Two Ultra-Kid-Friendly Charter Yachts
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One of the things I'm reminded of at every boat show I attend is that some charter yachts are better than others for families with young children. This lesson once again emerged for me at last week's charter yacht show in Genoa, Italy, while I toured the 110-foot Kingship motoryacht China and the 100-foot Couach motoryacht Mayama.
Both yachts have owners who regularly bring young children or grandchildren aboard, which means that the boats are outfitted with things like safety railings, the cabins are laid out for kids to sleep comfortably (that's China's twin-bed cabin in the photograph at right), and the crew are used to the particular challenges of cruising with kids. That is not the case onboard every yacht, and it makes these two yachts especially worth considering if you plan to charter with young children of your own.
China's owner, according to Capt. Barry Cross, was fastidious about children's safety during the yacht's 2006 build as well as now that China is on the world's waters as part of the Fraser Yachts Worldwide charter fleet.
"During the build," Cross told me, "we even paid attention to things like where the push buttons are to open doors, so toddlers can't reach them and accidentally get outside. You can never fully kid-proof a boat, but we're about as close as you can get."
Similar thought went into the retrofitting of Mayama, which was built in 2007 and got a new owner in September 2009. The new owner is in his 70s, according to Adrien Camellini of management company CSO Yachts, and likes to cruise with his children and grandchildren safely aboard.
"He is very concerned about safety," Camellini told me. "There is no place on this boat where children can fall into the water. He's been adding safety rails to be certain."
There are of course other yachts available for charter that are great for families with children, but perhaps were not on display at last week's charter yacht show in Genoa. To book China or Mayama, or to learn about other options, contact any reputable charter broker.
