The Charter Connection Blog

The owner of Victorian Rose (ex Idyl) has spent the last 8 years rebuilding this beautiful 1963 Burger. He is a cabinet maker and his love of fine craftsmanship and beautiful woodwork shows everywhere. Furthermore, at 63 feet and carrying just 4 guests, she is very affordable.

The lovely traditional master cabin is aft and has a queen size bed. The head is en-suite (the door arrangement is a little tricky). The second cabin is quite a bit smaller but very comfortable, with twin beds and a private head across the passageway.

We liked the way the whole aft deck salon could be opened up in nice weather and the open feel looking forward through the wheelhouse. The exposed galley and a second sitting/dining area are just ahead of the helm, down a couple of steps. For those that like more sun, there is a full flybridge, and flat decks with a settee forward.

This is a great choice for both New England and warmer climates. In cooler weather, guests can enjoy beautiful views in sheltered comfort, yet the whole aft deck can be air conditioned or open to the fresh air.

The crew are well known in the industry. Captain Bob Davidson has run a variety of sailboats and catamarans. Sharon Munroe is an excellent chef. She has taken several Cordon Bleu classes and can cook in a wide variety of styles, including Mexican, Italian, Thai, and Indian. She enjoys creating a dinner from a different culture every night. Before living on a boat for the past 15 years, she owned a hair salon. She and Bob have been together since 1989.

At $13,000 per week, plus expenses, we feel this boat is good value.

We would be happy to tell you more. Email us, call us (800 621 7855) or visit the Ed Hamilton & Co site and tell us about your plans.

At the end of Lynne’s excellent article on how to access the internet, rent cellphones and connect iPods, we asked for a vote on how important these items are to charter guests. The results are interesting.

Responses are still coming in, but the surprise so far is how many people feel they don’t need an internet connection (currently 44%). True, many cruising grounds have plenty of internet cafes, but we find a wi-fi connection on a boat pretty useful (but then we’re not normally on vacation!).

iPods are of course incredibly popular and make a lot of sense, but we were surprised by how many people said it was a feature they actively looked for when choosing a boat (currently 68%). This is a pretty strong message to the remaining crewed boats that still do not offer iPod docks, particularly as they are so easy to install.

Take a look at the full results, plus the comments many readers have added. You can also see the results from other surveys we have featured in previous newsletters, and by clicking on the titles, you can add your own vote for any past survey that interests you. For more great articles on both bareboat and crewed yacht charters, check out this month’s newsletter.

The photograph shows how easy it is to view Ed Hamilton & Co ’s website on your iPhone, even in The Caribbean!

Ask any cruising sailor from the 70’s and 80’s about a Bowman - they were one of the great world cruisers we all dreamed of owning back then. ‘Elysian’ is an 84′ Bowman, built in 1984 and in great condition for her year. Owners have thankfully resisted the temptation of changing her 80’s styling below, which is a combination of metal and fine woodwork that was fashionable at that time. This is an incredibly strong boat, built to cruise any ocean at respectable speeds. Typical of most private cruising boats, there’s a fine master cabin with a centerline queen berth, a settee and plenty of storage for the owner. The other two cabins are smaller, one with a double berth and one with over/under singles (the top bunk is smaller than the lower). Each cabin has an en-suite head.

The salon is attractive, with red accents, a large table for formal dining and a periwinkle ultrasuede settee that comfortably seats six. There is air conditioning throughout the boat. The spacious cockpit is particularly comfortable, with large, royal blue settees and nice cushions. There is a table for outside dining and the large bimini provides ample shade. Her teak decks, nice sun mats forward and sundeck on top of the pilothouse, provide additional space for lounging. Elysian offers scuba diving for those certified.

She will be cruising New England this summer, from Newport to Maine. She is not as flashy as some more modern yachts, but for someone who values the fine sea keeping qualities of a great cruising design, this might be a perfect choice for cruising this area. She’ll fit right in with the lovely traditional yachts that congregate here in the summer.

Regular readers will know we try to pick specials that we find interesting rather than quote every special that comes along (see our crewed and bareboat specials pages if you need the full list). Her regular rate is $20,000 plus expenses. At $12,000 plus expenses she’s a steal, but you need to book her before June 1st to get that price!

We are based on the Maine Coast and know New England well. If you are planning on chartering in this area, call us at 800 621 7855, email us, or contact us through the Ed Hamilton & Co site, and tell us about your plans. We can offer you a wide range of yachts, from smaller crewed sailing charters to the largest luxury motor yachts.

Texas Star, a popular powerboat based in Tortola, in The British Virgin Islands, has announced a low price for charters taken by August 1st. At $29,000 per week, plus expenses, she offers incredible value for this size of boat and standard of service. Unlike many boats of this type, she has 5 cabins so can accommodate up to 10 guests, making her ideal (and economical) for a larger group. This yacht normally charters for $53,500 inclusive for 10 guests.

She is decorated in an African Colonial style with walnut veneer and black trim. Her main deck master cabin is airy and has a queen size bed and en-suite head. Her VIP cabin immediately below it is very similar and just as nice. There are two additional double cabins and one twin cabin. Her spacious salon has large settees and a dining area. Her flybridge has a nice bar and seating area and there is also a bar on the aft deck.

She also has an exceptional crew. Marco and Robin have done some excellent charters for us and are ideally suited to this yacht. Very professional, yet with a relaxed air that guests enjoy, they will appeal to a wide range of families, couples or business charters.

If you would like to take advantage of this great opportunity or would like information on other luxury motor yacht charters, call us at 800 621 7855, email us, or contact us through the Ed Hamilton & Co site, and tell us about your plans.

‘The Big Kat’, a 78 foot Hatteras will be in The Bahamas in March and is offering 25% off her regular rate for charters starting soon after March 21st. She won’t be in The Bahamas long, but this is a great opportunity to save on both the charter fee and delivery costs.

She can accommodate 6 guests in 3 cabins, and offers scuba diving.
The discounted price is $12,500, plus expenses, for 7 nights.

If you think you might be able to take advantage of this great offer and would like more information, call us at 800 621 7855, email us, or contact us through the Ed Hamilton & Co site, and tell us about your plans.

Virgin Traders, the popular crewed and bareboat charter company, is offering free flights from San Juan or Antigua when 6 or 8 guests charter one of their boats in Tortola. As we mentioned in a previous post, they have an arrangement with the charter airline, Del Airways. The charter has to be booked this month (January), for a charter in April and represents a saving of roughly $333 a person. Virgin Traders offers a full range of motoryachts from bareboat power boats to midrange luxury motor yacht charters.

If you think you might be able to take advantage of this great special, call us today at 800 621 7855, email us, or contact us through the Ed Hamilton & Co site, and tell us about your plans.

Following on from our last post, Virgin Traders, which offers luxury motor yacht charters and bareboat power boats in The British Virgin Islands and elsewhere, has announced an alliance with Del Airways. With the cutback of flights this season, several Caribbean yacht charter companies are looking into alternatives. Using a local air charter service, particularly for the short inter-island flights, makes a lot of sense. Virgin Traders has taken this concept one step further. The new service will start in January.

Charter flights are generally slightly more expensive than a scheduled flight but if your party fills the plane, the difference can be minimal. On the plus side, you get personal attention, a slightly more flexible schedule and a direct flight to your destination. Everyone in the party should be made aware that these are small planes, but unless you are very tall or don’t enjoy flying, they are comfortable and are a great way to get to your charter yacht in style.

As always, we are happy to help you with all aspects of your yacht charter, so don’t hesitate to email us, or call Ed Hamilton & Co at 800 621 7855.

New Year and Christmas have been heavily booked for months and some of the larger Catamarans have been sold out for a year, but we do have some nice options open, particularly in the $4-5,000 per person, per week range.

One of the more popular 80′ monohulls is still open in The British Virgin Islands for a party of 6.

The 76′, 10 passenger catamaran Zingara is one of the most luxurious charter yachts of her type available anywhere. Her holiday charter, which was booked months ago, had to cancel this week. She is open for Christmas but already has a tentative booking for New Year, which we can challenge if you can move quickly! They don’t get much better than this.

The 67′ Catamaran Marmot has also had a cancellation. She has four cabins but is really more comfortable for just six guests.

Smaller and mid-size sailboats are tougher to find, although there are more monohulls than cats available. The cost of flights over the holidays becomes more of an issue and they are difficult to get. If you missed out this year, you might want to think about booking for next year. You might be surprised by how many savvy charterers already have!

The owners of larger luxury Motor Yachts often announce their holiday charter plans much closer to the season, so availability is currently much better than for crewed sailing charters, but of course prices are considerably higher. Most are based in St. Martin or Antigua.

If you are considering a last minute Holiday Charter, don’t wait. Call us at 800 621 7855, email us, or contact us through the Ed Hamilton & Co site, and tell us about your plans.