Yachting

Day 5 of the Festival International de Film, and the film of the day is Inside Llewyn Davis. Directed and written by both Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, Inside Llewyn Davis recounts the story of a singer-songwriter who navigating New York’s folk music scene in the 1960s, struggling to make his name. The film stars Justin Timberlake, John Goodman and Carey Mulligan, star of The Great Gatsby which also premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on opening night. So in keeping with the era, the traditional style of folk music and the decade of the ’60s, our yacht nominee in this Riva Aquarama, available for charter on Lake Garda, Italy. This classic build keeps with the traditional style of the runabout boat, used for short trips here and there – though the luxury design is a bit indulgent compared to the idea of the folk music coming from the working classes! This Riva Aquarama is an original build, from 1968 of which there were only 281 built – so the chance to be able to charter this model is rare. Return to the good old days of the Sixties with this original model, a truly delightful way to explore the towns that surround the Italian Lake Garda. And, keeping with the theme of a classic style yacht, we know that Justin Timberlake is no stranger to these gorgeous runabouts! In the popular movie Friends With Benefits he was taken for a ride across New York on a classic wooden runabout, so not only does our choice suit the ’60s decade, it also is a ‘favourite’ of one of the film stars! Stay tuned to see what Day 6 of the Festival de Film will bring us, and what yachts we have in store for you… At www.boatbookings.com, we are here to help you plan your perfect luxury yachting holiday. We have a team of highly skilled professionals who are extremely knowledgeable in their destinations and will be able to help you bring together the yacht, the crew and all the other aspects that make your charter special.

There is a lot more to effectively using your electronics than merely staring at your fishfinder screen. Use these tricks and tips to boost your catch.

Follow along Kass’ journey through her blogs on boats.com. Other posts in the OSTAR series: Getting to the start is the hardest part | Veteran skippers provide support, encouragement At last, the big day has arrived. Kass Schmitt is attempting to become the first American woman to finish the Original Single-handed Trans-Atlantic Race. Her boat, Zest, has received some much-needed refurbishing. The “three week refit” has stretched to nearly two months, but finally we are ready to go back into the water. Rupert has had to go off to Brightlingsea, on the east coast of England, to do a boat test for work, so our loyal helper Andy and I are left to launch without him. I am really sad that Rupert can’t see the launch, given how hard he has worked to get to this point, but sometimes these things can’t be helped. We are still racing to get to the start of the OSTAR and can’t afford any delays. The guys from the yard drop off the lifting strops under the boat first thing in the morning, the first tangible evidence that the hoist is actually going to happen. Andy and I set to work reloading the boat from the shipping container in which we have been storing all Zest’s gear. The first priority is mooring warps and fenders, the minimum necessary to get the boat securely tied up on the pontoon. After that, we think about what we will need to go sailing, and get as much of that onboard as possible. The container and the work pontoon are at opposite corners of the yard, so we will save a lot of time if we can reduce the amount of to-ing and fro-ing after launch. "I am left to continue working down below to the forgotten music of the water lapping against the hull." The travel hoist arrives and we remove the ladder, then watch as Zest is lifted and moved to just next to the launching berth. The yard team leaves us to apply antifoul to the patches where the chocks have been supporting the boat in her cradle. The tide is going out though, so there is hardly time to let it dry. The next thing I know, Zest is in the water and I’m being asked to step aboard and drive her away. There is not far to go to the pontoon — I just need to get her turned around. The wind is blowing off the pontoon at just over 20 knots, with gusts into the 30s. Zest feels like a caged animal set free, ready to romp. “Soon,” I tell her, as Andy and I tie up alongside. Andy heads off, and I am left to continue working down below to the forgotten music of the water lapping against the hull. It is bliss being afloat again, but there is still so much to do if we are to make it to the start.

Day 4 of the prestigious Cannes Film Festival sees the premiere of Hirokazu Koreeda’s ‘Soshite chichi ni naru,’ Like Father Like Son. It is the heart wrenching tale of Ryota Nonomiya, a successful business man who’s driven by money but discovers that his biological son was switched with another child at birth. Ryota has earned everything he has by his hard work and believes nothing can stop him from pursuing his perfect life as a winner. However, when he receives an unexpected call from the hospital explaining that his biological son was switched at birth, he is forced to make a life-changing decision, to choose between ‘nature’ and ‘nurture.’ Seeing Ryota’s devotion to his ‘son’ even after learning his origin, is a truly fascinating tale but the plot darkens when he begins to question his existence as a father after all these years. The globally acclaimed screen writer and director Hirokazu Koreeda originates from Tokoyo, Japan. He has come a long way from his first feature, Maborosi in 1995, based on a Teru Miyamoto novel and drawn from his own experiences while filming. He has won jury prizes at both Venice and Chicago Film Festival and seeks to obtain the highly coveted Palme d’or, this year in Cannes. This highly anticipated film screens at 11:30 and 22:00 on Saturday 18th of may, 2013. In keeping with the authentic oriental theme of Like Father Like Son, why not charter the luxurious Phinisi 50, a magnificent crewed sailing yacht that is available for charter from the turquoise waters of the Andaman through to the picturesque Indonesian Islands. She is lavishly furnished, spacious and extremely comfortable. She boasts accommodation for up to 10 guests thanks to her 5 well designed cabins, all with immaculate en suites. Beautiful oriental decorations that line this Phinisi  50, create a  beautiful setting and peaceful atmosphere. The upper deck is very spacious, sit back and relax on one of the many hand crafted deck chairs and marvel at the glorious coastline. She is fully equipped with all the latest mod cons; including plasma TV’s and DVD players. Walk in showers, king sized beds and silk upholstery are just a few of the on board luxuries on this memorable sailing charter. At www.boatbookings.com, we are here to help you plan your perfect luxury yachting holiday. We have a team of highly skilled professionals who are extremely knowledgeable in their destinations and will be able to help you bring together the yacht, the crew and all the other aspects that make your charter special.

Guest blogger Jack Griffin is a self-described America’s Cup geek, who takes pride in helping others understand and enjoy the battles of the tycoons, technologists and sailors in this quirky and fascinating event. We’ve had a taste of racing wing sailed catamarans with the America’s Cup World Series — preliminary regattas in AC45s. Now let’s have a quick look at the AC72 catamarans that will race for the America’s Cup this summer in San Francisco. Photos courtesy Oracle Team USA The wing Bigger than the wing of a 747, the rigid wing sail is 130 feet (40 meters) tall and has five times the surface area of the wings that have been used to date on the AC45s. Flaps on the trailing edge provide lift. The flaps have multiple segments to shape the wing to match the wind and control the power. Daggerboards Now the center of atttention, the daggerboard shapes enable hydrofoiling. Emirates Team New Zealand were the first to exploit a loophole in the design rule — no movable control surfaces are permitted on the daggerboards or rudders. But moving the entire daggerboard gives enough control to permit the AC72s to fly. The control systems are closely guarded secrets. Hulls The “platform” provided by the hulls, crossbeams and trampoline is the size of a tennis court. You could fit six AC45s in the space of an AC72. When hydrofoiling at speeds over 40 knots, the aerodynamic drag of the hulls becomes even more important than the hydrodynamics! Of course, when the boats come off the foils, the volume in the bows is crucial to preventing a pitchpole. Ergonomics Perhaps the sleeper issue in AC72 design, deck layout and crew choreography are not as sexy as wing sails and hydrofoiling. The severely short-handed crew of 11 must provide all the power for the maneuvers — no stored energy is permitted. Hoist the gennaker 130 feet to the top of the wing. Furl and unfurl it during gybes. Raise and lower the daggerboards during every tack and gybe. Trim the headsail and the wing. And sprint across the trampoline netting – 30 percent wider than a doubles tennis court – at every maneuver. Too powerful? Too dangerous? At the time of this writing, two of the four teams have capsized, one fatally. The other two will sail their AC72s in the winds and tides of San Francisco Bay for the first time this month. To meet the needs of TV schedules, the protocol calls for racing in as little as five knots and as much as 33 knots of wind. But there’s no way to reef the wing, so the boats are seriously overpowered above 20 knots. The safety Review Committee appointed after the death of olympic gold medalist Andrew “Bart” Simpson may recommend reducing the upper wind limit. — Jack Griffin

The new Belize 52 couples classic lines with Aussie engineering ingenuity.

The third edition of the Loro Piana Caribbean Superyacht Regatta and Rendezvous was a spectacular event, 20 of the world’s finest superyachts racing in the remarkable surroundings of the North Sound of the British Virgin Islands. Hosted by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda at their Caribbean clubhouse on Virgin Gorda, the regatta fleet was a magnificent sight, moored along the superyacht dock along with a myriad of equally impressive motor yachts. Such a gathering is rare indeed. One of the most beautiful yachts at the regatta was the German Frers-designed Rebecca, which is one of the largest ketches to be built at the world-renowned Pendennis Shipyard in Falmouth, Cornwall, and arguably one of the finest looking reproduction modern sailing yachts in the world. Stepping on board is like travelling back in time, and yet Rebecca uses modern electric winches and is bristling with electronic navigational aids. All this technology is subtly blended into the traditional style of the yacht, making her a perfect blend of classic style and modern convenience. Photo Carlo Bourlenghi/Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta Sailing Rebecca takes a big crew and communication is vital between the front, middle and aft of the yacht but there is no shouting on board. A sophisticated wireless audio system is used for dialogue between key crew. Photo Jeff Brown/Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta While Rebecca is stylish and eye-catching, there is none of the ostentatious over-elaboration of other superyachts. The interior by Robbin Black is light and elegant, consisting largely of off-white fielded panelling. Below deck, Rebecca is designed like a family home and has probably one of the finest crew quarters of any yacht afloat. Comfortable accommodation is provided for six guests in three double cabins. “Rebecca really is timeless. She will still be magnificent in 100 years' time, long after some of the modern superyachts have disappeared,” commented Rebecca’s helmsman, Stan Pearson. Photo Carlo Bourlenghi/Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta Rebecca is heavy but amazingly responsive for her size. In light air it takes a lot to get her going but Rebecca comes to life in breeze, and it is an amazing feeling as she glides through the swell; there is plenty of feel in the helm and she is very well balanced. Photo Jeff Brown/Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta The fine lines of Rebecca’s hull including a glorious counter give her immense power and grace, and her curved teak deck extending from stern to bow is a magical platform for her crew. Photo Jeff Brown/Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta A total of 29 crew race Rebecca, including permanent staff and some professional racers, although the majority are amateur enthusiasts that take time off just for the thrill of it all. Rebecca leading the fleet at the Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta. Chippy Bardoe has been racing on Rebecca for years: “How could I possibly give up the opportunity of sailing on her, Rebecca is just fantastic to sail, I absolutely love it!” Photo Jeff Brown/Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta Specifications: • LOA: 42.43m • LWL: 33mm • Beam: 8.69 m • Draft: 4.48m • Displacement: 175 tonnes. There is a rather nice video of Rebecca in action, which is worth a look, see Rebecca on Video in Antigua.

The grade of stainless steel used for some fasteners still needs watching and regular freshwater rinsing.

Day 3 of the Cannes Film Festival previews the first French language film of this week. Le Passé (The Past) is a film by Asghar Farhadi who previously won a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film for the highly rated ‘A Separation.’ His latest work is an intense family drama starring Tahar Rahim (A Prophet) and The Artist’s Berenice Bejo and focuses on the demons and dark anatomizing of complex past relationships. The Cannes Film Festival is one of the largest organized media events in the world. It is a perfect opportunity to host clients, impress friends, seal deals and enjoy the rewards of a hard years work. There is no better way to extend the glamour of the Cannes Film Festival week than by hiring your very own yacht. At Boatbookings our highly professional team has hundreds of yachts at its disposal to match to your requirements. Using Berenice Bejos role in the Artist as inspiration our nominee for day three of the Cannes Film Festival is BLACK AND WHITE.  BLACK AND WHITE  is a beautiful version of the breathtaking Sunseeker 34m range, but, as the name of this yacht might suggest, the majority of the features are in black and white. With it’s beautiful dark hull contrasted with the sleek white upper deck she truly paints a picture and will be sure to turn heads wherever you go! BLACK AND WHITE boasts gorgeous interior furniture from Fendi and Philip Starck and oozes modern sophistication. She can comfortably sleep 10 guests in five beautifully appointed en suite cabins that again continue the theme of black and white through out. Upstairs on the sundeck, guests can soak up the sun in style with an extended bar and plenty of room for al fresco dining. What’s more, its jacuzzi perfectly finishes off this luxurious entertainment area and truly makes BLACK AND WHITE a unique yacht. At www.boatbookings.com, we are here to help you plan your perfect luxury yachting holiday. We have a team of highly skilled professionals who are extremely knowledgeable in their destinations and will be able to help you bring together the yacht, the crew and all the other aspects that make your charter special.

Wellcraft and Chaparral are joining the jetboat market, with jet-drive power provided by BRP. These builders, along with Sea Ray, take aim at the dominance of this market by Yamaha.