Nelson’s Dockyard, English Harbor 50th Antigua Yacht Charter Show 

With over 115 yachts registered and over 300 International Yacht Charter Brokers in attendance, the 50^th Antigua Charter Yacht Show is underway in English and Falmouth Harbors in Antigua.  Starting Monday morning and running until Friday afternoon, yachts are lined up at the docks, and open for the International Yacht Charter Broker industry that has flown in from all corners of the world to come on board and inspect the yachts and meet the crews.  This is also the week when the worldwide industry convenes in one place for Trade Organization meetings, other meetings, and seminars on regulations and various charter locations.  This year is one of the biggest shows ever, with the largest amount of new yachts being introduced to the yacht charter industry.  Northrop and Johnson Yacht Charters is in attendance and busy visiting various yachts and learning the latest in industry information for worldwide yacht charter.  We are delighted with the new yachts entering into charter that we are seeing at this show, and with revisiting some of our favorite yachts and crews.  Worldwide yacht charter should be busy this coming year, with charters for next summer already being booked in various worldwide charter locations such as Italy, Greece, Croatia and Turkey.

Maltese Falcon at the 2009 St. Barths Bucket

It is time again for the St. Barths Bucket Regatta, and this year is the 25^th year for the St. Barths Bucket, and so is the 25^th Anniversary Regatta year for this prestigious event which marks a yearlong celebration for the St. Barths and Newport Bucket Regattas.  The St. Barths Bucket kicks off this year with the Captain’s Meeting at 1700 on March 24, for race information, followed by an Owner’s Reception.  And then three days of super sailing yacht racing continues for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, culminating in the Awards Ceremony on Sunday, March 27 at 1830.

Each day of racing has a first gun at 1100, with different race courses set.  At the end of the day is a daily award ceremony, with the overall awards presented on Sunday evening.  At the end of each day’s racing it is off for fun on the docks for evening Bucket events each night.  This year, as with almost every year, the St. Barths Bucket is fully subscribed with race entries, which, for this year, the 25^th Anniversary, are as follows:

Les Elegantes des Mers

 Yacht Name                Builder                               LOA

Elena of London             Marin Luxur                        55m

Marie                                  Vitters Shipyard                 55m

Meteor                                Royal Huisman                   51m

Christopher                       Pendennis Shipyard          46m

Windrose                             Holland Jachtbouw           46m

Rebecca                               Pendennis Shipyard           42m

This Is Us                             Holland Jachtbouw            41m

Gloria                                     Jongert & Lowland             38m

Gaia                                         Spirit Yachts                         31m

Bequia                                    Brooklin Boatyard               27m

White Wings                         Brooklin Boatyard               23m

Les Grandes Dames des Mers

 Yacht Name                        Builder                               LOA

Maltese Falcon                      Perini Navi                            88m

Ethereal                         Royal Huisman Shipyard           58m

Twizzle                            Royal Huisman Shipyard           57m

Parsifal III                               Perini Navi                             54m

Klosters                                     Perini Navi                             47m

Antara                                        Perini Navi                             46m

Helios II                                    Perini Navi                              45m

Drumbeg                               Vitters Shipyard                        42m

William Tai                     Royal Huisman Shipyard             41m

Genevieve                               Alloy Yachts                             38m

Axia                                       Palmer Johnson                          37m

Blue Too                                  Alloy Yachts                             34m

Paraiso                                    Alloy Yachts                              32m

Les Gazelles des Mers

Yacht Name                           Builder                                  LOA

Mirabella V                           VT Shipbuilding                          75m

Kokomo                                    Alloy Yachts                              58m

Hyperion                          Royal Huisman Shipyard              47m

Lady B                                          Vitters Shipyard                     44m

Hanuman                            Royal Huisman Shipyard             42m

Ranger                                       Danish Yachts                        41m

P2                                                        Perini Navi                            38m

Moonbird                                            Fitzroy                                  37m

Sojana                                                   Greene                                   35m

Song of the Sea                              Nautor Swan                            34m

Marama                                                 Preslec                                   31m

Leopard                                              McConaghy                            30m

Varsovie                                           Nautor Swan                            30m

Virago                                                Nautor Swan                            30m

Zefiro                                      Southern Wind Shipyard                30m

Symmetry                                      Yachting Dev, NZ                      29m

This year for the 25^th Anniversary of the Bucket Regatta, the fun continues this summer with the Newport Bucket, with a kickoff party in Martha’s Vineyard on August 25, a race from Martha’s Vineyard to Newport on August 26 followed by the Newport Bucket August 26 – 28, 2011.  

VIRAGO EXTERIOR

 Nautor’s Swan 100S  VIRAGO, available for luxury, crewed yacht charter though Northrop & Johnson Worldwide Yacht Charters, will be participating in the 2010 Newport Bucket Regatta 10 – 12 September.  The Bucket Regatta is an invitational Regatta sailed in the Corinthian spirit.  VIRAGO charters with a crew of four at USD $50,000 per week in New England and the Caribbean. 

Carolyn Titus of Northrop & Johnson Worldwide Yacht Charters and previously with Nautor’s Swan Charters will attend the event.  Carolyn has raced aboard VIRAGO in many Caribbean saling events such as the St. Barths Bucket Regatta and the Heineken Regatta in St. Maarten.  The Swan 100S VIRAGO is the only Swan 100S available for charter and offers a unique combination of thrilling sailing performance in total comfort. 

 Contact Northrop and Johnson today for more information.

2010 Marmaris Yacht Charter Show

Missy Johnston of Northrop and Johnson Yacht Charters is attending the 2010 Marmaris Yacht Charter Show in Marmaris, Turkey. “Each year the yacht charter options available in Turkey increase in quality,” says Johnston.  “It is always a great pleasure to come to this show and see the work done every winter to keep and improve the quality of the yachts available for charter in this great cruising area.”

This year there are 78 crewed charter yachts registered for the show with 71 companies attending from various worldwide locations and of course from across Turkey.  There are motor yachts and sailing yachts available for inspection for crewed yacht at this Marmaris show, however the majority of yachts available for inspection are the Turkish Gulets, a crewed yacht available for charter in this area built along the design lines of a traditional Turkish coastal vessel. 

Luxury Gulet MARE NOSTRUM

Turkish Gulets are unique to Turkey, built out of wood or steel and in general offer a great charter value in worldwide yacht charter.  Gulets are large beamy vessels offering roomy staterooms, each with ensuite bath, and expansive decks great for relaxing and sun bathing.  In recent years, the luxury Gulets being built offer a great charter experience at a great value.  The luxury Gulets are finished with full mahogany interiors and modern bathrooms, many completed in marble, and luxury sheets and towels.  On board dining on the luxury Gulet has reached new levels of international and gourmet Turkish fine dining with full service and a nice selection of wines. 

Marmaris Turkey - Quayside Rug Shop  – The Silk Road

This is the 10^th year for the Marmaris Yacht Charter Show which Northrop and Johnson Yacht Charters attends regularly usually traveling in Turkey before or after the show in order to also see the various important historic sites that can be included in a yacht charter along the ancient trading route on the southern coast of Turkey.  In fact, Northrop and Johnson Yacht Charters has been coming to this area for over 20 years, informally inspecting yachts offered for charter in Turkey.  Now, having a professional show in Marmaris for the industry allows us to see just that many more great yachts and crews to recommend for our clients for an outstanding charter in Turkey.

MYBA Charter Show in Genoa, Italy, 2010, yachts ready and waiting for inspection

 Missy Johnston of Northrop and Johnson Yacht Charters, Newport, Rhode Island attended the Myba Charter Show 2010 in Genoa Italy last week, inspecting crewed charter yachts available for charter in the Western and Eastern Mediterranean for this coming summer.  Starting on Monday, May 3 and ending on Friday, May 7, this year the charter show had 67 crewed charter yachts exhibited in the show.  Viewing the yachts and attending the show, this year were over 350 Yacht Charter Brokers from countries around the world to see new yachts available for charter, check on condition of favorites available again this summer for charter, meet new crew and greet long standing crew friends.  This is also the time to meet with the Captain, Chef and crew to personally discuss charter interests for the charter guests for upcoming charters for this summer that are already booked, to make sure that the charter is all that the charterer is expecting, and more, including custom menu reviews, wines, dockage, special on board events, and special itinerary interests.  After all, a crewed yacht charter is all about creating a custom cruise tailored to the Charterer’s menu and itinerary interests.

49 Meter MY ANEDIGMI features live fun in the sun models

 The largest yacht in the show was the custom motor yacht Nero, built by the present Owner in China to his design and specifications.  At 90.1 meters, Nero is very comfortable for 12 guests, with a lot of interior and deck living space to enjoy on charter.  A smaller motor yacht, but with a unique design that creates a lot of living space, is Icon at 62.25 meters.  The first hull built in the Icon Yard in Holland, the design incorporates having the stern open and unfold into a large aft living area or “beach” as it is called on board, with a great swim platform, and sitting areas, with day head and shower in what has previously organized on other motor yachts as the toy garage.  This innovation adds great additional interior and exterior guest living space. 

MY ANEDIGMI Aft deck in charter ready mode

 As always, there were many more motor yachts than sailing yachts, however Cinderella IV was certainly a great new sailing yacht to see for charter.  Cinderella IV at 39 meters for 8 guests has incorporated in the design, the latest performance details, plus interior cruising comfort, for a very comfortable performance cruising yacht.  The hull and mast are carbon fiber, and the hull design has the latest innovations from Bill Tripp.

Pesto Marine Exhibitor Stand Myba Charter Show, Genoa 2010

 There were 65 stands of companies associated with the yacht charter world from provisioners, to marina operators, and other vendors representing many services and charter locations around the world, adding to the information available to all at this industry trade show.  

This was another great Myba Genoa Charter Show, said Missy Johnston.  I am very pleased with what I saw and look forward to offering many of the yachts inspected for crewed yacht charter this coming summer.

Poros Yacht Show 2010

Missy Johnston from Northrop and Johnson Yacht Charters is attending the 9^th annual Charter Yacht Show in Poros. This year the show is bigger and better than ever, which has consistently been the upward trend since the inception of this Greek crewed charter yacht show in 2002 in Poros, Greece, an island in the Saronic Island chain in the Aegean Sea, not far from Athens.  This year there are 78 yachts total in the show, with the majority being motor yachts, however there is a nice selection of sailing yachts and several catamarans.  28 of the yachts entered in the show this year are new to the crewed yacht charter market with 8 of those yachts new to the crewed yacht charter market in Greece being just launched in 2010.

The Charter Yacht Show Poros is a crewed charter yacht trade show for the worldwide crewed yacht charter brokerage industry.  Those yachts available for crewed charter for this coming summer in the Greek Islands are gathered here in Poros along the city quay during this week for all industry members to inspect the yachts, revisit with crew and meet new crew.  This is the opportunity for a worldwide crewed yacht charter broker to gain hands on knowledge about new crewed yachts available for charter, or gain updated information on known yachts through personal inspection and discussion with the Captain, Chefs, all crew, and full inspection of the yacht from sun deck Jacuzzis to sheets and towels in the staterooms and baths.

The Charter Yacht Show Poros 2010 is organized by the Poros Show Organizing Committee, a group of yachting industry professionals that donate their time on a volunteer basis for the countless hours required to organize this crewed charter yacht show for the charter industry.  The Organizing Committee is a total of 6 people, 3 of whom are representatives from the Hellenic Yacht Owners Association and 3 are representatives from the Hellenic Yacht Brokers Association, both of which are important yachting industry trade organizations in the yachting industry in Greece.

Missy Johnston says that this show has really grown in size, not just in the number of boats here, but in the overall size of the boats being shown, and she is very pleased with the quality of the yachts and crew that she is seeing that are available for crewed yacht charter through the Greek Islands this coming summer. Being here is very important in order to know through personal review which yachts to recommend for charter from the yacht to the food and the Captain and crew.  I look at all aspects of the crewed yacht package including maintenance, cleanliness, presentation, crew service, and quality of food.  All play a part in creating an excellent yacht charter experience, and are very important to consider when recommending a yacht for a charter.  How can you know a charter on a particular yacht will be great without personally reviewing the yacht and knowing the crew on the yacht being recommended , says Johnston.

Attending these industry crewed yacht charter shows are an important part of a charter broker’s job to not only make the right crewed yacht charter recommendations, but also to see what might be happening in crewed yacht charter rules and regulations in the charter area.  And once again, the Charter Yacht Show in Poros has been very worth attending, with a selection of great crewed charter yachts for this coming summer for charter in the Greek Islands.

September is one of the nicest times to sail out of Newport, Rhode Island, as the weather is still warm, the water warmer, and the air crisp and clear. Northrop and Johnson Yacht Charters was invited on an afternoon sail on Signe, the 115′ Renaissance Sailing Yacht designed by Bruce King and built in Maine. This lovely ketch with a wood composite hull is a modern statement to the classic elegance of the traditional wooden hulled sailing yacht with a beautiful wood interior, full teak decks, brass fittings and lots of varnish. Built for 6 guests in 3 guest staterooms, each with ensuite bath, Signe has spent the summer chartering in New England and is set to sail to the Caribbean this winter and available for charter in these warm tropical breezes.

Northrop and Johnson Sails on S/Y SIGNE

Scottish Captain Alistair Marshall welcomed us on board where we were greeted with warm lobster rolls in bit sized pieces for cockpit nibbling. Alistair is well assisted by an additional crew of 4, which is an engineer, Chef, Mate and Stewardess. We sailed up Narragansett Bay, under the Newport Pell Bridge and up along the northern end of Aquidneck Island. Up in these reaches of the bay, we were able to watch part of the New York Yacht Club’s Invitational Cup Regatta, with 17 teams challenging.
For charter in the Caribbean this winter or in New England next summer, Signe is a great boat to consider.

Contact Northrop and Johnson For More Information

The 39th Newport International Boat Show was held September 17-20, in Newport, Rhode Island and as always, Northrop and Johnson was there. The show was very busy this year, both on the docks, in the brokerage section and in the tents. And in general, the show was considered a success; at least Northrop and Johnson considered the show a success as we were very busy. If this activity is any forecaster of the economy, certainly, the yachting public is feeling more comfortable.

Newport International Boat Show

A yacht brokerage show is always organized at Newport Shipyard beside the other show docks, with launch service in between both areas. Northrop and Johnson had a presence at both the brokerage show and the Newport International Boat Show, and had brokerage boats in the water at the brokerage show for inspection and consideration. Let’s hope that the next boat shows are just as successful this fall in Annapolis and Ft. Lauderdale.

Newport International Boat Show

Contact Northrop and Johnson For More Information Today!

Every Fall, the crewed powerboats that have come to New England for summer charter, have to return to warmer waters for the winter. From New England, the trip is normally first to Florida and follows along the Intercoastal Waterway.Florida may be the end of the line, or the yacht be cruised further to the Bahamas or even the Caribbean. But what goes up, must come down, and as these powerboats cruise back down to southern climates, often discounted charter prices are offered for a charter cruise that happens “along the way”.

Imagine sitting on the aft deck, watching the fall foliage as you glide down the Chesapeake. Or enjoy cruising under the Spanish Moss of South Carolina and points further south. As long as the charter begins in a port further north than the ending port and the yacht actually cruises a reasonable distance towards the ending destination during the charter, sometimes the charter price for the yacht and crew is discounted up to 50%. This can be a great way to explore the Eastern Shore of Virginia or see the Barrier Islands of North and South Carolina. And while you are on board, normal charter service prevails with full meals and a new destination each night. Dock right in historic Charleston or Savannah for a stroll through history at the end of the day after cruising through the inland waterways.

This is the opportunity for a one way charter without the penalty of a repositioning fee to return the yacht to the home port. And an opportunity to cruise an area that many miss at a great charter price, during a lovely time of year. If this is of interest to you, please inquire and we can discuss the various options available.

Great Charter discounts are being offered in both the Eastern and Western Med for last minute travel for specific dates and locations. Unlike discounted pricing offers in theCaribbean this winter, these summer discount charter prices are not being reduced by certain Owners for the season; these discount charter prices are offers for “filling in the schedule”. The discounts are great, but do require flexibility in order to take advantage of the savings.

Normally by now, the Western and are quite Eastern Med heavily booked with charters. This year, the number of charter bookings are probably at about 70-80% of last year, leaving a few weeks here and there free in the charter calendars of certain yachts. Owners interested in more booking more charters have been offering discounts for some of these empty weeks. The discounts are specific to certain yachts and certain dates in certain locations. However if you are a flexible, last minute traveler with an interest in different charter locations, there could be some great pricing offers available for you this summer in outstanding charter locations. Please inquire. Following is a sample of some of these discounted pricing offers.