First of all, it is a big difference between just cruising and living aboard full time. Living aboard presumes that your house is your ship (sailing boat, super yacht, trawler or catamaran). Doesn't matter if you have other properties elsewhere, more the better, because maybe you need some place of your own (or even rented) inland, to store things from time to time. This post is about these tough people who decided to leave their office or factory jobs and become more than merely yacht owners, … [Read more...]
Stories
Yachting and brokerage stories.
Joshua Slocum’s Legacy
Joshua Slocum has been born in Nova Scotia, Canada, at February 20, 1844. He presumably died after November 14, 1909, when he disappeared while being aboard his boat, the Spray, but maybe not then. He was a Canadian naturalized American seaman and adventurer, and a noted writer famous because he was the first man to sail single-handed around the world. In 1900 he wrote a book about his journey, "Sailing Alone Around the World", which became an international best-seller. I am reading the book … [Read more...]
Owners and Brokers
I have recently found some directives on trading yachts through a broker or a brokerage firm and I have been surprised to notice that all the “protection” a broker can offer is concentrated on the seller. The broker advertises certain boats in the media, the broker takes care for the boat to have all the documents in order, the broker organizes the eventually repairs or refurbishes the boat, the broker assists with this and that, etc.. The buyer, the client, will be the one to be persuaded to … [Read more...]
Some Turkish Brokers – A Story from the Mediterranean Sea
It is hard to trust brokers in Turkey. I only met a good guy once, in Istanbul, who managed together with his son a small yacht repairing yard, and the money came from that aspect of his business. He also had a small office rented in a Marina, the place where I actually met him. Because of the yard, he wasn’t busy to cheating others, like my partner was at the time. I’m also sure he is not the last honest yacht broker in Turkey. Before meeting me, my partner used to steal information and pics … [Read more...]
Cruise Ship Stranded in Gulf of Mexico
Unfortunately your browser does not support IFrames. The ship is being slowly towed to shore and is expected to dock in Mobile, Ala., on Thursday if weather permits. The vessel is without air conditioning, many working toilets and some restaurant service. Passengers, many who are sleeping in tents on deck, have told ABC News the smell on the ship is foul. The head of Carnival Cruise Lines said the British-U.S.-owned company was working hard to ensure the thousands of passengers … [Read more...]