The Grand Hotel Europe recently welcomed a new addition into its extensive transport fleet - a new ultra-fast, luxury speedboat, the Katarina. With a variety of day excursions available aboard Katarina, guests can appreciate the city's history and sights from the water, leaving an unforgettable impression of St. Petersburg. Imported from Venice, the US$285,000 boat ensures the utmost comfort when cruising along the many granite embankments which line most of the city's waterways.

It is official, the nineteenth edition of the Trophée Clairefontaine des Champions de Voile will take place in the Marina Real Juan Carlos 1er, i.e. inside the port which has welcomed the base of the competitors for the America's Cup 2007. The Trophée Clairefontaine de Valencia will be raced on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 September on this natural nautical stadium known worldwide. Eight great champions will be present.

The second Veolia Oceans one-design for the SolOceans has left JMV Industries yard in Cherbourg (Normandy - France). This 16-m high-tech monohull, entirely in carbon using the technology of the most sophisticated prototypes has been transported to Caen, in the V1D2 yard where SailingOne team will proceed to her equipment and her fitting-out.

This summer Mochi Craft's new lobster boat the Dolphin 54' fly is to leave the yard in Forlì, In this way the inventor of the Italian Lobster Boat Style responds to demands of owners from across the world who would like the opportunity to choose Mochi Craft excellence in both a sun top and flybridge version.

For the few lucky owners looking for exclusive, unmistakable added value, Ferretti Custom Line has created 112' NEXT. The new flagship embodies the highest standards of top-quality yacht-building and completes the fleet's planning line alongside the 97', in an exciting revamp of the range.

Ferretti Custom Line Navetta 33, a new model created with the aim of initiating a complete renewal and expansion of the yard's semi-displacement fleet. Backed by a long-lasting commercial success, Custom Line further strengthens its offer in the growing sector of semi-displacement yachts through a product able of taking on the international market and increasing penetration also in the US and Middle East.

Altura, the timeless series that has made an unforgettable contribution to the story of modern sailing, is renewing. On the occasion of the Privilege Days - an exclusive event dedicated to Ferretti Yachts owners, celebrating in 2008 the 40th anniversary of the yard's foundation - Ferretti Yachts presented the world premier of the Altura 840 project.

The Observatory Hotel is now offering guests one of the most extravagant cruises along Sydney Harbour aboard the Cambria II. Partnering with Cambria Charters, the 100-ft luxury cruiser offers unparalleled service, style and luxury, and is modeled after the classic style of The Observatory Hotel?s Globe Bar. The hotel has created an exclusive three-night 'Snooze & Cruise' package including two nights in the Observatory Suite followed by a night onboard the Cambria II. The price is $16,000 for two persons.

Alexia Barrier (France), Phil Paxton (Canada) and Yann Clavier (France) arrived safe and sound onboard Bostik, the first unit of the Veolia Oceans series for the SolOceans, in the North Cove Marina on the Hudson River, close to Manhattan skyscrapers. They entered the Ambrose Channel (Long Island SW) Monday July 21st at 10.00am local time (13.00pm UT) after 15 days 30 minutes across the Atlantic Ocean.

Marine dreams come to life when the world's largest boat show docks at six sites in the heart of Fort Lauderdale. From October 30 - November 3, 2008 at the 49th Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show you'll be able to find everything you need for your favorite marine past-times. Over $3 billion worth of boats, yachts, superyachts, electronics and accessories will cover more than three million square feet of exhibit space on land and in water throughout six different sites. Below, see where everything can be found, how to navigate between the sites and where you can get your tickets:

eYachtCharter.com announced the launch of its Luxury Yacht Charter Certification Program today. The program has been established to help maintain the web based international directory's high standards of excellence and bring a recognizable logo that will aid prospective clients in discerning which vessels can be trusted in the charter market today.

Hands Om Crew introduces an entirely new concept to the yacht crew placement market. By developing a next generation staffing agency committed to bringing the healing arts into the luxury yacht market and private homes, Hands Om Crew has sought out to fill an industry void. Although there are several reputable crew placement agencies working with the mega yachts today, Hands Om Crew has formulated a new system that focuses on the details.

OCEAN Independence Cavendish White (OCI) is proud to announce the sale of a custom built to order FM75 SOSSEGO to be delivered in 2009, by Peter Thompson of OCI UK. Reaching speeds of 43 knots, the uber-stylish FM75 SOSSEGO delivers a defining statement of both form and function. Conceived by world renowned high-speed motor yacht designer Frank Mulder and to be built by Frank Mulder Yacht Projects BV, the FM75 SOSSEGO offers blistering performance from her swift hull form, even in conditions where others will have to slow down.

Camper & Nicholsons Marinas has appointed Clyde Rawls to serve as Port Louis general manager in Grenada. Rawls, who relocated from the USA for the position, has many years' experience having managed three resort marinas in Florida - including the Bahia Mar Beach Resort & Yachting Center in Ft. Lauderdale.

Bostik, the first unit of the Veolia Oceans one-design series of the SolOceans left Cherbourg Harbour towards New York City, in a strong force 6 gusting breeze. Alexia Barrier, Bostik skipper for this Reconnaissance Transatlantic on the historical road of the great liners, crossed the departure line on the canon shot, at eleven knots of speed close hauled (facing the wind) on the direct course.

While the first Veolia Oceans one-design has still not been presented to the French sailors what will be done at the end of August, Charles Caudrelier has just completed in the middle of the night between the 1st and the 2nd of July a promotional sailing tour of the SolOceans in Northern Europe. Bostik left on the 18th June and has sailed 1,700 nautical miles in very different sailing conditions, with stopovers in the Netherlands, in Germany during the renowned Kiel Week and in Sweden, with a return rounding Denmark. This navigation enabled them to complete the technical tests on the Veolia Oceans one-design and to welcome a great number of journalists in the countries visited. It was also the occasion for the famous German solo-sailor Boris Herrmann to discover the Veolia Oceans one-design and for Alexia Barrier the Mediterranean solo-sailor, to do the delivery from Sweden back to Normandy (France) double-handed with Charles Caudrelier.

INTERNATIONAL superyacht company OCEAN Independence Cavendish White (OCI) is proud to announce that the excellent 45m MARCO POLO was awarded 'Best New Series over 40 meters', while the magnificent 38.5m SanLorenzo 4H won 'Best New Series under 40 metres' at the 18th Annual ShowBoats International Awards in Monaco on the 26th June 2008.

Burger Boat Company launched INGOT, a 153' Tri Deck Motor Yacht. INGOT is a luxurious and sophisticated Burger. Powered by twin Caterpillar 3508 engines, she is ready to efficiently cruise the world. INGOT was designed to be an environmentally friendly 'go anywhere' exploration vessel with the refinement of a classic and stately motor yacht.

Absolute Yachting is pleased to present you the luxury M/Y ELLINIA, the ideal yacht for your clients that wish to cruise the Greek islands. Her length is 80 ft, and she can accommodate 8/9 quests in one Master, one VIP, and in two Twin Cabins (one twin with a pullman berth), all with en suite facilities. Many recreations facilities are offered including: snorkeling, fishing, water skiing equipment and a wave runner.

Most passenger with early arrival requirement on international travel have been stranded at Delta Terminal 3 at JFK for more than 9 hours and at the time of this report there was still no certain departure time announced by the airline. Delta gate personnel also thretened a female passenger at 9:30 pm who said 'this delay is f**cked up' and told her that they would proceed to take her luggage off the plane.

The purpose of this blog is not to discourage people from flying Turkish Airlines, which is a fine company and generally provides fine service, but rather share constructive criticism with the airline and give them a chance to improve their services in a very competitive global industry they operate.I will be posting my entries live, on the road from my blackberry and as it happens, as I am either flying Turkish Airlines, or doing business with the company. So as you receive new blog entry email alerts, I will probably be still at the scene of my latest blog post.

Fraser Yachts is proud to announce that Jan Henry, Charter Broker at Fraser Yachts, has been appointed President of the American Yacht Charter Association (AYCA). With over 27 years of knowledge and experience, Jan holds a rich history in the Yachting industry. She has been a Charter Broker at Fraser Yachts for 14 years and was previously affiliated with Bob Saxon Associates.

Fraser Yachts is proud to announce the appointment of Hein Velema as Commercial Director, based in Monaco. Hein joined Fraser Yachts as Director of Sales in 2007, quickly making a positive impact on the company and providing excellent support to the company's global network of brokers. As the new Commercial Director, Hein will assume overall responsibility for the Charter Division and Marketing Department in addition to his current sales responsibilities.

Kiriacoulis Group introduced the innovative Large Yacht Management providing the Financial administration, Shore Support and all Managerial Services to the Owner. The luxury crewed chartering segment LMY by Kiriacoulis Group supports the management with the Charter Marketing and the Charter Administration enhancing the Yacht's Profile and Owner's Income, by offering own inventory during charters and storage facilities to protect the Owner's personal things.

Bostik, the first unit of the Veolia Oceans one-design series of the SolOceans came back to her Maintenance Base in Caen (France) last Friday evening, from Antwerp (Belgium) where the cargo ship unloaded her on her return from New Zealand. During the next couple of weeks, SailingOne's team will proceed to the usual check up of the boat plus they will install a fix boom. Then, from 17 June, Charles Caudrelier at the helm of Bostik will set sail for a major Promotional Campaign of the SolOceans in Northern Europe and in the United States.

Major Superyachting force OCEAN Independence Cavendish White celebrated its 3rd birthday under the OCEAN Independence banner, Monday 2nd June 2008. In honor of this occasion, the now 12 location-strong superyacht sales, charter, management, new build and consultancy company, made their now traditional donation to charity. In 2007 the donation was made to the Global Coral Reef Association to support their worldwide efforts to protect and grow coral reefs.

Absolute Yachting is pleased to present you the luxury M/Y NITTA V for your last minute bookings. She is a new arrival with great crew members. Her length is 98 ft , she has 5 cabins and she can accommodate 10 guests, with a crew of 5/6 , and fuel consumption 480 lt/hour. Her speed is 20-22 knots per hour.

Executive Jet Management (EJM) has received recognition from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). At the same ceremony, EJM's Repair Station received a 'Certificate of Appreciation' for its contributions to aviation safety through the Service Difficulty Reporting (SDR) program. This program provides a communications vehicle where specific safety issues are identified and submitted to the FAA and can result in Safety Recommendations made to aircraft manufacturers.

XSMG Marine was presented with a prestigious design and innovation award for the XSR48, the firm's iconic and ultra-luxury superboat. The Condé Nast Traveller's Innovation and Design Awards, which took place at a gala ceremony at Grosvenor Square, London, celebrates excellence in 10 categories ranging from Sustainability to Infrastructure. The XSR48 was selected in the Transport category that included other recent design achievements such as the new Fiat 500 and Philippe Starck's concept motorcycle for Voxan.

Fraser Yachts is delighted to announce the arrival of Shaun Preacher into the Yacht Management division, based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Shaun was born into a seafaring family. Originally from England and raised in the United States, Shaun completed his studies in Marine Science and received his Business degree from the Florida Institute of Technology.

Fraser Yachts is delighted to announce the arrival of Sarah Gates as the new Quality & Safety Assistant for the Yacht Management Division within the Fort Lauderdale office. Raised in West Springfield, Massachusetts, Sarah is no stranger to life on the water. From an early age she enjoyed activities such as fishing, boating and traveling outside of the United States with her family.

Fraser Yachts is delighted to announce the arrival of Sean Doyle into the sales division, based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Sean brings knowledge and first hand experience of the yachting industry to Fraser Yachts. Born in South Africa, he developed a love of the sea. After completing his education at the Merchant Naval Academy and five years with the Merchant Navy, Sean came to the United States, via the Caribbean, as captain of a small sailing yacht.

Medical and travel assistance company, On Call International, announced its partnership with Fort Lauderdale-based, Fraser Yachts, to serve as the emergency response call center for the company's worldwide employees and managed yachts. Equipped with physicians, on-demand 24/7/365, On Call will facilitate any urgent situation that might occur on a Fraser-managed yacht.

Fraser Yachts is delighted to announce the arrival of Rob Newton into the sales division, based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Rob was born into the family that founded a yacht manufacturing company, best known for building the trawler yacht series named Grand Banks. After completing his studies in International Management at the California Polytechnic State University, Rob went into the family business building custom sailboats and sport fishers.

Fraser Yachts is delighted to announce the arrival of Melanie Clarke into the Yacht Management Division, based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Melanie grew up in a small town in Massachusetts. Along with her father, an avid sailor, she traveled around the world and spent most of her time along the water.

Fraser Yachts announced the opening of a new office in Mexico City, providing and coordinating a full range of yacht activities. The new office is located in a southern area of the city, called Santa Fe. The business park is home to today's top Fortune 500 companies and recognized as the business park of the future.

Fraser Yachts is delighted to announce the arrival of Judy Apicerno as sales assistant, based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. A native Floridian, Judy was born and raised in Miami and has been a resident of Ft. Lauderdale since 1979. Judy has been in the yachting industry nearly 20 years. Her administrative background, organizational skills and broad range of experience have allowed her to support some prominent brokers in the industry.

Fraser Yachts is delighted to announce the arrival of Shawn Laird as the new Fleet Manager of the Charter Division, based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Shawn brings a wealth of knowledge and international experience to Fraser Yachts. After completing her studies in Criminal Justice at the University of South Carolina, she worked for a family law firm for three years, before she decided to move to the Caribbean to begin her career in the yachting industry.

Fraser Yachts is delighted to announce the arrival of Jose Arana into the Sales Division, based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Jose has always had a passion for yachting. Originally from Mexico City, he grew up sailing with his father and traveling the world by boat. After completing his studies in International Business at Boston University, Jose began his career with yachts at Ferretti of America in 1997. It was here that he acquired the knowledge of relationship management, which became a valuable asset to him.

Chris Cecil-Wright in the Monaco office is pleased to announce KOKOMO and SLIPSTREAM as his latest central agency yachts. KOKOMO is the 23rd sailing yacht and third over 50m in length built by Alloy Yachts. Designed by Dubois Naval Architects and launched in July 2006 she continues the steady progression in the design and construction of large, high performance sailing yachts. With elegant lines and superior build quality and finish, she is the only yacht of her type on the market. Asking price EUR 34.500.000.