Yacht Tales, the Fiesta Forever
Unique Harbour Living Magazine
By Brandon Flaherty, Image Yacht Charters
Having sold numerous Lazzaras to and for customers, I was extremely impressed with the innovation and thought put into the layout and available space Lazzara incorporates in their vessels. I was in need of a lager charter yacht for our fleet, as we were chartering a 68′ Lazzara which had three staterooms and one tender. Our customers desired an additional stateroom and three tenders (2 jet skis and a dingy.) By chance of luck, we had a customer come along and was wanting to sell a 76 Lazzara that they had owned for several years. Upon inspecting the vessel, I knew she was the perfect fit for us. We purchased the boat immediately.
When searching for a name for the boat we wanted to have a name that portrayed fun and happiness. My dad always loved the song ‘Fiesta Forever’ by Lionel Richie and he thought that would be a great name for a boat. So when we were thinking of a name, it was a perfect fit.
Since the purchase in August 2013, we have conducted numerous charters around the Fort Myers area and the Florida Keys.
In May of this year, we were contacted by a customer that wanted to do a four day voyage from Fort Myers through the Keys with two other couples who were long time friends of his. They wanted the trip to be fully catered with white glove service. So we hired a local chef we work with to accompany us on the trip. The chef prepared three incredible meals a day for the guests ranging from fresh local fish to the finest filet available.
Our itinerary was to head to Key West on day 1. Day 2 was a short 3 hour leisurely cruise to Little Palm Island. Little Palm Island is located approximately 25 miles east of Key West along the out skirt Key Islands. Our day on Little Palm was filled up by laying at the pool and beach, along with a quick snorkel trip to one of the reefs located just off the island. Finally watching the sunset off the aft deck of the yacht and dinner being prepared by our chef was a perfect way to finish the day at Little Palm.
Day 3 we were off to Hawks Cay Resort, approximately a five hour cruise from Little Palm. Upon arriving in Hawks Cay, our guests were instantly entertained while passing the Dolphin Lagoon by the dolphins greeting our arrival. We scheduled them a dolphin adventure where they were able to swim and interact with the dolphins. They said it was a once in a life time experience being able to interact with the dolphins and go for a cruise while holding on to their dorsal fin.
Day 4 was our cruise home along the side of the ten thousand islands of the everglades to Marco Island and then home to Ft Myers.
One of our most popular destinations in the Ft Myers area is Useppa Island. It is a historical private island located about 20 miles north of Gulf Harbour. A typical day trip from Gulf Harbor to Useppa and back is around 8 hours.
The Lazzara Yachts boatbuilding legacy traces back through three generations. Vince Lazzara had success building Columbia sailboats and Gulfstar sail and motoryachts. His sons, Dick and Brad, founded the Tampa, Florida-based manufacturer in 1990 and they and their sons now carry on the tradition.
This Lazzara is user friendly and easy to control. There are two cranes for untroubled on-and-off of our tenders, which is very helpful when we’re chartering. Our quarters have a separate washer and dryer and there’s plenty of storage for provisions.
The accommodations are split into two areas with two staterooms forward and three at midship, preventing overcrowding in a single segment. When in charter mode, the crew’s quarters forward are isolated from the guests. It’s an unencumbered unit with a twin-berth forward and bunks to port, a study and, incredibly, two heads.
Off the saloon a circular staircase leads to a companionway and the centerpiece of the main accommodations section, the full-beam master with king berth.
We have also chartered for various events: weddings, engagements, dock parties, corporate parties to downtown Ft Myers, as well as sunset cruises for birthdays, Valentines day, or 4th of July fireworks. The Fiesta has a personal charter coordinator to help plan your event in luxury. You can visit the FIESTA FOREVER at the end of B dock in Gulf Harbor. Members and guests are welcome to stop by and come aboard for a tour!
