Remembering Mike Kelsey, Jr.

January 7, 2020 By Diane M. Byrne Leave a Comment

There’s an often-quoted poem that describes how people come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Mike Kelsey, Jr. was an exception to that rule. While it seemed as if he came into the lives of many in yachting for a season, his recent untimely death proves, ironically, that he actually came into our lives for a lifetime.

Many knew Mike first from his days as a broker for the famed American yacht builder Palmer Johnson, a job he started at the ripe age of 19. He took the helm of the shipyard in his early 40s, a job dominated by older, white-haired men. Mike was an anomaly. He was further an anomaly for his modesty, and for much preferring the shop-room floor, walking amid and talking with the welders, woodworkers, pipefitters, and other craftspeople who made the magic happen at Palmer Johnson. You’d be hard pressed to find Mike toasting with clients at a hotel bar late at night or out at a fancy shindig rubbing elbows with movers and shakers. Some people shook their heads over this. How could the head of one of the most prominent shipyards in the country, and in the world, not actively enjoy entertaining customers, or enjoy the social side of yachting, especially considering it’s such a social business?

In the process, they missed the point. Read this excerpt from the above-mentioned poem:

Some people come into your life for a SEASON,
because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it. It is real. But only for a season.
LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;
things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person,
and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Due to his short 57 years on this earth, Mike came into lives for a season, bringing joy to the lives of his clients and employees. He personally knew the families of his employees, too, proudly shopping in the same supermarkets as them and running errands in the same town of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. However, he taught them, and the rest of us, lifetime lessons. Lessons on how to treat people from all walks of life, regardless of economic status, with dignity and respect. Our job now is to accept this lesson, and put what we have learned into use in all our other relationships.

Thanks for the lesson, Mike. Godspeed.

EYOS Expeditions Makes History, and Memories for a Lifetime

November 15, 2019 By Diane M. Byrne Leave a Comment

Yacht owners and the industry are buzzing about long-range expeditions. It’s because owners are no longer content with spending winters in the Caribbean and summers in the Med. I’ve been waiting for this ever since I started my yachting journalism career in 1993. I simply never understood the “milk run” attitude, especially considering so many extraordinary places exist around the rest of the world. Few places are as extraordinary as the Northwest Passage—just ask the team at EYOS Expeditions, which made history there this summer. Actually, it made history twice. First, it became the first company to manage three vessels completing the entire ocean-to-ocean passage in one season. Second, one of those vessels is only the 300^th of any kind to ever transit this infamous waterway.

The Northwest Passage connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans 500 miles north of the Arctic Circle, and about 1,200 miles from the North Pole. As you can imagine, at times it’s virtually impassable due to ice. In addition, it’s comprised of difficult channels and shoals. This is why vessels bring on well-experienced guides like those of EYOS Expeditions. The company specializes in creating tailored superyacht expeditions, several of which have been ground-breaking. It’s even in the Guinness Book of World Records, twice, for the farthest south that any vessel has ever ventured.

This pioneering spirit leads us to the history-making Northwest Passage trips this summer. While four yachts tapped EYOS’ expertise to cruise the route, two wanted to complete the entire Passage. So did the residential cruise ship The World. Therefore, EYOS provided each with ice pilots, as well as expedition guide teams, which planned itineraries, ensured safe shore landings and activities, and more. Interestingly, this was The World’s second Northwest Passage transit, and second time with EYOS doing so. It’s now the largest ship to complete a double transit (making the full crossing in both directions). And, by best estimates, it’s the 300^th ship in history to make a transit.

EYOS Expeditions creates superyacht voyages to the Northwest Passage — PHOTO: Colin Tennant

As interesting as that is, it’s even more interesting to hear the EYOS team describe the travels. Remarkably, EYOS is responsible for 10 percent of all Passage crossings, more than any other organization. It never gets old for them, either. In fact, Ben Lyons, the company CEO, says that the challenges that come with passages or bays being frozen solid makes for once-in-a-lifetime experiences:

That allows us to take advantage of spontaneous and opportunistic occurrences, like encountering polar bears or bowhead whales, or the chance to kayak to a lost island in 90 minutes of bright sunshine. Guests will get to sail through grand fjords surrounded by towering mountain barriers; marveling at the icebergs that dot the way. On vessels with helicopters, they get to soar over mountain peaks for a hike (or a glass of champagne) amidst awe-inspiring scenery. They will also land at rarely visited Inuit communities and come to better understand, first-hand, their way of life.

From understanding and respecting the unpredictable conditions to building relationships between visiting yachts and the local communities, EYOS is opening up the world in ways we could only once imagine. Check out what it can do for you at eyos-expeditions.com.

Sherakhan, Driven by a Sixth Sense About Superyachts

October 15, 2019 By Diane M. Byrne Leave a Comment

Jan Verkerk is renown in superyacht circles. He’s equally passionate about sailing as he is about tackling refit and conversion projects. Verkerk is responsible for some of the most successful transformations of charter yachts around, including Legend. Among all his projects, however, Sherakhan holds special significance. Like other conversions, she has a fascinating story. Yet, her story stands head and shoulders above many, for Verkerk’s sixth sense about superyachts.

First, some history. The 229-foot (70-meter) Sherakhan started out as a Dutch training ship, christened Prinses Margriet in 1966. Sturdy and well built, she was a workhorse. After nearly four decades of service, though, Prinses Margriet was decommissioned, left with an uncertain future. Enter Verkerk, in 2002. Coincidentally, he was seeking a new, challenging yacht project.

Not that he chose to convert the training ship straight away. In fact, initially, he was weighing a new build. He wanted to create a charter yacht to cater to larger charter parties, exceeding 12 passengers. Verkerk even went so far as to commission drawings for a new build, when he learned about Prinses Margriet. Since her hull was in excellent condition, plus she held SOLAS certification—allowing more than 12 passengers—Verkerk changed course.

Applying his prior experience with successful refits as well as his own mechanical skills, Verkerk embarked on a three-year transformation of the ship. “Successful yacht building is about calculating, calculating, and calculating again,” he explains. Verkerk personally took part in redesigning the exterior lines, too, taking inspiration from a 1930s-era yacht he’d admired. The vessel gained a more prominent bow, for instance, as well as a more open canoe stern, to allow guest boarding via a passerelle.

As much as the technical overhaul is noteworthy, involving the replacement of essentially every mechanical system and component, Sherakhan’s interior transformation is the wow factor. Indeed, the biggest wow is, indisputably, the saloon and dining area. Nearly 66 feet (20 meters) long and 30 feet (9 meters) wide, it’s additionally 23 feet (7 meters) high, rising from the main deck through the upper deck. Two open-treads, sweeping staircases constructed of glass and steel frame one end. A skylight, which is actually the glass bottom of the sundeck hot tub, accentuates the ambience both day and night. By day, sunlight filters down, while at night, the hot tub’s custom underwater lighting does the trick.

Then consider the curving, 25-foot-long (7.5-meter-long) wooden dining table. It’s made of white ash, teak, and wenge woods. Its shape mimics the shape of the atrium opening. A white baby grand piano sits in the adjacent lounging area, as does a fireplace.

It’s not every day that a training vessel transforms into a stunning superyacht. Then again, people like Verkerk don’t come along every day, either. All of this earned Sherakhan her own chapter in our book Spectacular Superyachts, as well as the cover. She should earn your charter business as well (book her via Y.CO), if you seek a truly singular experience.

The Story of Octopus

September 23, 2019 By Diane M. Byrne Leave a Comment

Media outlets across the globe are going gaga this month over one of the world’s most famous yachts. That yacht is Octopus, a 414-footer (126.19-meter). She’s newsworthy to them because she’s for sale, with an asking price of approximately one-third of a billion dollars. She’s additionally newsworthy to them because she was owned by the co-founder of Microsoft, the late Paul Allen. We want to tell you about Octopus, too, but for three completely different reasons.

Octopus helped make history, on behalf of ocean scientists and researchers. In 2012, Octopus served as the launch platform for a submarine carrying filmmaker and avid conservationist James Cameron. The sub dove down to the bottom of the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean, 6.8 miles (11 kilometers). It was just the second-ever manned dive to the trench’s bottom. What’s more, the first dive, in 1960, only lasted 20 minutes. Thanks to Octopus, Cameron spent several hours exploring and filming, plus collecting data and samples, unthinkable on that first dive.
That same year, Allen loaned Octopus to the UK’s Royal Navy, which wished to retrieve the ship’s bell from a famous shipwreck. The HMS Hood sank during World War II in the Denmark Strait. The Royal Navy wanted the bell as part of a national memorial. Naval personnel located the bell, but bad weather prevented taking it to the surface. However, three years later, on August 7, Octopus’ remote-operated vehicle helped the navy recover the bell. It currently sits in a museum in Portsmouth, England.
In 2017, this time in the Philippines, Allen and an exploration team he assembled discovered a Japanese battleship that sank during World War II. Once again, Octopus played a key role, allowing the team to survey the seabed and locate the vessel. The battleship was Musashi, one of the largest ever constructed. On his Twitter account, Allen shared that he started the search for Musashi eight years prior.

Yes, Octopus is a luxuriously large yacht. Yes, she can carry two helicopters, and has a basketball court. But she’s so much more. That’s the real story.

When the World’s Largest Superyacht Isn’t a Superyacht–and It Doesn’t Matter

August 27, 2019 By Diane M. Byrne Leave a Comment

Over the past several days, yachting media from around the world have chronicled an important milestone. REV Ocean, the impressive 600-footer (nearly 183-meter) pictured above, floated on her lines for the first time. Headline after headline touted her as the world’s largest superyacht.

One problem. A big problem (no pun intended). REV Ocean isn’t a superyacht. Regardless, she is a fantastic story we couldn’t wait to share. No doubt that after reading this, you’ll understand why.

First, if she’s not a superyacht, what is she? REV Ocean is a research vessel. She’s being equipped with laboratories and specialized equipment to support scientists while traveling the globe, including polar waters. She’s the brainchild of Norwegian businessman Kjell Inge Røkke. He is passionate about not just understanding what’s impacting our oceans, but also finding solutions to protect them. Plastics, climate change, overfishing; you name it, he wants to tackle it.

So, where does the superyacht confusion come from? Well, Røkke is an experienced yachtsman. In addition, he hired one of the most talented yacht designers, Espen Øino, to pen REV Ocean’s lines as well as design and outfit some areas. When the vessel isn’t on scientific expeditions, she’ll be available for private individuals, corporations, and institutions to charter, to learn more about the oceans’ health. In this capacity, REV Ocean will carry 28 guests, plus have lounges, dining areas, staterooms, and more luxury spaces.

At the end of the day, we’re fascinated by REV Ocean regardless of her formal vessel category. Her story is one of extraordinary hope, and promise. She will enable scientists to research the entire marine ecosystem. The technology she features comes straight from leading minds in engineering, science, and the environment. And, a team of scientists anxiously awaits her delivery day, a year from now, so that she can start pursuing projects that they recommend. They are specially tapped to recommend these projects, too, so that REV Ocean upholds proper scientific and research standards.

All because one person, Røkke, cares so much.

You can learn more about REV Ocean, including an incredible first-of-its kind ocean-data platform that she’ll contribute to, here.

Of Mermaids, Monsters, and All Good Things Aboard Mermaid Monster

July 16, 2019 By Diane M. Byrne Leave a Comment

Three hundred sixty-five days is a long time to be living on a boat. Yet, the Palmer family—mom and licensed captain Brooke, dad and second helmsman Braden, their kids Rooney and Penn (above), and their dogs Frasier and Captain—just celebrated this milestone aboard their boat Mermaid Monster. If ever there were a family that understands and embraces the notion of “no better time than the present,” the Palmers are it. Their story—stories, really—are inspiring.

What’s even more inspiring is the fact that the Palmers had never owned a boat before buying Mermaid Monster. While Brooke grew up enjoying ocean cruising off Seattle, Braden was more of a waterskiier and wakeboarder in California. Interesting enough, Brooke tells me that from the day they met, more than a decade ago, they shared a dream of traveling the world with their children.

Fast forward to last summer, after 11 years of marriage and two kids. The Palmers turned to each other and said, “Why are we waiting? Let’s just go and get our boat!”

Since then, the Palmers and Mermaid Monster have cruised Nantucket, New Jersey, and North Carolina. They’ve been to the Bahamas and back. They’ve logged thousands of miles, with thousands more planned. Mermaid Monster is planning to circumnavigate the globe. It’s the experience and education of a lifetime, for all of them.

Indeed. Four-year-old Penn knows how many gallons the fuel tanks can hold. He’s also quite the expert cookie baker in the galley (and, apparently, a film director in training, knowing exactly when filming should pause, as you’ll see). Six-year-old Rooney, meanwhile, is fascinated with all aspects of sea life, from fish to turtles and more. In fact, on one of the family’s first nights on the boat, she turned to Brooke and wondered, “What’s under the water?” The two of them have met more people from more walks of life and cultures than many adults have in their lifetimes.

Never mind that Mermaid Monster isn’t a superyacht. (She’s a Nordhavn 55.) So many superyacht owners I’ve spoken with over the years started out with a boat about the same size as, or even smaller than, Mermaid Monster. Many of them still own boats that size, too. The common bond they and the Palmers share is passion. They’re passionate about cruising, and passionate about adventure. Most of all, they’re passionate about sharing both with their family. As Brooke puts it, “With the understanding that time is our only non-renewable resource, we decided we’d better not waste it.”

You can follow the Palmers and their Mermaid Monster adventures on their popular YouTube channel.

Honoring Robert Braithwaite

June 25, 2019 By Diane M. Byrne Leave a Comment

This powerboat clearly isn’t a superyacht. Not even close. But, there’s one heckuva story behind it—one of the most emotionally powerful stories you’ll ever learn, in fact. Which is why we want to share it with you: Stories often move us to smile, to laugh, and even to cry, whether tears of sadness or joy. This is the story of a twentysomething (!) who borrowed £5,000 from a friend to set up what became one of the world’s most successful boatbuilding businesses. More than that, though, it’s the story of how, 50 years later, a speedboat is being built in his honor.

If you’re a longtime cruiser, you may recognize the name Robert Braithwaite. He and his brother John were the brains, and the beauty, behind Sunseeker International for the past half century. In fact, Robert started the company in England in 1969, seizing an opportunity to buy the molds to a suddenly ceased model line. Within two years, Robert had built two boats. He promptly sold them both upon their global debut at the London Boat Show in 1971.

The years that followed saw sport cruiser after sport cruiser, bearing model names like Tomahawk, Thunderhawk, Superhawk, Predator, and more. While Sunseeker entered the superyacht market about 20 years ago, it never forgot its roots. Neither did Braithwaite. He was involved in the creation of all sorts of craft, including the boat pictured here.

Which brings us to our story. This boat is the Hawk 38, the newest Sunseeker. “Hawk” is meant to harken back to the early offshore powerboats that Robert loved to build. He even had a hand in creating her, naturally. Sunseeker announced production plans for the 62-knot Hawk 38 this past March—just one day before Robert sadly passed away.

To say that Robert was a true visionary is not hyperbole. He had a profound impact on the state of recreational boating and yachting. Fittingly, his spirit will live on in the Hawk 38 in a very special way. The first 10 Hawk 38s will be part of a limited-edition series, bearing a polished stainless steel plaque at the helm. They’ll bear the series numbers RB001 to RB010, with “RB” being his initials.

Sometimes the smallest gestures stir the most in our souls, and make for the most magnificent stories.

Celebrating Unique Experiences

May 21, 2019 By Diane M. Byrne Leave a Comment

As the president and CEO of Marriott International, Arne Sorenson has nearly infinite opportunities to visit extraordinary places, and experience extraordinary things. His company, after all, has properties in 130 different countries. Some are exquisite resorts in the Maldives, while others are exclusive hotels in the heart of New York City.

So, what did Sorenson do last summer to ensure he had a most-memorable vacation? Take a three-day, nearly 203-mile biking trip through Spain with his two grown sons. As grueling as it may sound, the trip was “the experience of a lifetime,” he happily asserts.

Why? Because the trip was a unique experience—made all the more so because of two people he dearly loves and often doesn’t get to see.

Sorenson’s two sons are grown, with busy lives of their own and friends who they’d rather hang out with than ol’ Mom and Dad. He doesn’t begrudge them that. In fact, he’s all the more grateful they chose him, and this trip, over every other option last year. They laughed—a lot—took in stunning scenery along the famous Camino de Santiago, and talked. And talked, and talked, and talked.

The trip came down to a pretty simple, yet powerful realization:

This unforgettable trip was a confirmation that—for me—unique experiences will always outweigh material possessions.

Of course, I am fortunate to have access to both. My point is to encourage everyone to slow down this year and do something memorable. … Make it an adventure—experience it with people you love.

In a day and age where many of us lead busy lives, and where our children arguably lead equally busy, or even busier, lives, it’s crucial to create unique experiences together. It’s crucial to do the same with other family, too, as well as friends who are as close as family. Then, reflect fondly on the memories, linger on the photos, and tell the stories again and again. (We can help you beautifully capture those stories, by the way… hint hint.)

Whatever you do, celebrate these unique experiences.

By the way, if you’d like to read Sorenson’s full article—and I encourage you to do so—it’s here.

The Art of Storytelling—With George Clooney and Coffee

April 30, 2019 By Diane M. Byrne Leave a Comment

“For saving the kingdom, what doth thou desire?” asks the queen of the knight in this popular television commercial (below), which you’ve likely seen in recent weeks. The knight has just slain a dragon to protect the kingdom, and he can have anything he wants… which, it turns out, is a perfect cup of Nespresso coffee. Between the famous stars—actress Natalie Dormer and actor George Clooney—the Peter Gabriel song “Solsbury Hill” (about a personal epiphany) playing in the background, and the amusing cross-century cultural encounters that ensue, the story of “The Quest,” as the commercial is known, is entertaining.

It’s also absurd. I mean, really: A knight from a bygone century steps through a movie screen into modern-day times and traipses through New York City until he finds the Nespresso coffee his heart desires? Then he takes the whole kingdom on a double-decker bus ride to ensure they all get a cup, too? Seriously? But that’s not the point. The point is, the story is engaging.

Nespresso weaves its story without hammering you over the head. It also doesn’t have a talking head insisting that a taste test proves its coffee beats 4 out of 5 other brands. That would have been boring, and boring isn’t memorable. Rather, Nespresso avoids taking itself too seriously—witness the billboard of George Clooney as himself drinking Nespresso come into view when George Clooney the knight emerges from the subway. It plays on a basic human emotion that those of us who love coffee (and you know who you are) will go on a quest of our own to get the flavor we enjoy most of all.

This is what we mean when we talk to clients like you about the art of storytelling. Storytelling isn’t simply writing down information about a yacht, or a fact about the build, or a memory from your times onboard. It involves weaving nuance and emotion into the threads of the information, or fact, or memory. This gives it color, even a life of its own. It makes it memorable, and enjoyable.

It may not be as funny as gathering an entire kingdom aboard a double-decker bus… or perhaps it will be even funnier. That’s the beauty of your story: It’s yours to enjoy, or to laugh at, as you please.

Let’s tell your story, together.

“There’s No More Valuable Asset Than My Time”

April 16, 2019 By Diane M. Byrne Leave a Comment

Sometimes a statement is utterly eloquent in its simplicity. Matt Voorhees, the owner of a handful of superyachts over the years that he’s christened Broadwater, said something that captivated the room at a recent superyacht-industry conference. Eight simple words left the room so silent that you could have heard a pin drop.

“There’s no more valuable asset than my time.”

While it was the answer to a question as to how he selects a shipyard, it very well could have been the story of his life as a yacht owner. Indeed, it could be the story of the life of any yacht owner, even you.

Voorhees explained that as an entrepreneur, his weeks are filled from dawn to dusk. Therefore, the days he carves out to spend with family and friends are precious. As you can imagine, he doesn’t take too kindly to people or businesses that don’t understand that his time is important. If he commissions a refit, he expects the schedule to be realistic and respectful of his most valuable asset. If his crew tells him a voyage will take a certain number of hours, he expects the same.

“There’s no more valuable asset than my time” is an important reminder that the intangibles are really deserving of being our top priorities. Can you put a price on watching your kids take their first wobbly runs on water skis? How about the moment you saw the shores of the islands from the deck of your yacht? What about the moment you or your spouse released the champagne bottle to break it across the bow of your yacht? Each of these memories is surely etched in your mind. You may have even captured them on film, or on your smartphone. Their worth comes in every second you get to live and re-live them. Their worth comes in the happiness they provide you.

There’s no more valuable asset than your time. Treasure it.