Prepare to set sail on the yacht of your dreams when YachtFest San Diego comes to the Shelter Island Marina/ Island Palms Hotel, 2051 Shelter Island Drive, Thursday, Sept. 14 through Sunday, Sept. 17.
The seventh annual festival featuring more than 30 yachts gives a close-up look at the comfort and luxury enjoyed by the more affluent strata of society. This year’s event includes boats ranging from 60 to 130 feet long, including the impressive 157-foot Barchetta with its six cabins, five crew cabins, 13 heads and abundance of tasteful amenities. Also featured will be the brand-new Azimut, a 116-foot state-of-the-art colossus of comfort with nine bedrooms, marble floors, hot tub and flat screen TVs throughout. These super-yachts are priced up to $12.5 million.
“It’s definitely ‘Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,'” said San Diego YachtFest spokeswoman Jean Walcher. “There are a lot of people who can appreciate the pristine engines almost like works of art.”
San Diego YachtFest is the place for new and experienced yacht enthusiasts to buy, sell, charter or marvel at these polished seafaring mansions, Walcher said. Additionally, the event will feature seminars to aid interested parties in adopting the yachting lifestyle, including the free seminar, “Your Career in Yachting “” A Ticket Around the World,” Sunday, Sept. 17, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. The class will cover joining a yacht’s crew, running day-to-day operations, finding and securing employment, safety standards and what it takes to work out at sea, Walcher said.
There will also be opportunities to meet with captains, crew members and engineers to discuss their yacht experiences.
On Friday, Sept. 15, a fashion fund-raiser benefiting San Diego Armed Services YMCA will offer a fashion show and premium access to the featured yachts for $75.
YachtFest will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Daily general admission costs $32. A one-day Preferred Access Badge for $68 provides priority boarding; two-days for $82. Children under 14 are free with paying adults; active duty and retired military receive a 50 percent discount with identification.
For more information, visit www.yachtfest.com.