The definitive History of Expedition Yachts presented as a series by The Yacht Channel Part 1

The series looks at the first expeditions and the vessels chosen by Magellan, Darwin and Shackleton; examining Mission, Vessel and Outcome. Part 1 takes us from the 1500's to the late 20th Century and the advent of the Explorer Yachtsman and the first generation of converted commercial and research ships that became expedition yachts. Commercial vessels must navigate in all seas, in all weather conditions, year-round. They require proven systems with onboard redundancies in order to stay at sea and complete their mission. The most capable Expedition Yachts and Yacht Support Vessels are based on commercial hulls built by commercial shipyards. If your MISSION requires a rugged global expedition yacht, or a versatile multi-mission support vessel, then Xplorer Yachts will spec out the right vessel to meet your needs - either as a conversion or as a new-build. Why clients choose Xplorer Yachts: We handle a project from 'the idea' and 'the mission', through design and conversion to delivery and setting up ongoing vessel management and charter program. We deal direct with vessel owners and shipyards, avoiding 'brokers' and middlemen. Most of our available commercial vessels are not listed as 'for sale' on Yachtworld, Apollo Duck or any other MLS platform. We know what we are talking about. For more information regarding expedition yachts, go to http://XplorerYachts.com