Yacht Spotting & New Launches

Bigger IS Better…And Lots More Impressive!

What do you do if you own one of the world’s most spectacular superyachts? If you’re Russian Billionaire Andrey Igorevich Melnichenko, you build another one even more over the top.

By Capt. Ken Kreisler

When I first caught sight of Motor Yacht A, and being a fan of the more traditional design, i.e., a boat should look like a boat, I was a bit taken aback. But the more I looked; the more I dug into the design, technology, and collective engineering and artistic endeavors that went into her, the more I began to come around and see this daring and advanced presentation as a bold personal statement and perhaps, a vision of the future of yacht design.

Built by Blohm + Voss at the HDW shipyard in Kiel, Germany, Motor Yacht A is a technologically advanced yacht with a bold and daring design by Philippe Starck and Martin Francis.

Now, Mr. Melnichenko, the co-founder of MDM Bank, with holdings and properties around the world including the Siberian Coal Energy Company, Eurochem, and TMK, a pipe and metallurgic company among others, as well as being Motor Yacht A‘s owner, presents Sailing Yacht A, a truly amazing accomplishment and one sure to be the answer to what dreams are made of.

Built at the Nobiskrug, Germany yard, and designed by Phillippe Starck, she is the world’s largest sailing yacht coming in at 144 meters/468 ft.

This impressive new steel-hulled yacht is certainly setting standards all over the world. She is 468ft/144m in length with a carbon fiber main mast almost 300 ft/91.4m high, has eight decks, is equipped with an underwater observation observation area, a helicopter pad, an on-deck swimming pool, and as you would expect, all the latest computerized control systems one could imagine. While under power, she has a pair of 3,600kw/4,827hp MTU diesel engines along with two 4,300kw electric motors.

Impressive from any angle, Sailing Yacht A is a triumph of both design and engineering.

While she undergoes her European sea trails, her interior, yet to be finished, will be as widely anticipated as her launch date.

We will be sure to keep a sharp weather eye out for this one and if you happen to get a glimpse of her underway, or visiting a port, let us know.

 

Products

HOW TO SELECT AND MAINTAIN A PORTABLE MARINE TOILET

If you need a portable marine toilet aboard, Thetford just may have what you are looking for.

Portable toilets are an ideal choice for small weekend, trailer and sport boats. They provide the convenience of a fixed head, but without the weight, complexity and space requirements of a plumbed system. Thetford, the inventor of the Porta Potti®, offers selection and maintenance tips.

There’s a broad array of sizes, features and options when shopping for a portable toilet. Heights range from around 12″ to over 17″, and seat dimensions from medium to large. The dimensions of the unit selected is often based on available space and the level of comfort desired. The average weight is only around 10 lbs., making it an ideal choice for racing sailors.

Flushing is accomplished manually by a bellows or piston-actuated pump, or electrically. This ultra-convenient feature on the Porta Potti Curve is self-contained and runs on disposable or rechargeable AA batteries. Other options to choose from are waste and fresh water holding capacities, and level indicators for one or both tanks.

All Porta Pottis can be used with a hold-down plate for semi-permanent installation and many come standard with this feature. Several models have plumbing adapters for permanent pump out convenience and to comply with US and Canadian regulations.

Maintaining a Porta Potti is simple. When the tank is nearing capacity, the upper portion is simply lifted off and the leak-proof waste side removed for emptying in a land-based toilet or designated area. Because of their modern designs, discharge is splash-free.

Quality tank deodorants, such as Thetford’s Eco-Smart or Aqua Kem, reduce odors and quickly liquefy waste; samples are included with every Porta Potti. Marine toilet paper, such as 2-ply Aqua Soft Tissue, breaks down fast and makes emptying the holding tank simple and clog-free.

Thetford Marine offers eight models of its famous Porta Potti, including the ultra-compact 260 series and the electric Curve. These high quality toilets are durable, long lasting and cost-effective. Prices start around $90.

For over 50 years, boaters have relied on industry innovator Thetford Marine for its quality and dependable products. Its wide range of marine sanitation equipment is installed on boats worldwide.

Contact Thetford Marine, 7101 Jackson Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48103. Toll-free 800-543-1219 or 734-769-6000. www.thetfordmarine.com.

About Thetford Marine
Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Thetford is the world’s leading supplier of sanitation and refrigeration products for the marine, RV and heavy-duty truck industries. It is a privately-held company with seven manufacturing facilities in four nations. Thetford Marine is the nautical business unit of Thetford.

Thetford subsidiaries include Norcold of Sidney, Ohio, America’s leading manufacturer of gas-absorption and AC/DC refrigerator/freezers for the RV, marine and truck markets; Tecma, an Italy-based maker of fine-china toilets and powerful waste-transfer systems; and Thetford Europe, which manufactures Thetford-brand high-quality cooking and heating appliances, as well as accessories.

 

BoatUS Report

No-Cost “Boater’s Guide To Winterizing” Offered by BoatUS

Easy to follow steps can help you safeguard your boat.

For those of us who spend our boating season in northerly climes where temperatures and precipitation can often bring with it damaging conditions that can and will make life that much more unbearable, my industry friend Scott Croft has sent over this informational release in order to head off any problems with the soon-to-come cold weather. The price is right and the advice is important. -Capt. Ken

Unlike this vessel, boats that are properly winterized are most likely to enter next year’s boating season without damage and ready to hit water (Photo Credit: Jack Hornor).

Water expands in volume by about nine percent when it freezes, creating a staggering force that can crack a boat engine block, damage fiberglass, split hoses, or destroy a boat’s refrigeration system overnight. As cold weather approaches, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) dug into its claims data and found that more than three-quarters of winter-related claims involved cracks in the engine block or the exhaust manifolds. Now, the national boating services, safety and advocacy group has available at no-cost a 15-page “Boater’s Guide to Winterizing” that can ensure boaters don’t miss a step for any type of boat.

“Boaters up North know they need to winterize, so their freeze claims almost always involve poor winterizing,” said BoatUS Director of Technical Services Beth Leonard. “In the temperate South, the issue can be a case of no winterizing, or relying on a heater when the electricity goes off, usually when you need it most.”

Proto Credit: BoatUS, Al Posnack

The downloadable brochure addresses the reasons for more than 95 percent of the freeze claims handled by the BoatUS Marine Insurance Program in the past decade. Included are chapters on: Storing your boat – The options and the tradeoffs; a Winterizing Checklist to use as the starting point for creating your own boat’s winterizing list; Engines and Drives – The dos and don’ts; and Plumbing – Getting the water out, which is great for larger boats.

Additional information includes tips on choosing antifreeze, lessons learned from BoatUS Consumer Affairs about protecting yourself with a winterization contract, and green winterizing information.

The checklist is available at www.BoatUS.com/winterizingguide.

About Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS): BoatUS is the nation’s largest organization of recreational boaters with over a half million members. We are the boat owners’ voice on Capitol Hill and fight for their rights. We help ensure a roadside breakdown doesn’t end a boating or fishing trip before it begins, and on the water, we bring boaters safely back to the launch ramp or dock when their boat won’t, day or night. The BoatUS Insurance Program gives boat owners the specialized coverage and superior service they need, and we help keep boaters safe and our waters clean with assistance from the non-profit BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water. Visit BoatUS.com.

 

Products

PRIORITIZING SAFETY AT ALL TIMES

The Crewsaver® liferaft range features the most advanced specifications on the market today.

If you’re a traveling boater and spend extended periods of time away from the dock, especially when transiting open water, you can never be too prepared for the unexpected. In the event you ever need to leave your boat, you should have the proper safety equipment at the ready and in what could be a moments notice. Hopefully you will never have to use a liferaft but having one aboard will bring peace of mind to all.

Lloyds Class ISO-approved and Coastal liferaft models from Crewsaver are available in sizes to accommodate 4-12 people. A 12-year fabric and seam warranty and an extended service period of three years reduce ongoing maintenance costs.

• High volume water pockets to ensure maximum stability when inflated.
• Simple to close canopy is manufactured to the highest SOLAS standards, providing added protection from the elements.
• Semi-rigid boarding ramp allows for quick, easy and safe boarding.
• Interior lifelines help occupants stabilize themselves during heavy seas.
• Exterior pressure relief valves ensure excess CO2 is not released into the liferaft.
• ISO-approved, greater-than-24 hour liferaft models include a sealed, waterproof and buoyant grab bag, packed inside the liferaft.
• Two packaging options are available including a weather-resistant valise or a stylish, tough, lightweight low profile container.

For more information about Crewsaver liferafts, visit the company Website at www.crewsaver.com. Survitec Group – 11070 Cabot Commerce Circle – Jacksonville, FL 32226 USA

 

Dock Buzz

BOATSETTER AND CRUZIN MERGE COMPANIES

Two powerhouse entrepreneurs join forces to create one formidable company on the leading edge of the next big thing in the boat-sharing market.

With boats like this 53′ Azimut, Boatsetter covers the offerings with a host of vessels in just about every size category and, if necessary, supplies captains as well. Photo Credit: Boatsetter.com

Looking to transform the $121B marine industry, Boatsetter and Cruzin, both recognized leaders in the peer-to-peer (P2P) boat-sharing market, announced that they have merged their companies. The combined venture carries the Boatsetter name with a unified brand that incorporates the Cruzin look and feel.

Jaclyn Baumgarten is the new CEO of Boatsetter and Andrew Sturner the executive chairman. The company has headquarters in both the boating capital of the world, South Florida, and the global technology epicenter, Silicon Valley.

Careful planning and a solid business plan typifies Jaclyn Baumgarten’s strategy for the future. Photo Credit: Lisa Gershman

“The merger with Cruzin accelerates our business and boosts our appeal to our boat owners, captains and marina partners, and provides a superior experience for our customers,” said Sturner. “Together, we’re positioned to be the market leader, offering the only complete boat-sharing solution.”

The new Boatsetter offers increased capacity, capital and presence. It has the largest network of marina partnerships in the industry.

Andy Sturner has big things popping up on his radar screen. Photo Credit: Southern Boating Magazine

Boatsetter offers thousands of boats across the US and abroad and is the most comprehensive solution in the market. The company maintains trust and credibility by vetting all boats, owners, captains and renters. With best-in-class insurance in both US and abroad, it offers trusted, reliable and safe rentals with 24/7 on-the-water assistance. Its Captains Affiliate Network is the largest network of US Coast Guard licensed captains in the industry.

The new company combines the rental mechanics of Airbnb with the on-demand labor dynamics of Uber. It delivers a premier boating experience in which everyone wins: captains get more work, owners offset their cost of ownership and renters get luxury experiences on private and pristine boats at competitive prices.

“We’re elated about the merger with Boatsetter,” said Baumgarten. “We have remarkably complementary assets and look forward to accelerating the speed of innovation in the multi-billion dollar marine industry. We’re jumping on the burgeoning collaborative consumption movement by bringing great on-the-water experiences to the more than 80 million Millennials of the share generation who are looking to participate in something new and exciting.”

Boatsetter is led by a team of savvy entrepreneurs with strong business backgrounds in the marine and technology industries. It has created a community that connects all of the players in the boating industry. Its website is www.boatsetter.com.

Contact Boatsetter, 2890 NE 187th St., Aventura, FL 33180. 844-262-8738; info@boatsetter.com;www.boatsetter.com.

 

Yacht Spotting & New Launches

M/Y YALLA

This CRN beauty is in a class all by herself.

Stunningly beautiful with dramatic lines, CRN’s YALLA is sure to be seen in all the ports of the world.

CRN, the shipbuilder specializing in the construction of steel and aluminum pleasure vessels between 50 and 90 metres in length, is starting the nautical season celebrating the international award won by the 73-metre M/Y Yalla at the Invictus Yachts Trophies.

This contest, organized every year by Luxmedia Group, selects and awards the best yachts built by shipyards from all over the world. The prize-giving ceremony was held on Saturday night, at the end of the Cannes Yachting Festival.

The iconic 73-metre yacht built by CRN won in the ‘Best Exterior Design’ category among megayachts between 50 and 75 metres in length. This award goes to the yacht that has stood out for the design of her exteriors and hull lines.

YALLA impressed the highly-qualified jury for her slender and stylish lines that make her dramatic design one of a kind. She had four decks and was entirely designed and built at the Ancona shipyard in cooperation with Omega Architects, who designed her exterior lines, and with Droulers Architecture, who took care of interior design and décor. This vessel – the first ever built by CRN on a 13-metre long naval platform, is characterized by extremely sleek and sporty lines. All CRN onboard advanced solutions are aimed at enhancing conviviality and social life on board.

Lamberto Tacoli, CRN’s Chairman and CEO, commented on this important acknowledgement as follows: “We are very happy and proud to be starting the new nautical season celebrating such a prestigious award at the ‘Invictus Yachts Trophy’. The YALLA is a distinctive, unique product, thanks to the design by Omega Architects; Frank Laupman and his team, who have pencilled the yacht’s exterior lines, worked side by side with CRN, who was in charge of naval engineering, and with Droulers Architecture, who took care of interior décor and furnishing. We are deeply grateful to all of them and, obviously, to the owner, who gave us the opportunity to build this breathtaking vessel. This important award is spurring CRN to take part in the forthcoming international events with even greater enthusiasm and passion.”

The award won at the Invictus Yachts Trophies adds to CRN’s already stunning prize-record. Indeed, this year the shipbuilder has also been awarded the ‘Judges Commendation’ at the World Superyachts Awards in Amsterdam with the 61-metre M/Y Saramour.

For more information about YALLA, or any of the other fine yachts designed and built by CRN, visit the company Website at http://www.crn-yachts.com