Category: General

For a baseball fanatic, only a natural disaster could be less welcome than being pulled away from the TV when the home team is playing. With the Liveboard, baseball fans can keep track of the big game regardless of distractions. The 9 Liveboard uses Bluetooth wireless technology to pull up-to-the-minute data from an Internet-connected Windows or Mac computer up to 60 feet away. An alphanumeric display shows the home cities of the teams and the current score, while lights count balls, strikes, and outs, and also indicate which bases currently host runners. The unit can be set to show scores during your home team’s games only; to show scores of other teams when yours is not playing; and to cycle through the scores of all major-league teams currently playing. No data fees are required. Fittingly, the Liveboard’s chassis is crafted from white ash—the same wood used to make baseball bats. (877.320.9649, www.myliveboard.com)

—Brent Butterworth

Making its debut in June, the new Hatteras 56 Motor Yacht is a fresh departure for the legendary North Carolina builder of motoryachts and sportsfishermen. Priced under million, its entry-level 56 brings a new echelon of affordability to Hatteras ownership. But the yachts still provide the same Hatteras solid-fiberglass construction and elegant interiors that are built for tough offshore running. 

The 56’s 18-foot beam gives it as much interior space as yachts in the 65-foot range. The wood-clad interior, including a 130-square-foot full-beam master suite and separate VIP quarters, provides lavish comfort for cruising, while the twin 705hp Cummins diesel engines gives it a range of 300 miles at 18 knots. It reaches a very respectable end of 21 knots. “This yacht allows entrance into the Hatteras family and will appeal to boaters in waters like the Great Lakes or Northern Europe,” says Keri Theophilus, president of the Hatteras Collection. Theophilus says the 56 will remain the baby of the Hatteras fleet: “We won’t build boats smaller than this.” (252.633.3101, www.hatterasyachts.com)

 —Michael Verdon

The new 163-foot Casino Royale, unveiled in July, pushed the Christensen shipyard to its limits. “The boat’s owners have thirty-plus years of experience building different yachts,” said Joe Foggia, Christensen president. “Their requests pushed us in many new creative directions.”

Casino Royale’s 6,900 square feet of interior space is a masterpiece of interwoven wood and stone, with Sapele mahogany raised-panel joinery and custom marble and granite work defining the salon and dining areas. The master stateroom also has the beautiful woodwork with intricate marble wainscoting. The spiral staircase of the entryway features sexy Bond-girl silhouettes etched into frosted panes of glass, and an intricately carved sculpture of a roulette wheel, made of petrified wood and stone, completes the Bond motif.  The yacht, which has a transatlantic range of 4,500 miles, will be on display at this year’s Fort Lauderdale, Florida, boat show. (www.christensenyachts.com)

—Michael Verdon

Haute couture will soon become part of one of the racing world’s most famous luxury yachts:  Bespoke yacht broker Weyves Yachts has sealed a partnership with fashion and perfume designer Thierry Mugler to create a custom interior for the world’s fastest yacht. The 112-foot Gentry Eagle, built by racing legend Tom Gentry, broke the record for fastest transatlantic crossing in 1989, shattering the previous record by Virgin tycoon Richard Branson.

The Gentry Eagle design project is one of several upcoming ventures between Weyves Yachts and Agent de Luxe, a fashion-design agency run by Donald Potard, who spent 25 years as president of Jean Paul Gaultier. Enlisting a fashion designer to redesign a yacht is not a standard decorating move, but Potard believes it is the sign of a new generation. “Fashion designers are more than just clothing designers today,” says Potard, “they influence a lifestyle.”

“Yacht owners are using their vessels as places to entertain, and they want to express their personal style,” Potard said. Mugler’s redesign will stay true to the original owner’s sense of style but will incorporate Mugler’s uniquely glamorous touch. “Crystal, chandeliers, metals―the interior will have a distinctly ‘Mugler-esque’ feel,” Potard said. Mugler drew inspiration from films like Barbarella and the Star Trek series to create the futuristic interior as an homage to Gentry’s favorite films.

The million redesign is expected to be completed by October 2009, and the yacht is estimated to sell for about million. (na@weyvesyachts.com).

—Alexandra Foster

The first DeBirs 100 Sports Yacht, launched at Cannes in early September, gained instant fanfare for the shipyard based in Alexandria, Egypt. The DeBirs name is actually a highly respected Dutch yard that was reestablished by a group of European yacht designers and American executives from the aviation industry. The plan was to introduce advanced aviation engineering to the yacht-building world, while also taking advantage of Alexandria’s skilled, but relatively inexpensive pool of boatbuilders.

The yacht is an engineering and aesthetic triumph for DeBirs, which has focused on smaller, more traditional-looking motoryachts. The profile has a sleek, Eurostyle look, reminiscent of sportyachts like Azimut S103 or the Riva 90 Duchessa. The Italtecnica/Arrabito-designed hull tops out at 28 knots with twin 2000-hp MTU engines. It’s also about 30 percent lower in price than similar style boats.

The modern interior, designed by Egg and Dart of Munich, also includes a voluminous space defined by light-colored woods, fabrics, and contemporary furnishings. The first 100 have a full-beam master stateroom, with vertical hullside windows that offer tremendous light, along with four other roomy, bright guest cabins. The 100 also has a mini-flybridge that does not compromise the sleek profile but provides extra space for socializing. It’s an impressive launch for a young yard that promises to carry on DeBirs’ good name.

—Michael Verdon

The first DeBirs 100 Sports Yacht, launched at Cannes in early September, gained instant fanfare for the shipyard based in Alexandria, Egypt. The DeBirs name is actually a highly respected Dutch yard that was reestablished by a group of European yacht designers and American executives from the aviation industry. The plan was to introduce advanced aviation engineering to the yacht-building world, while also taking advantage of Alexandria’s skilled, but relatively inexpensive pool of boatbuilders.

The yacht is an engineering and aesthetic triumph for DeBirs, which has focused on smaller, more traditional-looking motoryachts. The profile has a sleek, Eurostyle look, reminiscent of sportyachts like Azimut S103 or the Riva 90 Duchessa. The Italtecnica/Arrabito-designed hull tops out at 28 knots with twin 2000-hp MTU engines. It’s also about 30 percent lower in price than similar style boats.

The modern interior, designed by Egg and Dart of Munich, also includes a voluminous space defined by light-colored woods, fabrics, and contemporary furnishings. The first 100 have a full-beam master stateroom, with vertical hullside windows that offer tremendous light, along with four other roomy, bright guest cabins. The 100 also has a mini-flybridge that does not compromise the sleek profile but provides extra space for socializing. It’s an impressive launch for a young yard that promises to carry on DeBirs’ good name.

—Michael Verdon

The sleeker, more contemporary Custom Line 112 NEXT is a significant departure from the Italian shipyard’s previous-generation 112. Launched at the Monaco yacht show in September, the stylish new design, with its banks of curved windows that bathe the interior with natural light, has been super-sized both externally and internally.

The 112 NEXT was codesigned by Studio Zuccon International and Ferretti’s Advanced Yacht Technology division. They employed a super-sizing effect with a spacious 237-square-foot cockpit, an expansive 485-square-foot salon, and a 110-square-foot gourmet galley. At the same time, Zuccon also infused the interior with tremendous warmth, keeping the floor plans as open as possible and blending American walnut paneling and off-white fabrics with contemporary furnishings. The full-beam master suite has a private bathroom, Jacuzzi, and open-view windows.

Custom Line also designed a feeling of openness into the yacht’s flybridge with an enormous sunning area featuring oversize sun beds, barbecue, and Jacuzzi, and the extra-large hardtop gives provides added shade. With its twin 2,775-hp MTU engines, the 112 NEXT cruises at 23 knots and reaches an impressive 26 knots. It is also built to MCA standards for chartering. Custom Line incorporates a high-tech gyro-stabilization system that reduces roll by up to 50 percent, making life on board significantly more comfortable. (www.customline-yacht.com)

—Michael Verdon

 

Apreamare’s new 82 Maestro combines the nautical heritage of the 150-year-old shipyard with a modern Italian interior. Unveiled at the Cannes boat show in September, the Italian shipyard maintained a classic-looking, expedition-style exterior while inside it’s designed with a surprising sense of openness achieved with details such as a picture window in the master suite and sleek, off-white furnishings.

Depending on engine choice, the blue-water hull can deliver a top end of 31 knots and cruising range of 400 nautical miles. It’s a yacht that is designed for ocean running but is faster than many other explorer yachts in its class.  In addition to spacious interiors, the designers also maximized the exterior three decks: The bridge has three lounges, sun platform, Jacuzzi, and wet bar, while the teak-laden cockpit area below is a good spot for al fresco dining. The new Maestro series will include 51 and 65 models. (www.apreamare.it)

—Michael Verdon

Imagine a charming yet modern villa with space for 20―but it’s at sea. The Altura 840 is the latest long-distance cruiser from Ferretti Yachts. She has a sleek hull with large windows in both the salon and cabins below and expansive flybridge with a sizable sunroof in the hardtop. The enormous bow area features a lounge, table, and twin king-size sun beds. The rear cockpit provides outdoor shelter in inclement weather and al fresco dining. Inside, the main salon, outfitted with cherrywood walls and cabinetry, features a panoramic 360-degree view. Below, the owner’s suite at the rear has a separate, private entrance from the other five staterooms, and all benefit from an abundance of natural light from the oversize windows.

The 840’s designers gave her significantly more internal space than competitive yachts, and comfort levels are increased even more dramatically by standard-issue ARG stabilizers that reduce roll by 50 percent. This yacht will likely set a new standard for others to follow. (www.ferretti-yachts.com)

 —Michael Verdon

The Monaco-based Wally yacht company is best known for its futuristic, some would say quasi-militaristic, designs. The Wally 118, for instance, looks like a yacht out of a science fiction movie. Its new 64 Wallypower yacht shares the same ramrod-straight lines and unusual angles as its larger sister ships, but the blue-hulled boat, with its expansive teak decks, is friendlier looking.

Beyond the sci-fi exterior and minimalist interior, Wally designed the yacht with a large volume of interior space, good sea-keeping abilities in the hull, and a potential top end of 50 knots. The unique shape of the 64 creates wider deck spaces than similar-size boats but still allows for exceptional performance. The yacht offers three interior layout options, including two- and three-cabin versions, each with en suite bathrooms. Owners also have the option of customizing the 64 with specific hull colors, leather decor, and handcrafted finishes for the galley and joinery. Wally even offers different overarching themes for easy styling of the 64, for owners who don’t want to bother with a laundry list of options. (www.wally.com, 011.377.93100093)

—Michael Verdon