Crossing Paths With a Legend

When 13-year-old Bill Lefakinis first visited the famed yacht Christina O in 1959 on the Hudson River in New York City, little did he realize that a 45 year old bond was about to start with the legendary vessel.

Lefakinis, chairman of Valef Yachts, had an opportunity to visit the now-famous Aristotle Onassis yacht due to a family invitation extended to Spyros Skouras, by the owner. Skouras, chairman of 20th Century Fox, was invited to the yacht, with Winston Churchill and Maria Callas in attendance. This was heady stuff for a young lad, but it also instilled in Lefakinis a love of yachts in general and yachting in particular.

As a result, the Lefakinis love of yachting has led to his stewardship of a yacht chartering business, Valef Yachts.

He fondly relates how Valef Yachts and the Christina O share a joint tradition and history that is remarkable. The "M/Y Christina O" story actually originated in 1943 in Canada. Back then, the ship was known as the frigate Stormont, a convoy escort. Aristotle Onassis bought it in 1954, turning the frigate into the history's most famous yacht. The Onassis concept for "Christina O" was to convert the vessel into a powerful symbol of his business empire with unique and total elegance.

Onassis' guests on board "Christina O" were truly the world's most famous, powerful and influential people of the time, including Sir Winston Churchill, The Aga Khan, King Farouk, Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, Eva Peron, Greta Garbo and countless other famous personalities. "Christina O" was also the scene of the world's most celebrated love affair when Onassis courted Jackie Kennedy. Three years after Onassis' death, his daughter Christina, the yacht's namesake, donated the yacht to the Greek Government for the President to entertain visiting Heads of State. Unfortunately, the Christina O was used less often and eventually went through a long period of neglect.

Then in 1998, she was purchased by a family friend of Onassis who spent over 60 million dollars to bring it back to the original Onassis' condition. Ironically, Bill Lefakinis and has now come full circle with the Christina O.

What's next for Bill Lefakinis? The tireless and dynamic yacht chartering entrepreneur was very active with the 2004 Olympics in Greece and enjoyed the opportunity to showcase the Greek Islands as one of the world's truly unique yacht charter destinations.

Geoff Caplan operates http://geoff-caplan.com and is a professional online marketing consultant and copywriter with eleven years of continuous experience. His diversified background includes search engine marketing, e-commerce strategy and online public relations. He has lectured extensively on subjects related to online marketing and has worked for some of the Web's highest traffic brands, including eDiets and myTravelUSA.

---

Wanted! Adventurous Guests Looking For a New Experience on a Royal Caribbean Cruise

Wanted! Adventurous guests looking for a new experience on a... Read More

Inflatable Boats and Inflatable Kayaks Are Naturally Safe and Stable

Inflatable boats such as inflatable kayaks, inflatable catamarans, and inflatable... Read More

At the Boat Ramp

The weekend is finally here. You're all loaded up (well,... Read More

Silversea Cruises! Committed To Elegance, Luxury, And Gracious Hospitality

Committed to elegance, luxury and gracious hospitality, Silversea Cruises is... Read More

Keltic Seafaring

Many academics are unable to handle the possibility of ships... Read More

River Cruises Can be Such a Rich Experience

Exploring Europe can be such a unique experience with a... Read More

Yacht Winterization Service Business

If you own a boat maintenance business you need to... Read More

Artic Tours

Take an Arctic Tour by flying north of Fairbanks to... Read More

Exploring the Exotic - Antarctica Cruise

Antarctica is one of the great unexplored areas of the... Read More

The Fabulous New Caribbean Princess Ship

The magnificent Caribbean Princess ship is the new queen of... Read More

Cruise The Nile of Cleopatra

For centuries, the Nile River has been at the center... Read More

Western Caribbean Cruise

We were on the Radiance of the Seas for the... Read More

Affordable Weekend Getaways? Romantic Cruises!

If you are looking for affordable weekend getaways, romantic cruises... Read More

Luxury Cruises On The Mediterranean

A classic Mediterranean cruise visits major port cities located on... Read More

Boat Cleaning Business - Bilge Clean-up Tips

These areas, like any other car engine and compartment that... Read More

Boat Hull Cleaning; Equipment Needed

How do you clean the hull on a boat when... Read More

World Cruise - A Relaxing Experience

Have you ever thought what it would be like to... Read More

See Alaska as Never Before: Alaska Inside Passage Cruises

Between the Alaskan mainland and its islands, lies an intriguing... Read More

If You Can Afford A Vacation - You Can Afford A Cruise!

Some vacations are just more fun than others!There will be... Read More

Italy Cruise Expert Guide

History, wine, serene beauty, dramatic people and stunning views -... Read More

Boat Detailing - Diagnosing Gel Coat Surfaces

Determining Oxidation Levels on Your Yacht and how to deal... Read More

The Nile Cruise

Egypt is where history first emerged. It is here that... Read More

Crystal Cruises: An Air Of Elegance, Presence Of Beauty, And Incredible Spirit Of Adventure

On a Crystal cruise it is not difficult to find... Read More

Whats Involved With Honeymoon Cruise Packages?

With so many honeymoon cruise packages to choose from, it... Read More

Cruise Trips: Just How Popular is Cruising?

The results are in for 2004. The number of people... Read More

European Cruise Expert Guide

Europe is one of the premier cruise destinations in the... Read More

Amazon Cruise Expert Guide

An Amazon cruise is the ultimate jungle adventure. From the... Read More

Celebrity Cruise! Opulence Perfectly Staged

Each generation of Celebrity ships has emerged to assume a... Read More

Bahamas Cruise Expert Guide

The Bahamas is arguably the most popular cruise destination for... Read More

Boat Timeshares - A Unique Vacationing Experience

If you've dreamed of sailing the seven seas, but don't... Read More

Cleaning Canvas Tops on Boats

Cleaning boat canvas covers is difficult unless you know the... Read More

Types of Cruise Ship Cabins

Many cruise ships today have standard cabins of similar size... Read More

Defeating the Drug Smugglers in Ultra Fast Boats, Skimmer Craft and Hydrofoils

The drug smugglers have ultra fast boats, skimmer craft and... Read More