CABERNET is a forty five metre Sensation, a tri-deck motor yacht from 2006 brought up to date in a 2018 refit, built to carry twelve guests across six cabins with a crew of eight. Her appeal is volume and the quiet confidence of a properly engineered yacht: four thousand nautical miles of range, a full beam master and a run of guest cabins that make her as comfortable for two families sharing as for a single group taking the whole yacht.
Her point of difference is the sheer amount of living space for her length. Sensation built her with the proportions of a larger yacht, and the interior reads that way, with a formal saloon, a separate dining room, a dedicated cinema and a glass elevator that links the decks without a staircase. That last touch matters on a week aboard with a mixed group: grandparents, parents and children all move between the beach club, the main deck and the sundeck with ease.
Life in the open air is arranged over three levels. The sundeck is the social heart, a long run of teak with a jacuzzi forward, sun pads and a shaded lounge for the middle of the day. Below it the upper deck aft gives a quieter seating area close to the bridge, and the main aft deck sets out an al fresco dining table a step from the bathing platform. Forward sun pads and clean side decks give private corners to slip away to, and the tender and water toys are close at hand for an active day.
Inside, the main saloon is bright and generous, deep sofas and armchairs gathered around low tables with large windows drawing the light and the water into the room. A separate dining area seats the full party for meals aboard, and a step away the cinema room is a genuine draw, tiered soft seating and a large screen for film nights at anchor. The finish is warm timber against pale upholstery, considered and calm, with a glass elevator and a compass-inlaid foyer that give the interior a sense of occasion.
Accommodation is arranged over six cabins for twelve guests. The master suite takes a full beam amidships with its own lounge, good natural light and a marble bathroom, a private apartment at the heart of the yacht. A VIP suite, two further double cabins and a twin look after the rest of the party, each finished in the same warm style with its own facilities. It is a flexible plan that suits a large family, with the twin converting readily for children or friends sharing.
Under way she is an easy, assured yacht, holding a relaxed cruise around thirteen knots with a top end near twenty four and the range to make real passages rather than short hops. Her natural ground is the Bahamas in the cooler months and the American coast through the summer, the clear water and quiet cays of the islands within comfortable reach of the marinas of Florida for the start and end of a trip.
CABERNET suits a family or a group who want space, service and the easy living of a larger yacht without the running costs that come with it. The cinema and the elevator set her apart, the sundeck jacuzzi keeps the days social, and her range opens up a genuine cruising itinerary. Well kept, properly refitted and quietly capable, she is a comfortable and good value way to charter the Bahamas and the Florida coast.
