The nearby island of Gozo has a delightful marina and is well worth a visit.

Malta has been called the gateway to the Mediterranean, and throughout modern and ancient history, its location has given it great strategic importance. For thousands of years, Malta has been the outpost between the East, Africa and Europe. The Knights of St.John were responsible for the construction of the magnificent bastions that successfully protected Malta from the Turkish invasion of 1565. If Malta had fallen, the Ottoman Empire would have gained a beachhead on which to attack Rome, drastically changing the way Europe is today.

Malta gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1964, but its people still speak English as a main language, alongside Maltese, which is a fusion of Arabic, Greek, French and Italian. Malta’s location and amenities form an ideal base for cruising in the Mediterranean and further afield through the Greek Islands and Turkey. Besides having excellent marinas, Malta has world-class yacht maintenance facilities and highly experienced maritime engineers.

Restaurants

The quaint cafés and wine bars of Valetta provide stunning vistas of Malta’s Grand Harbour. Some of the best restaurants are tucked away in the back streets. Rampila has an enchanting tunnel dining room with a fully domed 16th Century stone ceiling. The main dining area is complimented by a snug wine bar and a beautiful terrace.

Hidden away in another back street is Cordial Restaurant. The patron is Cyrille Darras, described as one of the best chefs in Malta. The restaurant itself is a simple room with rustic furniture and ornaments, but the cuisine is absolutely fantastic; tournedos rossini, foie gras and chateaubriand are specialties and there is also an extensive array of dishes combining French cuisine with traditional recipes.

With its chic cafes and restaurants, Grand Harbour Marina is arguably the trendiest place to moor in Malta.

Marinas

There are substantial and extensive marina facilities in both Grand Harbour and Marsamxett Harbour for leisure boats of all sizes, including superyachts. There is no large commercial shipping in these locations, as the Malta Freeport is located at Marsaxlokk Bay on the southeastern tip of the island. The island of Gozo also has a delightful marina and is well worth a visit.

Grand Harbour Marina is owned and run by Camper & Nicholsons with marina berths for yachts and superyachts up to 100m. Luxury facilities with well-sheltered moorings make this a very sought-after location. Depth is not an issue and the location offers unrivalled views of Valetta and the 16th Century battlements. With its chic cafes and restaurants, Grand Harbour Marina is arguably the trendiest place to moor in Malta.

The Portomaso Marina in Grand Harbour has three basins. The North Basin handles small craft and water sports vehicles, the South basin accommodates sailing boats up to 16 metres, and the West Basin can moor motor cruisers up to 16 metres. Some larger craft can be accommodated quayside at the inner fairway. Mooring assistance is constantly provided on the quayside and security is present around the whole perimeter.

The 720 berth Msida and Ta’ Xbiex Marina is Malta’s largest pleasure boat marina and can handle yachts of up to 22m in length. It has a convenient central location and is well sheltered from virtually any wind direction. The marina is extremely secure with locking gangways, and there is ample parking. There is no clubhouse or washing room facilities on site, but the neighbouring Royal Malta Yacht Club has fantastic facilities.

The Royal Malta Yacht Club is a private club but it does have reciprocal agreements with a myriad of clubs all over the world. The club moved to its present location in 2009. It is a purpose-built facility with excellent new moorings, a vibrant bar and restaurant, and a terrace with stunning views. There is a dinghy hard stand together with modern washing and changing room facilities.

To describe the Royal Malta Yacht Club as effervescent would be no understatement. This is not a stuffy gentleman’s club but a highly active sports club with an energetic approach. The club host yacht racing all year round but the highlight of the season is the Rolex Middle Sea Race, which is considered one of the most prestigious 600-mile yacht races in the world. This race around Sicily takes place in late October and attracts an international fleet of ocean racing yachts from all over the world. This year’s race was won by a Maltese entry and the victory celebrations were extensive.

Malta is also well known for its scuba diving. The Blue Grotto is especially popular; here a natural systems of caverns mirror the brilliant phosphorescent colours of the underwater flora. The Blue Grotto can be reached by boat from Wied iz-Zurrieq in the south of the island. The scenery around this area is breathtaking; cliffs rise out of the blue Mediterranean and the froth of the waves as they hit the rock face is truly spectacular.

Malta has so much to offer the visitor, but perhaps this little island’s best treasure is one that is often overlooked: the Maltese people. Passionate about their home and energetic and eager to show it off, the people are incredibly enthusiastic and take great pleasure in making sure that visitors to their island leave with a good reason to return.

—Louay Habib

The charter yacht Snowbird has all the toys for an enjoyable vacation—and is currently on offer at a 20 percent discount.

Fraser Yachts Worldwide tried to sound scientific about the situation when it reported last month that the supply of charter yachts continues to outweigh demand. The outcome of that equation is of course that charter yachts are booking fewer weeks, and that clients are continuing to put pressure on negotiated rates.

A more vivid look at that concept in practice came through recently from Edmiston and Company, which sent out an e-blast advertising discounts of as much as 30 percent aboard the charter yachts in its fleet. The list of yachts was nearly two dozen strong and included some of the newer megayachts that absolutely wowed the industry at a recent charter yacht show in Europe, including the brand-new, 127-foot Hakvoort Snowbird (now being offered at a 20-percent discount).

What’s more, the discounts being advertised by Edmiston paled in comparison to a notice that was sent worldwide a few days earlier by Ocean Independence, which controls the second-largest fleet of crewed charter yachts in the world. That company is currently promoting a discount of fully 50 percent for a two-week charter aboard the 131-foot CRN motoryacht Aqualibrium in the South of France.

While such large discounts have been quietly negotiated for several years now, the sheer volume of them being publicly advertised is noteworthy—even more so because the volume is being turned up during what has, traditionally, been a top month for charter bookings in the Mediterranean. August in the South of France has long been a time and location where charter yachts book first, at the highest prices, and as far in advance as an entire year. That so many top-quality yachts are now being advertised in the Western Mediterranean at large discounts would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. It’s like a florist advertising half-off red roses the day before Valentine’s Day, when people have historically wanted the product the most.

And, remember, these are the discounts that are being stated publicly. Back-room negotiations are taking place every day, with some management companies, including OceanStyle and Primo Yacht, telling brokers to simply “bring offers” from clients who want to charter a particular yacht.

Charter broker Katie Wray of International Yacht Collection told me recently that most yacht owners are willing to negotiate a deal, even if it’s a great one for the client.

“I try to find a handful of yachts that I think actually match the client’s requirements,” she says, “and then I ask the client to rank them in order of preference so that I can negotiate deals one at a time. Usually, if we are reasonable nowadays, we can get the client’s first choice.”

With the current machinations of the global financial sector still playing out, it’s quite possible that the trend in heavy discounting will continue into the winter 2011-12 season in the Caribbean. Yes, it’s the prime of summer now, but Christmas is just four months away—and megayacht charter clients may very well see discounts continuing to fall from the sky like snowflakes.

Yachts of physical stature are in demand during Monaco's Grand Prix, for viewing the race on the roads and on big screens.

The unofficial start of each summer’s charter season in the South of France is marked by two events: the Cannes Film Festival and the Monaco Grand Prix. Many of the world’s largest, newest, and most luxurious yachts are booked as much as a year in advance for these events. The yachts themselves are often the stars that people crane their necks to see, with each boat offering yet another glimpse into the glitterati lifestyle.

For the Cannes Film Festival, charter clients look for megayachts with the expansive deck space ideal for dockside parties. Red carpets lead Hollywood stars and movie moguls to the aft decks, and parties celebrating the newest movies rage on sundecks well into the wee hours. Great party yachts are also in high demand for the Monaco Grand Prix, but so are yachts of physical stature that tower high above all the rest. Sundecks aboard these most mega of megayachts provide an excellent platform for viewing the Formula 1 race through the local streets, as well as on the projection screens along the marina quay.

Once the Cannes and Monaco events are over, the summer charter season goes into full swing. Megayachts typically command their highest weekly rates of the year when charter demand peaks during the “high season” months of July and August along the Côte d’Azur. Lower rates are usually offered during June and September, when availability is better because families with children stay close to home and school.

Nice is steeped in history, and ancient buildings stand overlooking the cafes and white sand beaches.

Popular ports of call along the Mediterranean Milk Run include not just Cannes and Monaco, but also St. Tropez, Nice, and Antibes. At all of these ports, the marinas fill quickly during the summer months and reservations must be made far in advance. Often, the availability of a marina slip in a given city can dictate the itinerary of a charter.

St. Tropez is known for its glitz and glamour, with beaches that are the playgrounds of millionaires and billionaires alike. Shops and restaurants in St. Tropez offer fineries from around the world, with everything from huge diamonds to cutting-edge fashion to culinary delicacies. The most yachting-minded of the jet set visit St. Tropez each October for the Les Voiles de St. Tropez regatta, which marks the unofficial end of the Mediterranean season. It draws classic sailing yachts as well as fast new racers, along with comfortable megayachts from which spectators can watch.

Nice is steeped in history, all the way back to the Greek inhabitants who lived there as long ago as the 300s BCE. Cathedrals, museums, and palaces that have withstood centuries still line the city’s streets, offering fantastic backdrops to the white, sandy beach along the sea. Charter clients who go ashore to wander the cobblestone alleys will find everything from silk shops to olive oil importers, along with some of the finest organic produce in all of Europe. Many charter yacht chefs say Nice is their favorite stop on the Côte d’Azur because of the morning market that stretches farther than the human eye can see.

Antibes draws such large megayachts to its port that an entire dock goes by the nickname “Billionaire’s Row.” A 100-foot yacht can look like a dinghy in Antibes, where 200-footers, 300-footers, and even their big sisters regularly drop anchor and tie up. The historic Hotel du Cap-Eden Roc is here, too, a spot so exclusive that its clientele over the years has included everyone from Winston Churchill to Elizabeth Taylor. A more elegant place to go ashore and have lunch would be difficult to find on any charter itinerary, anywhere in the world.

Most yacht charter vacations along the Mediterranean Milk Run are for one week, but two- and three-week itineraries are also available. They can include stops at local golf courses, day spas, and casinos, as well as getaways of a few days to the rustic island of Corsica. For the vast majority of charter clients, though, it is the glitz and glamour of the Côte d’Azur that makes a charter in the region so memorable. The place is as much about looking around as it is about seeing and being seen yourself.

View yachts for charter in France

The Western Mediterranean is the most popular yacht charter destination in the world. Right now, escalating piracy stands between this marina in Monaco and some megayachts that want to get here from the Indian Ocean in time for the summer season.

The danger zone for boaters, according to the USCG notice, now runs from the coast of Somalia into the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea, south to the Mozambique Channel, and east to the coast of India. It is a region, as The Washington Post put it, as vast as the continental United States.

It is not news to the megayacht industry that piracy is a problem in this region. Many captains and fleet managers tell the story of the 210-foot Perini Navi Felicita West, which tried to make her way from the Mediterranean to the Seychelles for last winter’s charter season, but had to turn back at the Gulf of Aden because of escalating piracy concerns. A number of captains who moved megayachts through the same waters for the current charter season sailed in convoys with specially trained security teams onboard.

Now, with piracy fears escalating, some megayacht captains in the Indian Ocean are thinking about how, or even if, they will be able to return this summer to the Mediterranean—the most popular charter location in the world. It’s the place where about 70 percent of luxury yacht charters take place each year.

Make no mistake: Big money is on the line. Megayachts that have been operating in the Indian Ocean this winter include the 211-foot Benetti Silver Angel, the 196-foot CMN Cloud 9, and the 184-foot Perini Navi Panthalassa, all of which are part of the charter fleet at Camper and Nicholsons International. Just those three yachts, when their weekly base rates are combined, bring in €965,000 a week in charter fees in the Mediterranean. That’s $1.34 million a week at current exchange rates, and charter yachts of their caliber tend to do at least three or four weeks of charter in the Mediterranean each summer.

Captains of course are not tipping their hands about specific future plans—there’s no need to let the pirates know when the yachts might try to move again—but charter managers are well aware that marketing adjustments might need to be made if piracy continues to escalate in advance of the upcoming Mediterranean season.

“I think, overall, the megayachts that are already in the Indian Ocean right now are scared to leave—period,” said Shawn Laird, charter fleet manager with Northrop and Johnson. “I was just talking to someone the other day about all the yachts that will probably get stuck down there. The increase in piracy is totally shocking.”

It’s also an unfortunate experience in irony. More and more megayachts have just begun trying to use the Indian Ocean as their winter base these past couple of years, in response to decreasing charter demand in the Caribbean and Bahamas. As a leading broker from Burgess Yachts told me in December, with the global recession continuing to weigh heavy, “For yachts over 150 feet, this is the worst Caribbean season in the history of the charter industry.”

Now, the megayachts that have been trying to offset that winter-season fiscal problem with a new location appear to be at the mercy of a security problem that could drastically affect their summer season income, as well. The continuing recession, when combined with escalating piracy, could prove an insurmountable combination for some of the largest megayachts in the world.

Editor’s Note: Shortly after publication of this story, Soundings Trade Only published an interesting report on how cruising sailors are finding a different approach to transiting this area: “Dockwise Yacht Transport Offers Plans to Avoid Piracy”

No matter how big or fancy, a charter vacation will give you the ultimate in luxury - a choice of destinations.

And a charter vacation offers something more – the ability to cruise from one place to another at your leisure and discretion. Whether it is a decision about where to go, or stay, or about which wines and meals you take, the choice is completely up to you.

The first choice to make is where to go. Here’s a sampling of some destinations to consider, depending on the season you plan to travel and the cruising area you would like to visit.

Alaska/Pacific Northwest
From Vancouver up to the Glacier Bay National Park lies the Inside Passage, this is the most popular cruising destination in Alaska. Here you’ll find idyllic scenery and incredible wildlife, including whales, eagles and bears. For the more adventurous, head out into the North Pacific to visit Icy Bay before moving up to Prince William Sound and witnessing the huge ice face of the Columbia glacier calving enormous bergs of ice. High season: June-August.

Find a charter yacht in the Pacific Northwest

Galapagos Islands
Out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the Galapagos are a living laboratory of evolution where birds and animals have no fear of man. There is nothing else quite like these islands in the world. To quote their most famous visitor, Charles Darwin: “The natural history of this archipelago is very remarkable: it seems to be a little world within itself; the greater number of its inhabitants, both vegetable and animal, being found nowhere else.”

The ultimate way to enjoy the archipelago is by private yacht. Anchor in remote bays and, with a terrestrial and diving guide, explore the geology and wildlife on foot or the fascinating depths. Swim with the hammerheads, the marine iguanas and the penguins. High season: January to April.

View the Yachtworldcharters.com South America page

Bahamas
The Bahamas are renowned for rum punches and sparkling, turquoise water; plush resorts with golf courses, giant pools, spas and Vegas-type entertainment. But that’s just Nassau, only one of 700 islands that make up this island nation. The outer islands are laid back and unhurried, home to friendly locals, retired captains and sailors, old fishermen, and the artist seeking inspiration in incredible sunsets. High season: January-April.

Find a charter yacht in the Bahamas

A choice of wines and when and where to eat are completely up to you on a charter vacation.

Caribbean
The Caribbean island chain runs from the Grenadines in the south to the Windward and Leeward Islands (the northernmost of which is Anguilla), then west to the U.S. and British Virgin islands. The entire region is well known as a charter mecca thanks to crystal clear waters, white sand beaches, secluded rocky coves and lush green mountains. However, each island is subtly different. Small hops between islands allow a quick culture change between wild full moon parties and the sophistication of the exclusive resorts. High season: December – April

View the Yachtworldcharters.com Caribbean page

West Mediterranean
Legendary opulence and decadence are what this region is known for, but there are also secluded anchorages in which to escape the hustle and bustle. Monte-Carlo to Sicily, the Costa Esmeralda and Puerto Banus, south to the Amalfi coastline, the Western Mediterranean is unparalleled.

East Mediterranean
The world’s premier archipelago for cruising runs from Venice, the crown of the Adriatic, through the Croatian isles to the Grecian and Turkish Aegean archipelago, and on down the Turkish Dalaman coastline. An exotic mix of east meets west. High season: June – September

Find a charter yacht in the Mediterranean

Seychelles
Off the coast of Africa, the Seychelles are only truly appreciated when visited in the ultimate luxury of a yacht. A glorious tropical climate and warm turquoise waters caress the 115 diverse and tranquil islands, while a kaleidoscopic array of untouched forests, bird sanctuaries, exotic hideaways, virgin fishing grounds and spectacular diving sites entice all who visit. High season: June – August, but great weather year round.

Find a charter yacht in the Seychelles

Islands are only truly appreciated when viewed from the ultimate luxury of a yacht.

Mauritius – Rodriguez – Reunion
Uninhabited until the seventeenth century, the varied scenery of Mauritius belies its small area. Lofty forested mountain peaks overlook undulating fields of sugar cane, all encompassed by fantastic coastal scenery of powdery white sand beaches and spectacular blue lagoons.

A full day’s steaming east of Mauritius is the island of Rodrigues. The white sand beaches, little turquoise blue creeks and small islands dotted around seem to spring from the Robinson Crusoe story. With over 100 square miles of lagoon, littered with small islets and a rich Creole culture, Rodrigues remains curiously unknown.
The largest of the island group, Reunion is also rich in French Creole culture, although there are relatively few beaches and no fringe reef or lagoon. The island offers spectacular sights for the more adventurous: breathtaking scenery, sometimes likened to the Himalayas in the tropics, harbours the most active volcano in the Indian Ocean. High season: November till April, but good weather year round.

Find a charter yacht in Mauritius

Thailand
Ruins, temples and deserted cities, idyllic islands and palm-fringed beaches are Thailand’s stock in trade. The most popular islands are Phuket, Ko Samui (off southeastern Thailand), and Phi Phi. Perhaps first among the boating attractions of the Andaman Sea, however, is Phang Nga Bay, famed for the stunning sea-mountains that rise vertically out of calm, turquoise waters. This staggeringly beautiful scenery continues around the coastline to Krabi where some of the most attractive beaches in the world can be found. High season: November-April

Find a charter yacht in Thailand

With a huge array of water toys at your disposal, a charter vacation can be fun for the whole family.

Australia
The underwater paradise of the Great Barrier Reef stretches 1,500km of atolls, barrier and ribbon reefs from Bundaberg in Queensland to Papua New Guinea. Most charters are based at the Marlin Marina in Cairns, or further south at Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays. Snorkelling, scuba diving and fishing are prime pastimes in the October-December season, as well as angling local rivers for succulent barramundi.

The Kimberley Coast of northwest Australia offers huge red canyons and rock paintings dating back 50,000 years. Other popular charter locations include Sydney’s Gold Coast, the “apple isle” of Tasmania, offshore Norfolk Island, and spectacular New Zealand across the Tasman Sea. High season: April – October

Find a charter yacht in Australia

French Polynesia
From the remote ruggedness of the Marquesa Islands to the cosmopolitan society Islands of Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora and Raiatea, French Polynesia has something for everyone. The low coral atolls of Rangiroa, Toau and Apataki in the Touamotu Islands offer spectacular diving and snorkelling. Tranquility and hospitality are found all across these islands, which are called the Friendly Islands. High season: September to January

More information about charter in French Polynesia can be found on the Yachtworldcharters.com Oceania page.

Turkey offers gulet charters literally within sight of the Greek Isles, and often at prices that are an absolute steal.

Greece has long received the most attention from boaters who dream of cruising in the Eastern Mediterranean. Rhodes, Mykonos, and Crete are legendary, must-visit islands in many sailors’ minds. Far fewer people have heard of the ports in Bodrum, Marmaris, and Gocek, which are the main stops on the “milk run” along neighboring Turkey’s southwestern coast. It’s a shame, really, because Turkey offers just as much history, culture, and beauty as Greece—sometimes literally within sight of the Greek Isles, and often at prices that are an absolute steal.

The gulet (properly pronounced gooh-LET) is the type of boat most readily available for crewed charter in Turkey. Today’s gulets are modern adaptations of the slow, stable, wide-beamed sailboats that moved goods among Turkey’s cities before the invention of trains, trucks, and airplanes. The newest of these wooden motorsailers are far from being high-performance sailing yachts, but they are beloved because they rival some motoryachts in terms of roominess and ease of motion. Just as sailing catamarans make great yachts for first-time visitors to the Virgin Islands, gulets are ideal for cruising the Turkish coast.

And in many cases today, gulets are an exceptional crewed charter value. While you could easily pay about €26,000 for a week aboard a top-quality, 98-foot gulet taking 10 guests in Greece, a similar investment can often get you a 118-foot yacht—meaning way more interior and on-deck space—for those same 10 guests in Turkey. These boats may literally be docked across a few miles of water from one another, with one in Greece’s Dodecanese chain and the other on Turkey’s coast, both well within cruising reach of the ancient ruins, local bazaars, and cultural heritage that make chartering in this region so memorable.

The one must-heed piece of advice I can give for booking a gulet in Turkey—based on several trips I have made to the region myself—is to work with a broker who has been aboard the local gulets within the past 12 months. Industry experts are invited each summer to Marmaris to inspect the boats, some of which deteriorate rapidly from one year to the next. It’s important that you have current information about maintenance and upkeep before selecting a gulet in Turkey.

California-based Beverly Parsons at Interpac Yachts has attended the Marmaris show all but one year since 1983. Missy Johnston at the Newport office of Northrop and Johnson Worldwide Yacht Charters makes a point of personally cruising the various Turkish itineraries before or after the boat show each year. Both of them recently cruised for several days onboard a gulet with me, and I not only found their knowledge bases strong, but also their personal love for the region absolutely enchanting.

Editor’s Note: For charter listings in Turkey, visit the Yachtworldcharters.com Turkey destination page. For more information about gulets, visit the YachtWorldCharters.com Gulet Charter page.

Day One of the Genoa Charter Yacht Show has drawn to a close, with the onboard dinners finishing up as the clock here in Italy ticks past midnight. I’m just back from seven courses including a fantastic mango-coconut soup aboard the newly renovated 114-foot motoryacht 5 Fishes (more on her in the weeks to come), and am digesting not just my midnight meal but also the various bits of news that I was able to unearth here on the docks today.

In general, the brokers I spoke with all confirmed what I’ve been reporting for the past few months, that this year is better than last year for the crewed yacht charter industry, with some calling last year “catastrophic” and implying that just about anything would be an improvement. Phones are once again ringing and bookings are being made, but a good 80 percent of the brokers I interviewed today said that finalizing deals is more challenging than ever. Price negotiations continue to be common in all size ranges of charter yachts, and deals appear to be coming together closer to actual charter dates than in advance.

I did hear from two different yacht captains that they each had either serious inquiries or confirmed bookings for four- to five-week charters (single charters of at least a month), indicating that regular charter clients may be returning to the market after taking last summer off at the height of the global recession. I only heard this twice, which could just be a coincidence, but it struck me as noteworthy given how hard it has been for many boats to book even single weeks of charter in recent months.

The other news of interest on the docks here in Italy was about Greece, where the annual charter yacht show in Poros just ended. To a person, brokers who flew to Genoa from Poros all told me that they were highly impressed with the quality of the yachts they saw, with some brokers saying outright that after many years of improvement, some yachts in the Greek market are now on par with some of the finer yachts in the far more developed Western Mediterranean charter market.

However, that good news out of Greece was tempered by substantial confusion about the country’s continuing economic problems and what they will mean for charter rates this summer.

You may recall this blog post that I wrote in mid-March after multiple, reputable brokers in the Greek market confirmed that the government was going to raise the VAT (tax) that charter clients are obligated to pay. Today, I ran into Marie Molls, the Athens-based broker for Burgess Yachts, who told me that her company believes that information is inaccurate.

Molls, who is the Burgess authority on the Greek market, says that no new VAT will apply to charter clients, but that instead a new tax will apply to the owners of yachts that stay in Greek waters more than 60 days. “We are supposed to have these things in writing this month,” she told me, literally as news was flashing across my Blackberry about the European Union preparing a multibillion-euro bailout for the Greek economy, an obvious sign of continuing questions and concern.

I’ll continue trying to get to the bottom of that issue, which, according to all brokers I’ve consulted, can mean an expense of thousands of euro beyond what guests and owners are currently required to pay.

To view charter listings near Genoa, visit the Yachtworldcharters.com Mediterranean page.

According to the Synfo report, Linda Lou was en route to the Abu Dhabi Yacht Show with only crew aboard when several skiffs approached the yacht in a coordinated manner. Their approach caused enough alarm that the captain put female crew members into a “safe room” and contacted a nearby warship for assistance. The warship sent a helicopter, whose presence caused the skiffs to retreat. Nobody was hurt, and the yacht continued on course without further incident.

Whenever these types of articles appear in the media, I receive an influx of reader questions about pirates and the safety of yacht charter vacations. People thinking about charter for some reason believe that pirates attacking boats off the coast of Africa are a threat to safe boating vacations in Europe and the Caribbean.

The reality is that piracy in the part of the world where Linda Lou was traveling (a transit zone, not a popular charter destination) has only one thing to do with charter yacht vacations: It is making it harder for new destinations to develop.

Currently, the Mediterranean is the world’s premier charter locale. More yachts are typically available for charter in the Mediterranean than anyplace else. In order for these yachts to charter in new, emerging destinations during the “off season,” the yacht owners have to move the boats from the Mediterranean and through the Red Sea, following the same type of route that Linda Lou was on.

The more piracy that occurs along this transit route, the more reluctant owners become to put their yachts and crew in danger, and the fewer international-quality yachts become available for charter in the Middle East, the Indian Ocean, and Southeast Asia. You can see the problematic geography in the map above.

With all of this in mind, I hope that nobody considering a yacht charter vacation will be in any way dissuaded by the recent events involving Linda Lou. No charter clients were ever in danger, and the yacht was in a location that rarely, if ever, is offered as an actual charter destination.

I also hope that the governments of would-be charter hubs from the Seychelles to Thailand will begin to work together on this problem off the coast of Africa. The piracy is causing a disruption in the evolution of charter as a truly global industry, and it will require an international effort–as opposed to a few well-prepared yacht owners and captains–to create an ultimate solution.

“Ranger,” she said, “is becoming available for charter.”

If you don’t know your sailboat racing history, the original Ranger was launched in 1937 and went on to win many a race. In late 2003, her replica by the same name launched from a Danish shipyard. This new Ranger has all the spectacular lines and sophisticated looks of her namesake, but is a J Class yacht built around 136 feet of modern construction standards and amenities.

Avery really had my attention. And then she said eight more words that nearly had me dropping the phone: “The owner is also making his Trinity available.”

As it turns out, the owner of the modern Ranger sailing yacht also owns a 150-foot Trinity motoryacht called Vita. While Ranger has four guest cabins and three bathrooms for as many as 10 guests, Vita has five en suite cabins that can sleep a total of 12 guests. The owner likes to take his friends and family out racing by day aboard Ranger, and then have everyone return to Vita for an evening of ultimate onboard comfort.

“The owner wants charter guests to enjoy these yachts the same way that he does,” Avery told me. “These crews are accustomed to running in tandem. For anyone seeking that type of charter, it’s a great package.”

This is the first time Ranger has been offered for charter by her original owner, ever. Vita, which was known as Cakewalk until the current owner bought and renamed her in January 2007, has done some charters in the past. None, to my knowledge, were in tandem with a J Class sailing yacht, and especially not one with the same owner who is willing to offer a two-yacht discount.

“We are hoping some charter clients will want to try and buy,” Avery added. “The owner has a new project in mind, but he will not move forward on it unless these yachts sell. So the charter, in addition to being a good vacation opportunity, is also good exposure for the yachts.”

Vita‘s lowest weekly base rate in the Caribbean this winter is $170,000 for 10 to 12 guests, while Ranger‘s lowest weekly base rate $90,000 for eight to 10 guests. If you book a tandem charter with both yachts, the total weekly base rate is $210,000–a $50,000 price break overall for a possible total of 22 guests.

I’ve been invited for lunch aboard Vita and a sail aboard Ranger next month in Antigua, and of course will post all the juicy details for you here. I’m looking forward to seeing both yachts before they move next summer to the Mediterranean, where they will continue to charter until they sell.

The specifications are as astonishing as they are effective. At 64 metres (210 ft) the long waterline produces dynamic hull speed. At the same time, the ultra wide beam of 12.7 metres (42 ft) brings large internal volume and side decks where two people can walk side by side. This is a feat few motor yachts can achieve. She was the first 500 tonne aluminium sailing yacht to be MCA certified.

Sailing Felicita West is an amazing experience. 1,800 square metres of canvas automatically unfurl to propel her 650 tonnes. Five hundred sensors transmit data to the highly sophisticated software systems. Twenty-two joysticks at both flybridge and internal helm stations allow the sails to be trimmed to perfection. The power is staggering as oceans of sail curve and capture the wind. Fifteen knots is readily achievable but equally impressive is that only the gentlest of heeling actions is required to turn a full circle.

Aprés–sail, relax on any of three levels. The flybridge is so large that all twelve guests can sit, eat and talk in the sun or shade, surrounded by gleaming mast machinery. For sport, imagine big game fishing from two fighting chairs. A large swimming platform descends from the main deck with easy access into the water or onto the jet tenders. The most spectacular views are from the bow seat or a crow’s nest ‘lift’ that ascends 40 metres (131 ft) up the 60-metre main mast. Dining can take place in the shaded, sunken aft cockpit, where the crew magically transform the scene from informal breakfast through buffet lunch to a sumptuous dinner.

The English Country House style of the interior was designed for easy living. Colours and textures are warm and mellow, soft and comforting and over 70 tonnes of insulation virtually eliminate noise and vibration. The main saloon easily accommodates different groups, some to watch a film on the 52” plasma screen with surround sound, others playing cards or reading. The deep, cavernous sofas, high-backed armchairs, beautiful Lalique lighting, pale cherry cabinets – everything makes you feel so at ease. Space like this encourages the art of conversation.

The dining saloon and adjacent bar work well together or as separate areas. The main table can be laid for a formal dinner or set up for guests to come and go, mingling in the bar, moving outside, or watching a film or satellite television on the screen above the table. For aficionardos, the owner’s very special chess set awaits the first move.

The master suite is an astonishing 12.5 metres (41 ft) wide. Cherry panelling with inset night lighting, a king size bed facing a retractable large plasma screen, a sitting room (with a fold out treadmill) and white marble bathroom, complete this calm, quiet, retreat.

Other staterooms include two large doubles with queen size beds and two twins, all with additional pullman berths.

On Felicita West beauty and power integrate to perfection. With an experienced crew of twelve to look after the yacht and guests, anyone who charters the yacht will have an unparalleled experience, never to be forgotten.