The more I attend yacht shows and travel aboard various vessels, the more it becomes apparent that there is, indeed, a yacht for every budget and for every need. From 45ft bareboat catamarans to luxury crewed charters, from family reunions to corporate events, the experience can be yours.

At this year's 45th annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, one of the largest in the world, interest was strong in boats of all sizes, from canoes to megayachts. The YV&C staff spent most of our time at the Bahia Mar and Las Olas marinas, viewing the superyachts (see our show album in this issue). Three of our favorites were the 143ft Van Mill, Starship, which features an incredible formal dining room with a panoramic view and an elegant foyer enhanced with makore and mahogony woods. Should you need transport while on board, you can hop on Starship's very own helicopter. With accommodations for 10-12, M/Y Starship charters for $100,000 per week, plus expenses.

 M/Y Janie is a brand new 157ft Trinity tri-deck that premiered at the show. Beautifully detailed throughout, the main saloon features a 50in plasma TV and a player piano. You can amuse yourself in the sky lounge with an even larger plasma TV and two karaoke machines. In the mood for fishing? One of Janie's "toys" is a 34ft custom Intrepid. You can live the life of luxury for a week aboard Janie for $157,000-175,000, plus expenses.

All the stops were pulled out in building Oceanco's sleek, 197ft Alpha Four. A 10sqm glassfronted Jacuzzi swimming pool is the focal point of the sun deck, which also houses a gym and a beauty salon. The sun deck's open dining area can accommodate a party for a couple of hundred people, but can be cleared should a guest need to arrive or depart via helicopter. A charter aboard Alpha Four tips the scales at $400,000 per week, plus expenses, but you'll definitely be the talk of the town.

Clearly, while these megayachts are ideal for corporate entertaining or super-deluxe private parties, they are not within everyone's budget. However, there are a multitude of vessels out there - and something to suit almost any pocketbook.

YV&C continues to give you a cross-section of options. From first-time charters to exploration done in grand style, you'll find the stories here. And what makes us different from marine magazines that focus only on vessels is that we go beyond the boats: we also provide real-life experiences and in-depth descriptions of the crews and destinations. We even cull secret recipes from the chefs when we can!

In this issue, we've chosen to highlight three Romantic Sailing Charters: one in the Grenadines, one in Australia, and one on the French Riviera. In each, a couple describes their experiences aboard, the food, and the crew. Affordable even for two, when several couples split the bill, the price for accommodations and food for a week becomes a great value.

Read why guests come back again and again - for the crew, as well as the boat and the destination - to Jamal, an 85ft Hatteras that motors through the Pacific Northwest. My family and I were treated to a week on Jamal, in Washington's San Juan Islands, and we too hope to return one day.

Then there's Pangaea, a 184ft Halter Marine/Trinity, expedition-style luxury yacht. Our writer was fortunate enough to win a bet and cruise through the Panama Canal, experiencing memorable trips ashore, fine dining, and great fishing. He covered over 500 nautical miles and had the adventure of a lifetime on one leg of Pangaea's around-the-world charter itinerary.

Of course there are many accoutrements to the yachting lifestyle. In this issue we look at highend cellphones and need-to-be-seen-in sunglasses, along with our usual columns on wines and cigars. Mixed in are stories on 10 great restaurants to get to by boat, Dee Robinson's continuing insight on the evolution of yacht interior design, and more.

Here's hoping one of these articles will inspire you to charter a yacht. Once back home, you'll surely crave another.