travel company Global Marine Travel has sold out to Inchcape Shipping Services with Tim Davey, current President of GMT retaining a minority stake in the business and becoming head of what will be called ISS GMT as it moves forward. 

GMT became specialist in crew travel as an agency and provided related service provider to the marine, offshore and yachting industries from its head office in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Tim Davey, founder and President of GMT, says: “This new relationship strengthens our ability to buy into volume-based air, car and hotel contracts and will benefit our existing customers in both the commercial marine/offshore and private yachting sectors,”

Jon Corner, Executive Vice President Group Commercial for ISS, says: “We have been looking to enter the marine travel business for some time and see the acquisition of GMT as an ideal way to move into the sector.”

ISA Launches 60 metre Mary-Jean II

You will have to wait until the Monaco Yacht Show before you get to go on board Mary-Jean II but we can report that the yacht has already made a splash at the ISA yard in Ancona where she was launched recently ready for delivery to her owners in July.

Designed and built by the yard, she is 60 metres overall with a beam of 12 metres her Aristo blue, steel hull and Oyster white aluminium superstructure she boasts elegant lines with an impressive stern.

Her interior, designed by Mark Berryman, has a clean cut contemporary appearance with teak flooring and bulkhead panels acting as a backdrop.  Other tactile materials such as the split bamboo panelling and rustic limestone mosaics invite guests to touch and explore different areas onboard the boat.

Most fabrics are neutral in appearance and then accented by more vibrant colours introduced by the Owner’s artwork and complimentary coloured scatter cushions.

Twin Caterpillar 3512 C DITA-SCAC diesel engines, power this yacht to give her a maximum speed of 16 knots and a cruising speed of 15 knots.

Specifications

• LOA                                              60.50 m
• LWL                                             53.90 m
• Maximum Beam                         12.00 m
• Moulded Depth                          6.25 m
• Displacement at Full Load       1042 tons
• Displacement at Half Load       980 tons
• Draught                                        3.30 m
• Max. Speed                                   16 knots
• Cruising speed                              15 knots
• Fuel Capacity                               134,000 litres
• GRT                                               1200 tons
• Fresh water capacity                   25,000 litres
• Range at cruising speed              2700 NM at 14 knots
• Main engine                                  2 x CATERPILLAR 3512 C
• Power ouput                                 1765 kW @ 1800 rpm
• Generators                                    3 x CATERPILLAR C9 200 kW
• Concept                                          ISA – International Shipyard 
• Naval Architecture                       ISA – Technical Department
• Exterior Design                            ISA – International Shipyard
• Interior Design                             Mark Berryman Design
• Construction                                 Steel / Aluminium
• Classification                                Lloyd’s 100A1 SSC YACHT MONO G6,  LMC,UMS
• Compliance                                    MCA Code of Practice, LY2,

Inflatable Problem

It never fails to amaze us how others outside of the superyacht industry see us and report on what is going on.  Generally it is wrong or just plain stupid but this one caught our eye.  What do you think?

See Superyacht Senses in London

Senses the 59m discovery yacht built for Jackie Setton by Schweers, (now a Lurssen yard), in Germany during 1999 is to make a fleeting visit to London where she will be on view by appointment through selling brokers Burgess who are listing her at €35,000,000

She will berth on the West India Quay at Canary Wharf, Close to London City Airport from 27 May to 5 June.

She is the ultimate, go-anywhere expedition yacht and her London visit is a fantastic opportunity to inspect her before she departs for a full schedule of cruising and charter in the Baltic this summer.

Meticulously maintained with no expense spared throughout her various Ownerships, she arrives direct from the shipyard where she has undergone a full superstructure repaint, among other maintenance and improvement works.  

A truly remarkable yacht of world renown, Senses is designed, built and engineered to surpass the challenges of exploring the world’s oceans. With impressive volume and a beam of 12.7m, she can store 3 tenders laterally, has full helicopter capability and carries a stern-launched 12.8 metre twin engined Nelson launch.

Key features:

• Accommodation for 10/12 guests in 5/6 cabins
• Full beam Owner’s Suite over 12m wide
• Full-beam owners bathroom with walk-in closet
• 2 double and 2 twin guest cabins
• Further accommodation provided by converting gym into a double cabin
• Cruising speed 11.8 knots, maximum speed 14 knots
• Range 5000 nm @ cruising speed
• Steel, ice-strengthened hull with stainless steel bow section
• Lloyds +100A1 SSC Yacht (P) G6 +LMC, CCS, UMS,
• MCA Compliant
• SOLAS Compliant
• Carries unparalleled inventory of tenders and equipment

Crew Communications In Australian Waters

Satellite communications provider to the superyacht industry Marlink has announced an extension to its VSAT Ku-band service which will now cover areas around Australia for the first time. Working with Australian Satellite Communications Pty Ltd, the expanded service will also benefit superyachts in the South West and South East Pacific travelling to and from Australia.

The new region will be available to Marlink's WaveCall customers immediately and to Sealink users during 2nd quarter of this year.

For WaveCall the network will be using the iDirect Evolution platform which provides a highly reliable and affordable service with value added services such as Automatic Beam Switching (ABS). This system automatically switches the on board service between satellites to provide a seamless connection with no manual intervention required. ABS is now being implemented for all Ku-band regions.

WaveCall is the company's own, always-on VSAT system, based on shared Ku-band and used by large yachts which require a more regional service. The Sealink global system provides both Ku-band and C-band options on an exclusive bandwidth basis. 

YCO Financial Results Posted

The YCO Group plc have announced preliminary trading results for 2009.  The group encompasses divisions in superyacht brokerage, management crew recruitment, fuel supply and ships agency work.

Last year saw many changes, with former superyacht Captain Charlie Birkett taking over the helm as CEO towards the end of the year and working alongside fellow former Captain and now Executive Director and Managing Partner, Gary Wright, to turn the group around.

After posting a loss in both 2008 and at the interim stage of 2009, the group has successfully reversed their position and brought the Group into profit, with strong growth in yacht management and better than expected performance in the brokerage divisions.

Financial Results

• Revenue of £24.7m (2008: £28.5m)
• Gross profit increased by 33% to £7.0m (2008: £5.3m)
• Profit before tax of £31,000 (2008: loss of £684,000)

Operational Achievements

• Completion of group restructuring with new Chief Executive overseeing the successful implementation of a cost reduction programme and the consolidation of Yacht Help Group
• Stronger performance at YCO Brokerage, ahead of expectations
• Increased number of contracted superyachts by 34% to 51 (2008: 38)
• Strengthened teams at YCO Brokerage and YCO Management, reflecting confidence in improving market conditions
• Yacht Fuel Services has maintained its leading position in the market and benefited from increased operating margins

Kokomo Delivered

Photography by Chris Lewis of New Zealand

A new and advanced league of super sailing yacht

The latest Kokomo or Kokomo 2010 as she is affectionately known) was delivered to her owners in March by the builders Alloy Yachts

At 58.4 metres she is the largest yacht the largest ever built in New Zealand, the largest designed by Dubois Naval Architects of Lymington although they have designed larger that have yet to be launched and she is the twentieth Dubois design to be built by the yard.

The draught of such a large a yacht is the major consideration because access to harbours and beautiful anchorages would be severely limited if the ideal (for performance) fixed keel draught were constructed. Indeed it would probably not be possible for many yacht construction companies to launch a yacht with over 6 metres of draught.

A lifting keel is therefore crucial and Kokomo 2010 has just that; a 100 tonne bulb attached to a 30 tonne steel fin. The steel casing of the bulb is filled with lead and when in the fully lowered position this keel gives the yacht a depth of 8.1 metres (26.5ft). When raised, the draught reduces to 4.8 metres and allows access for Kokomo to most of the desirable harbours and anchorages of the world.

Although the steering is hydraulic, Alloy yachts have developed a feedback system, which senses the load on the rudder and through a separate motor gives feel to the helm. This is another first for Kokomo 2010 and it makes steering her an especially delightful experience.

Stability, depth of keel and hull form have all been designed with performance in mind but to give the power to get the best on this unique design the rig must match the hull and it was decided to dispense with any concern for Panamax mast height or indeed for passage through the Suez Canal, under the new bridge. The rig height of Kokomo is 74 metres off the water, which means that to voyage from the Pacific to the Atlantic Kokomo must sail under one or other of the Capes.

Viewed in isolation, with no scale apparent, no man on deck and no other relative object within sight, Kokomo could be 20 metres long, not almost 60; her proportions are that of a more modest creature of the sea. It is only as one approaches one can appreciate her immense size and power and only when one is sailing her, to windward particularly, can one appreciate just what an achievement has been reached.

Specification

• LOA                                                     58.4m (191.59ft)
• LWL                                                     52.2m (168.96ft)
• Beam                                                    10.9m (35.76ft)
• Draught (keel raised)                            4.8m (15.75ft)
• Construction                                         Aluminium
• Engine                                                  2 x Caterpillar diesel C18  
• Gear box                                               2 x ZF 2300 
• Propeller                                               2 x Hundested 
• Thrusters                                              American Bow Thruster 
• Generators                                            2 x 69kw Caterpillar C4.4
• Fuel Capacity                                       50,166 litres
• Water Capacity                                    12,690 litres
• Sails                                                      Doyle Sails
• Sail Area                                              914m²
• Winches                                               Alloy Yachts
• Furlers                                                  Reckmann
• Mast and Boom                                    Southern Spars
• Designer                                               Dubois Naval Architects
• Builder                                                 Alloy Yachts
• Interior Designer                                  Redman Whiteley Dixon
• Project Manager                                   Peter Wilson, MCM
• Launch                                                 March 2010

Vibrant Curiosity Wins Award

Vibrant Curiosity, the 85.5 metre superyacht designed by the Italian duo Nuvolari-Lenard has been awarded Best Custom-Built Yacht (150ft and up) at the Asia Boating Awards during a ceremonial gala at the Gold Coast Yacht and Country Club in Hong Kong on May 8, 2010.

The superyacht, is said to have been built for the Wurth Family, and is named using the motto of their German company. She has definitely struck a vibrantly resounding chord in the superyacht industry with her innovative design. Perhaps her most distinguishing exterior feature is the triple vertical glass window strip spanning three deck levels amidships-a design never seen before on a superyacht.

The yacht has environmentally-conscious features, such as a sea monitoring system and was built by Oceanco in Holland

Alloy Begins New Superyacht

Alloy Yachts Starts Work on AY43, a 47m Motor Yacht.

No sooner was the sailing yacht Kokomo launched by Alloy Yachts’ Bay 6, the space she once occupied during her build was back in use as the builders started construction on a 47m flybridge motor yacht.

Alloy Yachts, Dubois Naval Architects and Donald Starkey Design are working together again to build her. The same team created the superyacht Allogante, now known as Loretta Anne.

This will be the third motor yacht to be built by Alloy Yachts and should be delivered during early 2012.

The 47 metre yacht has four staterooms, an owners’ suite, spa pool and gymnasium and because the yacht’s homeport will be the Bahamas, she will have a shallow draught of just 2.2 metres.

The addition of zero-speed stabilisers another feature is the enclosed flybridge where the side windows can be raised and lowered to ensure the comfort of the owner and guests.

The yacht is being built to Lloyd’s classification 100 A1 SSC YACHT MONO G6 MCH (<500 gross tonnes) and LY2 and will have a cruising speed of 14.5 knots.

Famous Tall Ship for Sale

Fancy owning a superyacht with built in Movie Memorabilia?  If so then you may be interested to learn that John Ryan a broker at WME Yachts has drawn our attention to the fact that the ship that starred as HMS Bounty later in the Pirates of the Caribbean is now being offered for sale.

This is the vessel used in MGM’s Mutiny on the Bounty starring Marlon Brando. The original helm that Marlon Brando used is still on the vessel. It has been rebuilt from the keel up in a three phase process. In 1960, it was Marlon Brando as Fletcher Christian in Mutiny on the Bounty who trod her decks. Today, it is Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man's Chest.

Currently she draws her revenue from appearance money (she gets one of the highest appearance fees of any tall ship), admissions, and movie rental and passenger fares.

Bounty is a proven money maker having been leased for major motion pictures, commanding the highest appearance fees of any tall ship at festivals, carrying paying passengers who want to relive "the life before mast" and has a track record of being a significant dockside attraction.

She is a major tourist attraction, a working laboratory of square rigged sailing for corporate team building and educational seminars, a potential star in major motion pictures and a sought after vessel for festivals.

Bill Dixon Yacht Designer in Asia of the Year

Bill Dixon is the first recipient of an award which, in years to come, will almost certainly be considered one of the most prestigious in the yachting industry. The Asia Boating Awards added a new category this year; that of 'Yacht Designer in Asia of the Year', and Dixon was selected in recognition of his significant contribution to yacht design in the area.

Bill has been working in the region for over 25 years, and has established a client base throughout it which extends from Korea in the north east to Thailand in the south west: with long standing clients in Taiwan, and new clients in the emerging Chinese market. Over the years Bill has undertaken a diverse range of projects including custom wooden schooners, Superyachts, production motorboats, to “one design” sailing yachts.

Working in this region for so many years has given him a good understanding of the Asian market, the people, traditions, and business relationships. 

Bill takes delight in being the first recipient of this award and the recognition of his influence on yacht design in Asia, past and particularly in the present. He continues to be excited by the dynamism and energy of Asia and to the exciting opportunities ahead.

Superyacht ECDIS Conference

With ECDIS compliance looming in 2012, many superyachts will be struggling to make the deadline. Furthermore, although new-built yachts in particular will have been fitted with ECDIS, many operators will not be adequately trained to use the equipment or understand the system and its capabilities.

Bringing together key stakeholders, The ECDIS Revolution is a 2 day conference, workshop and exhibition sponsored by Da Gama Navigation Solutions along with the Nautical Institute.  It is designed to highlight and resolve key areas of concern and present possible solutions that will ensure ECDIS compliance is achieved.

The ECDIS Revolution will consist of a one and a half day conference, followed by a half day workshop, with an interactive exhibition of ECDIS equipment running alongside on both days.  Registration is GBP 595.00 + VAT at 17.5% (TOTAL GBP 699.12) per delegate.

Targeting ECDIS providers, and buyers, users and trainers as well as the relevant associations and regulatory bodies, The ECDIS Revolution will offer a valuable business and learning forum for anyone affected by the forthcoming ECDIS regulations.

Concept Yacht Wins Award

The concept yacht design Soliloquy has won the Sustainable Design Category award from Condé Nast Traveller in a public vote proving that a determined and relentless public relations campaign really does work.

 IMAGE: © 2009 Alastair Callender. UK and EU Design Right. Registered Design. UK 4011030. Other rights pending

The yachts designer Alastair Callender is the brother of a team member at superyachttimes.com a well-respected superyacht information resource.  It was they who first brought the design to the attention of the public.  Since then it has been touted on literally hundreds of Internet Web sites with many of them suggesting that the yacht is real or that it will shortly be built.

The designer believes the 58 metre yacht could best be built from wood using the cold molded lamination process favoured by Turkish gullet builders and says that either Turkey or the USA would be countries capable of building it if this material were to be chosen.

The concept is attractive to tree huggers and environmentalists because the emission free concept taps into available technology available now and features solarsails produced by the Australian company Solar Sailor.

Estimated costs for building it vary and are between £30 and £40 million sterling but while that is comparable to building a similar size yacht she would says Callender be much cheaper than similar sized yachts to run.  This is because using her solar energy and batteries the yacht would need very little in the way of fossil fuel and the conventional deck and engine crew of a boat this size cut back to just four.

In total three yachts were nominated for the annual Condé Nast Traveller Innovation and Design Awards, with Soliloquy being the only entrant.  Readers of  Conde Nast Traveller voted to elect it the winner.  One other concept yacht the Wally WHY and the very real, Perini Navi Panthalassa, were nominated in the Leisure Category but neither picked up an award.

Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta

Following last year’s successful regatta and the extraordinary gathering of over 30 sailing yachts in the Costa Smerelda in Sardinia, Camper & Nicholson have announced they are to join the list of sponsors for this year’s Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta.

Superyacht sponsoring yards include:

Alloy Yachts

Fitzroy Yachts

Oyster Yachts

Perini Navi

San Lorenzo

Southern Wind

The 32 metre Gliss from Royal Huisman, designed by Philippe Briand, will be returning to defend her title. After four days of exhilarating racing on the dazzling, turquoise waters of the Costa Smeralda, her delighted owner was presented with the Loro Piana Prize Overall, the Silver Jubilee Cup last year and is hoping to do so again this time round.

The Regatta takes place from 8 - 12th June 2010. It will be hosted by the exclusive Yacht Club Costa Smerelda, located in the enchanting village of Porto Cervo on the northern coast of Sardinia. The race programme will include four days of competitive racing and a vibrant social programme will attract the world's most prestigious superyachts to this international event. 

Superyachts take to the radio waves

Riviera Radio the english speaking radio station much beloved by superyacht crew and others living in the South of France have teemed up with superyacht brokers Camper & Nicholson International to bring listeners a new programme called Top Yachts.

With information on everything you need to know on superyachting, Top Yachts will be broadcast every Tuesday until the end of the summer and is available online at www.rivieraradio.mc.

Listen out for the latest news on yacht shows, new launches, statistics on the superyacht industry, special deals on yachts available for sale as well as charter, and much more at 106.5 Riviera Radio.

Red Ensign Group Discuss Future of Superyachts

The Red Ensign Group conference is an annual event attended by British Shipping Registries in the United Kingdom and its Overseas Territories.

This year the conference is hosted by Anguilla and runs from May 11th until 13th.

Superyachts are one of the many agenda items to be discussed. Among them one that looks at ways in which can carry more than 12 passengers without being categorised as commercial and as such subject to more stringent laws and regulations.

Other agenda items include the implementation and training of surveyors for the Maritime Labour Convention, Port State Control issues, use of low sulphur fuels in port, to aid the elimination of toxic fumes, the procedure for handling marine accidents and strategy and international relations.

Several working documents will also be examined and discussed.

The Virgin Islands, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, the Isle of Man, Gibraltar, and the United Kingdom as Red Ensign Group countries each hold a Category 1 ship registry status. This classification generally allows the administrators to register ships of unlimited tonnage, type and size.

The other remaining members of the Red Ensign Group are Guernsey, Jersey and UK Overseas Territories of Anguilla, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, St Helena and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Falmouth to Falmouth Rum Race 2012

The Route de Rosé is a yacht race that traditionally starts in St Tropez at the end of the Mediterranean season in mid October, and finishes in St Barth’s at the start of the Caribbean season on the first Saturday of December.

All yachts are required to load several cases of Rosé wine aboard, with the condition that one case had to be landed onto the dock in St Barth’s for the grand celebrations at the end of the race. The winner of the race was decided by the shortest accumulative time taken only when on course to St Barth’s – allowing yachts to start at different times, or stop off on the way.

Catching that same spirit of superyacht sailing fun, the Pendennis Shipyard in Falmouth Cornwall and Antigua Yacht Club have formed a partnership to organise a Trans-Atlantic fun regatta going the other way from Falmouth in Antigua home of the Antigua Yacht Club to Falmouth in the UK and instead of wine the yachts will carry Caribbean rum!

The idea for the race came about following dockside chattering during the St Barth’s Bucket, when a number of yachts and crew have expressed interest in a race to England and it is hoped that the race will feed into the 2012 Olympic superyacht programme.

To be known as the Falmouth to Falmouth Rum Race, it will run in the opposite direction to the traditional Route de Rosé - the event will begin at the Antigua Yacht Club in Falmouth Harbour as a fleet start, following Antigua Classics with the option for yachts to start earlier if they prefer, with a possible stop in the Azores on route.

The entry fee will be $500 and a case of rum to be consumed at the finish in Falmouth UK at the dockside party.

Shortly after the finish there will be two major yachting events in Falmouth UK, namely the J-Class Regatta and Pendennis Cup. Yachts will then either continue east to participate in the many events on the Olympic calendar or head down to the Mediterranean for the summer season.

The organising committee for the race will be made up of representatives from Pendennis, Antigua Yacht Club and the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club.

Kenny Coombs of Antigua Yacht Club commented, “We are very pleased to be involved in this exciting new event on the yachting calendar. The Falmouth – Falmouth link will no doubt attract a great number of yachts to link up with a number of fantastic UK-based regattas.”

Toby Allies of Pendennis commented, “Falmouth has a long history of yacht racing and hosting sailing events and the “Rum Race” will provide a fantastic start to the 2012 yachting programme in the UK.”

The finish will be organised by the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club who have been at the centre of many sailing events in and around Falmouth since 1872, and have a very active Racing and Cruising sailing calendar.

New deep-sea submarines announced by U-Boat Worx

New models are capable of diving up to 1,000 metres.

U-Boat Worx the Dutch luxury submarine manufacturer has announced a new line of exploration submersibles certified for diving to depths from 100 meters to 1,000 meters. Named C-Explorers. These diving machines suitable for carriage aboard superyachts are available in configurations for one to six passengers.

The new range have a totally new design when compared to the existing C-Quester models but share the same proven technology.

New is the catamaran-style design concept that is combined with a fully acrylic pressure hull to result in optimal underwater viewing.

The patented floaters are flexible bags encased in a housing that automatically folds in when submerging, thereby creating minimal drag and easy storage in a standard container or on board a ship.

Company founder Bert Houtman says, “Our company has demonstrated that we are able to deliver certified subs at a more reasonable price than anyone else in the market, even when applying the latest technologies such as lithium-ion batteries. With the C-Explorers we are now looking into capitalising on this concept by expanding our product line to be capable of diving to greater depths and also cater to a wider, more diverse group of end-users.”

Germanischer Lloyd classification society has been appointed to oversee and approve the design, construction and testing of all the builders submersibles.

The C-Explorer 2 will be first shown to the public during the Monaco Yacht Show, this September and will be configured with a wide variety of optional accessories including robotic manipulator arms, underwater navigation systems, high-definition video cameras and an integrated remotely operated vehicle (ROV) that can be controlled from inside the submarine.

Prices start from Euros 280,000 for a one-seater model up to 840,000 for a 5-seater model.

New Sales & Market Director

Turkish Yacht builder Numarine appoints Graham Nisbet

Joining the Turkish Yacht builder Numarine is Graham Nisbet who takes the post of Sales and Marketing Director a position recently left vacant following the departure of Georges Tchoumak.

Nisbet has a 23 year track record in the marine market most recently having worked as Sales Director in the Middle East where he handled Princess Yachts.  Recently Rob Billington who also worked for Princess Yachts left Numarine and was replaced as General Manager by Malcolm Hutchinson.

Luc Pettavino Bids Farewell to Monaco Yacht Show

Every September, shipyards, brokers, equipment and service providers, high profile private and professional visitors from all around the world flock to the Monaco Yacht Show that has for the last 18 years been run by Luc Pettavino.

But in a shock announcement Pettavino has announced that after this years event the 20th Monaco Yacht Show, he will be stepping down and moving on to pastures new.

In a statement issued by the show’s organising office he said, “After giving this a great deal of thought, and discussing it at length with my family, I am determined to dedicate more time to my various non-profit initiatives, mainly related to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.”

He went on to say, “I thank you all for this unique experience. It has been a real privilege and honour to build this event into the world premier yacht show that it has become. It was also a great responsibility, as it is associated with very high expectations. Needless to say, I was never alone in this endeavour, the gifted team of people that made it all happen remains in place.”

Gaëlle Tallarida takes over as Managing Director, and she will be assisted by: Audrey Baylac, Eva Esteban, Aurelia Ferraris, Federica Ficarra, Eva Munoz and Oriane Odasso. Johan Pizzardini remains the shows media co-ordinator.

Under the guidance of Pettavino, the four show days at the end of the summer have always created a special platform for visiting top yachts and building on one-on-one conversations, networking with existing and potential clients, and productive B2B meetings, which all contribute to generating interesting leads and valuable discussions that can convert into short or medium term business.