The newsletter of Boat Showrooms and Aicon Yachts UK

The newsletter of Boat Showrooms and Aicon Yachts UK The Elegant Aicon 85 cuts a dashing profile en-route to its Genoa launch... Inside... 85 Flybridge receives warm welcome at Genoa... 62 Open awarded top accolades in MBY 5-boat showdown... 56 Flybridge makes its London debut... New 75 Flybridge being launched for Summer '07... 54 Flybridge launched with 2-cabin alternate layout... Navetta range of semi-displacement models begin development... And more... Welcome to the Spring 2007 edition of 'Seagull', the newsletter for Aicon Yachts UK, from Boat Showrooms... In this, the premier edition, you'll find information on some of the new models planned for launch in the very near future and an insight into Sicily, where the two Aicon factories are, as well as a run-down on 'The Sicilian Handover Experience'. We also have an insight into just what it takes to get a boat like the Aicon 56 into the London Excel Boat Show, for all of those that asked the question; “just how do they get these boats in here...?!” But first of all, I would just like to say a warm welcome to those of you that we managed to speak to during the last Southampton and London Boat Shows, where we launched the Aicon brand into the UK for the first time. It's always a pleasure to meet prospective customers at these shows and get to know people better... Boating seems to be one of the last few things that demands a relationship to be forged between the customer and the dealer, as opposed to the increasingly popular on-line, 'buy-itnow' culture rapidly developing elsewhere! This is especially the case when dealing with boats that cost well in excess of half a million pounds, as is the case for most of the luxury brands Boat Showrooms is fortunate enough to deal with... We prefer to get to know our customers, what they need from their boats, what their boating aspirations are and of course, what we can do for them in order to help build their ideal boat... This is particularly the case when it comes to Aicon, as, unlike so many of their competitors today, they are willing to sit down and discuss just exactly what it is that every customer truly wants from their boat. It might not be so rare on 100-footplus boats these days but it certainly isn't the norm when it comes to boats in the 50 to 70 feet range... Aicon's willingness to listen to customer requests, as well as offering a range of alternatives when it comes to not just the fabrics and furnishings but also the joinery and cabin layouts is a refreshing change. The 'loft-style' interiors that they emulate are themselves a reflection of the volume and space seen in the original New York 'loft' apartments – and the light oaks and satin finish cherry interiors on many Aicon Yachts just serve to reinforce that feeling of spaciousness... Of course, having the World's largest swimming pool at the end of your bathing platform is something that a down-town Manhattan 'pad' would find hard to compete with! The philosophy of space that Aicon's principal designer, Marco Mannino, creates throughout each boat is also joined by the necessity to have something that is functional too... and this is something that is obviously appreciated by every Aicon owner, as the shipyard have achieved incredible sales with their range in a relatively short space of time; over 100 Fifty-Sixes sold in five years... And this looks as though it will be echoed by the extremely popular 64... is it any coincidence that both these models won the prestigious 'Boat of the Year' award in their respective categories at the Cannes Boat Show at each model's launch..?! In any case, we invite you to delve further into the Aicon family of luxury motor yachts and get to know them better... Whether you are after a 3 or 4 cabin Flybridge or an exclusive made-for-you Open, if you see something that feels like it could have your name on it, just talk to us and tell us how we can make it perfect for you. We look forward to seeing you soon! All the best, the Aicon Team at Boat Showrooms Boat Showrooms Ltd. Hamble Point Marina, Hamble, Hants. SO31 4NB Tel UK: +44 (0) 2380 458990 Web: www.boatshowrooms.com Palma Office: 0034 971 285074 LATEST NEWS NEW ADDITIONS TO THE AICON FAMILY... A recent visit to the Shipyard revealed several new developments under way... A new 75 Flybridge is well under construction and due for launch some time during the Summer of 2007... The 4-cabin layout was quite evident with all the timber internals being fixed into position and no doubt the finished boat will have all the wonderful styling and space that we've come to take for granted in the rest of the Aicon range. The exterior styling echoes that of its larger sibling, the 85, with the dramatic sweep of the side profile and the large circular windows continuing the family theme. ****************** Also in its very early stages of build was the new Navetta-style semidisplacement hull, with the mould in its final stages of preparation. The boat will be approximately 110 feet in length and will be the first of three, ranging from 90 to 130 feet. More details on the 110 and the other semi-displacement models should be available during the Summer. Line drawings of the new Aicon 75 Yacht ******************* Another addition to the family, due towards the latter part of the year will be a larger Open model. The current Open range comprises just two models, the 72 and 62 (more of which you can read about in this issue) but will be joined by an 82-footer at the end of 2007. Demand for the larger Open models is high in Europe at the moment and both current models are doing very well in the Mediterranean and the US, thanks in part to the obvious climate benefits! We shall be keeping you posted with the progress of all of these new models as they near completion... AICON OFFICE NOW OPEN FOR UK BOATERS IN THE BALEARICS Boat Showrooms are now represented in the Balearic Islands by Island Yachts, who will be able to cater for British Citizens wishing to purchase and use an Aicon in this part of the world. Island Yachts are located in the heart of the Palma yachting community and are managed by John Apps. John, who has many years experience with the local boating market, will be on hand to discuss anything from a new build through to chartering the boat locally. Location-wise, Island Yachts couldn't be better placed to service boaters in the region. Situated on the Paseo Maritimo, which runs beside the principal marinas in Palma bay, Club d'Mar and Port de Mallorca are only a few minutes away on foot and the fabulous location of Portals is just 10 minutes away by car. John and his team also specialise in RIBs and are agents for the brands Ribeye and Goldfish – many of which end up as tenders on locally-kept superyachts. If you prefer to do your boating in the generally more-predictable Med and would like to know that support and after-sales service is on hand, do call either the Hamble or Palma offices. We would be delighted to talk to you about a new build, berthing or chartering an Aicon in the Balearics. Mark Fea, Boat Showrooms (left) & John Apps, Island Yachts of Palma celebrate the new venture... NEW CABIN LAYOUT FOR THE 54 FLYBRIDGE Unveiled at last October's Genoa Boat Show was a 2-cabin version of Aicon's radical 54, which is already right up there in the contemporary 'loft-style' stakes... The new layout means there are just two cabins instead of the standard three. The twin guest cabins mid-ships have been sacrificed in order to allow a full-beam owners cabin there, with a massive en-suite. If you are unfamiliar with the 54, we would be delighted to send you more details about the stunning interior choices... INSIDE LOOK AT THE AICON 85 FLYBRIDGE Apart from brief mentions and some occasional press coverage, to most UK boaters, the inside of the Aicon 85 will be an unfamiliar place... It means you probably won't have seen the huge saloon with its unique side window, allowing a view unmatched by virtually any other boat, or the clever use of forward space allowing the crew their own separate area, or the huge acres of space on the flybridge... Then of course, there are four cabins, with a huge midships owners suite, another double cabin forward for your guests – and two twin cabins, all en-suite. Any way you look at it, the Aicon 85 offers a fresh and exciting look at space usage on their new flagship model. Please contact us if you would like more details or the full specification on this model. Above: Looking forward, the 85's spacious saloon and dinette and below, right, the very original drop-down window, looking out to starboard. The 85 Owners Cabin “It's third cabin is a work of genius...” Motor Boat & Yachting – Feb 2007 AICON 62 Open “...as third cabins go, it's in a league of its own”, the magazine continued, from their recent mega-boat test of 62-footers, which included the Azimut 62S Open, the Sunseeker predator 62, the Fairline Targa 62 and the Princess V65. In fact, considering the calibre and history of some of the opposition the Aicon 62 was pitched against, the boat only missed taking top honours thanks to a rudder problem that was unable to be fixed in time. This was due to the schedule of boat shows – the 62 was tested directly after the Barcelona Boat Show, held very quickly after the Genoa and Cannes shows. We are currently working on getting the 62 and 72 Open tested together by Motor Boat and Yachting in the near future, so keep an eye out for that! AICON Yachts Range: FLYBRIDGE MODELS: 54, 56, 64, 75, 85 OPEN MODELS: 62, 72 LONDON BOAT SHOW... HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN THEN?! The journey by sea feels like the hard bit during typical December weather but the real work begins once there, as the boat has to be cleaned of all salt and given a good wash-down. Then the process begins, with all the exhibitors patiently waiting their turn for the 200 ton crane... Once in the slings, there is a truck on standby waiting to drive about 500 meters to the hall, where the next lift awaits. The process for this short road journey is taken as seriously as if it were a 500 mile trip – the drivers diligently making sure the boat is secure and ready to go up the ramp into the hall. Inside, there are four more cranes, working in unison to ensure the boat comes off the road trailer with no fuss. The cranes all work together with their limited clearance, thanks to the roof height and once clear of the trailer, the trucks make their exit, leaving the boat suspended in the air... It's during this potentially heartstopping period that the stress starts to peak as now the cradle, which will support the boat for the entire show, has to be positioned in exactly the right place! The Aicon 56 being lifted at Excel... One of the questions we get asked at London – apart from the obvious ones about the boats themselves – is how do they actually get them into the hall... Well, it's not entirely magic, although it feels like a little magic wouldn't go amiss when you are there trying to get everything organised! The larger boats generally come up by sea and in the case of the Aicon 56, she departed from her home port of Hamble Point Marina four days before her scheduled lift-out time at Excel. Once in the Thames, the King George V lock has to be navigated, allowing access into the basin that contains the runway for City Airport and eventually, Excel. ...and then 'trucked' in, ready for another lift by the four internal cranes... This is all done the good old fashioned way – a dozen or so men working together at each corner, to bring the boat and cradle together safely and without damage. It's now that the boat gets pushed, dragged and shoved to the place where it will spend the next four weeks on position. While most people are frantically out shopping, at Excel, it's all hands on, as more boat cleaning takes place alongside welders, electricians, carpenters, carpet-fitters and so on, all trying to get their work done, ready for the public to see the finished result. And finally, when the show has been and gone, it all has to be broken down again in reverse, ready for the next event! Being readied for the cradle, building the stand and finally – SHOWTIME! SICILIAN HANDOVER... Nothing beats collecting your new boat directly from the people that built it – and so what could be better than actually flying out to Sicily and having a weeks holiday aboard your new luxury yacht directly after the handover with the shipyard's after-sales team? Then, once you've finished touring the amazing coastlines of Northern and Eastern Sicily, you can leave your new boat back with the shipyard! This gives the after-sales team the opportunity to rectify any snags and make sure everything is 'ship-shape', prior to shipping the boat to her home port. You'll enjoy some great adventures exploring some of the incredible ancient sights in the region, like the Greek Theatre at Taormina, overlooking the sea from the cliff-top, with Mt Etna up in the distance, dominating the skyline of Eastern Sicily... There's also the famous Straights of Messina, separating mainland Italy Typical Sicilian Coastline... from the Island and just round to the North, there are the beautiful Aeolian Islands, location of many of the Aicon brochure photos. Whilst enjoying all of this Sicilian hospitality, you can rest assured knowing your boat will be delivered ready to continue with more adventures in your home waters! Of course, this kind of adventure is not just the preserve of new boat owners – those wishing to charter in this region have the option of doing so with Aicon's sister company, Airon Blue. Their fleet consists of the entire Aicon range and their luxury tailored itineraries can be discussed in detail with them directly... Please contact us for more details and we'll be happy to put you in touch. Boat Showrooms Ltd. Hamble Point Marina, Hamble, Hants. SO31 4NB Tel UK: +44 (0) 2380 458990 Web: www.boatshowrooms.com Palma Office: 0034 971 285074