The 33.7-metre Curvelle Quaranta yachts came about as the result of a team that included some of the finest naval architects and specialist catamaran designers with a vision in mind to "create yachts that will change cruising forever." The company's fractional ownership program is designed to provide more yacht and far more control than you'll find with other similar programs.
Curvelle believes this system provides a superior experience because it is geared toward the flexibility and financial prudence that owners desire. Curvelle has an independent management company in charge of day-to-day operations. This company services and crews the yacht on your behalf and you share in the running costs. The carefully selected 6 person crew is made of up of a captain, engineer, two stewardesses, chef and a deckhand. The ownership structure allows the "Syndicate" to pick and choose the management company used or ultimately it can choose none at all.
The Yacht
Curvelle's 33.7-metre Quaranta luxury catamaran motor-yacht was created with the utmost comfort and performance in mind. Designed by Incat Crowther of Sydney, Australia, and built at Curvelle-Logos in Istanbul, Turkey, she is able to cruise equally well at speeds between 10 and 24 knots. With an especially efficient hull design, this yacht uses less engine power and fuel. The combined interior and exterior space is larger than many 40 metre performance yachts.
Some of the specific features of the Quaranta include:
- Four-deck megayacht with a comfortable 29'5" or 9-meter beam.
- Flexible accommodations include six double cabins, three suites or any combination thereof.
- Interior layouts offer over 20 variations – insulated sliding walls can be opened or closed and any of the beds can be used as separate singles or together as doubles.
- Max speed is 24 knots with a cruising speed of 21 knots.
- Powered by twin 1,900-hp Caterpillars.
- Certified by RINA and MCA as an ocean going commercial yacht with unrestricted range.
All six staterooms are located on the main deck. The ability to be converted offers a flexibility that is unheard of on yachts of this size, until the Quaranta came along. It takes the crew just a few hours to change the configuration. In addition the swim platform has the ability to rise up to the main deck for guests that are in wheelchairs or have difficulty getting around.
Syndicate ownership
The primary relationship and the main agreement in the syndicate is with the other owners. Each yacht is owned by an individual limited liability company based in the Isle of Man, which the Syndicate members as shareholders own outright. Syndicate members own the yacht outright, and have the ability to choose when they want to cruise, just as single owners do.
The syndicate owners, are given equal shares in the yacht and are welcome to buy additional shares. With the proposed cruising plan, each share affords three weeks in the Mediterranean in the summer and two weeks in the Caribbean in the winter. Curvelle shares also provide partial proceeds from charter revenue when other shareholders are not using the yacht.
Syndicate ownership Costs
A 1/7 share in the first quaranta syndicate is currently €1.575 million or about $2,050,000 million, with buyers permitted to acquire more than one share. This represents 1/7 of the ex-yard price of a quaranta as well as the costs of registering and fully equipping the yacht for service. This is "the same as buying a typical new 55ft motor cruiser!" said Curvelle's founder, Luuk V. van Zanten.
Annual costs have an estimated budget of €1.49 million per year exclusive of individual consumables. Assuming all owners made the exact same usage, each would pay about €213,000 annually, less any share of charter income. This budget covers insurance, crew, home port dockage, maintenance, management and fuel/transportation expenses for bi-annual re-positioning.
Extra costs are billed to the owners individual account, including food, beverage, fuel, dockage during use and satellite communication.
Does it make financial sense? Curvelle estimates that anyone who wishes to cruise for more than about 13 days a year, in a yacht of this size and quality, will save money by owning a share.
The bottom line - The Curvelle yacht is designed to be roomy, fast, and fuel efficient. Syndicate members can enjoy all the pleasure of owning a large luxury motoryacht for a fraction of the commitment and cost.