‘Below Deck Down Under’ M/Y Northern Sun: Can You Rent This Yacht?
The ’70s are back on Below Deck Down Under! Production chartered vintage yacht, M/Y Nothern Sun for season 2 – a first for the franchise.
Built in 1976 and retrofitted in 2007, the 50.9m/167′ Northern Sun offers nostalgia nestled in modern luxury. The expedition yacht has six-bedroom suites that can accommodate up to 12 passengers. This includes a master suite, three double cabins, and two twin cabins.
The superyacht has three entertainment saloons, a sun deck and jacuzzi, a gym, and all the water toys guests would desire.
So what would it cost to rent this Below Deck Down Under yacht? And how does it compare to last year’s yacht, Thalassa?
How much does renting the ‘Below Deck Down Under’ yacht cost?
The vintage Northern Sun yacht rents for approximately $161,700 per week (plus expenses) during both low and high seasons, according to Yacht Charter Fleet. While the Nothern Sun is cruising in the Australian waters for Below Deck Down Under, this yacht is usually found in South East Asia, specifically Thailand.
How does this yacht compare to the superyacht featured in Below Deck Down Under Season 1? Season 1 Thalassa (original name is Keri Lee III) rents for $310,000 per week (plus expenses) during both low and high seasons, Yacht Charter Fleet reports.
Keri Lee III is a larger yacht at 55.17m/181′, but still accommodates the same number of guests within the six-cabin design. This yacht includes a massage room and a beauty salon. It was built in 2001 and retrofitted in 2016.
What’s it like to captain the Northern Sun?
Captain Jason Chambers told Showbiz Cheat Sheet that driving the Below Deck Down Under Season 2 was a bit of a challenge.
“Coming into this, I knew I had a big challenge ahead,” Chambers admitted. “Single screw variable pitch, which means the props move around. You don’t have a forward and a stern. The props actually turn. And that gives you your forward and back.”
“So you need time to slow down. Time to get ready. Time to engage and disengage. And it always wants to go to starboard,” he added. “So you’ve always got to use the weather, tide, and wind to help you steer. It was something to get to know very quickly.”
“Once again, like season 1 when we had bow thrusters go down on the first charter,” he recalled. “This was all in my head. And not only that, you drive from inside so you don’t know what’s going on. You need the reliance on your crew outside to tell you exactly where you are. And yeah, that causes issues in the future, too.”
The yacht galley was also a little tight
Chef Tzarina Mace-Ralph was clearly anxiety-ridden when she was introduced to the galley layout. Chambers said that was another hurdle the crew had to overcome.
“The galley could have been a little bit larger to suit our standards of what we wanted to do, but it is what it is,” Chambers said. “We have to get the job done. Didn’t have the storage capacity that we thought it would have, but still, we had everything there to get your job going and be 100%.”
Below Deck Down Under is on Monday at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo.
