Monday, November 22, 2010

News from the Spreader!

It's a birds-eye view from the spreader. What's a spreader? No, it's not what you use to put your butter on your toast! Defined by Wikipedia, a spreader is a spar on a sailboat used to deflect the shrouds to allow them to better support the mast. 


There are always a few questions that we are asked by both yacht industry professionals booking charters for us and our guests. The answers below will help you determine how we interact with our guests and fulfill their vacations. 



General yacht questions:
In a sentence or two, how  would you best describe your yacht to prospective clients?  What’s your specialty? 
     
In the years aboard Three Moons, we’ve described ourselves as a fun-loving service oriented professional sailing couple offering a touch of Southern hospitality fused with the spirit of Caribbean flair. 

What are the three biggest assets of your yacht? 
     Having four equal air-conditioned cabins is one of our biggest assets. Also important is the fact that the yacht is kept in Bristol condition at all times. It’s a real plus for the guest to know that when they return for their second charter, the yacht will look well kept, not worn out. Three Moons has won 10 Virgin Islands Charter Yacht League Culinary Competitions making us the only yacht in the area to win this many awards. Thirdly, and most importantly, we are an owner/operator Crew that has performed professionally, consistently and reliably on the same yacht for over a decade!

Do you have a favorite type of charter?  Several couples, one couple or families? 
     Over the years, this question has been asked many times. But honestly, we like the variety of both several couples and families. We don’t want to pin ourselves to one category. A variety of charters keep our jobs exciting!  

About what percentage of the time do you have several couples, one couple, or families? 
     60% couples and 40% families. Only twice in eight years have we had one couple onboard.

What percent of your yearly charters are repeats? Approximately 50-60%




Tuesday, November 16, 2010

What's New This Season?

The question most frequently asked this time of the year is, “What’s New This Season?” Some years, it’s all about the new toys like the Caribe 115hp Yamaha dinghy shown here.  Other years you have to pay attention to what makes our yacht a safe place to vacation! 



It’s that time of the year. Return to Three Moons yacht, grab the Finesse It and start polishing! Just like a home on the lake that’s unoccupied during the winter, our home is in a dusty boatyard in Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands for 3-4 months every year during hurricane season. And you can imagine, a huge amount of cleaning & polishing must be done before the guests arrive for holiday charters! It’s time to see what’s been fixed in order to have a carefree charter season! 
This year’s boatyard refit is more about the things you cannot see, rather than the things you can! Sure, we are replacing the carpet with plush new high quality Mohawk stain resistant carpet. And we even love the name of the color, “custard”! (Nothing wrong with anything named after a dessert!) 
But here’s our list of the really important stuff that’s been done to the yacht recently:

Refit 2010- Virgin Gorda
Replaced steering wheel shaft with 1 1/4” stainless steel shaft, sprocket & key
Replaced drive shaft with AquaDrive system to reduce hull vibration
Replaced refrigeration/freezer system with Grunert compressor & control system
New 21Kw Phasor Generator
New contemporary Mohawk WundaWeve carpet
Replaced Eisinglass in bimini 
New Main Sail

As an owner/operator, our business reputation is on the line everyday with 
each charter. Many Thanks go out to the following group who take care of us! 

The Workbench, Virgin Gorda, BVI
CRC Engines, Virgin Gorda, BVI
Reefco, St. Thomas, USVI
V.I. Canvas, St. Thomas, USVI

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Great New Thanksgiving Dessert!

Layered Pumpkin Vanilla Rum Cheesecake ‘n Chocolate Pecan Pie

This decadent dessert began with a wonderful fall lunch on the patio at the Cheesecake Factory near Nashville, TN. We’ve always been fascinated with their desserts! On that day, we tried this amazing layered dessert which combined both of our favorite Thanksgiving desserts. 


Curious, I did a little research on the company and the history of how they make their famous desserts. Below is my version which incorporates the idea of using a few healthier alternatives. I love Stevia; but it can be hard to use in baking. Sun Crystals has combined stevia and real sugar which makes it similar to Splenda; but in my opinion, a much safer product to consume with fewer calories.  
Contact me if you would like this recipe. It’s too lengthy for this blog; but it’s very easy and basic. Plan on this dessert taking 2 days to make. Each recipe is equally good on their own. But combined...they’re amazing!