Nautical Luxuries Blog

Nautical Luxuries doesn’t carry designer women’s apparel,
but we certainly do appreciate great coastal/nautical design -
wherever it comes from. Quite often, the new design trends
introduced in the fashion world, will later be echoed in the home
decor and accessories arena. So, we were very intrigued to see
that at this spring’s Milan Fashion Week, Donatella Versace
presented Versace’s Spring 2012 Collection, beautifully inspired,
… by the sea!

It might just inspire you to attend the America’s Cup World Series
events this June in Newport Rhode Island, covered in sparkling
starfish and beaded seahorses, or pastel seashells and mermaids.

Don’t forget the matching shoes and bag!  Now THAT’s boating in heels!

I was hoping that long time America’s Cup sponsors Prada and Louis Vuitton would also offer something wonderfully coastal or nautically inspired. Alas, Prada’s spring line features retro flaming hotrods, and Louis Vuitton’s collection, in ultra-feminine sheer pastels, was like diving into a big fluffy bowl of wedding cake frosting.  While neither appeared to be inspired by anything on or near the sea, both are stunning collections and will likely be spotted at the evening balls held at the fabulous waterside mansions in Newport.

Here’s to the glamour and style of America’s Cup and to life inspired by the sea!

DJ

The actual America’s Cup regatta, to be sailed in 72-foot catamarans in San Francisco bay, may still be over a year away, but an estimated crowd of 250,000 were at the waterfront in Naples, Italy on Easter Monday, getting a glimpse of what lies ahead. 

This Wednesday is the start of the 2012 America’s Cup World Series regatta in Naples. The event will feature nine 45-foot wing-sail catamarans from seven countries, including: Luna Rossa Challenge (Italy), with two boats, helmsmen Paul Campbell-James and Chris Draper; Artemis Racing (Sweden), skipper Terry Hutchinson; China Team (China), skipper Fred Le Peutrec; Emirates Team New Zealand (New Zealand), skipper Dean Barker; Energy Team (France), helmsmen Yann Guichard; ORACLE Racing (USA) with two boats, skippers James Spithill and Darren Bundock; and Team Korea (Korea) with skipper Nathan Outteridge.

Racing is expected to be extremely close, with fierce battle lines already drawn between Emirates Team New Zealand and ORACLE Racing Spithill, who are separated by just one point on the season championship table after the first three AC World Series events.

Spectators can get more information, including live-feed access at www.Americascup.com

There are also three live webcams in Naples. Here’s one, on YouTube.

Live broadcast will be provided Wednesday – Saturday by CANAL+SPORT . Live feed also available on the America’s Cup website / YouTube.  Enjoy!

Next stop is Venice Italy, after which, the teams head for the United States, where the World Series continues in the waters off Newport, RI late June.

DJ

1. Sail on an America’s Cup Yacht

If you live near San Francisco, and you have a need for speed, adrenalin, and the latest America’s Cup technology, sign up for a ride on USA 76, the 84-foot, all carbon racing yacht from the 2000′s. You won’t want to miss a chance at the helm of this sleek, black, winning machine. Public and private charters are available. Visit ACSailingSF

Next Level Sailing, in San Diego, has one of our old IACC boats, Abracadabra, USA 50.

Here she is, under sail in Hawaii in 1999…

and a decade or more later, she’s now available for charter in San Diego…

Other locations for AC Yacht Charters:

Newport, RI: America’s Cup Charters  SeaScope Yacht Charters  12 Meter Charters  InSight NYC

Maui: Hawaii Active   Sydney, AU: Sailing Sydney  Red Balloon  Auckland, NZ: Sail NZ  Charter NZ

UK: Sceptre, British America’s Cup Challenger  Adventure Connections

2. Enjoy a Sunset Gondola Ride

You don’t have to fly to Venice, Italy to enjoy the beauty and romance of a sunset Gondola ride.  Whatever harbor you’re in, grab your sweetheart, a couple of fleece jackets and a warm blanket, and relax as the Gondolier takes you on a leisurely ride.

Newport Beach   Long Beach, CA  Sunset Beach, CA

Redondo Beach, CA  Marina del Rey, CA   San Diego

Oakland, CA  Ft. Lauderdale   Providence, RI   Central Park, NYC

3. Watch a Spectacular Sunset – Shaken, Not Stirred 

During the winter months, the sun sets before Happy Hour. With an extra hour of sunlight, you can now enjoy Happy Hour as you watch the sun set from your favorite waterside establishment, even if that happens to be your own patio, (lucky you!).

If you’re not quite that lucky, but lucky enough to live in Newport Beach, you might try the unparalelled sunset ocean view from the bar at 21 Oceanfront. Tell Tony you’d like yours shaken, not stirred!

4. Take Your Friends Out on an Electric Boat

If you haven’t taken a cruise on an electric boat yet, you’re in for a real treat. It’s hard to beat a leisurely cruise with friends, gliding along silently with a little wine & cheese, and your favorite CD playing, as you enjoy the sun, water and sights.

Newport Harbor may be the most popular harbor in the world for electric boats, but many other harbors also offer electric boats for rent by the hour or day.

With an extra hour of sunlight, you have even more reason to go for a cruise!

You can rent a Duffy Boat at:

Newport Beach  Palm Desert   Ft. Lauderdale  Seattle    Fawn Harbor, CA   Marina del Rey, CA 

Long Beach, CA    Baltimore/Annapolis    Oxnard, CA    Chattanooga, TN   Ocean Shores, WA

Frankenmuth, MI    Tokyo    Gold Coast, AU   Northbridge NSW, AU  Singapore    Taiwan    Cancun 

 5. Take the Dog for a Beach Walk

If the beach near you is like ours, it has limited hours when dogs are allowed – usually early morning and late afternoon/evening. With the shorter days of winter, beach walks with the dog are nearly impossible. So, grab the dog and take advantage of the extra hour of sunlight – it’ll do you both a world of good!

Enjoy the daylight… by the water!

DJ

After about four years of searching, we’ve finally found another terrific, nautically styled coir doormat. Like our previous, incredibly popular coir mats, this woven rope design mat really traps the sand, keeping it outside where it belongs.  The new “Admiral’s Cabin” mats begin arriving this month.

DJ

Who doesn’t love a sale, especially when it’s for everything you’ve been wishing for, for the past six months! Here are just a few of our favorite coastal/nautical luxuries on sale now through January 31st. Quantities are limited on many items, so shop soon!

Create a classic New England bedroom with our Vintage Nautical Duvet Covers and Shams, or the crisp look of bristol white Matelasse in a delightful coastal seashell and starfish pattern:

Treat your seaside guests like royalty with Embroidered Bath Towels (bath, hand, face and tip towel sets):

Set an amazing coastal table with Swarovski Crystal bling napkin rings:

Create your own nautical identity with custom code flag jewelry:

Ease back into a cozy feather down pillow, or wrap up in a warm, wool nautical blanket:

Keep the holiday spirit alive all year long:

Enjoy the exceptional prices and, if you miss this sale, never fear. We’ll have another big sale in about six months!

DJ

Wight Vodka’s annual voting competition for the world’s best yachting bar is one of our favorite events! This year, while The Dog Watch in Stonington, CT, the Clubhouse Yacht Club in Breskens, Holland, Nippers of Great Guana Cay in the Abacos, the Bitter End Yacht Club in the BVI, the Royal Varuna Yacht Club in Pattaya, Thailand, the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, Salty Mike’s in  Charleston, S.C., the King & Queen in Hamble, England, and the Pier View in Cowes on the Isle of Wight were all top vote-getters, it was the International Yacht and Athletic Club (IYAC) in Newport, RI, that took top honors by readers of Scuttlebutt Europe.

Scuttlebut readers were asked to vote and to comment about their favorite bar, which elicited some pretty interesting replies:

• This place is known as the drinking bar with a yachting problem.

• The bar supports the club…and vice versa!

• You never know if you’re going to see someone in a wedding dress or a swimsuit.

• The commitment of the owners and patrons to several major charity events, including being founders of ‘Sail for Pride.’

• The only pub where you find the rock stars, pro sailors and keen weekenders mixing it up together.

• Major respect to the great Jan! Pubs like this are definitely what Sundays are made of.

• $2.00 Bourbon Nights…Ooooh to be young again!!

• It’s a short walk for drinks after sailing.

• It’s walking distance back home!

Previous winners include Peter Cafe Sport in the Azores – 2009, and Soggy Dollar in the BVI – 2010.  This year’s winner, IYAC, will receive a trophy and a bottle of Wight vodka to celebrate.  So if you’re in Newport for the upcoming America’s Cup World Series, put IYAC on your must-see list!

DJ

…Know what their passions are in life!  Simple really, and if one of those passions happens to be
sailing or boating, then you might want to consider a few of these:

FOR THE DAPPER DAN

Sterling Silver Sailboat Cufflinks with                        Code Flag Two-Tone Sports Watch $90
Lapis Lazuli, Mother of Pearl, and Onyx $120

SHOP THE MENS ACCESSORIES SECTION

FOR THE BUSINESS BARON

                                
Solid Brass Siren Of The Seas Bookend Set $129          Brass Finish Desk Ship’s Anchor $30

                                         
Deck Cleat Bookend Set $60                                        Brass Gimbaled Desk Compass $120

                                     
Aluminum 3-Link Anchor Chain Sculpture$165          Compass & Clock Chartweights $56-$64

                                      

Wood/Brass Porthole Desk/Shelf Clock $128              Porthole Desk Clock & Barometer $140

SHOP DESK & OFFICE ACCESSORIES

FOR THE ENTERTAINING YACHTSMAN

Marine Rope Wine Caddy from Italy $88                    Marine 4-Pc. Rope Coaster Set from Italy $155

Knot Accent Stainless Wine Chiller from Italy $185      Marine Rope Bar Trays from Italy $245-$415

Etched Sailboat 4-Pc. Rocks Glasses Set $59    Fish Stemless White or Red Wine Tumbler 4-Pc.Set $51

Nautical Code Flags 4-Pc. Rocks Glasses Set $38     Cleat Handle Compass Rose Wood Tray $125

SHOP NAUTICAL BAR

Women, on the other hand, might be a little more difficult to shop for but… that’s the next post, and besides, what man is buying gifts THIS early?

DJ

Each year, we look forward to the start of our fresh wreath shipping season, and the opportunity to help protect our oceans.  While most of our coastal-themed wreaths ship year-round, our fresh Noble Fir wreaths ship Nov. 8 – Dec. 20 only. What a beautiful coastal accent, and wonderful fragrance these wreaths add to your home, and what a great way to support ocean restoration!

SeaKeepers Fresh Coastal Wreath

Your purchase of any Nautical Luxuries wreath from October through December, helps support ocean monitoring and research through our donation to the International SeaKeepers Society. Each wreath ships with a note to the recipient that the purchase of their wreath has contributed to the SeaKeepers’ efforts to protect and restore the oceans.

Nantucket Island Fresh Coastal Wreath

The International SeaKeepers Society is a non-profit organization comprised of entrepreneurs, yachtsmen, corporations, divers, scientists and concerned citizens, all dedicated to protecting and restoring the health of the world’s ocean.  The SeaKeepers’ mission is to gather and distribute the most useful oceanographic and atmospheric data from which to draw rational conclusions concerning the health of the world’s ocean’s and climate. These data are provided to governments, scientists, educational institutions and private citizens worldwide. To learn more about the International SeaKeepers Society, visit their website at www.SeaKeepers.org.

Winter Harbor Preserved Coastal Wreath

We can’t think of a more appropriate corporate or personal gift for nautical enthusiasts to give or receive this holiday season, than a welcoming wreath adorned with the sea’s bounty; a beautiful statement of your passion and commitment to the sea!

DJ

If you look hard enough, you may find one or two glasses in your cabinet that have been with you since college. Ahh, the days when you couldn’t find two glasses that matched, and you seldom had enough wine glasses, much less champagne glasses, for a dinner party.  At some point, we graduated from futons and milk crate shelves, to more sophisticated home furnishings.

If your glassware cabinet hasn’t quite caught up, and you’re still mixing and matching, you might want to consider a beautiful coastal makeover.  We have five different coastal/nautical themed collections that will look terrific on your holiday table and will match the rest of your post-college sophisticated home!

Etched Shell Collection

Etched Fish Collection

Etched Compass Rose Collection

Etched Sailboat Collection

Etched Starfish Collection

Cheers!
DJ

The fall season is even more special when it’s enjoyed by the water!  Coastal communities around the country, add their unique seaside touch and ocean-themed fun to seasonal decor – and Halloween is no exception!  With Halloween just around the corner, we found a few great examples of coastal inspiration!

Featured in the October issue of Coastal Living Magazine, a couple of fabulously carved sea creatures.

The Quiksilver Blog and the Completely Coastal Blog recently featured two rather chic un-carved pumpkin ideas:

Tres Chic Pumpkin Under Glass

 A line of Halloween pumpkins watching the tide come in on a Maryland dock.

You may have missed the Underwater Pumpkin Carving, co-hosted this past weekend by the Shark Bait Dive Club and the Underwater Phantaseas Dive Club, (no photos posted yet), but here’s a truly spectacular Hermit Crab Pumpkin, created by a hotel’s staff at a corporate pumpkin carving event.

 A few nautical/coastal inspired
carved pumpkins from Quaint Living.

How about a lighthouse pumpkin? You can download the template and carve your own, at Midwest Living.

If you’re now sufficiently inspired, you may want to grab a carving knife and head to www.pumpkinlady.com to get some more great pumpkin carving ideas and purchase your own coastal-themed carving template.

Happy Coastal Halloween!

DJ