Greetings from Planet Vicem!
For new readers of this blog, I’d like to introduce you to an insider’s phrase: Whenever we sell a brokerage or stock boat, I send out an email entitled “You Snooze, You Lose!” (Snoozagram for short). So whether this is your first Snoozagram or your twentieth, you can read all about our latest sale below.
But first, I’d like to [re-] introduce myself, and this blog, to you – I have been with Vicem for eight years, handling the bulk of US sales (some 20 yachts to date). Vicem has just asked me to take on management of the entire sales process for the US, and I am pleased to do so.
The boats and their owners are always more important than the people, but you can find the full press release at:
So kick back and take what you will from this blog. It is published every two or three weeks, and I hope you enjoy it. Please feel free to comment at any time. I will make sure your communications make it directly to the correct Vicem broker. And of course feel free to scroll back through all the previous postings. There is a lot of valuable content here, if I do say so myself….
Dave in Monaco
So, let’s dive in, shall we?
I. YOU SNOOZE, YOU LOSE!
I am pleased to report the sale of our Vicem 72 Flybridge, shown here on the cover of Southern Boating this month:
SOLD!
She will be living in Miami. But fear not, for we have another V72 “on the shelf” waiting for you. You can read the full review of this fine yacht at:
II. Dave’s Book Review
When I was 12 years old (and Richard Nixon was President), I first read “The Strange last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst.” This terribly powerful and sad story has not always been in print, but it is currently available on Amazon.
Crowhurst was one of four entrants in the first ever around-the-world solo sailboat race. The race left from England, but Crowhurst and his badly built trimaran, the Teignmouth Electric, never left the south Atlantic. Rather, her radioed in false positions, depicting a fraudulent journey around the globe.
When his competitors re-arrived in the south Atlantic, legitimately, Crowhurst re-joined the race for the final leg, to claim victory. His long diary entries make clear thought that the pressure of his lies, and of drifting alone for five months, caused him to lose his mind. In the end, he simply walked off the back of his boat. The empty boat was found 10 days later, along with the truthful logs and diaries he intentionally left behind. I can’t imagine a boater who wouldn’t be totally captivated by this book.
I re-read it when I was 30, and then again a few month ago. With each passing era in my life I find I understand the story differently. Jonathan Raban, the Booker Prize author who wrote the preface to the last edition, says that he has read this book once a year over his entire life. It is that compelling, exciting, and instructive.
Recently I was shocked to hear that now, 40+ years later, the Teignmouth Electric is still around. She washed up on a Grand Cayman beach in a 1970 hurricane. I was able to find her on Google Earth (zoom in on the exact center of the satellite photo, after clicking below):
Last week I was compelled to go down to see her in person (I am using the story and her current status in my novel). Here are some pictures:
First sight, peaking out from dunes.
Like the proverbial elephant in a boneyard, it was hard to pull myself away from this wreck of a life and of a boat. It haunts me.
By the way, if you haven’t been to the Cayman’s in a while, I highly recommend the quiet East End. The diving was spectacular. Here is a video of an awesome wreck dive (and no, it is not a Vicem. But check out the huge grouper at the end of the dive):
III. An Amazing Video
Our Vulcan 46M (that’s 151 feet) is almost done. She will splash in April, and will be debuted in Istanbul in June (feel free to come with me for the party). Here is a video of her construction that left me speechless (particularly the scenes of flipping over the mold!).
I am so proud of my people, my company, and my boats:
IV. A Haiti Update
Long time readers are familiar with my efforts to build a new school in the mountains of eastern Haiti. In fact, Vicem and my clients have provided the majority of the funds to help make this a reality. At our second annual fundraiser in NYC last month I am so pleased to say that we raised $23,000. This puts within $50,000 of finishing the entire school. Videos explaining the project are below. If you would like to help, just launch a flare.
The Old School
The New School
V. A Price Reduction
Vanderbilt, our 2007 Vicem 58 brokerage listing, has just undergone a dramatic $200,000 price reduction, to $1,300,000!
Price reduced for quick sale!
She will be displayed at the Miami Boat Show this February, should she still be on the market. You can see the complete listing at:
VI. Our latest listing
We have taken in a pristine 2008 Vicem 52 trade. It is hard to overstate how perfect she is, with just 340 hours. Here are some amazing pix:
Someone is going to steal this yacht. It should be you! The full listing can be seen at:
VII. Vicem Cruiser 107 Model
I am going to Turkey next week to inspect our next splash, the 107 Cruiser. If you have seen the 78 and 92 Cruiser’s, you’ll understand how excited I am to see this one.
Clients I have taken to the factory always comment on the way-cool model shop up on the second floor. We have a full time model builder, and we do keep him busy. This morning I received these photos of the just launched [model] yacht:
The full specifications and plans can be found here (although it is entitled the 100 Cruiser. It grew!):
Well, loyal readers, that should do it for this week. If you have any question, comments or observations, just launch a flare. I will make it sure it gets to the right person.
Thanks, and enjoy!
