Every summer, luxury charter yachts from around the world gather in Newport, R.I. to present what they have to offer at the City By the Sea’s annual Newport Charter Yacht Show presented by Helly Hansen. From Tuesday, June 21 through Friday, June 24 the 2016 Newport Charter Yacht Show will celebrate its 33rd edition and a new beginning at Newport Shipyard, which acquired the show from its previous owners and has been working closely with them for a smooth transition. With new ownership and a new venue comes a fresh spin on some of the show’s long-held traditions, including chef competitions, tablescape contests and industry-focused seminars, as well as expanded opportunities for sponsors and vendors. However, first and foremost, Newport Charter Yacht Show is about providing an exceptional experience for agents, brokers and other industry professionals in the business of match making: matching clients who are wishing to charter in New England with their best options for doing so.

“I always think of Newport Charter Yacht Show as the official kickoff to New England’s summer charter season,” said Jeff Shaffer, Director of Charter Marketing for Fort Lauderdale-based Neptune Group Yachting, which has participated in the show for many years. “This show has been very successful for me because the charter brokers in the New England area typically don’t come to Florida where most of my yachts are based, so they don’t know the yachts and the crews personally. This show gives them the advantage of one-on-one time with them.” 

Neptune Group Yachting has three charter yachts signed up, all of which are new to the show. They are the 124-foot Delta Marine Motor Vessel Loose Ends, the 110-foot Broward Motor Vessel Kaleen and the 70-foot Niko Stokman/Peter Sijm Motor Vessel Grand Cru.

“For Kaleen, this is her first time coming north in three or four years,” said Shaffer. “The yacht has a very successful charter following in the Caribbean and Florida, so we receive quite a lot of repeat clientele. By having the yacht in New England, it gives these clients the option of chartering a familiar yacht in a new location.”

Kaleen accommodates eight guests and has a professional crew of five, which includes a world-class chef. The yacht interior was updated in 2012 with upgrades to the master suite, guest staterooms, main salon, dining salon and aft deck.

As for Loose Ends and Grand Cru, both yachts underwent major refits last year to prepare for the 2016 charter season.

“Booking in New England is different than in Florida and the Caribbean,” said Shaffer, “as it’s much more last-minute. The yachts need to be ready at a moment’s notice; it’s not uncommon for me to receive an email or a phone call on a Wednesday and start a charter on Friday.” 

The largest yacht (to date) in the 2016 Newport Charter Yacht Show is the 161-foot luxury Trinity Yachts Motor Vessel Zoom Zoom Zoom, represented by Northrop & Johnson. Boasting impeccable style and grace, the superyacht is one of the fastest in its size range on the open seas, which means it wastes no time getting where its charter guests want to go.

“Our charter style is a little more like that of an expedition,” said the yacht’s Captain Mike Finnegan. “We like going off the beaten path, setting and hauling lobster traps (with help from its towable 40-foot sport fishing tender) and giving our guests an ‘ocean to table’ experience. New England is always great for this, not only because of its aesthetics and climate but also for its coastline and history.” 

Finnegan explained that Zoom Zoom Zoom is a new acquisition (late September) for its current owner with whom Finnegan has worked for nine years.  “It was in Italy when we purchased it, and we’ve been doing a pretty extensive refit to it both mechanically and throughout the interior, getting it ready to jump back into the charter scene on this side of the world.”

Zoom Zoom Zoom accommodates 10 guests in five exquisite staterooms. Its master suite features a private study, king-size bed and a his-and-hers en-suite bathroom complete with a steam shower and jacuzzi. Among its many “toys” are wave runners, seabobs, paddleboards and a waterslide.

The largest sailing vessel (to date) in the show is the 108-foot Marae, represented by Nicholson Yachts. The Ted Fontaine designed luxury sloop is a regular attendee at the show and won “Best Sailing Yacht” at the International Superyacht Design Awards in 2004. Marae comfortably sleeps up to seven guests in its three cabins and boasts panoramic views from its luxurious upper salon and wet bar. With unparalleled service from her experienced crew, she provides a respite “finer than the finest full-service villa.”

Also making appearances at Newport Charter Yacht Show and available for fully-crewed sailing charters in New England this summer are the 65-foot sloop Hurrah and 62-foot sloop Bandido. Both are built by Oyster Marine, the UK's most successful builder of large semi-custom cruising yachts.

“These two Oyster Yachts are new to the charter fleet and feature Oyster’s distinctive deck saloon and other design elements that optimize comfort and seaworthiness,” said Oyster’s Molly Marston, noting that both sailing vessels are able to host up to four guests in three cabins.

Marston also noted that she and other agents and brokers agree the Newport Charter Yacht Show is well positioned for sustained quality and continued growth in the coming years. “It’s a great event and very important in the charter industry,” she said. “I’m glad to see that great care has been taken in finding the Newport Charter Yacht Show a new owner and a new home.” 

Newport Shipyard, one of the most popular and recommended shipyards in the U.S., is a full-service marina and shipyard with over 3,500 linear feet of dock space that can accommodate yachts up to 300+ feet. Its amenities include a dockside café, ship store, fitness center, courtesy vehicles and crew housing. With its friendly staff, welcoming atmosphere and event planning capabilities, Newport Shipyard also is host to many other prestigious yachting events, including the biennial Newport to Bermuda Race Crew Party and the Candy Store Cup (formerly the Newport Bucket), an annual superyacht regatta to be held July 29-31, 2016.