Photo by Carlo Borlenghi
Feature: Yachting Italian Style
January 1, 2004
On the slim strand of beach, vendors walk below the tide line, arms laden with
the weight of their wares. One slyly intones, “Gelati, ice cream … Viagra?”
Guests from the yachts peruse the Indian silk scarves in ruby, emerald and
sapphire silk sprinkled with sequins that hang from tents. Knockoffs of this
season’s designer handbags are haggled over and snatched up at bargain prices.
“They’re so amusing, don’t you think?” says a Swiss pharmaceuticals heiress,
modeling an armload of Kelly look-alike bags. “Which color should I take? Oh,
I’ll just take them all—they do make fun little gifts.”
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Apreamare’s Don Giovanni is the new model of the original Riva dayboat made
for two. (Click image to enlarge) The crowd in July is mostly Italian and English, with a smattering of French and Americans. My European friends usually head out to the Greek Islands in August and plan to return for the Prada Veteran Boat Rally and the Rolex Maxi Cup in Sardinia in September. In August, there is a whole different set of boats in the bay.
St.-Tropez is where you go if are looking for a wild party scene. Costa Smeralda is where you take your family. Some of the most enjoyable parties are given at Sardinia’s best hotels. One night there is a beach barbecue at the Romazzino, the more family-oriented of the Starwood Luxury Collection hotels. The guests of all Starwood hotels are invited to special evenings at each—one of the few ways newcomers get to know each other. Everyone from James Brown to Dionne Warwick performs by the pool at the Hotel Cala di Volpe or at the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda.
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For serious shopping, everyone strolls the Piazzetta in
Porto Cervo, where the designer shops are open till midnight. Anchored by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda and the Piazzetta
with its shops and restaurants, Porto Cervo is where many of the largest boats
are docked. Saudi Nasser al-Rashid’s 344-foot, five-deck Lady Moura is crammed
into an entire row of similar-sized boats. Lady Moura, the most expensive
commission ever when she was built about 10 years ago, is so broad-beamed that
she has to back into the channel to turn around. She still wins in one-upmanship
by sporting the ultimate tenders—a pair of matching helicopters. (Click image to enlarge)Around 9:30 pm, we stop for a drink at the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, which was founded in 1967 by the Aga Khan, businessman André Ardoin, San Pellegrino mineral water mogul Giuseppe Kerry Mentasti and pasta king Luigi Vietti. The new clubhouse that debuted in 2002 was designed by New York architect Peter Marino, whose client list includes Chanel, LVMH, and other stylish brands. The new club is elegantly simple—all yachty blue and white, with a double staircase that frames the colorful burgees of the world’s great yacht clubs.
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An aerial view of Cala di Volpi. The Aga Khan wanted it to resemble a fishing village crafted by native artisans. (Click image to enlarge) The centerpiece of the blue-and-white tile foyer is the model of Ma Destriero, the jet-powered boat that made the Atlantic cross speed record in 1992 in 58 hours, 54 minutes, 50 seconds. The Aga Khan’s own jet-powered Shergar is berthed at Dock A in front of the club. Mentasti’s legendary sailing ship Southern Cross is also berthed there. In season, you can see them all from the vast pool terrace at parties celebrating yacht races and debuts for the newest boats.
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The Hotel Cala di Volpe’s private beach. In the afternoon, it becomes the site
of “umbrella hopping,” when yacht owners come ashore to check out their
floating neighbors. (Click image to enlarge) After our stroll, we have a 10 p.m. reservation to dine on the rustic patio of the Hotel Cervo restaurant, which has a panoramic view of the moonlit marina and superb seafood cuisine à la Sarde. Another night, we go for sushi at Pepero Club, a hotspot that is open only one month a year—in August. Our yacht broker, the lion-maned, Ferretti-skirted Anna Maria Minoldo, introduces us to Gianni, the proprietor, a man with the hooded opaque gaze common to seasoned nightclub managers. He shows us to our table, which is adjacent to a large birthday celebration. The birthday boy is Muammar al-Qaddafi’s son. A small combo plays and gorgeous vacant-eyed Russian girls in pastel marabou minis sway alone on the floor—the disco downstairs doesn’t heat up until 2 a.m.
Next stop is the Billionaire Club, the “it” spot from midnight till dawn that’s owned by Flavio Briatore, former head of the Benetton Formula One racing team. You can easily drop $7,000 on after-dinner magnums of Moët for yourself and a tableful of friends. They will have it perfectly chilled for you if your concierge orders it ahead, a recommended tactic to assure your table. (On this small island, cash is king, and international guests come prepared with plenty since credit card acceptance tends to be unpredictable.)
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