Cool Hunting

by Juliet Kinsman

If you thought boutique-hotel chic need be restricted to terra firma, you haven't heard of what Fatboy Slim (aka Norman Cook) and friends have been up to. Having got his paws on a classic wooden yacht, Cook's boat-loving tour manager, Jim McNulty, enticed his pal to renovate this magnificent sailboat and they've converted it it into a modern-minded stylish stay named the Barracuda.

Currently based in Portisco Marina, near Olbia, Sardinia, this vessel is outfitted for hip-hotel devotees as much as dedicated sailors. Thanks to trimmings such as Designers Guild soft furnishings, Cowshed products, Britannia rules the waves with this luxury yacht available for charter in Sardinia.

"We called it a refit but actually (the boat) had to be rebuilt," says the DJ. They sat and planned the layout of the Barracuda with Jim's partner Sorcha Bridge, an interiors stylist. "We didn't want a Gin Palace super yacht—we wanted it funky." This meant a mixture of teak, mahogany, pine and beech instead of gold or marble, resulting in lots of color combined with soft furnishings and hand-picked retro trinkets.

Because Norman and his wife, British TV presenter Zoe Ball, are tall, they sidestepped pokiness with roomy bunks and uncramped bathrooms. A decent hull width enabled extra luxuries such as proper porcelain loos en suites, bunks not far off regular beds, modern conveniences such as round-the-clock hot water, a washing machine and dishwasher.

Of course, you don't need to be an experienced sailor to enjoy this kind of high life on the seas—there's a super sharp crew to navigate guests through the sparkling waters off the Emerald Coast. Not just a pretty boat, a night on the Barracuda also includes a live-in chef to ensure non-stop gourmet on the go.

The boat comes equipped with fishing rods, water ski and wakeboard, plus speedboat lessons are available from the crew and seafood cuisine master classes from the on-board chef. There's even a dress-up box of pirate costumes for the enthusiastic.

More images of the interior of Barracuda after the jump.

Barracuda Charter Yacht

Marina di Portisco

Costa Smerelda

Olbia

Sardinia, Italy
tel. +1 866 610 3867