Superyachts are fascinating creations destined to the world's highest net worth individuals, and for that reason alone the space has always drawn interest from the mainstream public. Yet, many surprising events in yachting are often overlooked even by most knowledgeable experts. Yacht Harbour looks at yacht trivia you should really know.
#1 Donald Trump used to own Amels
Back before he became US President, Donald Trump was a prolific billionaire most known in yachting for his 86-meter Trump Princess, which he bought from Adnan Khashoggi in 1988 for $28 million.
"Khashoggi probably spent $200 million building this yacht, probably the best yacht ever built." Trump then commented in the media. "I purchased it for a business. I use it for my hotels. I use it for a lot of different charities."
Following the purchase, Trump spent near $10 million at Amels to refit the yacht according to the LA Times. In June 1989, he announced he would build the world's largest yacht, 'something in excess of 400 feet long', for which he was accepting bids from shipyards. Amels, then owned by a group of 4 British investors, won that bid to build a 128-meter Trump Princess II.
This project, in part, led to financial problems for Amels, a significantly smaller shipyard then. A year later, Trump then acquired Amels, shortly after canceling the construction of Trump Princess II, as was announced in 1990. In September of that year, he sold Amels to American businessman, Peter Kutell due to financial problems according to Dessert News. For nearly half a year, however, Trump essentially Amels.
#2 Business Insider thought a $4.8 billion yacht was sold in Asia
In the summer of 2011, Stuart Hughes, a UK-based designer, claimed he had been commissioned for the world's most expensive yacht, the 100ft History Supreme. Hughes claimed on his website that the yacht was bought by a Malaysian businessman for £3 billion. 100,000 kilograms of solid gold and platinum were supposed to be used for this project in addition to railings and anchor made of precious metals.
With such a reported price, the story spread like wildfire across national media based on Hughes' statement. Italy-based, Baia Yachts however later came forward with a statement saying that the story was fake and that Hughes had taken pictures from their website, which he then tried to pass off as his own concept.
#3 A Broker Pretended He Sold A 222-meter yacht
In October 2014, the yachting community was baffled to read in mainstream media about 222m Triple Deuce, a project supposedly sold by 4Yacht. Not only was the length of the superyacht baffling but the wording of the press release was also off-putting. The project, for which the designers were never announced, was supposed to have an "agressive" delivery schedule and to supposedly be handed over to the client in 2018.
With us now in 2019, it is clear no signs of such a project were never real, as Yacht Harbour first reported in 2016. CNN and many other mainstream media were, however, quick to publish that the world's largest yacht was now Triple Deuce.
#4 An owner's captain asked for a €3 million commission to help broker a deal
In early 2004, the late Boris Berezovsky set out to build a 110-meter yacht at Lurssen to be called Darius, at a price of €148,540,000 plus interior fitting costs. As the economic crisis hit, he was unable to pay the seventh tranche in May 2008 and decided to put the yacht up for sale for €300 million as it was a few months away from delivery.
Eventually, the listing agent, through a second broker found a pathway to a serious potential client via his captain. To bring the deal forward to his employer, the captain asked for a €3 million commission as was later shown in court fillings. Eventually a deal closed directly between the buyer and the seller for €240 million.
#5 The world's largest yacht will be used to carry scientists
Brain child of Norwegian Billionaire Kjell Inge Rokke, the 182.9-meter REV will become the world's largest superyacht. Instead of being simply a luxurious vessel, however, its owner intends to let WWF operate it as a base for scientists to help research and protect the oceans. "The REV will be a platform for gathering knowledge." Rokke explained.
"There may not be any economic rationale for the private construction of such a ship, but the case is compelling from the ocean's point of view." Rokke detailed.
When not used for research, REV will also engage in traditional charter activity for ultra high net worth individuals on a weekly basis, with the ability to carry up to 36 guests and a crew of 54 under that configuration.
#6 All of the top yacht shows are owned by the same conglomerate
Initially founded in the 1990s by Maurice Cohen, the Monaco Yacht Show used to be a much smaller event than it is today. In 1994, the rights to it were acquired by show management company IRR, which organised at the time the much larger Superyacht de Nice show. Ultimately, IRR itself was acquired by Informa, along with the MYS.
With a market cap of near $5 billion, Informa now often highlights the Monaco Yacht Show as one of its most well known events. In 2017, it tightened its grasp on the yacht show market by acquiring the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show, the Palm Beach Boat Show and 3 others in the US for $133 million. Now all major yachting shows are owned by Informa.
#7 A Broker Pretended to have sold a 405ft yacht on Ebay
4Yacht, the same brokerage company that claimed years later it had sold a 222-meter yacht, draws its publicity stunt roots much deeper. In 2005, as research by Yacht Harbour, found the company had already announced it had listed a 405ft yacht on Ebay, a novel approach at the time.
A year later, however, the broker claimed the yacht was sold on eBay via the "Buy Now" button with the buyer paying a 50% deposit for $85 million, yielding a total sales price of $170 million. When Forbes looked into whether the sale was real, no information was found. More than a decade later, this yacht still doesn't exist.
During the fourteenth edition of Italian Film Festival Cortinametraggio, a movie “The Master Bridge (La Plancia)” was premiered as a tribute made by the Ferretti Group to the genius of Carlo Riva, two years after his death.La PlanciaA 15-minute film celebrates the historic headquarters in Sarnico and Carlo Riva’s famous futuristic office the Plancia, overlooking Lake Iseo. The latter was designed by Riva himself along with architect Giorgio Barilani, and is considered an authentic architectural masterpiece. Carlo Riva was so fond of it that even after he sold the shipyard, he rented La Plancia and continued to use it as his office for almost ten years.The short film also highlights the history of the entire shipyard, telling the story of a young filmmaker, played by actor Gabriele Stella, in search of the secret and the essence of the Riva myth.Following an enlightening tour among the yachts under construction and an interview inside the Plancia with an enigmatic Giorgio Marchesi, who plays the shipyard manager, the young filmmaker grasps the enchanting power of the most famous speedboats in the world. Indeed, master craftsmanship with cutting-edge technologies and innovative design remain the distinguished features of the Riva brand, with such famous people as Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, who used a Junior as the tender of their yacht, Sean Connery, who owned the historic Rudy model, and on to Sofia Loren and George Clooney listed among the brand’s clients.One of the oldest boatyards in the world, Riva, was established in 1842 on Lake Iseo, in Sarnico-Italy. One hundred years later, the already recognised brand became to a synonym of elegance, status and perfection under Carlo Riva’s direction. Riva’s creations became the object of desire for the aristocracy, successful businessmen and movie stars. For instance, next month, RM Sotheby’s will auction one of the notable vessels built then for Princess Grace Kelly and Primce Rainier III.
April 22, 2019
The hugely popular 40ft-plus power segment is set to exhibit at the 2019 Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show (SCIBS), with a multitude of international debuts, Australian launches, and Queensland firsts.“The 40ft-plus segment offers an extremely diverse and versatile selection of boats,” said SCIBS General Manager Johan Hasser, whose team is preparing to host more than 45,000 visitors and 300 exhibitors at the event from May 23-26, 2019 in Queensland, Australia.The Whitehaven Company was established by Keith Hanson to fill what he believed was a niche in the market for high-end boats that would reflect their owners’ visions. The boats are built in Taiwan with Keith’s son, Ryan overseeing the team of boat builders. The Harbour Classic 40 concept was drawn by highly respected New Zealand yacht designer builder Bill Upfold, with Australian naval architect Misha Merzliakov reimagining her for discerning Australian day boaters. Merzliakov is based in Brisbane and has traditionally designed large motor yachts both here and overseas. You can see the enthusiasm in the design and listening to him, it sounds like he has borrowed design elements from all over the place. There is a chance that such an approach could deliver a Jekyll and Hyde result, but like a mad scientist, he has mixed the elements together with a fine touch.The Harbour Classic 40 is a sophisticated and supremely comfortable 40ft dayboat, which combines the aesthetic and timeless appeal of a gentleman’s cruiser with the benefits of high-tech design and engineering, constructed with an expertly-designed hull for a quieter ride.Except much-anticipated Harbour Classic 40, the all-new Whitehaven 6100 Coupe with its incredible superyacht-inspired Euro Edition styling package will be presented.“These vessels represent close to two years of R&D and production, and we are very proud to bring them to SCIBS,” Whitehaven Motor Yachts Managing Director Bruce Scott said.Below decks, the galley is bathed in natural light, enjoys a line of sight to the helm and all the mod-cons of boutique apartment living for a perfect day or weekend on the water. Accommodation is flexible depending on owners needs with the ability to sleep up to six aboard, so friends and family are always welcome.Offering single or twin-engine arrangements, owners can prioritize pace and maintenance to suit their boating lifestyle. Either way, she'll achieve 25 to 30 knots to find that ideal anchorage in time for sunset cocktails. Underpinning the boat in standard guise will be a single Volvo D6 480hp shaft drive with ZF gearbox. The first boat built has received an engine upgrade in the form of a Cummins Q6.7 550hp engine. It is quiet and unassuming and the performance perfectly suits the leisurely nature of the Harbour Classic 40 and will see you cruising from bay to bay in comfort. Elegant, refined, so well suited to a more leisurely pace of boating, the Harbour Classic 40 represents the romance of yesteryear with the precision engineering, power, and performance that are synonymous with all Whitehaven vessels.Each Whitehaven Harbour Classic 40 will be a customized masterpiece, brought to life for her owners with the personalized approach, precision and pride that are hallmarks of Whitehaven Motor Yachts.@Photos by Whitehaven Yachts
April 22, 2019
Visitors
to this years’ Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show will have the opportunity
to view Longreef Yacht’s newest addition, the Longreef 60 SX Flybridge.
She is a
super luxury boat and was designed through feedback from 400 boat owners. The
result is a super-refined boat providing functional glamour and grandeur.
She
easily accommodates two families across three luxurious bedrooms including a
full-beam owner’s bedroom amidships. Double Pullman bunks in the downstairs
lounge and in a crew cabin aft of the engine room make this one of very few 60s
that will comfortably sleep 10.
Her main
deck layout makes her one of the most social and comfortable boats on the water
with an indoor/outdoor layout, giant swim platform, a sun lounge on the foredeck and a huge flybridge for maximum views. Bi-fold tinted glass doors open to
provide a shared space between the comfortable interior and the aft deck.
The
super-large flybridge with its bimini cover is reached by a staircase from the
aft deck.
The
Longreef 60 SX Flybridge is powered by a pair of Cummins 550 hp diesel engines.
Anyway, it will
be the outstanding debut for the 60 SX in Queensland.@Photos by Longreef Yachts
April 22, 2019
Russian billionaire banker, Oleg Tinkov, whose net worth is estimated at $2.3 billion by Forbes, has ordered the first private 77-metre icebreaker yacht dubbed La Datcha. She is set to become the first private luxurious ice breaker, capable of exploring the furthest destinations possible. Planned for delivery in autumn 2020, the yacht is being built as a part of Damen’s SeaXplorer series in the Netherlands.The explorer is being built as a part of the businessman’s luxury recreational project La Datcha, consisting of several holiday hikes in ultra high-end destinations. La Datcha will be available for charter according to Tinkov’s interview with Forbes, at a price starting from € 690,000,000 per week. Meanwhile, the owner himself is planning to spend up to 20 weeks a year on the yacht. The six-deck expedition yacht will feature a 14-metre beam, along with a draft of 6.5 metres, adding up to interior volume of 2,560 GT. She will also boast a speed of 14.5 knots. In fact, it is an expedition yacht, able to break ice up to 40 centimetres thick and maintain autonomy at sea for up to 40 days.Thanks to generous storage spaces, a wide range of equipment and tenders can be housed on-board, including 2 helicopters, 1 submarine, 1 VIP tender / rescue boat, 1 beach lander tender, 1 dive support tender, 4 waverunners, 2 expedition ribs and 2 snowscooters.The yacht’s custom interior design by Amels and Damen will be trademarked with full height windows of the observation lounge, main saloon and the owner’s suite and an observation deck upstairs. Expedition Yacht 77 will come with hot water Jacuzzis — 1 indoor and 1 outdoor, a sauna and steam bath, massage room and a fully equipped gym.La Datcha Expedition Yacht 77’ six guest cabins, including 2 master suites and 2 VIPs, offer accommodation to 12 guests, along with a crew of 25. Each suite comes with a bathroom and a walk-in wardrobe.Tinkov plans to premiere the vessel at Monaco Yacht Show 2020. After that, he is going to tour the 77-metre across Mediterranean, Seychelles, Madagascar and then Kamchatka and Kuril Islands, with the yacht to be seen in the Antarctic in January 2021. Tinkov also ensures, according to Forbes, that a Russian businessmen from the Forbes list has already expressed interest in renting the boat for six months, while Microsoft founder Bill Gates wants to sign up for a three-week charter.Photos via La Datcha
April 22, 2019
A new-build 27.02-meter hull by Italian shipyard Canados Yachts has been sold by Northrop & Johnson is set for delivery in 2020 as a Canados 888 Evo model. In 2018 Canados 888 was awarded as Most Functional Yacht. Also in May 2019, the first Canados 120' Caesar should be delivered.Canados is one of a few Italian builders capable of producing one-off versions of its models that are fully customized with tailormade interiors. One of the yacht’s most exceptional features is her four-meter tender garage accommodating a Williams 3.85 meter jet tender, and a Seakeeper gyroscopic stabilizer system. She comes with a hard top that provides guests with ample shade when enjoying her gigantic flybridge.The Canados 88’ is the direct evolution of the Classic 86’ of which 46 have been delivered. One of the Canados clients had four 86’s built over the course of 13 years! The interior of the Canados 888 Evo is being conceptualized by Rome-based designer Michela Reverberi. All in-house built furniture has been designed with rounded edges equipped with indirect strip LED lights which, when lit in the dark, give the impression that the furniture is floating.Built with an Aramat/Kevlar hull and superstructure, the 88’ Evolution comes with a reversed deck saloon overlooking the water and gigantic saloon floor to ceiling windows. The main deck layout remains an example of practicality with its oversize saloon with direct sea view, thanks to the cut-down bulwarks, dining room, Boffi galley, day head and crew dinette in the wheelhouse. On the flybridge, guests will find two corner sofas with drinks tables looking out over the stern. Another L-shaped sofa is placed on the port side and looks forward to the central alfresco dining area, where eight guests can savour a meal beneath the hardtop that folds back to let in the sunshine. The accommodation total is for eight guests across four cabins. The lower deck still offers its reputed four cabin layout with a VIP to the bow, two twin guest cabins to the sides and the full beam owner’s suite in the centre. Bathrooms are equipped with custom-made wash basins in Striato Olimpico marble.She capable of cruising at 27 knots and can reach a top speed of 32 knots, the Canados 888 Evolution 48 is powered by two Caterpillar C32 Acert 1,925hp diesel engines. The asking price was €5,240,000@Photos by Canados Yachts
April 19, 2019