Old houses, old cars, old things, old yachts — the beauty of age has always been fascinating because it somehow etches into the mind the not-too-long-ago years when these possessions were in their most loved (and not treasured) state.

This wooden 92-foot yacht, named the Innisfail, was owned by the US government and used by presidents Truman, Eisenhower and Kennedy for many years to play host to internaitonal dignitaries. Since then, a total of $1.5 million has been spent by present owner frank Lynch to restore the yacht to its original state after having purchased it for the first $1.5 million.

Built in 1939, the Innisfail now docks at Charleston City Marina in Charleston South Carolina and services day cruises, charters and short events at $800 per hour. It can seat a total of 65 adults.

Photo Credit: Michael in San Diego

Island Global Yachting is a company that develops and builds upscale marinas all over the world to cater to wealthy yachting enthusiasts. Presently IGY has full service marinas located in the Americas, the Carribean Islands and the Middle East. The company recently announced plans to expand in these prime areas as well as in exotic locations like the Mediterranean. IGY has found its niche in catering to the needs of affluent motorboat and yacht owners as well as yacht charter services.

Some of IGY’s best known marinas are the Yacht Haven Grande in the U.S. Virgin Islands whichhas a 48-slip megayacht marina with 18-ft concrete docks and piers, the The American Yacht Harbor in St. Thomas and the Rodney Bay in Sta. Lucia in the Caribbean Islands, Marina Bander Al-Rowdha and Anchor Marina in the Middle East, The Marina Cabo San Lucas and Montauk Yacht Club in the Americas, Virgin Gorda and Tortela of the British Virgin Islands as well as St. Maarten of the Netherlands-Antilles. IGY Marinas are famous for their luxury brand name boutiques, signature restaurants and clubs.

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Photo Credit: power&motoryacht

Modern-day explorer and yachtsman Roland Sturm’s only wish was to travel the corners of the world in comfort and safety. He set out to build a power explorer while still retaining the features of a deluxe motoryacht. His vision was to have a motoryacht that could sustain long voyages, crossing seas on her own bottom. He emphasized on strict construction standards and challenged builders to create a vessel that had low maintenance and high fuel efficiency.

Assembling a management team via Maritime Concept Construction which included the Captain of his previous yacht and top naval architect Ron Holland, Sturm searched for a shipyard that was willing to abide by his strict regulations.

The recommendation made by MMC’s project manager Albrecht Buchner and architect Holland was to employ Cheoy Lee, a shipyard based in China. It came rather as a surprise because although Sturm had heard of the shipyard before, he knew that Cheoy Lee’s master creations were made of fiber glass instead of the metal fabrications he was seeking for. However, the shipyard has delivered scores of tugs, landing craft, container vessels, and multipurpose utility vessels all over the world to this date. Thus the birth of the 147-foot Marco Polo.

Power & Motor Yacht/Bold Ambition

Drifting on the waters of The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is a 35-meter long fully air conditioned luxury catamaran replete with spacious sun decks, well appointed and roomy dining areas, state bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms and recreational facilities that include a heated spa. Named Reef Encounter, this vessel is Australia’s exclusive floating boutique-hotel which offers “the ultimate reef experience” for nature and sea farers.

Photo Credit: reeftrip

Relax on its Top Deck Club that exudes a very refreshing ambience, designed for the most discerning of tastes. Sleep on crisp Australian bed linen, silk doona, cotton sheets and feather down pillows. Naturellement, soft fluffy robes, plush bath sheets and Australian beauty products are replenished daily. Guests are cared for by a pleasant and well trained crew.  Gourmet meals are cooked on-board using only the freshest ingredients and accompanied by select Australian wines and beers. Reef Encounter also caters to day tours and short cruises.

www.reeftrip.com

The Pershing 80 is one of the newest models in the Pershing fleet which boasts of “a fluid design, superior performance, luxurious features and an ambition as large as a megayacht.” Upon first glance, the vessel would immediately strike you as sleek and sassy with an 007-like slyness that only premium-rate machinery and technology can create.

Constructed using Pershing’s proprietary “Scrimp System”, a special fiber glass vacuum molding, this luxury yacht boasts a highly customizable interior that allows for either compartmentalized spaces or one spacious, harmonious area.

Add to that a breathtaking open-view maxi window in the Master Cabin and you get a handsome combination of modern luxury. Performance stands at a gratifying peak speed of 44 knots and 50 knots for the standard and faster version respectively.

Photo Credit: LuxuryInsider

Dutch company Czeers Solar boats has claimed the prize for coming up with the first solar powered speedboat it calls the Czeers MK 1.

The 10 m boat is covered with 14 square meters of solar panels, which power an 80 kW motor. Its weight-saving carbon-fiber hull, interiors and propeller enable the MK 1 to reach speeds of up to 30 knots (or about 55 km/h).

For navigation and control, there’s an LCD touch screen developed by Royal Huisman Shipyards, which monitors information such as battery, solar cells, audio and lighting. The MK 1 seats three in the cockpit, and is furnished in bright orange leather trim from another Dutch company, Perida, a maker of bespoke leather sofas armchairs and upholstery.

via LuxuryInsider

Photo Credit: CruiseLogBlog

The reigning Prince of Monaco has recently added a new gem to his Silversea Line, flaunting a 132-passenger cruise ship replete with the finest accommodations. His namesake, Prince Albert II, was previously an expedition ship gutted down, outfitted and transformed into a luxurious liner fit for royalty. News have it that millions of dollars were spent by Silversea to rebuild it from the ground up.

Prince Albert II made its maiden voyage as a cruise ship on June 12 from the London harbor, proceeding on a 10 to 22-day adventure cruise on the polar regions, developing a new market for wealthy cruisers who desire to conquer waters in the far-flung regions like Antarctica without scrimping on luxury and comfort.

Some of the most fascinating amenities are the six ultra spacious interconnecting rooms occupying the entire top floor, which can be unified into one huge mega suite! An elegant theatre, an outdoor deck with whirlpools, a well stocked library and a state-of-the-art internet/business center are among the liner’s top billed features. Voyage ticket price begins at a cool $3867 per person.

Photo Credit: EliteChoice

This splendid 54-meter long water craft is aptly named “Maraya”, the Arabic name for “Mirror”, manufactured by CRN in association with Studio Zuccon International Project for the face design of the yacht. The idea was to create a floating spectacle, bright enough to illumine the darkness of the night -and sure enough, the custom-built Maraya stands out from among the bevy of luxurious drifters because of its brilliant lighting.

The equally luxurios interior of the yacht was carefully designed by famous yacht decorator Claude MIssir Agency (using the chic modern designs of Phillip Starck), who incorporated the use of lights and mirrors to come up with a fascinating display of eloquence. The minimalistic theme lends a cozy and clean ambience, and the interesting sprays of vibrant colors provides a playful mood to the otherwise solemn background.

Maraya is the first vessel to use a lighting system based on fibre optics and led. With over 600 points of light, it is indeed a transluscent mirror that captures the owner’s imagination as well as the hearts of everyone who sets foot on its grandiose floors.