Month: April 2018

The History Of Yachting

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The Original Yacht
Derived from the Dutch term “jagen”, meaning to hunt or chase, the word Yacht usually refers to a small, fast craft which is excellent for small voyages and short crossings. Originally this meant a fully rigged vessel that was smaller than a pinnace but large enough to be fully decked over.

Defined as such back in 1742, what classified as a Yacht had changed from the years preceding this and would change in the centuries following it. Today, as the capabilities of Yachts increase, everything from a luxury motorised cruise liner to a private family boat is labelled as one, with all the material prestige that comes with it. But however you define this type of vessel today, it has a rich history that should be known by every person who calls themselves a sailor.

The First Yachts
The Yacht was the vessel of choice for many explorers in the 17th Century. Spacious enough to house several men as well as several months’ worth of supplies, including fresh produce to avoid the dreaded scurvy, these Yachts were fast, nimble and seaworthy – perfect for exploring unchartered waters. The Duyfken, which dropped the first western visitors on Australian shores in 1606, was a small 60 ton Yacht and, similarly, the coast of New Zealand was first sighted from the deck of such a vessel 36 years later.
Besides being an ideal exploration vessel, early Yachts also played a pivotal role in many great wars and battles. The Dutch favoured the Yacht as armed tenders and the now famous Duyfken was a critical player in the infamous battle against a blockade of Portuguese ships which essentially ended the Iberian dominance of the spice trade in 1601. As warships grew bigger with improved technology, the Yacht settled into the role of courier during war time, relying on its speed to pass on vital information in a hurry.

The Beginnings of Yachting for Pleasure
Boating and yachting for pleasure is almost as old as boating itself. Egyptian Pharaohs recognised the splendour of water travel and were buried alongside elaborate barges to transport them through the afterlife in elegance and style. But it was in the late 1600’s, many thousands of years later that the joys of water recreation became more attainable and part of everyday life.

Yachting as a Dutch Invention
It was the great maritime country of the Netherlands that, centuries later, not only brought yachting to the world’s attention, but also built and essentially invented the first Yacht. The massive waterways in and around this Dutch country necessitated the use of quick waterborne transportation to move around both goods and people. As the country utilised these vessels to explore the world and trade across the oceans, so their wealth grew. This new found affluence was naturally expressed in finally being able to enjoy this wondrous natural asset of water that had served the people so well.
The pleasure-Yachts that resulted were fiercely patriotic and many even featured cannons to celebrate their country’s military prowess. Waterborne activities such as competitive races, parades and mock-battles became a staple in Dutch culture, cementing the Yacht’s place in leisure activities for the future.

The Yacht Invades Europe
The delights of yachting for pleasure spread across the channel to England, ironically thanks to the British Civil War in 1642. Sent to an island refuge to protect the royal lineage, Charles II began sailing to keep himself amused and soon fell in love with this pastime. A spell in the Netherlands during his exile only deepened his passion for yachting and when he was finally instated as King in 1660, he began an enduring royal patronage of sailing as a recreational sport that would reach into modern times.
When the 17th Century Tsar Peter the Great discovered the wreck of a Yacht gifted to Ivan the Terrible over a century before, his own interest in the pastime was piqued. With Russia’s interest from the East and Britain and the Netherlands’ love for pastime yachting slowly spreading into Europe from the West, it was not long before yachting for pleasure was a staple in the European recreational calendar.

Yachting Today
Sailing around the Mediterranean on a private Yacht with the sun setting behind you and the turquoise sea glistening below is an undeniable fantasy of many people. Owning a holiday or vacation home in one particular place is becoming unfashionable. This fixed location becomes dull after a while and is also restrictive should the climate, political situation or currency of a country falter. A much more popular alternative is to invest in a Yacht. This floating holiday home is mobile and can house entire families, allowing vacationers to see the world with their loved ones in five star luxury.

Yachts today are a far cry from the basic sturdy vessels used to transport explorers around the ancient world. Equipped with every modern convenience, businessmen can check their email, make conference calls and organise a merger, all before breakfast and a morning swim in the ocean. Motorisation, differing sizes, increased safety, equipment and technology have all contributed to making yachting a viable and appealing alternative for vacationers.

The Rise of Yacht Charters
As an alternative to owning a Yacht, aspiring sailors can hire a Yacht from a Yacht Brokerage Company. These reputable companies, such as Yachting Partners International will take care of all the finer details, allowing vacationers to simply relax on the seas as their Dutch ancestors intended. Comprehensive itineraries can be planned according to each individual’s interest and all administration, catering and service related issues will be maintained by that company. A far cry from the strenuous yachting of the past, this recreational activity has endured over the centuries to have evolved into a luxury activity.

Lvmh To Acquire Builder Of Feadship Yachts

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The LVMH Group announced that it is entering the waters of the yachting industry with its plans to acquire Royal van Lent, a prominent builder and designer of megayachts for the Netherlands-based Feadship Yachts. Royal van Lent brings a 160-year history in yacht construction to LVMH.

LVMH will work closely with Royal van Lent’s management team to further develop the existing relationship with Feadship. LVMH’s highly recognizable status as a luxury-brand leader will be tapped to expand the brand worldwide. The storied builder has built more than 800 yachts and specializes in the building of megayachts, or vessels measuring 50 meters or longer. CEO Dick van Lent will remain at the helm of Royal van Lent.

“I am delighted that Royal van Lent will become part of the LVMH family, which has a proven track record in preserving the heritage of prestigious brands, with high quality products, while positioning them for successful global growth.” He further added, “We look forward to benefiting from the support and strategic leadership of the world’s leading luxury goods company. I am pleased to be involved in the continued development of Royal van Lent.”

LVMH’s group managing director Antonio Belloni said, “This acquisition is an outstanding opportunity for LVMH to welcome to the group as prestigious a business as Royal van Lent, which is well-established in the ultra-luxury market. We are confident about its growth potential in the exclusive mega-yacht sector, [which is] a market with sustainable growth prospects.”

LVMH has been active in the yacht world for years with the yearly Louis Vuitton Cup, an annual regatta that precedes the America’s Cup. The world’s leading luxury products group is set to enter the megayacht marketplace swimmingly.

Looking For A Yacht Charter That Will Allow You To Enjoy The Time At Sea

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There are many different ways that a person can go on a holiday. A yacht charter can help to provide you with lots of different options if you don’t have access to a yacht. You will find lots of different yacht charters on the internet, in yachting magazines and even in the yellow pages.

As you look through these many sites you should think about the type of vacation you want, where you want to go and for how long you are planning on having a yachting holiday. Once you have all of these details noted you should be able to eliminate the various yacht charter services which don’t seem to provide your vacation needs.

After you have selected where you want to go it is best if you look for a yacht charter that will allow you to enjoy the time at sea. You should make sure that your yacht charter includes crew who are knowledgeable about the waters where you will be visiting. In the charter you will find information about the different countries that you can choose to visit.

To make sure that you have chosen a yacht charter which will take you to your chosen destination you might need to look at the contract before you make your final selection and sign. With the contract signed you can then start your voyage into the unknown in total relaxation.

Of course most yacht charter trips will be short haul trips rather than across large expanses of water. You will find that the yachts that which are used for a yacht charter are for the most part quite luxurious. In these yachts you will find various amenities which can make a sailing trip very relaxing. Therefore while there are lots of other ways of taking a vacation you might want to try out a yachting trip.

The many different yacht charters that you will find are perfect for this. There is nothing more relaxing than to float on the sea or ocean waters and watch the sun set. No cares or worries about tomorrow to be found in a yacht charter.

As you see a yacht charter is the perfect medium for the various people who want to enjoy a relaxing holiday. This sort of holiday will also open many new sights which can be hidden from you when you go on holiday in the normal way. All in all there is nothing more satisfying than to go on a holiday where the only responsibility that you have is to state where you want to go next.

Muna wa Wanjiru is a Web Administrator and Has Been Researching and Reporting on Yachts for Years. For More Information on Yacht Charter, Visit His Site at Yacht Charter

Understanding Yacht Values

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I get calls or emails weekly from individuals that are in their final passage to yacht ownership; finding and buying their dream boat. They want my counsel. And more often than not, most buyers do not have a true understanding of boat values and the prices they command. Most individuals are shocked to find boats cost as much as houses do. They are often taken back when I try to explain the reason a boat is priced so low.

I want to give you a good idea of why used boats cost as much as they do so let’s start from the top.

On other pages on this website, you will read about the absence of a Yacht Blue Book. Yes, that’s right, there is no such thing. There is one for motorcycles but not for boats. If you call any used car dealer or bank in North America and name any production automobile, they will quote a value of within a few dollars of each other. This is due to the multi-billion dollar, organized wholesale car auction system.

And there is also the Powerboat Guide, NADA and others that like to sell you their version of a boat Blue Book.

With over 2,200 boat manufacturers (USCG Listings) in North America there is no such wholesale market for boats and the older a boat gets the bigger the price discrepancies. And keep in mind that boats and yachts are not built on an assembly line. I’ve been through my share of boat building plants including Hatteras, Bertram and Carver. Boats are built like houses, one step at a time. Very labor intensive, boats are built, cars are assembled. So you can easily see why new boats cost thousands, perhaps millions of dollars to produce. Powerboats cost more to produce than sailboats as they are more complex.

Generally speaking boats do not appreciate in value. But they do reach a point in their life where they do not loose any more value. Much like antique paintings, the rarer a boat is, the more it will be in demand. A 40 year old Huckins will often bring more money today than when it was first commissioned. But boats generally depreciate about 10% a year.

So you are looking at that 1984 40 foot Catalina sailboat, with a single Lehman and 2 staterooms. What is it worth? What is a fair price? Simply speaking, that boat is only worth what you are willing to give and the seller is willing to take. So where do you start?

Here is what you need to know when considering prices of boats. The owner has established his asking price with consultation with his listing Broker based upon several factors. I do the same with my sellers.

In what condition is the boat? Good boats always command higher prices, always! A newer boat in poor condition will bring less than an older boat in good condition always!. By condition I am speaking of both cosmetics (cleanliness, gelcoat, paint, woodwork, canvas) and structural issues involving fuel tanks, rudder posts, blisters etc. The more upgrades and maintenance that has been completed, the more you should expect to pay as the owner knows this. He also knows that you will have already looked at the worn out boats and have rejected them too.

How old is the boat? See above. This factored in but is not the deciding factor.

How motivated is the seller? Some owners want to move their boat as quickly as possible and any thing close to an asking price might be acceptable. This doesn’t happen often but it does occur.

How many of these 40′ yachts are there on the market? Remember, the more demand for the boat, the higher the price will usually be. And I find that most people will not travel far to buy a boat, so boats in New York will not be in competition with Southeast boats.

And lastly, and perhaps the most important factor in determining that asking price will be recent past sales history of similar makes and models. The recent past sales history is available only to Brokers however through our multiple listing service, YachtWorld. It will give me the recent demand for this 40′ boat and at what selling prices have been in different parts of the USA. It tells me what people are asking and what people are paying!

So when you are looking at this yacht and you have found at what seems to be a great boat for $50,000.00 and all of the others are in the $85 – $100,000.00 range, there is a reason for this. Remember, condition, condition, condition! Be carefull as new fuel tanks will cost you about $30,000.00 to replace, and rudder posts about $8000.00. But if you can live with the problems with the boat, then by all means buy it. I am just wanting you to know not to expect a problem – free boat for the low, low price; you’ll pay for what you get.

So now you are thinking, are all boat prices negotiable? Certainly they are. Everything has its selling price and neither the listing Broker nor the owner may know what that price will be. Only a serious buyer with money on the table will be able to find that out through negotiations. but I will tell you that as of 11/24/2008, boats are selling at about 15% off of asking prices.

Another factor that comes to mind is that powerboats always sale for more than sailboats. I ran this search on the MLS system and found that a 1985 40′ sailboat will have an asking price in the low $100s, however a 1985 trawler or motoryacht will be in the $130 – $140s. Sailors sometimes get sticker shock when they began to search for powerboats. Mike Dickens is the operator of Paradise Yachts, located in Florida USA. Paradise Yachts is a full service yacht brokerage offering quality used yachts and boats. We sell and ship worldwide.

Visit our website at http://paradiseyachtsales.net to view our current inventory

Visit our Cruising Center at http://www.paradiseyachtsales.net/CruisingCenter.html to experience the boating lifestyle.

The Luxury Of Traveling With Yacht Charter Companies

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Luxury is something everyone deserves from time to time. Such an indulgence can make a vacation a truly rejuvenating experience. One of the best ways to get the luxury of the rich and famous to fit into your budget can be yours through yacht charter companies. These companies specialize in creating custom sailing vacations that redefine travel.

Planning Your Luxury Trip

With your budget in mind, it is easy to plan a chartered yacht vacation. Companies often have a fleet of sailing vessels that can accommodate parties of various sizes. You may want to make it a more intimate trip with only close family. There are charters that can be rented for as few as two people. These include either a sailboat or motorboat and can come with or without a crew and captain to sail the ship for you. If you choose not to hire a crew, you will have to show that you are knowledgeable of sailing and can handle the ship competently.

The next part of planning is to determine your starting and ending ports. This could be a place close to home and sail in one area or start and finish at two different ports. Generally, starting and stopping in the same port will save you money and is usually more convenient.

You can also fly to a destination far from home and then sail another exotic sea. There are luxury yacht charter companies that cruise the Caribbean and Mediterranean seas or around Alaska, the Panama Canal, or anyplace you can imagine.

Determining the type of cruise is another aspect of planning a chartered yachting trip. You can have as little or many crew members as the ship will hold. A captain takes all the worries out of navigating and onboard housekeeping services make it a real vacation that rivals the finest hotel services. You can also choose to have a chef and service crew as part of your vacation package.

If you like the idea of knowing what it is really like to sail, but dont want to risk safety, you can charter a sailing cruise that puts you in the role of deck hand. A competent crew will direct you as to your chores for keeping the ship in top shape and on course.

Destinations & Ports of important Charter Companies

One of the greatest benefits of choosing a chartered cruise as a vacation is the choice. You will most likely have a rough itinerary and that can be affected by weather. However, you are flexible in deciding how long you want to stay in a particular port and if you want to add or subtract stops along the way.

Your yacht is your hotel that travels with you. There is only one flight and one hotel to book! Then you take all of your luggage and unpack it just once to enjoy several days of new destinations.

If you have never experienced cruising before, a chartered experience is a great way to get your feet wet. It is different from cruise lines with thousands of guests because the people on your ship will be your friends and family. The personal touches of a chartered trip will help you develop your love for the sea with all the best benefits of commercial cruises.