The hassle-free yacht
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John Baxter spent the majority of his career in management consulting, but has left his past of analyzing and building other people”™s businesses to open a shop of his own with offices on the bounding main.
Baxter and his daughter Diana have recently opened the Osprey Club in Greenwich, Conn., and in Newport, R.I., that allows its members to enjoy outings without the troubles of ownership and upkeep.
“I looked at the whole question of how you make luxury affordable and how to access it in the way that destination clubs do,” said Baxter. “I look around for other things that people like to use but don”™t necessarily want to own or operate. You can love it and leave it and not worry about any ownership ”“ no commitment.”
After test-marketing smaller boats, Baxter, who says he was in search of boats that were truly destinations, settled on a pair of 45-foot wooden yachts, one each in Connecticut and Rhode Island.
The Osprey, the club”™s first boat and the one based in Greenwich, was previously owned by Billy Joel and is the subject of his seafaring ballad “The Downeaster Alexa.” The boat was originally named for Joel”™s daughter Alexa.
“I wanted a boat that was classic and distinctive,” said Baxter. “Not one of these boats you see today that”™s look like a Clorox bottle.”
Subsequent to conceiving the company, Baxter convinced his 28-year-old daughter, who was then working on the staff of CNN”™s “Larry King Live,” to join him as a partner.
The Baxters have designed their day trips to be flexible and even offer itineraries and activities for those members looking for a little more than a cruise around the sound. A cruise offers lunch and catering options provided by the adjoining restaurant, L”™Escale, spa outings and fly-fishing lessons.
“You can do anything you want, just come on board with your kids and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and go swimming off the stern, or cannon-balling off the fly bridge,” said Baxter. “I wanted to make it so that it”™s accessible, affordable, easy and flexible.”
There are four time-share membership levels, starting at five-hours and going up to 20 hours. The maximum time for a single outing is eight hours, with no option for overnights. Baxter makes it clear that he is not trying to compete with the charter boats.
Fuel is included in the price of membership, which was undisclosed. The Delamar Greenwich Harbor Hotel on Steamboat Road in Greenwich serves as the Greenwich boat”™s home berth.
A yacht attendant and captain come with each voyage.
The second Osprey boat, Osprey II, was recently launched in the harbor of Newport, Â where it will be based, and offers equivalent services. Both boats will winter in Palm Beach, Fla., where members can cruise while their neighbors in New England shiver. Floridians also can buy into the deal.
According to Baxter, some of his executive customers became excited when they learned that they could even come out for the second half of their workday and keep busy from the Osprey”™s deck on their Blackberries.
Cruises come with all the modern amenities, including flat-screen TVs. Baxter”™s wife Jean served as the interior designer.
“People say to us that it”™s like an instant vacation,” said Baxter. “You can go out and have a spectacular dinner on the water, or call up and say, ”˜Plan something for me.”™”
Among Osprey”™s board of directors are Salvatore Ferragamo, fashion designer; Jeffrey Dishner, senior managing director at Starwood Capital; and John Payne, former CEO of Petrocon.