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Luxuryat S e a

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Luxuryat S e a

What do you call someone who travels the world, winters in the Caribbean, and spends his time

immersed in the exclusive realm of luxury yachts ? If his name is Bryan Carter, you simply call him

“Captain.”

by Debra Klingsporn

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e’s 36, good-looking, and his career takes him to themost alluring ports of call from the Caribbean to northern NewEngland. You could say this guy has a dream job.

Captain of the King Baby, a 100’ luxury class mega-yacht, Captain Carter and his crew look forward to returning to Nantucket again this summer with the yacht’s owners and guests.After six and a half years working with the same owner, the Captain says the same thing happens time and again when Nantucket is the destination. What begins as a day trip often becomes an extended stay.

“Every time we go to Nantucket, the plan is typically to stay for aday,” Captain Carter said. “But once we actually get to the island and they see it, they want to stay for three to five days. Theyfall in love with the charm, the harbor, the restaurants, and there’sso much to do on Nantucket.”

On any given day, Nantucketbeckons. Whether shroudedin a soft, ethereal blanket offog or reflecting the crystallineblue sky of a quintessentialsummer day, many who travelthe world agree there’s noplace quite like Nantucket. Theweathered gray pilings toppedwith watchful seagulls, themaze of docks inviting aleisurely stroll, distinctive shopsand restaurants, and of course,the 80-plus miles of stunninglybeautiful beaches - no wonder Nantucket isnow seeing an ever-increasing number of world-class luxuryyachts seeking berth in Nantucket’s harbor.

H

An attorney from Boston and his family are among those whoreturn again and again. In the early 1980s, a young, up-and-coming lawyer and his wife diligently saved enoughmoney to buy a 16’ outboard that they brought to Nantucketby trailer. Nearly 40 years later, when they head south fromBoston to our little far-away island, they arrive on their 95’yacht, complete with a crew of three or four and an entourageof family and friends. Their love affair with this islandhas never ceased. This past summer they had three boats inthe Nantucket Boat Basin: a 33’ Aileron, a very fast and maneuverable sailboat; a 32’ Intrepid powerboat used forfishing and water sports; and, of course, their 95’ yacht. Overthe years, this couple has owned more than a dozen boats,and with each decision to buy or sell, their commitment to theocean and a maritime lifestyle is paramount.

Since the 1990s, the number and popularity of private yachtshas increased rapidly. Although the terms luxury, mega, andsuper yachts are often thrown around synonymously, the termsdo have loosely agreed-upon classifications among yachtingenthusiasts. Typically, a luxury yacht exceeds 24 meters (79 feet) and is professionally crewed. Privately owned mega-yachts also employ professional crews, exceed 100feet, typically have a minimum of four decks, and may or maynot be made available for charters by the owners. To qualifyas a giga- or super-yacht, the vessel exceeds 100 meters (328feet) and is still rare, with an estimated 24 yachts on the water.

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he Nantucket Boat Basin, a 240-slip full-service marina, accommodates boats from 30 to 300 feet and willsee about 2,000 boats docking in the Boat Basin this season, reports George H. Bassett, Jr., harbor master on site for 27 years. Aformer U.S. Coast Guard officer, George has become a highly respected local figure and is described by the online “Yacht Insider’s Guide”as an “exceptional gentleman known for his friendliness and professionalism.” Nearly two-thirds of the boats are 59’ and under; yachtsbetween 60-90’ make up about 24% of those seeking berth within the Boat Basin; and 14% are 100’ and over. These numbers do not includethose vessels visiting the island and seeking berth or mooring elsewhere in the harbor. Although multi-million dollar homes are almost thenorm on Nantucket, many people still raise their eyebrows at the thought of owning a multi-million dollar boat.

“This is something I find interesting,” the Boston attorney said. “Those people who have a home with an ocean view in ’Sconset overlook mostlyblackness at night. But if you have your boat in a marina, you have both the tranquility and the activity. I think everyone would love toown a home on the water, but when you make a commitment to this kind of boating lifestyle, you have a home with a view in literally any portor alcove. We love the freedom that it gives us – a home with an ocean view, any place we want to go – and we still have our privacy.”

Preferring to remain anonymous, this Boston attorney is not alone. For many in the mega-yachting world, privacy is key. Try a Google

Terry Pommett

T

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George H. Bassett, Jr.The Ruler of Nantucket’s

Water World.

search for “yachting lifestyle” and more than 4 million listings appear instantly, sites for everything from chartering, sales, and design toimages of yachts and people who enjoy them. What you won’t easily find are profiles of private yacht owners, and for good reason.Folks who invest in multi-million dollar homes that float are as interested in privacy as they are pleasure and adventure. Most of the largerluxury craft are quite capable of taking their passengers to destinations otherwise unreachable by any other means.

“When we bought our 95’ motor yacht, we wanted a true blue-water capable boat, fully ocean-going, a sea-worthy craft to allow us totravel in almost all sea and weather conditions,” the attorney said. “We can go from Nantucket to Florida nonstop.” The father of three grownsons and soon to celebrate his 46th anniversary with his wife, this is an individual who has made a significant commitment to Nantucket. Ashis kids grew older, he and his wife decided to buy property on the island, which they still own, and one of his three sons was married here.He deeply values the positive impact nautical recreation has provided his family.

“We brought up three boys and we have grandchildren and every single one of them has the same commitment to Nantucket,” he said. “Ourson who got married here carried his bride over the threshold of our boat and they spent their first married night on our boat at the NantucketBoat Basin.”

Do c k Master

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Mitchel

Binder

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Binder

iconic,edgy,chunky jewelry designs

With an 85% return rate, the Nantucket Boat Basin will also

welcome back Captain Carter and the King Baby. Licensed,

certified, and credentialed many times over, and with 16 years

of maritime experience, Carter is the only captain who has

served the current owner of this stunning 2009 Hargrave. King

Baby’s logo and nameplate may catch the observant eye of

anyone who keeps up with high-demand fashions of the

celebrity and rock-n-roll world. The owner is not Mitchell

Binder, founder and chief designer for King Baby Studios, the

iconic, edgy, chunky jewelry designs in high demand among

celebrities, rock stars and professional athletes. The jewelry

designed by King Baby’s namesake “has made more Rolling

Stone covers than most rock stars,” writes Patty Jones, a

reporter for Vancouver’s Georgia Straight. The world-class

yacht is owned by a friend of Mitchell Binder and the jeweler

allowed the owner to use the font and logo for his yacht.

Both the jeweler and theyacht owner enjoy rockmusic, so the decor

includes multiple photos ofrock stars Keith Richards,John Lennon, Alice Cooper,

and Madonna.

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Master Stateroom onboard King Baby

Main salon onboard King Baby

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Exactly!

The owners are typically on board every weekend from mid-June to just after Labor Day. Still very active in their careers,they allow this impressive yacht to be chartered during the off-season. Inside this stunning 100’ raised pilothouse vesselare accommodations for eight in four staterooms with an eclecticmixture of luxurious fabrics and exotic gloss cherry and camphor burl woods, with ensuite baths and full entertainmentsystems in each. An eye-catching, onyx bar with LED lightingtop to starboard, invites guests to enter a uniquely open entertainment space that flows from salon to dining to kitchen.Up above, the spacious flybridge comfortably entertains 20with a wet bar, oversized settees and a large hot tub, whileher large aft deck with custom table and seating provides anadditional entertainment area.

When the owners are on board, the captain and his crew putin some long hours, but he describes them as having a muchmore restrained lifestyle than perhaps that of many of the fansof King Baby jewelry.

“Honestly, they are just good people,” Captain Carter said.“About the longest time out for them is about two weeks at anyone time. They’re not big drinkers. Maybe they’ll have sauvignon blanc with fruit and cheese. They eat wheat-free,gluten-free, and love seafood. The guys go fishing. The ladieslike the shopping. They rent bicycles. They’re runners. They’rereally pretty healthy, pretty laid-back.”

With successful careers in real estate development, the ownersdo entertain often, and their guests find all the water toysimaginable on board – everything from jet skis, wake boards,and kayaks, to two 36’ fishing boats. At summer’s end, theKing Baby will go up for sale in anticipation of the completionof a new 135’ yacht the owner is now designing. CaptainCarter will find himself in China for the last year of the build.For now, the captain is simply looking forward to a new season, doing what he loves. At the conclusion of one of hislast charters, the client said “You get paid to do what the restof us have to pay to do!” Captain Carter simply smiled andthought to himself,