TATLER YACHT GUIDE 2015
MONDAY 5th JANUARY
SALPERTON IV
The lowdown If you’re going for gold, charter this baby. She’s a high-performance 45m alloy ketch with an aluminium hull and has won classes at the world’s top regattas (including the Porto Cervo Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta, St Barth’s Bucket and Palma Superyacht Cup). On board are four cabins with contemporary interiors (oak, granite, bronze and leather), but get up and get out: this one is all about feeling the wind in your hair. USP One of the finest competitive sailing yachts of this size, Salperton IV also manages to squeeze a jacuzzi on deck- the perfect spot to celebrate a win. Where to anchor Porto Cervo, Sardinia, where everyone knows her, since she’s won three firsts in the Loro Piana Regatta. Book it From €145,000 (£115,000) a week; Cecil Wright (cecilwright.com).
BELLE AIMEE
The lowdown A 52m yacht with five cabins and a family-friendly crew who can rustle up themed events, treasure hunts, water-pistol fights, beach rugby and piggyback races. There’s an armada of sea toys with kit for every size/age, as well as a Fifties jukebox and table football. After dark, a projection screen is whipped up on the sun deck for movies or a round of karaoke. And if you’re keen on the children learning while you lounge, the crew can offer talks on the flora, fauna and anthropology of the region; there’s even a marine lab on board. While they’re swotting up, you can slope off to the aromatherapist or the skincare therapist. USP The crew will magic up a movie of the family’s time aboard. Where to anchor The South Pacific. Get the captain to switch off the wi-fi. Book it From $250,000 (£160,000) a week; Cecil Wright (cecilwright.com), managed by Webster Associates (jimwebster.com).
REGINA
The lowdown Time to live out your 007 fantasies. This 56m gulet has superstar status after its role in Skyfall (right). Recline alluringly on vast sunbeds on the foredeck, or sprawl suggestively on the superking lounger on the aft, beneath towering masts and billowing sails. Interiors are all lustrous mahogany with large windows and sultry lighting. USP There’s a white grand piano, which we strongly suggest you lie on in a cocktail dress, looking mysterious. Where to anchor Bodrum, where the crew know all the secret spots. Book it From €75,000 (£60,000) a week; Cecil Wright (cecilwright.com).
Good to know Crushingly, the steamy Skyfall shower scene was actually fllmed in the Four Seasons at Canary Wharf.
RED DRAGON
The lowdown Designed to be supremely self-sufficient, this 51.7m sloop can travel for long periods at sea without having to refuel or fill up her water tanks-making her the ideal avoid-land charter. She’ll suit those keen on diving and fishing; the chef can turn even the tiniest tiddler into sushi. The 63m mast enables speeds of more than 15 knots-which guests can witness from the elevated flybridge fitted with sunbeds; there’s also a large swim platform and a sunken cockpit fitted with a massive movie screen. USP The crew can instruct guests in saltwater fly-fishing (reel in yellowfln tuna, wahoo and sailfish for that sushi) and know their routes so well that, apparently, whales appear on cue. Where to anchor One of the most beautiful anchorages in the world, Africa Bank, about 100 miles west of the Seychelles. The captain knows it better than anyone, so you’d be a fool not to take full advantage. Book it From €175,000 (£137,000) a week; Cecil Wright (cecilwright.com).
Good to know The crew are adept at navigating the toughest seas to reach the remotest spots, and have all sorts of tales of facing off pirates and cyclones.
