About Tom Virden

Founder, Boatbookings.com

The Ultimate Water Toy – A Water Powered Jet Pack that Allows You to Fly!

Have you ever dreamed that you could fly ? Well now you can with this new water powered jet pack. Your flight begins as a 200-HorsePower marine engine pumps water up a 33-foot hose at over 1,000 gallons-per-minute, generating over 420 pounds of thrust.When the water reaches the ultra-light backpack, it’s directed through two nozzles at up to 60 pounds-per-square-inch and you’re airborne!

Aiming the nozzles creates smooth, stable turns. And the motorcycle-style throttle lets you climb, dive and hover up to 30 feet above the surface. The safety harness and trapeze keep you in optimal flying position, while the fuel-efficient motor gives you hours of flight on a single tank of high-octane gasoline.

This water toy includes a jet pack made out of carbon fiber and is attached to a small boat (3 meters long) that sucks the water in, sends it through a big hose that brings the water up to the jet pack.

Given the “arms race” we see on super yachts competing for the coolest water toys, many will start adding the jet pack for the upcoming charter season!

At www.boatbookings.com, we welcome everyone from sailing professionals to complete novices and will help you at every step of the way to make your dreams a reality. We have a team of highly skilled professionals who are extremely knowledgeable in their destinations and will be able to help you with any questions you may have.

Watch this space for the latest industry show releases, news and gossip in the yachting world. If you liked the content on this page and our previous posts, please become a fan and like our Facebook page to receive up to date information on our publications. Follow us on Twitter and Google Plus too.

Posted on February 14, 2013 by Tom Virden — No Comments ↓

Chartering a Luxury Yacht in the Charming Port of Saint-Florent, Corsica

Chartering a yacht in Saint-Florent is a superb destination for your summer vacation in the Mediterranean. Saint-Florent is a port town located in the northwest of Corsica. Originally a commercial fishing port, today it is a stunning yachting destination because of it’s architecture and monuments such as the citadel built in 1440.

Along the coast you will see some beautiful ancient towers like the towers of genoese and a bit further you will see some amazing bays with breathtaking long sandy beaches including Saleccia beach, considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the Mediterranean sea. There is a beautiful contrast between the Corsican Maquis hills, the sea and the city of Saint-Florent.

If you charter a boat in Saint Florent, you can put it on anchor in the bay or negotiate a berth in the port. There are plenty of excellent local restaurants in the port, we recommend the restaurant in Hotel d’Europe.We also recommend a day trip to the port of Centuri to eat what some people call the best lobster of Corsica. If this is too far for you, you can go to one of the nearby bays and have swim in the beautiful sea, lay down and get a tan in the nice sandy beach or go snorkelling and discover the underwater world of Corsica.

For more information on Chartering a Yacht in Saint-Florent click here. At www.boatbookings.com, we welcome everyone from sailing professionals to complete novices and will help you at every step of the way to make your dreams a reality. We have a team of highly skilled professionals who are extremely knowledgeable in their destinations and will be able to help you with any questions you may have.

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Tom Virden — No Comments ↓

Boatbookings reaches 1 million visits in 2012

We are proud to announce that charterers and yachting enthusiasts have visited Boatbookings.com over 1 million times this year, a new record for us. People come to Boatbookings to charter yachts of course, and also for our itineraries, charter advice, destination guides, technology suggestions, and our famous route planner that allows you to plan the distance, fuel consumption and course of virtually any itinerary.

While 1 million visits is an important milestone for us, we know it is just the beginning – we have plenty of new content, yachts, features and site functionality coming in the next few months. Stay tuned to this blog for all the news.

And, of course, thanks for visiting!!

Posted on November 7, 2012 by Tom Virden — No Comments ↓

Announcing the Boatbookings.com Guest Blogger Program!

We want BoatBookings.com to be THE place you come for news about yachting, boating and chartering. Towards that goal, we’ve reached out to some of the most knowledgeable writers in the yachting industry with our new “guest blogger” program. They will be adding news about new yachts, trends, destinations and insider news to Boatbloggings on a regular basis.

We are thrilled to announce that our first two guest bloggers are Kim Kavin, successful book author and editor of CharterWave, and Phil Friedman, long time industry expert.

Kim Kavin is extremely successful in the yachting industry, having set up CharterWave and BoaterMouth. She is not only the author of several books, but she is a regular contributor to various magazines and websites. She has had three years experience being Executive Editor of Yachting Magazine, and for the past three years, has received international recognition of her expertise, in the shape of awards from the Boating Writers International Writing Contest.

Phil Friedman has been similarly successful, with 30 years in the marine industry, working as a yacht designer, a boat builder, a yacht surveyor, yachting writer and editor. He has not only gained experience in various different sectors of the industry, but has also been an industry educator. Before he moved into the yachting world, he taught logic and philosophy at university.

If you would be interested in applying to become part of our program, please email us at: [email protected]

Please click here more information.

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Tom Virden

Don’t miss out on Riviera hotspot, Club 55 on a luxury day charter to St Tropez

St Tropez is synonymous with glamour and luxury, especially in July with celebrities from all around the world flocking to the famous Club 55. Club 55 is renowned for being a celebrity hot spot, with Kate Hudson and Victoria Silvstedt recently choosing to holiday in St Tropez, thanks to the natural beauty of the Riviera, including its impeccable weather.

There is no better way to arrive in style at Club 55, than a luxury yacht charter, departing from prestigious ports such as Cannes or Antibes.(Recently demonstrated by Cristiano Ronaldo) One of our most popular choices for a day charter to St Tropez is the Cranchi Zaffiro 32, or for a more luxurious day on the water, VIBE Sunseeker Predator 74 offering vast spaces to relax, as well as a great selection of water sports.

Club 55 oozes quality in all that it does. Whether you are soaking up the rays on the golden sand of Pampelonne beach or enjoying the very best in local seafood and the famous Rosé wine, Club 55 is the place to be. A luxury yacht charter and a full day at Club 55 will provide a truly unforgettable and unique experience that can only be sampled by a the Luxury Yacht charter in the French Riviera.

Posted on July 3, 2012 by Tom Virden — No Comments ↓