Yachting March 2018

IT WAS LATE SUMMER, 2004. THE WEATHER WAS DETERIORATING quickly. Gray skies turned inky-black, and soon the wind switched from a moderate blow to an ominous torrent. Drops fell hard and fast. Our five-man crew couldn’t see more than 10 yards forward of, or abaft, the boat. Lightning flashed with a cadence that seemed to match the falling rain’s. It was the beginning of a tumultuous week that would end with a hurricane skirting the coast. Our crew sat on the bridge deck, peering through the downpour, trying to spot nearby vessels that blended into the sea of red that was our radar display. We picked our way through the tempest. Shortly after the lightning intensified in our area, we heard a crackling voice on the radio calling a pan-pan.…

TOY STORY Did you get a chance to see CRN’s latest 282-footer? She truly has room for all your water toys and tenders, from your go-fast boat to your sailboat. Head over to Yachting’s Facebook page to take a video tour of this fun-filled superyacht. GADGETS & GILHICKIES My favorite gadget was a 1-by-2-foot piece of wood long enough to reach into the bilge. The stick had a galvanized nail through it near the bottom (a hole for the nail was drilled to avoid splitting the wood). I reached down with the stick and used the nail to lift the float switch, to see if it was working. Easier on the back and a very quick test of the switch. READER FEEDBACK Looking for photos and yacht news? Get social…

WILEY SHARP SAYS THE BUYER approached him, of all places, on YouTube. “I have my own YouTube channel pertaining to my specialty area, which is catamaran sales, and I kept getting people asking me on YouTube if they could use cryptocurrency to buy a yacht,” the sales broker says. “After the third or fourth one, I decided I should learn what this is.” By cryptocurrency, this particular buyer meant bitcoin, which Sharp’s company, Denison Yachting, has accepted since December 2014. A recent spike in bitcoin value has left a lot of early adopters flush, and this one wanted to buy a 48-foot Leopard that Denison had listed for sale. “We told the sellers, ‘We’re going to make you an offer in bitcoin,’” Sharp says. “He’s old-school, he’s actually an ex-FBI…

01. THE ESSENCE OF STYLE The limited-edition Riva Lamp (about $2,200) is an evolution of the Aquariva Lamp, which was aboard the builder’s Aquarama, Tritone and Ariston models in the 1960s. The stem comes in mahogany or carbon fiber, and the base echoes the shape of a propeller. 02. THE EPITOME OF SMOOTH Only 74 bottles are being produced of Bowmore’s 1966 50 Years Old single-malt Scotch whisky ($30,000). Each comes in a Scottish oak case and crystal decanter. Expect bursts of lychee, pineapple and watermelon, developing into light floral notes and a dry finish. “NOW MORE THAN EVER, THE LUXURY CONSUMER IS LOOKING FOR AN EXPERIENCE. THEY DON’T WANT THE SAME SHOPPING EXPERIENCE THEY’VE SEEN BEFORE.” —ALLISON SAMEK, CEO, FRED SEGAL…

01. ARCADIA SHERPA The 60-foot Arcadia Sherpa made her U.S. debut at the Miami Yacht Show on Collins Avenue. All of those solar cells you can see in the photograph above generate enough power to run many of the yacht’s instruments and systems. When paired with the builder’s semiplaning hull and Volvo Penta IPS600 engines, Arcadia says, the setup results in “extremely low fuel consumption.” Arcadia also designed the Sherpa to keep air-conditioning bills low, with sky-lounge windows that lower from the hardtop, allowing ocean breezes to cool the deck on warm days. 02. SABRE 45 SALON EXPRESS This Down East design has two staterooms and two heads for weekends afloat. A utility space can hold laundry, a wine chiller or whatever owners want. 03. TIARA 38 LS She has…

JOE LEWIS WROTE HIS own formula for his Formula 233, Buena Vista. Among other customizations, he assembled best-of-breed electronics for his cruising and fishing needs, back when designer dashes were uncommon. He even had radar, something “seldom, if ever, included on a boat this size,” says Yachting’s March 1968 issue. Lewis’ radar was a Decca 101 with four ranges, unlike today’s digital units with greater capabilities. An Apelco automatic direction finder was attached to Buena Vista’s compass, and onboard communications were a 150-watt radiotelephone and six-channel radio. Lewis’ angling pursuits were supported through a water-temperature gauge and an Apelco depth sounder reaching 360 feet. Buena Vista had a three-scoop live-bait tank on the transom, teak rod holders and outriggers too. Even today, Lewis is a case study in knowing what…