Before and Aft: Megayachts on the Market

Fluto Shinzawa

04/01/2002

David Johnson was ready to buy. It was 1999, and the North Carolina real estate developer wanted to purchase a yacht that he could restore and sell again. Johnson saw plenty of 100-footers, but none stood out from the rest. Older boats that had already been restored didn’t suit his tastes, and the hulls he saw didn’t match his definition of beauty.

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Carolinian houses state-of-the-art technology in its 1982 hull, including two 625-hp Caterpillar engines. (Click image to enlarge)

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Then, while he was in Cannes, France, a 126-foot Feadship caught his eye. The yacht, built in 1982 and christened as Cacique, was original from bow to stern—even the furniture had not been touched. The owner, a Saudi Arabian man, used the yacht once a year, and anchored the boat in Cannes the rest of the time. “It was meant to be used,” says Johnson. “It’s not a floating condominium. One could use it for that, but it would be a waste of what it was built to do.”

Johnson bought the yacht, sailed it around the Mediterranean for several weeks, then transported Cacique to Florida, where he began the restoration process. “It fit all the criteria,” says Johnson. “As well as being extremely beautiful, the boat was original. It had not been Mickey Moused up.”
These days, the emotion registers in Johnson’s face when he talks about the Feadship, which he has since renamed Carolinian. The yacht, completely restored by Johnson and his crew of designers, builders, and vendors, is currently for sale through Camper & Nicholsons International for $9.95 million. “We did not go on a rebuild campaign. We went on a new campaign,” says Johnson. “We replaced every system, every motor, and every device with state-of-the-art equipment.” The equipment includes two 2001 Novurania tenders, a pair of new 625-hp Caterpillar engines, a new air-conditioning system, even a new commercial refrigerator for the galley. (Click image to enlarge)

In Johnson’s own words, the yacht has 2002 gear encased in a 1982 hull.
Carolinian, however, might not have turned out so well without the help of Bill Sanderson, a Camper & Nicholsons broker, who steered Johnson toward the vendors he needed. By hiring people like Patrick Knowles, a Fort Lauderdale–based yacht interior designer, Johnson ensured his restoration project would be as successful as possible. He could have hired lesser-known vendors, but Johnson was willing to spend enough on the right talent. “People always say that they didn’t spare a nickel. Well, we didn’t,” says Johnson.

Whenever he wanted, Johnson would drive to Raleigh-Durham International Airport, catch a Midway Airlines flight, and arrive in Fort Lauderdale less than two hours later to observe the progress on Carolinian. Johnson and his vendors worked with Feadship, requesting parts or plans or specifications. The Dutch boatbuilder would e-mail responses within hours and ship whatever Johnson requested. Meanwhile, Johnson and his crew rewired the entire yacht, ordered a new lighting system, installed a new anchor chain, and redesigned the interior, even adding new marble and new fixtures in the bathrooms. (Click image to enlarge)

As Carolinian neared completion, Johnson invited Feadship executives to inspect the newly refurbished yacht. Don Kenniston, president of Feadship America, was astonished when he boarded the yacht. Dick Van Lent, managing director of Feadship, and Andrew Winch, director of Andrew Winch Designs, a British interior design firm, gushed over the decor of the 1982 yacht. As they toured the vessel, they congratulated Johnson on his work in overseeing the project. “The process was very enjoyable,” says Johnson. “I’d do it again. I don’t mind the mechanical challenge. It’s a labor of love. Watching the transformation is incredibly beautiful.”

Carolinian can cruise at 12 knots, or approximately 14 mph, and accommodates 12 passengers. The master cabin contains two bathrooms and a walk-in closet, and there are two main guest cabins and a smaller midship cabin. The library, which doubles as a media room, is on the yacht’s main deck. It has a full bathroom and can be converted into a sleeping space. (Click image to enlarge)

You can relax on Carolinian by watching television or videos on two 42-inch Panasonic plasma screens, which are located in the library and main salon. There are three surround-sound systems aboard the yacht, four computers, and a TV screen at each crewmember’s bunk. (Click image to enlarge)
 
Johnson enjoyed restoring Carolinian so much that, once the boat is sold, he plans to buy another yacht and begin the process all over again. For now, though, he hopes to find a buyer for Carolinian who will recognize the work put into the yacht. After all, Johnson says, there is no way the boat’s next owner won’t fall in love with Carolinian. “They will come to appreciate the safety, quality, and comfort of a virtually new Feadship,” says Johnson. “They can go anywhere in the world. And it would be just as comfortable sailing around the world as it would be if you stayed tied to the dock.”

Camper & Nicholsons, 561.655.2121, www.cnconnect.com