In my opinion ‘Americans needn’t feel guilty about the fact that they are financially successful’ Charter Yacht of the Month

president, International Yacht Collection As yacht brokers and yacht builders, we find it an interesting phenomenon that all luxury indices are on the rise except yachts. Spending on jewelry, real estate, automobiles, fine art, charitable pursuits, even airplanes is on the rise, but boats continue to descend on the demand order list — due, I think, at least in part to the fact that our political and socioeconomic system has positioned the wealthy as the root cause of America’s economic problems. To add to that, factor in that Americans are notorious for working hard in establishing their wealth. We vacation less than our global societal counterparts; we are a shoulder-to-the-wheel, nose-to-the-grindstone culture. That makes our industry’s job doubly difficult, to persuade Americans to consider a boating lifestyle or waterborne recreation.

Countering the first notion: Is there a better redistribution of wealth than, for example, to build a yacht wherein 400 to 500 workers are employed for three to four years at a build facility generating hundreds of thousands of man-hours of labor? Those workers in turn spend their wages to support their living standards, and the dollars cycle in multiples throughout the economy. Upon delivery, the yacht becomes a mammoth and impressive consumer of goods and services within the yachting support infrastructure.

With regard to the American attitude toward leisure activity, Americans needn’t feel guilty about the fact that they are financially successful, rather, that it’s okay to reward themselves for their perseverance and dogged determination toward reaching financial wherewithal. And what better way to express that than taking to the water and all the glories that those experiences can deliver? New to Burgess Yachts as central agents is the Andre Hoek-designed, 180-foot (54.8-meter) Vitters sailing yacht Marie. With accoutrements such as a baby grand piano and a coterie of canons, the yacht has placed highly in more than a dozen sailing regattas, culminating in a first overall in the 2014 St. Barths Bucket regatta. She is currently available for charter in the Caribbean and will be cruising the Mediterranean this summer. Winter 2015 charter rates are from $196,000 per week. Summer 2015 Med charter rates are from € 168,000 per week (approximately $188,000). True to her name, the possibilities aboard 292-foot (89-meter) Infinity are endless. She has a private deck for her owners plus six guest suites. Entertainment includes a spa, a 16.5-foot-wide swimming pool and an observation deck. The first superyacht to be delivered by Oceanco in 2015, Infinity has exterior design by Espen Øino with interior design by Sinot Exclusive Yacht Design and David Kleinberg Design Associates.