The rise and fall of yacht-charter bookings are intrinsically tied to the rise and fall of the stock market. So, much to brokers', crews', and owners' relief, the last few months have been marked by an increasing interest once again in charter vacations.

Over the past decade, Benetti has been offering three semi-custom ranges, under the Classic, Tradition, and Vision series names. Because of the cost advantages to both the yard and buyer, Benetti has decided to expand the offerings. But the management team isn’t simply adding new models.

The rise and fall of yacht-charter bookings are intrinsically tied to the rise and fall of the stock market. So, much to brokers', crews', and owners' relief, the last few months have been marked by an increasing interest once again in charter vacations.

If the German steelworkers who laid the keel of Haida G way back in 1927 were here today, surely they’d be proud. The 71.1-meter (233-foot) yacht that tasted water for the first time in 1929 is celebrating her 80th birthday. If her walls could talk, surely they’d regale visitors with some terrific tales.

A yacht is, naturally, a way to take a journey. Blue Eyes, the latest 60-meter (197-foot) displacement yacht from CRN, puts an interesting twist on the concept.

The owner and his wife commissioned the craft as a lavish second home, and they do therefore spend a lot of time onboard, neither of which is terribly surprising. The twist comes in that they also wanted to take friends and family along – on a virtual journey, through the Occident and Orient, told via a very unique interior.

The "passage" begins the moment they step onto the aft deck. A crystal globe takes center stage here, etched with the continents and countries that are represented throughout the rest of Blue Eyes. It's easy to imagine this becoming quite a conversation piece itself, rather than the area simply serving as an outdoor place to gather and chat.

The Royal Naval Dockyard in Bermuda is one of its most-visited sites. Located on the western end of the island, in Sandys Parish, it once served as England’s largest naval facility outside of the United Kingdom. It played a key role in the War of 1812, serving as the departure point for British naval ships that reached and burned Washington, D.C.

It’s funny how a yacht with styling that’s so polarizing can actually unite a group of her builder’s and designer’s peers.

Whoever said nice guys finish last never met Capt. Mark Drewelow.