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The idea of an “extreme” vacation was sparked by brothers James (left) and Nick Barke (right), owners at Boats.co.uk Charters when they discovered their own love of “real sailing” in December 2019.
The idea of an “extreme” vacation was sparked by brothers James (left) and Nick Barke (right), owners at Boats.co.uk Charters when they discovered their own love of “real sailing” in December 2019.

Press release -

Could THIS be the WORLD’S MOST expensive HOLIDAY?

Boats.co.uk launches £1m yacht charter holiday…

One of the UK’s leading boat sales and charter organisations, Boats.co.uk has created what could probably be one of the most extraordinary opportunities for those looking for a holiday like no other; a one year global adventure for 8 people circumnavigating the world in the safety and luxury of a magnificent, crewed 25 metre sailing yacht- the £4m Oyster 825 Champagne Hippy. However, this amazing opportunity does not come cheap, this holiday of a lifetime comes with a £1m price tag!

The idea of an “extreme” vacation was sparked by brothers James and Nick Barke, owners at Boats.co.uk Charters when they discovered their own love of “real sailing” in December 2019. They crossed the Atlantic Ocean in their yacht Champagne Hippy accompanied by World Champion sailor, Alex Alley and five other crew members as part of the famous Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, (ARC) racing from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean.

The impressive performance of the Oyster 825 allowed them to cross the Atlantic in just 15 days - an epic maiden voyage for this famous and distinctive beauty. On their return, after this life changing adventure, the brothers acknowledged that they had now experienced something very special and not available to all. So the die was set to develop a unique one year charter which could exceed the dreams of any adventurous fun seeker who may have always wanted to sail around the world but without the experience to achieve it.

For cruising travellers who have a bucket list of long-desired locations and an ambition to take the trip of a lifetime - Champagne Hippy makes it all possible, with the comfort and style of a super yacht experience. 


Champagne Hippy comes with a crew of 2; Captain Dudley, a highly experienced and qualified skipper who encourages guests to take the ropes as much, or as little as they wish and his partner, award winning Chef Samantha. Sam loves to use local, fresh produce to serve up a wonderful repertoire of simply delicious dishes and if guests enjoy cooking themselves, Sam can introduce them to artisan food markets and local suppliers.

Both Dudley and Sam grew up on the water and have sailed around the world on many adventures. They bring a lifetimes experience of sailing the world’s oceans to Champagne Hippy ensuring their guests can enjoy a breath taking journey through exotic destinations while enjoying the culinary delights served up by Sam.

Depending on choice of voyage and ports there may be many legs to the cruise – visiting the Monaco Grand Prix, the Grand Canal of Venice, traverse the Panama Canal, exploring the Galapagos, eating lobster at anchor in a quiet bay in New Zealand, even the most experienced yachtsman will be pleased to be in the safe and capable hands of Champagne Hippy and her crew.

Guests can choose to take part in the sailing of this ocean thoroughbred, with electric winches, sail controls, and auto-pilot systems making boat handling at sea simple and exhilarating fun. Or they may wish to simply sit back on a sun lounger, take in the sea air and watch the dolphins.

“Nothing has made me feel more alive than being out here, on the ocean, being able to just pick up and go - and there is something very special about this boat that really connects you to your surroundings” Sam, Champagne Hippy First Mate.

James Barke, MD Boats.co.uk Charters commented, “With comfortable accommodation for eight guests, the year can be spent catching up with loved ones, treating friends and family to a series of breaks or meeting like-minded explorers, as you make your way around the world at your own pace.

Your charter can accommodate any lifelong passions and interests you may have- from the Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago to exploring the Norwegian Fjords, we are set up to make it happen for our charterer. To provide a taste of what they could experience we filmed a mouth-watering video of Champagne Hippy which can be found at https://youtu.be/ZFzWPpEDNiM .

With many years of experience dealing with boats, we have now put together a team of sailing experts, crew, seasoned travellers and well connected connoisseurs who will help to build a year long itinerary, completely tailored to our guests requirements.”

While the crew attends to every need on-board, they are supported by a dedicated remote concierge team back in the UK who can open doors to some of the world’s most exclusive restaurants and VIP experiences creating the voyage around any event, commitment or celebration.

There is an undeniable spirit of adventure that is endemic aboard Champagne Hippy, where anything is possible. Simply discovering that feeling of complete freedom is life changing, Boats.co.uk has created simply the most memorable experience available for world charter and it all starts in 2022.


Ends

Media Contacts

Clive Bartlett

Saltwater Stone

c.bartlett@saltwater-stone.com

+44 (0)12020 669244

James Barke

Boats.co.uk

james@boats.co.uk

+44 (0)1702 258885

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ABOUT BOATS.CO.UK

Boats.co.uk are a family-owned business with over 50 years’ experience in boat sales and repairs. It is committed to its award-winning standards of customer service to the boating community. The company has built its reputation on quality, professionalism and value and is now one of the largest leisure boat sales organisations in UK.

The company began the Charter division of its business in 2017 and re committed to that same high-end level of customer service throughout its charter offer, establishing regular repeat bookings.

Boats.co.uk Charters, also offers a fully crewed Princess 72 motor yacht for charter out of her base in Cala d’Or, Mallorca.

Boats.co.uk has sold boats as far afield as the Philippines and Australia. Half of all the boats sold from their Essex and Poole sites now go overseas.

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