Enter the exclusive world of yacht clubs
Yacht clubs are much sought-after playgrounds of the super rich. Here are some of the best and most exclusive ones in the world
By
Prefer us on GoogleLast Updated: Jun 27, 2015, 06:12 IST8 min
Advertisement
Advertisement
This private club is an integral part of world yachting history. Stevens’s yacht, America, won the Royal Yacht Squadron’s ‘100 Guinea Cup’ (now America’s Cup), in 1870. The NYYC went on to defend the trophy until 1983, believed to be one of the longest winning streaks to date.
Clubhouse: The NYYC’s headquarters is in midtown Manhattan between Fifth Avenue and the Avenue of the Americas. Its Gothic-styled clubhouse was designed by architect Whitney Warren, who also designed New York City’s Grand Central Station. The traditional jacket-and-tie-club houses a bar and library, a dining room shaped like the interior of a hull and rooms for overnight guests. But it is the Model Room which occupies pride of place in the clubhouse. Displayed in this room are close to 1,300 scale models of boats belonging to members, an ode to the NYYC’s proud nautical heritage. In summer, yachting enthusiasts flock to the club’s second base located in Harbour Court in Rhode Island.
Membership: With just over 3,000 members, the NYYC is a strictly by-invitation affair. While applicants are not expected to own a vessel, they are expected to know more than just starboard from port. Past members include the late US President Franklin D Roosevelt, media mogul Ted Turner and the late businessman and philanthropist, Vincent Astor.
Advertisement
Clubhouse: In the summer of 2014, Prince Albert II unveiled the spanking new club, a centrepiece of Monaco’s glittering seafront. Designed by renowned British architect Norman Foster (he designed London’s Millennium Bridge and Beijing Capital International Airport in China), the building features a series of deck-like terraces with clear views of the Mediterranean or the Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit. Take your pick. The club’s multiple bars, restaurants, outdoor swimming pool and cabins are predominantly for members, but exceptions have been known to be made. Membership: YCM is possibly one of the toughest clubs in the world to get into. Applicants need to be introduced by two sponsors, who, in turn, need to be elite ‘society members’ of the YCM. All applications need to be cleared by Prince Albert II, who is also the president of the YCM. It’s little wonder then that the club currently has only about 1,300 members spread across 66 countries.
Read More
The bold and the beautifulYacht Club Costa SmeraldaWhere: Sardinia, Italy The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS) may be relatively new to the club scene, but the presence of royalty, movie stars and billionaires gives it some serious clout.
Advertisement
When Aga Khan founded the club in the late 1960s, regulars included Hollywood stars Elizabeth Taylor and Brigitte Bardot, Ringo Starr of the Beatles, Princess Grace of Monaco and Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis. Its current crop of members is a mix of Hollywood royalty like Steven Spielberg and Gwyneth Paltrow and billionaires like oligarch Roman Abramovich. The YCCS is all about the rich and the beautiful racing hard and partying even harder.
Clubhouse: In 2003, avant-garde New York architect Peter Marino overhauled the club’s headquarters in Porto Cervo, Sardinia. The 5,800 sq foot-structure houses some of Aga Khan’s extensive art collection. Members and their guests also have access to 24 suites for overnight stays, each with a private terrace. YCCS has a winter outpost in the British Virgin Islands.
Membership: Two current members ‘of good standing’ must sponsor an applicant, but converting an application into a membership is rumoured to be very tough. That explains why the club currently has less than 500 permanent members.
Advertisement
Clubhouse: In 1539, Henry VIII built Cowes Castle on the Isle of Wight as a coastal defence, but it became the headquarters for the RYS only around the 1850s. The castle marks the start line at the Cowes Week races with its William IV cannon fired to launch the yachts.
Membership: The process starts with a potential applicant’s name being proposed by a member. One of the main criteria is an ‘active interest in yachting’. The club, which has less than 500 members, is very difficult to get into and once famously rejected the late Prime Minister, Edward Heath, despite the fact that he was an expert yachtsman. Last August, the club made headlines across the UK for lifting a 200-year-old ban on admitting women as members.
With the Duke of Wales, Prince Charles, at the helm of affairs, RTYC is as closely connected to British Royalty as the Royal Yacht Squadron (RYS) but it is not as starchy as the RYS. It is one of the few clubs to organise team racing in keelboats (small- to mid-sized recreational sailing yachts).
Advertisement
Clubhouse: Up until the early 20th century, members met in coffee houses around central London, but in the 1920s, RTYC based its headquarters at 60 Knightsbridge, overlooking Hyde Park, and only a few minutes away from Harvey Nichols and Harrods in London.Membership: Unlike most clubs on this list, RTYC is open and welcoming to new members. An applicant who is interested in all things nautical can ask a current member to initiate the selection process.
If you can’t join them, rent them
Yachting holidays are the ultimate in luxury, and you do not have to be a member of a club to climb into the lap of luxury. This summer, charter a super-yacht for the ultimate vacation
Advertisement
Sunseeker Predator 68The Sunseeker Predator 68 has a top speed of 45 knots and at 68 feet, she doesn’t need a large crew, but is big enough to entertain a small group. Endless cherry wood cabinets, champagne-coloured carpets, Royal Doulton crockery and gold detailing—the Predator 68 has everything one would expect from a super-yacht. Its three cabins and two bathrooms are wrapped around a spacious saloon.There is also a 26-bottle wine refrigerator. Some of the toys on board include the Williams 325 superfast tender, Nautique water-skis and snorkelling gear. Set Sail: From Bodrum Peninsula, TurkeyBook It: From 21,000 euros per week
Force BlueThis converted icebreaker has expansive deck spaces, world-class spa facilities and five lush suite cabins. The Force Blue (formerly called Big Roi) is a mega yacht designed by Tom Fexas. The bridge deck can seat up to 80 guests and has a bar and DJ station. Though most of the flying deck accommodates the helicopter pad, guests can also spend time in the oversized jacuzzi. From the en-suite cabins to common areas, every inch of the yacht’s interiors is custom-designed. The saloon covers the full beam of the ship and boasts of a magnificent Vicenza stone fireplace and seven hand-made, alligator-hide armchairs. On the main deck, the dining room features a leather-topped table, a Fernando Botero painting and Giacomo Manzù sculptures. It also has a 90-sq mt spa with a Turkish bath.Set Sail: From Monte Carlo, MonacoBook It: From 235,000 euros per week
First Published: Jun 27, 2015, 06:12
Subscribe NowAdvertisement