French Riviera Luxury

Experience life out on the water in a new way this summer with the fastest, most compact small sailboat ever built: Reverso.

Featuring a unique foldable design, Reverso is handmade in France by a dedicated team using the most advanced technologies. Ultra-lightweight and ready to use in 180 seconds, Reverso folds up into just one square meter and can easily be stored in any garage, storage space or deck. Its small size, measuring 3.40 meters in length, ensures Reverso is the best addition to any superyacht’s array of water toys. Eliminating the need for fuel or gas, Reverso is fun, durable and sustainable.

A high-performance dinghy inspired by racing, Reverso can reach speeds of over 16 knots, allowing sailors to fully immerse themselves in their surroundings. Thanks to the powerful rig and flat planning hull that combines lightweight and great control, Reverso is fast yet easy to learn how to use. Able to accommodate two adults or one adult and two children, Reverso is the ideal sailing boat to learn how to sail or to hone existing skills.

“Reverso offers guests the opportunity to understand on a smaller scale how they can navigate themselves and enable them to enjoy their experience onboard their superyacht fully,” says Antoine Simon, inventor and founder of Reverso. “Reverso is straightforward to maneuver. A crew member can accompany the children and show them the ropes, so they can learn easily how to navigate it.” While suitable for new or beginner sailors, Reverso also lets superyacht owners and guests progress as they can practice their sailing skills whenever they wish while out cruising.

“Superyacht guests will experience the extremely gratifying pleasure of steering a sailboat at the drop of a hat,” adds Simon. Reverso is also the only small sailboat with an integrated cockpit recess for a GPS speedometer. Superyacht guests will be able to track their speed, get instant feedback and optimize their sail trimming while breaking personal records if they choose so. With a sleek, premium design Reverso is coherent with the look, and quality found aboard any superyacht. Built around a culture of excellence from the most technological advance materials, Reverso is designed for longevity.

Winner of the USA Boat of the Year award, Reverso can be shipped to over 25 countries. Supplying leading shipyards of the superyacht industry, including Feadship, Sunreef and Wally. Tried and tested by the in-house team prior to leaving the boatyard in Brittany, Reverso’s logistic facility is based in Nantes, and ships every few weeks to its locations in Europe, the USA and other locations. Offering a unique approach to modern sailing, Reverso is the must-have sustainable toy for any yacht, offering the most sailing fun on the water. “Reverso is the ideal toy and totally in line with the current times and trends. It brings a fascinating new experience for the people who will be on board,” says Simon. Explore the endless possibilities offered by Reverso today.

Nestled between France’s Maritime Alps and the Mediterranean Sea, Monaco mixes astonishing coastal cliffs and utopic beaches with mountainous zones and lush greenery. Not sure where to go to appreciate the wide variety of trails, viewpoints and gardens around Monaco? Here are our top 4 Monaco nature spots.

Here’s where to appreciate nature in Monaco & beyond

The Sentier Littoral

The Sentier Littoral is a long coastal path outlining the rugged Cote d’Azur coastline. A favourite of Winston Churchill and Greta Garbo, the path is family-friendly, safe and signposted all along the way. The Sentier Littoral also crosses some of the best of Monaco’s gardens and landmarks – such as the Japanese gardens and the Grimaldi Forum – meaning you can sneak a peek as you wander.

Start out at Plage Marquet in Monaco and make your way to Cap d’Ail. For hiking aficionados, the path continues all the way up to Menton. The crystal-clear Mediterranean is the perfect blue backdrop for this scenic route that will show you the best of Monaco’s nature. Discover rare flora and fauna, volcanic rock and lush wooded areas along the way, and don’t forget to pack a towel in case you decide to take a cool dip in a secluded beach.

The Gorges du Loup

Spectacular waterfalls, thrilling wooded trails and steep limestone canyon views await you in the Loup Valley, at the feet of the Gourdon. This must-see spot, although located roughly 50 kilometres from the Principality, will amaze all those looking for nature near Monaco. Make sure you stop by the impressive Cascade de Courmes, a freefalling waterfall that lands on mossy rocks and turquoise pools.

The small medieval villages and picturesque towns in the surrounding Provence are worth a visit as well!

The Dog’s Head of Monaco

If you don’t want to leave the Principality, the Chemin Romain is a fantastic path that mixes panoramic urban views with stunning Monaco nature. Start the hike in Cap d’Ail and climb your way up to the Dog’s Head, a 550-meter-high rock historically used as a military strategic base that overlooks the French Riviera and beautiful Monaco gardens.

From wildflower patches to vistas of the glittering sea and views of luxurious Monaco real estate, this 6.5 kilometer walk is worth breaking a sweat for. The signposted path can be quite steep and climbing may be required in some areas.

The Massif de l’Esterel

Roughly 80 kilometres away from Monaco, the Massif’s rugged landscapes, sharp cliffs and arid red rock almost feels like an other-worldly experience. The Massif offers many marked paths for all levels of hiking and biking. From deep ravines, secluded coves and sunny peaks to dry lands, coastal views and beautiful lush greenery, the range of microclimates and landscapes are representative of the wide variety of nature near Monaco.

The Massif offers year-round spectacular views of the Mediterranean but only a few lucky ones will be able to spot Corsica on extra-clear days. Don’t miss out on the vistas from the Pic de l’Ours and Pic du Cap Roux. 

In the late 19^th century Britain held a foreign policy known as ‘Splendid Isolation.’ It has always seemed a fitting name for a luxury private yacht (MY Splendid Isolation, anyone?). And never so much as now. In the age of coronavirus, isolation has never been so splendid.

A charter yacht is perfectly equipped for riding out or recovering from a pandemic, all the while still offering the glamorous surroundings, exquisite food, and pampering one can expect of the world’s most elite vacation option. Days on a yacht charter are spent diving and snorkelling, swimming off the yacht, and exploring quiet beaches and hidden forest paths. The yacht has WIFI, an abundance of onboard entertainment and watertoys, and a professional crew including a private chef. There is no need to go ashore at all.

A yacht is a floating luxury island with its very own drawbridge. In times like these, it is a fortress.

With many yachting regions in lockdown, it’s clear that right now is not the time to charter in much of the world. But when quarantine ends, people will desperately want to go on holiday with their loved ones again – to feel the sunshine on their faces, the water on their skin, and revel in the heady rush of newfound freedom. Families will be looking for safe, low-risk holiday options– ones which don’t involve crowds, hotels, or cruise ships. Vacations where they can leave the world and its worries behind.

In times of uncertainty, there is no safer vacation option than a private yacht.

Looking forward: Charter in Summer 2020

The peak of the virus in Europe is expected sometime in the next month, and it is predicted that life will begin to look more like normal in July. The fact that we are now in mid April means that the Mediterranean yacht charter season can likely be salvaged. It may start in July and run a little later than usual, but as the charter season has been extending further into autumn with each passing year, we can reasonably expect a good number of September and October charters in addition to those in July and August.

Of course, there is no certainty, but those clients feeling cautious have no need to delay making a booking, as new MYBA charter contracts are being drawn up with an addendum allowing the client to cancel or postpone their charter in the event that the situation becomes dangerous or the charterer cannot get to the yacht due to border closures. In fact, those who act now might even get a bargain on charter rates and have their pick of popular charter yachts which would normally be booked out a year in advance. There’s another upside too: for those chartering early in the recovery as countries just start to open up again, they may experience a Mediterranean yacht season quite unlike any other, with quiet anchorages, crystal clear waters, and crowd-free beaches.

Here are some reassuring reasons why a yacht charter in summer 2020 is still a good idea. 

Yachts have enviable self-sufficiency

A well-stocked yacht is the perfect place to be during a pandemic, or as Europe begins its recovery.

The reason for this is what is referred to as a yacht’s ‘autonomy’: the self-sufficiency of a yacht in regards to its water, fuel, and food supply. Because any yachts with transatlantic range need to be self-sufficient for a minimum of two weeks, these vessels can conduct long charters without needing to return to port. Explorer charter yachts are particularly well-suited, as they are built for long-range and remote cruising with high levels of self-sufficiency.

Yachts have their own watermakers and sewerage systems, refrigeration and storage capabilities. Garbage disposal can be done via tender runs to port, and the yacht’s fuel supply is also used to run generators to power the yacht’s electricity needs. When the yacht does need to be restocked, it doesn’t even have to come into a marina; crew can order what they need through dedicated yacht provisioners, who deliver the supplies to the dock or to the boat at anchor. Packaging contamination isn’t a concern either, as yacht crews are already in the habit of disposing of cardboard and extra packaging on the dock before loading.

In fact, yacht brokers and captains have been engaging in these kinds of logistics for years, organising for seaplanes to drop off caviar and rare wines in the Maldives and Alaskan King Crabs to be flown to yachts in Mykonos or St Barts. No new systems are required, as their networks of provisioners are already in place. The yachting industry is already in good practice for this event (even though we didn’t know it!)

A small group of guests and a screened crew

In a hotel, you cannot help but come into contact with strangers – in the restaurant, at the pool, in the lobby. When you venture out to explore, it will be by taxi or bus. The staff of hotels are enormous – many of whom you will never see, but will in some way touch your things – from the laundry staff to housekeeping to the chefs that handle your food. Add in the people you do have direct contact with – the concierge and receptionists, the porters and the wait staff – and you have hundreds of potential infection points. As for cruises, they have always been known as a hotbed of contagion, with vast numbers of people mixing together and rushed cleaning schedules.

Yachts are the polar opposite: with very small groups, no strangers, and hyper-clean environments. On a yacht, you have a small group of crew who will be tested for COVID-19 before each charter. You know each of their faces, and you know they are healthy. As a precaution, guests will also be screened before boarding, so that no outbreak can happen on board and you can cruise into your holiday without fear.

On a yacht, cleanliness is (always) next to godliness

People planning holidays in the aftermath of the lockdowns will be seeking one thing above all: a low-risk holiday that is far from crowds and germ-filled environments. Which is where a yacht excels beyond all other forms of holidays.

A luxury yacht is astonishingly clean – almost certainly the cleanest space you will ever spend time in – and far, far cleaner than hotels, with their daily turnovers and rushed housekeeping staff. Before the charter starts, the yacht crew spend several days cleaning, with an army of cotton buds and toothbrushes, sprays and polishes. Air conditioning vents are swept out with cotton buds, and every fabric is laundered and vacuumed, freshened and ironed. Even the walls are washed. When the charter commences, your cabin and ensuite is cleaned a minimum of twice daily – all fingerprints gone, every droplet of water wiped out of sinks and showers, fluffy fresh towels appearing as if by magic. On the exterior, it is the same standard: every surface soaped and squeegeed, buffed and shined, until it gleams in the Mediterranean sun.

On a yacht, dust is not welcome. Yacht windows rarely open, and doors are kept shut to preserve the pristine, almost hermetically sealed cleanliness of the interior. No soil or street dirt is walked onto the yacht, as shoes are taken off at the passerelle.

Remember, this is normal procedure. Yachts are always this immaculate. Additional steps have been taken during the COVID-19 crisis to step up these cleaning regimes even further, with the addition of disinfectants and even air filters which remove pathogens.

When it comes to cleanliness, there is no vacation option than even comes close. And with thousands of crew currently in lockdown on their yachts across the Mediterranean and having nothing else to do but clean, charter yachts will never be cleaner than in the summer of 2020. Crew will be well-rested after a long break from charters and keen to get back to work.

First Aid

Charter yachts are required to have impressive medical supplies on board (often including defibrillators), large yachts have an appointed health officer, and all crew are required to have some degree of first aid training, with the captain also trained in Advanced First Aid. There’s also a remote health service expressly set up for yachts to access medical support over the phone. In the unlikely event someone did get ill on board, the crew would act professionally and swiftly to contain the situation. All charter yacht crews have been required to implement new emergency procedures and systems to be ready for any COVID-19 cases.

Security Capabilities

Able to ‘raise the drawbridge’ at the first sign of trouble and power away from land, a yacht is one of the most secure holiday types imaginable. Additionally, charter yacht crew are required to have undertaken a module of security training, and when in port, there is someone to guard the passerelle at all times, as well as CCTV cameras stationed around the decks. Yachts are also accustomed to accommodating additional security personnel on board. Your captain will be running risk assessments of every anchorage and town the yacht visits; if there are any health developments, you will simply return to the yacht and retreat to safety.

Any risk is further minimised where charter clients arrive at the yachting destination by private jet at a private terminal, followed by private transfer to the yacht. A yacht charter broker can assist with organising private jet transport that radically minimises your contact points.

It’s a place your children can be safe, have fun, and be ‘yacht-schooled’

For charter clients with children, this situation has brought about a whole new set of challenges. At this stage, no-one knows when schools will reopen across Europe, but there’s every chance that the school break will extend through the six-week summer holiday. Which means that children are going to go a long, long time without traditional schooling.

A yacht always offers lots of fun for kids, but it can also provide a different kind of education – one where the chef can give cooking lessons, the captain teaches kids to read the radar or plot a course, and the engineer gives a tour of the engine room, explaining how the generators and engines work. The stewardesses might help the children dress the dinner table and do crafts, and the deck crew can continue teaching the kids fishing and watersports.

You may be surprised at some of the degrees your yacht crew hold, (don’t be surprised if they tell you they studied in marine biology, politics, or even astrophysics) so there may also be an opportunity for some really interesting lessons. The places a yacht cruises can lead to some fascinating history projects, while a dive or snorkel can be followed by looking through a fish identification book, or drawing what they’ve seen. From birdwatching to learning to gut a fish, your child could discover new passions and skills, and come out with a more varied education.

Please do note that crew aren’t employed as babysitters, and important to realise that crew daily schedules are already extremely full. However, these are unconventional times, and parents who are willing to accept some trade-offs (for example an easy, fuss-free lunch in exchange for the chef having time to give their kids a cooking lesson) will find that their children’s education may well be enriched in new ways. We would, however, strongly encourage that a tutor or nanny is brought on board, and that any crew-led activities with children are considered merely supplementary.

After a time of fear and quarantine, it will be high time to make happy memories. At Bespoke Yacht Charters, we’re not underestimating the scope of this crisis. But we will be here to provide the holiday of a lifetime on the other side.

We live in an era where everything is constantly changing; developments in technology allow the ability to innovate and enhance just about any sector. Because of this, it goes without saying that the way we do (almost) everything is being impacted as a result.

The boating industry is no exception – sailing has come a long way since the days of celestial navigation and wooden and steel structures, but what does the future of this popular leisure activity look like? It is an industry that has been operating the same way for a long time, but Dream Yacht have looked into how aspects such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), electrification, wearable technology and other big technological developments will be impacting and enhancing the way we glide along the seas.

AI and Autonomous Sailing

AI is transforming and changing the world around us, and is expected to play a huge part in the future of the maritime industry. It is not uncommon for boat builders to team up with car manufacturers – who are increasingly implementing machine learning algorithms which use data to mechanise the way a vehicle is driven. These particular algorithms can provide onboard computers with methods of solving problems that are typically encountered and can therefore be predicted, allowing autonomous driving capabilities.

This is a technique which will be incorporated more often in the future when building boats, allowing them to have autonomous systems or a remote human operator. This capability will help ease navigation, improve safety and save fuel. Large organisations such as Rolls Royce are funding and carrying out research which will support autonomous ship research.

Smart-Home Integration Capabilities

Intelligent solutions used in homes such as security and access controls, home theatres and temperature control systems are more frequently being incorporated on luxury yachts. This modern movement allows voyagers to seamlessly connect their on-board and off-shore lives, thanks to technological developments.

The smart technologies can be used to control lights and room temperature as well as open and close blinds dependant on time and weather – this reduces energy consumption and allows optimum levels of natural light. Other technology can provide and display GPS and navigation data on various screens, allowing onboard guests to be kept aware of current locations and ETAs.

Another development which will transform sailing experiences is Project Loon; Google’s ‘internet in the sky’. The network of high altitude balloons situated on the edge of space work together to provide an internet connection to remote locations across the world. This will allow people on the sea to remain seamlessly connected to those on the land, as well as allow the installation of even more advanced systems onboard to enhance the living space.

Electrification of Vessels

A popular automotive trend that is being applied to the boating industry is the electrification of machines. It goes without saying that electric boats are more complicated than electric cars – one of the main implications being that the boat battery life is very hard to predict. Aspects such as weather, wave height and currents aren’t very predictable and all impact the power needed from the boat battery.

Recreational boating has become really popular in recent years, and amongst the people who have taken up this pastime are environmentally-conscious seafarers. People want to enjoy themselves without harming the aquatic ecosystem; which has added more pressure on the capabilities of electrifying boats.

Green technology firms and scientists have introduced several innovations that will change recreational and commercial boating in the near future. Hybrid and electric propulsion systems have many benefits; in addition to reducing emissions and optimising fuel consumption, they are lighter and more compact and have reduced maintenance costs. The use of sustainable technology is currently being tested and on the highest end global race boat programs and there are now many boat builders out there that have embarked on the electric journey.

Almost all of these are already in use in other industries and therefore it is just a matter of time before they are fully adopted in maritime. The boating industry will need to innovate and roll with change or risk being left behind as these technologies will have major impacts and revolutionise experiences.