Issue #37, December 8, 2006

The S.S. Glitterati

Megabucks Art Yacht Makes Plans to Tie Up in the Hamptons

By Sabrina C. Mashburn

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Hamptons, brace yourselves. Because from June 27 until July 1, 2007 the Hamptons will be host to one of the greatest spectacles ever conceived by a Floridian, and, no, it’s not the Backstreet Boys. It is one of the most celebrated and controversial yachts to ever request to dock in Long Island: the Grand Luxe, a 228-foot, $60 million floating arts and crafts show known as the SeaFair. The custom-made, unbelievably low-drawing vessel was designed for David and Lee Ann Lester, founders of the Palm Beach Art and Antique Fair, by LeJong and Lebet of Jacksonville, Florida, and was built by Nichols Brothers Boatyard in Freeland, Washington, with the financial aid of CAT Financial. The finished product boasts an open-air restaurant on the top deck, a cocktail lounge, a “signature restaurant” and a European-style coffee bar.

Grand Luxe’s greatest bragging points are not her cruise-ship-like amenities, but her 28 galleries, which will rotate a hand-picked selection of blue-chip art, antiques and jewelry throughout her stay in several affluent ports.

Galleries have been chosen by the Lesters, who drew on their years of experience in the art world, and the proprietors of those galleries are overjoyed to be included. Michael James of The Silver Fund in London remarked, “The mobility of SeaFair insures that I will be positioned exactly where the greatest interest in collecting occurs.” And this is the premise for the whole idea of the SeaFair, that her clients will have the opportunity to visit galleries from all over the world, all aboard one ship, docked right down the road. And, instead of blocking off streets and disturbing the already hectic ebb and flow of summer people in the Hamptons, the Grand Luxe will simply dock, show her wares, and shove off. However, although it sounds simple enough, East Hampton Town officials are already up in arms about the ship, which will be the largest to ever dock in the Hamptons.

The Grand Luxe would dock at the Gann Road public commercial dock in Three Mile Harbor, making use of the 220 feet of open dock space the Town reserves for emergencies. Two years ago, when Grand Luxe was little more than a grand idea in David Lester’s mind, he proposed that the ship be docked at the Long Wharf in Sag Harbor. The Sag Harbor Village Board squelched his plans immediately, because, as the mayor of Sag Harbor explained, the SeaFair’s presence in the Village would “be a drain on our village resources, and one that would not benefit our village residents.” And although the ship’s website lists “The Hamptons” as a confirmed destination on their 2007 itinerary, it is unclear as to whether the East Hampton Town Board will come to the same decision as Sag Harbor — that the ship is simply too big, both in size and in potential for parking and financial catastrophe for the five days it is here. Councilman Brad Loewen, the champion of the Baymen’s Association and local animal trappers, is not convinced that a boat with a six-foot draft will be able to navigate our seven to eight-foot (at low tide) channels, even though the dock master has confirmed that sailboats with over a six-foot draft have docked at the Three Mile Harbor dock before. Sailboats are leaner than the Grand Luxe, and Councilman Loewen is also concerned that she will not be able to turn around and will thus get caught, lengthwise, in the narrow channel. It is customary for mega yachts such as the Grand Luxe to dock out in the ocean or harbor, just to be safe, and for her passengers to be ferried ashore by her tender. However, with the constant flow of caterers and art lovers, this won’t do. The Grand Luxe would have to be tied right to the dock.

Even if the East Hampton Town board decides not to permit the Grand Luxe to dock here, there is still a chance that she might be able to secure dockage at a private port, such as East Hampton Point, or that summer residents would make the short trip to Greenwich, Oyster Bay, Westport, New York City, or even Nantucket, Cape Cod or Martha’s Vineyard, all confirmed destinations, to shop aboard the world’s very first luxury art yacht.

Assuming that she gets through the channel and ties up, though, there is still the question of whether or not the Grand Luxe’s SeaFair will be a five-day drain on the local economy. One of the great commodities that make the Hamptons such a desired destination for city folk in the summertime is that you can have your beach and still be surrounded by the same caliber of galleries and luxury shops that one would find in New York City. And with all of the fanfare and sparkle surrounding the shopping experience aboard the Grand Luxe, as well as the cachet associated with a “by invitation only” art, jewelry and antique show, will affluent summer residents choose to do all of their blue-chip purchasing aboard the Grand Luxe, and leave local galleries and businesses behind? According to one local businesswoman, that’s not likely to happen. Roberta Rossetti of London Jewelers in East Hampton explained, “something like that is more commercial than an actual functioning business. We’re a brick-and-mortar store that’s been here for 50 years. I think that we’re a little bit more secure in our business than to be afraid of a traveling art boat.”

Even if some people do choose to make a purchase aboard the art yacht, most collectors plan art purchases for months or years at a time, and are searching for a specific artist or piece. Therefore, if collectors are searching for something specific that our local shops do not have, they would probably have it shipped from wherever it was anyway. As with any art fair, the SeaFair will be little more of a drain on local resources than the Armory Show is on those of New York City. The most positive aspect of the Grand Luxe’s impending visit will be her opening night gala, the proceeds of which will be donated to Guild Hall. Tickets alone will provide Guild Hall with $150,000, and if they can manage to convince the Lesters to donate a percentage of the sales of art on Gala night as well, East Hampton will garner quite a hefty sum in exchange for a five-day stay beside 220-feet of dock space.