The myriad of recreational toys offered by private yacht charter vessels continues to grow each year, as more and more yachts continue to battle for the same handful of HNWI for whom yachting is a lifestyle, not a once in a lifetime adventure.
WISH LISTED ITEMS
Gone are the days when a yacht only carried a windsurfer and some snorkel gear. Today, the onboard watertoy inventory sheet on most superyachts reads like a wish list from the Hammacher Schlemmer Christmas catalog. Jetlev hover boards, giant waterslides, even mini submarines are now the norm.
While most of the toys have straightforward names that define their intended use (for example, stand up paddleboards, water skis, etc.), some have downright funny names, associated with foods that come to mind when looking at the toys.
FAVORITE TASTY TOYS
Here are our favorite food-inspired charter toys, found on many Virgin Islands yacht charter vessels:
DONUT – There are actually several types of donut watertoys. The most common ones look like giant tire inner tubes, hence the term, “donut.” A totally new “spin” on the water donut is the BBQ Donut, where several people can sit inside a floating donut-shaped vessel, complete with sun awning and bbq grill.
BANANA – This colorful towable toy is pulled along by the charter yacht’s tender. It’s all about a fast, bumpy ride. Bananas aren’t typically “fast food,” but this banana fits the bill! Depending upon the size of the banana, some carry 2 riders, and some six or more. Hang on tight – falling off at high speed can sting a bit when you splash into the water!
HOT DOG – Take a towable banana, paint it red, and add a couple “buns” to the sides and voila, you’ve got a towable hot dog watertoy. The inflatable buns actually perform a purpose – by adding extra stability to the toy. In other words, you don’t fall off as much as you do on the banana…but hey, falling off is part of the fun!
BROWNIES THIRD LUNG – ok, so you don’t really “ride” this one. Work with me, here – it’s a watertoy, and its name sounds like food! This is basically an air compressor situated in a floating donut. (If you’d like, we can refer to it as YET ANOTHER TYPE OF DONUT WATERTOY!) The compressor pumps air into long tubes that tie into a snorkel mask. Swimmers wear the mask and breathe fresh air, allowing them to do very shallow dives, while safely tethered to the floating compressor. It’s a great way for novices to experience the sensation of SCUBA diving while snorkeling in shallow water.
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