VESPER

VESPER is a 40-metre custom aluminium yacht built by Alloy Yachts in 2009 and refitted in 2022, registered in the Cayman Islands. Her exterior was designed by Dubois Naval Architects — a studio with a strong pedigree in performance sailing and motor yacht design — with the interior by Donald Starkey Designs, whose work is known for refined, handcrafted interiors suited to serious offshore vessels. A crew of eight serves ten guests across five cabins, with a gross tonnage of 299 and a displacement hull that cruises at 14 knots with a maximum of 16 knots. Her range of 2,400 nautical miles is adequate for the Atlantic and Caribbean passages she routinely undertakes.

VESPER is available for yacht charter across both the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, operating in Greece, Croatia, Mykonos, Santorini, Antigua, the Bahamas, Saint Martin, and St Barts. This dual-basin programme makes her one of the more versatile vessels in this review, and her Cayman Islands registry reflects the operational flexibility required for transatlantic programmes. She is well suited to active guests who want a genuinely capable sea-going yacht with a strong design identity and who are drawn to both European and Caribbean destinations. Those who require a helipad, pool, or the volume of a 50-metre-plus hull will find her compact.

Alloy Yachts was a New Zealand yard known for precision aluminium construction, and VESPER benefits from that build standard. The Dubois exterior carries the hallmarks of that studio's motor yacht work — purposeful sheer lines, considered proportions — while Starkey's interior reflects the warmth and attention to joinery detail for which the practice is recognised. The 2022 refit ensures her systems and finishes are current, and the Cayman registration supports her charter operations across multiple regulatory zones.

Onboard amenities include a deck jacuzzi, exterior bar, BBQ, gym equipment, sun deck, sunpads, swimming platform, tender garage, at-anchor stabilisers, and full air conditioning throughout. The water sports programme includes two jet-skis, two stand-up Seabobs, an e-foil foilboard, two stand-up paddleboards, four bicycles (including a gravel bike and an electric mountain bike), a wakeboard, water-skis, scuba diving equipment, snorkelling gear, and towable inflatables. The combination of diving equipment and bicycles reflects a programme oriented toward active exploration both on and off the water.

The provisional rating is based on available public data, reflecting acceptable standards across safety documentation, maintenance records, and operational protocols. As an independent authority, RightYacht provides owners and charterers with transparent, third-party evaluation — helping inform decisions beyond marketing materials alone.