It was a very successful Newport Charter Yacht Show 2014, which took place last week. The event invited industry professionals to the fabulous waterfront of Newport in Rhode Island to tour 27 show-stopping yachts, which are available for rent in the glamorous America yacht charter destination – New England this summer.
The 2014 Newport Charter Yacht Show featured a lineup of 27 world-class charter yachts, all available for rent in the lovely America yacht holiday destination - New England this summer. Photo by Billy Black
“Chartering is a lot easier than you think,” said Amy Wachmann, Safira’s charter manager. “The charter managers and brokers do all the legwork so the guest doesn’t have to; the managers represent the owners and the boats, and it’s our job to work with the charter brokers who have the clients that book the boats.”
Newport Charter Yacht Show 2014 - Yacht Hop/Kirsten Ferguson
Wachmann added that part of what attracts clients to Safira is that the yacht is pleasing not only to the eye but also to the environment, with many eco-friendly features having been incorporated into its 2013 build. The yacht’s exquisite and colorful interior is made entirely out of organic, natural, recycled, sustainable and renewable materials. The entire yacht is wired with LED lighting on a motion sensor, which automatically dims when areas are not in use. Among its “energy star rated” appliances is a top-of-the-line water filtration system, which allows the vessel to be a plastic-free zone in terms of water bottles. The yacht’s engines run on 15 percent biodiesel fuel and a GPS-enabled Quantum Zero dynamic positioning system allows it to stay in place without dropping anchor when it’s near sensitive underwater ecosystems such as coral reefs. The yacht’s “toys” are motor-free and include a 12.5-foot Herreshoff sailboat, two paddleboards and three kayaks as well as snorkel, fishing and beach gear. Safira is represented by Northrop & Johnson and available to luxury yacht charter for $119,000 per week. (A special rate of $100,000 per week is available in New England this summer.)
Captain and crew of 142-foot motor yacht Chevy Toy during the 2014 Newport Charter Yacht Show Yacht Hop (Photo Credit Billy Black)
Luxury yacht Asolare, a luxury ketch, turns heads with its resemblance to a classic yacht while also incorporating top-of-the-line technology and amenities. When the superyacht was originally built it 2003, it was the largest cold-molded sailing yacht in the world. The construction took over four years and one million man hours to complete. Asolare is made entirely out of wood; its hull was made from six 600-year-old Douglas fir trees that were submerged in a swamp in Washington State. The fiddleback sycamore and walnut woods that make up the interior are adorned with over 500 seashells that took one man over three years to hand carve throughout the cabin. The yacht offers 180-degree views from its atrium-like upper saloon, and it sleeps six guests comfortably in its luxurious light-filled cabins. Asolare is represented by Nicholson Yachts and available to charter for $115,000 per week.
Newport Charter Yacht Show 2014 Crew Competitions - Photo by Billy Black
The charter yacht fees for this year’s participating vessels ranged from $40,000 to $130,000, and there were plenty of options in style as well. In addition to walking the docks to learn more about the yachts and their captains and crew, guests were invited to engage in a series of educational seminars and watch various chef and crew competitions. Adding even more flavor was an entertaining Yacht Hop where crew in costumes, representing their yacht’s chosen theme, dazzled guests with cocktails and gourmet fare.
When asked her thoughts on the Newport Charter Yacht Show overall, first-time show attendee and Executive Director of the Florida Yacht Brokers Association Ann Vernon-Poux said, “This is the only charter show in the U.S., and it is extremely important for boats to participate in it if they hope to join the New England charter market. There is a synergy in Newport that you just don’t have anywhere else, especially in the summer. There is no other sailing community like it, and whether you are cruising by sail or motor there are no better summer cruising grounds than those of New England.”
