In June 2015 it was announced that yet another superyacht with a name inspired by a James Bond movie would be built, the 66-meter Spectre. Commissioned by American businessman, John Staluppi, the superyacht is set to become his 7th yacht.
Active in the automobile industry since the 1950s, Staluppi is best known for building the fastest yacht on Earth, the 40-meter The World is Not Enough along with the rest of his Bond fleet that keeps growing in length.
Moving up from an 18-meter Viking boat, Staluppi commissioned the 36-meter For Your Eyes Only from Denison as his first yacht. The semi-displacement yacht was eventually launched in 1985 and became the first motor yacht to have a combination of MTU engines with water-jets in the US, which allowed it to reach a top speed of 30 knots.
In the late eighties, For Your Eyes Only hit a sandbar which led to her taking in water from a crack in the engine room. The yacht was eventually salvaged, refitted and renamed with some speculating that the following alleged legal actions, combined with the sinking of two other Denisons within a short amount of time, led to the bankruptcy of the US shipyard.
In 1988, Octopussy was launched as Staluppi's second yacht in a successful attempt to build the fastest yacht in the world. A defining moment for Heesen Yachts, Octopussy had to reach 50 knots in order for Staluppi to take ownership of the boat, which it ultimately did, reaching a top speed of 53 knots. Staluppi eventually sold the 44-meter yacht after having used her for close to a year in and a half, which allowed him to start working on his next project, Moonraker.
A fast cruising trideck, Octopussy now features an interior by Art Line. Fully refitted by her current owners in 2015, the 44-meter now has a sundeck with a Jacuzzi and raised sun pads. On the upper deck, she features a sky lounge and her sporty bridge along with two dinning tables to her aft.
Down on her main deck is the yacht's main lounge with a myriad of seating areas, tall windows, a bar area and a TV screen that slides out amidst ship. Towards the yacht's aft is a dinning table for 12 guests that can be either opened up in good weather or closed down with glass panels. Forward of the deck is the main cabin with four additional guest cabins on the lower deck. The yacht's current owner's are selling it at $4,995,000.
By the time Octopussy was sold, HH the Aga Khan, was building a yacht to overtake the crown of the world's fastest yacht. Staluppi therefore set out to build an even faster one and the 36-meter Moonraker was eventually delivered in 1992 by Norship with a design done by Dutch-based Mulder.
In 1998, Staluppi set up his own business in yachting, Millenium Superyachts that was to handle his project in the superyacht industry. In 2004, the newly created label delivered The World Is Not Enough, a 40-meter yacht with 20,600hp that could reach a top speed of 70 knots but couldn't steer past 66 knots according to the owner.
In October 2007, Staluppi acquired a project in-build from Henry Luken, co-owner of Christensen Shipyards. In 2008, the 49.6-meter Casino Royale which can cruise at a more regular speed of 12 knots, was delivered to her new owner. Built out of composite, the full displacement yacht came in at just under 500GT. It was later listed for sale in December 2008 and sold in April 2009 to Californian businessman, David McDonald.
Built with a more traditional, American audience in mind, Casino Royale features a straightforward layout with a full-beam master cabin forward of the main deck, 2 guest, 2 twin and one VIP cabin on the lower deck. With two tenders and three jet skis carried onboard, Casino Royale features a lounge on the main deck and a sky lounge as well.
In July 2009, Staluppi acquired Midlandia, a 52-meter Benetti with an asking price of €19,950,000, which he renamed to Quantum of Solace and extensively refitted. In August 2009, he listed the boat for sale again at an asking price of $24,995,000 and eventually sold it, two years later, in July 2011.
Designed with Italian roots at its heart, Quantum of Solace has a layout more typical of yachts found in the Mediterranean. Its main tender is brought into a tender garage aft of the lower deck, with a foldable platform for swimming. This clears out the sundeck for lounging, sunbathing, casual dinning and leaves enough space up there for a Jacuzzi.
In a configuration that has proven popular for charters, Quantum of Solace's main deck features a main salon and dinning room with an outdoor lounging area towards the aft. Up on the second deck is a large sky lounge with a playing table, bar area, lounging area and large outdoor dinning table.
In November 2011, Diamonds are Forever was launched for Staluppi who had acquired the yacht whilst in-built, 18 months prior to its delivery. Throughout the construction project, Staluppi made several substantial improvements including the addition of an extra top deck.
Originally intended to be chartered out by its owners, Diamonds are Forever was listed for sale in August 2012, asking $63 million. In October 2012, her asking price was reduced to $59.5 million and she was eventually sold in December 2013.
With a number of features mirroring the Quantum of Solace, such as the large bar area in the sky lounge, Diamonds are Forever became a refined version of Staluppi's previous builds. The main attribute that set the yacht apart from other Benetti's of her size is the addition of a fifth deck to act as a sunbathing area, creating a second master cabin on the upper deck and pushing the bridge up to the third deck.
Born in Brooklyn in 1947, Staluppi started as a mechanic at 16 years old with a life long passion for cars during the golden era of automobiles. His first business became a Sunoco station, which he established thanks to a loan that his father took on.
After establishing a chain of gas stations, Staluppi risked bringing on an unknown car manufacturer at the time to the American market, which is now known as Honda. After 10 years, Staluppi established 20 dealerships of Honda cars in the United States. After Honda, Staluppi established a network of dealerships of Hyundai cars.
An avid collector of cars, Staluppi had established a museum around cars from all eras and an extensive personal collection. In 2012, these cars were put up for auction by RM Sotheby's in Palm Beach and generated over $11,5 million in sales revenue.
"John Staluppi is larger than life and well known in the collector-car hobby. His collection reflects a very precise collecting philosophy, focused on securing only the very best." said Donnie Gould of RM Auctions at the time of the auction.
Commissioned in July 2015, Spectre will become Staluppi's seventh superyacht named after a James Bond film and will also be designed by Mulder.
Northrop & Johnson has announced the sale of the 72m award-winning Tankoa superyacht Solo.Solo was launched in 2018 by the Italian boutique shipyard Tankoa and since then has become a favorite on the charter market. In 2018 Solo won Most Efficient Yacht at World Yachts Trophies and The Game Changer at the Boat International Design & Innovation Awards in 2019. Solo was designed by Francesco Paszkowski, with interior styling by Margherita Casprini, whose use of an open layout and modern furnishings created a truly elegant and chic interior aesthetic. All interior spaces aboard Solo are marvels of style from the unique and distinguished artwork that adorns her walls to the elevator that accesses all decks.She can accommodate twelve guests in six staterooms, and her master suite offers a 180-degree view from a king-size bed. This stateroom also is outfitted with a private terrace that features a whirlpool tube and a sunbed. The interior of this well-designed superyacht effortlessly flows onto her spacious decks, which offer the best of the alfresco lifestyle. Solo’s decks feature the most sought-after amenities available aboard luxury yachts, including a large beach club with a lounge, a bar sauna, hammam, shower and fold-out terrace, as well as a full gym and massage room. A six-meter infinity pool is found on the main deck aft. It is surrounded by lounge space. The bridge deck aft features a hot tub as well as a touch-and-go helipad that converts to a dance floor or open space ideally suited for on-board entertaining. Tankoa was founded in 2007 and began production in 2008. A true “boutique shipyard”, focused on building semi-custom and custom constructions 45-meter and up.Credits: Tankoa
April 22, 2021
Veronika, the 23.99m Bering B77 explorer, was launched at the shipyard facility in Turkey. Veronika is a semi-custom project designed in-house by Bering. This steel-hulled yacht has three-decks, and she can accommodate six guests and up to four crew. With a massive 170 GT of volume, she outperforms most other yacht brands below 24 meters.The launch of the heavy displacement B77 was facilitated by the brand new 560-tonne capacity travel lift provided by the Antalya Free Zone marina.“With this 77 footer, we are opening a new chapter of compact cruisers,” says Alexei Mikhailov, Bering Yachts’ founder and director. “She may not be the longest yacht in the marinas, but you just have to look at the specs to understand her capabilities. Her communications are just one example: Veronika has two satellite Internet antennas and all the systems are doubled up so she will never be without sat comms. This is a yacht you can rely on”. Veronika will undergo local sea trials before transferring to Australia to start high-latitude exploration cruising. She became the first of four launches in the Antalya Free Zone planned by Bering Yachts for 2021, including the launch of a Bering 70, Bering 92 and Bering 76 in the second half of the year.Bering Yachts is located in Antalya, Turkey. Its shipyard designs and builds semi-custom steel expedition yachts and luxury steel trawler yachts ranging in size from 50 to 145 feet. Credits: Bering Yachts
April 22, 2021
Wally has announced the sale of a 101-foot fully custom sailing yacht. Having previously built three vessels with Wally, the experienced European owner enjoys using his yachts for a combination of family cruising and racing on the Wally Class circuit as well as many other regattas, always with great success. “The sale of this new cutting-edge Wally sailing yacht marks a red letter day for the entire Ferretti Group,” states Alberto Galassi, CEO of Ferretti Group. “We are extremely glad for the confidence and the enthusiasm this experienced and selective owner is putting in us once again and his new stunning vessel, which will combine the unbeatable Wally style and the latest technological solutions, the very essence of the Wally DNA ‘20 years ahead.’ This successful sale is thanks to the unique nature of Wally as well as the strength and reliability of Ferretti Group, which relies on Wally as a fundamental driver of growth and development. The Group invests and will continue to invest considerably in the brand in the next years .” Judel/Vrolijk & Co. has provided the yacht’s naval architecture alongside interior and exterior design from Wally’s design team, led by Luca Bassani. The displacement of the fully-equipped superyacht is just 56,4 tons, almost 20% less than yachts of similar size and configuration, and with 40% of the total weight attributed to the keel. The yacht will also feature the Wally Enhanced Hydraulic System comprising the double low- and high-pressure pump technology to further speed up sail handling. The lifting keel increases the draft from 4.70m to an extraordinary 6.80m, for unparalleled upwind performance. The yacht can easily reach 18/20 knots of speed in full cruising configuration, with only the main and jib sails and all the comfort amenities. When not sailing, the 425hp engine will provide a predicted top speed of 11.5 knots.“When a client comes to Wally, they know they can expect the very highest standards as only Wally can deliver. Our yachts are renowned for comfort, quality and performance, and I am sure they will continue to lead the way for yacht design in the future,” adds Luca Bassani, Wally Founder and Chief Designer. “Additionally, sailing yachts provide the ultimate sustainable yachting experience, and our owners appreciate that they can enjoy a greener way of cruising the world, with less of an impact on the environment. It is very gratifying knowing that there will be another Wally sailing yacht on the water flying the flag for the planet.”The yacht’s deck plan features an amidships cockpit with a table seating up to eight and an aft sunbathing area for ultimate relaxation. The owner’s cabin has an ensuite bathroom and TV room, two further ensuite cabins complete the guest accommodation for six, and the saloon includes a living and dining area with seating for up to 10-12. Delivery of the new sailing yacht is scheduled for spring 2023, and she will be built in Forlì, Italy.Wally is part of Ferretti Group. It was founded in 1994 in Monaco by Luca Bassani and is the only yachting brand to be a two-time winner of the ADI Compasso d’Oro, the world’s most important award for quality and design. Credits: Wally
April 22, 2021
Sanlorenzo has delivered the first unit of the new 62Steel, Cloud 9. She has an overall length of 61.50m, a maximum beam of 11.90m, a gross tonnage of 1,300 tonnes and five decks.Cloud 9 has been designed by Sanlorenzo's technical and style departments, who have developed a superyacht with low, taut lines, characterised by long, continuous banded windows extending across all three decks which, by perceptively lengthening the lines, give the profile elegance and slenderness.The décor and furnishings of the interiors of the 62Steel Cloud 9 were entrusted to the creativity of Francesco Paszkowski and Margherita Casprini.The main saloon "Creating the interior design for this 62m was an exciting process. Our long-standing collaboration with the shipyard and our knowledge of the owner, for whom we had already designed a 46-metre in the past, allowed us to move into uncharted territory and create interiors with a distinctly contemporary feel, in collaboration with Margherita Casprini. Principle materials such as marble, stone and oak are combined with glass and leather, and made-in-Italy brand furniture coexists with custom furnishings designed by our studio. Working with high-level professionals, an important shipyard and an experienced owner is always a very rewarding experience," says Francesco Paszkowski.The owner's suiteThe main saloon is located on the main deck and shares its 90 square metres with the dining room, which seats up to sixteen. On the main deck there are also six cabins, five of which are guest cabins and a massage room, two with king-size beds and three twin cabins with single beds, ensuring comfort and privacy for all guests.The owner's suite relaxation areaThe owner’s suite is located on the upper deck. The spacious private area – 215 square metres – has a 180° panoramic view, a study, two bathrooms and a walk-in dressing room; the 140 sqm outdoor area in the bow has large sunbathing and relaxation areas and a swimming pool. The beach clubThe beach club, located at the sea level, has a private covered beach extending 92 square metres with relaxation areas, bar area, gym and hammam, plus another 40 square metres of folding terraces aft and to either side which offer guests the chance to enjoy the sea "au fil de l'eau" for swimming, diving and sunbathing, enhanced by the sparkling water.To completely free up space in the beach area, the 62Steel was designed with two garages with access through side openings, amidship, which contain the main 9-metre tender to starboard and the service tender and jet ski to port.With two units already sold and a third under construction, the second will be delivered in the autumn and the third is scheduled for delivery in early 2023.Sanlorenzo was founded in 1985 in Viareggio by yacht builder Gionvanni Jannetti. In 2005, Massimo Perrotti became the majority shareholder in the shipyard. Sanlorenzo builds yachts ranging from 28.60 to 62 metres in length. Credits: Guillaume Plisson/Sanlorenzo
April 21, 2021
Ferretti Group is ending the first quarter of 2021 reporting powerful growth on both economic and industrial fronts. Compared with the same period in 2020, first quarter revenues rose 40%, from EUR 133 million to EUR 186 million. New orders, as of today, total over EUR 300 million, or 56% of all of 2020 orders. From an industrial perspective, Ferretti Group reported a record number of launches: 56 yachts and superyachts launched in three months, as opposed to 43 in 2020. Almost all the Group’s shipyards and main brands contributed to this record with iconic models in the world of international yachting, like Riva 50 METRI Fifty, the new Ferretti Yacht 1000 and Navetta 30 Custom Line.Riva 50 Metri FiftyThe first quarter of 2021 also saw the sale of the forty-eighth Wally full custom sailing superyacht, the first unit sold since the brand became part of Ferretti Group.“Record-breaking first-quarter EBITDA and equally extraordinary new order growth – including an extremely significant order for a large Wally sailing yacht – tell the story of a Ferretti Group with the wind in its sails, and everything points to a very positive 2021”, said Alberto Galassi, Ferretti Group CEO. “The launches are like the dates of a successful show, because this record number in just three months attests to the huge appreciation our boats enjoy and the strength of our production strategies. After excellent performance in 2019 and a basically stable 2020, we were expecting to grow, but this fantastic acceleration has beaten all our forecasts and gives everyone who works in Ferretti Group twice the satisfaction and energy”.The Ferretti Group, led by Chief Executive Officer Alberto Galassi, is now one of the world’s leaders in the construction and sale of luxury yachts and pleasure vessels with a unique portfolio of brands: Ferretti Yachts, Riva, Pershing, Itama, Mochi Craft, CRN, Custom Line and Wally.Credits: Ferretti Group
April 21, 2021