A motor yacht with an ‘affordable luxury’ tag is to make its European debut at the PSP Lamberti 80Southampton Boat Show next month.
The Lamberti 80, an Italian-designed vessel and currently named Emily Rose, will reputedly be one of the largest crafts of its kind on display in the water.
Dennis Boon has the European distribution rights for the £1.4m motor yacht, which is 24 metres long.
His dealership, Lamberti Luxury Yachts, is exhibiting at berth 147 in the product category of large power boats.
He has received dozens of email enquiries from people interested in buying or chartering the Lamberti 80, as well as inspection visits in the past fortnight from a telecoms tycoon in Indian and a wealthy Texan rancher.
Lamberti 80 2The craft is moored next to her twin, Lady Kathryn, at Port Solent, Portsmouth, where Lamberti Luxury Yachts is located.
Both vessels were shipped to Port Solent from Southern China earlier this year after being manufactured to European-certified standards.
Dennis, who lives at Port Solent, said: “Despite the global downturn the charter market has not grounded, and our ‘affordable luxury’ branding should touch more heads and wallets in these price-sensitive times.
“I’ve received dozens of email enquiries but, more importantly, inspection visits from 10 well-heeled individuals, including an India telecoms typhoon, as I can him, and a Texan rancher. They are after value in the new world economic order.
“One guy has already made an offer, but it was below the asking price. I’m confident we’ll get the asking price because this high-spec vessel is already great value for money.
“The important thing is to have fun at the show – I’m not one for formality as the Princess Royal will vouch. Laughing her head off, so to speak, Princess Anne kindly asked me to stop singing God Save the Queen to her at the London International Boat Show earlier this year.
“My voice might come in useful at the show on September 17 – the organisers are attempting a new mass semaphore world that day, led by record holder power boat race ace Shelley Jory.”
Both Lamberti 80s, which can accommodate up to 30 people each for entertaining, are for sale through direct purchase, fractional ownership or boat share.
Dennis shot to marine fame in the early 2000s with his wacky glass-bottom rowing boats at the PSP Southampton Boat Show on their first appearance.
He went on to create the Weird Boat Company; one of the eye-catchers was a circular speedboat, the Circraft, which you steer by leaning.
Lamberti Luxury Yachts is sponsoring the Circraft as a free sea-sport accessory, worth nearly £5,000, on the Emily Rose to anyone who buys her.
Dennis was also the UK’s biggest seller of the pedalo for three years on the bounce.
Last year he survived a typhoon in the South China seas, clinging to a beach shack as the waters rose.
Dennis had been in China at the time to oversee work on the Lamberti 80.
He set up the manufacturing contract after the editor of Asia’s biggest boating magazine overheard him complaining that he had no contacts in China to get the idea off the ground. Within three weeks the deal was sorted.
Production of the Lamberti 80 is certified to European standards by DNV, one of the world's leading certification bodies.
Dennis is also considering manufacturing a tri-deck Lamberti 135, subject to a potential purchaser putting down a 50% pre-sale deposit.
What you get for £1.4m (excluding VAT)
- Two D12-650hp Volvo Penta engines
- Cumming Onan generators
- Maximum speed of 25 knots
- Range of 300 nautical miles (depending on speed)
- Two master bedroom suites
- Two Twin cabin
- Cherry wood and leather furnishings
- Fully-fitted kitchen
- Plenty of sunbathing and entertaining space