Power Catamarans: New, Hot and Fast

Power catamarans may be a recent addition to the popular yacht market but they have been in existance for a very long time. The catamaran was first discovered to be used in a small fishing community in the southern coast of Tamil Nadu, India in the 5th century AD. The development of the power catamaran incorporates the best features of the motor yacht combined with the multihull characteristic. Nathanael Herreshoff designed a racing catamaran in 1876, which was banned by the New York Yacht Club because it was actually too fast.

In fact, power catamarans or power cats, are known for their increased speed, more space, and less expensive engines. Another attractive feature of these power cats is their stability. Because of their double hulls and greater beam, the catamarans offer a steadiness that single-hull yachts cannot offer. However, the larger beam is one of its disadvantages since many marinas simply cannot fit you.

The catamaran design remains relatively young and so, there is a great future for experimentation compared to the monohull yachts. There are already  power cats with hydrofoils, power cats that rely on solar energy and even power cats that look like single hulls above the water because of its faux bows feature. The market for power cats is still in its early stages but we see a growing trend and popular interest is on the definite increase.

The faster speed and increased space combined with the attractive lower costs attract many yacht lovers, but as for any other new market, make sure you do your research and examine your options carefully, talk to power cat owners, and most importantly take you time and find what best suits you!

As for my opinion, I can definitely state that I love these power cats! Ever since sailing in the Caribbean in one of these beauties, I fell in love. It offers great space and the speed is unbelievable! Yes, it can be harder for single-hull yacht owners to adjust since it is much larger and it sure feels different when you sail it; both because of its better steadiness and quicker loping motion compared to single-hulls. One thing is for certain, power cats are truly attractive and their design offers that little extra adventurous visage that is so appealing.

Some of the Current Power Cats: Aeroyacht are French builders that offer many sailing cats, but the Blubay TC 45 is a high performance hydrofoil power cat. Fountaine Pajot are a well known French company that offer power cats from 35 feet to 55 feet, including the Summerland 40 motoryacht. The Brazilian builders Sunboats offer mega hot luxurious catamarans from 83 feet to 155 feet, with features such as helipads and the ability to beach the yacht, the two pictures you see here show the Sunboats with these two hot features. With a slogan of “These are the yachts Da Vinci would have designed,” the Italian builders BRB yachts offer great layouts such as the three cabin layout with the master suite filling one entire hull and the four stateroom version of the 62 feet power cat.

Yacht Destination: Bermuda

Known as the boating capital of the Atlantic, the northern most coral reef beauty Bermuda is a hot yacht destination. Bermuda’s close destination to the United States and strategic transatlantic location make is a prime destination for yachting lovers. Bermuda’s low key nightlife differentiate it from its Caribbean neighbors and thus, make it more exciting for yachting. The entertainment on the island centers around gathering at a local pub for some tasty Rum or taking part in one of the islands’ many sailing regattas. The most famous is the biannual 635-mile Newport-Bermuda Yacht Races which just celebrated its 100th anniversary. Imagine sailing away to an isolated island with pink sandy beaches, turquoise crystal waters and rich unspoiled nature. Legislators of the island are very careful to keep this island gem as perfect as possible by imposing environmental measures such as having only one car per household and that tourists are allowed to drive only scooters inland. Most yachts stay for only a week going around the three major harbors: the historic St. George which was Bermuda’s first capital, the Royal Naval Dockyard, and the present capital city of Hamilton.

You don’t have a yacht yet but enjoy sailing? Don’t worry! There are great charter sailing services in this yachting island. I recommend SailBermuda.com which uses a 51ft sail boat “Shekynah” for charter sail and snorkeling. You can find the contact info and rates on their website and begin your great sailing adventure in the exciting Bermudian waters.

Things to See: Bermuda is known for its pink sand beaches and so, it is a definite must to spend a lot of time under the sun on the pristine soft pinkish sand. The nature of the island is absolutely stunning and you will find many secluded coves and and lagoons. In these breath-taking paradise hide-aways you can enjoy private time swimming in the warm azure waters. Bike rides or hiking is an excitement on the island as there are many lush gardens with lilies and hibiscus and unspoiled forests. You can actually walk the entire island on the remains of the railway trail which was in existence for only 17 years until 1948. Main attractions are the Bermuda zoo, the Botanical Gardens, the Aquarium and the Maritime Museum in the Royal Naval Dockyard. For all scuba divers, Bermuda is a true paradise as it has many ship wrecks and coral reefs with unlimited visibility in the crystal clear waters. Bermuda consists of 150 small islands which are formed from the exposed peaks of the underwater volcanic mountain. You can discover all of their beauty and be amazed at how small some of them are.

How far: The sailing time to Bermuda from New York is approximately five and a half days on a 40ft yacht as the distance between the two is 1284 km. And from North Carolina to Bermuda it can be as short as 36 hours on a 140ft yacht as it is 1030 km away.

Louis Vuitton To Host a Sailing Event

Sailing and boats: this is turning to be a must for the fashion world. The French luxury brand, Louis Vuitton is set to host the new sailing event the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series, in Auckland, New Zealand.

“I think the world of sailing will be really excited,” said Vuitton chief executive officer Yves Carcelle.

The Louis Vuitton Pacific Series will be held in Auckland for three weeks from January 31st to February 14th, featuring sailing teams who have previously competed in the Louis Vuitton Cup. The races will be sailed in Emirates Team New Zealand yachts and will feature from six to eight teams. A Louis Vuitton trophy will be created especially for the sailing event.

New Zealand Prime Minister, Helen Clark said, “‘Congratulations to Louis Vuitton and Emirates Team New Zealand for organising this exciting international yachting event. New Zealand is very pleased to be hosting this regatta and Auckland with its beautiful harbour and vibrant inner city will put on a fantastic show for yachting fans and tourists.”

Fashion: Yachting

Going on a yacht and sailing away is becoming more and more about fashion than the sport itself. We have seen famous designers, such as Roberto Cavalli and supermodels, such as Kate Moss indulge in this hot lifestyle over the summer. Yachts are also the set for many designer photo shoots and music videos. Yachting has also inspired many design collections with its crisp whites and linen long dresses. And who can forget the never-ending nautical trend? Many designers have also made collections especially for cruising and “boat dressing.” Whether you will chose to sail from Positano to Provence or from Venice to Santorini, the sun-drenched coasts, the azure waters and the Mediterranean breeze will be the perfect combination to your upscale fashion sense. Now, here are a few tips for your yachting adventure.

Hot Bikini: Chose a beautiful and glamorous bikini. Softer colors and golden tones are preferable. You may chose bandeau, triangle or a one piece bikini. Keep in mind that the most important thing for a bikini, is to feel comfortable and sexy. You can slip into some tiny Brazilian cuts like Rosa Cha or chose from the variety of swimwear at Victoria’s Secret.

Cover-up Essential: As it gets quite windy on the yacht, you need to have a cover-up. Remember to chose wisely in order to be color coordinated with your bikini. If your bikini is neutral, chose a pattern and bolder cover-up. You can be more elegant with a Kimono-style or crocheted cover-up.

Hat Must-Have: Hats are very important and here is your chance to experiment with an extravagant hat. You may chose over sized crocheted hat with large decorations. Just remember that it should fit you well, so that you do not have to chase it in the sea.

Sunscreen: You should enjoy the sun to the fullest but be extra careful. Sunscreens are extremely important to ensure that your skin will be youthful and glowing. Remember to apply the lotions regularly throughout the day and do not forget to protect your face, lips and hair also. If you chose to wear lip gloss, be sure to apply sunscreen on top of it. As an alternative, the Balm Shelter Lip Gloss is a moisturizing, sheer gloss with SPF to protect and it comes in all shades. Aveeno offers good face and body sunscreens and Fekkai has some great leave-in-conditioners with activated UV shield to protect your hair!

Accessorize: Sunglasses are your absolute most important accessory. Remember that fashion and protection will go hand in hand. Over sized glasses are still in but you can experiment with the patterns and colors. Bags are a necessity. Louis Vuitton offers great beach bags, large but classy enough to show your fashion sense and practical side. Jewelry becomes more important as the sun sets. Chose one center piece and remember that less is more. You may decide to wear a large turquoise ring or a white pearls necklace.

Dress Appropriately: When on the yacht, fancy dresses and shoes are not needed. However, when stopping at ports and going to the fancy coast restaurants, note that cotton, linen and silk materials are impressive. White is the queen of chic but do not underestimate all shades of blue. You may chose longer or capri linen pants and short silk dresses. Shoes are preferably wedges or comfortable high slides. The materials can be colorful fabrics and even decorated with crystals or flowers for a more fancy look. Remember that gold tones are especially stunning with a golden tan during summer. If you are looking for high fashion, Chanel never disappoints with Resort wear and its Cruise Collections.

Sea Scent: When going out at night, make sure you bring your sea adventure to the inland. Eau d’Italie from Positano, Italy is a collection of shower gels, scented soaps and perfumes inspired by the world famous five-star Positano hotel La Sirenuse hotel on the Amalfi Coast in Italy. This fragrance is so cultural that it is sold only at the hotel and a few London boutiques. It has a fresh and seductive scent especially for the summer months.

Bring Your Camera: You will be spending unforgettable moments at sea. The adventure-romance combo should be pictured. Explore the coasts and azure waters, and at night have some fun time in your fashion outfits and golden tan.