250k A Week For Rental?

[MalahatTwo7]

So if they dont tell you who owns the boat, how do you rent it?

$260,000 gets you this yacht for a week
Joanne Hatherly, Times Colonist
Published: Friday, August 08, 2008
This is one rental you would want to return on time.

A 60-metre mega-yacht that berthed in Victoria's Inner Harbour comes with a price tag of $260,000 US per week -- not including food and fuel. The clients who brought the yacht to Victoria have had it out for a spin for the last four months, which puts the meter at more than $4 million, and ticking.

The names of those clients, however, remain a mystery.

Ed Hamilton, the agent who acts as a broker for chartering the ship, would not identify the owner or the renter.

"Our clients like to maintain their privacy," Hamilton said from his Maine office.

Tourists milled about the German-built Schweers Senses yacht yesterday, tossing out questions to the people on board. The passengers shouted out answers amid friendly smiles, but when asked who owns the boat or the name of their host, they kept the information to themselves.

One crew member would only volunteer, "It's a businessman. That's all I can say. It's no one famous." One guest said the businessman was a "Kiwi," and another with a young child said she flew in from Hong Kong before boarding.

The passengers confirmed they were on a brief stopover after four months in waters off Alaska, and said they are en route to San Diego.

Wesley Ryan, first mate on the Los Angeles-based yacht Wicked, docked next to the giant, said he couldn't hazard a guess as to the yacht's occupants.

"All I know about it is that it's a boat with a lot of toys on it," said Ryan.

Toys, indeed -- a helicopter, two Zodiacs, a power boat and at least one sailing boat were visible.

Hamilton said in addition to $260,000 a week for the yacht and the 13-member crew, food, bar, dockage fees and fuel can add another $80,000 to the weekly tab.

Despite the high price tag, the vessel is booked solid.

"It's hard to book this ship, it's in high demand," Hamilton said.

Two 1,600-horsepower diesels power the yacht, giving it a cruising speed of 11 knots and a top speed of 14.8 knots. The ship weighs 1,143 gross tonnes and accommodates up to 12 guests.

The yacht pulled out yesterday before noon.

jhatherly@tc.canwest.com

© Times Colonist (Victoria) 2008

Photocredit:

This 60-metre yacht was moored at Ship Point in Victoria.
Darren Stone,Times Colonist

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

One crew member would only volunteer, "It's a businessman. That's all I can say. It's no one famous." One guest said the businessman was a "Kiwi," and another with a young child said she flew in from Hong Kong before boarding.

Hmmm.. Ian, aka Flying Kwi has been mia here and in IACOJ for a while...

[fireman4949]

Hmmm.. Ian, aka Flying Kwi has been mia here and in IACOJ for a while...

Apparently sailing on the Briney!

[doughesson]

Apparently sailing on the Briney!

Either he's been stacking his nickels and dimes a long time or he gets paid more than we all knew.

[mcaldwell]

OK, so I can't afford the big boat...



















...but how much for a week in the dinghy in the foreground?