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.
Introducing Naseem (2008) - a classically elegant 47m motor yacht by Heesen Yachts, which combines award-winning design by the acknowledged Bannenberg & Rowell Design Studio and unmistakable Dutch prestige. Delivered in 2008 and beautifully maintained by her present owner, the superyacht was fully refurbished in 2018 with a major focus on outdoor activities. NASEEM is equipped with 5 cabins and can accommodate on board up to 12 guests in utmost comfort, as well as a 10-person crew. Among her key features there are a Deck Jacuzzi and a convertible tender garage which can be used as a beach club for swimming and sunbathing or as a launchpad when using water toys. The yacht is powered by twin MTU 8V4000M70 heavy-duty engines and has a comfortable 14-knot cruising speed. With an impressive range of 4,000 nautical miles, she is suitable for Transatlantic cruising. The interior of the yacht is open-planned and is finished with bleached Wenge wood and polished marble flooring. The sense of space and light is enhanced by large windows.A vast salon on the main deck offers an open-plan lounge with an elegant bar for pre-dinner cocktails. It is also equipped with a 60” plasma TV with a full entertainment system and can be transformed into a private cinema for after-hours movie sessions. The spacious formal dining area can comfortably fit up to 10 guests. Naseem’s full-beam master suite is located forward on the main deck and is beautifully finished in cream with a nice contrast of wood veneer shades. The suite offers guests a private lounge and vanity area overlooking the ocean and a bathroom finished in marble.Exterior-wise the yacht offers multiple lounges, dining spaces and a forward-facing spa pool - perfect for onboard socialising, enjoying panoramic ocean views and relaxing in the sunshine.
September 21, 2020
The classic Benetti yacht Hidalgo got seriously damaged by the fire on September 15 in morning. The yacht fire was spotted at the Muggiano shipyard close to La Spezia in the region of Liguria where Hidalgo was hauled out for refit works.
“A dense column of smoke” was created by the fire and was “visible from a considerable distance”, as the local news portal "Liguria Nautica" reported. Main and upper deck of the vessel got severely damaged, however the fireguards were on time to prevent the fire from spreading elsewhere, and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire still remains unclear. Designed for long-distance cruising, the yacht was delivered in Viareggio in 1968 and got last refitted in 2012. The vessel was previously known as Mirabella. (Photos: Giusppe Orru)
September 19, 2020
The new Ferretti Yachts 500 are the winners in the “Best Interior Design” category, whilst the Pershing
7X and CRN M/Y 62m Voice won in their “Best Exterior Design” categoriesCannes, September 16, 2020 – The harmonious number three is the number of major prizes taken by Ferretti Group at the World Yachts Trophies 2020, the prestigious seasonal event in yachting organised by SG Publications, for undeniably perfect style and design.The ceremony took place last Saturday, on September 12, in Cannes - on the beach of the luxurious InterContinental Carlton, - and was attended by guests and business insiders.Ferretti Group's boats that feature innovative technology and design, along with inimitable Italian style in all aspects, deservedly won three
awards.These are the Awards assigned to the boats: - Ferretti Yachts 500: Best Interior Design Trophy, 45 to 64-foot category (13.70-19.50 meters); - Pershing 7X: Best Exterior Design Trophy, 64 to 80-foot category (19.50-24 meters);- CRN M/Y 62m Voice: Best Exterior Design Trophy, 164 to 270-foot category (50-82 meters)
Ferretti Group continues to grow and will be announcing many important novelties in the coming months.Ferretti Group shows sustainable growth and is going to announce a lot of interesting novelties in the near future.(Press release and photos provided by Ferretti Group Web News)
September 18, 2020
Sunreef Yachts has revealed a 40 metre catamaran explorer concept. The yard adds an unstoppable explorer concept to the shipyard’s range of luxury catamarans. The 40M Sunreef Power is a versatile multihull craft dedicated to discovering new horizons. Her propulsion options allow for transoceanic range and solid performance in rough seas.Blending elegance and modern technology, the 40M Sunreef Power can be heavily customized to match ambitious navigation plans. The extended aft deck houses a launching crane, a 7m tender, two jet skis and storage for a variety of water toys. With the hydraulic aft platform lowered, guests can enjoy a full-beam private beach.The superyacht’s 13,34m beam provides for immense living areas totaling 654m² with accommodation spread across three decks. Custom features available for this concept include a playroom with a self-leveling pool table, a steam room or a master suite with a private fold-out balcony.⠀Alfresco relaxation areas include a large sun lounge with a spa pool surrounded by oversized sunpads and a bar as well as a vast bow terrace.
September 10, 2020
If you could combine rock star level partying with down-to-earth innovative design, what kind of superyacht would you end up with? Meet Project FG (Freddy Gump), a Feadship design created for the fictional combination of Freddy Mercury and Forrest Gump. It is the latest design to be revealed from the “Carte Blanch Exclusives” archives.⠀The 109-metre Project FG came to life during the Feadship Brokers Course in 2019. Together with the Feadship design team from Studio De Voogt, the invited brokers created a design for a wild – but down to earth – Freddy Gump. In a few days’ time, Project FG was born as a technically feasible design that allows for wild partying at night and peaceful relaxation during daytime.More than 200 people can party in the outdoor beach club. Hidden from the outside world, FG includes a mysterious hidden club in the bow of the yacht for exclusive private gatherings.Marsha Van Buitenen and Jan Schaffers in conversation. Credit: FeadshipFeadship sales director Marsha Van Buitenen says:“The group wanted a character that embodied extremes. They thought about a client that one hand has a party attitude but on the other is very down to earth as well. They combined a fictional character and a real character to dream up the client – for the down to earth side, it was Forest Gump, and for the wilder side, it was Freddie Mercury. With that, Freddie Gump as born.”On the aft deck there is a huge outdoor beach club, which is four times larger than Feadship designed “Savannah”. This beach club accommodates parties of up to 300 people while a panoramic piano lounge on the upper deck acts as the heart of the superyacht and the meeting point of the two personalities – a place that both Freddie Mercury and Forrest Gump could retire to as dusk falls and from where the rest of the yacht design branches out into the individual elements of each character.Other unique design elements of Project FG include a pop-up table tennis court on the tip of the bow that features a glass tube that “pops up” at the push of a button and encloses the table-tennis table so that the players are protected from the effects of the wind.One particular design feature that certainly caters to the rockstar inspirations of Freddie Mercury is the hidden club for where the really crazy parties happen – even crazier than those happening on the aft deck. Guests are not given directions on how to get there but instead have to find a hidden door past an engine in the superyacht’s belly.While Project FG Freddie Gump has yet to find an owner, the technically feasible Feadship design is still open for the kind of owner with an appreciation for wild nights of partying like Mercury and peaceful days of relaxation.Farouk Nefzi, Feadship marketing and brand director, says:There are so many future concepts coming out, but they are simply designed for 50 years from now. That too easy. Everybody can dream but to create something using technology that's applicable today, if you just have the will to do it, that's what we're showcasing. We feel like we can bring some joy to people's life by showcasing the possibilities that we are able to do right now. If you look at these designs, they trigger people to move forward and leverage on the existing technology. We want to showcase what is possible and not be dominated by the generics of this industry. It's very easy to make baby steps into what the next stage of yachting should be. We think we could really speed up the process if we find clients ready and wanting to invest in this.
September 9, 2020