New Leadership for Beneteau America

Groupe Beneteau has just announced changes within Beneteau America’s leadership team. Wayne Burdick has been elevated to a more strategic role in Groupe Beneteau, as the President of the holding company for the different US Groupe entities, and Laurent Fabre, formerly the director of sales and marketing for Beneteau's North American powerboats division, has been tapped to replace Burdick as president of Beneteau America.

Under Burdick’s direction as president of Beneteau in North America since 1997, Beneteau became the leading brand of high quality production sailboats in the U.S. In his new position, Burdick will manage relationships with industry partners on behalf of all Groupe Beneteau marine brands.

General Manager of Beneteau worldwide, Carla Demaria remarked, “Laurent Fabre is an 11-year veteran of Beneteau who has consistently demonstrated successful leadership in product development, marketing, and sales. He possesses the perfect blend of experience, passion and vision to fuel Beneteau’s growth in North America.”

Fabre is joined by Maryline O’Shea, also from the Beneteau powerboats division based in Annapolis, MD and Beneteau America’s Director of Sales, Denise Hanna who joined the organization earlier this year.


Neptunus 650F Review

Neptunus 650F 400

By Andy Adams

Over the years Canadian Yachting has had the pleasure of doing several boat review articles on new Neptunus models and we are familiar with the qualities that Neptunus is famous for. They have all been exceptional yachts, but this is the one I would most want to own myself. It’s a personal choice and a matter of taste as to whether you would prefer to have a sedan express model or a flybridge but in my opinion, the flybridge layout offers some wonderful attributes.

We met with Neptunus Managing Director Jan Willem De Jong this past fall to take the new Neptunus 650F out in Lake Ontario. 

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Destinations

The Other Virgin Islands

Sunset off St John

By Mark Stevens

I was first seduced by the United States Virgin Islands during a ferry ride from St. Thomas to Tortola to begin one of our earliest British Virgin Islands charters nearly twenty years ago.

A perfect sunset off St. John with St. Thomas views for backdrop.

Clearing Pillsbury Sound, surrounded by voluptuous emerald mountains as the ferry sliced through royal blue waters, I was struck by the unspoiled ambiance of St. John, the island gliding past our starboard beam and the irresistible charm of a village called Cruz Bay visible from our quarter stern.

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