I was lucky enough to enjoy lunch on the luxury yacht Blue Star at the Newport Charter Show that ran from June 18th-21st. The sailing yacht Blue Star is a newcomer to the chartering scene.
BLUE STAR at the Newport Charter Show
Built in 2014, Blue Star underwent a refit in 2017.
The monohull sleeps six and has three cabins. One queen guest cabin is upfront, along with a double guest cabin on the port side. A king-sized master cabin is in the aft.
Shaded by a large awning, the cockpit is a perfect spot to relax and enjoy the view. The 18-foot beam makes both the deck and the downstairs spacious. There is also BBQ onboard and for anyone interested in diving, regulators are available.
The boat is ideal for a large family or two couples wanting an authentic boating experience.
Captain Don Fung Fook has his PADI Divemaster license. The 40-horsepower, hard-bottom tender is ideal for making snorkeling trips or for relaxing trips around the harbor.
Captain Fook
Fung Fook hails from New Amsterdam, Guyana. He moved to the British Virgin Islands as a teenager and has worked on powerboats and sailboats for over ten years. Despite being a relatively young captain, Fung Fook is extremely knowledgeable about a wide array of topics and has even invented a bike rack ideal for boats, which he is more than happy to show you if you show interest.
After Hurricane Irma and Maria devastated parts of the BVI, Fung Fook said he “had to get out,” just to be away from the daily reminders of how much was destroyed on the islands. He started working on Blue Star in February of this year.
Blue Star’s chef is Roma Stopforth. Originally from the KwaZulu-Natal region of South Africa, Stopforth owned several restaurants but became a full-time boat chef when she moved to the BVI seven years ago. She has freelanced on boats ever since and worked with Fung Fook on other boats in the past.
Both Stopforth and Fun Fook said they have seen dramatic improvements in the BVI. They said that the BVI Yacht charter industry is bouncing back, but they are happy to be cruising the New England coast for the summer.
The two crew members seem to get along really well. “She’s always been one step ahead of me,” said Captain Fungfook when it comes to catching lines or whatever else might need to be done onboard.
Lunch on Luxury Yacht Blue Star at the Newport Charter Show | Courses
It is clear that Stopforth knows what she is doing.
We started with a handmade gazpacho, which was refreshing in the summer heat. This was followed by an arugula salad with tomatoes, and mozzarella and topped with a balsamic glaze.
The main dish was a salmon filet in a caper and cream sauce with clams and asparagus. For me, the pièce de résistance was most definitely the Pavlova dessert (merengue drizzled with cream and topped with fruit).
Fung Fook sat with us for the whole meal and was easy to talk to. Attentive to each guest, he made sure everyone was comfortable while Stopforth confidently whipped up and served every course.
The boat is available for charter along the New England coast for the summer. She will head back down to the Caribbean this fall. You will definitely enjoy a luxury yacht experience aboard Blue Star.
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