SailAway Yacht Charters Blog

Monaco Grand Prix special event charter - yachts and racecars - the place to be seen!

Monaco special event charter - yachts and racecars - the place to be seen!

For many, the ultimate is the , one of the world’s greatest sporting events.  While the view from the grand stands is excellent, nothing compares to a yacht charter, with your mega yacht moored up against the edge of the fabled street course.

The Port of Monaco each year is filled with perhaps the world’s greatest collection of luxury yacht charter superyachts.  It’s hard to imagine a more memorable event than a - whether for client entertainment, celebrity watching or for the party of a lifetime. The 2009 spectacle is scheduled for May 21 through 24. 

Also known as the de Monaco, this Formula 1 race through the city streets of Monte Carlo has achieved recognition as one of the world’s truly great auto races. With the winding roads, cliffs, and megayacht charter vessels as a backdrop, this auto race is truly an amazing event.  It’s no small wonder so many companies choose it to entertain and reward their best clients and employees.

A SailAway Yacht Charter special event consultant will help you select the right size yacht, depending on the number of guests in your party.  The event specialists at SailAway recommend a yacht with sleeping accommodations for your key group of VIPs, plus adequate deck space for cocktail parties and a traditional race-day brunch.

Once you and your SailAway consultant have selected a yacht, your consultant will work with your megayacht captain and the harbormaster to secure a berth (slip) on one of the quays (docks) with the best views.  Of course, this is a first-come first served process, with many of the best viewing slips secured one year in advance of the event! 

Held each year on the Circuit de Monaco and run since 1929, it is widely considered to be one of the most important and prestigious automobile races in the world alongside the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans (with which it forms the Triple Crown of Motorsport). The history, spectacle and glamour result in the race being considered “the jewel of the crown.”

The race is held on a narrow course laid out in the streets of Monaco, with many elevation changes and tight corners, making it one of the most demanding tracks in . In spite of the relatively low average speeds, it is a dangerous place to race.

Brazil’s Ayrton Senna has won the race more times than any other driver, with six victories, winning five consecutively between 1989 and 1993. Graham Hill was known as “Mr Monaco” due to his five Monaco wins in the 1960s.

There are a series of races and practice sessions held during the 4-day special event.  Saturday is qualifying day for main Formula 1 event, where the starting positions are determined in reverse order of the driver’s lap times. Sunday is the actual race, which starts at 2 pm (with the first trial lap at 1:30), and runs for 78 laps.

While the auto race is the main attraction, throughout the weekend there are hundreds of related events and parties that draw some of the world’s most recognizable people - entertainers, supermodels, royalty and hundreds of celebrities. Many combine their trip with a visit to the , which occurs simultaneously and is only a short yacht ride away.

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Hybrid yacht opens doors to other yacht owners who want to become eco-friendly and green

Hybrid yacht opens doors to other yacht owners who want to become eco-friendly and green

The first ever hybrid yacht built for luxury yacht charter has been launched. The green technology that powers hybrid cars has finally reached the luxury yacht industry as Island Pilot LLC has launched a hybrid yacht - a catamaran.  

With renewable, sustainable transportation so critical, it is little wonder the realm of alternative fuels has come to the yachting industry.

OK, so maybe it is too soon to say the first luxury yacht charter hybrid vessel is available for a holiday.  After all, the first hybrid yacht just splashed down in October 2008.  Still, with the marketplace dominated by 40 to 50-foot luxury catamarans, can it be that far off that we will see a hybrid boat available for hire in the Caribbean?  After all, over 80% of the Caribbean-based luxury yacht charter vessels in the mid-range market are catamarans.

Like hybrid automobiles, the 40 ft Island Pilot DSe Hybrid 12m combines multiple sources of power.  Hybrid cars rely on electricity and fuel - the Island Pilot DSe hybrid yacht draws its sustainable transportation capabilities from solar, electric, and diesel power.

The luxury yacht can travel at 6 knots running only on and 13 knots with the addition of diesel.

Island Pilot emphasizes that the hybrid technology doesn’t take away from the yacht’s luxury amenities, which include a Garmin HD radar, Tecnautic “Fly by Wire” controls and gyro autopilot, 4 zones of air conditioning, hi-tech refrigeration with ice maker, and a 26 inch High Definition TV.

Of course, the yacht doesn’t come cheap — plan on shelling out $600,000 if you want one.  On the plus side, many catamarans when purchased new are in this same price category.   This closeness in price might be enough to sway an owner to consider green hybrid technology when purchasing a new yacht. 

In the Caribbean, most of the yacht charter owners are also the operators of their own yachts.  These folks see first-hand the impact of global warming and climate change on the ocean, as well as the coves and islands they frequent.  Thus, it should come as no surprise that the yacht industry, in particular the yacht , is supportive of green technology and the alternative energy movements.  

It could even be argued the charter community was at the forefront of the eco-friendly environmental protection movement.  What could be more “green” than the luxury sailboats that dominate the Caribbean charter fleet?    Hundreds of sailboat charters, driven by the ultimate renewable source of power - wind energy – take place each year.

While the romance of a wind-powered sail yacht vacation remains appealing, many travelers seek the comfort of a motoryacht.  Simply put, sailboats rock and heal to one side when underway, whereas most motoryachts rest flat in the water.  Furthermore, motor yachts can get quickly from one location to the other, using engine power, while sail yachts have to rely on Mother Nature and her breezes.

The 40 ft Island Pilot DSe Hybrid is a welcome addition to the market.  Her use of green technology will greatly reduce the carbon footprint of the yacht as compared to traditional motoryachts.  Furthermore, charter guests can enjoy the speed and comforts of a motoryacht and the affordability of a catamaran, while utilizing the sustainable, renewable energy of a hybrid.

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