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If, as Buddy Knox sang
in the late 1950’s, “every man has got to have a party doll/to
be with him when he’s feelin’ wild,” then Gene Reed is
one fella who knows how to have a good time.
The
Southerner, who you’re apt to find with a twinkle in his eye and
a smile on his face, is the man behind the 118-foot Chevy Toy,
a well-known Trinity delivered in 2000 that, among other welcoming features,
had four guest cabins for friends and family and two great bars to belly
up to. Reed enjoyed his yacht immensely, spending about 30 weeks aboard
over the past three years before selling her. That’s a significant
amount of cruising time, considering most owners of yachts in the 100-foot-plus
size range typically only spend about six weeks aboard each year.
But
Reed didn’t reserve the fun just for himself. Within those same three
years, Chevy Toy went on to become one of the most successful charter
yachts in her size range, seeing bookings for a total of about 33 weeks.
That, too, is a remarkable number, seeing as most charter brokers equate
success with just half that figure.
So when
Reed decided a little over two years ago to commission a bigger Chevy
Toy, it was a natural choice both to have Trinity build the yacht
and to plan her spaces for the charter market. Upon seeing the 142-foot
Trinity Relentless in 2001, he knew he’d found the right size.
But he obviously wanted to do a few things differently, as did Trinity;
while the yard certainly didn’t believe Relentless was flawed, “Every
boat should have refinements over the last one,” explains Billy Smith,
vice president of sales and marketing. The fine-tuning resulted in a yacht
that turns up the fun factor for Reed and charter guests and simultaneously
keeps the crew’s life hassle-free.
Even
though Chevy Toy has the same LOA as Relentless, she’s one
foot beamier. You might not think that 12 inches could make a difference,
but, in combination with some smart space planning, it does in the master
stateroom. Note the configuration of the two hanging wardrobes as well
as the bath (see accommodations plan). Relentless’s
owner—like many megayacht owners these days—positioned a walk-in
closet inside the entrance to the master stateroom and essentially bracketed
the forward-facing master berth with it. Eliminating that walk-in closet
aboard Chevy Toy, moving the head forward, and positioning the
bed to face aft gives the room the illusion of being much larger. It also
allows the bed to line up better with the windows to each side, enhancing
the view.
Lest
you think the substitution of two hanging lockers for a walk-in wardrobe
is a step down for a megayacht, take another look at the accommodations
plan. The head—the “Romper Room,” Smith lightheartedly
calls it—contains his and her MSDs in individual rooms (true European-style
“water closets”), with a large open area in between that can
double as a dressing area, as there’s plenty of space even with the
hot tub, sinks, and shower.
While
hardly considered Romper Rooms, the rest of the yacht’s space benefits
from a sociable atmosphere. Yet the rich tone of the cherrywood paneling
could certainly set the stage for formal affairs, and the subdued colors
of the fabrics, broken up by punches of vibrant red pillows and equally
eye-catching art pieces, lend warmth and vitality to each room of this
trideck. Look along the windows flanking the bar in the sky lounge, for
example, and you’ll see sculptures of jazz musicians in various poses,
as if they’re jammin’ to a common beat. The painting covering
the TV screen to starboard of the bar picks up the same musical theme.
Reed, his wife Johnnie, and interior designer Dee Robinson selected these
and the other decorative items throughout Chevy Toy in the French
Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana, minutes from Trinity’s 38-acre
facility.
Next page >
Part
2: Some of the yacht’s features dually benefit the guests and crew. > Page 1, 2,
3, 4, 5
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