Massachusetts Senator John Kerry’s love of taxation is fairly robust, even for a Democrat.  He has often expounded upon the virtues of allowing the government to take a larger bite of every private citizen’s paycheck in order to stimulate the economy of our great nation (since individuals cannot be trusted to invest in America or make spending decisions that are in step with government agendas).  And while he has diligently upheld taxation in his own state, he has recently come under attack for dodging the very taxes he supports again and again, in particular, one that centers on yacht ownership.

That’s right: Senator John Kerry owns a yacht.  “Isabel” is a 76-foot pleasure craft that apparently set Kerry back a whopping $7 million dollars.  Somehow it just doesn’t seem fair that public servants can afford such luxury, but it appears that marrying up and financing a campaign with the assets of a big-brand heiress can get just about anyone elected.  In any case, people are allowed to live as they please, hopefully within their means, and Kerry clearly has the means to purchase a yacht, so more power to him.  And yet, there is a catch.

Massachusetts is one of the many states that have sales and excise taxes attached to boat ownership (6.25%, to be precise).  By law, Kerry is required to pay somewhere in the neighborhood of $450,000 in sales tax just for purchasing the boat, as well as approximately $70,000 per year in excise tax to own and operate it in the state of Massachusetts.  At least he would have to pay that amount if his boat were registered and moored in Massachusetts.  In an interesting twist, Kerry has chosen to give his boat permanent residence in nearby Rhode Island, which repealed its Boat Sales and Use Tax in 1993, making it an instant haven for east-coast nautical enthusiasts across the seaboard.

So the senator apparently supports state taxation of luxury items just as long as he can personally evade them.  But wait, it gets better.  In response to allegations of probable tax-dodging and certain hypocrisy, Senator Kerry’s Chief of Staff has issued a statement that clearly explains the situation.  Apparently, the boat is docked in Rhode Island for purposes of maintenance, upkeep, and charter.  Oh, if only Massachusetts offered these services, he would happily bring his boat home and pay the tax!  And pigs might fly.  In addition, Kerry, who has claimed to be a staunch supporter of “buying American” (remember, taxes allow the government to funnel our hard-earned money back into the economy for our benefit), actually purchased his boat in New Zealand.  Strike two.

While private citizens are certainly welcome to hang onto their money in any way possible, even by using shady legal loopholes, those that don the mantle of governance should be held to a higher standard, and indeed, the fact that they are answerable to the public necessitates the adoption of certain standards for conduct (one would think).  As of late July, the besieged senator had publicly promised to pay all taxes due his state, just as though Massachusetts is the home port for his boat (especially since the luxury craft in question has been frequently spotted in MA waters).  And whether it is due to public criticism or inquiries by the Department of Revenue, it’s nice to see that a U.S. Senator is putting his money where his mouth is (and probably choking on it).

Sarah Danielson is a writer for Medical Coding where you can brose medical coding schools and industry jobs.

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If you’ve been interested in boating for awhile, you have probably heard of the Britannia (officially a yacht of the Royal Fleet, unofficially Scotland’s best visitor attraction).  And while it is the most famous floater in the fleet, known to house royal dignitaries from time to time, it is not the only boat that has been owned and loved by Britain’s elite aristocracy.  A lesser known (and smaller) yacht, the Bloodhound, was once a part of this illustrious cadre of boats, and while it was subsequently sold (again and again), eventually falling into disrepair and the annals of yachting history, the once great ship that won many a race has received a face-lift and a second chance at glory, thanks to one devoted couple.

The life of this yacht began in 1936 when it was built by Camper and Nicholson’s for an American lover-of-all-things-English, Ike Bell, who named the boat Bloodhound in honor of his post as Master of the Wiltshire Hounds.  The 63-foot long racing vessel served its owner well, allowing him to enjoy great success racing in both the south of England and Bermuda until 1962, when it was bought by Prince Phillip and added to the Royal Fleet.  In addition to winning several races with his 12-man crew (including the famous Cowes Week regatta), the Prince sailed it alongside the Britannia on the family’s yearly cruise to the Western Isles, subsequently using the old girl to teach Prince Charles and Princess Anne to sail.  The Bloodhound was not only used in the service of the crown, though.  Throughout its tenure in the Royal Fleet, it was also loaned out to yachting clubs with a 3-man crew to teach other youngsters how to sail (thousands, in fact), and spread the culture that the princes and princesses of the country adored.

Then, after seven years of royal servitude, the pedigreed boat was sold back into private ownership, where it eventually fell into disrepair.  It wasn’t until 2004 that the classic was once again brought to the public eye when it was found and purchased by surveyors and restorers Tony and Cindy McGrail, who subsequently spent four years and over one million pounds returning the ship to her former glory.  Unfortunately, the dedicated couple was unable to keep the boat they lovingly refurbished, but they did make sure it found a good home when they sold it to the Royal Yacht Britannia Trust in 2010.

Today, the beautiful sailing vessels bobs alongside the Britannia in Edinburgh, where it is open to the public as a floating museum.  Like the Britannia, the Bloodhound will be available to rent for events at certain times (during the summer months, interested parties can shell out 1,200 to 1,800 pounds a week to charter the wooden beauty and teach their own little skippers to sail).  But for the majority of the year, it will serve as a testament to the love of open water, wind in the sails, and the will of man to travel the ocean blue.

To complete the story, below are some interesting photos of the main Royal Yacht still in service, named Britannia:

Daniel Lawrence is a writer for Yard Sale Search. Check out the site to find garage sales in your neck of the woods.

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Yachts today are the motor watertight homes of many wealthy individuals and this is no surprise since from the end of the 16th century until today, these sailing homes have experienced long and eventful history of constant development which is the reason why from sailing boats with the purpose of transport of the Dutch navy in the late 16th century, they have become luxurious resorts that could be afforded by very few.

Aside from the luxurious features, this period of constant improvement has made them the most technologically advanced beauties the seas and oceans have ever seen. This is the reason why it is logical to seek for the top 5 technologically advanced yachts in the newer models of the renowned yacht manufacturers.
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1.) The first on our list is a member of the Bentley family. Bentley as a yacht manufacturer is known to bring the most technologically advanced pieces in the yacht industry. Each and every manufacture from this company is well known for the advanced military hull, completely equipped to provide the smoothest ride first of all thanks to the computerized motion control system and all of them are proven to beat the yachts from all other manufacturers, no matter the current sea conditions.

Bentley Gemini is a manufacture which proudly deserves the name Bentley representative in this list. This very high-end piece from this renowned company is one of the most technologically advanced pieces from this company. No matter the current conditions at sea, it is capable of developing an enormously high speed of over 200 knots and no matter the conditions and the speed of cruising, you will have a comfortable sail and you will forget that you have ever been seasick.

A hydraulic ski is used to assist the takeoff and decrease the speed of landing. For that purpose, there are two marine gas turbines used only for takeoff and a separate single turboprop engine which will make you travel across the sea in style, at great speed and economically. This miracle develops cruising speed of 350 kilometers an hour and has cargo capacity of 20 tones and it is a perfect choice for you who are known to be extremely demanding when purchasing a yacht.
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2.) Next on our list comes a model from the Cheoy Lee yacht manufacture company which is famous for their tradition in manufacturing the best pieces from the sailing technology for over a century now. A collection from this company which is the most worth mentioning since technology advancement comes to question is the very famous Serenity line. The most successfully crafted yacht from this company is the Serenity 83 which characteristics that stick this model out from the crowd are the hull and decks made of single-skinned fiber glass, big fresh and waste water tanks, and it is powers with a twin diesel engine. This yacht is expected to be launched for the first time during this summer.

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3.) Number three on our top 5 technologically advanced yachts list will be the Marten 49 from the Marten Yachts Collection. This piece is specially designed for choosy owners who want their yachts to have both topnotch technological performances and provide them a pleasant and comfortable sailing experience. Marten 49 drastically differentiates from other yachts in the carefully designed features and using materials which will give it high performances and even higher level of endurance.

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4.) Another great piece of manufacture follows as a number four on our list and it is a piece from the Hunt Yachts manufacturer and we are talking about the great and long expected Hunt 52 Express. This technology masterpiece can generate high initial speed from 29 to 35 knots.

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5.) Last but not least, the number five on our list holds the Vicem’s newest piece of technology which had a wonderful debut at the Miami International Boat Show. We are talking about the newest Vicem 72 which shows the trails of the impeccable Turkish construction. This beauty has a remarkable fuel tank capacity of over 850 gallons and water tank capacity of 400 gallons. It develops maximum initial speed from 24 to 28 knots and it is a piece of sailing technology which joins great technology and construction and a modern appearance which makes Vicem 72 both a beauty and a beast on the yacht market.

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01/2010 -

For more than 10 years, the Director of Alliaura Marine has been deeply involved in the development of an orphanage in Haïti.
After the catastrophe which occurred last week, the Group wishes to reinforce its support by sending a Privilège 745 full of food and medicines.
Located far away from the earthquake’s epicentre, the orphanage is still running but children are shocked and they urgently need food.
Usually, they get fresh supplies from the biggest Haïtian cities, but due to the current situation and the road network which has been highly damaged, it is not possible to get anything from there.
This is the reason why 5 tonnes (11023 lbs) of flour, sugar, milk, oil, pasta, rice, canned vegetables, soap, medicines and clothes will be loaded on board the Privilège 745.
The yacht will leave Les Sables d’Olonne at the end of the week to help the children of the orphanage.
After the Atlantic crossing, some French people living there for over 12 years will welcome the yacht and its crew in order to secure the unloading. Then they will distribute progressively the supplies depending on the needs.
Hopefully this help will provide some weeks of “serenity” to the orphanage which welcomes more and more child every day.

Alliaura Marine joins several municipalities like the Town Hall of Saumur, companies, individuals, the association named “L’île aux enfants d’Haïti” from Saint Brieuc, the Lions Club and the Rotary Club of Le Mans to organise this operation right in time.

More informations : Alliaura Marine’s website.

-PR-