During Miami Strictly Sail, February 16th to the 20th, we will be aboard the new Scotia 44, “The HUMMER of the Oceans,” in Slip 12B at Bayside Marina. If you would like to schedule an appointment or receive more information, please inquire via Jordan Yachts. More information is available at www.ScotiaYachts.ca.
Every year, the dominant multiple listing service hosts a get together for brokers in South Florida. The event took place yesterday at the Panorama Ballroom at Pier 66. A couple hundred brokers and friends gathered to listen to the latest in online marketing, FYBA legislative affairs, and the poor European economic outlook. Overall themes were the usefulness of QR codes in print advertising, the growth of social media especially Facebook, and the important of mobile devices such as iPads and Android phones. I shared a table with my collegue Kevin, a Canadian broker named Don, a lovely charter broker named Nicole, and Trevor who owns First Mate Yacht Care and live blogged from the event. Continue reading “YachtWorld U” »
A question came up recently about what new sailboats are currently being built with the continued economic conditions. To gauge this fact rationally, I took a survey of what is available on the brokerage market from 2009 to 2012. I also limited the search to yachts over 40-feet in length. The results are subject to limitations such as a variance for low volume, semi-custom manufacturers such as Hylas. Also the results say something about the length of ownership. Manufacturers with very happy buyers would expect them not to offer their yachts up for sale within 3 years of purchase. Albeit with those limitations, the results covered below do give guidance to which manufacturers are likely selling more yachts despite a down global market. Group Beneteau is the clear winner in volume with its Beneteau, Jeanneau, and Lagoon brands. Nautor Swan slightly edges them in total valuation for a single brand at $30 million vs. $29.5 million in Beneteau inventory. Swan’s number is buoyed by the 90′ Swan, Red Sula asking $11 million. Continue reading “What Sailboats Are Being Built?” »
Celebrating 20 Years of Selling Yachts
This year, 2012, is the 20th year since Jordan Yachts incorporated and started selling yachts in Fort Lauderdale. This waypoint makes me feel proud and gives me pause to think about our impact in the community and more widely abroad. It never gets old to me to speak with someone who remembers Jordan, invariable with high regard from many years ago. I love hear their stories, the names and places oh so familiar. It helps me put meaning to my life and that of my family. Continue reading “20 Year Anniversary” »
The Hunter 50: A Dying Breed?
Offshore mono-hulls demand a market share because of inherent comfort, performance, and durability trade-offs as compared to multi-hulls. But I question sometimes the longterm viability of production mono-hulls for cruising, those vessels under the brandnames Bavaria, Beneteau, Catalina, Hunter, Jeaneau, etcetera which are targeting more towards island hopping and coastal cruising than circumnavigation. Their design trajectory towards ever beamier widths and higher cabintrunks naturally ends in a catamaran design. Why would one purchase a production mono-hull when it seems their goals would be best realised with two hulls? Continue reading “Choosing between a Catamaran and a Production Mono-hull” »
Winter Arrivals at Royale Palm
As foreshadowed in my summer report, autumn was show season starting with Newport in September and ending with the Fort Lauderdale show around Halloween. It started slowly which was not surprising. Clients go into research mode during the show season before either purchasing a new yacht or emerging with sticker shock. With the continued soft economy, especially in Europe, most former new build clients are purchasing late model pre-owned yachts. Fall Jordan sales included an Amel 48, Cabo Rico 36, and Freedom 38. New listings included a Brewer 12.8, Ericson 35, and TomCat 9.7. I did another delivery to Cartagena, Colombia, this time aboard a Leopard 46. Continue reading “Quarterly Report (Autumn 2011)” »
Leopard 46 Berthed at Chub Cay, Bahamas
Clients often debate about which of the production catamaran brands to purchase. Is there a significant difference between a Fountain-Pajot, Lagoon, and Leopard? After an 11 day delivery of a Leopard 46 from Fort Lauderdale to Cartagena, Colombia and a delivery of a Lagoon 440 in March from Fort Lauderdale to Annapolis, in many respects the Leopard out classed the Lagoon including performance, durability, and comfort. My colleague and super star sailor Kevin Bray lauded the Leopard throughout the delivery. “After working on this boat for 3 months and now sailing her, I can honestly say I like this Leopard 46 design, and there are not a lot of boats that I can say that about,” shared Kevin. In a few areas, I give the edge to Lagoon. Read on to see which. Continue reading “Leopard 46 Review: Better Than a Lagoon?” »
Updated version of my guide to Cartagena. Just finished my second delivery.
Warning: Do not travel this route during high hurricane season from August to October.
Caution: From June until November, keep a sharp eye on tropical weather and avoid crossing the Caribbean Sea if a storm is predicted.
Route From Miami to Cartagena
The key to cruising from Southeast Florida ( whether your departure location is Fort Lauderdale, Miami, or further north such as Stuart ) to Colombia is to stay as far east as possible. The prevailing south easterly trade winds will push you west to Panama and force you to beat back to Colombia. The trick is to sail into the Bahamas, follow along the leeward side of the Exumas, shoot through the Windward Passage, and power reach down to Cartagena. If the winds are strong from the south east, a trick may be to hug the west coast of Haiti and leave Navassa well to starboard. Then let the winds lift you as far east as possible when you round the mountainous coast. The winds sometimes wrap around Hispanola here and will come from due south. The further east you are lifted, the more you will have in the bank during the long Caribbean Sea crossing. Do not go north around Hispanola and leave the Dominican Republic to starboard. You are wasting your time going 300 nautical miles upwind when you can catch the currents underneath Hispanola for the same effect. Read on for a more detailed report on the two halves of this journey. Continue reading “Guide to Cartagena, Colombia from Miami, Florida” »
Sunrise over Cartagena in June 2011
I am currently en-route to Cartagena, Colombia on a Leopard 46 sailing catamaran. I should be back on radar in early December. Please feel free to follow me on SPOT enroute to Cartagena, Colombia. You can see my route from a previous trip and an explication on my guide from Miami to Cartagena post on Waves in July.
I am updating this blog from Big Majors anchorage in Staniel Cay on Sunday, November 27th. It is amazing how well you can stay in contact with the world these days. And the $10 per 200 MB of Wifi here at Staniel is worth it.
Tonight we leave at midnight to complete the last 5 or 6 days of this delivery to Cartagena. Kevin is tipsy on Bahamian rum while mis Peruvian patas are enjoying their last tranquilo momentos hasta el viaje. El jefe is chilling in the master hull while the ambasidor is watching a movie starboardside. The wind has picked up, and rain is falling. But all reports are for an usually calm Caribean once we get through the Windward Passage. We have over run our welcome here at Big Majors and seen enough of the Thunderball grotto and swiming pigs. I have swum the anchorage every dawn and dusk keeping up my fitness. I will be glad to get moving again.
Stories and reviews will come in future posts.
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Before you select a yacht brokerage consider this: “You are a thousand miles offshore,
the barometer is falling, the steel gray sky and sea are indistinguishable, you know you are in for a blow.
This is not the time to question your boat.” Jordan Yacht and Ship Company never underestimates you or your dreams.
We are committed to helping you select the proper boat to fulfill your desires, be they crossing oceans, cruising coastlines or sport fishing
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