luxury Archive - Hightide

Flashback BOOT DüDo. Willkommen an Bord der Silbermanufaktur.

13. April 202016. April 2020Alex Beck

Eine Messe hat ja auch den Vorteil, dass man auf Sachen stößt, die zuvor nicht auf dem Radar gewesen sind. Robbe&Berking zum Beispiel kannte ich als Firma für Silberbesteck und ich brachte es auch mit klassischen Yachten in Zusammenhang; mehr wusste ich aber nicht.

Auf der Boot Düsseldorf waren wir gerade noch bei der America´s Cup Pressekonferenz und wollten gerade weitergehen, als mir der Robbe & Berking stand in´s Auge gefallen ist. Diese riesige Wand mit der Historie der America´s Cup Yachten, eine klassische Motoryacht und eine Tafel eingedeckt in Silber haben mich dann doch sehr fasziniert.

Kurz darauf hatten wir auch schon ein sparkling Glaserl in der Hand. Wobei Glaserl der falsche Begriff ist, es war der Martele 90 Champagnerkelch, der mich in den Bann gezogen hat. So sehr, dass ich mir schon dachte eine Hand voll davon bei mir an Bord zu nehmen. Was natürlich auf einer MELGES 24 auf dem Ammersee dekadent und seltsam ist, aber andererseits auch sinnvoll. Am Stand von Robbe & Berking wurden wir überzeugt von den Vorzügen von Silber und ja; hab´s verstanden. Plötzlich meldete sich hier auch mein Unterbewusstsein zum Thema Silber. Ein Thema was an dieser Stelle in Corona Zeiten auch nicht unterschätz werden darf ist die Wertbeständigkeit. Ein Tischset kostet natürlich ein Vermögen, aber es bleibt auch wertbeständig. Davon abgesehen hat es wirklich Stil.

Bei meinen Eltern Zuhause hatten wir nur Silberbesteck. Das war meinem Vater wichtig. Er war aber auch sehr auf Stil und klaasische Werte bedacht, ohne aber nun abgehoben oder zu traditionell zu sein. Er legte aber viel Wert auf Klassiker, auch im Geiste. Das fängt bei Veramtwortung und Bildung an, geht über segeln bis hin zu Bauhaus, classic Cars und speziellen Leuchten. Also alles mit Bedacht, keine Angeberei. Dieses Silberdenken hat sich irgendwie auch bei mir eingeprägt. Nach wilden WGs habe ich mir für meine erste eigene Wohnung auch Silberbesteck gekauft. Auf der Auer Dult in München. Das habe ich noch heute und liebe es. Die Messer sind gut ausbalanciert und ich schau es gerne an. Die Alternativen aus einem schwedischen Möbelhaus kickten mich nie. Bin froh, mein Silber zu haben und zukünftig werde ich mich mit dem Thema noch mehr beschäftigen. Vorher aber werde ich in den Norden reisen, um mir das Robbe & Berking Heritage Center anzusehen. Das muss wirklich faszinierend sein. Bis dahin müssen wir aber vorher noch Corona in Griff bekommen. Bis dahin bleiben wir alle erstmal leider im Hafen.

SOLARIS YACHTS MESSESTAND BOOT Düsseldorf

BOOT Düsseldorf / Solaris Yachts

6. Februar 2018Alex Beck

Everybody knows the SOLARIS booth at the BOOT Düsseldorf, cause the stand is outstanding since years. Unfortunately I haven´t had the chance to look at it in the last years, but due to a CRO Charter we had contact and I get an invitation to Solaris Sailing Yachts which changed my mind. The SOLARIS Yachts are really stunning. It´s a pity that I´ve never looked at them at the BOOT DüDo. They are in one class with all the SWANs and OYSTERs, just cooler, cause they´re not so obvious. At the end they build in such a quality that they are building carbon hulls also for other yards. The Wally 110 for example was build in the oven of SOLARIS in 2016.

On the first view the yachts are more than attractive. I like the craftmanship and the outstanding modern design. It´s really awesome how the work with the materials in the interior. They do it in a way I just saw at SWAN and Oyster before. By the way did your hear about the liquidation of OYSTER today? Horrible story? Cause of the keel? We don´t know. The keel is no topic for a SOLARIS. The keel is encapsulated by glass fibre and vinylester resin which extends up to the hull bottom and creates structual continuity and a barrier against corrosion of the cast iron.

Design is a key-feature of a SOLARIS. The ultra clean stylish look ist stunning. That´s my way of a clean deck policy. The light interior and a clean modern design with the maximum beam astern, as in the modern ocean racers is unique in that class. Individual owners get on step further and live their detail-love with solar panels aboard and a special electric system aboard, which is kind of freaky, but outstanding. At the end all SOLARIS clients are special, which is standing for that brand and yard. All your dreams do come true aboard a SOLARIS with a perfect finish quality for gentle sailing, or let´s say: SAILING ITALIAN.

One special gimmick is the manner how they get the colour of the hull in a solaris. They have a special way how they bake the hull in their special oven. The found a way that the colour of the hull is resistend again the UV-Light. That´s a USP for an amazing design. I would choose dark-blue, champagen or paint it black.

One more specialty aboard the SOLARIS. They cooperate with ULTRA MARINE. Yeah that´s an anchor. Sounds funny to talk about that point, but honestly, that´s a important part on every yacht and that anchors are more than a tool. They are outstanding. I´ve visited their booth and since that point I know, the anchor ist more than that. No wonder that just SOLARIS works with ULTRA MARINE. That´s a good sign and that really makes sense. The mechanic which SOLARIS uses is to complicated for me. The anchor is hidden at the bow. You have to activate it with the Gennaker halyard. The good point, a SOLARIS is kind of semi-custome-made. For sure you can adjust it at the bow in a traditional way.

All in all the SOALARIS makes your ideas come true. It´s a semi custom yacht which which combines all your creativity with an excellent design by the designer of the yard in a premium quality. In that class of yachts, SOLARIS must be a option to think about.

BOOT Düsseldorf / Domani Yachts

24. Januar 201824. Januar 2018Alex Beck

The DOMANI S30 Yacht is a mixture between an design icon and a sailing yacht. Made in Belgium is it made for the cool places on that planet blue where style is essential. Sounds like we have many joint possessions.

In the run-up to the fair BOOT DüDo I talk to many other sailors and they all said; the DOMANI could be HighLight, especially for HighTide. Therefore I was also excited to see it live at the fair. Unfortunately I didn´t make an appointment at the stand. I just went to the BOOT and I get a very warm welcome at the stand by the sales and design guys of DOMANI including a very specific walkthrough.

The boat is a different daycruiser. Yeah, for sure it´s a performance cruiser in a cool size for coastal trip or cool lakes like lago die Garda or Lake Genova. For the Bavarian Lakes it´s a bit to big in my opinion.

Inspired by the legendary Riva Aquarama, the DOMANI S30 is shaped around a large central social area and a sun bed aft with easy access to the sea. This is perhaps the first impression you will get on that boat and the most impressive. There you can see that Lifestyle&Design combined with performance is the major idea of that sailing boat. A kind of a Grand Tourismo for the water; fast, fun and luxurious for gentle sailing.

At the end it´s the boat for those who enjoys to be on the water on a cool yacht without chatter. Less components, less maintenance. On the other hand you get aboard the chance for individualism. Everything on that boat could be made for you. Individualization ist the keyword, but at the end it´s stylish when you just order it. The inside looks like direct from the WALLPAPER Magazin. You see, there are many reasons for a DOMANI Performance Cruiser.

BOOT Düsseldorf 2017 / CNB, that´s performance cruising.

29. Januar 2017Alex Beck

CNB was on my radar for the last years, but I hadn’t the chance to look at them. The days at the BOOT were always to busy. In 2017 it was my goal to look at them. That viewing changed my life.

I get on the booth for my appointment with Vincent. Unfortunately he was not available at that time and the CNB team was very sorry that he wasn’t available. They were very committed and asked me if it is OK when another colleague will show me the yacht. For sure it was fine for me and I met Cedric Beaumont, he´s not just a expert of CNB, he is always the skipper of the wharf. He´s a real genius in sailing. He startet his Ocean Career four years ago. He was at a point where he asked himself what to do? He had a save life, but he decided to do something with passion. Chapeau. He did, what all of us wanted to do. Right now he´s the skipper for CNB and for the owners of CNB yachts who needs his support on the oceans around the world. From my point of view CNB get´s the right man for that job. He has the skills and the passion you need for that job. Perfect conditions to get the boat explained by him. With his expertise, I get the info I need.

The CNB 76 is quite pure, the first impression is the flush-deck. There is nothing where your eyes get stopped. It´s all in the flow and a pleasure if you like it pure and simple. The lines are straight and elegant. It´s a unique styling of the yacht. One USP is the decksaloon. If you are insight you have a 360° view. That´s really awesome. Especially when you see the mega winches in Front. At the back you see the two outboard helms, which are at the right place. The finish of them is one of the best I´ve ever seen. A mixture between carbon-fibre and wood. Really awesome craftmanship. Back in the insight; the design is outstanding. There is no yacht which has a interior like that. It´s quite light and open. Above that you see a lot of good ideas. Most of them I like the sofa on starboard. You can combine it as one sofa, or you have two club chairs beside a sexy storage for your drinks. You have to see that awesome. The only thing which doesn’t match my style are the Philipp Starck lamp FLOS Miss K ALU. That´s a relict out of the 90ies.

CNB itself stands for Construction Navale Bordeaux and is part of the Beneteau Group. That makes them convenient to produce, in which convenient is relative. We are talking about luxury yachts. We don´t talk about the price. It´s enough. But much more importantly in this group construction is the way CNB can produce for that price. You will get a modular build scheme which make your yacht semi custom. Another benefit of that modular system is the time to build. You will get your dream within six month.

When you are aboard it takes no minute that you realise for what the boat is build. Yeah you can do races with it. Yeah you can do a show-off in St. Tropez. The real sense of the yacht is performance cruising and you can feel it. It´s not a yacht for posers. It´s a beautiful boat for connossieurs.

You can also see that in the daily needs aboard. There is for example a powerful pump in the storage for a fast inflating of the stand-up boards.

At the end I´m addicted to that yacht. I cannot understand why I haven´t been there before. For now on CNB is always on my radar. I´ve checked the charter possibilities today on MerexYachts. I have to be on one, sooner or later and than I will give you the cruising report.

BOOT Düsseldorf / OYSTER is really a class of it´s own.

15. Februar 2016Alex Beck

My first encounter with a OYSTER YACHT was at the Antigua Sailing Week in the noughties. You have to know that is quite a familial race. At one evening in any bay we were invited on a OYSTER of an Italian owner and we had espresso and lots of Heineken. That was the Moment I realized that the decision for a yacht of that wharf is a decision of your heart. This boat gives you a feeling of security combined with performance.

A few years later I saw that kind of ocean going majesties of the sea at the ARC and there I felt it again, the spirit of the OYSTER Owners. It ist a special cohesion they have. After that I started to have a closer look to that boatbuilder. The funny thing is, that the wharf was est. in 1973, like me. That increased my feeling for Oyster, of course. Above that the OYSTER WORLD RACE which was invented by OYSTER istself is another milestone in the character of OYSTER. The idea is quite simple, if your are a owner you can be part of that rallye which goes around the world. It´s a world rounding within a community of people with the same toy. Good idea, Bro!

All in all that SemiCustome Yachtbuilder is really a Brand of the Ocean. In 2016 the yhad just one Boat at the fair. In 2015 there were two of them. Nevertheless every boat they show at the BOOT is always a owner´s boat. Therefore it is unfortunately not allowed to make pix inside. That´s a pity since I visited them the first time. Perhaps we can handle it in the future.

Above that we talk about the problems with the keels, but I just get a standard PR answer regarding that tremendous topic. I will look at that fact in the future and will inform you regarding that keel subject. Above that I will tell you soon more about the OYSTER WORLD RALLYE. Till that point; save your money. The OYSTER is no bargain.

BOOT Düsseldorf / SWAN 60s, state-of-the-art yachtbuilding.

26. Januar 20164. Dezember 2016Alex Beck

Nobody who has ever been on a SWAN is addicted by their magic and could not evade their fascination. I got that virus in 2012 on a transatlatic crossing on a SWAN 51 and since that time I know it is a significant difference if a yacht is certified for the ocean or build for the ocean. The SWAN for sure build for it. I got that statement by Sebastian, who is really one of the SWAN ambassadors on that planet blue.

At the BOOT Exhibition we have a World Premiere. SWAN is celebrating its 50th Anniversary and this is one reason for them to be on that fair. That´s a good sign for all of us. The stand ist quite cool and fits the brand. The Materials are quite luxury and exudes a pleasant atmosphere. It quite light and is matching the mood of a yacht. Especiall in that case, where SWAN is presentating their SWAN 60S which is also a very light, stylish an modern. She´s state of the art.

The first impression you will get aboard is the powder white deck. That looks amazing and cool. Above that it stays cool, especially in warm conditions. It is made out of Esthec, which is a material which is made out of composit material and fillers. The look is quite luxury and easy to maintain.

The SWAN 60S was build as a owner version with some specials, like the deck, a bigger motor and generator. In total it is a perfect mixture between a racer and a cruiser. The cockpit is quite long, open and very clean. The place at the helm feels like home and easy to handle with all the buttons for steering. I would like to get a feeling for a boat with such a size with all the electric gears and devices.

All in all, it´s a hell of a yacht and build for the ocean.

Where to stay?

Düsseldorf is a typical fair city and is famous for that. Therefore there are a lot of hotels. Unfortunately not stylish ones. The mass of hotels are typical business hotels. Within that kind of hotels the INNSIDE by MELIA is quite cool and pure. I like it and I´ve been a view times there and felt well. Here you can read my rating on tripadvisor.