The yacht, to be known by her hull number FY17, is an all aluminum design, with a fixed keel. She features a raised saloon and a fixed bimini over the cockpit, which will have mechanically operated sliding windows. The master cabin and two guest staterooms will be located aft; with a 4th cabin, come day room, galley and crew space forward. Her strong clean lines will make her a striking sight on the water, while her top performance levels will make her a worthy competitor on the regatta scene.

Having chartered sailing yachts extensively in the past FY17’s discerning owners undertook a gruelling two-year research process in order to find the best yard to build their yacht. “Fitzroy Yachts is known for its award winning superyachts and we are delighted that after compiling a shortlist of some of the top builders in the world, the owner recognized Fitzroy Yachts as the best builder for the job,” said Rodney Martin, MD of Fitzroy Yachts.

On signing the contract for the new order the owners praised Fitzroy Yachts as being “easily the most proactive,” of those yards invited to bid on the project, great to deal with, open to ideas, participative, and highly professional – all wrapped in first class facilities.

FY17’s owners are two of a growing group that see the value in Fitzroy Yachts fully custom yard. “It is really important to us to be able to focus entirely on the few projects we are working on. It’s the only way to provide the high quality and personal service that these projects demand and deserve,” said Martin. “Allowing our owners to be involved and enjoy the construction process is one of the most important aspects of a successful build for us,” he continued.

FY17’s owners, who are planning several visits to the yard throughout the build, concur. “We never imagined we would build a boat, but we are enjoying the process so much we are already talking about building another,” they said.

The yard expects to begin cutting plate on FY17 in May of 2012, with delivery set for early 2014. More details will be revealed on this exciting project as construction progresses.

Also under construction at the Fitzroy Yachts shipyard is the spectacular 50m flybridge sloop G50, which is nearing completion ahead of its launch in September, and a 37m Rebuild Project being completed for launch in June 2012.

Though the Space Coast moniker is not yet in jeopardy, Brevard County could become a destination for sportfishing aficionados who have the wherewithal to purchase one of the world’s most respected — and expensive — big-game-sportfishing yachts.

“Many of our customers don’t want to go the showroom and buy one. What they want is not in the showroom,” Alton Herndon, Bertram’s president, said in an interview. “They want to come to the manufacturing facility and watch it being built. They make several visits.”

That’s just one of the economic pleasantries to ponder as Herndon and officials from the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast formally announce Bertram’s relocation to Brevard County at a three-hour event today on Merritt Island.

Herndon will announce that the 50-year-old company’s new home will be at the former Sea Ray factory at 1230 Sea Ray Drive on Merritt Island, where the company will, at least initially, build 15 to 25 sportfishing vessels a year that range from 50 to 80 feet long.

Bertram plans to hire 221 people and expects to find employees from among the former workers of Sea Ray, which closed its Merritt Island operation during the recession, and Kennedy Space Center, where 7,000 engineers and technicians were displaced when the shuttle program ended in July.

The company will move its manufacturing from a cramped facility near Miami International Airport, where 125 employees work. Bertram officials searched from North Miami to Virgina Beach before settling on Merritt Island, where the company is near the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway.

“We looked at over 30 plant sites,” Herndon said. “This proved to be the best of the best.”

For more than a year, the company worked with the Economic Development Commission, Brevard’s primary economic development agency, which was instrumental in the project as staffers assisted with various components, from location to environmental matters.

The EDC helped broker the deal for Bertram lease the property from VectorWorks Inc., a Titusville boatbuilder that bought the complex from Sea Ray, which never used the buildings Bertram will occupy.

“They really like the facility,” said Greg Weiner, the EDC’s senior director of business development, who also had a hand in other recent, high-profile victories for the county, including bringing the aviation companies AAR Airlift and MidAir USA to Melbourne International Airport. “It’s brand new.”

Bertram owners really like their boats, too. They speak highly of the seaworthiness of these vessels, which can cost upwards of $5 million for the larger models.

“I’ve had mine for 18 years, and it’s a well-made vessel,” said charter boat Capt. Joe Fetro, who runs the 28-foot Gettin’ There II out of Cape Canaveral. “I would buy another.”

The company’s noteriety will bring attention to Brevard, boaters said.

“Just having a high-profile company like that associated with us can’t do anything but help us,” said charter boat Capt. Mike Gautreaux, who runs Regular Guy Fishing Charters in Cape Canaveral and has much experience with the brand.

“Bertram is a huge name in boats,” Gautreaux continued. “It’ll bring jobs. It’ll bring recognition, and, hopefully, it’ll bring some sponsorships for fishing tournaments.”

Tournament big-game fishing at a level practiced by Bertram owners often comes with prizes above $100,000. The fishermen and spectators can bring millions of dollars to a fishing area’s restaurants, hotels and marinas.

Bertram is owned by the Ferretti Group, an Italian enterprise that bought the company in 1998. Beginning as strictly a fishing boat, Bertram evolved to earn a reputation for its luxury as well as its durability.

“It is all in how it’s built,” said Mike Kukla, Bertram sales director. “We skimp on nothing.”

In 2006, the company sold 55 vessels. Sales dropped during the recession, but Kukla said sales have begun to rise and soon should be near 25 a year.

Asia is home to less than 4 percent of the world’s 7,000 superyachts but interest has been taking off for the last five years and many buyers are young, executives from the luxury boat industry said at a conference in Singapore on Wednesday.

“We had a guy turn up a few weeks ago in a Lamborghini and say ‘Look, my friend has just bought the same Lamborghini. What can we do different?’” Simon Turner, the Singapore-based director of yacht brokers Northrop and Johnson, told Reuters.

“So we got some boat brochures and he said ‘I’ll buy one’. It was done in five minutes. That’s a $10 million yacht.”

As Western economies sputter, Asia has steamed along with growth and wealth creation. The 2011 Merrill Lynch-Capgemini World Wealth Report showed Asia has 3.3 million people with high net worth, just behind the 3.4 million in North America but ahead of the 3.1 million in Europe.

It is a trend the yacht industry is keen to capture, along with Singapore, which is rebranding itself as a sophisticated haven for the rich with casinos, top shopping and four marinas that can accommodate boats of 25 meters (82 feet) and longer.

This week’s Asia-Pacific Superyacht Conference flows into the Singapore Yacht Show that runs from Friday to Sunday, when the ultra-affluent can peruse some of the world’s largest boats, check out a showcase of supercars, sip champagne in a VIP lounge and enjoy meals by Michelin-starred chef Pascal Aussignac.

The biggest boat in the show, the 57-metre (187-foot) MY Montigne, is also for sale to anyone with a spare $21.8 million.

The three-mast sailing yacht has six en-suite staterooms, a large saloon with a piano and “a state of the art audio-visual system throughout, as well as an extensive watersports toys list,” brokerage Simpson Marine says.

Hong Kong remains the biggest market for luxury boats in Asia but Thailand, China, Indonesia and Singapore are growing significantly, Jean-Jacques Lavigne, executive director of the Singapore Superyacht Association, told the conference.

“We are all here in Asia for one reason – to serve the people who are mariners and make a lot of money,” he said. “The big fight is really in production boats, new ones.”

Established boat builders and related firms are too focused on “gloom and doom in Europe” and not really ready for the shift to new markets and young, wealthy Asian buyers, he said.

“You’ve got to sell new stuff and change your way of thinking,” Lavigne told the delegates.

Other challenges for the industry and sailors include overcrowded marinas in Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand, the need for more infrastructure throughout Asia and regulatory uncertainties in countries like China and Indonesia.

“It’s a question of how can we manage the growth and provide facilities. We have a massive shortage of crew and there’s very little training for them out here in Asia,” Turner said.

“Big yachts are owned by entrepreneurs and important business people so if they come to your country with their yacht, they want to see good service, facilities, assistance in a forward-looking country.”

Asians value the same things in a luxury boat as Westerners – privacy, adventure, family time, lifestyle and a place to do business – but to varying degrees and with their own touches.

Space on deck is not that important to Asians, who prefer to spend time inside their boats, said Francesca Ragnetti, trade marketing manager at Italy’s Azimut Benetti Group, which now has offices in Shanghai and Hong Kong.

“They ask for a karaoke room, for a mega-cinema room, things like this that they can enjoy with their friends,” she told Reuters. “And a disco or a spa.”

Source: Reuters, Elaine Lies & Jonathan Thatcher

While Dave has raced sailboats most of his life he didn’t begin working in the marine industry full time until he landed the Sales and Marketing Manager position with the world’s premiere sailboat design house – Farr Yacht Design.  After a time there he moved back to the west coast and became the general manager for the worlds 3^rd largest Sea Ray dealer in Newport Beach, Newport Boats.  They were also the Meridian, Atlantis, Polar Fishing Boats, and Azimut dealership as well as offering full mobile service.  Dave distinguished himself by running their most profitable store and maintaining a CSI score of a perfect 10 for the last 14 months of his employment.

The downturn of 2009 ended his tenure there as most of the staff was laid off. Dave moved to another local broker, Long Beach Yacht Sales, and quickly became the #1 salesperson. He was awarded Salesperson of the Year in 2010 for dollar volume and was second in units sold. Towards the end of 2011 Dave joined the Denison Yacht Sales team in our Marina del Rey, California location where he has quickly added many quality listings and focuses on sales and listings in southern Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties.

Sailing accomplishments include multiple PHRF Championships on both coast as helmsman and tactician, Etchell’s fleet championships on both coasts as tactician, 8 Transpacs (one with a record set) and Pacific Cups, and he is currently the tactician on a S. California Farr 40, a Viper 640, and an F18 Catamaran.  He has logged well over 250,000 miles navigating the world’s oceans and is ready to help you realize your boating dreams.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. and MARINA DEL RAY, Calif. – Denison Yacht Sales, a premier full service global yacht brokerage and yacht charter firm, recently hired eight new yacht brokers and a charter fleet manager.  The new hires will expand the company’s presence at its Florida and California offices.

Joining the Fort Lauderdale brokerage are Skip Denison, Juan Pasch, Peter Quintal, and Gene Echols.  Juan will specifically be assisting in the sale of new Beneteau G.T.’s.  New brokers to the California location include Dave Millett, Rick Peters, John Zagorski and Ed Gillespie.  All Denison yacht brokers are licensed and bonded.

Skip Denison will focus on sales of downeast style yachts and other vessels from 50’ to 150’ in Palm Beach County, Florida and Saugatuck, Michigan. Skip brings nearly 40 years of industry experience to Denison Yacht Sales and is well-versed in all aspects of the industry including new builds and refits, service and sales. Most recently, he worked with Down East Yachting where he represented new and used Sabre Yachts.

Kaisa Pace has been appointed to charter fleet manager. Kaisa brings more than 13 years of marine industry experience to Dension Yacht Sales, starting her career as a yacht stewardess. Shortly thereafter she became a licensed captain and sailing instructor and has managed a Bareboat Charter fleet in the Bahamas. Pace has also worked with Fraser Yachts and most recently, Bartram & Brakenhoff, where she was in charge of charter management and charter brokerage.

“These top-level brokers share our company philosophy of uncompromising customer service and knowledgeable representation of the yachts we offer. I’m really looking forward to working with my uncle. He’s a man I respect a great deal, and look forward to working with him on a daily basis,” said Bob Denison, owner of Denison Yacht Sales. “The charter division is an integral part of our long-term approach. We couldn’t be happier with the addition of Kaisa to our yacht charter team.”

At Denison Yacht Sales, each broker specializes in just one or two classes of vessels and develops expertise by visiting manufacturers, learning the latest technologies and fully understanding the service requirements of each type of vessel.

Fort Lauderdale-based Denison Yacht Sales, focused on strategic company growth, has recently opened new marina offices in New England, Mexico and California, continuing to strengthen its position in the global yachting marketplace.

Denison Yacht Sales is a full service yacht brokerage and yacht charter firm with marina offices in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Marina del Rey, California; San Carlos, Mexico and Old Saybrook, Connecticut. Denison’s team of more than 40 licensed and bonded yacht brokers proudly represents Beneteau Swift Trawlers, Beneteau GT Flyers, Selene Ocean Trawlers, Dufour Yachts, Pirelli Yacht Tenders, Tecnomar, Palumbo Shipyard and Austin Parker. Since 1948, the Denison family name has been synonymous with yachting. Decades of experience provide a long-term perspective on the industry, extensive industry contacts, a deep client roster and a passion for yachts.

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Boats over 55′ accounted for most of the $117 million gain in value. 92 yachts were sold in this category during the month, up from 66 a year earlier, and they brought in $189 million, an increase of $114 million. The 19 superyachts (over 80′) that were sold in March 2012 brought in $128 million on their own.

Much smaller boats also sold well. Among boats shorter than 26′, 924 were sold for a total value of $19 million — $2 million more than the 837 boats that were sold in that size range in 2011.

In another high-volume category for yacht brokers — boats 26 to 35 feet — March 2012 sales were weaker than they were the year before. Only 905 boats were sold in that category, down 120 boats from March 2011, and the total value of those sales decreased from $57 million to $50 million.

A detailed report summarizing recent U.S. brokerage sales will appear in the May issue of Soundings.

Source: John Burnham, Dominion Media

While the series is new, and smaller than that of other series-built offerings from the West Coast yard, Christensen has built other 142s previously. These include Primadonna (now Aghassi) in 2002 and Namoh (now Lady Bee) in 1995. Like those megayachts, the new 142 is for American owners.

They and their friends will get to enjoy a main-deck master stateroom, two VIP staterooms, and two cabins that can feature twins or queens (the latter when the beds are pushed together). Seven to eight crew will also be accommodated, in four cabins. An elevator will connect all decks for convenience. Common areas like the saloon and skylounge should be comfortable, given the yacht’s 29’6″(9-meter) beam. Interior square footage will total 4,520 square feet (nearly 420 square meters).

As you’d expect, outdoor areas will encourage guests to enjoy the fresh air. A hot tub and a bar will be among the sundeck’s features, and no doubt some loose lounges will also be present when the helipad (touch-and-go only) isn’t in use. If it’s a bit too warm to stay up there, the owners and guests can head down one level to the outdoor dining area aft. Cool air will filter down from air-conditioning vents overhead.

The Christensen 43M Custom Series is expected to have a 16-knot top speed, powered by twin MTU 12V 4000 diesels. While some skinny waters may be off limits, due to the half-load draft of 7’6″ (2.28 meters), the megayacht shouldn’t meet difficulty accessing marinas and most ports worldwide. Her range will certainly put them in reach: 3,500 nautical miles.

The yacht will further be ABS classed and meet MCA requirements upon delivery in 2014.

It would also establish a fund, paid in part from boat registration fees, that would help pay for the removal of derelicts and any environmental costs incurred, EastBayRI.com reported.

The legislation was proposed after the town of Warren was caught up in months of legal wrangling because of Bon Moyage, a derelict aluminum yacht that plagued the upper Kickemuit River for nearly five months last year, along with another, smaller wooden derelict, Endurance.

Both were brought up the river by resident Thomas Koolen, who during the late summer, fall and early winter resisted every town attempt to compel their removal. The Warren harbormaster slapped violation notices on the boats, sent certified letters, and legal action was threatened and filed.

Finally, a storm in late December pushed the boats, and a series of 160-odd finger piers that Koolen also illegally installed, toward the shore. The storm grounded the vessels and gave the town the legal justification to remove them.

If the law goes on the books, any “abandoned” vessel left, moored or anchored on public or private water for more than 30 consecutive days, or a total of 90 days in one year’s time, would be subject to removal without the owner’s consent, if the owner could even be located.

From there, it could be auctioned, scrapped or disposed of in some other way to “derive some monetary benefit,” the legislation states. Meanwhile, owners would be fined $100 a day for every day the boat is not removed. Money from those sources would be used to recoup the costs incurred in removing the boat.