Building A Boat

For the past, say, roughly two years I have watched this boat being built under a shelter directly on Highway 20 leading to Fort Bragg. Yesterday I stopped and began taking photos of the boat still under construction. However, this time, there was a banner in front of the fence, as you can see above.

I went to the indicated website, Chasina Bay Charters, and discovered that this boat is set to launch in May of this year, and is the featured vessel in the Chasina Bay Charters company.

According to the website, the vessel is a 75-foot expedition yacht that will ply the waters in and around Ketchikan, Alaska. One planned itinerary includes 8 days of crabbing, whale watching, kayaking, fishing, nature viewing, beach combing and hiking.

Sounds great, doesn't it? With one small caveat: click on the tab that indicates "rates & reservations." Booking the boat, which can berth 8 persons, is $22,000 for the first four days, and $4,800 each additional day thereafter.

Let's see: for that 8-day trip I mentioned above, your tab would be $41,200.

It seems to me this company might just be trying to pay off their vessel on the backs of those persons making reservations the first year.

Call me crazy, call me wacky, but I don't know of anyone who would pay $41,000 for 8 days on a 75-foot boat in Alaska. Russell Brice's Himex company (Himalayan Experience) will take you to the summit of Mt. Everest for $56,000 and roughly two months' time, in comparison.

Additionally, those able to afford $41,000 for 8 days would surely own a yacht themselves or commission a larger vessel.

So, am I crazy? Would people pay this kind of money for a trip of that nature? Or are you thinking what I'm thinking: the owner, in this economy, is going to have to seriously revamp his rates or find no clients?

BZ