When it comes to happily ever after-ing, the Camelot of King Arthur is atop the list (though the musical-theater buffs among you probably already figured that out from the title of this post, a lyric from the production Camelot). So when it comes to happily ever-aftering as far as cruising is concerned, the South of France fits the bill–at least as far as the new 100-foot Camelot is concerned. This new Hargrave arrived in Nice earlier this month and will stay there throughout the summer season.
It’s rare for a Hargrave to venture to Europe. In fact, Camelot is only the second one to do so, with most sticking to the Caribbean, Bahamas, and U.S. coastline. So why’d she make the trip? The megayacht is being offered through Monocle Fractional Yachts’ partial-ownership program, which includes yachts on both sides of the Atlantic.
Here’s how the program works. For $495,000 (or about €313,380), interested parties can own a 10-percent share in Camelot, which entitles them to four weeks aboard per year. (This doesn’t include annual operating expenses, such as crew salaries, though those costs are also divided on an ownership-percentage basis.) Fractional ownership isn’t a new concept–Monocle, for example, has been around since 1999–but it might be gaining new ground due to the skyrocketing costs of fuel and some slumping sales in the megayacht market. (Despite the fact that some owners will always have enough liquidity to buy the boats they want, others are dependent upon their smaller yachts selling before they can commit to a larger one.)
Monocle has a longstanding relationship with Hargrave, having already offered five other yachts through its program. Expect to see a seventh in winter 2010, too; the design is apparently still being tweaked, but the yacht should measure 120 feet, according to information on Monocle’s Web site.
As for Camelot, expect to see her in the Caribbean for the winter. (Insert lyrics about the Lusty Month of May at will.)
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