While you may be sunbathing wearing your designer shades on the deck, sipping your favorite wine with a view of your friends indulging in your private pool on your Italian luxury motor yacht in Monaco with a private butler ever ready for your next command OR navigating your sail boat trough unchartered and undiscovered destinations and soaking in the sun under clear blue skies in the middle of the ocean amongst absolute tranquility, the only noise being of the gentle waves colliding against the yacht… what is that defines the difference between a power and sail yacht.
Motor yachts are specifically designed around the concept of luxury, lifestyle and comfort wherein the construction and interiors are specifically made to replicate a beautiful outdoor luxury house with the motive to provide every luxurious amenity like state rooms, spas, Jacuzzi and even swimming pools utilizing every inch in order to accommodate every whim and fancy of the yacht owner. As motor yachts are built around luxury, considering the size of the yacht, there are tons of yacht toys like Kayaks, jetskis, submarines, ATV’s etc that accompany yachts and additionally provide that extra fancy for its guests.
Sail boats are can be best described as an Alfred Hitchcock book, they lead you in, entice you to discover more and then let everything sink in little by little. The freedom on a sailboat is almost unrivalled as a leisure activity - a sailboat can give you complete freedom to travel where you want powered by the ultimate renewable resource - wind. Sailing Yachts deliver excitement, sublime entertainment, relaxation and personal satisfaction. Sail yachts primarily made with the intention to create a yacht capable of cruising using its sails and the wind coming towards it, therefore strong and sea worthy exterior construction is the primary objective. However these days sail yachts are also fitted with sate of the art furnishings offering similar luxury as the motor yacht along with the experience of personal sailing.
Navigating a sail boat is primarily a team based activity that requires initial training and a bit of experience before setting off as it requires learning different parts of the yacht and maneuvering techniques. However due to modernization, sail yachts can also come fitted with the finest auto pilots and other navigation equipment which makes sailing a push button experience.
It is extremely difficult to compare the purchase decision between both as normally the profile of the prospective owners tend to differ greatly in terms of thought process and lifestyle, however typically motor yachts tend to be more expensive in the same size bracket as compared to sail boats as they come fully fitted with lavish amenities and powerful engines. Sail boats can at times be almost 40-50% cheaper than motor yachts even though the material of the hull would probably be the same.
Typically, owners of sail yachts normally love the outdoors, the nature and its untainted beauty and look to relax and slow down the pace of life a little in order to be one with nature and are probably extremely conscious about the environment and ecology.
Luxury motor yacht owners on the other hand are normally very charged business tycoons and celebrities having very little time to indulge and are looking for a quick getaway for a short span of time with the motive to entertain their guests and families.
Motor yachts have a much wider range as compared to sail yachts due to its powerful engines that make the yacht reach your destination in no time at all which is probably the biggest advantage of motor yacht over any sail boat, but at a higher cost. Sail boats can come with an engine option which is used purely incase of no wind. Engines on motor yachts range anywhere from 200hp-1800hp whereas even the biggest sail boats would not require more than a 100hp engine making sail yachts almost a 0% headache.
In terms of charters, internationally, sail boats have always remained the popular choice for couples and small families due to the low cost that provides as the pleasure of sailing and the ease to explore unchartered destinations. Sail boats are also used extensively for Employee incentives, employee rewards, or company days out; they provide incomparable options like team building regattas to relaxing retreats in the sunshine!
However motor yachts have always been preferred as a boat to entertain guests and customers due to the immediate hands free luxury it offers. Motor yachts normally play host to numerous Cocktail parties, entertaining vip guests and clients, post conference parties, celebrity parties etc.
It is very commonly said that ‘most of the biggest business deals take place on a yacht’.
In terms of maintenance, sail yachts have a clear advantage over motor yachts as they are easy and simple to maintain and are incur very little expenses. They can be taken ashore very easily can also be beached as there are no engines. Motor yachts on the other hand will make a deep hole in your pocket as they are difficult to maintain and have annual expenses to the tune of 10% of the boat cost which does not include the cost of damages in case there are any.
For many sailing is a passion that is unmatched and incomparable which only grows stronger with time while others believe in living it up by the moment and spoil themselves in what a luxury power yacht has to offer.
The truth is, whichever mode of transport you choose, sailing or motor, it is not the choice that will define your experience but rather that you have made the choice at all.