BOAT Briefing

This week Charlotte caught up with adventurers Ross and Hugo as they sat on their yacht in A Coruña in Northern Spain. They've been on a 100% emission-free sailing expedition to the Atlantic Pole of Inaccessibility (POI) - the geographic location furthest from any coast – and share an update of how their adventure is going and how the tech onboard is holding up, as well as their top tips for plann...

In this week’s episode, Stewart and Charlotte discuss a recent New Yorker article that’s doing the rounds, and take a look at some standout onboard pools, as well as sharing details of what’s in this year’s Superyachts book.  There’s news of a new 80m custom yacht from ISA and designer Espen Øino; a highly secretive 103m Feadship superyacht project, known only as Feadship 1011, which has just had...

While building a very successful car dealership business in Louisiana, Bob Giles never lost his innate sense of adventure. After a lifetime of boating, in 2018, he took delivery of the 30 metre Nordhavn 96 VivieRae and logged 20,000 miles in just 10 months. There was never a lull in the action but earlier this year, VivieRae (which has its own Instagram account) started a circumnavigation. We chat...

In this week’s podcast Sophia is joined by BOAT US Editor Cecile, who is fresh from a holiday in Switzerland. With yacht show season fast approaching the pair discuss which yachts they are most excited about hopefully seeing, including 75 metre Kensho, 62 metre CRN Rio and the new Sunreef 80 Eco. They also briefly discuss Sophia’s first hybrid experience on Benetti Goga and the Monaco Energy Boat...

After breaking his back in a paragliding accident in the army, Chris Cecil-Wright turned to the water and the world of brokerage. He began his career at Camper & Nicholsons, working for his mentor, Nick Edmiston, before joining Nick at his new company Edmiston & Company. Chris struck out on his own 10 years ago and founded the eponymous brokerage company. In this conversation, Chris looks...

In this week's episode of BOAT Briefing, we discuss everything from yacht furniture you can grow on the sea floor to the exciting new 37 metre B.Yond project from Benetti. Stewart, meanwhile, reports back from trips to Germany and Italy and Charlotte looks ahead to our Life Under Sail supplement and the amazing yachts featured within. In the news is Lurssen's delivery of 160m Blue, the latest on T...

In this week's Big Boat Interview, Charlotte caught up with Steve Sidwell, owner of the 34m Westport Ascente . A particularly well-travelled owner, Steve shares some of his many adventures along the Pacific coast. He’s also owned over 20 yachts of various shapes and sizes over his lifetime, so he was able to spill a few top tips for buyers, as well as disclose details about an exciting new yacht t...

In this week’s episode Charlotte and Sophia are back in the recording studio following a busy couple of weeks at the Superyacht Design Festival in Milan and the Ultra High Network Insight Summit in Monaco.  As well as talking over the Design & Innovation Awards winners and their festival highlights, Charlotte also reveals some of the insights on owners’ expectations that she picked up from the...

In this week's Big BOAT Interview, we sit down with novelist Emma Bamford ahead of the release of debut thriller Deep Water. BOAT’s former production editor Emma has harnessed all of her sailing experience for this dark tale, which is based around a honeymoon couple that sail to the paradise island of Amarante. Emma talks about how her global travels – including a dramatic decision in her thirties...

In this week's Big BOAT Interview, we sit down with the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Sir Ben Ainslie. We discuss the launch of his original America's Cup campaign in 2014, his feelings about the next Cup in Barcelona, and whether the upstart SailGP league is a threat to the oldest sporting competition in the world. Ben also talks about how he manages that tricky work-life balance, a...

On this week’s podcast Stewart is fresh from a dual trip to Italy taking in the Italian superyacht boom and hanging out with David Beckham at Riva's 180th birthday celebrations. Meanwhile, Sophia reports back from a whirlwind trip to Bermuda, the pair discuss BOAT’s exclusive auction of NFTs in aid of ocean conservation and they look ahead to next week’s Superyacht Design Festival in Milan. In the...

In this week’s Big Boat Interview, Charlotte catches up with Rory and Elizabeth Brooks, the owners of the 32m, 1972 Feadship Heavenly Daze, and 15.5m 1956 Hera. The couple discuss the best way of keeping a classic yacht in tip top shape, their bookings for the upcoming charter season, proposed environmental targets for existing, rather than new, yachts, and the rookie mistakes they made in their e...

When four young women of colour who worked in shark science met online, they had no idea where their casual conversation would lead. Two years later and their charity, Minorities in Shark Science (MISS), has gathered over 400 members worldwide, as well as a 2022 Ocean Award. Carlee Jackson, MISS’s Director of Communications, talks to BOAT International about their journey so far, and why she hopes...

In this week’s special edition of the Big BOAT Interview, as part of Ocean Talks, Sophia sits down with legendary marine biologist and ocean advocate Dr Sylvia Earle. Referred to as “Her Deepness” Dr Earle has spent more than 7,000 hours underwater and has been at forefront of campaigning to protect the world’s oceans. She talks about the changes she has witnessed during her career that has spanne...

It's our 100th episode! In the same week the Queen celebrates 70 years on the British throne, we release our 100th BOAT Briefing. We look back on some of our most popular podcasts to date, discuss the yachts racing in the Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta, and various other anniversaries, including Riva's 180th birthday and Nuvolari Lenard's 30th. Inflation, meanwhile, is affected shipyards' botto...

In this week's episode of BOAT Briefing, we talk through the winners of the World Superyacht Awards, which were held last weekend in London, kicking off at Westminster Abbey and concluding at the Guildhall. Find out which boats won – and why. In the news this week is Heesen's change in ownership, the listing of Eddie Jordan's beloved sailing yacht Blush and the launch by CRN of their latest 52 met...

In this week's Big BOAT Interview, Charlotte sits down with Dean Pilatti, captain onboard the 60.9m yacht Arience . Dean shares the story of how he got the job running Arience , and how the crew’s social media campaign has made it one of the most booked-up charter yachts this season. He also gave his steer on which destinations to head to, and which to avoid (spoiler alert: he can’t stand Capri),...

On this week’s podcast Stewart reports back from whirlwind visit to British climate technology company Levidian Nanosystems, which recently announced a new partnership with Edmiston. The team also discuss the sad demolition of former Atlantic record holder Gentry Eagle and debate the benefits of a trimaran design. They also look at the Q1 charter numbers and why there is  unprecedented demand for...

Could this be the future of yachting design? A trimaran nearly as wide as it is long with virtually unlimited range, as long as there is wind, water and sun. Designer Pieter Van Geest and naval architect Rob Doyle conceived Domus as a flexible platform, ideally suited for a circumnavigation (“Panamax ready” both in terms of its width and height), or a party platform. The design team says that desp...

In this week’s episode, the team discuss the recent Owners’ Club event in Miami, and plans for the upcoming Superyacht Design Festival at the end of June. There’s also talk of David Bowie’s yacht, El Caran, which is currently up for sale; an update to the charter licensing fees in Turkey, which should lure more boats to the area; and analysis of this year’s Q1 brokerage sales. In the news, they di...

In this week's episode of BOAT Briefing, Sophia reports back from the Spring Pop Up in Monaco where topics included how the war in Ukraine is impacting the market and emerging shipyard destinations. We also look at how a booked-up charter season impacted the MYBA charter show and the forthcoming Formula One Grand Prix in Miami, including the incorporation of a marina without any water. We also cel...

In this week's Big BOAT Interview, we sit down with Guillaume Hodde, the co-founder of a company called AirYacht, which is seeking to build "the superyacht of the skies". This is a 200-metre-lond airship that carries a 50-metre long, superyacht-styled residence that can be dropped on water or on land. You can read more about AirYacht in our story here - www.boatinternational.com/yachts/news/airyac...

In this week's episode of BOAT Briefing, Sophia reports back from the first ever Experiential Yachting Forum in Monaco, we discuss why the shared ownership model has never taken off and learn more about the out-of-this-world refit of 56 metre Galaxy. We also bring you news of a brand new superyacht shipyard on the South Coast of the UK, and the fascinating history of the boat it's currently restor...

This week’s Big BOAT interview is with IYC yacht broker Mark Elliott. A Miami native who got his sea legs early, Mark was an experienced captain by the age of 19. We talk about the time he met Bernie Little, a yacht aficionado who loomed large in his career, the hairy hours when he battled to save the guests and crew of 37 metre Nadine (which eventually sank in 15-metre waves off Sardinia) – an in...

In this week's episode of BOAT Briefing, the team discuss the wonders of Sydney Harbour, and why so many superyacht owners own vineyards. We also talk treasure hunting, and a new boat show that has started in London. In the news this week is the launch of 88 metre Project X by Golden Yachts, the first sighting of the future Feadship flagship, Project 821, and a new hybrid catamaran design by Silen...