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Meanwhile,
back on the second biggest boat in the harbor, life was considerably more
mellow. The chef was turning fine meals out of the small but well-equipped
galley, and the yacht’s 12-foot RIB and three-person PWC were deployed
for our toolin’ around enjoyment. It added to the fun that some locals
just had to walk down our dock and declare, “This is the most beautiful
yacht I have ever seen!” Mind you that the Kalamazoo was chockful
of well-kept Sea Rays, Carvers, and the like (and an enthusiastic contingent
of PMY subscribers, who of course already knew about the joys of
Great Lakes boating). Ferretti’s Italian high style, especially shown
off so far from the Riviera or the Gold Coast, simply enthralled.
Few
of Lysandra’s fans got to check out her accommodations, as
lovely and well detailed as her exterior. Most anyone would appreciate
the fine joinery, soft leathers, and multiple plasma screens, but—geek
that I am—I fell for the lighting system. While outdoors a cleverly
hidden string of foot lights made the cabin seem to float on a golden
plane of teak, inside equally cool arrays of dimmers and hidden or frosted
fixtures created all sorts of illumination moods.
But
all was not perfect on our luxury charter. The very personable and capable
Sardina (fluent in both English and Spanish, among many other skills)
had had to hire short-term and inexperienced crew, and the service suffered.
Meals, though generally tasty, were not properly served or cleared, and
other niceties failed to meet the expectations of a $19,500 per week (plus
expenses) charter rate. These issues are easily fixed once the new, and
first-time, owner understands what’s needed and Sardina finds the
right people, but I would also caution against filling Lysandra
to her eight-passenger maximum. The boat can comfortably sleep that many
in four cabins, each with its own head, but I think the common spaces
and tender would be crowded, plus the crew—crammed into pitifully
tight quarters aft—would be hard put to maintain their spirits and
a high level of service.
So
Lysandra as a conventional, if particularly gorgeous, luxury charter
yacht is somewhat a work in progress, but she has proven herself in an
unusual category we might call high-end adventure chartering. A well-off
and curious German couple signed on with Sardina for the first two weeks
of the Miami to Chicago delivery and apparently had a fabulous time; they
extended their charter for the final two weeks and, at presstime, are
considering a return trip through the Great Lakes, down the Erie Canal
and Hudson River, and eventually to the Bahamas (where Lysandra will be
available this winter). If the yacht keeps up with this annual roundtrip
program, the unusual opportunity to voyage through the heartland of America,
in Euro style, is yours. I’ll be jealous, now that I’ve gotten
it into my thick noggin that there is wonderful big-boat cruising between
the coasts. Who knew?
Lysandra
is available for $19,500 per week, plus expenses, in the Great Lakes and
Bahamas and $24,500 per week, plus expenses, in the Caribbean.
Allied
Yacht Charters Phone: (866) YACHTS-1. www.alliedyachtcharters.com.
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