If you’ve been toying with the idea of purchasing a yacht, but don’t want the burden of maintaining one, owning one for a few weeks a year can be the answer.

Have you ever sat on the finely groomed sands of a five-star beach resort and gazed enviously at a yacht offshore, thinking how nice it would be to incorporate a sea excursion into your vacation? Have you thought about purchasing a yacht, but are not sure just how much you would use it? If so, you may be intrigued with a program that enables you to own a yacht—for three weeks a year. You’ll have no worries about crew or maintenance, no worries about transporting it to seasonal locations. All you’ll have to do is schedule your three weeks a year and everything will be arranged for you.
  
Just as with upscale vacation homes, yacht fractional ownership is a growing trend. David Perich, VP of sales and marketing for Luxurious Lifestyles at Sea (LL at Sea), based in Fort Lauderdale, explains why the idea is becoming increasingly popular. “Our program is designed for the person who wants to own a $5- or 6-million yacht, but will use it for only about three weeks a year.” With fractional ownership, participants still own property, but are not tied to all the responsibilities that go along with it. Owners don’t have to pay out a large sum in the beginning, and after three or four years they can sell the yacht and upgrade.
   
That’s why, says Perich, unlike other companies that offer joint ownership of previously owned yachts, LL at Sea features a brand-new vessel for their program. Careful consideration was put into just what type of boat would work best to meet the demands of fractional ownership participants. As their premier offering,  LL at Sea has selected a 2005 80ft Hatteras motoryacht with an open bridge, four staterooms, and separate crew quarters. “It’s constructed and manufactured in such a way,” says Perich, “that it’s easy to maintain and get parts if needed.” And, he adds, “It’s got an incredible PC monitoring system.” The yacht also boasts spacious bars and entertainment areas, plasma screens throughout, and plenty of water toys including snorkeling equipment, Jet Skis, and a tender. A shallow draft makes it easy to get in and out of small coves, and a wide beam ensures a smooth ride.
   
While the yacht itself is gorgeous, Perich stresses that it’s the company’s dedication to service that makes LL at Sea’s fractional ownership opportunity so desirable. He emphasizes that “no” is not a word when it comes to honoring owners requests. He has been in the high-end concierge services industry for more than two decades and says he knows what affluent clients demand and how to comply with their wishes. The company has even enlisted experts in the yachting and hotel industries to prepare detailed itineraries designed to show owners’ exactly what they can do in any number of days they have available.
   
“Follow the Sun” is the company’s slogan, because they plan to locate the yacht according to the season. Summers will find it as far north as Annapolis, while a hint of cold will send it down toward Fort Lauderdale and on to the British Virgin Islands. A full-time three-person crew – consisting of captain, first mate, and chef – will be at your disposal 24 hours a day.
   
The yacht is being offered with 1/12th ownership interests, entitling each owner to 21 days aboard. (The remaining days will be used for relocation of the yacht, crew vacations, and scheduled services.)
   
An annual fee covers cleaning, insurance, maintenance, crew services, and seasonal movement of the yacht. Variable costs per week include fuel, dockage, food, and drink.
   
For those who want all the advantages of owning a yacht without the responsibilities, a fractional purchase can be the way to go.   

Information
For more information, contact: David Perich at Luxurious Lifestyles at Sea,  866 577-7701, www.luxuriouslifestyles.net