TheinauguralExplorerYachtsSummittook
placeinMonacoinMay.Itgoestoshowthe
interestinthisexpandingsectorthattheroom
wasfullandorganiserswereturningpeopleaway.
It’simportantnottogettoocarriedaway–the
numberofwhatweclassifyas“explorers”being
builtisstillasmallproportionoftheGlobal
OrderBook,andjusthowmanyoftheseyachts
willeverspendaseasoninthehighlatitudesor
coastingsomeremoteequatorialarchipelago
remainstobeseen–butstill,there’sacleartrend
that’shardtoignore.Theoverridingmessage
fromthesummit,however,wasn’tthatyouneed
anice-classhull,ortightheliops,oreventhatan
exploreryachtwithoutasubmersibleshould
neverpassGibraltar.Itwasthattheonlything
stoppinganynormalwhiteboatfrombecoming
anexploreristhemindsetoftheowner.Ourrole
istoofferabitofinspiration,andwehopewe’ve
donethatinthisissue.Youjusthavetodecide
wheretogo–toseethesurfinghipposofGabon
orthelostwrecksofBikiniAtoll(page 188 ).
There’sabigoldworldoutthere./boatinternational @boatint @boatinternational/boatinternationalPHOTOGRAPHY: TIM BARKER. STEWART IS SITTING ON A CARBON DINING CHAIR BY GOSLING MARINE, TGOSLING.COM
EDITOR’S LETTER 39
09 2019