Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lupo Yacht Club
Michael Lupolover is the founder and CEO of Lupo Yacht Club, an innovative and novel fractional ownership membership club in Miami. Passionate about the yachting world, Lupolover wanted to give others the chance to own a yacht without the headache that comes with maintaining a vessel or the heavy capital outlay. With that, he created Lupo Yacht Club, a luxury membership that allows patrons to enjoy the seas in an opulent and carefree way.
Lupolover spoke to Haute Living about his unique business and love for the Miami yachting scene.
How did you get your start in the yachting business?
I’ve been yachting since 2010 through a fractional ownership program. In 2015, I purchased my first yacht, a 52-foot Sea Ray, and I was using it between Miami and New York — I had it docked in Chelsea Piers in the Hudson River for the summer months — and I would bring it down to Miami for the winters.
When I ended up moving down here permanently, I decided to upgrade the vessel with the intention to charter. I was also chartering when I had the smaller vessel, but I thought, “Let me upgrade, and I’ll start chartering the yacht even more.” Then Covid hit, and the chartering business was booming. People really had nowhere to go and nothing to do, and they got wind of the fact that I had a yacht and that I was chartering it. I then became extremely busy and ended up buying a second identical yacht. They are both docked in Sunny Isles Beach, and each yacht has three crew members on them: a full-time captain, a stewardess, and a deckhand.
What makes your company different from other yachting companies?
Well, for one, the condition of the vessels. Most companies that charter vessels in Miami don’t keep a full-time crew; they use per diem captains and stewardesses. We have a full-time crew that always maintains the yachts, which helps keep the vessels in pristine condition. We don’t spare any dollars and always make sure that everything is in tip-top shape, both mechanically and cosmetically. That’s what makes us stand out. In addition to that, this is not just a business for me, but it’s really a passion project. This is something I genuinely enjoy running and building.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lupo Yacht Club
How did Lupo Yacht Club get started?
As we were chartering, I realized that there was a more personalized approach that I wanted to take with our clients, and from that, the idea of the Lupo Yacht Club was born. Lupo Yacht Club is similar to chartering when it comes to the amount of responsibility you have. You come on, you enjoy the yacht, and you come off — you’re not responsible for thinking about any of the crew, about the repairs, the fuel… nothing. Your sole responsibility is to come on and have a good time. However, unlike chartering, you’re a fractional owner, so the experience is very different when it’s your vessel, just without the headache of having to care for it.
What kind of membership is it?
Lupo Yacht Club offers fractional ownership; the members become owners. But unlike other fractional companies, there’s no large initial capital outlay, such as a down payment of the vessel. We’ve already purchased the yacht. You’re just paying your share of the running costs. There’s also no long-term commitment like you’d typically see; you’re just signing up for an annual commitment. Another great way to join is with your business and have the ability to write off the cost of the membership as an expense.
We have three different tiers: Gold, which is $5,000 a month and gives you 10 points; Platinum, which is $7,500 a month and gives you 16 points; and then Diamond, the highest tier, which gives you 22 points a month for $10,000. During the week, one point is equivalent to one hour of usage, and on the weekends, one hour of usage is one and a quarter points. Overnights are 10 points during the week and 12 points on the weekend.
Another standout is if you are a snowbird, the points roll over for up to a year. It’s that simple. This program is really a no-brainer for anyone who wants to yacht in Miami.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lupo Yacht Club
What do you love about Miami?
I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, but I’ve been coming to Miami since I was a little kid. My parents had a place here in Sunny Isles Beach, and I have always known that I wanted to live here. Now, I live right here on the beach. I love the weather, and I love being on the water.
