bestboatingholidays

If style is what you are looking for when it comes to your sailing trip, then you will love the idea of traveling in M/Y Touch. The yacht is a hundred and twenty feet in length and it was created in 2004 by Louisbourgin. The interior design of the vessel has been created by Damielle Vigneault and it can accommodate eight people in its four king state bedrooms.

You are going to find a big salon on board and in this part of the yacht; there is a marble surface bar that has a lit glass front. In here, you will also find ice maker, refrigerator as well as a lit glass sink. The salon is a well-lit region of the yacht where you will also find a leather sofa and a coffee table with chairs. There is also an attractive Lalique glass vase and a chess table here. All these must sound like you are going to have a fun time on board, don’t they? Guess what? There are many other things that you are going to love here such as the Kivor sound system that comes with over ten thousand tunes!

There is also a 62 plasma television at your disposal and there are over two hundred DVDs that you can play when you are on board. If you are a wine lover, you will be glad to know that there is a Sub-Zero wine cooler where more than two hundred bottles of wine can be kept. The formal dining area is separated from the main salon by sculptured curtains.

Step in to the dining room and you are going to see a big mahogany table (72″) and eight dining chairs. In this area of the yacht, you are also going to see a glass lit chandelier. Many sets of China, glassware and cutlery can be found in the attractive-looking wood cabinetry. In this room, you will find a sliding mirrored door that leads to the galley.

When you move in to the sun deck, you are going to find a huge bar that comes with a sink, four swivel bar chairs as well as a Sub-Zero bar refrigerator. There are also four electric chairs and a huge sun bed region. This area leads to two sun beds (single), a stereo system, two huge umbrellas and two treadmills. If you are in to water sports, you will be happy to learn that this yacht has a huge selection of toys for this purpose. There are also many indoor games to make your trip a pleasant and memorable one.

There is also a master bedroom on-board that lies on the upper deck that has a king-sized bed. The room has an en-suite bathroom and you are also going to love the Jacuzzi tub here. The bathroom has been made with imported marble and it has a shower tower, shower and marble sink vanity. M/Y Touch can sail at 11 knots (max) and it has Detroit Diesel MTU engines and it has a cruising speed is 10 knots.

Motor Yacht Touch is currently available for sale with Fraser Yachts, specialists in luxury yacht charter and sales.

Those who come to the Bahamas instinctively know they’ve stepped onto a piece of paradise, one that will stay with them long after they’ve left it. The Bahamas is the ‘land of 700 islands’, each strikingly beautiful in its untouched wilderness, aquamarine waters, shimmering beaches, and blessed with glorious sunshine and cooling tradewinds all year round. Each of these islands and cays is also strikingly unique in their marine and wildlife and their culture. While Nassau is a vibrant city where tourists can live it up, the Bimini islands are some of the most enchantingly desolate places you will visit. On some of the inhabited islands you can go snorkelling and deep sea diving, while on still others you can explore hidden cays and pools along beaches no one else would have ever walked. And there cannot be a better way to experience the surprises Bahamas has to offer, than with your private Bahamas yacht charter.

A luxury Bahamas yacht charter is the most apt way of exploring and experiencing the Bahamas. Imagine waking up surrounded by sheer azure waters, lazing on any beach you feel like for as long as you want, watching dolphins as you sip your morning coffee on the deck or dining in starlight and with the gentle sound of waves. A luxury yacht charter allows you to experience the Bahamas in any way you please, and for as long as you’d like. It’s like your very own floating luxury villa, replete with a professional staff to take care of your every need.

The great advantage of a Bahamas yacht charter becomes evident at islands like the Exumas. The Exumas are a long chain of many small cays and islands, and are a biodiversity hot spot, a world famous snorkelling and diving site, and the site of the famous Bond movie ‘Thunderball’. There cannot be a better way of exploring the 176 square mile Exumas Land and Sea Park, or enjoying the company at Staniel Cay Yacht club.

While most tourists make their way back to Nassau or Grand Bahama after a night at Staniel Cay, you needn’t. With your private yacht, you can sail off to the remote islands of Rum Cay/San Salvador, Mayaguna or Inagua. Take your time spotting flamingos, turtles and Bahamian parrots at Lake Windsor on Inagua or walking along secluded beaches on Mayaguna. Each of the islands also give you great insights into what life was like on the Bahamas 50 years ago, through the monuments that dot these islands.

A charter yacht is also the best way to be a part of the sailing culture of the Bahamas. Thanks to the trade-winds that blow all year round, regattas and sailing events are a regular feature at Nassau or the Grand Bahama island. These islands also boast of the best harbours and marinas in the world, where your ship is well taken care of.

With the safety, comfort and opportunities it provides you, a yacht charter is the best way to experience a place like the Bahamas. It epitomizes the carefree nature of life in the Bahamas, and at the same time, does not compromise on the care that we are used to.

Bahamas Yacht Charter: Fraser Yachts specialize in luxury yacht charter in the Bahamas.

Flying into Split airport, the second city of Croatia, the heat is a welcome boost from the cool British weather. We  have booked a week sailing along the Dalmatian coast between the islands. From Split we travel along the coast road heading south towards Dubrovnik, the mountains are spectacular as they tower above us on one side and the blue sea is on the other. After about an hour we  arrive at the resort of Baska Voda. This is where we board our yacht. Once all the instructions and stores were aboard, we set sail south west to the island of Brac and arrive in the sheltered bay of Sumartin. This was a nice short sail just long enough for us to get familar with the boat.

From here there followed 6 days of light winds which were ideal for sailing and sun bathing.  Stopping at Stari Grad on Hvar, the beautiful Venetian harbour, nestled against tree-topped slopes and littered with shops and pavement cafés, Komiza, Vela Luka and Jelsa with there waterside square framed by beautiful old buildings, including the 16th-century cathedrals and the arches of the Venetian influences. The towns are a maze of stepped alleyways that roll up the hillsides.  All this amongst numerous small bays and inlets, before returning to Baska Voda. 

We tended to avoid busy marinas although you could spend time in these if you want.  Our experience is that mooring stern to in a busy marina can be noisy at night will all the partying going on.  We preferred to moor up to a buoy and row into a quiet bay with a nice friendly restaurant to enjoy the food and local wine!

If this has interested you enough and you would like to spend some time this year sailing in these waters, why not  find out more about sailing off the Croatian coast.  We can recommend a sailing company that has plenty of experience chartering yachts in this area,  just  go here  for more information on dates and costs for your sailing holiday.

When you book your sailing holiday you will no doubt receive some information about your booking. However, you also need to think about what to bring with you on your break.

Even if you are sailing in the mediterranean where the weather is usually hot and sunny; it will get cool and perhaps breezy in the evening.  So shorts and T – shirts or vests for during the day but also have sweaters and cardigans for the evening or when it gets windy.

Although bare feet are OK for wandering around on the yacht, it is sometimes advisable to wear deck shoes or sandels because you could easily stub your toe on a deck fitting! Painful!

Too much sun can make you unwell so take some caps or hats with you.  These should be worn for two main reasons, firstly to protect you from the sun’s rays and secondly to protect you when the yacht’s boom comes across unexpectantly and hits you on the head! Watch out for that one!

Sunglasses with ties on them are another good idea to bring with you. Too many times I have seen people lose their expensive sunglasses over the side!  It is usually within minutes of coming aboard. They bend down to release the mooring warp and off pops their precious sunglasses. Plop! into the depths.  So buy some of these ties that you can attach to your legs of the sunglasses and put round your neck.

A Fleece for wearing at night or when the breeze picks up is a great thing.  Several years ago my family were holidaying in the South of France near Canet plage.  The place was called Cap Coudalere ( which should have been a hint to the weather!) and we arrived with our shorts and T- shirts, swim wear etc.  That first evening we noticed loads of Dutch and Germans wandering around with these Fleece jackets on. We sort of laughed. However, when the sun went down we sort of shivered.  The onshore breeze was quite cold and we really could have done with Fleeces to keep warm!

Gloves may be an unusal thing to have you pack but if you are going to be actively involved in sailing the yacht, you will be required to haul on the sail’s sheets. After a few hours sailing in strong winds, tacking to and fro, your hands will be in bits! If you do not wear gloves!

Take a pair of binoculars for looking around when onboard. It is amazing what you can spot.  Once you see something of interest then use your digital camera or cam corder that you also have brought with you. This way you can have a record of all the interesting and unusal things that happened on your sailing holiday.

Finally buy a buoyant key fob for your keys.  Too many keys have been lost overboard because they have slipped out of someone’s pocket as the move around the yacht!  So buy one and use it!

If you are looking for an inexpensive sailing vacation in Europe, that is also organized with a personal touch, then look no further than Sailingeurope.com. They have been offering sailing holidays in various European countries, such as Croatia, Greece, Italy, Montenegro, Slovenia and Spain. However, they have also recently extended their range of destinations to include Turkey, Cuba, Cuba, Maldives, Seychelles and the Canary Islands. This is quite a choice for a boating holiday!

So what type of holiday will you have? This really depends on you. You decide where to spend your time. If you want peace and quiet, you can visit one of the many empty coves or a small fishing village. If you are in more of a partying mood, you can watch the sunset from a seafood restaurant and then attend a beach party or dance till sunrise in a nightclub. The beauty of a sailing holiday is that it is dynamic, everyday is different with new adventures and challenges if you want them. You can approach it as a sport and get the knack of hoisting a sail or tying sailors knots, or you can simply leave the work to the experienced skipper while you relax and admire the waves and the sea. If you are travelling in couples, what you will never lack are sea and romance! You can go swimming at any moment and in every place. Perhaps you will even be lucky enough to swim with the dolphins that frequently follow sailing boats. And can you imagine a more romantic evening than being on the deck of a boat under a starlit sky.

If this is your first time sailing then we recommend the Adriatic, is an ideal place for sailing. It is safe, with plenty of wind and sun and over 1700 islands, islets and cliffs to explore. The climate is warm and Mediterranean, with an average 25°C sea temperature in summer.This is also a unique area in Europe for enjoying the underwater world. Find out why sailing holidays in the Mediterranean are a perfect way to spend your vacation. Learn more about the four countries you can visit Croatia, Italy, Slovenia and Montenegro and new experiences which await you by visiting the sailingeurope website. Just click on the link at the right hand side of this page.

Discover the Mediterranean, a part of the Mediterranean magic with the perfect coastline for sailing holidays.
Find out why Croatia is a true part of the Mediterranean. See the breathtaking beauty of Kornati islands or sail into old town harbor of Dubrovnik. Enjoy ancient Italy with busy Venice or swim alone in the untouched nature of Montenegro lagoons. Have a home prepared meal in the charming Slovenian town of Piran.

Here are a few reasons why you should consider a sailing holiday this year.

- The indescribable sense of freedom while admiring the natural splendour of the Mediterranean.

- Feeling the heat of the sun and the wind blowing on your skin.

- Watching the extraordinary sight of dolphins playing and dancing around the boat.

- Travelling every day to a different place, with a new splendour behind every promontory.

- Experiencing the thrill provided by a strong wind: sailing rapidly and feeling the sea-spray.

- Lying on the deck while sailing during the day, swimming at night in luminescent plankton under starlit skies.

- Hearing the calming sounds of the sea and wind, free from any noise of motors.

- Swimming every day at any moment in crystal clear waters.

Now if that does’nt make you want to go on this type of holiday what will? We hope you will consider booking a sailing holiday and that you choose the company recommended in this post. Happy sailing!