By Andrew Cilla President of Luke Brown Yachts
President of Freedom Waters Foundation

Andrew@Lukebrown.com

Having always been an active boat owner and engaged in all facets of the marine industry over my 45-year career, I only recently discovered a very unique and especially enjoyable form of recreational yachting which I now call micro-yachting. 

It began when I took delivery of a custom-built Nordic Tug 26.  I’ve always been a Nordic Tug aficionado and also currently own a Nordic Tug 44.  Adding to my fleet will be a soon to be delivered new custom Michael Peters designed flybridge sedan cruiser which will serve to replace my Nordic Tug 44.  The 44 and 54′ will serve as my South Florida cruising vessel.

Plenty of room for family and friends, but to replace my northern cottage, I have my little Tug transported to my favorite cruising destinations by a professional boat transporting company at an amazing 65-knots.  In a few weeks I will be waving goodbye as she heads North for her third summer in Newport, Rhode Island.  Last year she departed on a Thursday and Saturday I was enjoying cocktails on board with friends.  Three years ago, she was out in the Northwest before a 3-day voyage to Fort Lauderdale.  While I enjoy my South Florida, Keys, and Bahamas boating activities I fondly think of the day when I may be cruising my little Tug in Alaska, Sea of Cortez, and the canals of Europe.  The neat thing for me is that I can remain engaged in running my businesses, which provide the income to support my small fleet of pleasure vessels, and my little Tug affords me the opportunity to cruise waters that I would not otherwise get to enjoy.

Call me a minimalist, but late in life I have simplified the way that I live and the way that I enjoy my boating.  While I have shed a lot of volume from my little Tug, I have retained all of the amenities which I have come to enjoy.  She has a generator, inverter, two sources of cabin heat, all the electronics I have on my larger vessel, and seven batteries for lots of quiet time on board.  She also benefits from a beautiful designer interior décor.  With her traditional Tug boat red accent coloring, I fondly refer to her as my Swiss Army knife…everything that a full-blown yacht contains…in a very small package. 

I advocate for all who love boating as I do to give thought to either adding a micro yacht to your fleet or enjoy all of your time on a little ship like my Nordic Tug 26.

Having been the owner of Luke Brown Yachts for 40 years, dealer for many brands of boats, involved in over-seeing the build of custom vessels in four continents, I think that I have gained the knowledge and perspective to dial in the perfect vessel to fill my dreams.

If you have similar dreams, I hope you’ll reach out to me.  I would love to share what I’ve learned and resources I have amassed.    

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