YES! (Yacht Escort Ships)

Thanks for asking, Carl - don't know how much license you allow from the business perspective.

My most interesting is posted under the fractional ownership thread. You can get the details there, but in short it is a floating yacht club. Not too worried about exterior faring and Awlgrip paint but taking full advantage of all the toy and guest accommodation capacities.

Concept is to be a private, members only yacht club. You can bring your sportfish, rag boat or gin palace alongside and moor using the "floating clubs" shore power, buy fuel, spare parts, rent a guest suite, bar, restaurant, get bait, use the lounge, laundry, etc. On board will be a sportfish for those without their own yacht, jet skis, dive boat and gear, Laser sailboats, kayaks, bicycles, motorcycles, etc, etc.

Cruise locations to vary with season, i.e., New England - Carib; Mexico - Alaska; Med - Red Sea.

All the worries about who the chief stew is, the color of the curtains, the chef's favorite dish go away. This is not an ego-trip yacht, but rather a focus on the use and enjoyment of boats and water for what they were meant.

I look forward to your thoughts and ideas on "Club Wet."

My other current projects are all classic support vessels to carry the helo and toys for the main yacht - all in the 180 to 200 foot range. In addition to Flume tank stabilization, I am adding fin stabilization to give them, YES, the best ride on the water. Also looking at a separate hangar on the helo deck just for the bird which gives more space below.

The Forum respone and brainstorms to any and all the above are always appreciated.

Carl, I know you fly radio controlled copters, but you had a detailed explaination a few frames up. Do you fly real helos?
Stan, congrats and best of luck on the new venture. I've followed the story of Shadows in the regular mags, even saw Lady Lola Shadow one day up the canal in Ft Lauderdale probably about two years ago. Knew the style vessel right away (OSV) but great concept converting to a chase ship.
I do some freelance writing for a local paper so I'll check with the editor if she has your new biz covered yet. Could make for a good story in the October edition (out in time for the FLIBS). I'll send you an IM with my phone number).
Capt Tom

Love the new Company name very positive all round.

I also love the Yacht Escort Boat concept, but believe there is room for improvement in the exterior design. Are you planning to change the concept there with the formation of YES? Or is this exactly what you mean by focusing on Custom builds? That owners can select a designer to do the exterior design of the shadow boat. Or am I confused and this defies the whole purpose?

You are exactly right, tartanski.

Some owners are not very happy with the exterior profiles and that is why I am working on a helo deck hangar. It gives the profile a nicer stepped appearance rather than just a big box on the back of an OSV.

And it does not defy the concept because we start with a commercially proven platform that is worldwide cruise capable at a fraction of the cost of a yacht. Then the blank pallette is expanded upon to give the owner as much (or as little) as they want.

I think we will do some, YES, sleek support ships but most will remain in the ugly duckling mold. Form follows function.

Thank you for the query.

Your kind sentiments are appreciated, Ken -

Since I am converting and customizing my Yacht Escort Ships exclusively for clients, I will not have any product at the FLIBS.

However, I understand that the 156 foot Mystere Shadow, the third support vessel that I built on spec when I started Shadow Marine, will be shown at the Merle Wood display. Mystere has no guest cabins but is a good example of the concept.

If you need an introduction for boarding I would be pleased to assist.

My next YES will be delivered in February 2007.

I see you're in Ft Worth. I live in Arlington. Give me a call sometime 817/654-0911.

Hey Cat Man - what do you Do? (questionable sense of humor on a Monday morning.....)

Seriously, I am currently focused on the shipyard work down in the Gulf but will give a call next time I pass through Cowtown. Has it cooled down there yet? Is there any water left in the lakes to run a boat?

Thanks for the note. Best regards.

Stan!!

Though you and I talk on a regular basis I still must offer my heartiest congrats on the new company!!!!!

Take care my friend and tell your wonderful wife I said hello!!!!!

Cheers,

Mark W.

Thank you, Mark, for the very thoughful and generous comments.

To keep you informed as well as the Forumn membership, I am attaching the design for my latest 205 foot (63 meter) Ultimate Yacht Escort Ship.

I am particularly proud of the concept to add a separate hangar for the helicopter on te helo deck. This allows the bird to be stored and prepped for operations before and after transits and passages very efficiently. Furthermore, this precludes the requirement to move it down to the main deck for any reason.

The additional interior hanagr space on the main deck without the helicopter is stunning.

On the drawing I have a Eurocopter EC-135 pictured both in the helo hangar and on deck as well as the profile of a Garlington 44 on the main aft deck.

You cannot see the accommodation for a Wally 47 on the port side of the Garlington, as well as the cars, Rivas, RIBS and 8 jet skis inside the hangar.

The YES 205 will feature 4 luxury guest staterooms, a sky lounge above the pilot house and an aft facing al fresco dining area overlooking the helo deck.

The accommodations include a full commercial laundry and pressing room, a full gymnasium, with separate captain's cabin and ship's office aft of the pilot house.

This could obviously serve as a very comfortable luxury cruising yacht, as it will introduce the wonderful combination of Flume tank anti-roll system operating in concert with quadra-fin active at anchor stabilizers.

I am particulary pleased with the refined and improved profile appearance.

Your comments and critiques along with any queastions are welcome.

Stan,

I rotated and shrunk your pic to fit into the forum frame for easier viewing. I'm going to check with Carl to see if there's a way to get the large version permanently hosted and viewable through a link instead of directly on the forum page so the rest of the page doesn't suffer from excessive side-scrolling.

Thanks, Kevin, for the assistance.