The Charter Yacht Brokers Association is CYBA. They announce 2017 winners of their campaign. This is the annual “Going Green To Save The Blue” cause. The crew onboard superyacht NERO places in the “Designer Water” contest. The contest recognizes crews of luxury yacht charter vessels. This award goes to crews acknowledging their “yacht-made” water. This is an effort to reduce. Disposable plastic water bottle use on yachts must decrease.
“Importantly, the campaign is designed to encourage yacht owners and crews to reduce, and eventually forego, the use of plastic water bottles by both the crews and the onboard luxury yacht charter guests. The goal is to raise awareness as to the massive volume of water bottles that are consumed during charters, and the impact disposable plastic has in our landfills and more importantly, our oceans.”
THE WINNERS
The “Designer Water” contest is annual. It occurs at the opening of the Caribbean yacht charter winter/spring season. At this time, the season sees more than a dozen private yacht charter vessels. In addition, crews showcase their “flavored” waters. Specifically, the waters generate from onboard watermakers that convert seawater into clean, safe drinking water.
This year’s winners are first, 111 foot sailing yacht REE for Hibiscus Martini Water. Second, 183 foot sailing yacht ROSEHEARTY wins for Moranga-infused Detoxifying Water. Third, 265 foot mega yacht NERO wins for Coriander and Passionfruit Water.
THE PROGRAM
It should be noted that the CYBA campaign, “Going Green To Save The Blue,” strategizes dually . It encourages yacht owners and crews to offer eco-friendly options. Private yacht charter guests participate in this sustainable initiative. Hopefully, the guests return home with a clearer understanding of the impact of plastic pollution. In addition, how they can incorporate simple changes in their daily lives. They can make a difference in safeguarding our environment for future generations.
“The ‘Going Green’ campaign highlights the numerous opportunities and options available to our private yacht charter clients, yacht owners, and crews – from avoiding plastic water bottles, to using green cleaning products, reef-friendly sunscreens, and solar panels for energy,” says Sheeder. “We congratulate motor yacht NERO and her owner and crew and all of the other Caribbean yacht charter teams for their commitment to the long-term health of our oceans and the marine environment.”
HOW TO RENT A YACHT
In conclusion, turn to 1-800 Yacht Charters for yacht rentals. We are the company with the industry-leading Best Price Guarantee. In addition, we charter a fleet of Eco-friendly yachts around the world. Call us toll-free in North America at +1.800.922.4824 or local and international at +1.305.253.7245 to plan your yachting vacation.
Solar sunbed. It rotates. It mists. Ahhhh. With much of the northeast United States buried under a blizzard of snow, here’s a new superyacht amenity guaranteed to give you a “sunny” outlook!
LMV’s Lasy Solar sun bed self-orientates according to the position of the sun. How neat is that??
Imagine you are onboard your Lurssen Yacht Charter somewhere off the coast of Capri. Your solar-powered sun bed slowly rotates to keep the heat on your body. What’s that you say – it’s starting to get a little too hot? No worries – there’s a built-in Mist Breeze cooling system to cool you down!
Of course, total comfort is a must, so the bed is covered in marine-grade luxury leather.
Thanks to its solar power source, the Lasy Solar sun bed doesn’t need connecting to a yacht’s power supply.
The manufacturer plans to have the product website for Lasy Solar sun beds up and running soon.
What does a Virgin Island yacht charter crew do, when anchored offshore and the craving kicks in for a slice of pizza?
If you’re Tara and Sasha Bouis, you buy a derelict boat, gut the interior to install brick ovens, and open the first “Pizza Boat” in the US Virgin islands.
PIZZA PI
The floating “Pizza Pi” boat is anchored in Christmas Cove. Specifically, at the east end of St. Thomas, next to Great St. James Island. There are multiple ways to order. First, you can order your pizza via your boat’s radio, second, call it in via cell, or third, even e-mail it. There are 2 ways to pick up your order. Moreover, you can either pick up the pizza in your dinghy, or Pi will deliver it to you. Delivery occurs only if you’re anchored in Christmas Cove.
THE LOCATION
The specific location is perfect. In specific, both personal boats and private yacht charter vessels from St. John and St. Thomas are constantly passing through the cove. Even tourist-packed daytime sightseeing and snorkeling boats are taking a detour. They stop by the pizza boat for authentic New York style “pies.” Hence, the boat’s name, Pizza “Pi” – get it…the Greek letter “Pi”???
WHAT DID THEY DO BEFORE PIZZA PI?
Before opening Pizza Pi, Sasha was working on charter yachts as the captain and Tara was the chef.
The idea for the pizza boat came from a night at anchor, when Sasha and Tara were too tired to cook, and too tired to dinghy ashore to look for a take-out meal. They spent the night eating microwave popcorn and dreaming about how great it would be if there were a pizzeria on the water nearby.
THEIR JOURNEY CONTINUES
After eight years of working on charter vessels together, the couple found a 37 foot abandoned boat on the island of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. They spent two years restoring the boat and installing a commercial-grade pizza kitchen with brick ovens and a giant Hobart dough mixer. To run the appliances, Sasha and Tara outfitted the boat with solar panels. They financed the project with the money they saved from working on boat charters.
The couple took a week-long intensive course at a “Pizza school” in New York, to learn to make authentic thin crust pies.
BRING ON THE PIZZA
The pizza boat was “launched” about 9 months ago, and business has been steady. On an average day, they make about 25 pies. On a busy day, 30 to 40 boats stop by for a pizza. Sasha designed a hatch where people on dinghies can place orders and pick up their pies.
THE MENU
A banner displaying the menu hangs from the side of the boat.
Among the offerings:
• Sweet Home Indiana (sausage, corn, white sauce, and arugula)
• The Blumin Onion (made with lemon aioli instead of tomato sauce; leeks, radicchio, blue cheese, and honey)
• The Dalai Lama (a pizza with everything on it – the works)
Fresh ingredients like local Caribbean lobster can also be added as a topping.
HOW IS THE FOOD?
Currently, Pi is ranked as the best restaurant in St. Thomas on TripAdvisor. It has 59 five-star reviews and one four-star review. The person giving the boat a four-star review admitted the pizza is “delicious” but subtracted one star because they don’t deliver to her house on shore!
Please be an eco-hero and remove trash from our waterways
SICKENING PHOTO
This is a photo from the beautiful Yachts Miami Beach Boat Show. Our inspections included several private luxury yacht charter vessels docked at the Deep Harbour Island Gardens marina, near downtown Miami, Florida. As we walked along the docks, I noticed our company President, Jana Sheeder, often pausing, bending down, picking up something, and putting it in her “Eco-Hero” tote bag. I asked Jana what she was picking up, and she paused and poured a few of the contents of her bag onto a locker box on the dock.
“Take a look,” she sighed. “This debris can easily end up in the water where it becomes part of the ocean pollution problem, as well as a threat to birds and marine life.”
So, I snapped the photo you see here.
THE IMAGE
When I look at this photo, I see beautiful superyachts that serve as a gateway to experience the wonders of our oceans. I see a segment of the tourism industry – private luxury yacht charter – that generates millions of dollars of revenue annually. I see a support network of thousands of crewmembers, dockhands, marina workers, and maintenance and repair staff. They all support their families from a livelihood that is inextricably dependent upon healthy oceans.
For me, the trash in the photo is a harsh reminder that the refuse we see floating in marinas and along the seawalls and walkways is a direct threat to the health of our waterways. It is also, therefore, a threat to our own livelihood.
As you read this blog, I can guess what some of you are thinking. “I’m not part of the problem – I would never throw trash in the water.” Good intention, but you or someone you know might still be directly responsible for pollution in our waterways.
MYTH BUSTING
It’s a common misconception that most trash comes from people throwing things directly into the water.
“Believe it or not, much to the trash in our waterways comes from litter thrown out of cars, litter that blows from surrounding areas into the waterways, illegal dumping, and this item really irks me – cigarettes left on the ground,” says Jana. “During a big rainstorm, all that junk ends up in the watershed, and some of it eventually makes its way down to the bays, harbors, marinas, beaches, and worse – onto our fragile coral reefs and into the stomachs of marine life (like fish and turtles) and shorebirds.”
CLEANUP EFFORTS
Efforts are underway to rid our waterways of trash. In Baltimore, Maryland, two (rather cute) trash wheels are pulling debris from the harbor before it flows into Chesapeake Bay. “Mr. Trash Wheel” (male) and “Professor Trash Wheel” (female with eyelashes) are solar and hydro-powered trash interceptors in place in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Over a million pounds of trash has been pulled out of the water by Mr. Trash Wheel since it was installed in May 2014 (Professor Trash Wheel was installed in December 2016).
John Kellett (a true ECO-HERO!) invented the trash wheels and tracks the debris collected. Since May 2014, when Mr Trash Wheel went operational, almost nine million cigarette butts and over 300,000 plastic bags have been collected. Additionally, Mr. Trash Wheel picks up an average of 14,000 Styrofoam containers a month – second only to cigarettes.
Kellett echoes Jana’s thoughts that the problem starts on shore. “I thought we were being ambitious with the harbor, but now people are talking about cleaning up the ocean,” Kellett said. “But I think the most effective solution is to get the trash before it gets there.”
WHAT YOU CAN DO
No matter where you live, you CANmake a difference and help protect our natural resources. Let’s review some simple steps we can all take:
No butts about it! Are you a smoker, or know someone who is? Don’t throw your cigarette butts out of your car window or onto the ground. It takes just a second more to locate an ashtray or garbage receptacle.
Say “NO” to single use, disposable plastic products. Reusable shopping bags are available everywhere! They’re affordable and many places give them away as promotional items. Please think twice when your grocer asks you, “paper or plastic?” Say no thank you to either option, and hand your grocer a reusable bag. Many stores give discounts (Target and Whole Foods, for example) when you use them, and you can turn your discount around and donate it to charity, through the store!
Pick up at least one piece of “someone else’s trash” and properly dispose of it today. If everyone did this, it would make a HUGE impact and keep trash from finding its way into our waterways and environment. It’s amazing how many people just don’t care… (Many people refer to picking up refuse left by others as “karma trash,” or cleaning up poop at dog parks as “karma poops.” It’s just good KARMA to help the earth and the environment!)
Be the change you want to see in the world. If you have children, lead them by example when they are young and/or are especially eager to learn. Show them that you refrain from disposable plastic bags… Get them to drink from reusable water bottles and not plastic water bottles. Take them to the beach and show them the pollution that washes up on the shore and share with them how it harm the birds, creatures, and corals in the sea. Track down a video of a sea turtle eating a plastic bag (thinking that it is a jellyfish)…or a seabird or sea lion with a plastic six-pack ring around its neck (which can easily eventually kill the animal). They will follow your lead!
What do I hope will happen? I look forward to the day that Mr. Trash Wheel and Professor Trash Wheel are forced to take days off because there is no debris for them to clean up!
Jana Sheeder, President of 1-800 Yacht Charters and 1-800 BAREBOAT, with Eco-Hero Reusable Tote Bag
============================
If you are ready to make a difference, text HERO to 305-720-7245 and we’ll send you an “Eco-Hero” tote bag – just like the ones Jana carries with her and also uses at boat shows. It’s Jana’s gift to you – from Jana and our team at 1-800 Yacht Charters!
LUXURY TAX ABOLISHED The recent Mediterranean Yacht Charter show in Genoa, Italy, learned that the 3 year old Sardinia Luxury Tax is no more. ABOUT THE TAX The repeal of the Sardinia Luxury Tax is especially good news to charter enthusiasts. Anyone considering a yachting vacation in the Mediterranean is fortunate. The law […] read more
The world of luxury yacht charter has finally arrived in the Seychelles. Motor yacht SEA STREAM, a 76 foot Ferretti with room for 8 guests, is now available for Caribbean yacht charter enthusiasts looking for a new destination. Ferretti yacht SEA STREAM is now available as the only high quality, luxury crewed motor yacht available […] read more
PLAN AND PACK Yikes! What to pack? In just over three weeks, you leave on a week-long Bahama yacht charter vacation. You choose a sleek, performance, basic sailing yacht with crew. Your menu provided to your yacht through your charter broker, and your crew is ready to welcome you aboard. Seriously, what do you pack? […] read more
Recent Comments