Yacht Charters GONE WILD

Each of these charter yachts are luxury vessels in their own right, but they’re also equipped for big adventure.
ULTIMATE ANGLING ADVENTURE
For the very competitive angler, few things are more exciting than trying to match tackle and wits with the ocean’s most temperamental big-game fish: the blue marlin. Record-size marlin roam the waters surrounding some of the most exotic places in the world. Among them is French Polynesia, where top professional anglers go to watch boat wakes for the crashing strike of this electric game fish.
If raising a blue marlin is on your bucket list, one of the best ways to experience that type of adventure is aboard Ultimate Lady, a 90-foot wave-piercing catamaran. The yacht specializes in long-range adventures, and according to charter brokers, she’s one of the largest and most luxurious sportfishing boats available in the South Pacific. In addition, she’s operated by a crew with angling in its blood.
Capt. Tom Francis has been trolling lines since he was a child, when he chased king mackerel, wahoo and tuna, and raised billfish on homemade lures in the waters near his home in Papua New Guinea. More recently, he was the first captain to recreationally fish the Whanganella Banks. “We’ve been doing long-range fishing charters for the last eight years,” said Francis. “In the process, we’ve pioneered a few fishing grounds and broke some records. In between, we keep our charter guests busy with kite surfing, paddle boarding, spear fishing and scuba diving.”
This 30-knot yacht is based in French Polynesia year round to take advantage of the unique fishing opportunities near the Society Islands and the Marqueses, where trophy-size blue marlin are often seen. Ultimate Lady was purpose-built for fishing on the open ocean. With a 33-foot beam, she is a stable platform, and her wave-piercing hulls are highly efficient in blue water. Ultimate Lady received the International Super Yacht Society’s Super Yacht of the Year Award in 1998.
Price for a one-week charter is $49,000 aboard a yacht that can very comfortably accommodate eight guests in four cabins. www.charterworld.com.
BEYOND THE BEATEN PATH
When Big Fish debuted in the fall of 2010, the 147-foot McMullen and Wing motor yacht opened the door to new and unexplored destinations for even the most experienced yachtsmen. Custom built to travel to the most remote and pristine places on Earth in safety and comfort, Big Fish is at the forefront of a trend in expedition-style charter vacations.
The yacht’s global itinerary offers the promise of a truly spectacular charter experience. Following the launch of this steel-hulled displacement vessel at the Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show last year, Big Fish headed for Antarctica, where few vessels are equipped to go. “She’s the biggest and the newest charter yacht in that region, which is a very fresh destination for those accustomed to cruising more popular places like the Med, the Caribbean or Alaska,” said Jan Henry, a charter broker at Fraser Yachts. “Few boats go beyond the beaten path the way this one does.”