After what has been an unquestionably challenging 12 to 18 months for the crewed yacht charter industry worldwide, I find it a real pleasure to hear news that indicates things might be looking up for 2010.
The Churchill office in Fort Lauderdale's Bahia Mar Resort and Marina.
Such was the case yesterday, when I received word from Churchill Yacht Partners and its Rikki Davis charter division that the company has signed a two-year lease extension to remain in the Bahia Mar Resort and Marina in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
What makes me so happy to hear this news is not just that I like and have learned to trust many of the people who work at Churchill, but that the company is showing this sign of stability in a down market while still being a relative newcomer in the industry. Other, larger charter agencies tout the fact that they have been in the yachting business for centuries, while Churchill has only existed since 2004.
The owner of the 116-foot Holland Jachtbouw sailing yacht Whisper started the company in Newport, Rhode Island, where it handled yacht charter as well as yacht sales. In July 2005, it acquired the longtime charter agency Rikki Davis Yachts, giving it instant credibility for top-dollar charter bookings. In March 2008, Churchill shuttered its sales division and stated it would focus exclusively on charter yacht management and retail bookings, with business apparently now strong enough to support the signing of a two-year lease for offices in a prime Fort Lauderdale location.
And the Churchill charter fleet continues to grow, too, most recently in November, when the company welcomed the the 67-foot Alloy sailing yacht Jewel. Churchill now markets more than a dozen yachts for charter, with the largest being the 121-foot Crescent motoryacht Olga and the 154-foot Perini Navi sailing yacht Andromeda la Dea.
Congratulations to Churchill on its lease extension. Here’s hoping that it’s a harbinger of more good news to come for 2010.
Tags: Bahia Mar Resort and Marina, Churchill Yacht Partners, Florida, Fort Lauderdale