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Somali Pirates to World: You Brought This On Yourselves
If you're like me, you can't wait for the winter yachting season to begin, but before you don your monocle and climb aboard your megayacht, you'd better plot your sun-seeking itinerary carefully. Just last week, pirates kidnapped a British couple from their yacht, the Lynn Rival, as they sailed off the coast of Somalia. As the AP points out, Paul and Rachel Chandler had been sailing to Tanzania when they activated their yacht's emergency beacon on November 23, 2009, and the British navy found their empty yacht on Thursday.
Tags: Hot Yachts / Parties / Yachting / Virgin / Virgin Limited Edition / Richard Branson / → All Tags
Richard Branson Was With Us In Spirit Last Night At Le Bernardin
How do you throw a launch party for a luxury catamaran without the boat or its owner present? Well, if you're Virgin Limited Edition and Richard Branson and his new Necker Belle are unavailable to party, you just down canapes at one of New York City's best restaurants: Le Bernardin.
Surrounded by Virgin's signature red rubber duckies and with visions of Virgin Limited Edition's luxury properties—Swiss ski chalet and Moroccan retreat, anyone?—dancing in our heads, we managed to make it through a few Blue Margaritas at the Necker Belle party last night. Officially to welcome the twin-hulled beauty to the Virgin group, the event also showcased these other small and carefully curated properties owned by Branson through his Limited Edition Label.
Tags: Around the World Travel / Yachting / Boats / World Records / → All Tags
Aussie Gal Off To Sail The Seven Seas, Solo
Headlines down in Australia these past few weeks have been heavily littered with opinions on how 16-year-old Jessica Watson will fair with her attempt to become the youngest person ever to sail around the world solo. While there were plenty of experts saying she shouldn't even try—not a good omen that she crashed into a huge ship on her way down to Sydney to start the voyage—she finally set sail on Sunday.
Jessica's journey should take her around 240 days, following the recognized southern hemisphere "round the world" route which includes some mighty difficult sea conditions. But she's not as alone as past solo sailors have been; she's got plenty of communications and she's even keeping a blog, which is now getting hundreds of comments per post.
Tags: Hot Yachts / Yachting / Richard Branson / Ships / First Class Travel / Virgin / Virgin Charter / → All Tags
Play With Richard Branson's New Toy For $88,000 Per Week
When we aren't out jetting around or hopping a high-speed train, we like to fantasize about that other form of transportation: the almighty ship. So to allay our own curiosity as much as yours, we're spotlighting yachts with either notorious owners or histories...or both. Know of a bootylicious boat? Let us know.
Who doesn't dream of owning a lush private island in the Caribbean? Perhaps Virgin Group head honcho Richard Branson, who has been living the dream since 1979, when he purchased Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands and turned it into a private resort.
If you can't afford to take over the whole island for your vacation, at a cost of $47,000 a day, then how about chartering his new catamaran yacht, the Necker Belle, for a mere $88,000 a week? She'll be fresh from a makover (she used to be the Lady Barbaretta) in February 2010, just in time to catch the end of the rich exodus to the Caribbean in winter.
Tags: Hot Yachts / Yachting / Bernie Madoff / Ships / Crimes / → All Tags
France Has Made Off With Bernie Madoff's 'Bull' Yacht
When we aren't out jetting around or hopping a high-speed train, we like to fantasize about that other form of transportation: the almighty ship. So to allay our own curiosity as much as yours, we're spotlighting yachts with either notorious owners or histories...or both. Know of a bootylicious boat? Let us know.
Anybody in the market for a super deal on a yacht? Because boy oh boy does the harbor in Cap d'Antibes, France have the boat for you: it's Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff's old 88-footer, named Bull. The yacht, only built back in 2007, was seized by French authorities back in April, and now she sits with her propeller chained up and the dock roped off until someone steps up to buy her.
Although she is valued at $7 million dollars, it probably won't take all that much to get off her the yacht broker's hands. Madoff of course registered her in Georgetown, Barbados to tax advantage of their tax haven reputation, but now that she's docked in the South of France, she'll need to be moved by March 2010 or else she'll be liable to French sales tax.
Tags: Celeb Travel / Madonna / Italy Travel / Yachting / Portofino Travel / → All Tags
A Portofino Party For Madonna's 51st Birthday
You know, when you think of an "over the hill" birthday party, you usually think of gag gift diapers and getting something like the "Tour of Italy" platter at Olive Garden. Of course when it's Madonna celebrating her 51st birthday, all bets are off. This Sunday she arrived in the Italian resort town of Portofino for her own tour of Italy, or rather a stay at the town's Splendido Hotel after renting out a whole floor.
What then did Madonna get as a gift for her birthday? Her designer pals Dolce & Gabbana will be taking out for a spin on their yacht, with a possibly stay at one of their villas; no gag gifts here.
Madonna is hopefully relaxing in Portofino, seeing as how her last Sticky and Sweet concert in Warsaw was protested by conservative Catholics who didn't appreciate her performing on the Feast of the Assumption—which celebrates Mary's ascension straight to heaven—considering her name and everything. Alas, then Madonna went straight to Italy, cradle of Catholicism; that'll show those Polish religious fiends.
Related Stories:
· Madonna In Italy For 51st Birthday Bash [AFP]
· Celeb Travel Coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: AFP and Google Maps]
Tags: Bernie Madoff / Yachting / Ponzi Travel / → All Tags
Ponzi Travel: Visit Bernie Madoff's South Florida Stomping Grounds
The gig is up for Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff, who is currently in a lower Manhattan jail awaiting sentencing for defrauding investors out of billions of dollars. Unfortunately for his victims, most of the money disappeared into thin air, but authorities are doing what they can to identify and liquidate his remaining assets. The action last week centered on south Florida, where marshals seized his yacht, "the Bull," from Roscioli Yachting Center in Fort Lauderdale, and entered his $10 million Palm Beach Island home to inventory its contents.
Tags: Yachting / Megayachts / Superyachts / Luxury Travel / Billionaire Travel / Wine / → All Tags
What to Do if the Wine Cellar on your Superyacht Does Not Suffice
I recently got my hands on the new 2009 issue of Burgess Superyacht Living & Style Magazine, and I'm more convinced than ever that superyachting is for me. There's simply no more potent symbol of wealth, success, and conspicuous consumption than one of these 40-meter-plus luxe boats. A private jet is nice, but who's going to see it beyond a few people at the airport? An opulent mansion is a little more visible, but you can't force people to drive by your house to envy you (yet). With a superyacht, however, you can seek out the poor people (i.e. owners of "regular" yachts) whether they're in Monaco or Wildwood and slowly cruise by with a margarita in your hand, guaranteeing the admiration and jealousy of all who witness the spectacle.
Tags: Yachting / Adventure Travel / Sailing / → All Tags
Good Sportsmanship: Around-the-World Yacht Racers Alter Course to Aid Injured Competitor
The toughest solo yacht race on the planet threw an extra curve ball at French sailor Yann Elies on Thursday, as he suffered a broken leg when his sailboat was hit by a massive wave 800 miles from the coast of Australia. In an impressive show of sportsmanship and support for their stricken rival, two other competitors altered course to go to his aid, arriving at about the same time as an Australian naval frigate. British yachtswoman Sam Davies (pictured) and Frenchman Marc Guillemot both diverted their respective vessels to intercept Elies, because, as Davies notes, "most of the time we are our nearest rescuers." Elies was transferred to the frigate and put under a doctor's care, and Davies and Guillemot have since returned to the race.
And what a race it is: the Vendée Globe requires sailors to circle the globe all alone, without stopping, and with no assistance from anyone. This year's race began at Les Sables d'Olonne, France on November 9 and will end some time in February in the exact same place, after the racers have gone around the world following the old clipper route and passing through gates near South Africa, east and west Australia, and in the Pacific Ocean. Amazingly, some of these talented sailors finish in less than 100 days. It sounds exciting, but with broken legs, seasickness, and the possibility of drowning, we'll stick to the pleasure cruises for now.
[Photo: telegraph.co.uk]
Related Stories:
· British Yachtswoman Resumes Race After Rival is Rescued [Telegraph]
· Injured Vendee Sailor Elies Rescued By Navy Ship [AP]
· Vendée Globe [Official Site]
· Yachting Coverage [Jaunted]
Tags: Luxury Travel / Submarines / Yachting / → All Tags
Luxury Submarine Travel: When a Regular Mega-Yacht Just Won't Cut It
Victor Ozols has long talked about taking up yachting as a hobby. He recently realized that he was thinking too small.
Money aside, I've always thought I'd make a great yachtsman. I've seen that yacht show on the Travel Channel, and I'm pretty sure I can do everything those experienced yacht owners do, only better. I'd cruise the waterways of the world in an energy-efficient mega-yacht with my family, dropping by elegant ports of call to host parties and explore the new surroundings, all while treating my crew really nicely and doing some charitable stuff for the local people as well. Yeah, it would be great.
Only maybe a regular yacht isn't good enough, not when I can have a luxury submarine instead. As the U.S. Submarines website points out, a yacht is fine and dandy until you hit rough water, and then all the fancy floor tiles in the world won't keep you from getting seasick. A submarine, however, has the ability to submerge to the tranquil world beneath the whitecaps with a moment's notice, so you can enjoy a few rousing games of underwater baccarat without losing your lunch on the croupier. Knowing that, why would anybody suffer with a "regular" mega-yacht? It's crazy.
Christmas is still four months away, so there's plenty of time to put a bid on the Phoenix 1000 (pictured), the most luxurious submarine in the world. At 65 meters long and 8 meters wide, it has 460 square meters of interior space spread out over multiple decks. A flying bridge at the top provides a fantastic perch from which to take in the sun when on the surface, while the deck saloon and passenger areas below have every conceivable amenity, including panoramic windows that provide amazing views of the outside world. There are even remote fish feeders to give you something to look at as you gaze into the great blue beyond. A diver lockout chamber and a diving mini-sub ensure that a quick getaway is always possible should the need arise.
The estimated price of the Phoenix 1000 is $78 million, but it looks like it's been on the market for a while, so there might be some wiggle room. What do you think, Jaunted readers? Show your weekend editor some love and pony up for the luxury submarine he so surely deserves for his efforts. I promise to be the nicest submarine owner on the seven seas.
Related Stories:
· Phoenix 1000 [U.S. Submarines]
· Yachting Coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: U.S. Subs]
Tags: Celeb Travel / Yachting / Giorgio Armani / Fashion / → All Tags
Yachting Travel: Armani's Summer Vacation
74-year-old designer Giorgio Armani was spotted recently, relaxing on his boat off Sardinia. Not shown: the Speedo he's sunbathing in.
Earlier this summer Armani received the Légion d'honneur from French president Nicolas Sarkozy, for which stars from Tina Turner to Helen Mirren feted him in some of his many creations.
And everyone who saw "The Dark Knight" was treated to a free ad for his menswear as he designed for Christian Bale's Bruce Wayne moments. So all right, maybe he deserves a vacation!
Related Stories:
· Armani to Open 10 Hotels [HC]
· Celeb Travel coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: Socialite Life]
