APRIL 2017 WWW.BOATINTERNATIONAL.COM APRIL 2017OWNERS’ CLUBPlaskett gave the boat more time and consideration
than most. “A lot of people see Ocean Emerald and
immediately think she doesn’t translate to what
a ‘normal’ superyacht should look like so they decide
they don’t like her. Even I was guilty of that at first. But
when you actually go on board and look around you
realize that there is a tremendous amount of space for
the size of the boat. The layout is good too – all the
decks look on top of each other which is very sociable.
At the same time, if you do want privacy, there are
places you can escape to which are quiet.”
The boat was originally built as one of a series of four
for YachtPlus, a co-ownership scheme that didn’t work
out. Her owners (including Lord Foster himself) were
eventually taken over by one buyer, who later sold the
boat to Plaskett. “I feel I got a reasonable deal,” he says,
although he won’t reveal the price he paid. Today, he
recoups some of the cost of ownership through charter,
but the benefits for him go beyond the financial. “For
me, charter is a hobby,” he explains. “I still have
a property company in the UK but I employ someone
else to run it for me, so it doesn’t stimulate the brain.
With charter, I end up doing a bit of management and
a bit of sales. It’s good for me.”
While the boat is chartering, which is usually six to
10 weeks a year, guests will find Plaskett on board too.“The Thai mentality is to say yes to everything and not
to offend by saying no. I am there to manage the crew
in that respect, though I try to fade into the background
for the sake of the clients,” he says. Most of his guests
come from Russia and Europe, with the odd day
charter from China, and while 99 per cent of charters
have been a resounding success, Plaskett will not
tolerate bad behavior when it comes to treatment of
his crew. “If anyone treats them like dirt, I will throw
them off, simple as that,” he says. That has happened
once, but the details are off limits.
Plaskett, who lives in the Gulf of Thailand for
10 months a year, is well qualified to recommend the
best itineraries to his guests. “The nicest trip is usually
to Ko Chang or Cambodia then across to Ko Samui,
Ko Tao and Ko Pha Ngan, and finally back up to
Bangkok. It’s a triangle that ticks a lot of boxes – there’s
a good mix of authentic Thailand alongside more
luxurious tourist spots within easy reach.” Ocean
Emerald was actually the first superyacht to get
a charter licence in Thailand, but the bureaucracy and
barriers surrounding the process have meant that few
other boats have followed.
Tricky visa issues are navigated by employing local
crew through his Thai company. “I find the crew here
better than their Western counterparts to be honest,”“A lot of people see Ocean Emerald and think she doesn’t
translate to what a ‘normal’ superyacht should look like”Clockwise
from top left:
Monaco Yacht Club,
designed by Norman
Foster; Ocean
Emerald in cruise
mode; Ko Chang, one
of Plaskett’s favorite
Thai destinations;
Plaskett in his
Trafalgar dayshe says. “In Europe there are so many regulations,
whereas here the mentality is different. They just want
to get the job done. In the Med, you only need to walk
around a marina to see the number of crew sitting
doing nothing. That never happens on Ocean Emerald.”
The fact that the crew are paid well above the Thai
standard must also make it easier to find and retain
talent and, in fact, many of Ocean Emerald’s nine crew
have been with Plaskett for years.
Beyond charter and crew complications, Plaskett felt
that there were also design issues to iron out. “Ocean
Emerald was very much designed for looks over
practicality. Things like storage space are missing and
the top deck was literally an open space when I bought
it. There was no nice bar or spa pool.”
Having built and designed a few of his own homes
in the UK, Mallorca and Thailand, putting everything
right was half of the appeal. “When the boat was first
launched, it looked like a hospital,” he recalls.
“Everything was white inside, it was very cold looking.
I wanted to make it warmer and more homely.” He
worked with local companies in Thailand to design
bespoke furniture and set about creating a total change
in ambience. The four guest cabins downstairs are next
on his list, with plans for a more flexible layout so that
when fewer guests are on board, cabins can be
extended. “Like many boats of this size, you lose so
much space with the garage and the toys at the back.
Once you take the crew area out, you’re left with very
little room for the other cabins. It’s a bit out of sync
really – you’ve got a very luxurious master suite and
then you cram in four bedrooms.”
For most of the year, though, it is just Plaskett and
his friends and family on board and so lack of space is
not an issue. His brother Neil often leaves his
Sunseeker 96 behind in the UK and comes out to
Thailand for some sunshine; even when the boat is
parked up in Ocean Marina, Nigel is on board every
day. “The temperature is so much more pleasant on the
sea so I’ll often use her as my office,” he explains.
“I wanted the boat to be a home from home.”
Speaking of homes, might Plaskett want to try his
hand at building a boat from scratch, given that he’s
already triumphed with his own properties? A firm
negative. “The houses were enough!” he says. Perhaps
venture into sail, then? Turns out, he’s already ticked
that one off his bucket list. “I’ve actually got a sailing
yacht, O’Lina, a 27 meter, but I’ve given it to my son to
look after. I much prefer Ocean Emerald.”
The yachting community might still be in two minds
about this unusual boat, but she has, happily, found her
biggest fan in Nigel Plaskett. BBelow: Plaskett has
added a bar and spa
pool to the sundeck
and plans to change
the layout of guest
cabins next.
Bottom: the main
deck salon, with its
spiral staircase
behind the dining
table that links
to all other decksSpeed or style?
StyleChauffeur or chef?
ChefFirst thing you pack?
My toothbrush!Favorite beach?
Anywhere deserted
in the Gulf of
ThailandHow many
watches?
One, but I don’t
wear it. It’s too hotFirst boating memory?
With my family sailing in rough seas
in the south of EnglandFavorite car? BentleyQUICKFIRENigel
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