Press release -
COULD THIS BE THE ULTIMATE CHARTER ADVENTURE?
Boats.co.uk launches £1m charter yacht holiday
One of the UK’s leading boat sales and charter organisations, Boats.co.uk has created what could probably be one of the most extraordinary opportunities for those looking for a charter holiday like no other; a one year global adventure for the charterer and up to 7 other guests circumnavigating the world in the safety and luxury of a magnificent, crewed 25 metre sailing yacht- the £4m Oyster 825 Champagne Hippy. However, this amazing opportunity does not come cheap, this holiday of a lifetime comes with a £1m price tag!
The idea of an “extreme” vacation was sparked by brothers James and Nick Barke, owners at Boats.co.uk Charters when they discovered their own love of “real sailing” in December 2019. They took part in the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, (ARC) racing from the Grand Canaria to St Lucia in their yacht Champagne Hippy accompanied by World Champion sailor, Alex Alley and five other crew. They completed the transatlantic passage in just 15 days, crossing the finishing line in 13th overall and the first Oyster to finish.
The yacht was acquired by Boats.co.uk earlier last year and has been completely refurbished by the talented team at their extensive Essex boatyard facility. Importantly it has been upgraded to comply with the Marine Coastguard Agency (MCA) Stability Category 0. This is the highest level of coding provided by the MCA, confirming the yachts capability of unrestricted ocean cruising worldwide.
To achieve this coding the yacht has undergone stringent build and design requirements and its equipment and general fit-out have met the demanding levels needed for this category status. To maintain this compliance code the boat will be surveyed regularly and manned by personnel who hold specific, certified, compliance levels allowing them to operate a Category 0 yacht. This means Champagne Hippy is ready to take anyone, anywhere in world with the confidence they have a fully compliant vessel and crew.
On their return from St Lucia, the brothers acknowledged that they had enjoyed a life changing experience and wanted to offer a charter that encompassed the refined, safe and utterly enjoyable sailing that Champagne Hippy provides. They decided to design a very special charter opportunity that could match the dreams of those adventurous people who have always wanted to sail around the world. For cruising travellers who have a bucket list of long-desired locations and an ambition to take the trip of a lifetime - Champagne Hippy makes it all possible, with the comfort and style of a super yacht experience.
The Oyster 825 is just over 80ft of total luxury with the impressive performance expected from this highly respected British builder and designer. A powerful yacht with a clean, easily driven hull by Humphreys Yacht Design with styling and engineering from the Oyster Design team, the 825 can easily achieve 250 miles per day on long passages.
For the new charter offering Champagne Hippy will have a crew of 2; Captain Dudley, a highly experienced and qualified skipper who encourages guests to take the ropes as much, or as little as they wish and his partner, award winning Chef Samantha. Sam loves to use local, fresh produce to serve up a wonderful repertoire of simply delicious dishes and if guests enjoy cooking themselves, Sam can introduce them to artisan food markets and local suppliers.
Both Dudley and Sam have grown up on the water and have sailed around the world and explored many exotic destinations. They bring a lifetimes experience of sailing the world’s oceans to Champagne Hippy ensuring her guests can enjoy an exceptional journey whether they are experienced yachtsmen or enthusiastic extreme adventurers.
Depending on choice of voyage and ports there may be many legs to the cruise – visiting the Monaco Grand Prix, the Grand Canal of Venice, traverse the Panama Canal, exploring the Galapagos, eating lobster at anchor in a quiet bay in New Zealand, even the most experienced yachtsman will be pleased to be in the safe and capable hands of Champagne Hippy and her crew.
Guests can choose to join the crew in sailing this ocean thoroughbred, with electric winches, sail controls, and auto-pilot systems, boat handling is exhilarating fun or if they prefer, they can simply lay back on a sun lounger, take in the sea air and watch the dolphins.
“Nothing has made me feel more alive than being out here, on the ocean, being able to just pick up and go - and there is something very special about this boat that really connects you to your surroundings” Sam, Champagne Hippy First Mate.
James Barke, MD Boats.co.uk Charters commented, “With comfortable accommodation for eight guests, the year can be spent catching up with loved ones, treating friends and family to a series of breaks or meeting like-minded explorers, as you make your way around the world at your own pace.
Your charter can accommodate any lifelong passions and interests you may have- from the Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago to exploring the Norwegian Fjords, we are set up to make it happen for our charterer. To provide a taste of what they could experience we filmed a mouth-watering video of Champagne Hippy which can be found at https://youtu.be/ZFzWPpEDNiM .
With many years of experience dealing with boats, we have now put together a team of sailing experts, crew, seasoned travellers and well connected connoisseurs who will help to build a year long itinerary, completely tailored to our guests requirements.”
While the crew attends to every need on-board, they are supported by a dedicated remote concierge team back in the UK who can open doors to some of the world’s most exclusive restaurants and VIP experiences creating the voyage around any event, commitment or celebration.
There is an undeniable spirit of adventure that is endemic aboard Champagne Hippy, where anything is possible. Simply discovering that feeling of complete freedom of the world’s oceans is life changing, Boats.co.uk has created simply the most memorable experience available for world charter and it all starts in 2022.
Ends
Media Contacts
Clive Bartlett
Saltwater Stone
c.bartlett@saltwater-stone.com
+44 (0)12020 669244
James Barke
Boats.co.uk
+44 (0)1702 258885
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ABOUT BOATS.CO.UK
Boats.co.uk are a family-owned business with over 50 years’ experience in boat sales and repairs. It is committed to its award-winning standards of customer service to the boating community. The company has built its reputation on quality, professionalism and value and is now one of the largest leisure boat sales organisations in UK.
The company began the Charter division of its business in 2017 and re committed to that same high-end level of customer service throughout its charter offer, establishing regular repeat bookings.
Boats.co.uk Charters, also offers a fully crewed Princess 72 motor yacht for charter out of her base in Cala d’Or, Mallorca.
Boats.co.uk has sold boats as far afield as the Philippines and Australia. Half of all the boats sold from their Essex and Poole sites now go overseas.
