Super Yacht Show is Over

C-Quester 3 Sub from U-Boat Worx Slowly Sinks © 2009 Frances Howorth

Monaco Superyacht Show Hailed a Success

As 6.30 pm approached, weary Monaco Yacht show goers felt the need of a glass of wine. Suddenly sirens from 100 yachts from 6 to 65 metres split the air in a cacophony of sound that lasted more than 10 minutes giving the show goers, organisers and exhibitors the super yacht version of a standing ovation.

The show had ended and it was an event which almost certainly exceeded everyone’s expectations.

Well they might! This the 19^th outing of the annual event can only possibly be outdone by next year’s 20^th anniversary.

Of the yachts we inspected the stars of the show in our opinion were

• Arkley
• Trident
• Africa
• Silver Angel
• Riela
• Princess Mariana
• Icon
• Blue Eyes

While we toured Maltese Falcon and she is always a favourite she was not truthfully in the show.

To every one involved in the organisation and exhibiting at the show and to the hundreds of people who helped and are still helping us write up our super yacht features we say thank you. To the many who provided us with splendid and most welcomed hospitality we thank them for their generosity and publically say how grateful we are.

Great Show everyone. See you next year! Actually we hope to see many of you shortly at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show next month.

Final Day of the Monaco Yacht Show

The Dock at Monaco from aboard Meamina © 2009 Frances Howorth

Last day of the super yacht show and we are still standing but only just. This is a show that is too short for everything we need to do and too long for our feet.

Quite how many miles we have walked during the show and quite how many times we have shaken hands with someone, we would never be able to count. It would be as pointless an exercise as trying to count how many bottles of water during the day and champagne at night that we may have consumed while we have been here.

Saturday used in the past to be a day when the trade abandoned this show and turned it over to tourists who came to drool over superyachts.

Two things have happened since then: the event has become much large and we have become much busier. We now need every hour the show is open if we are to do justice to what is on offer and take time to explore it.

For us it is a full working day with appointments crammed in from 10am, despite the fact that at the beginning of the week the diary for Saturday was blissfully clear.

We began by visiting Icon the 62m yacht from the yard of the same name. The show marked the debut of this ground-breaking yacht.

Arkley our next visit really turned our heads. A yacht project managed and now operationally controlled by Imperial Yachts has turned out to be, in our eyes, one of the stars of the show. For Mark Berryman, one of our guides around the yacht, she is the first yacht to bear his name as interior designer. But his years of training under the tutelage of others has clearly paid off. This yacht is stunning, stunning stunning! Wait until you read our report about her.

Perini Navi never fails to impress us and their latest the 7^th in the 56 metre series is no exception. Riela is one of the Ron Holland designed sailing yachts and this one has an interior by Remi Tessier. If we were going to charter a sailing yacht in the Caribbean this season then she would be in our top five.

Blue Eyes from CRN in Italy and available for charter through Burgess is very blue! Her décor is rich and full of eastern promise with dark mahogany, vibrant blue marble, dramatic Chinese touches, glorious silks and a recurring theme of studded link anchor chain. She struck as needing a little more time in the shipyard before everyone can be truly proud of her.

Feadship were our hosts when they explained Aeon the latest episode in their series depicting the way super yachts of the future will be designed constructed and operated. Truly fascinating.

It has been a busy day. Somehow we still have to fit in our obligatory visit to the nearby supermarket to buy some goodies to take home to eat and rink. Rest assured we will not buy a single bottle of champagne.

Third Day at the Monaco Super Yacht Show

Super Yachts at the Monaco Yacht Show © 2009 Frances Howorth

Its official we have become Champagne addicts! Could anyone get tired of champagne? And luckily there is a lot of it about at Monaco. The Monaco Yacht Show even has Lanson as its official champagne sponsor.

The fabulous Feadship Trident was on our list for yacht visits today. We are not writing her up for SuperYacht World ourselves, that task falls to Hugo Andreae our editor in chief. But we did enjoy a visit before the Show officially opened this morning. Donald Starkey has excelled himself producing a magnificent work of art that is both serene and elegant as well as being tactile demanding to be enjoyed with all one senses.

At 12 o’clock we rushed off to Burgess stand for the tender ride out to the anchor and lunch aboard the iconic Perini Navi sailing yacht Maltese Falcon. Recently sold we are perhaps some of the last people to see her onboard art collection, as these will almost all shortly be returned to her previous owner. The privileged group of fellow journalists were royally entertained and we reluctantly returned to the real world for the rest of the afternoon appointments.

Sadly the Maltese Falcon lunch clashed with the lunch sponsored by Horus watches who are also sponsors of the show. Today they launched a really pretty watch that was inspired by the stately old steam yacht Delphine.

RINA the Italian class society played host to journalists as did Moonen who had a happy hour to celebrate their largest yacht to date being at the show. San Lorenzo the Italian yacht builder held a press reception with more champagne and the best speech of the show, short and to the point, we are happy to quote it verbatim “Welcome, byebye”. He did in reality utter a couple more sentences of appreciation for journalists hard work which was also equally welcomed by the audience.

A second watch party we also sadly missed through to many clashes was held by the Super Yacht designer Espen Oeino who has teamed up with the family-owned luxury brand Scalfaro to produce a most handsome wristwatch.

Our last party of the evening was held at the Monaco Yacht Club (which I think we have visited every evening for one event or another). It was a joint event sponsored by ISS and the PYA and involved more lovely champagne and a wine tasting.

Our weary journey home up the steep hill to our hotel was interrupted by a quick photo shoot of the yachts all light up and looking gorgeous.

Second Day of the Monaco Super Yacht Show

Red Arrows display from aboard Silver Angel © 2009 Frances Howorth

Up with the larks and another press breakfast. This time it is Sothern Spars who wanted to tell us their news. We feed this type of story to Yachting World Magazine and its supplement SuperSail World.

Africa the 46 metre yacht from Sunrise Yachts was our next destination. This was a yacht that we first saw during a visit to Antalya in Turkey last year and were impressed with the yard. The yacht is a credit to the Turkish yacht builder of whom we predict the super yacht world will hear a lot more. We were privileged to be shown around by the owner of the shipyard which built her. Look out for our report on her in future editions.

A lunchtime party followed at La Rascasse the restaurant in the southwest corner of the harbour. Law firm Hill Dickinson were our hosts and it was good to catch up with many familiar faces at the event.

Silver Angel is a 65 metre Benetti from their Livorno complex. Steel hull and aluminium superstructure the yacht is full of Italian style and panache. Any yacht that boasts a professional golf tee has to be special and the exterior on this yacht is every bit as exciting as her dramatic art deco influenced silver, very pale grey, very dark brown and white interior. We were very privileged to be shown around by Lady Green and Nicola Fontanella from Argent, the interior design team. Monaco based broker Alex Lees Buckley has this magnificent yacht for sale through CNI for around €68.5 million

It was while we were on board this yacht that the Red Arrows shot across the skies giving a splendid example to everyone there how great Great Britain really is. Proudly sponsored by Superyacht UK the display was stunning showstopper with everyone just stood still watching the sky and gasping in amazement at the pilot’s skills.

This evening we had cocktail parties nose to tail. It starts at 5 pm with the SuperYacht World party held in conjunction with superyacht lawyers HBJ Gateley-Waring the firm that employs our daughter Georgina as trainee solicitor within its own highly specialised yachts department. Other parties were hosted by Dominion Marine, The Virgin Islands Tourist Board aboard Africa, Sunreef catamarans and Monaco Marine.

Later one of the shows highlights took place at the Monaco Yacht Club when Fraser Yachts presents its Captains Award dinner with one lucky charter captain pocketing a brand new hand made watch.

Superyachts Will Be Attacked by Pirates

It is only a matter of time before a superyacht sailing off the African Coast becomes a high-profile target of Somali pirates, according to a report in the Financial Times and written by us.

Luxury yachts, owned by some of the world's wealthiest people, currently move between the Mediterranean and the cruising areas of the Seychelles, Mauritius and Maldives via the Suez canal passing through the pirate infested waters off the coast of Somali. One security advisor told us "Pirates have got better, faster boats and are able to operate at night up to 300 miles off the coast," adding, “If they can pick off a containership doing 25 knots with a high freeboard they can certainly attack a shiny white superyacht that just sparkles in the sunlight offering a very rich looking target.”

Good Intelligence

"Pirates are getting very good intelligence on vessels and are learning about those heading to and from the Suez Canal. There is evidence to suggest that they are targeting some vessels and not touching others," said Graeme Gibbon Brooks, Managing Director, Dryad Maritime Intelligence a company devoted to research into the nature, behaviour and challenges posed by pirates and those who traffic drugs and people by sea.

While no superyacht has to date been attacked, pirates have targeted lookalikes. For example the French passenger vessel Le Ponant was seized sailing without passengers from the Seychelles to the Mediterranean. Another yacht-like ship, the live aboard dive boat Indian Ocean Explorer, was attacked off the Seychelles shortly after dropping her passengers on Assumption Island.

Democratic US Senator Dianne Feinstein has called for US-flag shipping vessel operating in the Gulf of Aden, the Straits of Malacca, or in any other high piracy zone to have armed security teams sailing aboard.

US Lawyer Michael Moore who specialises in superyacht work agrees, “I believe in peace through superior firepower. If my clients are planning to travel through areas frequented by pirates, I recommend having crew trained and armed. The captain should be given the flexibility to commence firing as soon as he or she perceives a threat from an unidentified vessel, which approaches and refuses to turn back.” Not exactly a conventional point of view, but one says Moore, “That has worked with 100% success to date. All unidentified craft have wisely turned back when confronted by hostile fire.”

Pirate Protection Requires Brains not Brawn

Intelligence rather than gunfire is the preferred option of British superyacht crew sailing in pirate-infested waters off Somalia.

There are several reports of yachts having been threatened or approached by attackers but none boarded. Many believe the unarmed approach is a more prudent and ultimately better route to follow.

There are signs that some people are profiteering from piracy at sea. Custom and immigration services in countries around Somalia from Egypt to Oman are reportedly preventing protection personnel, going to join vessels about to transit the pirate infested waters, transporting safety and security equipment through their airports. Now the Djibouti Government have implemented a new procedure where anti piracy security teams are required to register with a company called Djibouti Maritime Security Services, a government appointed liaison service and need to have a special license. Fees are set at US$ 15,000 per month, US$ 80,000 for 6 months and US$ 150,000 for 1 year. Weapons can only be hired from the Djibouti Armed Forces after paying a rental charge.

The cynic in us sees ideas such as these as another money generating initiative by a government seeking to profiteer from the piratical trade.”

First Day of the Monaco Yacht Show 09

Michael is interview by Terry Wilson © 2009 Frances Howorth

This morning started off bright and early and we did not even get a chance to have breakfast at our Hotel. But we did download our articles from the FT special Yacht Report about Antigua, Piracy and new technology

Breakfast was served aboard Princess Marianna the largest yacht in the show, this informal breakfast gave us an opportunity to network with industry colleagues, plan your schedule and view the yacht before the show officially opened at 10am.

It was there that we met Terry Wilson the presenter of the TV show: Wealth on the Water a documentary series that is aired in the USA by Wealth TV. Terry interviewed Michael for his show and will use sections of the interview spread over several programmes.

The show opened at 10 am but we had to go to the Icon press conference held at the Automobile Club du Monaco. We heard about their new yacht which is at the show called surprisingly, Icon and a new larger 65m yacht designed by Donald Starkey for 65 million euros. We will view Icon on Saturday morning

Then we board the magnificent brand new Slipstream the 60 metre yacht built by CMN in France (now part of Abu Dhabi Mar). We will be writing about this yacht for Ocean the superyacht magazine published in Australia who have shown an interest in this yacht given the owner comes from down under.

Selex a communication company had our attention next and gave us the low down on what they are up to with the introduction of a brand new communications division set up specifically to handle the needs of super yachts.

Future Fibres gave us the news on their new and upcoming rigging products, ANT told us about new tracking technology being developed by them in conjunction with Qinetiq and Fitzroy Motor Yachts gave us some exciting news but we can’t release it yet!!

The very impressive looking new directory from Yachting pages was launched today at the show. Entitled the Super Yacht Owners Guide it is packed full of solid well written information that guides super yacht owners past present and prospective through the myriad of details owning a superyacht presents. Did we say we wrote great chunks of the book and many of Frances’ photos are included? Of course we did otherwise how could we say it was well written. Contact us if you would like to be sent your own free copy.

There was a slew of parties this evening which should get us into practise for tomorrow night when it seems looking at our calendar we appear to have been invited to at least ten top hotspots where the champagne will flow.

Antigua Special Report in FT

In an article written by us and published today in the Financial Times the island of Antigua and its role as a super yacht base comes under scrutiny

For many reasons the island of Antigua is a central hub of super yachting in the Caribbean. The island is an easy destination for trans-Atlantic sailors and the first Caribbean charter businesses were set up here in the early 1960’s. With good hotels, cheap airflights and one of the longest runways in the Eastern Caribbean many super yachts, especially sailing boats, utilise the island as their prime Caribbean base.

For years it was not all plain sailing for superyachts visiting the island. Many bureaucratic procedures and practises dated back to the days when not only was there no competition from other islands but then, there were fewer visitors. Working with Government, John Duffy President of the Antigua & Barbuda Marine Association, has ensured practices are updated with simplified Immigration forms and relaxed Customs procedures. He also added, “Both the Association and the Ministry of Tourism are working to smooth the path and correct some of the erroneous impressions formed over recent years that Antigua is an expensive destination. It is not the cheapest but many items are available to yachts tax free and the situation will get better when the new Duty Free Zone is instigated.”

The shoreside businesses that attract superyachts to the island, offering all forms of marine service from maintenance to yacht shipping and delivery, are almost exclusively owned and run by ex patriots. Direct employment of locals in the marine sector is relatively small but many businesses benefit indirectly whether they are hotels, restaurants, taxi companies, boutiques and gift shops, T-shirt printers, internet services, banks or laundries. Not all yachting tourists come by or stay on boats, many arrive for the regattas and boat shows adding to those requiring shore side services.

Direct and indirect employment in the marine industry is difficult to estimate because many businesses serve other sectors and could be said to work on the margins of yachting tourism. With the spend per head by yachting tourists being several times that of hotel visitors and, probably, many hundreds of times greater than cruise ship tourists, it can be concluded that direct and indirect employment in the marine industry plays a substantial part in the island economy.

Drug abuse and the rising incidences of petty crime came to a head early this year damaging the island’s reputation when a young Australian was shot to. His death shook local and yachting communities alike. Some superyacht owners have also been responsible for directing their yachts away from the island.

Hotels did not seem to notice a drop off in trade following the incident, the five star resort hotel, Carlisle Bay reported that any drop off in business following the incident was only marginal. Immediately after the events the hotel reviewed all of their security procedures whilst Antiguan Police stepped up their routine visits to all hotels on the island.

John Maginley, Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Tourism indicated that the country’s yachting industry has been surprisingly resilient with the 2008/09 season seeing no real drop in the number of visiting superyachts. He said, “The services provided to the yachting sector are now an essential part of the country’s economy with yachting contributing a significant percentage of GDP. As such the Government has done everything possible to ensure the safety and security of our yachting tourists. Antigua has always been a safe yachting destination and our goal is to minimise the chances of any incident occurring.”

Day Before the Monaco Yacht Show 09

Monaco Harbour, the day before the Show © Frances Howorth

We have just arrived in Monaco for the Monaco Show and the city and its wonderful harbour is abuzz with anticipation for a show that opens here tomorrow.

This year, the world’s leading luxury yacht show, is celebrating its 19^th outing. As usual, everyone who is anyone in the super yacht world will be exhibiting or spending at least a day or two visiting the principality to see the latest offerings and network with friends, colleagues and clients, both current and potential.

Every year the Show manages to get better and the only reason it does not get bigger is the limited space the harbour and the shore side facilities can support.

Even in a year that has undoubtedly been difficult for the industry the 9000M² are fully booked with a waiting list for the 100 available berths. Half of all yachts in the water this year are in excess of 40 metres in length and the number of double-decker exhibitor pavilions has doubled.

How is anyone to get around this super yacht showcase even if they visit every day?

Hopefully our preview published in SuperYacht World magazine offered some guidance with our suggested Top 10 new yachts.

Our personal list is the result of our visiting the various shipyards, talking to the builders and sniffing out the gems. Undoubtedly there will be at least one we will see at the show that on paper looked uninteresting but turn out to be a star.

We are full of good intentions and hope to blog each day with news of what is going on here at Monaco. With a full on calendar of events that may be a little difficult. Parties start at 5pm and going on late with everyone wanting members of the press to attend.

Champagne will flow and we will try and keep a level head but right now we are off to practise the art. Camper & Nicholsons are having a pre show cocktail party at the Monaco Yacht Club and we have been invited.

Sunseeker at Southampton Boat Show

Southampton Boat Show Shows off Super Yacht

Sunseeker launched four new yachts at this year’s PSP Southampton Boat Show:

ê Predator 130

ê Sunseeker 80

ê Predator 60

ê Predator 54

The Predator 130 only made it to the show by the skin of her teeth but nevertheless she still looked stunning. At 1130 last Friday Robert Braithwaite, the MD of Sunseeker oversaw the launch of the new yacht with the help of the electronic string quartet Escala. The beautiful all girl group performed some of their latest work for the audience on the dock.

Eddie Jordan, the founder and former owner of Jordan Grand Prix, a serial owner of the company’s yachts and the current owner of The Snapper, the first 37m, cut the ribbon to launch the boat.

After the launch

we were privileged to be amongst the first journalists to go aboard the Predator 130. We loved the light interior, which features natural oak and the drop down port side in the master cabin.

We also went aboard the new Sunseeker 80 which was an equally impressive yacht managing to squeeze in four guest cabins. To be able to sleep eight people without in any way feeling cramped is an amazing achievement. We will be reviewing her in a future edition of the Australian yachting magazine Ocean

Eddie Jordan was the star of another event a little later on Friday when he signed the agreement in front of us with Robert Braithwaite for the building of what will be the new 46 metre flagship Sunseeker. The still to be built Sunseeker 46 will be Jordan’s 10^th yacht from the company.

Super Yacht Charters on the River Thames

Luxury cruises of the Thames in classic comfort

We are not sure if the River Thames would ordinarily appear on our list of top destinations for taking a superyacht, but then again it is not always easy to find a small yacht that can, because of the standards it keeps, live up to the description of super yacht.

It may be however, that just such a scenario is now possible with the arrival on the river of the newly refitted New Venture, a classic Bates Star Craft, that now offers this super yacht style from her base at the Beetle & Wedge in Moulsford, Oxfordshire the site of the original Moulsford ferry service, where Jerome K. Jerome chronicled the escapades of his friends’ visits in the book Three Men in a Boat

Imagine arriving at one of Britain’s best restaurants on a classic boat, having a wonderful meal and then gently cruising away for a memorable night on board. Or picture yourself sipping cocktails in a refined saloon or beautiful open deck as the river slips by.

Launched in 1960 New Venture conjures the refinement of a forgotten era, conjuring echoes of smart set parties at Cliveden. Offering four berths, and including crew, guests will be transported back to a tranquil world of elegance to enjoy the hidden delights of the River Thames.

Bates Star Craft were the luxury river cruisers of their day. Built between 1946 and 1975 they offered high quality fittings with classic design. New Venture at 40 foot is the ideal river craft; sympathetically restored in mahogany, chrome and leather she provides boutique facilities that perfectly complement her sleek lines.

Cruising in New Venture offers an opportunity to step back in time, ideal for honeymooners, anniversaries, or a luxury break away from the hustle of modern life. One option is to take a gastronomic cruise, enjoying the many high quality restaurants along the river’s banks including the Waterside Inn, Bray, French Horn in Sonning and Leatherne Bottle, Goring.

Alternatively the on board chef can create an impressive meal in the fully fitted galley which can be enjoyed with friends on the spacious flying bridge or in the saloon. Flexible and adaptable the options for enjoying this boat are endless, with charter options available from one night to a week or more.

Gillian Nahum Director of the yachts operators Henley Sales & Charter, said, “This is a unique way of enjoying the River Thames. She is the only boat on the river that can offer such indulgence. We like to think of her as an exclusive super yacht, which just happens to be perfect for the Thames.”