With 365 cays to choose among, the Exumas chain in the Bahamas offers something for every day of the year. Cruise around the chain’s three major areas—Great Exuma, Little Exuma and the Exuma Cays—to explore its wildlife, sapphire waters, beaches and waterfront dining.

Natural Attractions

Big Major Cay is home to one of the Exumas’ biggest attractions: the world-famous swimming pigs. The 20 or so frequently photographed feral pigs and piglets are the only residents of this uninhabited cay just a short cruise from Staniel Cay. Arrive early to avoid the crowds.

On Allen Cay off Great Exuma, boaters will find a literal mess of its namesake Allen Cays rock iguanas—that’s the term for a group of these scaly creatures. This endangered species can grow up to 4 feet long, but they’re gentle giants.

The 112,000-plus-acre Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, established in 1957, was the first of its kind in the world and remains a model of marine preservation and biodiversity. A visitors center and hiking trails provide a lay of the park’s land, while moorings make it easy to explore the pristine waters and vibrant reefs. They are part of the second-largest coral barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere.

Thunderball Grotto became a requisite dive and snorkel spot in the Exumas after its appearance in two James Bond films. Located just west of Staniel Cay, this underwater cave system teeming with marine life is best entered at ebb tide.

Breathtaking beaches stretch across the entire island chain. The white-powder crescent of Tropic of Cancer Beach straddles its namesake latitude along the coast of Little Exuma. Secluded Cocoa Plum Beach, known for excellent shelling, is a cruisers’ favorite, far easier to access by water than by road. The beaches of Stocking Island, just across from Georgetown’s harbor on Great Exuma, range from tranquil coves to legendary hangouts.

Refuel and Refresh

Visitors from the world over flock to the landmark Chat ’N’ Chill on Stocking Island. This quintessential beach bar, known for a family-friendly vibe, has it all: a sizable drink menu, a delicious Sunday pig roast, freshly made conch salad, live music, volleyball courts, and a chance to feed and swim with stingrays.

Boaters will find a more upscale atmosphere at the Sea Level restaurant at Staniel Cay Yacht Club, a longtime hub for cruisers. Reservations are required for dinner, which can include such refined fare as duck confit and rack of lamb.

On Little Exuma, the casual beachfront Santanna’s Bar & Grill is a must-stop for freshly prepared seafood, particularly lobster and grouper dishes. Save some cash and appetite for the adjacent Mom’s Bakery, where the delectable desserts include rum cake, cinnamon rolls and banana bread.  

The post Cruising The Exumas appeared first on Yachting.

Here’s something you don’t see on the charter market all too often: larger motoryachts offering all-inclusive rates in the British Virgin Islands and Bahamas.

Typically, larger motoryachts are listed for charter with weekly base rates. Those base rates cover the boat and crew, but not expenses such as fuel, food, drinks and gratuity. The idea is that different clients want to do different things on charter, so the variable costs are adjustable.

By contrast, smaller crewed boats that stick to generally fixed itineraries and can better predict the associated costs—in particular, catamarans in the Virgin Islands—are offered with inclusive rates.

That’s what makes the news so interesting about the 135-foot Horizon Stay Salty and the 120-foot Sovereign Real Summertime. Denison Yachting says these larger yachts are now offering all-inclusive charter packages in the British Virgin Islands and Bahamas.

“This is an exciting initiative to simplify and encourage new charter clients to try one of the most epic travel experiences imaginable,” Ben Farnborough, Denison’s chief operating officer, stated in a press release. “Often we’re made aware that there’s a perception outside of the yachting industry that chartering a yacht is inherently complex. Our goal here is to change that. These all-inclusive Denison charter options are straightforward and seamless.”

The two yachts are being offered with inclusive rates based on fixed itineraries and menus, without the standard preference sheets that charter clients typically fill out so the crew can provision whatever guests request to have on board. Denison’s team instead worked with the yacht owners and crew to determine defined dates, docking prices, fuel costs, cocktail lists and menus.

The idea is similar to the way that Denison worked with Magellan Jets to offer a coordinated package for jet travel from Teterboro, New Jersey, to Nassau, Bahamas, at a fee of $48,000 for 12 passengers.

Stay Salty is a 2010 build that most recently was refitted this year. The yacht accommodates 12 guests in six staterooms, including an upper-deck master. Tenders for watersports fun include a 34-foot Jupiter.

Real Summertime is a 2000 build that most recently was refitted in 2022. Accommodations on this yacht are for as many as 12 guests in five staterooms, including a main-deck master. Onboard amenities include an outdoor cinema, and tenders include a 37-foot Boston Whaler Outrage.

Is there any wiggle room in the all-inclusive plans? Yes, for an extra fee. Denison Yachting says the inclusive rate is intended to appeal to people who want to avoid the planning process, but that guests who want bespoke elements in their all-inclusive charter can work with Denison’s team to accommodate those requests at an additional cost.

Where to learn more: contact a charter broker at www.denisonyachting.com

The post Luxury Yacht Charters: Inclusive Options Await appeared first on Yachting.

Most years, new launches depart from shipyards bound for the Mediterranean in time for the summer charter season—with savvy clients strategizing to be among the first parties welcomed aboard. The pandemic caused a blip in that pattern, making new launches a lot harder to book for a couple of years, but quite a few charter companies are now advertising 2023 and 2024 builds with itineraries available in the most popular cruising grounds all along the West and East Mediterranean.

As you can see in the images on the opposite page, these new builds come in all kinds of styles, from eco-friendly power catamarans to motoryachts with sole-to-ceiling glazing. Some are among just a handful of newer models out cruising anywhere on the world’s waters, for private or charter use.

The Benetti Alluria, for instance, was one of just eight Motopanfilo 37M hulls when it launched last year. Amenities include a full-beam master stateroom, a foredeck pool and sun pads, and an Axopar Brabus 900 chase boat for looking sharp when heading into port.

The Sunseeker 86 Mowana is also a notable newer build, with a top speed of 28 knots and a cruising speed of 19 knots for making the runs easy between waypoints. Guest areas are forward and aft, letting charter clients avoid prying eyes no matter how the yacht is situated in an anchorage. Inside, one of the four staterooms has a bunk-style Pullman along with twin berths, creating an enclave for the kids.

Yet another interesting new offering is Catallaxy, a Sunreef 60 Eco sailing yacht. It has a full-beam bow terrace in addition to a guest area on the flybridge and an outdoor relaxation area aft.

Of course, destinations in the Mediterranean are classics, but visiting them in the comfort of a brand-new yacht only enhances the charter experience.

The Adriatic Sea

• Croatia has become a full-on popular summer charter destination, with its coastline full of villages, cities and islands to explore. An increasing number of charter yachts offer itineraries here each year.
• Vrbnik is in the north, while Split and Dubrovnik are popular destinations farther to the south.
• Dubrovnik is especially popular with fans of the HBO series Game of Thrones, which filmed many of its episodes in and around the city.

The post New Mediterranean Charter Options appeared first on Yachting.

Early on in my offshore sailing career, I discovered something that has been driven home repeatedly in the ensuing years: At sea, many miles and days from the solid comforts of terra firma, a person’s true character is revealed. It’s not always pretty. On a small boat of defined length, the opportunity to take even a short walk to push the reset button is unavailable. It’s definitely rare, but I’ve certainly encountered my fair share of stifling bores, outright slobs and dangerous clowns. (No doubt, of course, that some of them would say the same of me.)

Why bring all this up? Because I was recently reminded that it makes me really appreciate one of my favorite dudes with whom to set sail, a Renaissance man of sorts from Seattle named Dave Logan.

Together, Logan and I have put a lot of water in our collective wake, well over 30,000 nautical miles. One of our earliest adventures was the 2005 Transpac from Los Angeles to Honolulu aboard our mutual friend Mark Schrader’s Cal 40, Dancing Bear. An incident at the very end, screaming past Diamond Head at double-digit boatspeed with the spinnaker up, sort of speaks to our respective temperaments.

As we bore down on the finish line, I started to panic at the tiller when we couldn’t douse the spinnaker. “Cut the sheet!” I screamed. That is when Logan casually climbed the forestay and tripped the sheet with his marlinspike, immediately defusing the situation. No damage, no worries. I could feel my face go red; my heartbeat immediately settled back into its usual rhythm. “Thanks bro,” was about all I could manage.

Read More from Herb McCormick: And The US Sailing Capital Is?

But our major voyage was a 28,000-mile circumnavigation of North and South America via the Northwest Passage and Cape Horn on a 64-foot steel cutter called Ocean Watch. Logan served as the first mate/engineer, and we shared the same watch the entire journey, through calms, gales, ice, snow—the whole shooting match. Logan likes to cast himself as the silent, stoic type, and we were 18,000 miles and seven months into the trip when we rounded the Horn. Suddenly, standing on the foredeck with my pal, we were both overcome with emotion. “I didn’t think I was going to feel this way,” he blubbered.

“Me neither,” I sputtered.

It was my favorite moment of the best sailing day of my life.

This passage down memory river was triggered last March, when Logan showed up for a Florida family vacation, and I invited him for a sail aboard my Pearson 365, August West, on Sarasota Bay. Logan has always raised an eyebrow at my rather liberal-arts approach to mechanics and maintenance, and I could almost hear the gears in his brain grinding as he cast a critical glance around my deck as we were getting underway. “That backstay could really use tightening,” he said, among other observations, and I felt like a kindergartner getting scolded by his teacher. But, of course, he was right.

And then we went sailing. There was zippo breeze at the outset, and I feared we were in for a drifter. But a northerly filled in soon after, and I literally couldn’t get Logan off the wheel. As always, his pure joy being aboard a sailboat gurgling to weather was infectious. We might as well have been back off the coast of South America, cracking jokes, calling puffs, just enjoying the hell out of the entire situation. It was terrific.

It also reminded me, yet again, that when you go to sea, some of the shipmates you encounter may be some of the worst. But also true, and why you keep going back, is this: A few of the souls you meet along the way are some of the best.  

The post Reflections on Offshore Sailing appeared first on Yachting.

The charter team at IYC has just welcomed not one, but two Custom Line yachts into the fleet for bookings this summer in the East Mediterranean.

First up is the 93-foot Custom Line At One. This is a brand-new build that was just delivered to its owners for 2024. The yacht has a bunch of modern bells and whistles—including high-speed Internet connectivity via Starlink, and dual stabilizers with a gyro and fins for added guest comfort at anchor and underway.  

Accommodations aboard At One are for 10 guests in five staterooms. Those guests will have access to a bevy of tenders and toys, including a nearly 12-foot Highfield tender, a pair of Seabobs, standup paddleboards, a Hobie Eclipse, water skis, wakeboards and snorkeling gear.

Inquiries for bookings aboard At One are being accepted this summer in Greece, where the yacht is expected to remain at least through the end of September. Bookings are also being taken now for the 2025 summer season in Greece.

Also new to the IYC fleet is the 108-foot Custom Line Daloli. This is a 2011 build that most recently was refitted in 2022, and that is also accepting inquiries for Greece yacht charter this summer.

Daloli accommodates as many as nine guests in five staterooms, including a master on the main deck. 

Onboard amenities include an outdoor hot tub and barbecue. The yacht has stabilizers for added guest comfort, and it charters with a crew of seven that has spent many years together as a team. 

Tenders and toys for guests to use during a charter aboard Daloli include a 26-foot ZAR tender, a 13-foot Grand tender, a Sea-Doo, a trio of Seabobs, water skis for adults and children, wakeboards, a water slide, standup paddleboards and fishing gear. An unusual offering from the yacht’s toybox is a pair of canoes for guests who want to paddle around quiet anchorages.

Greece Yacht Charter Options: The Greek Isles are some of the world’s most popular cruising grounds during the summer season. There are numerous archipelagos to explore, whether a charter booking is for a week or a month. Many of the islands have ancient ruins along with local tavernas and beaches. Land-and-sea itineraries can also be fun in this part of the world, with Athens on the mainland filled with landmarks from ancient Greek civilization.

The post A Pair of Custom Lines for Charter appeared first on Yachting.

Cruisers can’t help but take it slow on Michigan’s Mackinac Island (pronounced Mackinaw), a national historic landmark. Horsepower, pedal power and foot power are the sole means for exploring this compact, turtle-shaped island and its engaging historic, cultural and natural attractions.

Carriage Rides

Ever since the prohibition of automobile traffic in 1898, horse-drawn carriages have been the primary—and iconic—mode of transportation to get around Mackinac Island. Visiting boaters can call on true horsepower for a tour of the island, as a taxi service, or even for moving golf clubs between the Grand Nine and the Woods Nine of the Grand Hotel’s Jewel Golf Course.

History and Culture

From its panoramic vantage point atop a 150-foot bluff, Fort Mackinac served as a strategic stronghold for American and British forces alike during the Revolutionary War and War of 1812. The United States secured it for keeps in 1815. Now a history museum, the fort’s 14 buildings have been restored to highlight different periods from its century of military might. Start your island tour with the film The Heritage of Mackinac, shown on a loop in the soldiers barracks. Check the fort’s website for the current schedule of live events, which include drills, dress parades and rifle demonstrations. For $75 and a reservation, visitors can have the honor of firing the traditional morning round from the fort’s cannon.

Also check out the diverse collection of the Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum. It ranges from hand-beaded Native American garments to 17th- and 18th-century maps of the Great Lakes to artifacts reflecting the island’s Victorian era.

Natural Wonders

Considered the most scenic spot on the island, Arch Rock rewards those visitors who climb the 207 steps for breathtaking views from beneath a 4,000-year-old limestone archway. Visitors can also view it from the road above by taking a (you guessed it) horse-drawn carriage, or explore it by bicycle as a stop along the 8.2-mile trail around the island. The $7.5 million Milliken Nature Center, slated to open this month near Arch Rock, will educate guests about the formation of Arch Rock and the geology of the island as a whole.

Food and Drink

Stop at Doud’s Market, reportedly America’s oldest family-owned grocery store, to restock the galley’s provisions. The lively patio at the Pink Pony is a fun and popular destination at any time of day, and is best known for its creative cocktails and whitefish dip. The 1852 Grill Room earns raves for its seafood dishes, especially its Lake Huron walleye and planked whitefish. The restaurant also has lovely lake and harbor views. Cap off the night by drinking in the Victorian elegance of the landmark Grand Hotel while enjoying a cocktail and 360-degree views from the Cupola Bar.  

The post Mackinac Island Escape appeared first on Yachting.

As the summer yacht charter season nears its peak, several popular charter fleets have added yachts in destinations all around the world.

In the Bahamas, Fraser just welcomed the 107-foot Burger Silver Seas. It’s a 1998 build that most recently was refitted in 2022, and that will base in the Bahamas all year round. Accommodations are for eight guests in four staterooms that can be set up for families or groups of couples. This yacht charters with an Intrepid tender for watersports fun.

Up in New England, Edmiston has welcomed 168-foot Feadship Acta to the charter fleet. Acta is a 2007 build that accommodates 10 guests in five staterooms. Equipment includes Quantum zero-speed stabilizers for guest comfort at anchor, and the yacht has a wheelchair-accessible elevator and side deck. The master stateroom is on the bridge deck with expansive views.

For charter clients seeking more exotic locales, IYC has just added the 131-foot Westport Rule No. 1 to its fleet, with inquiries being accepted through September 2025 for Panama, Mexico and Costa Rica. Rule No. 1 is a 2011 build that most recently was refitted in 2023, with accommodations for 12 guests in five staterooms. This yacht charters with a 37-foot Freeman tender for fishing, and has toys that include an inflatable slide.

Also available farther afield is the 75-foot Sunreef Diana, a sailing catamaran that’s in French Polynesia as part of the Y.CO fleet. Diana is a 2017 build that just completed a refit this year. The yacht accommodates eight guests in four staterooms. Amenities and crew services include a hot tub, a fitness trainer, a masseuse, a yoga instructor, and various water toys.

In Croatia and the West Mediterranean, the 137-foot Kingship Ocean’s Seven has joined the Fraser fleet. This is a 2012 build that was most recently refitted this year. Interiors on the yacht are by Vripack, with five staterooms for 10 guests. The master spans the full beam on the main deck and has a king-size berth.

Are there any options being advertised for scuba diving? Indeed, Edmiston says the 154-foot Feadship Lady Victoria is still accepting inquiries this summer in the Bahamas, and is offering scuba diving right from the yacht. Accommodations are for 12 guests in six staterooms, with a master that has its own deck and a VIP on the main deck. The swim platform can be extended and raised for diving, or submerged for guests who want to step right into the sea.

How to book a week on board: contact a charter broker at fraseryachts.com, edmiston.com, iyc.com or y.co.

The post It’s Go-Anywhere Charter Season appeared first on Yachting.

It was the opening day of racing last February in the sixth annual Caribbean Multihull Challenge and Rally on the island of St. Maarten, and I was in the thick of the action aboard a 50-foot French catamaran charging upwind. At least I thought I was. A fleet of diminutive but extremely quick trimarans started to pass us, their three-person crews adorned in helmets with the spray flying. It sort of reminded me of the classic Western film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, where the protagonists are chased by a relentless posse and Butch asks Sundance, again and again, “Who are those guys?”

At the CMC, it turned out those dudes were sailing the fastest-growing one-design fleet in the islands, a nimble, blazingly quick 24-foot tri called a Diam 24. And man, they were having a blast. In an era when participation in sailboat racing is on the wane in many venues, the Diam 24 class on St. Maarten is an unqualified success story.

Built in France with infused fiberglass and a carbon-fiber core to a design by the VPLP naval architecture group—a consortium known for massive offshore trimarans such as the MOD 70—the Diam 24 is a small wonder that can be dismantled and shipped easily in a specially designed container. But the class owes its resounding popularity in St. Maarten to a singular, speed-obsessed French sailor named Pierre Altier, who skippers his own Diam 24 called Cry Baby.

After his first sail aboard the boat three years ago, Altier says: “I fell in love with this boat. Everyone says multihulls don’t go upwind that well, but the Diam points at a 45-degree angle at a speed of 14 knots, which is crazy for a boat this size.” In late 2021, Altier purchased Cry Baby and persuaded a couple of friends to join the fun, and all three boats were shipped to St. Maarten in a single container. The roots of success were planted.

But Altier, who runs a charter business in the islands, wanted more competition. He began lending the boat to friends and other local businesses to show them what it could do. “That was the key to get more people to join us,” he says. Before long, there were five Diams on the starting line for local events.

But Altier still wasn’t satisfied. He realized the numbers would grow if he owned several boats himself and chartered them out for regattas at reasonable rates, which is how the fleet grew to the 10 Diams racing in the CMC. At $700 a day for racing events, each of Altier’s three Diams is a bargain. Running rigging and a dolly for beach launching is $69,000 for a brand-new Diam with North Sails, which includes shipping to St. Maarten. In small-boat racing, it’s hard to imagine more bounce for the buck.

For Altier, there’s been only one drawback: For the first couple of years, nobody could touch Cry Baby on the racetrack. That’s no longer the case, as his fourth-place finish in the most recent CMC attests. “The competition has definitely ramped up,” he says. “I have a harder time than before to try and win. Better and better sailors were welcomed to come try and beat me, which is what happened.

“The word is getting out about how good the class is,” he adds. “And now we have multihull sailors from other classes coming to try out the Diam. It raises the level for everyone. For example, if you tune the boat better, we’re finding you can be 3 or 4 knots faster. It’s incredible. It’s been a real game-changer. And I’m very happy that the game is changing.”

So, Cry Baby is no longer the undisputed Diam 24 champion. Altier is spilling no tears.  

The post Diam 24: The Fastest-Growing One-Design Fleet in St. Maarten appeared first on Yachting.

Five notable yachts just became available for charter in the West Mediterranean, with plenty of time left to book itineraries before the current season is over.

First up is Zazou, a 213-foot Benetti that launched in 2021. It’s new to the charter fleet at Y.CO, with plans to base in the South of France and Corsica. This is the first time that Zazou is being opened for charters, with availability beginning mid-August.

“Ideal for families, she is elegant and sophisticated thanks to her stunning interior,” Sioned Williams of Y.CO Charter Management stated in a press release. Notable features include a gymnasium, treatment room, outdoor cinema and beach club. Accommodations are for 10 guests in five staterooms.

Y.CO also just welcomed the new-for-2024 Benetti Dyna to the charter fleet in the Mediterranean. Dates are available in September and October.

Accommodations aboard Dyna are for 12 guests in six staterooms. Amenities include a main-deck pool, a cinema, a spa and a master stateroom with a private balcony.

“Dyna is a particularly fine example of the B.Now 50m Oasis model,” Yasmine Naitijja of Y.CO Charter Management stated in a press release. “No expense has been spared in the finishes throughout. The spa area is a real onboard highlight, as is the large main-deck pool, while the stylish Novamarine Black Shiver chase boat offers enhanced exploration.”

Also now available in the West Mediterranean is Alma III, a 97-foot Azimut that was just delivered to the owners from the shipyard in June. It’s part of the Fraser charter fleet and will have availability in August from Sardinia.

According to the Fraser team, Alma III is the only Azimut Magellano 30 currently on the charter market. Exterior design is by Ken Freivokh, and accommodations are for 10 guests in five staterooms. The master is full beam on the main deck.

In the IYC charter fleet in Greece, guests can book the 82-foot Maiora El Pecado, which became available earlier this summer. The yacht is a 2014 build that IYC’s team says is in “impeccable condition” with accommodations for as many as nine guests in four staterooms.

Notable features and equipment on El Pecado include low fuel consumption and at-anchor stabilizers for guest comfort.

Also in Greece with IYC is the 107-foot Custom Line My Mistake, a 2023 build that accommodates 10 guests in five staterooms. The IYC team notes that this yacht has a child-friendly setup, meaning it is a good choice for bookings with families.

Top speed aboard My Mistake is reportedly 26 knots, which should make short work of cruising between the Greek Isles while leaving more time for fun at anchor and in harbors.

When does the Mediterranean yacht-charter season end? The high season is over at the end of August, but with nice weather, the cruising in some parts of the region can be terrific well into October.

How to book a week on board: Contact a charter broker at y.co, iyc.com or fraseryachts.com

The post 5 New Options for Mediterranean Yacht Charter appeared first on Yachting.

Safe Harbor Marinas is continuing its efforts to expand superyacht marinas and services outside the usual locations. The company has reportedly inked a deal with the government of Puerto Rico to transform two docks into a marina able to service about six of these larger yachts.

Plans are for the first phase of construction to be up and running by the end of this year, with the second phase completed in late 2025. Overall, Safe Harbor is expected to invest $12 million to $15 million in the project.

The announcement follows other additions to the Safe Harbor network with an eye toward servicing superyachts. About a year ago, Safe Harbor acquired Savannah Yacht Center in Georgia. At the time of that deal, Baxter Underwood, CEO of Safe Harbor Marinas, said: “The world’s largest vessels have historically been forced to cross the Atlantic for certain services. This facility allows us to serve them with excellence here in the United States and inside the Safe Harbor network.”

The new Puerto Rico facility will not be Safe Harbor’s first foray onto the island. In 2021, the company acquired Puerto Del Rey, which is in Fajardo. It’s marketed as the largest marina in the Caribbean, with wet slips for about 1,000 vessels along with dry stacks for another 750.

Superyachts bring a higher level of investment into the communities where they tie up. The new facility in Puerto Rico is expected to generate more than $10 million in economic activity for the island, with Puerto Rico’s Port Authority receiving $200,000 a year in rental fees. Safe Harbor will also share a portion of the gross income and fuel-sale profits.   

Strategic Gem

The San Juan Historical Site is part of the National Park Service as well as being a World Heritage Site. Defense of this strategically important site was paramount for the government of Spain, which fortified it for more than 250 years.   acreage is substantial, with the site encompassing 75 square acres. The historic walls alone span a distance of 2.7 miles. Visitors to the site typically number more than a million a year, with kids and adults alike eager to explore the tunnels and dungeons. Kite flying is also a favorite family activity in the expanses of green grass. Photo buffs like this site not only for its architecture, but also because it includes the highest points of Old San Juan. The spots where lookouts used to roam are now great for capturing keepsake images.

The post Puerto Rico’s Superyacht Marina Plans appeared first on Yachting.