Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2016 i Boat International US Edition

It’s easy for us working in the superyacht world to become jaded about boat shows. My feet hurt just thinking about the next one — which, by the way, is this week. I fly to Monaco this evening just after we put this, our biggest-of-the-year Fort Lauderdale show issue, to bed. Fall boat show season is so hectic that we sometimes forget how extraordinary the opportunity is to see so many floating works of art tucked in rail to rail. Treats coming to Fort Lauderdale include a 181-foot support vessel to haul all the toys and a 230-foot, 30-knot Espen Øino original (see page 49 for more). Two yachts making their world debut this fall, Chasseur and Cloudbreak, are featured in these pages, and you can see them in person…

JANUARY The Ocean Awards, January 11, London FEBRUARY ShowBoats Design Awards and Young Designer of the Year Award, February 5, Kitzbüel, Austria Superyacht Design Symposium, February 6 and 7, Kitzbüel, Austria MARCH Loro Piana Caribbean Superyacht Regatta, March 10 to 13, YCCS, Virgin Gorda, BVI MAY World Superyacht Awards, May 13, Florence, Italy Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta, May 30 to June 3, Porto Cervo, Sardinia JUNE America’s Cup Superyacht Regatta, June 12 to 15, Bermuda…

It was Valentine’s Day 1964, and Elvis Presley, the King of Rock n’ Roll, showed his love by donating a yacht to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The yacht was the USS Potomac, a 165-foot coast guard cutter used by President Franklin D. Roosevelt for official business from 1936 until his death in 1945. In 1964, her then-owners decided to auction the boat. Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, got wind of the sale and thought it would be great publicity for the singer to purchase and donate her to charity. Presley paid $55,000 for Potomac and offered her to the March of Dimes. Realizing that the cost to maintain the yacht was well above its means, the organization turned down the offer. The star then presented the…

In 1917, Pierre Cartier traded a perfect, double-strand, natural pearl necklace — estimated to be worth $1 million at the time — for a neo-Renaissance style mansion on the corner of 52nd Street and Fifth Avenue in New York City, owned by Manhattan businessman Morton F. Plant. It seems Plant’s wife, Maisie, had her eye on the rare piece of jewelry, so a deal was made: Maisie got her pearls and in exchange, Cartier acquired a building that would be the company’s flagship store for nearly a century. After a two-year renovation led by chief architect Thierry Despont, the doors to the fashionable mansion finally reopened in September. “The idea was to return to the original grandeur of an early 20th -century home, but also to modernize it,” says Mercedes…

Prolonged shelf life Dutch designer Maarten Baas thumbed his nose at modernist formality, launching his celebrated postmodern furniture assemblages titled “Hey, Chair, Be a Bookshelf” with a series of puns: A chair became a bookshelf, a lampshade became a vase, a violin became a coat rack, using parts salvaged from rubbish containers. Baas then strengthened these forlorn castoffs with polyurethane for lasting value. Price on request, maartenbaas.com The art of steel When bronze and steel sculptor Gary Magakis happened upon the exclusive, high-ceilinged Todd Merrill Studio in Manhattan one day in 2009, he wasn’t expecting his life to change. Merrill not only took him on as his exclusive representative, he also pushed Magakis to create much larger pieces, which now enjoy great success. In this cantilevered, subtly tapered, layered and…

A. Testoni’s vintage-inspired boot combines tweedy loden fabric with antiqued calfskin. $670, www.testoni.com With its knit cuff and rugged sole, Ermenegildo Zegna’s hiking boot can weather the season’s worst. $850, www.zegna.com Sleek, chic and practical, Bally’s buckled “Hobston” boot adds dash to winter wardrobes. $925, www.bally.com Want to brave the elements in the chicest way possible? Hermès has the boot for you. $1,475, www.hermes.com John Lobb’s “Hinton” boot, in plum calfskin, is an elegant, yet rugged, option for foul weather wear. $1,755, www.johnlobb.com…

For some people, there is always a grail of a watch waiting to be added to their collections. The missing pieces I dream about are a 1970s Rolex GMT 1675 with a rootbeer dial, an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 5402 A-series and the new Patek Philippe 5930 World Time. But most of all, I dream of owning a moon phase watch. Ideally, I’d like a new one and, if I were greedy, all three models below. Each represents a different way a moon phase can be featured: in a stainless steel sports watch, in a precious metal dress watch and in a hulking ceramic pilot’s watch. I’ve adored the Omega Speedmaster Moonphase Co-Axial Master Chronometer Chronograph since its 2016 Baselworld debut. I love the perfectly sized 44mm stainless steel case,…

CASHMERE CARPETS I am excited for the launch of my new sailboat, My Song IV, this autumn. It’s 40 meters (131 feet) and for me that’s huge. It has a propeller that lifts into the hull like a dinghy — it’s beautiful. Of course, the carpet will be cashmere so guests can enjoy firsthand the exquisite experience of walking barefoot on a cloud! HIGH-TECH OUTDOOR FABRICS For outdoors, we have technical fabrics in light-resistant polypropylene, which are also protected against salty ocean spray. TRY A NEW BLEND INDOORS In September/October this year, we launched an interiors line with 13 variants. The focus is on double fabrics, including a Sherpas Plus/ Cashmere Double article, a Zelander Plus/Wool Double article and a Cashmere Ice article, which is not a double per se,…

If you’re the current owner of a superyacht, have owned one in the last couple years or are buying one, you might be eligible for entry into our exclusive network of yacht owners. To find out more about the club and the benefits available, email Editor Kate Lardy: ownersclub@showboats.com . This month: John Williams on the thrill of leading the pack, and insider tips from yacht owners from New England to Norway…

JOHN WILLIAMS HAS A REPUTATION FOR GENEROSITY. It comes up frequently in conversations with people who know him. I heard it several times in the days leading up to this interview. I have been sitting in his office in Atlanta for less than five minutes when he asks if I’d like a “Ranger book.” It’s a nice glossy book filled with photographs of the magnificent modern J Class named Ranger. I have seen it before but don’t own a copy, I tell him. A hardbound book with the world’s largest J Class yacht gracing its jacket is delivered in minutes, and he proceeds to sign his name on the inside cover in his meticulous handwriting. He slides the book on the sleek mahogany tabletop toward me. “Thank you Mr. Williams,”…

While other 16-year-olds were busy navel-gazing, Dutch student Boyan Slat was setting out to rid the world’s oceans of plastics. “I was diving in Greece in the summer of 2011, when I realized I came across more plastic bags than fish,” says Slat, now an entrepreneur. “Everyone told me, ‘Oh, there’s nothing you can do about plastic once it gets into the oceans.’ I wondered whether that was true.” Slat’s curiosity led him on a journey to create a trash-collecting floating barrier, which utilizes current and wind to passively collect ocean debris. He is now the CEO and founder of Ocean Cleanup and the youngest-ever recipient of the UN’s highest environmental award. Prototype tests of the invention in the North Sea have proven successful, and it’s planned to be put…

“WTF are you doing to my oceans?” was the catchphrase on T-shirts and jeans sold by edgy clothing company G-Star Raw. Pharrell Williams, whose sense of style seems as effortless as his recording success, had a hand in it. In 2010, he co-founded startup Bionic Yarn, which makes fabrics using plastics recovered from the oceans. Anything that the Grammy-winning artist does attracts attention and so big labels, including Adidas, Cole Haan, Timberland and G-Star Raw, showed interest. G-Star used Bionic Yarn’s marine plastic fiber in its Raw for the Oceans collections. While the line is no longer available in stores, by 2020 G-Star intends to have replaced all conventional polyesters in its clothing with recycled fibers, including Bionic Yarn.…

Aquijo is one of a book-worthy crop of super sailers recently launched or poised to hit the water. Perini Navi’s 230-foot ketch Sybaris, recently delivered to Bill Duker, counts a sailplan of more than 32,292 square feet and a new electrical generation system for sail handling among her charms. The 348-foot Project Solar at Oceanco is also due this year with a DynaRig, Nuvolari Lenard design and a boatload of green tech, while 463-foot Dykstra and Freivokh-designed Dream Symphony is in build at the Dream Ship Victory yard in Marmaris. But the headliner is “sail-assisted” 469-foot Sailing Yacht A, built by Nobiskrug for Andrey Melnichenko. Due for delivery this year, she boasts a radical Philippe Starck-designed profile and the tallest carbon masts in the world, designed and built by carbon…

1. ELECTRIC BICYCLES are very popular and easy to purchase these days. The batteries have come a long way and the range and speed are impressive. And, it’s one less thing that requires fuel! NYCeWheels carries an electric folding bike by Brompton. nycewheels.com 2. MOTOPEDS are mountain bike/moped/ motorcycle hybrids that are still light enough to be carried into or out of a tender garage or large lazarette. They require a bit more skill for the average guest to ride, but the crew may find it handy for running errands. motoped.com 3. If you or your guests want to experience the sensation of gliding underwater like a dolphin, SUBWINGS look like a LOT of fun and won’t take up a ton of space. subwing.com 4. Guests can turn their strolls…

Low-lying limestone islands fringed with beaches so white and water so blue you will want the colors permanently imprinted on your retina, the Turks & Caicos are getting the attention they deserve. The early resort developers got some of the best spots and this includes Grace Bay on Providenciales, where the Grace Bay Club occupies roughly 11 acres. Most recently renovated in 2015, this spa resort has something for everyone. The infinity bar and cozy fire pits get high points, but visitors rave about the personal attention and, of course, the fine-sand beach, one of our picks for world’s best. For more, turn to page 250.…

GET UP THERE Osorno Volcano, which looks a little like Mount Rainier, is known for its snow-capped peak and amazing views. It is still active with occasional puffs of steam recalling its true nature as a volcano. Driving allows you to visit the falls, but for those with more time and a good set of legs, hiking the trail is a must-do. CHILL IN CHILOÉ Chiloé Island has a laid-back atmosphere and authentic charm with its fishing villages and wooden churches. A 90-minute ferry ride is one way to get there from Puerto Montt. A bridge will eventually link Chiloé to the mainland, easing life for the Chilotes but, some fear, changing the feel forever. SEE FOOD Angelmo is a quirky waterfront district in Puerto Montt. Locals recommend walking away…

Johannah Barry, founder and president of the Galápagos Conservancy, says she often gets letters from visitors to the Galápagos saying that their stay was the most extraordinary experience of their lives. “They say, ‘I want this place to be there for my children and grandchildren.’ People feel an intergeneration responsibility, and they are the biggest allies that the Galápagos have,” she says. An environmental NGO based in the U.S., the Galápagos Conservancy works with public institutions in Ecuador to support programs from education to scientific studies. A scientific advisor to the organization is herpetologist Dr. Linda Cayot. Known for her work with Lonesome George, among other projects, she collaborates with the park service and Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS) to protect tortoises throughout the islands. The Galápagos Conservancy currently is…

212 WEST DILIDO DRIVE MIAMI BEACH $32 million Situated on a rare expansive lot on Di Lido Island with 120 feet of bay frontage overlooking Biscayne Bay, this modern yet timeless 11,500-square-foot, seven-bedroom fully furnished home is the premier property of the visionary Casa Clara luxury brand, which celebrates lux materials, craftsmanship and fine details. Designed by well-known Miami-based architect Ralph Choeff with interiors by Charlotte Dunagan, the home’s grand gestures — such as a water wall feature and unique 11-foot-tall solid European oak door at the entrance, and thoughtful touches, like walls that appear to float above the floor and a hidden staircase leading to a master suite wing — set the property apart. Featuring baths and an open kitchen designed in collaboration with Boffi, a home theater, a…

Chrisopher scholey London-based photographer Christopher Scholey has been photographing superyachts since 2005. When not on location or in the studio, he enjoys historic car racing with his father in his classic 1954 Jaguar XK120. Best boating experience? My most memorable yacht experience was not when I was behind the lens but rather a crewmember on Drumbeat, a 174-foot Dubois ketch. As the barman, the only shot that I made was in a Bloody Mary, not with a 35mm. I crossed the Equator twice, visited Lebanon and had long nights on watch down the Red Sea. It was a year that changed my life. Why turn to page 198 ? Cloudbreak was anchored in Kangerlussuaq Fjord. We landed in bright sunshine, but the weather turned foul in a matter…

Pokemonfish This “googly-eyed,” stubby squid, a jello-like creature related to cuttlefish, had scientists in stitches when they spotted it on the sea floor. You can view the video at nautiluslive.org . Family ties The sixth generation of the Hodgdon family has joined the management team of 200-year-old Hodgdon Yachts. Audrey Hodgdon steps up to the plate as director of sales and marketing. She’s probably quite familiar with the brand already. Alcoholic beverages Long Island ice teas were to blame for a 72-footer washing up onto a beach in Palm Beach County, Florida, according to the captain who was charged with boating under the influence. The boat’s name: Time Out! Seabob for a cause A special “volcano” edition of the Seabob goes with a children’s book Princess Yachts has created…

U.S. Debut 66' AZIMUT An all-carbon yacht with a large flybridge deck and a four-cabin layout, this Azimut tops 32 knots with twin Caterpillar C18s. A Raymarine monitoring system keeps track of all data. On the gentler side of things, the Carlo Galeazzi interior is an ode to Italian good taste with details such as stained woods and backlit cabinets. U.S. Debut SUNSEEKER MANHATTAN 52 Sunseeker’s smallest flybridge model in more than a decade, the Manhattan 52 has been designed to maximize entertainment, light and living space. An open layout on the main deck, three cabins below and a transom that converts into a mini beach club are a few of her highlights. Fjord 40 New models are coming to the U.S. next year, expanding on the principles of this…

Named for the addictive bat-and-ball game invented on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro in the 1940s, luxury swimwear brand Frescobol Carioca may have its roots in Brazil but was dreamed up by founders Harry Brantly and Max Leese in the French Riviera. The pair launched their own line of bats after a quiet game of frescobol accidentally attracted a beach-wide crowd before expanding the business to include the Rio-inspired swimshorts for which they are now known. Taking their cue from the columns of the Modernist Palácio do Planalto, where the president of Brazil works, and Palácio da Alvorada, where he lives, this tailored pair is a yachting essential. Planalto tailored swim shorts, $198, frescobolcarioca.com Hey there, Mister! Originally part of the uniform for the French Navy, the Breton striped…

Despite its use of potentially harmful chemicals, the cosmetics industry remains entirely unregulated. An ever-increasing number of consumers are concerned about the safety of beauty products, and the result is a dizzying array of organic skincare brands. Unlike big international companies, these small businesses are often run by their founders, who are personally involved in sourcing the ingredients. Helping me sort through myriad green options was organic aficionado Belinda Tung. Here is a selection of niche brands that I tested and liked. From center top, clockwise: Skin Owl’s eye concentrate cream is a lightweight cooling and moisturizing gel that evens skin tone and relaxes wrinkles. Aloe and jojoba oils soothe and heal the fragile skin around the eye, and cucumber reduces puffiness. $46, www.skinowl.com Jenna Levine studied botany and herbal…

Porsche Panamera Turbo Engine: 520-hp, 4.8-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 Torque: 516 lb-ft Acceleration: 0-60 in 3.9 seconds Top speed: 189 mph (with Sport Chrono package) Base price: $141,300 www.porsche.com The Porsche Panamera appears largely antithetical to the brand’s lineup: a lone luxury sedan in a field of sports cars and a smattering of SUVs. But, in more ways than one, looks aren’t everything. For decades, Porsche production vehicles stuck to the engineering recipe first developed by company founder Ferdinand Porsche in the early ’30s, whose work helped create a “people’s car.” In the interest of maximizing interior space, storage, traction, rigidity and ease of repair, this Volkswagen had two doors and a simple air-cooled engine planted at the rear, which drove the back wheels. Elements from this foundational blueprint fell away…

Panerai, noted for its nautical watches and as a regatta sponsor, has released its first made-to-order model — the Radiomir 1940 Minute Repeater Carillon Tourbillon GMT, priced from $400,000. Panerai collectors can choose from a slew of bespoke options: polished or brushed red or white gold; three hand colors (black, blue or gold); beige or green for superlume on the bar markers and numbers and a multitude of strap choices. Inside the 49mm case lives Panerai’s P.2005/MR movement, which features a GMT, a tourbillon and double hour- and minute-repeater mechanisms. The repeater can be activated for local and a second time zone, and chimes with mellifluous tones that recall the sound of a ship’s bell. Pro tip: Design yours on the dedicated app.…

On a recent flight, the pilots of a Dassault Falcon 7X faced a technical hitch on their three-engined jet. They raised their voices slightly as they resolved the problem and learned only later that their passengers had shared the stress: The sound level in the Falcon is so low that chatter on the flight deck was clear in the cabin behind them. Long gone are the early days of VIP aviation when the whine of turbo-jets drowned conversation in cramped aircraft. So says Adam Twidell, founder and CEO of PrivateFly, a British-based charter broker, who tells this tale to illustrate the current Zen-like comfort in high-end private flying. Aboard their Cessna Citations, Gulfstreams, Embraers, Bombardiers and Boeings, customers now expect silence, space and light — even in small planes. “Passengers…

Breitling Navitimer 1884 The new Navitimer 1884 combines the maker’s aviation slide rule with day and month apertures and a crescent-tipped date pointer drawn from a Breitling design, first seen in the 1940s. Limited to 1,884 pieces worldwide, the 46mm diameter case can be on a steel bracelet (as shown) or a rubber strap that looks like an aircraft tire. $7,150, breitling.com Bremont ALT1-ZT/51 Taking a cue from the P-51 Mustang limited-edition watch of five years ago, the new ALT1-ZT/51 has buff-colored hands and hour markers, which give it a much-in-favor vintage look. Functionality includes an exceptionally clear dial and a 24-hour ring that’s been moved to the inner bezel for improved legibility. $5,895, bremont.com Zenith Heritage Pilot Type 20 GMT Zenith’s history in pilot’s watches dates back to the…

SPEED OR STYLE? Speed. I live to drive fast. CHAUFFEUR OR CHEF? I’ll always drive myself. When we are on Ranger cruising, I try to cook one evening meal for both guests and crew. So the answer could be neither. IDEA OF LUXURY? Being on a boat in a place you could not enjoy otherwise. Nantucket, Positano, Capri or Saint-Tropez. You can go downstairs and cut out all the noise and escape the crowds. FIRST THING YOU PACK? First I pack myself and then I organize the shoes I am going to take, always with some Docksiders. HOW MANY WATCHES? I own two. Rolexes. Simple. And when I am on the boat, I don’t wear a watch. FIRST BOATING MEMORY? Fishing, probably on some pond, to catch a catfish FAVORITE…

Think big, start small. This could be the mantra for the Seabin Project, developed by Andrew Turton, a boatbuilder and sailor, and Pete Ceglinski, a surfer and industrial designer. Affixed to a pontoon, the Seabin cleans up one marina or port at a time, but Turton and Ceglinski have a larger goal: “to create a world where we don’t need the Seabin, to have a pollution-free ocean for future generations.” The automated garbage bin collects anything floating in the water, from oil to plastic, and is ideal for marinas, ports, inland waterways and yacht clubs — it can even be fitted to superyachts. In partnership with French group Poralu Marine, Seabin is planning a product launch and organizing worldwide distribution of its first units for the end of the year.…

Less than a year ago, Y.Co founded its YACHT.CLUB. Not your typical burgee-flying society, this club donates the dues it collects to Blue Marine Foundation, while its members enjoy discounts at businesses from Florida to the South of France. Now Y.Co is taking its ocean-loving ways a big step further with the Clearwater program, which will be rolled out on all the yachts Y.Co manages by the end of 2016. A visible change will happen when yachts switch from plastic water bottles to refillable metal bottles, but the real mission is to educate crew about protecting the oceans. “One thing we feel is missing is an educational process for crew where they can go on short courses to learn about how we can do good for the oceans, what we…

The Galápagos is a “Hotel California” of sorts for the animals who accidentally landed on its shores. We’re just a little more than one hour into the flight from Guayaquil, Ecuador’s commercial hub, when the crew starts preparing to land on Baltra, a flat island and former U.S. army base in the Galápagos. I expect to hear about seat belts and tray tables and I have my finger on the armrest ready to straighten my seat, when I hear something a little out of the ordinary: “Insecticide will be applied to the interior of the cabin.” As if on cue, a steward comes down the aisle, systematically spraying the contents of a canister inside overhead compartments. A few passengers shift uncomfortably in their seats and lean away from the…

Miami and the Beach: Prices for top luxury condos and new development units on Miami Beach run upward of $1,650 to $2,900 per square foot, says Anthony Graziano, senior managing director at Integra Realty Resources. At the same time, resale prices on waterfront houses are relatively affordable by comparison at $500 to $800 per square foot in coastal Miami neighborhoods like Coral Gables. Fort Lauderdale: With a residential stock much more heavily weighted toward single-family homes, prices per square foot for waterfront properties in Fort Lauderdale range between $800 to $2,000, says Dennis Stevick, senior vice president of One Sotheby’s Realty’s Fort Lauderdale office, whose team sold a house on Harborage Island last year for $27.5 million, the highest price paid for a residence in the city’s history. Palm Beach:…

Residence: Panama City, Florida Occupation: Founder/owner and CEO of Eastern Shipbuilding Group and owner of Sun Harbor Marina in Panama City My current boats are a center console 36-foot Yellowfin with three outboard motors, a 55-foot Hatteras sportsfisherman and the 141-foot schooner Columbia, an exact replica of the original built in 1923 in Essex, Massachusetts. We went to the Classic Yacht Regatta in Antigua and we also sailed in Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands. Those are my favorite cruising grounds. For eight years, I was in the commercial fishing business. I spent four of those years at sea on fishing boats and two of those years were spent fishing off Sable Island, Nova Scotia, where Columbia went down in a gale in 1927. I built the vessel Andrea…

Enigma €47.5 million The iconic 244-foot Enigma has been listed for sale by Edmiston & Company. Built with a steel hull and GRP superstructure by Blohm + Voss to a design by Martin Francis and Lloyd’s classed, she was delivered in 1991. A 2014 refit saw her interior refreshed, and she is now in immaculate condition. Accommodations are for 15 guests in six cabins. Ester III €79.5 million Fraser Yachts has listed the 216-foot Ester III. Designed by Espen Øino, she was built in steel and aluminum by Lürssen to Lloyd’s class and was delivered in 2014. A classically elegant interior by Reymond Langton accommodates 12 guests in six cabins, including a full-beam master suite on the main deck and five guest cabins belowdecks. Parsifal III…

QUEEN OF DIAMONDS Lera Jewels can best be described as high end, but low key. Founder and designer Ronit Tarshis grew up with a weaving loom in the living room and a pottery wheel in the basement. So it was perhaps no surprise that when this Emmy Award-winning TV producer started her own jewelry business five years ago, her creations combined raw diamonds with other natural and organic materials, such as leather and cotton cord. With pavé settings in ever-trendy rose gold, her pendants and necklaces can be worn alone or layered, and shift seamlessly from day to night. $2,400 to $20,000, www.lerajewels.com BRING HERMÈS HOME Inspired by the world of travel and the “nomadic spirit,” Hermès’ new collection for the home combines bull calf leather and pale maple into…

If you enjoy gardening, you know how important it is to pay attention to growing zone maps that dictate when it is safe to plant to avoid late frosts. But in the world of wine, there is a rarefied niche where the dreaded temperature plunges are crucial. The resulting wines earn the poetic name “ice wine.” Ripe grapes are allowed to freeze on the vine, which separates out the water from the flavored elements, so when the grapes are crushed, they yield a sweet and concentrated must (juice). This is then fermented to make a product that can stand proudly in the pantheon of sweet wines. Most of the better-known sweet wines, such as Sauternes or Tokaji, owe their existence to the development of a late-season mold, botrytis — the…

The average man pays scant attention to his clothes’ construction, so singling out quilting as a sartorial trend this season is likely to draw blank expressions. In fact, I can practically hear you thinking: Doesn’t quilting have more to do with what goes on my bed than what goes on my body? Actually, people around the world have been quilting clothes for centuries, sewing layers of fabric or leather together with or without padding. Quilting can be done with crisscrossed stitches (making diamonds or squares) or long, straight seams (creating baffles), but its goals are usually the same: either to trap insulation, like goose down, in relatively smaller air pockets for warmth or to create areas of extra thickness and resiliency for shock absorption. As a result, quilted clothes are…

Porsche recognized the negotiating capacity of backseats very early on. This is why it integrated two small ones into the original iconic 911 sports coupe. “It’s a family car,” a potential owner could proclaim. “Look, seats for kids.” But the quest for a true four-passenger vehicle were more fraught, according to Porsche historian Dieter Landenberger. “There were off-and-on discussions on how to realize variants with a longer wheelbase.” The 1977 release of Porsche’s first luxury grand tourer, the 928, afforded a fresh opportunity for this discussion. Working with the fabricators at the American Sunroof Company (ASC) near Stuttgart in 1987, Porsche produced its first four-door, which Landenberger refers to as “a rather extraordinary-looking version of the 928.” Stretched by a full foot, the vehicle had room for a quartet of…

“I like to call my yacht a research lab. Sailing conditions are the perfect environment to see how far fabrics can be stressed.” “We want our products to be versatile. We want natural raw materials that have little impact on the environment.” Soaking up the sun, breathing in the fresh salt air and splashing in the sea — this connection to nature is the reason many yacht owners take to the water. Exposure to these same elements can prove fatal for the fine fabrics found on board, but not so for the luxurious materials created by Italy’s Loro Piana. Instead, the company’s more than 600 interiors fabrics are specifically designed to thrive in demanding ocean-air conditions. It’s no accident that the Italian brand’s fabrics are exceptionally well-suited to the superyacht…

I’m reading [police novelist] Joseph Wambaugh on my Kindle. I think I prefer actual books, but I’m giving this e-reader thing a go. I don’t watch too much TV on board —I prefer being outside — but I do watch the news and soccer (for my team, Tottenham Hotspur), and the Crime and Investigation channel in the evening. There’s nothing like a good murder mystery before bed. Our onboard soundtrack heavily features The Who. “Baba O’Riley” always gets me on the air guitar and air drums. I always carry my BlackBerry, and an iPad for weather apps, charts and [the app] Ship Finder so I can track my friends. I wear a watch at night only. I have an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore because it’s chunky and understated. I…

“Once ingested, plastic can block or rupture the digestive tract and leak contaminants into the bird’s bloodstream.” Anyone who has sailed in Australian waters will have seen shearwaters, known locally as muttonbirds, wheeling overhead in the sky. The birds are instantly recognizable by their elongated wings, which can span more than a yard, the better for gliding on thermals as they migrate. Though the flesh-footed shearwater subspecies is known to be in decline, around 17,000 breeding pairs remain among the 130 permanent and migratory bird species that can be spotted on Lord Howe Island, one of Australia’s most beautiful satellites. With its fabled “twin peaks” (the mountains Gower and Lidgberd), marine park and World Heritage Site status, it ought to be idyllic, but as Dr. Jennifer Lavers, a research fellow…

Back in 1997, Captain Charles Moore decided to take a shortcut from Hawaii to California aboard his 50-foot catamaran. Veering from his usual course, he went through the rarely traveled North Pacific Gyre. “As I gazed from the deck at the surface of what ought to have been a pristine ocean, I was confronted, as far as the eye could see, with the sight of plastic,” the captain wrote in an essay for Natural History. He was possibly the first to discover the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Since then, his marine research foundation, Algalita, has been studying the impact of plastic pollution on the marine environment, spearheading the methodology for collecting and analyzing microplastic samples from the ocean. Algalita’s next expedition, starting in November, is to Chile and Easter Island.…

My dream is to sail her around South America,” her owner says. “People who round Cape Horn are a special breed among sailors.” World cruising, in comfort, was a key point in the brief to Tripp Design in 2010 — as was speed. Sailing around the Greek Islands this summer, Aquijo was out in 35 to 40 knots of breeze, cruising at an average of 19. “What an amazing day of sailing!” the owner recalls. “The boat was on rails even in the rough sea that kept many boats in port.” Aquijo — at 1,538 gross tons, the largest-volume modern sailing yacht in the world — can fly. To produce such a luxurious thoroughbred required a unique collaboration between two Dutch shipyards and designer Bill Tripp. The owner’s team first…

“Cloudbreak is an outdoorsman’s and nature lover’s boat.” In some ways this is a story you’ve already heard — a man who could not find the yacht he really wanted set out to build his own. The result, though, is a boat the likes of which you’ve never seen, a high-tech floating “chalet” with a helideck (certified for commercial use) for its custom Bell 429 Global Ranger, ski room, fireplace and the largest toy chest ever built, plus a refined interior. It owes its name to a wave in Fiji that daring surfers rank among their favorites. And that says a lot. There is no need to meet the yacht’s owner to understand that he is young, fit and adventurous. The fast boats he carries on board, the air tender…

1. Comfort: Zero-speed stabilizers 2. Crew: Great crew, excellent chef, captain who is well-connected and knows the waters and the shoreside attractions and activities 3. Toys: A comprehensive list, including PWC, inflatable slide and on-deck Jacuzzi for larger yachts. And either a rigid towed tender for the Bahamas or a dry tender for the Med 4. Décor: A refit within the last four to five years that included an updated, uncluttered ambience that is impeccably maintained 5. Connectivity: Guests will assume their level of connectivity and entertainment options will be equal to or better than what they enjoy at home.…

SWIMMING AMONG THE STARS We boarded Stella Maris’ tender after dark and for a few exhilarating minutes headed toward a horizon imagined rather than seen in the warm, salty air. When the lights on Stella Maris became a faint glow, we stopped. Stirring the water with our hands unleashed a chain reaction of green bioluminescence. We cautiously slid into the ocean and began swimming around the boat. The sea around us filled with exploding bursts of light matching the celestial vault riddled with stars. It was as if we were swimming in the Milky Way. HANGING ON ENRIQUE’S WORDS Our tour guide, Enrique, a San Cristobal native, answered all the questions we threw his way. Latest volcanic eruption, history, Darwin, types of cacti, birth cycle of boobies, favorite flamingo food…

Over the top The Eugenia Kim “Sunny,” a saucy, sand toyo straw sunhat, will help convey your beach attitude thanks to its black-sequin, hand-embroidered “do not disturb” statement. $485, saksfifthavenue.com Gotta wear shades You’ll look cool as a sea cucumber in these square, rose-gold metal Tom Ford “Ronnie” sunglasses, made in Italy and offering 100 percent UVA/UVB protection. $405, tomford.com Beach read Find some shade and devote an afternoon to Dark Matter, Blake Crouch’s bestselling science-fiction thriller about choices and how far we’ll go to claim the lives we want. $27, penguinrandomhouse.com Lean back Ease back into the H55 lounger, a luxurious outdoor recliner designed in 1955 for an exhibition in Sweden and available in black, navy blue or white Sunbrella fabric or natural canvas. Four recline settings give you…

 After more than 15 years of planning, two years of designing and four years of building, Bill Duker finally has the yacht of his dreams: a 230-foot ketch called Sybaris. Its genesis occurred in 1993, during a sailing voyage to Antigua, when Duker saw Thalia, a 160-foot sailing yacht designed by Ron Holland. Enthralled by both her beauty and scale, he was struck by a bolt of inspiration. “I said to myself, ‘My God, I’ve got to have a boat like that,’ ” recalls the energetic attorney-turned-software impresario upon witnessing the vessel at sea. “All of the homes I own are designed to be places that inspires ideas.” Duker being able to manifest his vision is hardly surprising; the ambitious entrepreneur is known for transforming ideas into reality with unrelenting…

Celebrity-spotting: Miami counts Tommy Hilfiger, Alex Rodriguez and Gloria and Emilio Estefan, among others, as residents. Palm Beach has more than its share of superstar athletes, like Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and Serena and Venus Williams. And the beautiful Florida Key of Islamorada has become a star in its own right as the setting for the seductive noir-inspired Netflix series “Bloodline.” Culture club: Art aficionados converge in droves on Miami Beach every December for Art Basel, where works by the world’s top modern and contemporary artists are shown alongside numerous concurrent fairs, such as Art Miami in Wynwood, and exhibitions at Miami’s many museums — notably the Pérez Art Museum of Miami. The Broward Center for the Performing Arts — an anchor of Fort Lauderdale’s Riverwalk Arts and Entertainment District…