UKIEL

M/Y UKIEL — 26m Aegean Yachts, 2022 UKIEL belongs to a category of yacht that has become increasingly sought after in the Mediterranean: the compact explorer, built for real time on the water rather than short hops between marinas. Launched in 2022 by Aegean Yachts as an AEGEAN Explorer M26, she pairs a steel hull with an aluminium superstructure — the classic explorer formula, chosen for stability and range rather than for show. Her strongest argument sits below and above decks alike. Six cabins accommodate twelve guests, an unusually generous figure in the 26-metre segment. Three of them are owner's cabins, spread across two decks, with one VIP cabin and two further cabins fitted with twin beds. All have en-suite facilities. Detailed bed configuration is available on request. The upper-deck owner's cabin opens directly onto a private aft terrace with sun loungers — a genuinely secluded corner of the yacht, with open sea views and no passing traffic. For families travelling together, or for two or three couples who would rather not draw lots for the best cabin, the layout does something few yachts of this size can. Life aboard follows the unhurried rhythm the platform was designed for: long anchorages, late lunches, itineraries that can be decided over breakfast. Twin MAN engines give her comfortable, fuel-efficient cruising and the range to keep going when a better bay comes to mind, while solar-assisted systems reduce reliance on the generators at anchor. The tender programme deserves particular attention. UKIEL carries a 9-metre XO DFNDR 8 with twin 250 HP Mercury engines and a dedicated crew member assigned to it — which changes what a day actually looks like. Beach transfers, lunch ashore in a village the yacht cannot reach, watersports runs, coastal exploring while the yacht repositions: all of it becomes routine rather than an exception. A broad selection of water toys completes the picture. A crew of five looks after the yacht and her guests, with a clear emphasis on the table. Menus are built around guest preferences and the pace of the cruise, and the galley is one of the places where the charter is genuinely felt. Based in Olbia, UKIEL charters across Sardinia and Corsica, the French Riviera, and the Amalfi Coast and Bay of Naples. From EUR 44,950 per week plus 35% APA and VAT.