All Yacht equipment
Engines, propellers and cutters
All our yachts have been ordered with a higher power engine, offered as an option by the shipyard. We believe that there will always be weather conditions in which a yacht can benefit from the extra power available. In such cases, extra power equals to extra safety and the extra acquisition cost involved for the bigger engine, becomes a detail. More power is one parameter, delivering it, is another. Therefore, we have installed on almost all of the yachts in our fleet the Autoprop feathering propeller. Please visit the manufacturer’s website www.bruntonspropellers.com/autoprop to get to know the many benefits from this unique piece of equipment and also watch the following impressive video www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pkrxZwI2_Y for a better understanding of how it works. Finally, to protect the saildrives of our yachts from floating ropes and nylon fishing lines, which could get entangled and spoil your holiday, we have also installed on almost every yacht in our fleet a heavy duty cutter (see it installed between the prop and the saildrive in the picture) which will keep you away from trouble (and unnecessary costs).
Fresh water
Fresh water and electrical capacity on board have historically been a major concern for sailors. Refilling your water tanks in Greece is not a simple procedure for most of the times. The shortage of marinas and the lack of organized structures in most small ports make water refilling, a time (precious holiday time) consuming and unpleasant exercise that can last up to a few hours in certain cases. Recognizing its importance for comfortable holidays, SeaStar Sailing has taken action to reduce the problem on all of its yachts. When offered as an option, yachts have been ordered to the shipyard with an extra water tank. Therefore bigger yachts carry a total of 530 litres, which will allow an attentive group of 6-8 people to refill only once during an one week vacation. Smaller yachts carry 360-380 litres as standard, which will also allow a smaller attentive group of 4-6 people to refill only once (or twice) during an one week vacation, while a catamaran in our fleet will carry over 800 litres of water.
Electricity
Electricity is used by the fridge, the electric water pumps, the lights, the fans, the instruments, the radio, etc. Any attempt to reduce its consumption, results in clear discomfort. Bigger yachts have the space to be fitted with a diesel generator. For smaller boats, the combination of solar panels and a large number of batteries seems to work very well. For example, no client aboard our 449s (which is a medium size, 4 cabin yacht with high consumption) has ever complained about electricity shortage. All of our yachts have anything between 7 to 10 of good specifications batteries, with dedicated specialist batteries for critical equipment and a large number allocated for “General Services”. It is also worth mentioning that investing in led lighting throughout the fleet is helping us a lot to achieve a very low overall consumption in each yacht.
Batteries
Batteries on board charter yachts are not treated nicely! The charging procedures required to protect their health, are often neglected when people are in holiday mode! This is why we are focusing on Banner (a premium Austrian manufacturer) and more specifically on their Energy Bull and Running Bull products. Please have a look here https://www.bannerbatterien.com/en/Battery-knowledge/29-Handling-boat-batteries-professionally Every time that the life of a shipyard installed battery comes to its end, we replace it with an appropriate Energy Bull battery, if it is a “service battery”, taking advantage of its deep discharge characteristics or with an appropriate Running Bull battery, if it is any other battery.
SOLAS Life Jackets
We equip all the boats of our fleet with Lalizas Advanced Lifejacket SOLAS. We prefer the robust safety factor provided by this foam type of life jacket, over the ease of use offered by inflatable types of lifejackets. Please read more information here https://www.lalizas.com/product/148-solas-foam-lifejackets/3350-advanced-lifejacket-solas-lsa-code-2010 For clients who request inflatable type of lifejackets, we usually provide them free of charge, without removing the foam ones already on board and after having the client sign an indemnity document to protect us, by assuming responsibility from the results of any malfunction of an inflatable lifejacket
Safety
Safety at sea has always been at the top of our priorities and this is depicted at the level of equipment carried by our boats. Apart from the EPIRB, the life-raft, the vests, the safety harnesses, the fire fighting equipment and all the things required by laws and regulations, care has been taken by providing on all our yachts, all the things that a prudent sailor would carry on his private yacht. From a traditional lead with cord sounder to measure the depth at the stern close to the quay when moored stern to and the handy diving knife easily accessible in case of emergency, to the handheld fog horn that requires no electricity or special preparation and can be readily used in case of trouble
GPS and AIS
Besides the normal instruments and auto-pilot expected nowadays from all yachts, GPS plotters and AIS transceivers are standard pieces of equipment on all of our new yachts. Plotting on a GPS screen which is installed at the cockpit, creates an awareness of location, which contributes a lot to safe navigation. Letting the big boats around you to know through AIS that you are a sailing yacht (and not a fast moving speedboat) adds an additional layer of protection from human misjudgment.
Anchoring
Anchoring (stern to the shore) is the predominant way of mooring in Greece, either in ports or in coves out in the open sea space. That is why we feel that we had to provide a whole anchoring system to our guests rather that just an anchor, some chain and some ropes. A good slightly oversized (for each yacht size) anchor (like Delta), special swivels between the anchor and the chain, a very long chain (70m, 85m and over 100m depending on the size of the yacht), colored plastic chain markings for length estimation, an electric windlass, rope to chain attachment to the boat and a self-levelling buoy to mark the anchor position in the sea, are all standard equipment at the bow section of our yachts. A second anchor with 10m of chain and two pieces of 50m of rope is also provided as standard auxiliary equipment. Fenders of various shapes and sizes with cloth covers (to look nice) protect each yacht when moored in crowded ports. Some yachts are also equipped with electric chain counters fitted at the cockpit console.
Cockpit comfort
Comfort in the cockpit area is provided by a well designed sprayhood with an opening central section, a large bimini with jockey to provide shade for the crew and the helmsman, teak cockpit floor, teak cockpit seats and comfortable cockpit cushions in leatherette. A cockpit shower with hot and cold water is always available. All Dufour yachts in our fleet are equipped with the famous cockpit plancha and sink for great BBQ cooking outdoors. Some yachts are also equipped with a cockpit fridge! A good quality tender is provided as standard on all yachts in our fleet at no extra cost. Flippers, masks and snorkles and various water toys are also provided on every yacht.
Comfort inside
Comfort inside each yacht is enhanced by sanitary covers to all beds, good quality linen, and a generous supply of towels. Saloon seats are covered by leatherette material to allow meticulous cleaning after each trip. Led lights, blinds, mosquito screens to all hatches and electric fans in each cabin help to keep a cool environment, while some yachts are equipped with air-conditioning too. Large capacity refrigerators relative to the yacht size have also been a selection criterion for our yacht acquisitions. A stereo system with radio, speakers both inside the boat and out in the cockpit and usb auxiliary input port (ready for connection of your own devices) can provide your kind of entertainment at all times.
Drinking glasses and coffee cups from Australia!
We wanted them to be unbreakable. We wanted to minimize their slipping and spilling their content when the yachts are heeling. We wanted them to resist to scratching and continue looking nice after the first year of use. We got all we wanted and more. We also got award winning design by Marc Newson and environmental protection by their being 100% recyclable, BPA-free and Melamine-free. Visit the manufacturer’s website palmoutdoor.com.au and you will be convinced too, why we think that it is worth importing them all the way from Australia!
Extra Float switch for the Bilge pump
Modern bilge pumps installed at the bottom of every yacht are usually of the “automatic” immersion type. This means that they have an internal sensor that will detect water rising and will activate the pump. The skipper can also manually activate the bilge pump and test the pump’s functioning. However, this test will not test the condition of the sensor itself… This is why we install an extra float switch which works in parallel with the internal sensor and provides a back-up for it, while allowing the skipper to test that at least one sensor (the extra float switch) is in good condition and working properly, by just lifting the float switch with his finger. SeaStar yachts are equipped with many such “details” collectively called “SeaStar Trimming”, to elevate the safety levels and help the skipper achieve “piece of mind”.
