The superyacht sector is, at its essence, a extremely small niche when one looks at absolute amounts, with barely 10,000 yachts over 24 meters in length. As a result, innovation in the sector requires drive and experience that only a few individuals in the world have been able to develop.
Building innovative yachts takes extensive, intimate knowledge of their use, only acquired at an owner's level, as well as large amounts of capital devoted to creating floating masterpieces. Yacht Harbour looks at some of the most inspiring billionaires from the superyacht space.
Bernard Arnault
Position: Chairman, LVMH
Net worth: $64 billion (2017)
Iconic in many ways, luxury conglomerate LVMH and its CEO, Bernard Arnault have long set a gold standard in the luxury world and yachting was no exception to this rule. In fact, Arnault's 101-meter yacht, Symphony is currently the largest Feadship ever built.
With a net worth currently valued at $64 billion by Forbes, Bernard Arnault's 33-year run shaping the luxury world through his Louis Vuitton Moet Henessy Group, took him to being the 2nd richest person in Europe and in the world's top 10 billionaires.
In yachting however, the 68 year-old Frenchmen is most well known for his involvement in the sector. His first major step into superyachts became the conversion of the 70-meter Amadeus into a luxury yacht from a research vessel in 2007.
Rebuilt at Jade Yachts in Taiwan, the transformation was overseen by Vripack to a design by Redmond Langton with Francois Zuretti creating the yacht's new interior. Accommodating up to 12 guests in a master suite spanning over the entire upper deck, a VIP suite on the main deck, and two guest and two twin cabins on the lower deck, she stretched over a total of five decks.
From a technical standpoint, the yacht is powered by twin Caterpillar engines letting the 70-meter yacht cruise for up to 16,400 nautical miles at a speed of 10.5 knots. In 2015, Arnault sold Amadeus, which was later renamed to Felix by its current owner.
Photo by Julien Hubert
Around the same time, Feadship delivered the 101-meter Symphony, the largest yacht it ever built. According to Marianne, Symphony was delivered to Maltese company, Sonata Yachting, a firm which LVMH disclosed was a fully owned subsidiary in its yearly report.
A common feature found across the two yachts are their golf tee located aft of the upper deck, which allows its guests to shoot specially designed, bio-degradable balls into the sea from the yacht. Designed by Tim Heywood, Symphony has a gross tonnage of near 3,000GT.
Photo by Julien Hubert
Arnault's interests in yachting however are not limited to his personal fleet. In 2008, LVMH led an acquisition of British yacht manufacturer, Princess Yachts from South African investor, Graham Beck in a transaction that amounted to just over €250 million. The deal then saw L Capital, a fund controlled by LVMH, gain a 70% controlling stake in Princess Yachts.
LVMH then continued its efforts to expand into yachting by acquiring Royal Van Lent, a shipyard part of Feadship, later that year in a deal that analysts put at around €400 million. The shipyard later went on to build the 101.5-meter Symphony and remains a part of LVMH's portfolio to this day.
Herb Chambers
Position: Chairman, Herb Chambers Companies
Net worth: $1,38 billion (2017)
Delivered in 2012 by Abeking & Rasmussen, the 60-meter Excellence V, one of the most voluminous yachts in her size, became her American's owner fifth superyacht. His fleet's next flagship, an 80-meter Abeking & Rasmussen is however still under construction.
Herb Chambers' first yacht became a 30ft Trojan fishing boat in 1970, he then upgraded to a 53ft Hatteras before starting his journey into the superyacht space with a 38.7-meter Feadship, Excellence. Launched in 1986, three years after Chambers sold his blooming copier sales business, A Copy, for $80 million, the yacht could reach 13.5 knots.
Later known as Golden Rule and last refitted in 2006, the yacht was sold by her new owners in 2011 at an asking price of $4.9 million. She was then renamed once again to Miss Iloilo in 2013.
Chambers next yachting project became an even larger Feadship, the 47.5-meter Excellence II launched in 1999. With an interior by Sam Sorgiovanni, the yacht had a beam of 8.9m and could reach a speed of 14.5 knots.
Later reportedly sold by Chambers to American businessman, Dennis M. Jones who renamed her to D'Natalin II, the yacht was then sold once again and renamed to Princess K. Now cruising under the name Princess Too, she was sold to her current owner in the summer of 2016 at an asking price of €15 million.
Launched this time by Abeking & Rasmussen in 2001, Excellence III became a 57-meter superyacht with an exterior by Donald Starkey designed with charter in mind. Praised for her comfortable seven cabin layout by guests, the yacht went on to have an inspiring charter record led by Chambers' long-time captain, Ray Shore.
Listed for sale in 2010 Excellence III was later sold in March 2012 asking $45,950,000. The popular charter yacht was then renamed to Dream following her sale and lengthened to 60-meters during her 2014 refit.
Chambers' subsequent project became a 78-meter Abeking & Rasmussen which was planned to take on the name Excellence IV. A few months into the build, Chambers received an offer to buy the yacht from a friend, which he decided to turn down.
Halfway through the build he however realised that such a project would prevent him from mooring in harbour such as Gustavia in St.Barts and Capri. When a Russian oligarch made another offer to buy the project at a profit for Chambers, the American businessman accepted. "I did well on that one." Chambers told Forbes. The yacht went on to become Eminence.
Following the sale, Chambers decided to take on another project at Abeking & Rasmussen building Excellence V, a 60-meter yacht with the interior volume and comfort of a 75-meter superyacht. Launched in 2011, she is now available for charter from €595,000 per week.
"There was a transition where it became a business for me" Chambers told Forbes on his superyacht projects, "I get more enjoyment out of building the boats than I do using them". Chambers's Excellence IV, a 28-meter Pershing launched in 2014, might be the only exception to this rule as he keeps it for his personal use. The yacht was however listed for sale and is now asking $8,400,000.
Chambers, now owner of the Herb Chambers Companies, the largest automotive dealership group in New England, USA with over $2.5 billion in revenue in 2014, might however be on his most ambitious yachting project yet. Indeed, the American billionaire has commissioned an 80-meter project currently under construction at Abeking & Rasmussen, which he says will be a cross between M/Y A and a more traditional yacht.
Dennis Washington
Position: Chairman, Washington Companies
Net worth: $5,9 billion (2017)
Washington became acquainted with boating relatively late, according to one of his recent interviews, he stepped on a boat for the very first time in 1979, when he was 45 years old. His connection with the sea was however immediate, "I just loved the sound of being out on the water and being so relaxed" he told Forbes. Soon after, he purchased his first boat, the 25.9-meter Wanigan III for $150,000. What sets apart Washington from most yacht owners is his interest in refitting yachts up to his high standards. A year and a half after the purchase of the Wanigan III, he began to rebuild it and sold it a couple of years later.
In 1992 he purchased Chieftain, a 105ft tug built in Glasgow in 1929 that had escorted British WW2 ships and had remained under the British flag for nearly 60 years. Washington had the yacht shipped back to Vancouver by his port captain, Fred Larsson, and started a lengthy process to create the most tastefully decorated tug afloat. Washington in fact even announced that the newly named St. Eval would remain in the Washington family for perpetuity. St. Eval can now often be found moored in Washington's private marina in Vancouver.
Also docked in Vancouver is the 36.4-meter Abeking & Rasmussen, Impromptu, which Washington purchased from Boeing. Before serving as Boeing's corporate yacht as Daedalus, Impromptu was owned by beer magnate, August Busch. After learning that Boeing was looking to sell, he purchased and refitted the yacht, which he still owns to this day.
The first yacht to be named Attessa became yet another one of Washington's rebuild projects. After purchasing the 130ft Yecats built by Kong & Halvorsen in 1984, Washington lengthened the yacht to 142ft and renamed it to Attessa. The yacht later appeared in the movie "Indecent Proposal". It was then sold to George Argyros and renamed to Huntress before catching fire and sinking off the coast of Greece in 1998.
Washington's second Attessa became a Feadship launched in 1988 as Impromptu with a length of 43.4-meters. Following Washington buying the yacht in the 1990s, the yacht was extended by over 5 meters and renamed to Attessa II. The yacht was later reportedly sold to American billionaire, Wayne Huizenga who renamed her to Floridian. She then went through several changes of ownership until her current owners renamed the yacht to Mysorah and extensively refitted her once again.
Another vessel that is still part Washington's fleet to this day is Attessa III. Built by Feadship in 1998 as Lady Aviva for Joe Lewis, the 62-meter yacht caught fire in May 2000 in the Red Sea. With the owner and insurance company looking to get rid of it, Washington bought the superyacht and, after a 36-month long refit process at the Feadship De Vries shipyard, she reemerged as the fully rebuilt and extended 68m Attessa III. Completely transformed, Attessa III featured the largest composite extension in yachting history. Washington still owns the yacht to this day and keeps her on America's west coast.
Washington's most ambitious project however began just under two years later after Attessa III's launch. Having become aware that Taiwanese shipping billionaire, Chang Yung Fa was looking to sell his 91-meter Evergreen, Washington flew out to Taiwan to inspect the hull in 2007. "Chairman Chang built the boat like a warship, but it was not attractive structurally. I thought it would be a great project." he told Forbes. The American billionaire bought the yacht and sailed it to his Vancouver facility for a refit.
The refit process involved a new superstructure shape, interior layout, helipad and tender garage, which resulted in a completely new vessel. Lengthened by almost 10 meters, Attessa IV became the 24th largest in the world at the time of her relaunch in 2010. Amongst her standout features are a spa on the lower deck, a private cinema, a helipad and a multi-purpose room on the yacht's sundeck with a Chihuly chandelier under a glass dome.
Royal Hakvoort has signed a construction contract for a 70.1-meter superyacht, designated Project YN258. The vessel, designed for long-range cruising, will be the largest project in the shipyard's history in terms of both length and gross tonnage.Construction will begin immediately at the shipyard's facility in Monnickendam, the Netherlands, with delivery scheduled for 2029. The project involves an all-Dutch team, with Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design responsible for the design and Diana Yacht Design providing the naval architecture. The sale was brokered by 26 North Yachts, with Arrow Monaco acting as the owner's project management company.The yacht will have a beam of 11.6 meters and a gross tonnage of 1,513. Accommodation is planned for up to 14 guests in seven cabins, including two owners' suites – one located on the bridge deck and another occupying the entire owners' deck. Crew quarters will accommodate 20 staff and include a mess hall, a dedicated gym, and technical spaces designed for accessibility on long voyages.Reported features include a touch-and-go helipad, a sports court, and a swimming pool, with a layout emphasizing a balance between indoor and outdoor areas.Royal Hakvoort is a family-owned shipyard. She was founded by Albert Kizn Hakvoort in 1919. The yard is based in the historic Dutch village of Monnickendam. The shipyard is able to guarantee best in class quality for custom built motor yachts and sailing yachts up to 65m in length.Credits: Royal Hakvoort
September 23, 2025
German marine glass manufacturer Yachtglass and Italian manufacturer Hard Glass have established a joint venture named Ocean Glass. The companies will continue to operate independently while using the new entity to develop markets and provide glazing solutions to shipyards internationally.The joint venture will be officially introduced at the 2025 Monaco Yacht Show at Stand DS 57 in Darse Sud. Both companies have previously supplied custom glass for yachts, including vessels exceeding 120 meters in length.Silvia Buck, CEO of Yachtglass, stated: “This strategic partnership merges German engineering precision with Italian design expertise. Together, we’re poised to deliver custom, high-specification glass solutions for the most sophisticated superyachts on the market. We’re particularly focused on expanding our presence in Turkey, the Middle East, and Asia - regions where demand for premium European craftsmanship continues to grow.”Fiorenzo Furlan, president of Hard Glass, added: “Ocean Glass represents the fusion of uncompromising quality and refined aesthetics at sea. Our new venture is committed to delivering marine glass systems that meet the highest standards of safety, performance, and design. Partnering with Yachtglass allows us to scale our vision and set new benchmarks for the industry.”The formation of Ocean Glass occurs as demand increases for large-scale glazing solutions on superyachts, where exteriors often incorporate hundreds of square meters of custom glass. The venture aims to combine German engineering and Italian design capabilities to serve emerging shipbuilding regions.Credits: Ocean Glass
September 23, 2025
Northrop & Johnson has listed the 23.86-meter expedition yacht Vanguard for sale at $3,980,000. Yacht Broker Mike Finnegan is representing the vessel, which was delivered by Naval Yachts in 2023.The XPM 78 platform yacht is designed for long-range cruising with a focus on efficiency and system integration. Vanguard recently completed a 7,000-nautical-mile voyage along the U.S. Atlantic Coast and into Greenland's High Arctic waters, conducted with two ice pilots onboard.Propulsion is provided by a diesel-electric Praxis hybrid system with an integrated energy management network. The yacht cruises at 9 knots with a reported fuel consumption of 3.5 liters per nautical mile, providing a range exceeding 7,000 nautical miles. Technical features include an ice-reinforced hull, DMS Magnus Master stabilizers, and a commercial-grade dynamic positioning system.The interior, designed by Arista Marine, follows an open-plan layout with the galley, helm, and salon located on the main deck. Finishes include pale timbers with dark contrast elements. The helm station is equipped with dual high-back chairs and a multi-display dashboard.Accommodation is provided for six guests in three en-suite staterooms, with a convertible salon that can accommodate two additional guests. The full-beam owner's cabin contains a king-sized berth and lounge seating.Exterior areas are configured for operational functionality, featuring a tender crane and storage on the aft main deck with L-shaped guest seating. The flybridge helm seats two persons, with dual stairways leading to the swim platform. All exterior spaces are designed for low maintenance and expedition readiness.Credits: Northrop & Johnson
September 23, 2025
Luca Dini Design & Architecture has entered into an agreement with Albania’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy to explore the development of a national maritime strategy. The initiative aims to position Albania as a sustainable yachting hub in the Mediterranean.The proposed strategy involves creating a network of interconnected marinas designed to share resources and infrastructure rather than compete. The approach intends to improve logistical efficiency, support regional economic growth, and reduce environmental impact. Albania’s geographic position near established yachting destinations such as Greece and Montenegro, along with its undeveloped coastline, is seen as a foundation for attracting seasonal boaters and superyachts.The project envisions the development of service facilities including repair yards, refit stations, and fueling areas to meet international standards and accommodate larger vessels. The plan emphasizes adopting sustainability principles in new marina construction and diversifying specializations across different locations to reduce congestion and environmental pressure. Intermodal transport connections with road and rail networks are also part of the proposed strategy to link coastal and inland regions.The concept aligns with European Union initiatives such as the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), focusing on integration with continental trade and logistics systems. Luca Dini Design & Architecture will contribute expertise in architecture, yacht design, and master planning to the project. The firm indicated that the next 15 years represent a critical period for Albania to establish itself as a competitive maritime destination through coordinated planning.Credits: Luca Dini Design & Architecture
September 22, 2025
Camper & Nicholsons has listed the sailing yacht Imagine for sale at €17,800,000, with VAT paid. The 44.18-meter vessel is represented by Sales Advisor Maël Fiolet and was available for viewings at anchor during the Monaco Yacht Show, which opened on September 18.Built in 2010 by Alloy Yachts to a design by Ed Dubois, Imagine remains under its original ownership. The yacht was designed for worldwide cruising and has never been chartered. It complies with LY2 regulations and completed its Lloyd’s 15-year survey in 2025 alongside an extensive refit. In 2011, the yacht received the Best Sailing Yacht award at the World Superyacht Awards.The yacht accommodates nine guests in four cabins. The full-beam master suite is located aft and includes an en suite bathroom, walk-in wardrobe, study, and vanity area. Additional accommodation consists of one double guest cabin, one twin cabin with a Pullman berth, and a fourth cabin configured as a single with a Pullman. The main saloon sofa can convert into two additional bunks if required.The interior offers 242 square meters of living space finished with white oak joinery, Loro Piana fabrics, and alpaca carpets. The raised salon features panoramic windows and a split-level arrangement with a lounge area to port and a navigation station to starboard. Custom features include an automated sliding companionway door, opening portholes in the master suite, underfloor freezers, and a firearms safe for Arctic voyages.Deck areas include a forward cockpit with dining space and sunpads, a boom awning for shade, and a foredeck tender well that converts to a heated spa pool. A crow's nest is positioned on the mast for observation.The yacht is equipped with a 61.9-meter Southern Spars mast, carbon fiber rigging, and a furling boom. The sail plan includes 895 square meters of upwind sail area managed by captive winches built by Alloy Yachts. A lifting keel allows operation in both shallow waters and open ocean conditions. All sails have been upgraded over time, with a new North Sails jib installed in 2025.Power is provided by a single Caterpillar C18 engine. The yacht carries a diesel-powered tender, which eliminates the need for separate refueling arrangements. The vessel is maintained for serious cruising with systems designed for extended autonomous voyages.Credits: Alloy Yachts
September 22, 2025