What are Yachts?

Yachts are sailboats or motorboats used for recreation. Yachts are generally privately owned and big enough to contain a cabin. However, even small, cabin-less dinghies are sometimes called yachts. Yacht word originated from the Dutch term jacht, meaning hunt. Jachts were light sailboats that were used to chase pirates. Jachts slowly gained popularity as leisure vessels, and the term yacht came into existence when King Charles II returned from his exile from the Commonwealth of England in 1660. The term later was given to steamboats and motorboats that were used for leisure purposes. During the Gilded Age (1870 – 1900), yachts became a status symbol among wealthy Americans. J.P. Morgan, for example, owned a 240-foot yacht. Yacht clubs became popular around this time and which led to yachting getting associate with wealth

Type of Yachts

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Sailing and Motor-powered yachts

Sailing is a more stimulating and relaxed experienced. Sailing is considered to be more informal, exhilarating and challenging travel experience

Cabin cruisers, Super yachts and Mega yachts

Cabin cruisers are less than 12 meters long. Super yachts are more than 24 meters long. Mega yachts are more than 50 meters long with no upper limit.

Azzam Is the largest motor yacht in the world is a staggering 590 feet long and cost $600 million to build. With over 94,000 horsepower, it's able to travel at a speed up to 35 miles per hour

Luxury Yachts

A luxury yacht apart from being a mode of transportation, is a symbol of wealth and status. The most luxurious yachts offer extravagant features like helipads, theatres, concert halls, multiple swimming pools, saunas and hot tubs

Following are the most expensive yachts in the world 

• History Supreme (USD 4.8 Billion)
• Eclipse (USD 1.5 Billion)
• Streets of Monaco (USD 1.1 Billion)
• Azzam (USD 600 Million)
• Motor Yacht A (USD 440 Million)
• Dubai (USD 400 Million)
• AL Said (USD 300 Million)
• Dilbar (USD 256 Million)
• AL Mirqab (USD 250 Million)
• Lady Moura (USD 210 Million)

Yacht Maintenance

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The rule of thumb in yachting is that owners should expect to pay 10% of the purchase price in annual operating costs along with other costs such as insurance, docking fees, fuel etc. Large luxury yachts often require a full-time staff including a captain, engineers, stewards and stewardesses, chefs, and deckhands

 

Yacht Chartering

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Yacht chartering is the practice of renting, or chartering, a sailboat or motor yacht and travelling to various coastal or island destinations. This is usually a vacation activity, but it also can be a business event (Wikipedia)

There are two types of yacht charters

Bareboat Charter

In Bareboat charter, the person renting the yacht does the skippering himself/ herself. Most bareboat companies also offer courses to teach basic seamanship and prepare people for bareboat chartering

Skippered charter

In skippered charter, the yacht comes with a crew. The crew size can be from 2 to 30 or more crew members including stewardesses, engineers, mates, deckhands, scuba dive masters etc.

A week-long private yacht charter costs anywhere from $10,000 on luxurious sailing yachts and catamarans, and up to $150,000 for super yachts. it is usual for charter guests to tip 10% of the charter cost