aquijo yacht cost to build

Yachting World

• Digital Edition

A look on board the extraordinary 86m Aquijo, the world’s largest ketch

• Helen Fretter
• February 25, 2017

The biggest ketch-rigged yacht on the water, Aquijo is designed to push boundaries and horizons. Helen Fretter talks to her designers

The largest Bermudan rigged ketch ever launched, the 86m  Aquijo was designed by Bill Tripp and launched last year.

The build came about through a new collaboration between the two Dutch yards of Vitters and OceanCo, combining the former’s superyacht expertise with the latter’s custom motoryacht knowledge to create one of the largest sailing yachts in the world (see video of Sailing Yacht A, the world’s largest sail-assisted vessel, during early sea trials) .

The scale of Aquijo is remarkable: at 85m her LOA is considerably greater than the 60m superyacht designs Vitters is more accustomed to working on, hence she was built at OceanCo’s larger seafront site in Alblasserdam, the Netherlands. A steel hull and aluminium superstructure give a gross tonnage of 1,500.

Her twin carbon fibre masts reach 91m above the waterline, with matched main and mizzen. North 3Di sails of over 1,100 square metres each, give a total sail area of 3,247 square metres. Add in a code sail, and the canvas area tops 5,050 square metres. According to Vitters, Aquijo ’s lifting keel is the largest ever designed, at 220 tons (200 tonnes) of lead, with a minimum draught of 5.2m and maximum of 11.6m.

The yacht’s range under engine at 13 knots is 3,200 nautical miles and she has accommodation for 30 in total (12 guests, two owners, a captain, three officers and 12 additional crew).

However, her designer Bill Tripp says that it was sailing performance that drove the design. “We designed Aquijo around sailing loads and sheet loads, to keep them in a range that was controlled. She started design life as a sailboat that encompassed the machinery of a motoryacht, but she is not shaped as a motoryacht – she is easily driven.”

He adds: “Aquijo is also a sophisticated machine and brings most aspects of a 1600GT motoryacht with her. But she is for getting out there, and for going sailing. In Greece [last] summer, she would go out for an afternoon of sailing in a 35 knot Meltemi because it is so much fun to sail at 20 knots as if on rails.”

The new ChessieRacing designed by Bill Tripp is a true designer daysailer, but what is she like to sail?

Sail controls

Aquijo is designed for long distance bluewater exploration, hence limiting the air draught to fit through the Panama Canal (46m) was no longer a consideration. That freed up the design team to create one of the largest true sailing yachts ever conceived.

To make raising the enormous sail area possible, sophisticated reefing and sail handling systems have been developed. In-boom furling system allows the main and mizzen sails to be furled or unfurled in just four seconds. Custom built carbon and aluminium 40-ton winches control the sheets and halyards.

“When we go head to wind we hoist the main and the mizzen together, and I’d say on average that’s a six minute process,” says Tripp. “Then once they’re up you just bear off, and roll out the jib – 30 seconds say. And then you’re off, you have three sails up, and you’re only thinking about those three sails. It means going sailing is pretty easy.”

When sailing at this scale, manoeuvres take a degree of forward planning. “Because we have a staysail, and a heavy weather jib, we have to furl the big jib when tacking,” explains Tripp.

“Vitters organised a system that keeps just a nice amount of tension on the jib sheets furling in and out so that they are not flailing about. It’s not a dinghy tack, but it is safe and orderly. The spinnaker is on a fast furler and furls up in 30 seconds, making gybes less complex.”

Designed to function at up to 20° of heel, Aquijo ’s hull has been tested to withstand the full force of rigging and keel, including mast compression and the effects of her 200-tonne keel, in a knock-down situation. Vitters custom designed a steering system to give direct feedback of the hydrodynamic pressure on the rudders to the twin wheels to create the elusive sailing ‘feel’. There are two submarine anchors in a compartment concealed behind a flush hull closing plate.

Consistency of style

The owner’s cabin is situated on its own top deck, with a private outside area. Robert Voges, of Dølker and Voges, which designed the interior, says that the whole upper deck abaft of the wheelhouse is the owner’s area.

The sociable main deck includes the dining room and main saloon, linked to the outside deck by an inside-outside bar. The yacht’s real showcase feature is the ‘beach club’ on the lower deck, which includes a jacuzzi, sauna, hammam/Turkish bath, rainfall shower, and room for gym equipment, with an open walkway through to the transom swim platform. There is a further whirlpool spa bath on the outer deck.

A consistent aesthetic style has been adopted right throughout the yacht, according to Voges, who comments: “The brief from the owner was the whole area should look, if not the same, but be one language. All the details are the same, even in the crew area.”

Materials are luxurious; as the mast runs through two interior decks it is clad in flawless high shine stainless steel complete with integrated LED lighting – the single biggest technical challenge of the interior build according to Voges.

But it is the sea itself that provides the main focal point. Voges comments: “One of the most important things that the owners asked me for was to make everything feel open, to feel that there is not a difference between inside and outside, so you can feel the ocean.

From each position where you are sitting – dining or in the salon, or in the cabins – you can always see the water. We have planned the windows so even from the bed, you can see the water.”

Ambitious plans

Aquijo is available for charter, but the owner also has some ambitious voyages of his own in mind, not least a trip around Cape Horn.

Asked what inspires people to build a yacht of Aquijo ’s stature, designer Bill Tripp comments: “They’re not looking for the sure thing, they’re really looking for the unknown. They don’t know what it’ll be like sailing in South Georgia, or diving on a reef with hammerhead sharks at night. These are experiences they will remember all their life.

“On a boat like Aquijo it’s the use of it, and the feeling you get. It’s not about fine wines or great speaker systems, it’s about bringing you to things you wouldn’t otherwise experience.”

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Boat of the Week: The World’s Largest Sailing Ketch Doubles as a Luxury Home on the Water

The 283-foot vessel just happened to set a record for its size. the owner was more interested in seeing the world from a bespoke lap of luxury., julia zaltzman, julia zaltzman's most recent stories.

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The 282-foot Aquijo might be the largest high-performance sailing ketch in the world, but that wasn’t the primary goal of its design. The owner’s intention was to build a fast world cruiser that could sail to the ends of the earth, but just as importantly, have huge amounts of interior space that would make the sailing superyacht feel like home anywhere.

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Aquijo is a boat built for escapism. “The owner wanted to go and see the world on his yacht,” Gerhard Veldsman, her captain, told Robb Report.   “We’ve been around the world once already, and returned to Holland in early 2020 to complete the boat’s five-year survey. After Covid hit, everything changed.”

The plan had been to make a refit pit stop in the Netherlands before heading through the Northwest Passage to the Pacific, and then embarking on a second world circumnavigation. That voyage has been postponed until travel restrictions ease, or at least until a time when fragile countries are less vulnerable to the pandemic. “I doubt the vaccine will be available in the small island nations as quickly as everywhere else” says Veldsman. “So we’re just sitting tight.”

The owner wanted the same amount of interior space in his sailing yacht as similar-sized motoryachts.  Courtesy Edmiston

Built in 2016, Aquijo was an unusually complex sailing yacht, a collaboration between Oceanco and Vitters. Her owner is a seasoned sailor who first chartered every large, iconic sailing vessel out there, from the 289-foot Maltese Falcon and Enigma (when named Phocea ) to Mirabella V, before embarking on a design and build of his own yacht.

“His aim was to take the best design pieces out of each of those yachts to construct Aquijo ,” says Veldsman. “That included matching Maltese Falcon in size, but adopting a large bar on the aft deck with a beer tap.”

There’s no denying that Aquijo is a beast. She has 64,500-square-feet of sails. At full pelt, she reaches speeds in excess of 20 knots which, for a 1,600 gross-ton yacht, is an impressive sight to behold. “When you have a boat of Aquijo ’s size and weight traveling fast through water, you need a team of people who understand not only the principles of sailing but also what happens below deck in terms of the hydraulics.”

Courtesy Edmiston

Features like the indoor spa pool beneath the opening skylight are one of many features that make Aquijo a liveaboard yacht.

Aquijo has a significant amount of complex hydraulic power. Vitters’s knowledge in building large custom sailing boats was a primary reason for the owner selecting that shipyard in Zwartsluis, Holland. But at 282-feet, the boat was too big for Vitters to construct at its facilities. So, Vitters built the sailing systems, and Oceanco was chosen to build the hull and superstructure.

Exterior design was by Bill Tripp, with the contemporary interior by Dölker+Voges Design. Together with the owner, the designers conceived a sailing vessel matching a comparable-sized motoryacht for interior space. “Balancing the abilities of a lightweight, high-performance sailing yacht with all the space and luxury of a motoryacht is why Aquijo is the size that she is,” says Veldsman. “We had to go big to accomplish that.”

Aquijo pairs an efficient cruising hull with lots of weight in her lifting keel, the largest of its kind ever designed. With the keel down, the draft is an impressive 38 feet. “We once cruised up the Sicilian coast in 40 knots of wind, and all the motoryachts were turning around but we were able to sail through it,” says Veldsman.

The owner took different designs from other super sailing yachts for Aquijo and added features like the bar and al-fresco dining table.  Courtesy Edmiston

Notable design features include neon headboards, extensive deck space and a private owner’s terrace that takes you from bed to balcony in two steps. The 197-foot-high crow’s nest offers the best views on board. The beach club, with Jacuzzi below a main deck skylight, is one of the owner’s favorite spaces on board, particularly in colder climates. The boat’s 300-foot masts are too tall to travel through any canals, which means navigating the Polar regions to get to different continents. Vast, remote waters like those off the coast of Patagonia, where wind speeds can reach 70-plus knots, is where Aquijo comes into her own.

This summer, Aquijo is cruising around the Mediterranean, with charters in Turkey already confirmed through Edmiston, before heading to the Caribbean for winter.

Read More On:

• Sailing Yacht
• Vitters Shipyard

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AQUIJO for charter

AQUIJO is a sophisticated charter sailing yacht with the space and amenities you’d expect of a motor yacht

The 86m sailing yacht AQUIJO, built by Vitters and Oceanco, and only launched in 2016, is the largest high-performance ketch in the world and is luxuriously appointed, making her an excellent all-round charter yacht.AQUIJO can accommodate up to 12 guests in seven cabins, which can be adapted to suit your party. The master suite, set quite apart from the other cabins on the bridge deck, comes with his and her bathrooms, a private elevator and its own terrace, complete with a gimbaled dining table so you don't spill your Champagne as you watch the sunset.Unlike many yachts, which promise state-of the-art TVs, the rest of the cabins, which can be made into VIPs or sectioned off into smaller cabins, are TV-free, adding to the sense of escapism. Two TVs are however available to be installed upon request.

Don’t worry though, if you’re really in need of some screen time, head to the bar on the main deck, which has a retractable TV and sofas that seat 12, giving it a cool VIP club vibe. This is just one of three outdoor bars, meaning you’ll never go thirsty.AQUIJO’s standout features include a chic beach club with an ocean-view Jacuzzi, plus steam room, sauna and lounge - virtually unheard of on a sailing yacht.The main deck aft is the social hub of the yacht and features a 24-seater dining table with a retractable skylight, or you can head on up to the sundeck on the flybridge for a dip in the Jacuzzi or to lounge around on the sunpads.The interiors of AQUIJO, designed by Dölker & Voges, have fun touches, such as neon high-gloss lacquer headboards, alongside contemporary wood with accents of chrome, giving a modern and fresh feel.

If you can tear yourself away from the yacht, you may want to take a look in the garage before you dive in the sea, as it is filled with lots of water toys, from fun inflatables to wakeboards and premium dive gear.

Specifications

• Name: AQUIJO
• Yacht Type: Sail Yacht
• Yacht Subtype Monohull
• Builder: Oceanco , Vitters
• Exterior Designer: Bill Tripp
• Length Overall: 85.9 metres
• Beam: 14.48 metres
• Max Draught: 11.6 metres
• Gross Tonnage: 1538

Construction

• Year of Build: 2016
• Hull Number: 3069 / Y711
• Hull Type: Monohull
• Classification: LR
• MCA Compliant:

Performance & Capacities

• Fuel Capacity: 97800 litres
• Range: 3200 nm
• Hull: Steel
• Superstructure: Aluminium

Accommodation

• Passenger Rooms: 7
• Master Rooms: 1
• Double Rooms: 3
• Twin Rooms: 1
• VIP Rooms: 2

Cruising areas

• Winter: Caribbean

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EXPEDITION SUPERYACHT AQUIJO

REDEFINING THE SAILING EXPERIENCE

With its massive 86-meter size, the Aquijo reigns supreme as the largest high-performance ketch in the world and the epitome of excellence, providing thrilling sailing and world-spanning power. The most serene wake-up experience one could ask for.

FULL SPECIFICATION

Description

The 86-meter Aquijo is the largest high-performance ketch in the world. A luxurious thoroughbred, this yacht may also be the world’s best place to wake up.

During her build the owner requested an extensive personal enclave up top, not the norm for sailing yachts. So now, those seeking an exclusive perch can enjoy an owner’s deck with a rear-facing bedroom and a 270-degree view. Open the electric blinds and be greeted by the glistening, gleaming sea. And host graciously, as well—the guest cabins offer stunning sea views, too. Aquijo accommodates 12 guests across 7 guest cabins, which can transform from suites to multiple cabins, with lower deck guests having direct access to the superyacht beach club.

The superyacht sundeck is a prime day-time destination on board Aquijo, so cannily designed and balanced, you can even use the Jacuzzi during sailing. At twilight, three bars—on the owner’s deck, on the flybridge wrapping halfway round the Jacuzzi, and on the big main deck aft—keep spirits refreshed daily. Dining is ever-engaging, too—with indoor and alfresco locations.

Flying 3Di North Sails, Aquijo has a total sail area of 3,821 square metres and 5,051 square metres with the Code 1 up for thrilling sailing and world-spanning power. She is absolutely intrepid, having circumnavigated the globe. EYOS has worked over the years with Aquijo, guiding her through some of the far flung reaches of Melanesia and South America.

If her mission—to explore the world in safety, comfort and speed—matches yours, then set your course for remote places aboard Aquijo.

Key Features

• Exterior Bar
• Deck Jacuzzi
• Air Conditioning
• Wheelchair Accessible

Gross Tonnage

Cruise Speed

EXPEDITION EQUIPPED

• 2 x Paddleboards
• 2 x RS Aero Sail Boats
• 8 x Scuba Diving Equipment
• Snorkelling Equipment
• Wake Boards
• Towable Toys
• 3 x 8m / 26’3 Tender
• 1 x 6.8m / 22’4 Xtenders 6.8M  SOLAS RIB
• 1 x 6.9m / 22’8 Xtenders 6.9m Peoplecarrier Tender

THE VAST WILDERNESS IS WAITING, WHERE COULD SHE TAKE YOU?

Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands

A realm of idyllic beauty and tranquil paradise that beckons with its azure waters, secluded beaches, and rich cultural heritage. Comprising a constellation of stunning islands, this region is a testament to the serene harmony between nature and the human spirit.

Papua New Guinea

Situated in the southwestern Pacific, Papua New Guinea unfolds as an extraordinary destination where vibrant indigenous cultures thrive amidst stunning landscapes. With over 800 languages spoken, this diverse nation presents a rich tapestry of traditions waiting to be explored.

French Polynesia

Comprising over 100 islands, each adorned with pristine beaches and vibrant coral reefs, this tropical haven is a symphony of natural wonders and historical treasures.

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CONTACT EYOS TO BEGIN PLANNING YOUR YACHT CHARTER

+1 801 390 7025 | [email protected]

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WHERE CAN WE TAKE YOU?

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Built in 2016, this spectacular 85m yacht is the world’s largest high-performing k etch and marks Vitters Shipyard and Oceanco’s first cooperative effort.  

Designed by Tripp Design Naval Architecture, AQUIJO is a breathtaking sailing yacht that offers the ultimate comfort and space. The contemporary luxury interiors are the highest possible quality whilst also featuring 270-degree panoramic views. The lower deck includes 6 guest cabins, each with their very own ensuite bathroom. Also situated on the lower deck is the exquisite beach club which has a jacuzzi, steam room, and sauna.  

Her unique steering system provides guests with impeccable sailing experience. This is an astonishing yacht that is designed to take you on a sail of a lifetime.  

• Charter Conditions
• Tender and Watersports

Tax Status:  Charter taxes, where applicable, will be due according to the rules and regulations of the chosen cruising destination Contracts:  MYBA – All agreements to be drawn up using the current MYBA E-contract Charter Agreement – Revised 2017 version

2 x 8m semi rigid tenders   1 x 6m military spec fully inflatable tender for ice and beach landings   1 x Yamaha Waverunner Jetski (3-person)   2 x One man Hobie Quest 11 plastic kayaks   2 x inflatable 2 persons kayaks   2 x Airhead inflatable towing donuts   1 x Sports Stuff inflatable half-pipe (2-person)   2 x Wakeboards – Hyperlite : Tribute   2 x JOBE Allegre Water Ski   1 x JOBE Progress Water Ski   2 x Fanatic inflatable SUP   1 x Fanatic rigid SUP   2 x RS Aero sailing Dinghy’s   8 x Sets of dive gear   6 Fishing rods for towing and casting with all related equipment   Assorted inflatable toys for floating behind the yacht: Flamingo, swan, pizza slice, pineapple   Jacuzzi’s: 1 on Fly Bridge, 1 large Jacuzzi in Beach Club plus sauna and steam room

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Largest Private Yacht Charter Sailing Ketch In The World

VESSEL SPECIFICATIONS

Toys and tenders.

3 x 8 meter Tenders 2 Kayaks 2 Paddleboards 2 RS Aero Sailing Dinghy's 8 Sets of SCUBA dive gear Wakeboards (multiple sizes) Waterskis (multiple sizes) Exercise Bike Vibration Plate Dumbells Hand weights Yoga mats Wifi Deck jacuzzi hot tub

PRESENTING AQUIJO

It took two famous Dutch shipyards to collaborate and build sail yacht AQUIJO, the largest private ketch on earth.  The 83-meter yacht was jointly created by Dutch shipyards Oceanco and Vitters with each yard handling their respective fields of expertise.  This massive private yacht charter vessel accommodates up to 12 charter guests and boasts four decks in a superstructure designed to merge indoor and outdoor living areas.  Her long, clear sightlines are credited to Tripp Design Naval Architecture, with the studio of Dölker + Voges responsible for Oceanco and Vitters yacht AQUIJO interior design.

VITTERS CREATION

The steering system for sailing yacht AQUIJO was designed and developed by Vitters. It works by translating the hydrodynamic forces on the yacht’s rudder blades directly to the steering wheels in the flybridge.  This provides the helmsman with immediate feedback and eases the ability to sail and change directions without disturbing charter guests.

Boarding the vessel’s main deck from the aft, visitors see an immense al-fresco dining table which can seat 20. The table separates into two smaller tables. In specific, tables seating six each.  A wet bar is positioned near the doors that lead into the main salon.  The main salon offers comfortable seating for 10. Forward of the salon is the private dining room with elegant seating for 20 guests.

Moving up to the Sundeck (flybridge) there are two helm stations serving as the main control station for the crew to sail the vessel.  Guests will find comfortable sofas where they can watch the crew sail the yacht, or watch the scenery pass by.  In the aft area of the deck, there is a Jacuzzi style hot tub and sun pad for lounging and sun worship.

CONVERSATION AREA

Off the main deck is the aft deck – a large area with a selection of sofa seating and room for the crew to set up a barbeque.  An interesting conversation piece is a large skylight in the deck floor that illuminates the Beach Club below.  The aft deck extends down a small flight of wide stairs to the swimming platform. This feature is popular on large motor yachts.  It is rare on sailing yachts.  Only the largest sailboats have the necessary space for a relaxation deck close to the water’s edge.

The yacht’s beach club is truly a masterpiece.  No other sailing yacht has a full-sized Wellness center with so many amenities.  It features a teak and sculpted wooden interior by the craftsmen at the Oceanco shipyard.   Amenities in this spa area include a hot tub, roomy sauna, and steam room.  An aft door opens to allow views of the outdoors from the hot tub.

BOW (FRONT)

At the front of the yacht is the Foredeck, a quiet area away from the other decks.  Here guests can sit in sofas and feel the full force of the wind and listening to the waves pound against the bow.

HOW TO BOOK YOUR YACHT CHARTER

In conclusion, book sail yacht AQuiJO for your own private luxury yacht charter vacation today. Contact your yacht charter brokers at 1-800 Yacht Charters at 305-720-7245. If you prefer, complete our online inquiry form at https://www.1800yachtcharters.com/book-now/  .

We will be in touch with you right away to plan  The Superyacht Experience ™  for you!

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Aquijo Yacht: Large Sailing Yacht Ready For Charter

• By Kim Kavin
• Updated: September 12, 2016

Aquijo is arguably the most impressive sailing yacht available for charter anywhere in the world. I know that’s a big statement to make about a brand-new yacht, but let’s consider the facts.

The 279-foot Aquijo was delivered to her owners earlier this year following joint construction by the powerhouse Dutch shipyards Vitters and Oceanco . She was built to a standard that made her a first-of-its-kind project for both yards.

Bear in mind, these are the shipyards that produced innovations ranging from direct-drive pods on performance cruising yachts (previously seen only on racing yachts, according to Vitters) to a brackish-water pool with a height-adjustable floor made of glass-reinforced plastic (a first that Oceanco claimed in 2012, with the 290-foot superyacht Nirvana ). On Aquijo , one of the innovations is a steering system meant to provide immediate feedback at the helm, enhancing the experience of holding the wheel aboard a yacht of substantial size. In other words, charter guests can stand at the helm of the 279-foot yacht and feel her respond much as a smaller yacht would, amping the exhilaration factor at 17 knots in just over 21 knots of breeze.

And let’s put a fine point on Aquijo ‘s size — because it’s impressive. In terms of length overall among sailing yachts in the global charter fleet, Aquijo ranks just behind the Perini Navi Maltese Falcon and the Royal Huisman Athena , both of which remain iconic even though they are more than a decade old. The masts aboard Aquijo are a vertigo-inducing 295 feet tall. She is the world’s largest high-performance ketch, a distinction that holds true when describing yachts used privately as well as those offered for charter.

And then there are Aquijo ‘s features. Vitters and Oceanco previously built some of the most in-demand yachts available for charter, including the 180-foot Marie (which appears on page 68) and the 282-foot Seven Seas, built for director Steven Spielberg with an onboard theater that continues to wow guests of all ages. Aquijo incorporates everything the yards have learned about guest comfort and memorable spaces, culminating in elements like the beach club in the photograph at left. It is the type of space rarely found aboard sailing yachts of any size, and it includes what you see in the photograph plus a sauna and steam room.

That beach club is just one of many elements that Aquijo shares with super-yachts on the charter scene. She also is handicapped-friendly, with a stateroom designed to accommodate a wheelchair as well as a swim platform that lowers into the water for easy access. Y.CO says that she is also the only sailing yacht for charter that has an elevator.

Indeed, upon her entry into the Y.CO charter fleet this past summer, Aquijo was an instant competitor not only to the most impressive sailing yachts, but also to superyachts.

“When you have an 86-meter sailing yacht that’s over 1,500 gross tons, you’re competing with motoryachts,” says Tom DeBuse, director of charter management for Y.CO. “I’m in negotiations at the moment with a guy who’s taken large motoryachts in the past, and he has taken some sailing yachts in the past. He’s taking Aquijo because she has everything a large motoryacht has, plus.”

Aquijo is expected to move to the Caribbean this winter, where she will undoubtedly be the most in-demand sailing yacht for charter from St. Barth straight down to Grenada.

Bill Tripp of Tripp Design Naval Architecture in Connecticut handled Aquijo ‘s design. She is the largest project from the renowned naval architect, whose other work has included the 148-foot Saudade and the 164-foot Better Place , both built by Wally. The owners of Aquijo reportedly brought Tripp a preliminary layout by the German firm Dölker + Voges , which handled interior design. The owners tasked Tripp with creating a package around that interior that would provide safety, comfort and speed.

Y.CO is advertising Aquijo for charter with 12 guests in seven staterooms. As you can see in the photographs at right, the onboard spaces are laid out to accommodate large and small gatherings alike. The top-deck hot tub is in addition to the one inside the beach club, so multiple groups of guests (think adults and children) can enjoy a soak at the same time, without having countless knees and ankles in the mix.

The main indoor and outdoor dining areas are sized to welcome the full complement of charter guests; smaller areas for snacks and more intimate meals are in spaces like the top-deck enclaves (with gimbaled tables for underway dining) and aft-deck nooks. Interior seating is designed to inspire conversation among groups of five or six guests, executing the impressive feat of making one of the largest sailing yachts on the planet feel, at times, cozy.

Aquijo ‘s décor is intended to feel contemporary and welcoming, not overwhelming. Note the use of aquamarine hues in everything from stateroom walls to sun-deck pillows. The onboard vibe, much like Aquijo ‘s beach club, brings the outdoors inside. Her wooden soles create a further, tactile connection to nature. (Imagine how your bare feet feel on plush carpeting, as opposed to cool wood. One sensation screams “formal” while the other whispers “beach-house chic.”)

There’s also the oversize windows in the guest stateroom, along with the multitiered chandeliers that appear to glow above the sofas and chairs in the conversation space. These design elements give the yacht a feeling of openness. The aft deck dining table is beneath a retractable sunroof, allowing that feeling to continue into the evening hours during meals under the stars.

Many of these elements, of course, are borrowed from the world of superyacht design, and they are why Y.CO markets Aquijo as a yacht that “offers the comfort of a large motoryacht while remaining a true sailing yacht at heart.” Even spots like the chaise lounges far aft (shown in the photograph to the left of this text) have the feel of a traditional sailing-yacht experience, but on a scale almost always associated with superyachts in the 180-foot-and-larger range. You can see a few of the steps to the main deck peeking out of the side of the photograph. Imagine walking down them, in your bathing suit, and settling in to enjoy the view astern from such a sizable platform. It is an experience that can only be had aboard precious few charter yachts in existence.

It is also worth noting how elegantly Tripp and the shipyards answered the owner’s call for safety on board. That is key to the charter-yacht experience — clients are not always seasoned yachtsmen, let alone sailors. Look at the photograph on the next page, which shows handrails on both sides of the lighted steps to the next deck. You can also see good-height side decks behind the table to starboard. They prevent overboard falls without affecting the water views of guests enjoying dinner.

To call Aquijo impressive is accurate. To anticipate the charter experience she will provide is thrilling. To know she is available for bookings in the Caribbean this winter is, truly, the stuff of which vacation dreams are made.

That quality of pure inspiration, maybe more than anything else, qualifies Aquijo as the most remarkable sailing yacht now available for charter, anywhere.

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US to build temporary port to deliver Gaza aid

Sea deliveries to gaza.

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Reporting by Steve Holland, Jonathan Landay, Katharine Jackson; Additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick, Michelle Nichols and Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Clarence Fernandez

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UN chief condemns Russia bid to hold presidential poll in occupied Ukraine

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned Russian efforts to conduct its presidential election in occupied areas of Ukraine, a U.N spokesperson said on Friday.

How the U.S. military will use a floating pier to deliver Gaza aid

Construction will take up to two months and require 1,000 u.s. troops who will remain off shore, officials say. once complete, it will enable delivery of 2 million meals daily..

The U.S. military anticipates that a floating pier, to be built off Gaza’s coastline in coming weeks, will enable delivery of 2 million meals daily to Palestinians facing starvation, the Pentagon said Friday, describing its plan to address the worsening humanitarian crisis there without deploying American personnel directly into the war zone.

Construction of the offshore pier and causeway connecting it to land will take as long as 60 days and require about 1,000 U.S. troops, Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, told reporters.

President Biden announced the initiative during his State of the Union address Thursday, as hopes dim for a another cease-fire in Israel’s five-month war with Hamas and his administration contends with withering criticism for the vast supply of U.S. weapons that have contributed to the conflict’s massive civilian death toll. It’s one element of a broader “maritime corridor” that the United States and other countries have pledged to establish amid growing concerns about the situation.

Israel-Gaza war

The perceived need for the floating structure is a reflection of the political land mines that have stymied efforts to get humanitarian aid to those trapped by the fighting.

Israel’s deep-water port at Ashdod is less than 25 miles from Gaza, but Israeli officials have refused to open its northern border crossing. Egypt’s El Arish port, just south of Gaza, has been a key arrival point for assistance. But all shipments must go through a laborious process of loading onto trucks that travel to an Israeli inspection site, only to be unloaded and reloaded again to then join an ever-growing line of vehicles waiting to enter the Palestinian territory.

About 576,000 people — more than a quarter of the enclave’s population — are on the brink of famine, United Nations officials said . Gaza’s Health Ministry said earlier this week that at least 20 people there have died of malnutrition and dehydration.

There is “dire, urgent need” for relief, Ryder said in outlining what he characterized as an “emergency mission” still being finalized.

U.S. troops, including the Army’s 7th Transportation Brigade based in Virginia, will take part in the effort. The operation will include construction of a floating pier at sea that will allow ships to deliver aid, which will then be loaded onto Navy support vessels and offloaded onto a floating causeway. The two-lane causeway, about 1,800 feet in length, will be steered onto a landing site ashore and secured to the ground by non-U.S. personnel whom Ryder did not identify. Trucks will then access the causeway to pick up and haul the aid.

Washington is coordinating with other countries in the region, the United Nations and humanitarian groups to determine how the aid will be distributed once it arrives on land, Ryder said. American personnel stay either on the causeway or on the ships, he said.

Asked whether the Pentagon believes Hamas fighters will target U.S. forces operating offshore, Ryder said that’s “certainly possible.” He added that, “If Hamas truly does care about the Palestinian people, then … one would hope that this international mission to deliver aid to people who need it would be able to happen unhindered.”

Biden told reporters Friday that Israel would provide security for the effort. Ryder said the military units involved would have their own force-protection capabilities.

Aid will be routed through Cyprus , where the goods will undergo inspection by Israel.

Deliveries of non-U.S. humanitarian aid to Gaza by sea could begin this weekend, a senior European official said earlier Friday. European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen said that the besieged enclave faces a “catastrophe.”

“That is why today the Republic of Cyprus, the European Commission, the United Arab Emirates and the United States — of course also supported by other critical partners — announced our intent to open the maritime corridor to deliver much-needed additional amounts of humanitarian assistance by sea,” she said.

World Central Kitchen , a relief group founded by chef José Andrés , is providing food aid for the mission, as well as “teams in Cyprus and Gaza,” he wrote on social media.

Several logistical and security challenges are expected as the program is begun, according to Jamie McGoldrick, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory. “What happens after the aid arrives at the harbor? How does it get on trucks and out to distribution? Those are questions that I don’t think have been answered yet,” he said.

Relief efforts in Gaza are already overstretched, as trucks and fuel remain in short supply. And once the aid makes it to shore, it will face the same distribution challenges as aid that reaches the territory by land.

“The problem we are facing right now is that many of the roads are not operational, or on the roads that are open, it’s difficult to get though the crowds and congestion,” McGoldrick said.

The floating pier operation has underscored the limits of airdropping aid, a complex mission dangerous to civilians below and one that provides relatively little relief in a situation like the Israeli war in Gaza .

Five people were killed and 12 injured there on Friday, said Mahmoud Bassal, Gaza’s civil defense spokesman, after an apparent parachute malfunction caused a loaded crate to fall on some people. Ryder disputed reports that an airdrop from a U.S. aircraft was to blame.

“All of our aid bundles landed safely on the ground,” Ryder said, adding that initial reports of the incident came shortly before U.S. aircraft sent their loads out of C-130 aircraft.

The United States will continue precautions to reduce risk, Ryder said, like limiting pallet weight, identifying drop zones with fewer people and sending messages to civilians before dropping the aid.

Victoria Bisset, Cate Brown, Karen DeYoung and Susannah George contributed to this report.

Israel-Gaza war: Amid dimming hopes that an Israel-Hamas cease-fire and hostage-release deal will be reached before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan , President Biden has ordered the U.S. military to construct a temporary port and pier on Gaza’s Mediterranean coast to open a new route for providing humanitarian aid.

Middle East conflict: Tensions in the region continue to rise. As Israeli troops aim to take control of the Gaza-Egypt border crossing, officials in Cairo warn that the move would undermine the 1979 peace treaty. Meanwhile, there’s a diplomatic scramble to avert full-scale war between Israel and Lebanon .

U.S. involvement: U.S. airstrikes in Iraq and Syria killed dozens of Iranian-linked militants , according to Iraqi officials. The strikes were the first round of retaliatory action by the Biden administration for an attack in Jordan that killed three U.S. service members .

• Houthi strike kills 3 civilian mariners, U.S. officials say, the first fatalities in militants’ campaign March 6, 2024 Houthi strike kills 3 civilian mariners, U.S. officials say, the first fatalities in militants’ campaign March 6, 2024
• Blinken meets with Israel’s Gantz, as cease-fire negotiations continue March 5, 2024 Blinken meets with Israel’s Gantz, as cease-fire negotiations continue March 5, 2024
• The improbable U.S. plan for a revitalized Palestinian security force March 5, 2024 The improbable U.S. plan for a revitalized Palestinian security force March 5, 2024

A ‘cowboy ski town’ where high earners can’t afford a home faces a housing battle

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. — Despite offering a salary of $167,000, the city of Steamboat Springs can’t find a head of human resources who can afford a place to live in the remote Colorado community surrounded by ranches and famous for training Olympic athletes.

At the Steamboat hospital, doctors willing to pay more than $1 million for a home have been repeatedly outbid by all-cash, out-of-town buyers, and housing costs have caused some positions to go unfilled for more than two years. The local ski resort has been leasing a hotel for its employees to live in as the homes they once rented are increasingly turned into short-term rentals for visitors.

“Houses used to be for employees and hotels for guests. Now houses are for guests and hotels are for employee housing,” said Loryn Duke, director of communications for the Steamboat ski resort. “We have a lot of great staff who are early in their careers or have young families, but they just aren’t able to put down those roots.”

In Steamboat, along with other mountain towns and destination communities across the country, a pandemic-fueled real estate boom driven by remote workers, second-home buyers and short-term rental investors has caused home prices to nearly double. Those prices have shown few signs of easing, despite rising interest rates and a push for remote workers to return to the office, leaving even high-income professionals struggling to find housing in small, rural communities across the country.

“I know that it’s so hard for folks outside of mountain or resort communities to even wrap their heads around, but housing is just so through the roof that unless you’re extremely wealthy, it’s unattainable,” said Margaret Bowes, executive director of the Colorado Association of Ski Towns.

But addressing the problem has created a predicament of its own, dividing residents in a battle over how to provide more housing and who should pay for it.

Local governments and state legislatures, including those in Utah and Virginia , have been at odds over restrictions on short-term rentals like Airbnbs, and ballot initiatives to add taxes to those rentals have had mixed results at the polls. When it comes to building more housing, residents have mounted opposition to some efforts over concerns about everything from traffic congestion to wildlife migration patterns.

In Steamboat, the latest battle lines have been drawn over a 534-acre ranch that the city’s housing authority purchased with a $24 million anonymous donation. Under the current proposal , the housing authority would use state and federal grants and proceeds from a recently passed tax on short-term rentals to build more than 2,200 housing units in phases. Sale and rental of the properties would be restricted to residents who meet a certain income threshold, work locally, and plan to live in the unit full-time.

“In this environment where there’s always going to be significant amounts of demand, we have to deal with it on the supply side, and our supply side just has not kept up year over year over year over year,” said Jason Peasley, director of the Yampa Valley Housing Authority, which would oversee the development.

The project, called Brown Ranch, has been met with opposition from a group of local residents who have raised concerns about its financing and the impact on traffic and local infrastructure, along with what it could mean for the character of the community.

During a city council meeting in October that stretched into the early-morning hours, dozens of residents spoke for and against the project, with supporters pleading for affordable housing and opponents urging the city to scale back the plans or take more time to study the impact. In the end, a divided city council voted to approve the Brown Ranch plan. But opponents collected more than 1,000 signatures to get the development placed on the ballot on March 26, leaving the final decision up to voters.

Jim Engelken, who has lived in Steamboat since 1979 and previously served on the city council, has been helping organize the opposition. Engelken said he sees a need for more affordable housing but would like to see the development downsized or grow at a slower pace.

“Yes, we need affordable housing, no question,” Engelken said. “It needs to be smaller to start with, it needs to have some ability to generate its own way, its own money.”

He said he is concerned that the city won’t have enough funds for the planned infrastructure, like parks and public transit, and that the projected 6,000 people who will ultimately live at the development — the majority of whom are expected to move there from out of town — will add to traffic congestion and create a need for more water infrastructure.

“It’s an overreach, it’s too big, it’s too much, it’s too expensive, it causes too many problems for the existing city,” said Engelken. “We’re concerned that the infrastructure won’t be in place in this new, large, separate portion of our city, and it will create a second-class neighborhood. That the people living there will be treated like second-class citizens who don’t have access to public transportation or city parks, and we don’t know how many of them are coming from outside.”

With a population of around 13,000, Steamboat has prided itself on its small-town, Western feel. While housing has always been a struggle for entry-level and hourly workers, Steamboat had been viewed as relatively affordable for middle-income professionals compared to other mountain towns, like Vail, Colorado, or Jackson, Wyoming.

“Steamboat has always been known as a cowboy ski town. It’s real authentic,” said Steamboat City Manager Gary Suiter. “And the real estate prices had not gotten crazy like everywhere else. Well, that ended with the pandemic.”

Since 2020, single-family home prices have increased about 80% to $1.8 million on average, and all real estate sales, including condos, increased 64% to $1.1 million, according to data compiled by Jon Wade, a local realtor. For existing homeowners, those rising sale prices have caused property taxes to shoot up, with the average tax assessment up 86%, Wade said.

That’s put homeownership largely out of reach for most people making less than $200,000 a year. And even for those who can afford a home at that price, the competition for housing is so fierce given the low inventory that those without all-cash offers are often losing out, said local realtors.

“We are seeing across all segments of the market even high-paid professionals, they’re turning down jobs because they spend a little time looking at housing costs and they can’t do it,” said Christy Belton, who has been selling real estate in Steamboat for 20 years and whose family has been in the community for five generations.  “The people who are coming here are paying a million dollars for an entry-level house — a totally entry-level, 50-year-old house.”

Steamboat isn’t alone in its struggles. As demand shot up during the pandemic, so did prices in more high-profile destination towns like Aspen, Colorado, and Park City, Utah. With even wealthy homebuyers priced out of those markets, they began looking to more off-the-beaten-path locations.

In Driggs, Idaho, which used to be an affordable-housing refuge for workers in more pricey Jackson Hole, average home prices have also gone up around 80% to $735,000 since the start of the pandemic, according to data from Zillow. Woodstock, New York, has seen prices increase 78% to more than $600,000 on average amid an influx of buyers from New York City. In Gatlinburg, Tennessee, a popular resort community in the Great Smoky Mountains but not one known as a hot housing market, home values have risen more than 80% to an average of $480,000.

For the city of Steamboat, the high housing costs have caused two job candidates to turn down a position overseeing the town’s human resources and risk management because they were unable to find a place to live despite the six-figure salary, said Suiter. Even Suiter’s daughter and son-in-law, with well-paying jobs and a home in Denver, had to abandon their plans to move to Steamboat after the pandemic because the town he runs had become too expensive for them.

The main hospital for the region, UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center, has had positions for mammography technologists go unfilled for more than two years. Even for its highest-paying positions, like doctors and administrators, housing has been a struggle.

“No income earner is immune. Even your top earners with physician pay ranges are sitting in my office saying, ‘I don’t know if I can afford to live here,’” said the hospital’s president, Soniya Fidler.  “I think that probably every week there’s someone who comes back and tells me we lost someone because of housing.”

Sanaya Sturm, the nursing manager at the hospital’s cancer center, is among those hospital employees who have been struggling. When Sturm moved to Steamboat in October 2020, her family of four sold their 3,600-square-foot house in Denver and planned to temporarily live in a 1,500-square-foot rental for $3,350 a month until they found a place to purchase in Steamboat.

At the time she began her search, the average home price was within her budget with the money from the sale of her Denver home and the income from her and her husband, who works remotely as a product manager. But as Sturm began her search for a new home, so did hundreds of out-of-town buyers looking to relocate to Steamboat or buy a second home.

“I can say confidently that I’m now priced out,” said Sturm. “We had the means in the early-2021 price range, but unfortunately I don’t think that’s an option for us right now as things stand with the interest rates and the price of housing.”

Sturm said she was outbid on more than a dozen homes, often by all-cash, out-of-town buyers putting in bids as much as $100,000 over the asking price. She saw one home she was outbid on put up for rent shortly after the sale closed for $7,500 a month.

“It’s really kind of a knife in the gut that’s being turned,” she said.

To address the problem, the hospital has gone into the residential real estate business and is building 42 apartments with rent that will be capped at around 30% of the employee’s income. While the hospital could be spending the money it is investing in housing instead on new patient facilities or updated equipment, Fidler said the hospital has little choice unless it is going to cut back on the services it provides because of a shortage of staff.

“It is hard because we are here to deliver health care, we’re not here to deliver houses. Usually, if we have the dollars to spend, it is on state-of-the-art equipment and upgrading our facilities,” Fidler said. “But we don’t want to have to close services, especially because we can’t staff for it.”

At stake, residents say, isn’t just the fate of their own personal lives or businesses, but the larger character of the community where they says they’re more likely to run into ranchers and Olympic skiers than celebrities or billionaires around town.

“You come downtown and it’s full of normal people, which is one of the primary attractions here. We’re still very authentic,” said Suiter. “That’s one of our biggest threats is that we become so exclusive that we lose our character.”

Shannon Pettypiece is senior policy reporter for NBC News digital.