Luxury Real Estate

By Carl Peralta of 77 Great Estates

The most beautiful yacht to fly the Maltese merchant flag sailed majestically out of Grand Harbour this afternoon under the admiring eyes of all those who happened to be at Grand Harbour.

The 88-metre Maltese Falcon evokes the nostalgia of the old sailing clippers, but it is packed with technology, including sophisticated radar, navigation and steering equipment . Its three masts are made of carbon fibre and can rotate. The 15 square sails are stored inside them when not in use, and they can be unfurled into tracks along the yard arms in six minutes.

The yacht has two 1,800hp engines enabling it to rule the waves even when there is no wind.

The Maltese Falcon is owned by American venture capitalist Tom Perkins and is rented out for €335,000 a week. It can accommodate twelve guests plus four guest staff and 18 crew.

By Carl Peraltaof 77 Great Estates

Carinthia VII, the successor to a monument in yacht design and a keystone for the future: an impression.

The Carinthia VII, one of the largest and most luxurious yachts in the world, berthed at Grand Harbour on 4^th March 2009.

Owned by Heidi Horton, widow of Helmut Horten, the yacht is 97.2 metres long and 15.95 metres wide. Ms Horton, who inherited her husband’s $1 billion fortune, is worth about $3 billion according to Forbes.

The Carinthia VII can often be found at her home berth in the International Yacht Club of Antibes (IYCA). Carinthia VII (Project Fabergé) was built in 2002 by the German yard Lurssen. She was designed by Tim Heywood with an interior by Ellerhorst and Kreuter.

By Jim Walberg of Caribbean Islands Realty

Given that I have sailed all my life, it is an eye-opener to be introduced to a Classic Motor Yacht as an option for a Caribbean charter vacation.

I was introduced to Wayne and Barbara two weeks ago, and their Yacht Flame - a classic motor yacht built by Feadship in 1956 - a Dutch ship builder that started in 1949. This is the yacht and owners, Wayne and Barbara Elsworth, that stepped up two weeks ago to see if they could assist my clients whose charter yacht cancelled on them just five days from their week long charter vacation in the British Virgin Islands. They are also great friends with the owners of Yacht Felicia , Chris and Julie Bennett, who I have featured on several of my past articles about the charter yacht industry.

With over twenty years experience, Captain Wayne and Barbara Elsworth know the U.S. Virgin Islands , and the British Virgin Islands intimately. A charter yacht vacation aboard their crewed power yacht is unforgettable. They both grew up on the shores of the Hudson River, only 150 miles apart. Coincidentally, their families Summered at the same Adirondack lake, just on opposite shores! It seemed inevitable that one day they would meet. It is ironic that it would be on a Caribbean island, 2,000 miles south of their native New York.

In 1973 Wayne discovered the islands while visiting his parent’s winter home on Great Exuma in the Bahamas. In 1979 he became a US Coast Guard licensed captain and has operated a variety of sail and power yachts ranging from 50 to 95 feet. He has sailed from Nova Scotia to Grenada and now has settled in the Virgin Islands. While in Great Exuma, Wayne’s father taught him to spearfish, Bahamian style. He is an avid hunter and can be counted on to bring home fresh fish, conch or lobster during your charter vacation!

Barbara Elsworth graduated Phi Beta Kappa, cum laude from the University of Vermont in 1983 with a degree in history and a great love of sailing. In 1987 she traveled to Antigua for Sailing Race Week , accepted a job delivering a sailboat to England and has never looked back. (This is the annual event that has changed the lives of many of my friends kids that I have sent to Race Week.) Barbara met Wayne six months later… and the rest is history.

When they are not chartering, Wayne and Barbara restore antique speedboats: the classic mahogany Chris Crafts and Garwoods. When they stumbled across Flame, a 1956 Feadship fallen into disrepair, it was love at first sight. Well, almost! Her restoration and reconfiguration took a full three years. They did all the work themselves: Wayne taught Barbara carpentry and expanded his own engineering talents. Flame is the culmination of their many years chartering and maintaining yachts.

Here are some specs of classic motor yacht “Flame”: 65′ long; 15′ wide; all cabins are fully air-conditioned; two person kayak; two color TVs with DVD and VCR; CD’s in the cabins; snorkel gear; 15′ outboard “dingy” for water skiing; dive plane; and much more!!!

Here is one of the quotes from their raving fans: “It was hard for me to believe that I could find new anchorages that I had not visited during the ten years we owned a charter boat! But, Wayne and Barbara dazzled us everyday.” Don and Bonnie - Ohio. Barbara and Wayne have been chartering together in the Virgin Islands for twenty years and these islands are their playground. Come aboard and let them show you all their secret spots. Contact me for more information. Until next time…your real estate and lifestyle detective continues his work…

By Jim Walberg of Caribbean Islands Realty

Every charter yacht attending this Boat Show is quietly saying, “Pick me as your favorite charter yacht to promote to your charter guests who book vacations this next season!”

Whether you hear those words this week or not, that is the reason why every detail has been attended to on each yacht so it is presented in it’s best possible condition. And you will notice that the crews look very sharp in their charter yacht “uniforms”. Some of the crews are new to this game called “a Boat Show”. So, VICL Director Erik and your Board of Directors took the time to provide each of the crews a suggested action list in preparation for a successful Boat Show. Randy and Shelly from Three Moons just passed this list on to me for your enjoyment. You will not believe what each of the crews have gone through to make sure their yacht sparkles and shines. Here is the crew’s suggested action list.

“First impressions at each Boat Show are critical. One charter yacht show does not a successful season make; a bad show appearance can hurt you for this season and seasons to come! Here are our best suggestions from years of preparing yachts for charter boat shows. Your preparation will be the best investment you will make all year to the success of your business.”

• Have the yacht “charter ready”. Make sure all the drawers and lockers in each cabin are clean. Brokers will check your standard for cleanliness and order aboard your yacht. There should be absolutely no loose gear in sight. This means everything unnecessary needs to be stowed away in lockers, moved off the boat, decks cleaned, etc. This means no hoses, lines, gear tackle, motor scooters, buckets, ex-wives/ex-husbands, etc. lying around. Get a storage locker if you have to!
• Provide brochures, crew profiles and menu inserts for the brokers visiting your yacht. Remind the Brokers that more are available through you clearing house. Also, have your guest book, letter and pictures from your past guests out for the Brokers to see.
• Fresh flowers are not required; but they are a nice touch.
• Linens on the beds should be crisp and smooth. Matching towels in the heads or on the beds are a nice touch. Set a dinner place for two to show off your beautiful diner settings. Be sure to leave space at the table for a Broker or two to sit around and use for note taking.
• Have your polishing, painting and varnishing DONE! Put all supplies away
• No laundry, towels, rags, etc. hanging on the life lines. No garbage on board or on the dock.
• No deliveries of provisions or equipment during the show. If you must provision, leave the show early.
• Make it easy to board as possible with a clear route from the boarding site to the cockpit and/or below.
• Ask a friend to take a “sniff test” of your yacht. There may be an odor you might not notice; but the Broker will.
• Speaking of scents, have something baking in the oven for a welcoming aroma. Be careful not to burn anything! The new little fans that circulate scents from an electrical outlet are great. You want the yacht to smell as good as it looks.
• Details count! Little folded points on the bathroom toilet tissue, a mint on the pillow, mock mementos with charter guest names are all little details that make a big impact. Have some recent photos of guest having fun. Make sure every light bulb works and have as many of them on as you can without heating up the yacht. Lighting will show the yacht off to its best advantage.

Other General Suggestions:

• Plan ahead. Think about what you want to emphasize about yourself/your yacht and crew. Decide what type of charters you want to promote. Do you want to do more charters with children, honey-mooners, hard-core divers, big time sailors or real high-end gourmet charters? The Brokers will want to know. Think about answers to the tough questions. Brokers will ask questions such as, “What was your worst charter? Tell me about a charter that didn’t turn out well. What did you learn from it? Why won’t happen again? What was your best charter?” Have the answers ready ahead of time.
• Smokers- Be discreet about smoking as possible. This includes smoking during social events. Remember than many restaurants stateside no longer allow smoking. If you allow smoking aboard the yacht, have clean ashtrays for the Brokers.
• Politics- Go easy! There are some strong opinions and this is not the time to get into a heated into a heated debate with a Broker.
• Non-Stop Hospitality- Offer coffee, tea or juice in the morning and cool drinks in the afternoon. Think about serving alcohol to Brokers and make your own decision. Hors d’oeuvres are fine. Prepare them ahead of time.
• Keep the yacht as cool as possible. If you don’t have air conditioning, keep the hatches open, use fans and get wind scoops. If you do have air conditioning, don’t remain down below all the time during the show. Brokers confronted with closed hatches may assume you are away, not showing or with another broker.
• Some Brokers will want to see the crew quarters to know how it affects the guest’s quarters. Some Brokers will ask to see your bilge. Keep both as clean and presentable as possible, but don’t stress too much about it.
• Be careful about promising to fix things. Brokers don’t want to hear too much “after a few charters, we’ll replace those old cushions.” If you can’t replace it now, do the best you can with throw pillows, accents or something. Make the best of what you have and don’t draw attention to the negatives.
• Emphasize your crew’s teamwork even if you only have a freelance chef or mate for the show. The Brokers was to see you function together as a team and be happy. If you have personality differences with your crew, you don’t need to be together. Some crews find one person on deck and one below allows them to cover twice as many Brokers, but the Brokers don’t get a chance to see you together. Charter yacht shows can be a stressful time. This is not the time to decide to divorce your chef or Captain. Let it wait until after the show.
• Collect business cards. As soon as possible after the Broker leaves the yacht, write something on the back of their business card so that you can remember them. Sending a Thank you note for their visit during the show or personalized email will go a long way in helping you grow your business. Follow up! Don’t be a pest; but do be persistent.

I don’t know about you, but I am exhausted from just reading this memo. And, the reason why all this work is done is so they can share the above beach with each of their delighted charter guests. I am off to interview more of the crews so stay tuned. After that I believe I will be taking a nap by the pool until the Hawaiian Luau tonight. Enjoy your afternoon! Your VICL Boat Show detectiveremains on duty…

By Robert Lockard

Ilya Moshenskiy, the Principal Photographer of Ilya’s Photography, recently came home from an eventful trip to Cannes for the International Boat & Yacht Show. He arrived with a whole bunch of beautiful photos highlighting the celebration of luxurious watercraft of all shapes and sizes. Check out his collection of photos here:

http://ilyaluxury.com/gallery/luxury/Cannes%20International%20Show/expl.php?user=Cannes%20International%20Show

Ilya is no stranger to covering big events with his keen eye for small details. Near the end of summer this year, he took time to photograph beautiful images at Seafair in Seattle. He has also been present at many Luxury Real Estate conferences, and he will be at the 13^th Annual Luxury Real Estate Fall Conference on Oct. 11-14, 2008. He’s such a hard worker and we definitely appreciate all of his efforts here at Luxury Real Estate.

Enjoy some of his amazing work below. Be sure to contact him at Contact him at ilya (at) ilyaestate.com or 425.883.2246 for all of your photography needs, including luxury homes, events, food and more.

Editor’s Note:
Robert Lockard is the Public Relations & Media Specialist with LuxuryRealEstate.com. I am Robert. I create all of Luxury Real Estate's newsletters, write the editorials in LuxuryRealEstate.com Magazine and much more. All of the photos in this blog entry are the copyright of Ilya’s Photography.

By Dr. Carl Peralta

Giorgio Armani, together with his super yacht “Main”, spent a lovely holiday in Malta. For more information on his visit, read the article in the Times of Malta.



Although Malta is not like the Greek islands, St. Tropez, Sardinia & Monte Carlo, it is a unique, picturesque place set right bang in the middle of the clean Mediterranean Sea.

Other famous personalities come along together with their super yachts, such as Roman Abramovich (Chelsea FC owner) with his 114-metre “Pelorus” and Tom Perkins (Danielle Steele’s ex-husband) with his 88-metre “Maltese Falcon” built by Perini Navi!


Editor’s Note:
Dr. Carl Peralta founded 77 Great Estates in 2003. He is a member of the global Luxury Real Estate network. Business being his chief interest, Dr. Peralta has successfully co-organized many large-scale entertainment events since 1995. It sounds like Giorgio Armani couldn’t stay away from Malta. Actually, I wrote an editorial on luxury yachting communities in the spring 2008 issue of LuxuryRealEstate.com Magazine. Very cool! The size of these yachts Carl mentions in this blog entry is incredible. You’d need a huge dock at your luxury home or a nice luxury marina to park them.