Tag Archives: Catamaran

Race in a Regatta from the Luxury of Your Own Home

A new phenomenon is taking a hold in the world of sailing fanatics, having already signed up some 300,000 players. “Virtual Regatta” is a fantastic new way to skipper your own sailboat, but from the warmth and safety of your own home. Think about this – you can navigate through day and night, storms and calm seas, all from a computer.

We think this is absolutely fantastic, and while 20 real-life skippers are navigating the globe for three months, a large group of virtual skippers are sailing the Vendee Globe too, but from their own homes.

The program has taken the sailing world by storm (excuse the pun), and with great additions such as a worldwide real-time weather simulator, virtual skippers are sure to experience all different types of sailing. Not only does this simulator encompass rain and sun, but accurate wind speed and direction.

Loads of extras are available throughout the regatta, one virtual skipper has paid €20 / $25 to have an autopilot for the night, and an extra choice of sales. It’s not just about being a one man team though, many a group have taken to joining, taking hours each and relaying the race, so they can be as fresh and awake as possible.

Although players don’t have to deal with real life situations of navigating storms and terrible tides, they might have to deal with more expected problems – the Internet. Unfortunately thousands of virtual skippers were left behind recently when the site was off limits for 5 hours due to a technical hitch.

Although we encourage people to give this great program a try, we also very much encourage you to look at being a real life skipper, with a bareboat charter of a catamaran in the BVI this Winter.  Interested in chartering a catamaran in the BVI? See our blog on the Top 3 Crewed Catamarans of the BVI Yacht Show 2012.

If you’re interested in chartering a yacht, please go to boatbookings.com, or email us at [email protected] and one of our charter specialists will get back to you shortly.

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Twins are better! The benefits of Motor Catamarans (from Guest Blogger Phil Friedman)

Twin hulls, that is. This handsome, power- and fuel-efficient raised pilothouse yacht deftly blends a highly efficient and stable catamaran hull form with exterior styling and interior design by an award-winning international yacht designer, Juan Carlos Espinosa. She is 80’ 4” LOA x 28’ 3” maximum beam, and displaces approximately 64 metric tons at half-load.

Her semi-displacement catamaran hulls run at exceedingly high speed-to-length ratios, without planing and, consequently, without requiring the large horsepower input of traditional mono-hull vessels. Her broad beam and twin-hull footprint provide a high level of stability, both at rest and underway, without the complication and added cost of active zero-speed stabilization. Construction is in state-of-the-art high strength fiberglass reinforced composite; and her outfit is specified for high value.

Catamaran_Master-SuiteInside, bright, airy common spaces on her main deck make for pleasant living and entertaining. Her raised pilothouse arrangement provides excellent separation between entertaining and navigation activities, while a main deck master suite forward provides truly sumptuous private space for her owner. Two double-berth VIP staterooms, and a twin-berth cabin on her lower deck, round out her accommodations.

On deck, her generous beam and broad bridge deck provide all manner of space for lounging and relaxing. And her aft deck incorporates a dining table and chairs for eight, and presents an exceedingly spacious and pleasant lounging area, well suited as well for luxury charters.

Because her hull form yields higher speeds per unit of power input than with conventional monohulls, this 80 footer is exceedingly flexible. With the standard power package, she can push to a genuine 35 knots, yet will run comfortably at 25 to 28 knots when asked to do so. At a passage-making speed of 12 knots, her range borders on being phenomenal. She truly approaches being a yacht for all seasons, and reasons.

The Amazonas 80 project is being developed by Phil Friedman, New Build and Refit Consultant, , Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Phil, who recently published “Ten Golden Rules for Successful New Build Projects,”  has substantial experience in mega- and super-yacht construction, being a former president and CEO of megayacht builder Palmer Johnson Yachts. And he is always ready to talk about the ins and outs of catamaran motor yachts.

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Hot Yachts from the Monaco Yacht Show – DAMRAK

We were fortunate to be able to get a thorough viewing of DAMRAK, a 70 ft Sunreef Power Catamaran, and talk to the captain at the Monaco Yacht show.  DAMRAK is a great example of why we believe that power catamarans are a major trend in  the charter market.  She has excellent space – in the cabins and in the living areas – which is great for a family or group of friends.  And she’s amazingly economical  – only consumes 40 litres per hour of fuel, far less than a comparable monohull. So you can cruise for long distances without constantly worrying about the fuel bill (not to mention the carbon footprint).

Her interior, like all Sunreef Catamarans, is modern with beautiful use of light woods.  Plenty of amenities, such as a hot tub on the flydeck, wireless light switches, and all the requisite water toys.  You get an enormous amount of boat for her price, and she is a yacht that we can highly recommend!

So if you’re planning your next motor yacht charter, think about a power catamaran, for all of the above reasons!

DAMRAK is still available for Xmas and New Years in the Caribbean.

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