Editor’s note, June 23, 2023: The implosion of the OceanGate submersible Titan has renewed interest in this article from 2017. While OceanGate did not construct Titan to classification society standards, Cyclops I met ABS classification requirements. OceanGate also did not manufacture Cyclops I. Rather, it acquired the vessel, a pre-existing sub, in 2012 and rebuilt…
Cyber security isn’t confined to land. In fact, cyber-attacks are impacting superyachts and the superyacht industry. In recent weeks, for example, phishing scams have targeted yacht brokers, involving fraudulent wire-transfer instructions. Last year, hackers held a charter yacht’s onboard computers for ransomware. A new campaign, Be Cyber Aware at Sea, spotlights related real issues at…
Editor’s note: French Polynesia’s distance from the United States and Europe is cited as a reason few megayachts venture there. Fewer owners and captains are using that argument, however. Christelle Holler of Tahiti Private Expeditions, which customizes dive services, logistics, and itineraries for megayachts in the region, reports a 20-percent increase in business thus far this year….
Independence Day is a week away. It’s therefore high time you figured out where you’ll be taking in the 4th of July fireworks displays. Many are near or over waterways, making it ideal for taking your megayacht. In some cases, you can even anchor close to the show. Here are five cities offering a plethora…
On June 16, President Donald Trump signed a directive ordering new travel restrictions for Cuba. Despite stating that they would reverse restrictions eased by the Obama administration, he largely left current policy intact. In fact, the directive “will have no effect” on superyachts setting their sights on Cuba from American shores in the near future….
Come July 1, you and your crewmembers may have to start paying into the French social security system, even if you’re not French. It’s due to a new law. That law dictates that all crewmembers living in France for more than three months a year must contribute to the French social security system. This, regardless…
UPDATE, MAY 7, 2018: Lauderdale Marine Center can now perform duty-free work on foreign-flagged yachts while they are in the foreign-trade zone (FTZ). “A foreign-flagged vessel could arrive to the FTZ and replace anything from seals to entire engines, saving up to 8.8 percent duty on these parts,” explains Doug West, Lauderdale Marine Center’s president….
Attention all adventure-seekers. If ever there were a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, this charter is it. Pioneer, the well-known expedition megayacht, is crossing the infamous Northwest Passage this summer. And, you can be onboard for part of the voyage. The owner, who refitted Pioneer extensively two years ago, is making the megayacht available in August between his…
Are you seeking something other than the same old charter destinations? You have an attractive opportunity to do so with Masteka 2. She’s venturing to little-traveled New Caledonia in the South Pacific from mid-August through October. The 121-footer (37-meter) is the first foreign-flagged megayacht permitted to charter in New Caledonia, according to her central agents…
With temperatures warming up in the United States and Europe, the cruising season is about to kick into high gear. With that come a number of high-profile events on both sides of the Atlantic that are superyacht-friendly. Here’s a sampling of a few spring and summer events where you can tie up and get down…
