The Definition of a Yacht

There may have been a time when you did not know what the term "yachting"
meant. In fact, the very definition of what makes a yacht different from other
boats often escapes many people. For the yacht owner, there is probably no more
frustrating experience than to be discussing this part of your life at a social
gathering only to have someone respond "I know what you mean, I love my fishing
boat." The two could not be more different and the better people understand
that, the fewer strange looks you will get when you tell your associates that
one of your passions is "yachting".

Two things that are most often true of yachts is that they are mostly large
boats and that they are primarily used for recreation. But despite some
predefined notions of how yacht owners approach their passions, there is a lot
of variety to how yachts are used recreationally. For one thing, yachting is
split between those who enjoy yachting for the luxury of cruising the high seas
in maximum comfort and those who love yachts for racing. Both approaches to
yachting have strong populations and lots of support industry to feed the
growing enthusiasm for yachting amongst the yachting population.

Even within the luxury yachting set, there are distinctions in types of yachts
and in how people go about enjoying this very diverse hobby. One big difference
is between motorized yachting and sailing. There is a beauty to sailing that is
undeniable. But sailing also is also more demanding and it has a lot of
equipment and specialized skills that are called for to carry it off. But it is
an addictive side of yachting that you can grow into. Many who love sailing
yachts will start out sailing with a crew who are skilled at handing the rigs
and then allow those talented sailors to teach the skill to the yacht owner.

Another distinction of yachts is the level of involvement you might bring to
actually operating the boat on open waters. A full crew yacht is one in which
everything is done for you. This is the ultimate of luxury because not only do
you have no concerns for the actually act of taking the yacht from here to
there on the waters, you are pampered with every need and desire by a crew
dedicated to your comfort and happiness. But if you want to get closer to the
experience of running the boat yourself, you can go with a skipper only who can
manage much of the details of the yachting but leave the "crew work" to you. And
then for the ultimate in taking on the sea man to elements you can take out a
"bare boat" yacht which means you do all the work.

You can see there is a lot of variety in the experience you can have on a yacht
and still call it a yachting excursion. But in all of these cases, the yacht is
devoted to one thing, to giving you fun and pleasure and excitement. Whether
it's the thrill of a yacht race or you alone in your yacht exploring the coast
of Africa and having the adventure of a lifetime, you are fulfilling a dream.
And to most of us, that is what it means to own a yacht or even to charter one
and feel like you own it. You are giving yourself the chance to realize a dream
and have that singular experience of fun, happiness or relaxation on a luxurious
yacht in a luxurious setting. What could be better than that?

Making the Leap into Yachting

For many people, if you truly love the ocean and can't get enough of it then
yachting is the next step. The great thing about buying a yacht is that if you
have enjoyed other forms of boating such as fishing or going on a leisurely
cruise, you can do all of those things and more from the deck of your luxury
yacht. Yachting adds a whole new level of pampering because unlike a smaller
boat, it can serve as a home away form home so you can totally relax and let
the stresses of life disappear. You will be amazed how even personal problems
can be left on the shore for even a few hours out on your yacht. And when you
return to the concerns of life and business, you will come back with a fresh
view on the world and be able to tackle those problems with a new energy and
vigor.

When you do even something fairly routine but you do it on your yacht, it takes
on a feel of the extraordinary and the elegant. A business dinner at your home
is warm and intimate and effective. On your yacht you can have the identical
business meeting and it becomes supercharged because just being out on the
water in a luxury environment adds a feel of success and power to what you are
discussing. The yacht can close the deal when that final push is needed and in
doing so pay for itself in one evening.

A fallacy about yachting that keeps a lot of people from taking that big step
into becoming a yacht owner is that they have to know all about sailing and how
to manage a boat on the open sea. There have been plenty of movies and news
stories about yachting disasters to scare you out of owning your own boat if
you think you have to be an expert seaman and manage every technical detail of
the voyage yourself.

This is simply not the case. Most yacht owners engage at least a captain if not
a full yacht crew who are skilled in managing that sea craft and are also highly
trained in what to do in the event of an emergency while you are away from port.
Your friends who already enjoy yachting and the venue that is going to sell you
your yacht can recommend services that provide such crews on an as needed basis
so you can focus on simply enjoying your yachting experience to its fullest.

Another approach to making the decision whether to buy a yacht all your own is
to "try before you buy". Of course you no doubt have been out on yachts owned
by your friends or businesses with whom you are associated and that may be what
has gotten the wheels turning on making this step into yacht ownership yourself.
But you know from other areas of life that ownership is completely different
from being a guest and just as owning a home is wonderful, you cannot
understand it just from being in someone's home.

A middle ground is to charter a yacht for a few weeks and go ahead and take a
step at being the skipper of that big luxury boat. You can go ahead and engage
a pilot and crew who will be there to make sure your wishes turn into commands
and to manage the ship because of their specialized skills. But because this is
your yacht for this period of time, you not only will make all of the
destination activities and what kind of things to offer your guests onboard,
you will do all the planning and preparation for the trip. Your level of
responsibility goes up as does your feeling of empowerment. As you stand out on
deck watching the waves break over YOUR yacht, you can enjoy the feeling of
power and success and ponder if you want to make the step to make this feeling
permanent.

Why Yachting is Better than Disneyland

When the time comes around for a family vacation, there can be some argument on
where everybody wants to go. And if you have young children, the united appeal
will often be to go to a theme park which for many adults is a huge waste of
money and vacation time as well. For adults particularly, a real vacation can
be had by chartering a yacht in some exciting part of the world and seeing the
sights from the deck of your own seafaring boat with an attentive crew waiting
for every whim you may wish to have fulfilled.

To resolve the conflict on where to go for vacation, it helps if you can
discuss openly with the kids why yachting is a lot better than Disneyland and
build some real excitement about the trip, or at least enough curiosity for
them to be willing to stop yelling to see Goofy and Mickey and turn their eyes
to the sea like mom and dads are already.

You may not want to say this directly to the kids but the real reason taking a
yacht adventure onto the high seas is naturally going to be a superior vacation
to a theme park is that everything in a theme park is manufactured. You never
have a real adventure. Every ride, every sight, every video and every character
you meet is fictional, fabricated and designed to make you have the sensation of
an adventure without really having one. To the kids meeting that Mickey Mouse
character on the streets of Disneyland is a big thrill while mom and dad know
that there is an actor inside that poorly designed Mickey Mouse suit who is
just doing a nine to five job to pay the bills.

Instead of downplaying the theme park, emphasize that when the kids join you on
a real yacht adventure, there is no telling what might happen. The adventures
they will have are absolutely real. They will be living out a "Pirates of the
Caribbean" by being onboard their own little pirate ship actually in the
Caribbean rather than pretending to have that adventure. The man who is guiding
that boat may not be Johnnie Depp but he is a real life ship's captain who can
take you to some of the most amazing adventures of your life.

Out on the open sea, your family can have very real adventures face to face
with nature. If you spend a week or so and you get away from shore routinely,
you almost certainly will see large fish crest the waves and perform
magnificent dives. Your children will be able to look down into the depths off
the edge of the yacht and see stingrays, marlin and maybe even sharks swim in
the crystal clear waters of the seas you will be navigating on your family
yacht vacation.

But it isn't all just sightseeing out there on the open waters. The kids can
enjoy jumping from the boat into the waters and play in the open sea perhaps
even encountering some of the creatures of the deep as they swim. Gentle
dolphins may decide to play with them as they frolic in waters that none of
their friends are experiencing. If dad decides a deep sea fishing adventure
should be part of the plan, the captain can bring fish finder technology and be
sure you bring in a bumper crop of deep sea bounty that your chef can then
prepare for dinner that night for the freshest fish dinner possible caught by
the family on their very own yacht.

The fun of having a crew to pamper every member of the family will not be lost
on the children. They will love having a crew there to clean up after them,
provide the foods and beverages they like and a skipper who is more than happy
to turn that yacht on a dime and head to a new destination if that is the whim
of the family. In fact, they may become so pampered by the experience of a full
family yachting vacation that you may never be able to talk them into going to
Disneyland again. And won't that be a relief.

Yacht -- the Noun and the Verb

A yacht is a thing right? If you put the question to the man on the street, he
would tell you a yacht is a large luxurious boat. And that definition would not
be far off. But there is more to be known here because there is also such a
thing as "to yacht" which is a verb and "yachting" which we have to add to our
picture. So to really understand this fascinating side of boating, we have to
understand yacht as both the noun and the verb.

It's not too big a stretch to say that going yachting means you are going to be
on the water and probably on the ocean. Most yachts do not operate on lakes and
certainly not in rivers or ponds so by definition yachting is an ocean going
recreational activity. But within that broad definition, "yachting" can mean
different things for a wide number of yachters who all are using that luxurious
boat to achieve an ultimate in recreational experience on the water.

For one yachter, yachting means very carefully building a sleek and fast yacht
to compete in the best of yachting races such as the world famous Americas Cup.
This kind of competition is fulfilling because while only a select group could
ever hope to win the competition, just being able to race in such a prestigious
yacht competition is itself the realization of a dream. But yacht racing is more
than just the top level races that get the press. Yachting lovers who devote
themselves to speed yachting can get together and have the fun of local and
regional races that also afford the opportunity for a huge party afterward to
celebrate the winners and all who raced as well.

Another breed of yachter might carefully customize his yacht to be a well oiled
fishing machine that is as much the part of landing the big one as the rod and
the reel. Just as the chair a deep sea fisherman uses must be sturdy and built
for the battle, the yacht itself can contribute to the hunt and can be credited
for the outcome if the fisherman is victorious over the wild prey in the seas he
wishes to land. So using the yacht as a high adventure fishing boat lets you go
after the finest of fishing experiences and join in on yacht fishing
competitions which themselves are tremendous fun whether you win or lose.

For another yachting is all about the perfect environment to throw a wild party
that has no constraints except perhaps for safety (and then not very many
constraints either). You can only imagine the levels of revelry some of these
yacht parties can get to but because they are happening on a boat with a sober
captain (hopefully) and cabins for celebrants to recover in, it can be the
party of a lifetime and everyone can eventually get back in good health and
back to their normal lives with the break of an evening of excess to break up
the humdrum of life.

For others the idea of "going yachting" is about elegance and luxury supreme.
And that level of yachting is certainly available to those with the means so
you can supply your yacht with literally every luxury and indulgency you or
your guests could imagine. The yachting adventure can take you to the most
exotic locales around the world such as the French Riviera or the Caribbean and
you can enjoy it all with a full crew on board to cater to your every whim and
will. You literally can live like royalty on your yacht for the days or weeks
you are on vacation or holiday and come home with a refreshed viewpoint on life
and a realization that you experienced some of life's finest pleasures.

The world of yachting is full of variety and excitement of many kinds. Just
about any adventure you can have on the high seas can be enjoyed from the deck
of your own yacht. And you may even have your own definition of what "yachting"
really is. If so it's a valid definition if it enables you to enjoy the
wonderful resources made available aboard a yacht far out to sea.

The Ultimate in Enjoyment

There are unique things about taking a motor yacht charter that is totally
devoted to luxury that are not like any other kind of vacation. That is because
being the "skipper" of a luxury yacht out to sea has all the elements of a high
seas adventure because your course is charted by the day and it could change in
a moment notice depending on your whim. But at the same time because you have a
crew on board whose mission in life is to pamper you and your guests, you have
all the enjoyment of the finest resort but its all about you and its all "out
there" on the high seas.

This kind of vacation is as different from the "same old same old" kind of
vacation as it can be. Unlike a vacation where you book every event on the
itinerary from where you stay to the meals to the events, an adventure on a
luxury yacht can be made up as you go along. And unlike "land locked" vacations
where you can really only see and participate in things that are within a drive
of your hotel, your adventure on the sea can take you far and wide and you can
wander without a worry in the world as long as you are back to your starting
point at the time you need to end the cruise and reluctantly head on home.

Everything about life on a luxury yacht is about freedom and convenience. You
can navigate your way to just about anywhere you want with no need for
reservations or even to get to a particular restaurant at any given time. The
operative word in luxury motor yacht is luxury. So you would carry a crew that
would include the staff to operate the yacht, a captain as well as a chef,
perhaps a masseuse or any other personnel to make this cruise the ultimate in
enjoyment for you and your guests.

You never really have to leave the yacht for every possible pleasure that will
be provided for you on board. But because the yacht can cruise to
some of the most exotic locations, exciting foreign ports and magnificent
beaches, you can leave the ship and enjoy everything the world has to offer to
return that night and be bathed in luxury all over again. Moreover, unlike a
hotel experience, depending on how large the yacht you charter is, you can
bring as many family, friends and lovers as you wish along on your luxurious
vacation trip.

Having that crew on board whose sole mission in life is to provide you with
every possible luxury will be an extravagance that you will want to get used
to. Your skipper will not only make sure the yacht is shipshape, safe and able
to respond to your needs and wishes as you cruise from location to location but
he will also serve as concierge so no matter how exotic your request, he can
dispatch a crewman to shore to fulfill that wish or desire of you or your
party. This is the kind of luxury you may want to put in a box and ship it back
home to enjoy all the time. But that what is great about taking a yacht out to
enjoy the freedom of the seas in complete comfort. The crew can spoil you, the
freedom is addictive, the exotic locations intoxicating and the entire
experience will be one you will want to come back to again and again and again.

Give Yourself the World for Vacation

The great thing about using the services of charter yacht companies to plan
your vacation during the spring and summer is that you really are never limited
to one part of the world for where you on your vacation. Chartering a yacht that
is like your own private floating resort so you can enjoy all the luxury you
want and deserve and the freedom to take that yacht wherever your heart desires.

There are a lot of levels of yachting but for maximum luxury, engage a company
to give you a full crewed yachting experience. That means you have a crew on
board to pamper you and your family and guests and you have no more to do than
to sit back and enjoy your destinations in comfort. And that is really what
vacation is all about after all.

For many of us, to own a luxurious boat that you can take out when and where
you want is a great way to exemplify success and. But there are some drawbacks
to ownership compared to simply chartering a yacht to fit your travel plans.
For one thing ownership also brings the overhead of storage and maintenance.
You may enjoy your yacht many weeks during the months when going out on the
waters is perfect but for the winter months or when the weather forbids it,
that yacht has to be secured and protected. And every year there is ongoing
care and maintenance so the yacht both looks good and is safe for your next
seafaring adventure.

The other drawback is that owning a yacht almost dictates that your vacation
time will be spent in a specific area of the world. So if you keep your yacht
off the coast nearby, you always have it there to go out but it cannot take you
around the world without a lot of trouble of transportation of the yacht. In
that way a yacht you own is like a timeshare because buying it is like saying,
we will want to spend our time in this body of water and yachting these shores
pretty much forever.

By going the chartered yacht route, you can enjoy all the pleasures and
luxuries of yachting but the world is your oyster in terms of where your
adventures will occur. You can be in Cancun one month and yachting off the
coast of Greece the next. And because you are only chartering for the time you
enjoy the yacht, you have no concerns for caring for the boat once your
vacation is over. You let the charter company worry about that and you can just
go out on that yacht again when you have another vacation to plan in that part
of the world.

Chartering a yacht has a lot of advantages over a cruise ship or staying at a
luxury resort because where you go is entirely yours to chart. You can explore
remote parts of the shoreline or go deep for some serious fishing if the mood
suits you. That crew and that ships captain are there only to serve your needs,
respond to your requests and keep you happy and safe throughout your cruise. You
don't have the agenda of the crew or of the other passengers to concern yourself
with and none of the inconveniences that being on a large cruise ship can cause.

In many ways charter yachts in different exotic locations is the ideal vacation
plan. If you have not tried it yet, it's easy to find a charter company for a
short time at sea. But once you enjoy yachting at this level of luxury and
having the fun and excitement of being the master of that domain, you may want
to come back again and again for the great vacation possibilities charter
yachting can provide.

The Economy of Yachting

Yachting is usually associated with wealth and luxury and with good reason. If
you have a yacht or are thinking about buying one, that purchase is a way for
you not only to reward yourself for great success but to make a statement about
your success much as a good suit or a fine automobile might do. So while there
may be "cheaper" ways to get some of the pleasures of yachting in less
expensive boats or cutting corners, that is not why yachting has an appeal. The
fact that it is a way to give back to yourself some of the rewards of your good
work is part of the great thing about owning or even frequently chartering a
yacht for a wonderful holiday with family and friends.

If you did keep detailed records, you may discover that some of the economies
that the lifestyle you will enjoy onboard a yacht do in fact save some money.
But that's not the point. The real economies of yachting have to do with
economy of time, of bother and of the conservation privacy and peace and quiet.

Taking advantage of a personal yacht for your vacation or holiday travel has
the effect of consolidating a luxury resort, a five star restaurant and a the
most elegant limo service you can imagine all into one amazing location and
doing all out on the most romantic and beautiful setting, the open sea. If you
were already planning on going to an exotic location like the Greece or South
America but you had a lot of locations you wanted to see and enjoy, there is a
real economy to using a yacht to accomplish that goal because you will make
your home on the yacht and not have to be constantly checking in and out of
hotels and resorts and moving to the next destination.

This could result in a very real economy of funding but of far greater value is
the economy of time and energy. When you have just a few days or weeks set aside
for your holiday, the time you have tied up with relocating to a new hotel or
resort has no vacation value to it at all. You are fussing with baggage, taxi
cabs, hotel lobbies and clerks and the general madness of mankind which is
exactly what you wanted to get away from to have some rest when you are on your
precious time off from work.

A yacht is a natural moving resort. To go to the next city on your tour agenda,
you simply let the skipper or pilot know that its time to go and then you just
go to the deck and enjoy a margarita and watch the lovely scenery drift by as
you are transported in complete comfort and luxury to the next stop for your
holiday plans. In fact, if the trip might be a few hours, you can literally
make arrangements for the transport to occur at night and sleep happily in your
yacht bungalow and wake up ready to step off the yacht and start enjoying the
next leg of your journey refreshed and happy.

The same convenience is there for your dining pleasure. You always have the
freedom to go into one of the beautiful cities along your tour route and
indulge yourself in the fine dining that is unique to that area. But because
you have a chef and a full crew eager to serve you the finest of dining
experience on board the yacht, you never have to be anxious or in haste about
rushing into town for breakfast, lunch or dinner. In fact, you will want to
give yourself the pleasure of taking your breakfast deck side in your pajamas
and robe as you watch the other ships lazily drift by or the far away shore and
you enjoy your favorite foods out there in the sea air.

By combining the ability to enjoy great meals, wonderful resort level
accommodations, a crew who lives and breathes pampering you and the most
relaxing way to travel from city to city and country to country possible, you
are truly giving yourself the best economy possible. It is the economy of
pleasure because your vacation is about relaxation and enjoyment as you have
removed every reason for concern or anxiousness aboard your luxury yacht on the
vacation of a lifetime.

Life at Sea

Taking a yachting vacation means living on a seafaring boat for days or weeks.
But because yachting is traditionally a luxury setting, we often consider
yachting to be the same as living in a five star hotel that also is free to
roam the high seas. But the truth is there will be a different lifestyle on a
cruise ship and even the most spacious and luxurious yacht is still a seafaring
vessel and it's good to anticipate that lifestyle and be prepared.

There are little things to consider when packing for your yachting vacation.
Besides being sure to pack your bathing suit, you must keep in the mind that
you are at sea and no amount of luxury or spending can keep the ocean from
creating waves under the boat. So if you are prone to seasickness, the proper
medications should be brought along and taken before you take your foot off of
dry land. Of course, any good yacht will have medical facilities and your crew
will keep an eye on everyone onboard, particularly if you are new to yachting.
But it's best if you anticipate the need so you don't have to go through a bad
experience.

Planning the agenda can help with a problem on yachts that also often sneaks up
on people and that is claustrophobia. While many luxury yachts have plenty of
open spaces and the rooms and common areas are geared for the ultimate of
comfort, the very fact that you are on a boat that you can see the edges of in
both directions and on the other side of those railings is the hostile sea can
sometimes get to a member of the party. Again, anti-anxiety medications can
help calm these fears. But don't keep the members trapped on board for days at
a time. Schedule daily outings to shore to enjoy a sunny beach, to shop in
quaint markets and to enjoy local foods. These kinds of excursions are fun
adventures and can keep the "cabin fever" of yachting under control.

Before you book your charter yacht experience, get a good idea for comfort
level of the cabins. While there will be one luxurious master cabin for the
sponsor of the trip and some VIP cabins that will also be quite spacious and
nice, the guest cabins could be downright confining for others in your party.
The best solution of course is to charter a yacht where all of the cabins are
as luxurious as an opulent hotel room. By making sure everyone in your yachting
party is given accommodations that they will rave about, you don't have someone
ending the cruise feeling like they passed the voyage in the slave's quarters.

Before leaving to take possession of your yacht, get a checklist from the yacht
charter company so you know how to pack and how much storage you have on board.
Even the most magnificent of yacht still has some limitation to storage. So get
some dimensions and a physical description of what would be suggested wardrobe
and what kind of facilities will be available. If you know there will be hair
dryers, curling irons or even a beauty shop on board, the ladies can leave a
lot of their "toys" at home which makes packing and unpacking a lot easier.

Talk about the lifestyle on board the yacht with the party before you board and
the expectations in terms of activities and services. In fact, you should know
long before you are about to board what kinds of special considerations to have
available to your group. The crew captain will have some form of medical
expertise on the yacht in the form of a dedicated doctor or a crew member with
medical knowledge. Make him aware of any food allergies that the chef should
avoid or other medical conditions to be aware of so all necessary equipment and
medicines are on board so no medical emergency can disrupt the trip.

By being prepared in advance, you can assure that everyone in your yachting
party is aware of how it will be to live at sea for a few days or weeks and the
rolling waves and the ample sea air doesn't take them by surprise. And because
you made sure to head off problems in advance, your cruise will be a delight
for all involved and memories born on your yachting adventure will last a
lifetime.

Why Own When You Can Charter a Yacht?

The time may be coming soon when you will want to take that next step in
providing a wonderful get away experience for your family by purchasing a
yacht. Perhaps you have been thinking it about it for a little while but
something is holding you back. It might be that you are not familiar enough yet
with what might go with yacht ownership so you want to enjoy some outings on a
yacht with just you and your family before making that decision.

Another drawback for some is the overhead of taking care of a yacht,
particularly off season when you really don't want to think about the boat. But
you still have to have it stored and cared for and then conditioned to go on the
water when you are ready. While you can hire people to do all that, it does seem
like a lot of trouble, particularly if you don't know if a yacht is a good fit
to your lifestyle.

So a good option is to charter a yacht for a week or so to enjoy the experience
of yachting while you make the decision about ownership. You might even go this
route throughout the spring and summer which gives you the chance to try out
different levels of chartering and different sizes and types of yachts. By
giving yourself that experience, if you do chose to buy next year, you know
about whether you want a sail or powered yacht (or a combination vessel) and
how large of yacht you want the yacht and what amenities will make your
yachting experience complete.

One thing you may want to "test drive" on your chartered yacht is the extent of
involvement in the actual operation of the vessel that you and your family and
friends wish to have. For some, having all the work done while you enjoy the
pleasure of cruising along the route to the next destination is the definition
of luxurious relaxation. But if you have the bug for being involved with the
boat and to get more "hands on", there are different options where you can have
all or some of the responsibility for the operation of the yacht falls to you.

A skippered yacht is a good middle ground if you want to learn about the work
needed to operate a working vessel at sea but you don't want to or don't have
the skills and knowledge to take her out yourself. You charter the yacht itself
and a skipper whose job it is to make sure the voyage goes well and that the
vessel is operated properly and safely. But that skipper does not bring a crew
on board of your yacht. So by default, the crew duties will fall to you and the
other passengers on the trip.

This kind of chartered yacht trip can be fun for the entire party because you
can learn a little about yachting but the responsibilities all stay with the
skipper. In truth, because the skipper knows he is there to make your outing
enjoyable, he will give your group as many chores as he feels you want to carry
and make sure the rest gets done himself. One situation where this works well is
when you have teenagers or young people who are eager to be crewmen on a ship
but need the guidance of the skipper.

At the two opposing ends of the skippered charter experience are the crewed
charter and the bareboat charter. If you are feeling confident and
adventuresome, the bareboat charter turns the vessel completely over to you.
You charter the vehicle and the necessities of the trip and you are given an
orientation. But you take her out and operate the vessel depending entirely on
the skills and labor of your team. It's a good option when you are preparing to
buy your first yacht to make sure you and your team are ready for boat ownership.

A crewed charter is ideal for a completely luxurious experience because you
bring on board the cook, the skipper and all the needed crewmen so you are free
to kick back and just enjoy your time at sea. This is the ultimate in chartered
luxury. And it's the kind of experience you could get so used to, you might
never purchase your own yacht because the crewed charter pampers you completely.

The Yacht and the Super Yacht

In any area of life but particularly in something relating to entertainment and
getting away for an excursion, there is always the ultimate experience and then
more modest ambitions. For many of us, a weekend on a yacht, just enjoying the
sea, the beautiful sunset and maybe a bit of romance is plenty. But it could be
that you may one have the once of a lifetime experience where there is no
request too far fetched and your pleasure is untapped and that can be achieved
with an excursion aboard a super yacht.

Super yachts are almost always very large boats but they are still charter
vehicles designed for a single party to rent for a few days or few weeks of
life aboard a yacht that is quite literally a five star hotel on the water.
Even taking a tour of a super yacht can take your breath away because super
yachts are often over 80 feet long and have multiple levels and expansive
living, dining and recreational quarters so you will never feel bored or
neglected when you are on board.

When you set out on your luxurious holiday on a super yacht, there will be no
such thing as going without. You will have internet accessibility, HD
Television, a chef who can compete with the finest of France or Italy and every
imaginable form of water recreation from snorkeling, fishing, water skiing,
scuba and jet skies. Everyone in the family will be able to find something new
and exciting to do every day on your super yacht vacations. And when the adults
need some time to themselves for indulgence or romance, there will be a crew
member there to take the kids to shore to a wonderful entertainment experience
or to show them the best of time right on board out of sight and mind from the
adults.

The image of a cramped sleeping chamber of a conventional boating experience is
the furthest thing from the truth on a super yacht experience. Your chambers
will be luxurious, spacious and filled with delights to enjoy privately with a
lover. In many cases there are so many services offered on a super yacht that
there are more service persons onboard than guests as each one strives to make
your experience the ultimate in pleasure and luxury. So whether your pleasure
is getting some time in the hot tub, laying under the care of an expert
masseuse or being spoiled with a lavish diner that never seems to stop, those
pleasures and any others you desire are at your disposal during your super
yacht holiday.

If that wasn't enough, most of the time super yacht outings happen in the most
exotic of the world's paradise locations so when you turn your eyes to shore,
you will have whole worlds of excitement open up for you. Super yachts are
available to help you enjoy discovering some of the most mysterious and
alluring locations on earth including the Italian or French Riviera, the Greek
islands, Australia, South America, the gulf coast of North America or the
exciting if a little intimidating coasts of Africa or Asia. And you will be
able to launch on adventures of a lifetime in these locations all under the
watchful eye of your yacht captain and crew who will be there to shower you
with luxury when you return.

For many of us, we know that at least once in our lives we will want to enjoy
life in a five star hotel with servants everywhere scrambling to serve our
needs. So one way to enjoy that experience is to book your family and friends
on board one of the world great super yachts and have all of these experiences
plus some time of fun and adventure on the high seas to boot.

Getting Coverage for Your Floating Home

In terms of how a yacht becomes an important part of your lifestyle and the
cost of a yacht both in terms of purchase and maintenance, in many ways your
yacht almost becomes like a floating home. Unlike a fishing boat or a boat used
for commercial purposes, most of us buy a yacht to spend some significant time
on and we equip that boat so it can be a home away from home for however long
you habitat on that vessel.

When you look around your yacht, it's really an amazing design feat. It is at
the same time a boat with all the pleasantries that make living there a joy and
the resources to host guests and even hold parties. So while you certainly can
afford both the purchase and maintenance of a yacht, getting insurance to make
sure any damage can be covered is smart.

Unlike a home, a yacht is by nature in a more hazardous environment. Because
your yacht is also a vehicle and it spends most of its time on the water, there
are things that can happen to it that must be considered in your insurance
policy. So make sure your policy covers every possible form of loss so you can
get your yacht repaired or replaced if need be and to cover any harm that might
be caused by an accident.

Obviously, you are going to include in the base policy the cost of the yacht
and the basic equipment that came with it including the engine and other
equipment necessary to operate the yacht as a sea going vessel. Your basic
insurance policy is going to cover damage to the vehicle from weather or from
on board accidents. But it should also be worded to cover the other ways that a
yacht could be damaged or destroyed.

Explosions are a very real danger in the operation of a yacht. Unlike your
home, that vehicle is always carrying a large quantity of explosive fuels just
under the feet of you and your guests. If the yacht hits another vehicle or is
hit by one or through equipment malfunction, that yacht can explode which can
destroy that luxurious boat. So make sure your policy has coverage for this
kind of loss and that there are no exclusions because of the cause of the
explosion as that may not always be possible to know.

Next take into account any expensive items that may be on the yacht that are
not part of the yacht itself. You may have any number of lifestyle amenities
that would be expensive to replace such as the sound system, television or
video equipment, furniture and supplies such as a fully stocked wet bar. While
these items are not difficult to replace, they do represent a cost that should
be covered by yacht insurance.

Weather related damage should be represented in the yacht insurance if you use
the vehicle on a body of water that can bring a catastrophic storm such as a
hurricane or even tornados. Now you might want to have your insurance agent
help you calculate the statistical likelihood you would need such insurance.
But you sure will be glad you had it in the event that a destructive force of
nature took a toll on this investment you have made in your yacht.

Think through any situation that might result in damage or destruction to your
yacht or that could result in financial loss. An accident with another boat
could cause significant damage to the other vessel. If it turns out the
accident was the result of an error on the part of your pilot, you could face a
large financial liability. Similarly, if your yacht had a fire in dock or an
explosion that caused damage to the dock or to other boats, you will be held
responsible for that damage. So just as you are covering the damage to your
yacht, make sure monies are in the insurance policy to cover collateral damage
as well.

You are not inexperienced in knowing the costs of owning a fine luxury such as
a yacht. You no doubt already have gotten insurance to cover theft and the
basic threats to that vehicle. But it's worth your while to go back and review
that policy to make sure that it is comprehensive in nature. You will be glad
you did.

Chasing the Good Life Instead of Pirates

A little piece of trivia about yachting that is fun to bring out if you are
enjoying an afternoon on a friend's yacht is that the word "yacht" is actually
Dutch and it original spelling is "Jacht". The translation of the original word
is "hunt" because the yacht was created to give the Dutch navel vessels a tool 
to hunt down pirates in shallow water. But these days we are far more 
interested in chasing the good life on board a luxury yacht than going after 
pirates.

It didn't take long for yachting to become a lifestyle choice for those that
could afford such luxury. It is fascinating that yachting was enjoyed as far
back as the early 1800s where there are references in history that King Charles
II was a huge yachting enthusiast. So we are in good company if we have come to
love yachting too and its small wonder that it makes us feel like kings and
queens when we are on board a luxury yacht cruising entirely for our pleasure.

Today when you think of the word "yacht", you almost always associate it with
private boats kept for the pleasure of those who can afford a large seafaring
ship dedicated to relaxation, romance and pleasure. That image is wonderfully
displayed in the delightful movie Some like it Hot with Marilyn Monroe and Tony
Curtis in which Tony yells the sexy "Sugar" played by Marilyn that he is waiting
for a signal from his wine steward on board his yacht for the time to return
from the beach for cocktails. Who of us doesn't get a kick out of that kind of
lifestyle and we jump at the chance to enjoy it even if it's just for a few
weeks each year on holiday or vacation?

When you start to think about the kind of yacht you wish to buy or charter, you
have a few decisions to make. For one thing, you can buy a sailing or motorized
yacht. Sailing seems so natural and you don't have to carry as much fuel
(although a good sailing yacht will still have some ability to get to shore
using a motor so you are never in danger of being stranded). Also what a
wonderful way to pass the morning watching the crew of your yacht put up and
maneuver the sails to get you surfing the winds at sea and letting them take
you along.

A yacht is almost always a large boat except perhaps if it is devoted to
racing. But for luxury and relaxation, having plenty of space on the yacht is
important. If you are going to buy a new yacht, you should walk the boat over
many times and picture different ways you will entertain family and friends and
be sure you have plenty of accommodations not only for the largest party you
might take with you to sea but also for a good sized crew you will have along
to care for the yacht itself as well as for you and your guests. Your chef
should have an ample kitchen with room for plenty of provisions if you want to
stock the yacht for several days or weeks at sea. And there should be the
proper facilities to store fine wines and other beverages for your wine steward
to work with during your voyage.

By making sure your yacht is well designed for the lifestyle you want during
your outings, you will get lots of good use from it each year. And if you are
going to charter, you can look forward to bringing your same high standards to
picking just the right yacht, captain and crew each time as well so your
adventure at sea is just as enjoyable and luxurious as you always wanted it to
be.

Taking a Yacht on the Mediterranean

One of the great joys of including yachting in your plans for holiday each year
is you can charter a yacht on a new body of water each year and discover the
many sights and adventures available to you around the world. And of the many
exotic and exciting locations, there may be none better than the Mediterranean.
There is such a tremendous history to this body of water that is bordered by
Asia, Europe and Africa.

You can find references to the ancient cities that line the Mediterranean in
history books that go back before biblical times so the time you spend ashore
on your yachting adventure will be absolutely fascinating. But along with the
history and culture of the metropolises around the Mediterranean, there is a so
much beauty in the woods, the mountains, the deserts, the beaches and the
forests that you can explore with ease with the mobility your yacht will give
you as the entire Mediterranean becomes your playground.

One of the reasons that the Mediterranean is such an ideal setting for yachting
is that the passageway to the Atlantic Ocean is narrow so the tides are
relatively calm. That means that you get the gentle movement of the sea under
your yacht that is ideal for sleeping but the tides are not rough which can be
uncomfortable for some in your party. For planning purposes, the best yachting
weather in the Mediterranean is early summer when the weather is warm and dry.
Later in the summer it is more humid and hot but that is still a delightful
yachting experience as anyone can dive into the Mediterranean for a cooling
swim any time they get the whim to do so.

Another advantage of going a little earlier in the summer to yacht about the
Mediterranean is that the locations you can visit are some of the most popular
resorts in the world and early in the summer the crowds are not so huge. The
options for finding fun and excitement in the great vacation spots all around
the Mediterranean are astounding and you no doubt will not hit them all on your
first trip. But that's ok, you can always go back again and again and each time
have a new adventure in new places enjoying this paradise like yachting
experience.

One location that you could visit as easily as taking your yacht up to those
magnificent beaches would be the French Riviera which many describe as by far
the most exotic and exciting place of glamour in the entire Mediterranean. Two
of the largest islands you can visit in the Mediterranean are Corsica and
Sardinia and the diversity of breath taking shorelines and mountain locations
to explore could keep you busy for your entire vacation. And by approaching
these islands by sea from your yacht, you can have access to remote and primate
scenes that will make you feel like you are discovering them for the first time.
But whether you get to them right away or on a return yacht vacation, you will
still have much of Italy, the southern tip of France, the Amalfi Coast or the
many historic and inviting locations in Turkey.

But your Mediterranean yacht vacation doesn't have to be go go go all the time.
There may be no more idyllic scene that to simply drift under the warm
Mediterranean sun just off the coast in the Atlantic waters and just let the
tranquility of the environment calm you and refresh you as a vacation really
should do. These moments of just putting your feet up and taking it the feast
of sensations in this exotic location will make the Mediterranean one of your
top yachting destinations for many years to come.

A Yacht Club That is Right for You

While there is no law that says you have to join a yacht club when you get a
yacht, there are a number of good reasons to do so. A yacht club gives you the
chance to socialize with others who share your passion for yachting. Unlike
being with people who give you that "odd" stare when you talk about how great
yachting is, your fellow yacht clubs members will nod knowingly because they
too share the passion. Yacht club members are often an outstanding peer group
to be a part of who can also help you with questions about yachting, and what
kinds of yachting outings you might enjoy.

Yacht clubs are tremendously social experiences and often the club will meet on
board a different member's yacht each month so you can see how other member's
yacht and enjoy some luxury at their expense as well. Then when your turn comes
to host the club on your club, you also have a chance to show off your yacht
which is also great fun.

When you first buy your yacht then, you may wish to begin looking for a great
yacht club that can give you the support group you want to enjoy your new
passion with. Going about finding the right kind of yacht club should be a
process you are patient with because yacht clubs often have their own
personalities. But yacht clubs are almost always gracious settings so you can
visit different clubs each week and feel welcome. And its ok if you visit once
or twice and move on to another club. In fact, if you have a particular kind of
yacht club that would fit your needs, sister clubs may point you in the right
direction.

Like a lot of things, the internet can be a lot of help just finding the
various yacht clubs in your area. And when you start the search, you will often
find that the better yacht clubs have web sites up with pictures, publications
of their schedule of events and lots of information that will help you sort out
which ones you want to visit. Many yacht clubs have a specific focus around a
particular kind of yachting so you can cut down a lot of phone calls by just
finding out which ones fit your approach to the sport. So if you are interested
in yachting as a form of family entertainment, you may not want to join a yacht
club devoted to yacht racing or fishing expeditions.

If you are just getting started in yachting, a yacht club can be of great help
offering classes in sailing or other skills related to the sport. So one way to
get to know a club is to sign up for a short course on yacht management, sailing
or yacht maintenance and not only will you learn important skills, you meet
others in the club and find out if the club is right for you. For the kids you
may be able to find classes in scuba, water skiing or other water sports that
they will want to know on your summer yachting adventure this year and the
yacht club can help them get ready and make new friends as well. Again the
classes are often listed on different yacht clubs web sites and you can sort
out which clubs offer both educational and entertainment classes that would
help you enjoy your yachting adventure to the fullest.

Just as some yacht clubs are focused on niche interest groups in yachting such
as yacht racers or those dealing in very high end luxury cruise, you will find
yacht clubs that focus on why you want to enjoy yachting in the first place. So
you may be looking for a yacht club for singles because owning a yacht is part
of your ongoing quest to meet new people and maybe new lovers. Other yacht
clubs may be oriented toward a family experience so not only will the events be
family friendly, everyone in the family will meet peers in yachting families.

Who knows, you may even find yourself making some lifelong friends in the yacht
club, friends you may wish to join with on your next big yachting adventure. And
if that is the outcome of joining a yacht club, then that social scene will have
been one of the best groups you ever joined.

Yacht for Sale

Selling your yacht is the kind of activity that falls somewhere between selling
your home and selling your car. That is because a yacht shares characteristics
of both. A yacht does function as a vehicle because your buyers will be looking
at it as a means to get out on the sea and travel from place to place in luxury
and comfort. But if the living accommodations must also be top notch because
the customers for your yacht are looking for high quality and are not going to
compromise their high expectations.

In fact, the last consideration you should have in preparing to sell your yacht
is price. Naturally you are not going to ask others to pay the same price for a
used yacht that it costs to buy a new one. But your primary concern to attract
a buyer to your yacht is not price but how to prepare your yacht so it is as
"good as new" or better.

Obviously the way to go about selling a yacht is not to make a sign and tape it
to the window. A good place to start looking for a buyer might be among friends
and associates who may have been on board your yacht and expressed admiration
for it. If you did not take note of those comments at the time, now is the time
to think back and pinpoint those interested associates because they may be
toying with getting into yachting but have not gone far enough to "take the
plunge."

You can invite that interested friend on a yachting weekend with you and really
do it up big. Go ahead and engage a crew so the maximum in luxury can be offered
on the short cruise. If you do a bit of the "driving" yourself in maneuvering
the yacht around the body of water you are enjoying, having the associate come
to the captains area and take the yacht for a spin himself can really "set the
hook" to get him excited about getting a yacht of his own.

Once you get his interest up, you can wait for the perfect opportunity when he
says in that dreamy tone that he has toyed with the idea of getting a yacht.
Then you can mention that you are thinking about selling this one to get
another model.
Don't mention anything about not being happy with this yacht but have a
rational about buying one with special features like expanded cabin space so
your friend will jump on the opportunity to buy your yacht.

The comparison of selling a yacht to selling your house is apt because part of
preparing the sale is to do the maintenance to improve its "curb appeal". If it
has gotten some wear and tear during your many outings on the yacht then now is
the time to spruce the old girl up and make her look shiny and elegant for a
new prospective buyer. But you may also want to have some expert in yacht
renovation come in and do an inspection of the "guts" of the yacht including
the pluming and everything mechanical about the yacht, particularly the engine.
Make sure everything is in tip top shape and that there is nothing on the yacht
that is in any danger of giving out in the near future, particularly during a
time when you are showing the yacht for sale.

By putting some extended tender loving care into making your yacht just as
appealing as it was when you bought it, it will be in good shape for the sale.
Then it's just a matter of getting the word out that your premium yacht is
available and you should have no trouble finding a new home for it and some
happy buyers who make the yacht their vacation home as well.

High Adventure on Your Yacht

It is not uncommon for a yacht trip to be exciting. To take a cruise around the
Mediterranean or the Caribbean and enjoy exotic cities, cuisine such as you
never have known before and a nightlife that never ends may be the ultimate of
luxury and pleasure for many yachters. But there is a breed of yachting
enthusiast who like the crew who must climb tall mountains that are as
dangerous as they are beautiful, they must use their yachts to find high
adventure.

There is no question that a well made yacht is the perfect way to approach
finding an adventure of a lifetime. By definition, adventure is going out there
"without a rope" and finding excitement where it can be found. That means that
unlike those who stay in charter waters, you will use your yachting adventure
to seek new places to explore, to find danger where it does not want to be
found and to have excitement that only life threatening adventures can give.

A typical high adventure yacht outing would be to sail around the outback of
Australia where the untamed lands and peoples are not used to seeing such a
vessel and may not be friendly to your arrival. Because you do have the
relative safety of the yacht, you can pick and choose when to go ashore for
some hunting or exploring. Your objective is twofold which is to get around the
entire continent and to stop and explore every day. To make the journey even
more exciting, only take provisions for a few days of a journey that will take
weeks. That means you must find food on shore in hostile environs which pits
you against nature for survival.

Perhaps less dangerous but just as exciting is a deep sea fishing adventure.
There are ocean fishing charters that are pretty safe and virtually family
friendly and which go to tried and true fishing spots near shore. But to take
your yacht many days out to sea to stalk the great fish of the deep knowing
that the fish may win the battle is achieving that goal of any extreme sporting
enthusiasts which is to find the edge of any sport and an edge that may mean
danger for sure.

Similarly diving in unexplored waters can be thrilling and risky all at once.
With your trusty crew above, perhaps you might go treasure hunting to find lost
booty in sunken pirate ships off the coast of Africa. Lowering yourself to these
depths means you are in places where anything can happen to you. You don't know
what kind of beasts might lurch out from those dark places in that sunken ship
or what other dangers might trap you beneath the waters. But your spirit of
adventure means you will face those dangers if nothing more than the sheer
sport of it.

Another kind of adventure seeker may use their yacht to maneuver them as close
to an untamed forest, mountain range or beach to venture out to camp and
explore. The very act of mapping and finding your way in a dense setting like
this adds risk because if you get lost, there are no cell phone towers to help
you find your way out. Knowing that is the level of danger you are in is just
the adrenaline rush high adventure seekers love.

This is the kind of adventure that owning a yacht and putting extra care into
the reliability and durability of that yacht is crucial. You may not be able to
find a charter group that will provide a yacht and crew to take you on an
adventure where the entire party and the yacht itself may not return from. So
you can start months or years ahead of your great adventure to prepare your
yacht to be as tough as you in rough seas and equipped with sophisticated
equipment for communications and logistics so that yacht is your lifeline to
rescue if such a thing is needed. This is not the kind of yachting for the
faint of heart or stomach. But when it comes to this kind of adventure, without
a great yacht, you will never have that one in a lifetime experience.

Romance on the High Seas

In the movies and even in theater, one of the most exotic and romantic settings
is on board a yacht. And if you are thinking about getting a yacht, you no doubt
have already thought of the tremendous romantic potential owning this kind of
seafaring love nest can be for your romantic life. But even if you just want to
arrange a wonderfully romantic setting to pop the question or to celebrate an
anniversary in a way she will never forget, you can't go wrong in chartering a
yacht to cruise whether it's to cruise the Mediterranean or just for a weekend
of romance and excitement.

Many yacht charter companies are notorious experts in how to give you a virtual
heaven of romance in the package they can create for you to entertain your lover
for an evening, a weekend or for an extended cruise. By chartering a small yacht
to explore some romantic part of the world, you have complete control over your
environment every hour of the day. Unlike a hotel or even a resort, your
evening of lovemaking is not going to be disturbed by loud music from the bar
or rowdy neighbors coming home drunk from a party.

Out to sea your crew and captain will create an idyllic environment of romance
for you and your sweetheart that introduces romance into every moment of the
day on board from a delightful breakfast sailing by a stunning waterfall while
you eat your eggs benedict from the deck of your yacht to a romantic dinner
that would be worthy of a 1940s black and white romantic movie. Because your
yachting experience will have been designed specifically for romance, you can
chart a course to fit your mood for different romantic settings to keep your
gal surprised and delighted every moment of this trip to remember.

Imagine that after an afternoon frolicking on a remote beach that was
discovered just for the two of you, your yacht captain takes you to a quaint
Italian village where you can dine by candlelight and sample wines and other
delicacies that can only be had in this setting. The ambiance and the sights
and aromas of your romantic dinner will be so intoxicating you might feel in
danger of being overwhelmed by it all.

But after a romantic stroll down cobblestone streets, you don't have to seek
out a quiet night club where only you and she will dance to soft music and
candle light. While you dined, your yacht crew created that nightclub on your
private yacht docked waiting for your return. As you gently cruise out to sea,
you two can get lost in each other and the music of the night and take the
romance to the next level on deck looking at the explosion of stars above and
the light of the full moon on the waters of the Mediterranean.

Every aspect of the yacht can be customized to fit your romantic designs
especially the bedroom. There will be no honeymoon suite in any five star hotel
in the world that will rival your private bungalow out to sea with nobody in
miles except for the crew who you know have the discretion to stay away. The
night is yours and you will feel like the world literally melted away and it's
just you and your lover and that yacht and the night of love.

Navigating the Marketplace for Yachts

Anytime you make a major purchase, there is a process to go through to make
sure you work through the marketplace intelligently. Large ticket items simply
take more savvy to shop for than buying a loaf of bread or a magazine. And a
yacht falls into that category. You want to be sure that this investment in a
good yacht is the result of some careful considerations and you know what you
are doing.

The first step of getting just the right yacht is to take that image in your
head and change it into a very real specification for what kind of yacht you
want. The size of yacht and the primary means of propulsion are both anchor
considerations because whether you get a yacht to sail or one that operates by
motor propulsion will make a huge difference in the kind of yachting you do.
Size does matter because even if cost is not a consideration, storage and
comfort are. You know how many will be enjoying the yacht with you routinely
and you want there to be plenty of room on the yacht so you can have that sense
of luxury that is what yacht ownership is all about. Also if you are going to
have a crew travel with you each time you go out, you have to provide space for
them to live and work on board.

The size of yacht will also have an impact on the overhead of managing it when
it isn't out to sea. You will need to dock that yacht in a dock both between
uses during the winter. Be sure you know what dock you are going to use and
take a tour. Their ability to accommodate very large yachts may be limited.
Also if you hope to move the yacht from one body of water to another, the size
of the yacht will make that operation more difficult if you hope to put it on a
trailer to take it from the Lake to the sea from time to time.

As with buying a car, there is going to be differences both in reliability and
quality and in design between the major yacht manufacturers. You don't just go
out and buy "a car". You go out to get a Lexus or a BMW because make matters.
By spending time in the yachting world including boat shows, reading yachting
magazines and browsing yachting websites, you can begin to form an opinion what
make of yacht suits your vision of the perfect yacht. While you are developing
your checklist for a good yacht, make sure you get a copy of the warranty for
the yachts that have made your short list to make sure the maker stands behind
their product.

Working with a yacht broker is one of the best ways to navigate the marketplace
for yachts because they know the ropes of buying new or used yachts and he or
she can help you "kick the tires" and find the exact right fit for your yacht.
Once your search has identified a yacht that genuinely gets you excited, don't
be afraid to ask to take it out for a spin. Whether you are going to handle the
yacht yourself or have it sailed by a professional skipper, you should get it on
the water and put it through the typical maneuvers it must do so you can go on
an outing and return safely. Don't just trust that the yacht owner or
dealership can demo the yacht for you. Have your pilot go with you so he can
determine if there is anything to be concerned about in how she handles on the
open sea.

If you are going to have the yacht customized, that will become part of the
shopping process. References are invaluable when dealing with dealers or
brokers because people who have bought before can tell you if the seller is
able to take care of your needs or if there are things to look out for. But by
getting oriented both to the features and attributes of yachts before you even
start shopping and getting an awareness of warrantees and specifications of
yachts, you will be able to check things out thoroughly during the shopping
process and make a smart purchase of a yacht that can deliver on the dream of
luxury boating for a long time to come.

Yachting for Speed

Yachting traditionally is thought of in terms of the fun that can be had on a
luxury yacht in the Caribbean, the Greek islands or some other exotic location.
And to be sure, a yacht is an ideal way to combine the adventure of being on the
water for days or weeks and the kind of luxury that really makes your holiday
memorable and relaxing.

Another entire world of yachting that is just as exciting and bursting with
activity is the world of yacht racing or yachting for speed. This seems to be a
natural evolution on the original design of the Yacht when the boat was designed
by the Dutch to chase down pirates. Those yachts had to be fast and very
maneuverable to live up to their purpose. While those rough and tumble days in
the history of yachting were long ago, modern yachts designed for racing are
sleek and efficient machines just as much.

When it comes to the capital of competitive yachting, some would say that the
little town of Cowes England on the Isle of Wight often claims that title. The
Cowes Week is a yacht sailing festival that draws enthusiasts from far and
wide. The event is neatly organized so those who are "hard core" competitive
yachting devotees can engage in world class racing. But there are also some
lower key races called "class" races for those of us who would like to race our
yachts but maybe are not as dedicated to it just yet.

The best records we have report that the earliest occurrence of racing sailing
yachts was in the Netherlands sometime in the 17th century. From there it
spread to England and other parts of Europe. But it was when one of the most
well known international yacht races was launched in 1851 that the sport of
competitive sailing really started to take notice. That was of course when the
American Yacht club in New York was challenged to a race by the English who
dominated the sport and that gave birth to the famous America's Cup Regatta.
More trivia about this race is that from 1851 to 1983, the New York Yacht Club
never lost this race when Australia finally captured it with the Australia II
racing yacht.

If you have an interest in getting involved in yacht racing, it is a common
sport around the world so you no doubt will be able to find a good yachting
club near you that can help you develop your interest into the sport until it
is a full fledged obsession. You will need access to a good sized body of water
with strong winds not only to develop your skills in racing but to find
competitions to begin your path to victory. While the majority of the well
known yacht races are held on salt water where there are ample waves and winds
that make for an exciting race, you will be able to find races on large lakes
as well.

While developing the knowledge and tailoring a yacht for racing is a much
different approach than outfitting a yacht for a luxury cruise, it can be an
awful lot of fun and a rewarding hobby as well. If you have the ability to
store more than one yacht, its fun to have several racing yachts and then keep
the ones you use for relaxation nearby as well. You may find that the family is
just as enthusiastic for the competitive side of yachting as they are the luxury
side. It can truly be an addictive hobby to enjoy.

Laying the Plans for a Yachting Adventure

You didn't get to the level of success you have without being able to plan well
in advance how to make things happen. And to go on a wonderful yachting vacation
to celebrate your success, a little planning goes a long way. There are so many
possibilities available to you from where to go to who to take and what you
will do along the way that planning is important just so you will get the most
out of the trip.

The yacht charter company you work with will be highly conscious of your
interests and desires so they can mold the trip around you. They make their
living chartering yachts to make people's dreams come true so there is
literally no desire or whim they cannot provide to you if you give them enough
notice. While they will have packages all ready to help you, you can take the
packages and modify them or come in with a very specific plan in mind and let
them use their skills and knowledge to turn that dream yachting vacation into a
reality.

There are some questions you should ask yourself before you make contact with
the charter company because they will need to know how to serve you best. If
you wish to have any involvement with the operation of the boat, that will
change the nature of the charter. A bareboat charter means you will have no
crew or captain onboard other than yourself and you will manage the craft
alone. This is fine for the rugged sportsman who knows yachts well. But for
maximum fun and pleasure and to let someone else handle all the work, a crewed
charter will give you the people on board to prepare the food, manage the yacht
and handle all of your personal needs every day you are at sea.

What luxuries do you want to include on your trip? If you have gone on yachting
adventures before, you may already be aware of some things that are "must haves"
on your vacation out to sea. Part of the luxury of yachting of course is the
food and you can design any menu you can imagine. By including a chef in your
crew roster, he can put gourmet food in front of you for every meal you enjoy
on your yacht. But other luxuries might include a masseuse, alcohol selections
and how it will be served (will you want a bartender on the crew?) and any
entertainment options that will make your time on your yacht totally enjoyable.

What is the goal of the trip? How the charter company plans your outing can
change dramatically based on what you want to see come out of your yachting
vacation. If it's a romantic cruise just for two, they can see to it you visit
the most sensuous night spots and have all the opportunities for love to grow
as you sail. If it's a family vacation, fun and excitement for the kids in
order mixed with perhaps some discovery of historic sites. If your group wants
to experience foods from many cultures, your captain can be sure you dock at
the most exciting dining opportunities anywhere that yacht can sail.

Stops along the way. Many packages include stops at the most popular areas in
the part of the world where you will be yachting. Whether it's South America,
the Mediterranean or Europe, some historic cities seem to be perfect to make
your visit to that part of the world complete. But you or your family may have
very specific places to see in that part of the world and only you know why
including them on your itinerary would be meaningful. So let your charter
company know well in advance where you want to stop and for how long so they
can plan to make that dream come true as well.

You are smart if you are already making plans for your yachting adventure well
in advance. The earlier you can book your charter, the better chances they
charter company can customize a yacht to fit your party and the lifestyle you
will have while you enjoy the experience. So plan early and plan often because
half of the fun of the trip is the anticipation. So let everyone have lots of
fun looking forward to the adventure of a lifetime on your yachting holiday.

Landing a Big Deal on a Yacht

We normally think of a yacht as a personal extravagance. It is something you
buy to celebrate your success and to give yourself the kind of luxury that
success affords. And it gives you the chance to have some very private holidays
and vacations in high style with an attentive crew on board and still to have
the privacy and complete liberty that is not possible in a hotel or resort.
This combination of freedom, privacy and luxury is what makes yachting such an
attractive pastime for so many including perhaps many of your friends.

But there are some very solid businesses reasons for maintaining a yacht as
well. And whether you make that yacht a private possession or a corporate
asset, you may find enough business reasons to maintain the craft to make it
entirely a business expense. And it will be one that will pay off well for the
cost of the yacht along with maintenance and storage.

A corporate yacht gives you options for business entertaining that really
cannot be matched at even the finest restaurant in town. By outfitting the
yacht properly when you buy it, you can make sure here is a luxurious dinning
room and all of the accessories to put on a fine business dinner. If you will
be entertaining business clients from out of town for a day or so, you can use
the comfortable bedroom suites of your yacht to provide them with the finest in
comfort and luxury with a crew who knows that these are VIP guests and to treat
them as such. Nothing will put your guests in a better mood for negotiation
than spending the night on the gentle waves of the sea on the yacht you
provided entirely for their comfort.

When it comes time to close that big deal, that same dining table is an
outstanding setting to lay out the paperwork and step through the complex
process of business deal making. Because you are essentially "on your turf",
the yacht seems to send the message that coming to an agreement is the right
thing to do. And you have total privacy aboard your yacht so the parties can
take breaks and go out on deck and look at the stars and the moonlight on the
waters to have their spirits refreshed to come back and put ink to paper and
strike a deal that could bring your company millions in business. One deal
alone might pay for that yacht for decades and you still have it available for
the next company Christmas party.

The yacht has other valid business purposes along with romancing clients or
striking deals with business partners. The yacht setting is a delightful way to
reward loyal employees with an evening of celebration of the completion of a
great project. By gathering select managers and spouses to the seclusion and
luxury of a yacht, you communicate to them the value of their work and can
instill company loyalty and a desire to succeed that is a huge asset to any
business.

The reason a yacht is so often a great way to do business entertaining or to
host a business meeting or conference is that it communicates success. On board
a yacht, your guests or employees get the message that this is a company that is
doing very well, that is willing to invest in the finest for its clients,
partners and leaders and that this company is going to be successful for a long
time to come. This is a powerful message to send and the yacht speaks it
elegantly while providing an ideal setting for relaxation, forming of business
friendships and resolution of conflict as well.

Girls on a Yacht

For some reason when we think of luxury yachting, the image of Mr. and Mrs.
Howell from Gilligan's Island living an extravagant lifestyle comes to mind.
But yacht charter companies can tell you that more and more the conventional
stereotype of people who are enjoying even a very luxurious yacht is changing
dramatically. The popularity of taking a yacht out in some exotic location like
Greece, the Mediterranean or the Gulf Coast is growing so fast that groups are
taking them out and sharing both the costs and the fun of the adventure.

One innovative approach is to book an all girls yacht excursion to one of these
exotic locations and tailor it around a boat for you, your sisters or cousins
and friends. You would be able to put together an ample budget with everybody
being involved and by chartering a luxury yacht, you can cruise in style and
enjoy all the freedom and excitement of a wonderful vacation and some safety in
that you can secure the ship.

Many modern charters are starting to offer all girls yacht charters and you can
find packages that will also offer a female skipper and crew to provide for all
your needs, including security. While someone in the group might balk not
keeping a sexy deck boy on board, you will have plenty of chances to flirt when
you get to the beautiful destination ports such as the French Riviera or Greece.
And you can go on shore and have the kind of romantic adventures they make
movies about and then go out to sea with the girls to have a slumber party to
tell each other all about them.

If you decide to use the resources of an all girls yacht to discover a new part
of the world, your ability to get to and explore new locations every day may
change the way you view traveling forever. A trip to Southern Europe can have
an entirely different feel when a Yacht is your hotel, your restaurants and
your means of transpiration as well. And because you may wish to see many of
the ancient cities that are a short distance from the shore, you can plan many
sightseeing trips from port, enjoy the history of some of the oldest cities in
the world and be onboard the yacht by dinner time ready to cruise to the next
destination.

The great thing about yachting that all of the girls will love is the mobility.
Unlike booking rooms in a luxury resort, you can be off the shore of a different
country virtually every morning when you wake up. And if there is any situation
where every gal on board can be pampered in a way that makes you feel like a
"princess", a luxury yacht can do the trick. Because you can customize your
crew when you plan a fully staffed charter yachting adventure, if you want you
can include a masseuse or any other specialized luxury you and the girls want
to enjoy and share.

As in any all girls situation, when you get out to sea, the dress code can be
just as relaxed as you want it to be. So if you get far enough from
civilization and the deck is for sunbathing, you can really get a good tan
without concern about prying eyes. And there can be no better description of
luxury than to go from an afternoon of drinking wine and sunning to a gourmet
feast prepared so all the girls can give in to their pleasures which is what
vacation and true enjoyment is all about.

There is such a huge variety of things that can be done on a week long yacht
trip that you will want to use the anticipation time before the outing for the
girls to pool their requests and come up with an agenda. From swimming in the
Ocean to cruising for whale watching to finding a remote beach only for you to
enjoy to dancing all night in one of the great European or South American hot
spots, you can mix high adventure with natural beauty with a sophisticated
night life. There will literally be something for everyone and everyone will
experience new thrills when you get a group of best friends together to
discover the world aboard a charter luxury yacht.

A Holiday on the 7 Seas

The problem with a lot of holiday trips is that resorts or theme parks are so
predictable. While we all go that route at first when the kids are little, it
doesn't take long even for the kids to see that these manufactured adventures
are just that, pretend adventures and that it's far more exciting to get out
there and have a real adventure and come home from holiday or vacation with a
memory that will last a lifetime.

This is why yachting has become such a popular approach to enjoying some time
off with the family and having an exotic vacation where the variety of things
to do is virtually endless. The yachting industry has come a long way to make
the experience available to the wealthy and to people who are not looking for
the most luxurious vacation ever as well. Because you can pick the level of
service you want or need, you can opt to have an entire crew on board of your
yacht catering to your every need or scale down the size of your service
personnel to just a captain or even to skipper the yacht yourself with a
bareboat tour that is as close to "us against the world" as you are likely to
get.

The great thing about yachting in one of the exciting vacation spots around the
world is you have a lot of freedom to move about easily. Virtually while you
nap, your captain can take you from a remote forest just off shore to gaze
through binoculars at exotic beasts in their natural setting to a remote beach
you would pay big money to enjoy in a luxury resort. There is no experience as
breath taking as sitting with your sweetheart and seeing the sun go down over
the horizon at sea with no land in sight north, south, east or west. This is
the kind of change of pace that can take you out of the humdrum of life and
really make you reflect on your life and on the world. And that is always a
healthy outcome of any get away.

The choice of destinations for a yachting holiday are vast and diverse because
anywhere you might go to vacation in a land bound resort offers charter yachts
so you can take in the entire experience from the deck of a boat that is yours
to captain. Feel free to stand with your hands on your hips and leg up like a
pirate king or to stand on the point and shout "I'm the king of the world" to
the open seas. It's your yacht to get out there and enjoy it.

The biggest problem you might have when planning your yachting vacation is
picking what area of the world to enjoy in this very unique way. Whether your
yachting takes you to Greece, Turkey, the south of France, Bulgaria or the gulf
coast of America, each location offers exotic cultures to explore, new food
sensations to savor each night and shorelines that will all compete for you to
crown them "best beaches in the world". Then next year the competition will be
even more intense for where to go or where to go back to.

Of course one option to try at least once is simply to "disappear at sea".
While you would not literally vanish, with a yacht at your disposal, you can
get away from humanity to where it is just you and the sea and stay there for a
day or a week if it suits you. The gentle movement of the saves will create an
entirely new balance in you and sooth you like nothing on hard ground can do.
It might seem like you would get bored but if you have ample provisions, simple
acts like fishing, taking a swim in the deep with the creatures of the sea or
just watching the birds dive for their suppers can be wonderfully entertaining
and give you hours of time to reflect and recuperate from a busy life at home.

That kind of relaxation may be only possible with a complete retreat
environment such as a yacht can provide. And once you enjoy the deep refreshing
that being at sea with complete isolation, complete freedom but also the luxury
your yacht affords, you will get hooked and be planning a new yacht holiday
next year and for many years to come.

A Wonderful Greek Yachting Vacation

Yachting in Greece is as much the best of an exotic and luxurious vacation as
there is. The islands are beautiful and the waters a delight to sail or yacht
whether you put to shore or just enjoy the magnificent setting and atmosphere
of the Greek islands. Whether you are yachting on your own boat or you charter
to allow local experts to guide you to the wonders of this delightful part of
the world, you will discover a world that is such a delight to take your time
and enjoy.

The best time to plan for a yachting trip to Greece is between March and
November of the year. This is the time of year when the temperature is
virtually perfect for yachting. If you wait until mid May to start your
vacation, that is when the sea is great for swimming and a lot of other water
activities that are a great ways to pass the day. While it can get a bit warm
in the summer months, the breezes along the coast keep you relaxed and
comfortable if you dress for it.

They say that the anticipation of a trip is as good as the vacation itself. So
along with planning your wardrobe and what time of year you want to vacation in
Greece, you should also think through what you will require onboard your yacht.
This is a perfect charter situation because by bringing an experienced captain
and crew from Greece onboard with you, they can guide you to the best of the
country.

The length of your stay, the size of your party and the amount of time you will
actually be staying onboard will all affect the size of yacht you may wish to
charter while in Greece. If you have chartered a yacht before and spent time on
one, you have a good feel for not only how much comfort to prepare for but to
what extent you want to be physically involved with the operation of the yacht
during the time you are enjoying your vacation. If you want to do all of the
work of operation the yacht, you can take a stab at a bareboat charter. But at
the other end of the scale is a full crew charter where you will enjoy complete
luxury and the only decision you might have to make is whether to nap on deck or
in your luxury cabin.

If you are going to be enjoying the area for a good amount of time, you might
consider a flotilla where your yacht becomes part of a community of yachts all
following the same leisurely path through a designated route. In this kind of
situation you may have bareboat yachts, yachts with just skippers or full crew
yachts and you can pool the common expertise so everybody enjoys their time in
a community setting. This is also an excellent way to meet people from all over
Europe and turn a single yacht vacation into a party.

Be sure you allow plenty of time to really explore Greece. By working with a
local charter company, they can guide you not only on the places you absolutely
do not want to miss but on customs and festivals that are going on at the time
of year you are there that will make your vacation especially memorable. One
way to get the best of Greece is to schedule a few days before or after your
yachting adventure to just take some time in Athens or one of the other
wonderful local areas and really soak up a lot of Greek culture, not to mention
some fabulous food. By doing that you will come home relaxed, tanned and with
one of the best vacations you ever had behind you in the wonderful Greek
islands.

A Society of Yacht Lovers

If you either have or find yourself developing a genuine fascination and love
of not only yachts but the lifestyle of yachting, you are not alone. When you
begin either using your new yacht or regularly chartering a yacht for a weekend
of luxury or a special vacation, it's easy to fall in with a society of yacht
owners where you can share your enjoyment of these very special boats and learn
from each other as well.

Yacht clubs are one way that yacht owners and yacht lovers alike gather
routinely to share their common interest in diverse settings. Even if you are
not a yacht owner yet yourself, it isn't hard to get an invitation to yacht
club meetings where your enthusiasm for yachting will only intensify. One way
that the knowledge about yachting spreads easily in almost a viral way at yacht
club gatherings is that these societies commonly mix together those who enjoy
luxury yachting on a motor yacht to those who love sailing to those who own
yachts as big as cruise ships to those who are into yachting for the thrill of
yacht racing.

In this way even if your addiction is to luxury yachting, by socializing with
yacht racing enthusiasts, you can find yourself a guest at a yacht race and get
the thrill of that lifestyle in your blood. After viewing your yacht as a place
to relax and cruise or sail the seas at a leisurely pace, to see yachts that
are customized and trim and ready for high speed racing, you will see yachting
an entirely different light.

Similarly if you are a speed yacht enthusiast, you may only see yachts the way
race horse owners see their thoroughbred animals. But when you "rub elbows"
with those who know the joy and fun of luxury yachting, you will see their
fascination with your lifestyle and be eager to share theirs with you as well.
So if you trade a couple tickets to the next big yacht race for a weekend on a
luxury yacht, you will get a new appreciation for why those big lumbering
yachts that are built for comfort, not for speed are so appealing. For both the
yacht racer and the lover of luxury yachting, this exposure may lead to yet
another area of yachting that you may wish to own a part of as your next big
yacht investment.

Yacht clubs are also good ways to learn about new destinations and theme yacht
excursions that you may wish to try out the next time you are planning a
yachting adventure. You may never have considered yachting around the British
Isles and combining your love of the luxury of your yacht with an exciting
vacation exploring historic sights and taking in some of the best culture in
the world. So as other yacht owners "brag" about their last great yacht
adventure, you can be taking some notes and open up whole new ways you can keep
your love of yachting fresh and new each year.

Meetings of the yacht club often are held on member yachts or in some location
where the members can explore an aspect of yachting together. One of the major
boat and yacht shows and expos in town is a great place to hold a yacht club
meeting because as much fun as it is to explore new yachts yourself, its so
much more enjoyable to do so with other yacht lovers and to discuss and compare
yachts with people who know them and love them like you do.

If you join a yacht club, you should fully expect and actually want to see
other club members use the meetings to "show off" how great their yacht is.
Your fellow members will value your opinion and seeing you express admiration
for their fine yacht and its excellent facilities. And it won't be long before
it might be your turn to host the yacht club onboard your vessel where you can
lay out the red carpet for an elite group to admire what you have done to build
the dream yacht paradise for you and your family and friends.

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