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IYC has welcomed the head-turning, 171-foot Palmer Johnson DB9 to its charter fleet. Bookings are available this summer in the West Mediterranean at a lowest weekly base rate of about $276,000.

DB9 is a 2010 build that most recently was refitted in 2019. Accommodations are for 10 guests in five staterooms, and the yacht charters with 11 crew.

True to its exterior profile, DB9 is a speedster for its size, with a top-end speed of 30 knots and a cruising speed of 22 knots.

Onboard guest amenities include an open-air cinema on the sundeck, an infinity hot tub on the aft deck, a flybridge hot tub and a 25-foot foredeck pool.

Let’s talk tenders and toys: DB9 carries a 21-foot Castoldi jet tender, a pair of Sea-Doos, two Seabobs, four paddleboards, an inflatable kayak, a Lift eFoil and various tow toys.

How to book a week on board: Contact a charter broker at iyc.com

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Traveling to somewhere new is an exciting adventure. Most will travel by car or by airplane. What about venturing somewhere new by superyacht? The experience of chartering a superyacht combines luxury and service with privacy and escape. These on-the-water mega-homes can take you to places like Antarctica, the Mediterranean, the Bahamas and more. Here are seven superyachts for your next great escape.

Palmer Johnson ‘Pioneer’ in the Caribbean

For long-distance cruising, the 151-foot Palmer Johnson Pioneer is up to the task. Built in 1996, Pioneer is an expedition yacht with an 8,000-nautical-mile range at 10 knots. It has traveled to North and South America, including Alaska. In 2015, Pioneer underwent a refit that included new teak decks, new interiors and zero-speed stabilizers. Its hull and superstructure are aluminum.

The yacht accommodates up to 10 guests in five en suite staterooms. Amenities include a yoga-and-workout space and a gym belowdecks. Water toys are included: jet tenders, multiple personal watercraft, scuba gear and kayaks.

Christensen ‘Lady Elaine’ in Florida, the Bahamas

Previously known as Casino Royale, the 163-foot Christensen Lady Elaine has rebranded and is ready for new appointments. The 2008 build can host 12 guests in six en suite staterooms, and there is also space for nine crew. Features and toys include a 37-foot Intrepid, a 15-foot Nautica RIB, four personal watercraft, three Seabobs, two paddleboards, two kayaks, snorkeling gear, fishing equipment and tow toys.

Oceanco ‘Tranquility’ in Antarctica

With a 5,000-nautical-mile range, the Oceanco Tranquility is another expedition yacht worthy of a seafaring adventure. This superyacht is certified to Lloyd’s Ice Class E, with navigational equipment that includes “sonars for detecting uncharted rocks and ice growlers,” according to charter-fleet host Camper & Nicholsons International. Guests will find a fitness center, “experiential showers,” a massage-and-treatment room, a hair-and-beauty salon, a hammam steam room and a Finnish sauna aboard Tranquility.

At 300 feet length overall, Tranquility can host more than other chartered superyachts: 18 in nine staterooms or up to 22 with two convertible cabins. Two VIP staterooms are on the main deck and have private balconies.

Tranquility can be booked in Antarctica from December 2023 to February 2024 via Camper & Nicholsons International.

Amels ‘Grace’ in the Bahamas

The 2009-built Amels Grace most recently underwent a refit in 2021. It accommodates 12 guests in six staterooms, including a main-deck master and double-berth guest stateroom, and charters with 14 crew. The 170-footer has amenities like a sundeck hot tub and barbecue, zero-speed stabilizers and a variety of water toys.

Cantiere Delle Marche ‘Nuri’ in the Caribbean, the Mediterranean

The Cantiere Delle Marche Nuri is a new addition to the Y.CO charter fleet, and it’s ready for bookings in the Caribbean this winter and the Mediterranean this summer. At 133 feet length overall, the 2021 build can host 10 to 12 guests in five staterooms, and it charters with seven crew. Amenities include a main-deck alfresco dining area, sunbathing space and oversized windows for wide-open views.

Amels ‘Amigos’ in the Caribbean, the Bahamas

The Amels Amigos is a 2017 build that accommodates 12 guests in six staterooms, with 13 crew aboard. It includes a full-beam master with a private terrace and a main-deck VIP stateroom that has a fold-down balcony. Amenities include a 13-foot-long counter-current pool, shaded alfresco dining, an outdoor cinema and a beach club with a steam room.

Heesen ‘Knight’ in Costa Rica

Returning from private use by its owner, the Heesen Yachts Knight is ready for charter bookings in Costa Rica. The 2011 build has dining space on all three levels of this tri-deck superyacht. Further amenities include a 42-foot Hydra-Sports custom tender for anglers. Accommodations can host 10 guests in five staterooms, including a main-deck master with a private office and a king-sized berth; belowdecks, there are two queen-berth VIPs and two twin-berth guest staterooms.

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In 1996, Palmer Johnson built the custom 151-foot Pioneer as one of the first expedition superyachts, with a range of 8,000 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 10 knots. Now, the yacht has joined the Edmiston charter fleet with availability this winter in the Caribbean.

Pioneer’s aluminum hull and superstructure have taken owners and guests to Greenland and much of North and South America, including Canada and Alaska. The yacht was fully refitted in 2015, with work including new teak decks, zero-speed stabilizers and interiors.

Accommodations are for 10 guests in five en suite staterooms, including a full-beam master with a study. An additional cabin is available for a nanny or other staff member.

The sundeck is a split-level design that includes a yoga and workout space, and there’s a lower-deck gym. Water toys include a pair of jet tenders, multiple personal watercraft, scuba gear and kayaks.

What’s the lowest weekly base rate to charter Pioneer in the Caribbean this winter? It’s $170,000.

How to book a week on board: contact a charter broker at edmiston.com

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The head-turning, gold-hull, 162-foot Palmer Johnson Khalilah has joined the Fraser charter fleet.

There are still dates available for late-season charters in France and Italy, with a crew of nine on board. Accommodations are for as many as 11 guests in five staterooms.

Khalilah is one of the most original-looking yachts on the charter market. In addition to its gold exterior, the yacht has what Fraser calls a “cool, funky, fun interior.”

Recent upgrades to the 2015 build include the addition of zero-speed stabilizers and a newly enlarged swim platform.

The lowest weekly base rate to book Khalilah is about $252,750.

What is Khalilah’s top speed? It’s about 25 knots, which also turns heads for a yacht this size.

How to book a week on board: contact a charter broker at fraseryachts.com

The post Setting a Gold Standard appeared first on Yachting.

Chulhun park was thinking about deconstructivism. It’s the postmodern architectural movement that emerged in the 1980s, when buildings started looking fragmented and asymmetrical, almost like disjointed pieces stacked together. Having studied industrial and vehicle design in South Korea and the United Kingdom, and having spent four years working on exterior design at Palmer Johnson Yachts in Monaco before taking his current job as chief designer for Latitude Yachts in Latvia, Park thought it might be possible to apply the concept of ­deconstructivism to the design of a large yacht.

In fact, the more he thought about it, he realized it might be possible to “deconstruct” the exterior design on a hull that would dwarf the world’s largest yacht, the 590-foot Lürssen Azzam.

“When I decided to be a yacht designer, I realized that most yachts are white colored and stacked up like a ­wedding cake,” the 36-year-old designer says. “Therefore, I was determined to design a very unique-looking yacht which can stand out in the fleet.”

Park’s concept yacht, the 751-foot Project Valkyrie, would be built on Palmer Johnson’s trimaran hull form in steel or aluminum, with a carbon-fiber superstructure. No interior renderings exist for the project yet, but Park says the vessel could include a casino and theater, in addition to accommodations for 52 guests and 92 crew. Outside, some deck spaces would be larger than the total exterior square footage on “smaller” yachts — all the better, Park says, for enjoying memorable sunsets.

“Most of the superyacht or mega-yacht owners are trying to fill their yacht interiors with very luxurious and expensive things,” he says. “However, there are no more beautiful and luxurious things than nature.”

Project Valkyrie Specifications

• Length Overall: 751 feet, 4 inches
• Beam: 98 feet, 5 inches
• Draft: 24 feet, 7 inches
• Projected Speed: 25 knots
• Fuel Capacity: 396,258 gallons
• Projected Range: 10,000 miles at 16 knots; 7,500 miles at 20 knots; 4,600 miles at 24 knots
• Accommodations: 52 guests in 26 staterooms, and 92 crew in 46 cabins
• Hull Form: Palmer Johnson trimaran
• Construction: Steel or aluminum hull with a carbon-fiber superstructure
• Exterior Design: Chulhun Park, founder of Chulhun Design in South Korea

The post The Largest Mega Yacht Ever? appeared first on Yachting.

They almost painted her blue. Or pearl. Or — we gasp at the thought — khaki.

Ultimately, the owners of the 160-foot Palmer Johnson ­SuperSport Khalilah chose Cordova Gold, which, paired with her aggressive exterior styling, made her the hottest yacht on the docks during her February 2015 debut at the boat show now known as Yachts Miami Beach.

Today, Khalilah is turning heads in the Mediterranean, where she entered the charter market this past summer. Gayle Patterson, who manages Khalilah for Camper & Nicholsons International, says that within weeks of the news, she was “inundated with inquir­ies.” Clients wanted to charter Khalilah not only for summer, but also this coming winter when the owner may keep her in the Bahamas.

Of course, the yacht’s bombshell exterior gets most people’s ­attention, but Patterson says the interior is just as noteworthy.

“Inside, she has a lot of woods that are natural,” Patterson says. “There are carvings and inlays, natural fibers and fabrics. It’s quite colorful and fun. There’s an eclectic collection of artwork and fabrics, and it all comes together. There are beautiful mosaic bathrooms with lots of different designs.”

PEDIGREE: 160-foot Palmer Johnson built in 2015.
ACCOMMODATIONS: 11 guests in five staterooms including two similar-size, king-berth masters on the main deck.
CREW: 9.
THIS WINTER: possibly the Bahamas.
SUMMER 2018: back to the Mediterranean.
FOR FUN IN THE SUN: a nearly 1,200-square-foot aft deck with oversize sun pads.
MANAGEMENT COMPANY: Camper & Nicholsons International.

Khalilah launched as the largest yacht built of carbon composite, with bold construction elements that Patterson says enhance the charter experience. For instance, not only are the main salon windows sole-to-ceiling, but some glass panels measure more than 21 feet wide by more than 7 feet tall. At the time Khalilah was built, Palmer Johnson’s CEO called them the biggest glass panels on any yacht other than Apple founder Steve Jobs’ 256-foot Feadship Venus.

On charter, those windows allow fantastic views and more.

“You feel as though you’re on a 60-meter yacht because of the [35-foot] beam and the floor-to-ceiling windows,” she says.

And despite Khalilah‘s racy exterior, Patterson says, the interior is built for relaxation, whether guests are ­families with children (they can even bring a small dog, with a security deposit) or groups of adults.

“The galley is quite unusual,” she says, as an example. “It’s on the main deck. Once the doors are open, you can walk through from the main salon. There are chairs there and a bar, so it’s a nice area to hang out. You have a glass of wine, taste some cheese, get the chef to whip you up a nibble.”

And then, recharged, you step back out into Khalilah’s golden glow, ready to dazzle the world.

The post Charter File: Khalilah is the Gold Standard appeared first on Yachting.

This year’s launch of boats designed by famous carmakers includes the Niniette 66, based on Bugatti’s Chiron supercar. “There is Bugatti DNA all over this yacht,” says Timur Mohamed, CEO of ­Palmer Johnson, which built the Niniette 66. “On the exterior are the signature Bugatti lines, duotone carbon fiber and the Chiron’s accentuated centerline.”

The cockpit’s nonlinear shape is intended to challenge traditional yacht design. It includes a lounge with a built-in hot tub, facing lounges around a fire pit, and a helm resembling the space-age dash of the French supercar. “We wanted to ensure that the cockpit flowed organically, with no straight lines,” Mohamed says.

The vessel’s 21-foot-4-inch beam allowed for some creative concepts. “Our designers could play with organic shapes to add more flow around the deck,” Mohamed says. “It creates a fresh, new way of living on board.”

The post Open Flow: Niniette 66 appeared first on Yachting.

Broker Michael Mahan at Worth Avenue Yachts has listed the 120-foot Palmer Johnson BW for sale. Asking price is $5.95 million.

BW recently completed a refit, with exterior hull paint, an interior refresh, audiovisual upgrades and more. Her décor is by Nuvolari Lenard, with accommodations for eight guests in four staterooms. A noteworthy layout detail is that her open-plan main deck has dining aft, with the salon farther forward.

BW is a 2006 build. She is Hull No. 5 in Palmer Johnson’s series of 120-footers. She is certified Lloyds 100 A1 class and is MCA compliant for charter.

Where to schedule a tour and sea trial: BW is lying in Fort Lauderdale.

Learn more about BW: contact Mahan on the Worth Avenue Yachts website.

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Palmer Johnson has released new renderings of the Bugatti Niniette 66, a 44-knot carbon design that is scheduled to launch in March 2018.

The Niniette 66 is the first model in a line that is expected to range from 50 to 80 feet length overall. The first renderings were presented in late 2015, and updated renderings were released in 2016, with the look of the yacht more closely matching Bugatti’s new Chiron vehicle.

Palmer Johnson is building the Niniette 66 with a main hull and two sponsons for stability and roll dampening at high speeds.

Yes, that’s an onboard fire pit: It’s between the hot tub and two forward seats.

The post New Images of the Bugatti Niniette 66 appeared first on Yachting.

Palmer Johnson has announced plans for its first dayboat, the PJ 63 Sport.

The PJ 63 Sport is an open model that is expected to be the first in a PJ Sport series, with styling intended to appeal to buyers who keep dayboats at their vacation homes everywhere from Miami and New York’s Hamptons to the Cote d’Azur and Spain’s Balearic Isles.

“The concept of the PJ 63 Sport was to create a jewel in the water — bringing the know-how and quality of our larger yachts into something that was more accessible to people, giving them the opportunity of owning a Palmer Johnson,” Berkeley March, head of design, stated in a press release.
Volvo Penta IPS diesels with pod drives will be standard, giving owners the option of joystick propulsion and a dynamic positioning system. Top speed is 36 knots.

Beam on the PJ 63 Sport: It’s 21 feet, which Palmer Johnson says is the largest open deck in the yacht’s class.

Base price on the PJ 63 Sport: $2.75 million, with the first deliveries expected in June 2017.

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