Blue Coast Yachts, the French leader in customized yacht catamarans construction, has found an owner for its 95′ catamaran designed by Coste Design & Partners.

Blue Coast Yachts has entrusted French Riviera based designer Jean-Jacques Coste president of Coste Design & Partners with the drafting of fully customizable, naval architecture and interior plans following the requirements of a fine European sailor.

With a length of 28m and a 12m over beam the Blue Coast 95′ will boast roomy living accommodations and premium performance. Constructed in female molds from a sandwich of glass/carbon under vacuum with infusion process, the Blue Coast 95’ will benefit from a lightweight yet highly durable structure.

The Blue Coast 95’ features high end equipments and innovative architecture with giant in and out living area, huge fly bridge equipped with Jacuzzi, dining area, sun bathing area, bar, helm station, etc. Therefore an aft hydraulic platform performs the tender operations and water sports activities.

The opening Lazarettes include diving equipments, sea toys and a three seats Jet Ski. The main deck offers a fore full sea view from the owner’s suite, an interior helm station, a professional gourmet galley and a comfortable saloon. The 3 guest cabins and the owner’s bathroom are located in the hulls and are guaranteed to please the most exacting of yachtsmen.

The modern and stylish interior designed by Coste Design & Partners Interior Department managed by Franck Delabarre is closely following the tastes and ideas of the owner’s wife with ceruse oak panels and matt grey leather furniture. The open exterior terrace which is separated from the interior by wide opening sliding doors includes an open space salon with a dining area and stairs leading to the minimalistic flybridge.

The ultra chic hull line is a result of Coste’s advanced design technologies. Extensive works have been done on the performances and sea capabilities using Computational Flow Dynamic (CFD) at its best level and the structural calculation is done by Finite Elements Analysis (FEA) for the best optimization of the structural parts.

“The Blue Coast 95′ is the first mega catamaran to offer a revolutionary furling boom system perfectly adapted to the catamaran configuration. Using a carbon mast and boom, the simple and efficient rigging makes the navigation very comfortable and safe while speed under sail should easily attends more to 15 knots, this is as well the top speed reached under power with a comfortable cruising speed of 13 knots” says Jean-Jacques Coste.

The BC 95 will be built at the H2X shipyard in LaCiotat, which has earned a good reputation for composite material shipbuilding. “H2X is a very pertinent solution for the building of this luxury catamaran,” declares Jean-Jacques Coste,

“In addition to their perfect location and facilities, they have a huge experience in composite building with resin infusion process, they have this indispensable know-how in terms of engineering and management, and above that they are passionate by what they are doing.” Delivery of the yacht to her owner, an European businessman, is scheduled
for July 2010.

The successful signing off on this project is partly due to a meeting of the minds between the owner and the representative of Blue Coast Yachts’ Megayacht Catamarans, André Cosson during Cannes Boat Show last year. Megayacht Catamarans’ participation this past year in numerous worldwide yachting events, including the Abou Dhabi Yacht Show, Moscow Boat Show, the Cannes Boat Show and Fort Lauderdale Boat Show is expected to continue building enthusiasm from experienced and discerning yachtsmen.

CLICK HERE for more information.

Courtesy of: Coste Design & Partners / Blue Coast Yachts

There’s nothing like gliding across the open ocean in a luxury yacht catamaran. Blue Coast Yachts continues to raise the bar as a world-class, yacht catamaran manufacturer.

The design studio of Coste Design & Partners, spearheaded by Jean-Jacques Coste, has recently redesigned their 101ft tri-deck catamaran built by Blue Coast Yachts. The new BC 105’ is directly inspired from the award winning “Allures” which was nominated “Best sailing yacht of the year” in 2007.

New arrangements include a hydraulic swim platform for added safety and ease of use of the onboard water toys. In addition, the ultra high tech Microsoft “Surface”, a multi-touch tactile interface, meets the owner’s needs to keep connected when traveling or staying aboard.

The BC 105′ reaches 12 to 13 knots with 8 knots under full sail. Three components in particular make this vanguard mega yacht catamaran so unique. First, is the quality of its light carbon/epoxy sandwich
construction assembled by vacuum process, preceded by an advanced study of the FEA (Finite Elements Analysis) and preliminary in basin model testing.

Second, its hull design provides exceptional sailing qualities. Lastly, is the efficiency of the rigging plan which combines a main sail, a self-tacking jib, a gennaker and an additional storm jib, all of which are hoisted on a rotating carbon mast. As a result, the vessel reaches cruising speeds of 18 knots and 25 knots at maximum speed. The BC 105′ is capable of exceeding 15 knots with the use of its twin 380 HP Cummins diesel propulsion « Sail drive » making it as fast as a motor yacht of equal size.

The BC 105′ offers exceptional luxury living. The interior and exterior design lines are modern, sleek, elegant and absolutely innovative. The criteria steering Coste’s team aim to provide guests with unparalleled onboard luxury.

The yacht’s sporty look is complemented by a double helm station, self-tacking jib, a canoe-type boom designed by Jean-Jacques Coste and rotating mast. The catamaran’s innate stability and unsinkable qualities answer to the high standards of the yacht’s configuration and seaworthy equipment.

The BC 105’s structural plans create a particularly comfortable aft that allows passengers the enjoyment of multiple outdoor activities. The shaded overhang and panoramic views of the aft deck make this area perfect for relaxing. And when the sliding doors are open the interior and exterior lounges are linked to create one large, spacious salon.

Passengers can swim off the platform and easily use the yacht’s numerous water toys by accessing one of two hydraulic foldaway ladders. The top deck offers ample room for sunbathing and relaxing on the sofa or can be used for al fresco dinning. The yacht’s 13m beam and tall handrails provides added safety when walking along the side decks. Per the owner’s requirements the interior is refined, modern and minimalistic. Inspired by Indonesian homes, Jean-Jacques Coste has created sumptuous harmony.

Every element has been chosen with great care and singularity. The panels are made from solid wood, mahogany and sycamore, and yet the space is voluminous and bright due to numerous large windows. The main and aft lounges with a 180° view are located on the main deck.

The beautiful owner’s master suite and bath are on the starboard side making the most of the splendid panorama. Also to starboard are two guest cabins with bathrooms and another cabin for the crew. To port are the helm station, the bar and the galley, as well as two additional guest cabins and a crew cabin.

To dream of a cruising on board such a marvel of architecture and design is finally possible, yet the BC 105’ is merely the flagship vessel for an entire fleet of “mega yacht catamarans” available through Blue Coast Yachts, with sizes ranging from 88’ to 203’ feet in length.

The world awaits the launch Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis of the Seas. When she launches in late 2009, Oasis of the Seas will be the largest and most revolutionary cruise ship in the world.

With apartment balconies overlooking a park, a town square, boutique shops and a choice of restaurants and bars, holidaymakers might think they traveled through time and landed in New York.

The Oasis of the Seas is the world’s largest mega ship and 50 percent bigger than its nearest cruise ship rival – the luxury ocean liner Queen Mary 2 by Cunard.

Oasis of the Seas will be the first ship to tout the cruise line’s new neighborhood concept of seven distinct themed areas, which includes Central Park, Boardwalk, the Royal Promenade, the Pool and Sports Zone and Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center.

The Oasis of the Seas offers six levels of staterooms, a turf-covered chip and putt golf course, the world’s first open-air amphitheatre at the stern, two surfing simulators, a flying fox-style zip-line and a boardwalk surrounded by casual restaurants, it is more like a giant ritzy resort than a cruise ship.

At 220,000 tonnes and with a capacity to carry more than 10,000 passengers and crew, the Oasis of the Seas – the pride of the Royal Caribbean International fleet is set to make waves with its extreme flamboyance.

Initially, it’s restricted to the Caribbean and Mediterranean. The ship will sail from her home port of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Courtesy of ASK Yacht Design

The designer Adrien Jousset (ASK Yacht Design) and naval architect Sylvain Julien (BMT Nigel Gee), have been selected as one of five finalists in the World Superyacht Awards – Young Designer of the Year 2009 – with a truly innovative design – Ostria.

“The high standard of entries presented the judges with no easy task in selecting the finalists”, stated Trevor Blakeley, Chief Executive of The Royal Institution of Naval Architects and Chairman of the judging panel. “The judges were impressed by the effort and quality of work presented, reflecting the undoubted talent of today’s young naval architects and marine designers, which surely bodes well for the future of the industry.”

Ostria not only has a radical look but has also been developed to provide an answer to an environmentally conscious owner. Throughout the project the focus has been set on producing a realistic and feasible solution to reduce the environmental impact of a Superyacht whilst creating a truly innovative design.

Although owners are increasingly interested in green designs, they are not usually prepared to compromise on the style, onboard facilities or the sailing experience. Ostria is the result of the convergence of these challenging and often conflicting aims.

Early in the project it appeared that a carbon free propulsion system was unrealistic. The power production capacity required to propel a 70 metre monohull to any decent speed across an ocean is far too demanding compared to any means of renewable, carbon free, energy production. Even the hotel load requirement could not be answered properly with such solutions unless a significant volume of the yacht was dedicated to this purpose.

The choice of the diesel electric propulsion plant therefore came naturally to provide the necessary flexibility to take advantage of secondary, renewable, carbon free means of energy production (existing or near term technology). Podded propulsors have been selected for their high efficiency but also for the flexibility they provide in the design of the general arrangement.

Where the machinery room is traditionally located; a large summer lounge with recreational facilities including sauna and gymnasium has taken its place. This provides the guests with a unique experience of proximity to the sea, in a level of comfort that cannot be reached by a traditional beach club.

Ostria has been equipped with 370 m2 of solar panels, and a 4 m tall retractable wind turbine estimated to reduce the amount of carbon emission by approximately 800 tonnes per year through the reduction of fuel consumption. The solar panel and wind turbine installation have been designed to become a fully integrated feature of the vessel style.

An in-depth study of the vessel’s main systems has also been undertaken to limit the hotel load as far as practically possible. From climate control to rain water collection, most solutions have been studied to assess their feasibility in the marine environment with the aim of reducing the overall energy consumption.

Ostria demonstrates that low carbon emissions and reduced fuel consumption (with its associated cost) can be achieved through a truly stunning design.

The prestigious annual World Superyacht Award – Young Designer of the Year is organized by The Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA) in association with Boat International, and sponsored by Camper & Nicholsons International. The overall winner will be announced at the awards ceremony in London during May.

For more details about Ostria & ASK Yacht Design:
http://www.askyachtdesign.com/Projects/ostria.htm

For more details about BMT Nigel Gee:
http://www.bmtyachts.com/

For more details about the Young Designer of the Year competition at:
http://www.rina.org.uk/worldsuperyachtaward

Photo Courtesy of BillionaireXchange

Help may be on the way for online auction sites such as BillionaireXchange and EBay.

Site traders are hoping for less restrictions on selling luxury goods under EU (European Union) regulators’ plans to knock down barriers to Internet sales.

The European Commission, who is the 27-nation EU’s antitrust regulator, is currently drafting up new guidelines on the extent to which companies can restrict trade through their own authorized dealers.

In a story from Bloomberg News, who obtained the draft plans, it details how how the Brussels-based regulator will apply competition rules to agreements between online producers and sellers.

The draft states that luxury-goods makers would be prevented from imposing any quantity limits on Web-based sales by distributors who are already authorized to sell goods through their “brick and mortar” stores.

This EU move is wonderful news, especially for luxury auction sites such as BillionaireXchange.

eBay is one of the biggest success stories on the Internet. What if you don’t want a porcelain cat or used pair of jeans, but are in the market for hard to find luxury items? The answer is the BillionaireXchange.

The BillionaireXchange is the world’s first online auction and trade site for luxury items. They are the first international auction and exchange site for the affluent. BillionaireXchange draws wealthy buyers from all over the world searching for high-end luxuries, either for sale or auction.

Browsing the classy site, you will find an amazing variety of luxury items, covering the following categories: Arts & Antiques, Luxury Vehicles, Boats & Yachts, Luxury Real Estate, Jewelry & Watches, and Places & Helicopters.

At the time of this writing, some of the premier luxury items available include mansion estates owned by basketball star Shaquille O Neal and Hall of Fame football quarterback Dan Marino, a St. Regis Penthouse in San Francisco, 2008 Riviera Sport Yacht 4700, 2007 Murcielago LP640 Coupe car, and a 2004 Dassault Falcon 900c jet.

Registering on the site is simple and easy process, designed to screen for unqualified and/or undesirable elements. Once registered, members of The Xchange can buy, sell, bid-on, auction, and or exchange luxury items from all around the world.

If you are looking for trading your luxury items, then BillionaireXchange can help you too. Imagine trading your upscale mansion in Beverly Hills, California for an elegant Chateau in France. How about trading your antique custom Rolls Royce for a new model Bentley. For wine connisieres, exchange a bottle of your best 1802 Chateau Lafitte for a bottle of 1947 Cheval Blanc. The possibilities are countless. So, ask yourself, “What is the luxury object of your heart’s desire?

To be successful, the management team of BillionaireXchange strongly believe in protecting the integrity of the luxury brands for auction, as well as offering secure escrow transactions. They partnered with industry leading Safefunds to provide escrow services for both buyer seller transactions.  By offering this service, the company provides its members with piece of mind in either buying or selling these desirable, high ticket items online.

BillionaireXchange is headquartered in Miami Florida, but has an aggressive plan to expand internationally. They are moving forward with opening new offices in Beverly Hills, China, Germany, Dubai and the U.K. The company believes it’s critical to have representation in these key, global areas.

So what are you waiting for? Your luxury dream is now only a click away.

For a luxury cruise ship experience, a trip on the MS Europa by Hapag-Lloyd may be just the choice.

The Europa is possibly the cruise line industry’s most intriguing and upscale cruise ship. But it also may be one you have never heard of.

Hapag-Lloyd is a well known German shipping company giant. It operates four ships within its leisure-cruise division. The luxury Europa is their premier ship.

The Europa has the distinction of being the only cruise ship in the world that’s been rated five star-plus by the cruise industry gospel, the Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships. The mighty Europa held that elite crown for the past eight years.

The Europa is a 28,437-ton, 408-passenger elegant ship, with vaulted ceilings in public areas that offer a formal, country house ambiance, plus one of the industry’s highest passenger-to-space ratios. Because of this, you never feel crowded on-board.

The ship was first launched in 1999. One primary difference is the Europa is surprisingly small compared to the mega-ships being built today. It offers a crew of 280 to cater to the needs of up to 400 passengers. This is the highest staff/passenger ratio of any cruise ship sailing today. These numbers make top-notch service possible.

“Smaller ships are especially good for seasoned travelers,” says cruise expert Douglas Ward, author of the Berlitz guide. “Big cruise ships don’t have the finesse of the smaller ships.”

Europa’s all-outside, almost all-balcony accommodations are plush and spacious. Each room on the ship is designated as a suite. About eighty percent have balconies. The room’s walk-in closets have plenty of storage space. Bathrooms come with a tub and separate shower that are very roomy. The sitting area consists of a mini-bar and desk, with a keyboard for accessing a free e-mail account.

The Europa’s itineraries offer a sophisticated sightseer’s dream. One will rarely do the exact same activity even though it travels all around the world each year.

The MS Europa is definitely a luxury cruise ship experience that is geared toward sea travel offering an international outlook, particularly for English-speaking travelers. The ship’s entire crew is fluent in English.

The primary reason you may never have heard of the the Europa is that Hapag-Lloyd hasn’t marketed its ships in the North American market.

The dining experience on the Europa is a dream for your taste buds. The serving menu consists of a wide range of cuisines. The ship offers about 8,000 food items, compared to around 3,000 on most cruises. Alos included in its arsenal is approximately 17,000 bottles of wine that covers vintages from all the world’s top wine-producing areas.

A formal night on the Europa starts by enjoying a cocktail in the two-story atrium. Here you can relax and enjoy a classical pianist perform music on a Steinway piano. Then passengers sit down to a five-course gourmet dinner that is unforgettable.

Catamaran sailing is not something you’ll learn on the regular sailing programs, since most navigation practice is carried out on monohulls.

The reason for such measures is the higher difficulty to operate multi-hulls as it is the case with the catamaran. Sailing experience combined with personal enthusiasm will eventually help one sail a catamaran, and enjoy the stability, the speed and the challenge of such a boat.

What are the elements to consider for one who is ready to invest in sailing gear? First of all, gloves and special foot wear like dinghy boots for instance, are first on the list. Then, there is the life jacket and the foul weather sailing gear. The latter includes both pants and jacket that keep off humidity. And last but not least, there are the wet and dry suits that should not miss from the sailor’s wardrobe; they keep you warm even in water or on very cold weather.

The most common mistake people make on their first sailing vacations is to pack way too much. Casual is the word to describe life on an island, so you won’t be needing fancy clothes and all sorts of gadgets. Sailing vessels impose limitations in terms of storage space, and hard-sided luggage are surely not a good idea to take with you.

Go for canvas or duffel bags that can be folded into occupying less room. Small baggage that can be taken with you on the plane also save you the trouble of having to deal with lost luggage when you arrive on the island.

Widely spread in the entire Oceania and Polynesia, catamaran sailing had a great influence on the design of leisure boats with multiple hulls. The power engine represents the options to wind and water current power in catamaran propelling, however the true feeling of the sea is attained by understanding the winds and decoding the message of the waves.

There are many types of sand yachts used for land sailing, and according to their distinct features, such vehicles compete in variety of classes. Thus, the biggest yachts in land sailing competitions are known as Class 2. All of them have very large masts with big sails that lend significant power to the vehicles; yet, the size could be an impediment to reaching high speed.

More popular than Class 2 is Class 3 that is very similar in design, but on a smaller scale. Designed according to high-tech principles, such yachts make land sailing really fast. Usually made of fiberglass, Kevlar and carbon fiber, these vehicles will reach 60 miles per hour during a sand yacht race.

The luxurious, Julie Marie Swan yacht made a fitting debut in Monaco this year, gracing the Mediterranean Sea. To guarantee a smooth cruising yacht, Julie Marie has been decked out with all the latest in technology and interior design. The Swan 100S Julie Marie is the seventh yacht in the Swan 100 range to be launched and the third 100 S model. (For those who are not nautical experts, S stands for semi-raised saloon).

When it comes to luxury yachts, most yacht manufacturers only give prices on request and do not publish them. However, Bob Lavoo Area Manager Asia, for Nautor’s Swan, told Emirates Business there is a general price range for Swan 100 yachts.

“As every yacht is build to the client’s needs, each yacht has a different price tag so we do not have fixed prices but it is safe to assume that any of these yachts will be in excess of 10 million euros ($14.7m),” said Lavoo. He said so far, four have been sold to buyers from the United States and Europe.“The Swan 100S has not been displayed in the Middle East, not that we overlook the market, it is simply that we build these boats for specific clients and as soon as the yacht is delivered they take off with it so to speak. They don’t want to share!”

According to Enrico Chieffi, vice-president of marketing and sales for Nautor’s Swan, they couldn’t resist the opportunity to target the luxury yacht market at the Monaco Yacht Show – one of the most prestigious in the world. “With boat building technology developing at a fast pace, Monaco provides a valuable opportunity for us.”

The 30.48 metre yacht features deckhousing with a cherry wood interior and white stained ash veneer. It features Cassino leather detailing throughout the yacht and dark brown Wenge floorboards.

The yacht has been primarily furnished in teak wood, hand-polished to a smooth satin finish. The large main saloon contains a solid teak dining table. It is principally a sailing yacht and the keel has been designed specifically for this.

For Nautor’s design teams the fundamental concept of the Swan 100S remains constant – it is cruising in the utmost luxury and comfort. Safety, speed and easy sailing are paramount to the design, enabling the yacht to cross any ocean smoothly and with minimal effort. The storage and power systems are designed to sail for weeks without the need to replenish supplies.

The man behind the design, German Frers, has 20 years of experience in designing Swan yachts. For the semi-raised saloon, Frers and the technical design team drew on the experience gained from building the previous two versions to ensure the Julie Marie is technologically advanced while incorporating Swan’s core values. Another task was to keep the noise level down.

Designed by Nautor’s architects, the interior of the Swan 100S is built of lightweight material, and also offers yacht owners options to customise. It has plenty of room for crew and guests, with two crew cabins, and two guest cabins, each with twin berths. The galley caters to long trips, with standard supplied equipment of four-burner gas stove, microwave oven, two refrigerators and a freezer. At the rear of the yacht, the owners cabin is spacious with a generously sized double bed, writing desk and sofa. All cabins have a shower with glass door and a head in each of the crew cabins.

The main saloon offers the ultimate in relaxation, with a coffee table with U-shaped sofa, seating eight. It comes with a full entertainment system, which can be tailored for every owner’s needs, with the latest electronic gadgets available on request. Each cabin has its own entertainment system.

Christmas is nearing. What do you get that rich millionaire that has it all? How about a super yacht?
Now here’s one sure to make the shopping lists of the world’s richest marine enthusiasts.

BMT Nigel Gee has announced a high-speed Pentamaran concept aimed at the large yacht market. This patented high-speed Pentamaran concept to the large yacht market, Project Véloce, which is capable of speeds of over 40 knots.

Developed for high-speed applications, the patented Pentamaran hull form is a derivative of the stabilized monohull concept featuring a long slender central hull, hydrodynamically optimized without the constraints of needing to be stable as stability is provided by two pairs of outriggers or ‘sponsons’.

Project Veloce is truly an innovative application of technology in the large yacht market and is based on a 130m platform capable of over 40 knots. The beam of 30m offers significantly more internal area than on an equivalently sized monohull leading to exceptional internal spaces with true flexibility in configuration of the layout.

Conventional stabilized monohulls typically require relatively deeply immersed and long sponsons to meet damaged stability requirements and these can incur significant resistance penalties. The Pentamaran overcomes this by having two pairs of sponsons; a very short and shallow pair aft and a forward pair clear of the static water surface.

These forward sponsons only become immersed as the vessel heels, consequently stability characteristics are maintained with no resistance penalty. The Pentamaran offers a wide bodied and stable platform with outstanding seakeeping characteristics whilst retaining minimum speed loss in higher sea states.

The propulsion system features a CODOG (Combined Diesel Or Gas) plant producing approximately 44MW of installed propulsive power, delivered via waterjets offering outstanding maneuverability and acceleration. For low and medium speed operation twin 20V8000 diesels are utilized providing efficient long range operation whilst for sprintsprint speeds a single LM2500+ pushes the speed beyond 40 knots.

BMT has undertaken some US$5 million worth of testing on numerous Pentamaran designs and the technology is now fully mature. Further development of the Project Véloce design is currently underway. Source: Gizmag

Looking for a unique and nautical experience to host a party?

Well why not host an unforgettable soiree on board the former America’s Cup racing yacht – Moet & Chandon America II.

During this season, parties up to six people can charter this majestic 65-foot sail boat for a three-hour cruise out of New York City.

This trip wouldn’t be complete without a magnum of Moet & Chandon White Star.

Price – $3,900.  Source: EliteTraveler.com

For more information, contact: Amy Johnstone at Manhatten Sailing Club