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Peter Lürssen on building a luxury superyacht brand and support for ocean charity BLUE

By Edwin Smith

Peter Lürssen is at the helm of the most ambitious superyacht builder in the world, writes  Edwin Smith

Peter Lürssen is a generous man. I learned this when we had lunch together in London one day this summer. At Kai, an upscale Chinese restaurant in Mayfair, we sat, spoke, drank white wine and made our way through what seemed like the entirety of a long and excellent menu. After a couple of hours, as another round of plates was being cleared, Lürssen said: ‘Are you ready for the main course?’

He was joking – sort of. After this, he ordered several desserts for the table, including one called Oprah’s Contradiction. (Oprah once said, ‘You can have it all. You just can’t have it all at once.’ This was the pudding that proved her wrong.)

But Lürssen is generous in another sense too. A little while ago he quietly agreed to fund the entirety of Blue Marine Foundation’s operating budget for five years. There was no big announcement at the time, but he is willing to speak about the decision now. ‘It’s quite difficult, making people part with their money,’ Lürssen told me.

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But by covering the operating costs of Blue Marine Foundation (BLUE) – and allowing the charity to assure other donors that every penny they give goes directly to projects – he hopes to encourage more people to support BLUE’s work . ‘You can give those people who donate the money [directly to projects] the sense of ownership and pride in the achievement, which is very important.’

He noted that some charities – none of which he would name – are able to host a nice cocktail reception at the Monaco Yacht Show. But that isn’t the same as actually achieving something. ‘It’s good for your conscience,’ he said. ‘But does it get you anywhere? I always feel life is too short – especially when you’re over 60, like me – to waste your energy and your resources on something that is not getting proper results. And that is something that I really like about BLUE. They do get results.

As a result, Lürssen has donated more money to BLUE. On top of his contribution to cover the operating costs of the charity, he donated an additional £2 million to fund a project to create a marine protection area around Ascension Island, a remote a island in the Atlantic. (The project is described in more detail in a piece written for Spear’s by BLUE Ambassador HRH Princess Eugenie and the charity’s CEO Clare Brook .)

‘The ocean is the one thing that connects us all. And the more you think about it and look into it and read about it, you realise how important the oceans really are to the world. It’s way beyond the supply of fish. It’s way beyond swimming. You know, it’s a hugely important factor for us to be able to live on this earth.’

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Lürssen is able to support BLUE in such a way thanks to his stewardship of Lürssen Yachts. During his time at the company, the nearly 150-year-old family business has been transformed from an industrial firm producing products for the defence sector into a true luxury brand, and perhaps the leading builder of superyachts in the world.

As CEO he has presided over the delivery of one extraordinary, ground-breaking vessel after another. These include the 180-metre Azzam, which is capable of more than 30 knots and, at one point, was the longest superyacht in the world, and Dilbar.

Launched in 2016, at 156 metres long and more than 23 metres wide, Dilbar became the biggest yacht in the world by gross tonnage. The company – which fiercely guards the privacy of its clients – has also produced vessels for late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, record producer David Geffen and members of Middle-Eastern royalty.

Over lunch, I asked him about his life, his career and where Lürssen is headed next.

Did you always want to join the family business, or did you feel pressure to do so?

It just was just a natural development. I never felt the pressure. Really, you know, after [leaving school] I was told to do that. But I would never rebel against that decision because I knew it would be good. I wasn’t questioning the wisdom of running the business.

My cousin was even born in the shipyard, so it was a very deep natural relationship with the people, with the business. And it was normal for us. I cannot remember ever wanting to do something like be a fireman or an astronaut. Shipbuilding was always very much a fascination.

When you first came into the business, it was largely reliant on the defence sector for work. But a lot of Lürssen’s growth over the last couple of decades has come from yachting. How did that transition happen?

Well the first challenge that I had, was to tell my family, ‘Look, I know I’m the engineer, and you think I should be the technical director, but it is a no-go.’ To run production, I told them, ‘your brain has to be wired in a particular way.’ I just can’t do that. I realised that very early on.

When I came into the business, our output was about 95 per cent defence and naval, and the rest was miscellaneous. My uncle used to joke that every 10 years we can allow ourselves to build a yacht. We built Carinthia V and VI. We built a boat called Shergar, which was quite special. But then in ‘87, ‘88 diversification was a big thing and we had a seminar.

The idea – I think they call it the trumpet model – was to [sketch out] the best case and the worst case scenario. And if you prepare for both, you’ll be prepared for something in the middle. At that seminar we looked at fast aluminium ferries, or yachts. We had done a lot of yachts in the 1920s.

We built a few yachts after the war, but just a handful really. Luckily we decided not to go for ferries but to go for yachts. And that was the job I took on in ‘88: trying to start a yacht business.

It always sounds good to say ‘and the rest is history’. But that is a rather bold statement – and it is not really true. It was exciting, but it wasn’t easy. We had a hard time selling the first yacht. It turned out that the buyer was not able to pay and we had to repossess the vessel.

But things improved, clearly.

I must say I’ve really been fortunate. We had an amazing client, who’s been really good for us, for whom we did Coral Island – an amazing boat, really beautiful. And then there was an American who really liked Carinthia VI and he commissioned Jon Bannen-berg to redo it. Jon was trying to change the design. But the client said, ‘No, no. I want it like Carinthia.’ That was Limitless.

Commercially it was not really a success. But after that we sold a very large yacht to a client who cancelled. That yacht [was taken on by another client] and is now called Dubai. It’s 162 metres with an amazing design by Andrew Winch.

Since then we’ve been very fortunate that we did a few things right. And we managed to weather all the tough times in yacht-building and the dotcom crisis and everything. We managed to get through that intact.

How did you build Lürssen’s reputation?

We did really bespoke, unusual yachts. And clients like the idea of bespoke. In those days, it was very popular to recycle your own engineering. But we managed to keep the question of bespoke very much at the forefront. And I think that was something that was always helping us.

Today, how is the business divided up?

I would say about 50 per cent yachts and 50 per cent defence, in terms of revenue. We build a lot of 60-metre yachts. We actually build more yachts under 90 metres than over 90 metres, which people don’t realise. But, obviously, the big boats gather lots of publicity.

What do your clients want?

Clients who talk to us and our colleagues from northern Europe, they want top quality – no compromise. They want bespoke.

You’ve mentioned the popularity of things like aft swimming decks and glass bottoms in the past. What features are popular now?

It started with a gym. Now the trend is for a full spa, a sauna, cryosauna, hammam, massage, beauty treatments… And so you see guests really want to enjoy things on the boat. In the old days it was quite normal that the yacht crew would book a spa day in a hotel. They don’t do that anymore. Now clients want to have things on the yacht.

And it makes sense at the moment, in particular.

I can see, especially with Corona, people are spending more time on their yacht. It’s very safe. This really offers you ‘bubble protection’, so to speak, by being able to live in a very controlled environment.

For you, what’s the definition of ‘good design’?

I think the secret to a good design is a very good understanding of what it is the client wants. Designers shouldn’t design for themselves. They should design for the client.

How do you make sure your clients get that? What’s the process like for someone who comes to you?

A shipbuilder is really only, at best, a facilitator. We have people who come to us with a readymade design and we have people who come to us and say: ‘I want a boat, I need you to help me.’ And everything in between.

Generally, we regard it as our obligation to make sure that what the designer designs can be built; you need space for air conditioning, the engine and all that stuff.

Sometimes you organise a beauty contest for the designers. But even that comes down to the question of chemistry. If the owner or their partner doesn’t get along with the designer, it doesn’t work.

Increasingly, one of the things that clients want is for superyachts to become more sustainable. This is something that Lürssen and those he describes as his ‘Dutch colleagues’ – firms such as Feadship and Heesen – are working on.

Earlier this year his own company led the way by announcing that it was working on a new yacht that would incorporate methanol fuel cells. According to the firm, the new technology will provide its owner, ‘who loves technology and new developments,’ with 15 nights of power at anchor, or enable the craft to slow-cruise for more than 1,000 miles – emission free. The yacht is expected to be delivered in 2025.

‘My grandfather built the world’s first motorboat in 1886,’ said Lürssen at the launch. ‘My dream is to be the first to build a yacht without a combustion engine.’ But he acknowledged to me that the transition would not be easy. ‘You can’t just flick a switch.’ It is far from clear which technologies and fuels will provide the best solutions in the medium-term future.

‘There’s no element of greenwashing with him,’ noted William Mathieson, editorial director of the Superyacht Group. ‘It’s all about the optimisation of performance, process and efficiency. He can see the contradictions associated with lithium mining, for example. In some respects it could be a step in the right direction, but it might also be damaging.’

As an engineer, Lürssen is also adamant about the need to look at the whole system. ‘I think we face two difficulties with batteries,’ he said. ‘One is the power: energy density. How much energy can be stored in a cubic metre? And the second thing is, how quickly can you charge it?

Let’s assume someone invents a fantastic battery and one cubic metre of your battery equals one cubic metre of diesel fuel, in terms of energy content. That is a good thing. And let’s assume that the weight is not prohibitive. So the next thing is, where are you going to charge your batteries? If you put them next to a coal fired power station, actually, it may not have achieved the target.’

On the bright side, he added, more and more clients are ‘willing to compromise’ in order to achieve fuel-saving and emission-reduction. ‘The trend is very clear.’

Is it helpful to be a family business at a moment like this, when the future – regarding power systems and so on – is uncertain?

Yes, it does help because you can take a long-term view. It’s two things. One, it gives the client comfort if you, as a family member, stand behind the product. And you don’t have the pressure of always looking at the stock price. It’s not about – not only about – making money. It’s about client satisfaction in the end. And, ultimately, it will pay back. The clients realise you’re trying very hard to make them happy.

Next year is Lürssen’s 150th anniversary. Has it started to make you think about succession? You’ve got three adult children – might any of them come into the business?

I always think about it. But it’s very much a double-edged sword. The price a family pays in this business is not to be underestimated. A children’s birthday, or a client visit? There’s no question: you have to choose the client visit. I’m not certain that I would want the children to have to live that kind of life, and I wonder if this in the future will be as critical as today. So yes, I think about it, but I don’t have an answer for that yet.

When you say you’re not sure if it will be as critical in the future as it is today, do you mean that this is a strategically important moment for the company, the industry?

Yes. Business is getting more technocratic. Unless you have a family member who’s really deep into the technical things, it doesn’t help: you’re either in it or you’re not. And to be in so deeply, there’s a price to pay.

Have any of your children expressed an interest in joining the business?

They like the business. But they don’t like it enough to go that route for the time being. Will I be able to convince them otherwise? Honest answer: I don’t know.

Would you like to?

Yes and no. It’s great to do it. But I see all sides of it. And would I want them to go through that? I don’t know.

You’ve still got plenty of time left, of course. How would you describe your style as a leader?

That’s another difficult question. [He laughs.] I think people know that I expect a lot. I hope they also know that as long as they try their best, I’ll back them up. I will not go to the client and tell them, ‘It wasn’t my mistake – it was a guy on the shop floor that did it’. If anyone made a mistake, it’s my head on the block, not my people.

And I would do that in any situation if a client had a complaint. I stand in front of my people. But at the same time, I want a commitment from them. And I think they realise that we as a family are very committed to maintaining the business and to guaranteeing their employment. We try to do that. It’s a mutually dependent situation.

Feature image: Oliver Reetz

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This New 400-Foot Gigayacht Has 3 Pools and an Underwater Lounge

Lürssen just delivered the vessel to jacksonville jaguars owner shahid khan., rachel cormack.

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Rachel Cormack's Most Recent Stories

This new 131-foot superyacht concept brings high architecture to the high seas, isa unveils a trio of sleek new superyachts, wider yachts is debuting a 92-foot hybrid catamaran at the venice boat show—here’s a first look.

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Lürssen’s 400-foot Kismet is finally following its cruising destiny.

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Designed by Italian firm Nuvolari Lenard, Kismet 2.0 is 88 feet longer than its predecessor and weighs twice as much. The behemoth has an interior volume of 5,500 GT, in fact. Even at such a size, Kismet showcases harmonious proportions and sleek, elegant lines. The mast and bow, for instance, were modeled after a leaping jaguar and to ensure a distinctive profile.

Khan once again enlisted U.K. studio Reymond Langton Design to bring the interior to life. The billionaire is known to have very specific and clearly quite lavish taste. He requested the interior of the original Kismet reflect a “Champagne and caviar” theme, for example. The second Kismet is equally extravagant. A two-level open-plan entrance area with sweeping video walls leads to stylish living quarters that span some six decks.

The layout includes between eight and nine cabins for up to 12 guests and cabins for 36 crew. In addition, the owner’s suite comprises a spacious stateroom, dual bathrooms, two dressing rooms, and a private terrace with a Jacuzzi. Above, the owner’s office offers panoramic views, a conference table for up to six, and a dedicated pantry.

“The owner’s brief was challenging,” Peter Lürßen, managing director of Lürssen, said in a statement. “However, we believe that with our technical expertise, we have fulfilled the owner’s wish and vision for a yacht that will still be timeless and ahead of its time for many years to come.”

The best part? Kismet will be available for the 2024 charter season for €3 million (roughly $3.3 million) a week. Contact the Cecil Wright team for more information on availability, charter rates, and cruising locations.

Click here to see all the photos of Kismet.

Rachel Cormack is a digital editor at Robb Report. She cut her teeth writing for HuffPost, Concrete Playground, and several other online publications in Australia, before moving to New York at the…

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EXCLUSIVE: 142m Lurssen superyacht NORD, formerly 'Project Opus', delivered

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By Katie Scott   19 February 2021

Lurssen’s 142m/466ft motor yacht NORD , formerly known as Project Opus, has successfully been delivered to her owner. She set off from the German yard this morning on her maiden voyage to Gibraltar. 

Initially known as 'Project Redwood' and then 'Project Opus', megayacht NORD was constructed at the Lurssen  Bremen shipyard and boasts no less than 20 cabins for up to 36 guests.

Officially launched in July 2020, NORD spans over six decks and is one of the largest motor yachts delivered in 2021.

First announced in December 2015, the name NORD was exclusively revealed by YachtCharterFleet and was initially proposed to be a 139m Project. She has since been extended by an additional three metres, allowing for extra amenities onboard.

Sporting immaculate design from Italian studio Nuvolari & Lenard, who previously collaborated with Lurssen on the award-winning 88m/289ft  superyacht QUATTROELLE , the yacht's profile is particularly striking.

One of the most iconic components of her exterior is the subtle nod to the automobile industry; NORD is the first yacht to have her nameplate on the bow, much like a car grill.

NORD showcases her capacious volume of 9,250GT by providing extensive relaxation and lounging areas, as well as indulgent social environments for unforgettable parties.

Featuring a displacement steel hull and aluminium superstructure, with teak decks, NORD has been built in compliance to Lloyds Register PYC classification society rules.

First seen on the move in October 2018, before becoming Project Opus in 2019, she joins the Top 10 of the World's longest yachts alongside 180m (592.7ft) superyacht AZZAM and 156m (511.8ft) DILBAR . 

Indicating several unique features onboard the latest Lurssen megayacht, dual helipads, on-deck swimming pools and Jacuzzis are just some key features listed for NORD.

A spacious sports and diving centre accompany storage for tenders up to 15m, and a custom hangar slides in to place within the superstructure when not in use. 

It is currently unknown whether NORD is to be available for  superyacht charters .

If you are interested in taking a Lurssen megayacht for your next charter vacation you can view and compare all Lurssen charter yachts .

Stand-out Lurssen yachts for charter:

73m Lurssen 2006 / 2020

90m Lurssen 2010 / 2024

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For charter: On board the 55m Lürssen superyacht Moon Sand

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Moon Sand might be the smallest Lürssen delivered since the turn of the millennium, but her big-thinking design team and luxurious details prove good things can come in smaller packages. Risa Merl steps on board as she joins the charter market. 

It’s a dull, rainy day in London, but along the River Thames there is a glimmer of excitement in the form of a boat. The new 55.5-metre Lürssen Moon Sand is moored at Butler’s Wharf, the grandly ornate Tower Bridge serving as a regal backdrop to her graceful lines, inspired by none other than the classic yacht Carinthia VI . Years prior to the inception of Moon Sand , Bannenberg & Rowell Design had worked on a reinterpretation of the 71-metre Carinthia VI . Launched by Lürssen in 1973 and now renamed The One , she was designed by the late, great Jon Bannenberg, so it’s a fitting continuation of his legacy that his son’s firm would breathe new life into her iconic lines.

“ Moon Sand has an unusual sort of heritage,” says Simon Rowell, her designer. “It grew out of a mini- Carinthia notion. When a yacht is deemed to be among the most beautiful in the world, you really don’t want to muck around with that, but iterating through to a more contemporary design was rewarding.”

Bannenberg & Rowell had also designed the owner’s previous Moon Sand , a 44-metre built by Feadship . When it was time to step up in size, he met the designers in their London office and saw the sketch of the modernised Carinthia concept hanging on the wall. The drawing caught the owner’s eye – it was just what he was looking for, though he wanted a smaller LOA of around 50 metres. The designers said it was a project they had been working on with Lürssen.

“Apparently, the client said, ‘Don’t they only build bigger boats?’” says Michael Breman, Lürssen’s sales director. Over the years, Lürssen has garnered a reputation for building 100-metre-plus behemoths – of the top 25 largest yachts in the world, 13 were built by the German yard. It had been a decade since it had launched a “smaller” yacht, the 61-metre Lady Kathryn V .

“You build big boats and you get noticed; it has its advantages, but it also has its disadvantages,” says Breman. “People think we build only large boats, but actually we have built far more boats under 90 metres than above. We believe the  very large yacht market is an occasional business and it’s important for us to stay in touch with the core of the market – it’s where there are the most buyers.” In recent years, Lürssen had been exploring how to reconnect with the middle of the market. The builder wanted to make sure it had a presence here and was not just seen as an outlier that only builds very large yachts.

It was a perfect confluence of events that Lürssen was already looking to move in this direction and that Moon Sand ’s owner was captivated by a Carinthia -inspired yacht. The concept went through half a dozen iterations before settling on what would become the new Moon Sand . The elegant silhouette with sharp, straight lines running bow to stern is paired with well-sculpted superstructure curves that are noticeable up close. In the final version, the designers introduced a much softer and curvaceous bulwark.

The owner’s brief for Moon Sand wasn’t to have more rooms on board but to enlarge the living spaces he already had. It’s very much a family boat so it was vital that it retained a homely atmosphere. The owner regularly told his team that he didn’t want a big boat. The project started at 51 metres, then went up to 53 and finally to 55.5, which was the owner’s upper limit. “He was very conscious that he didn’t want to grow too much in size – you know, starting at 50 but ending up at 60 metres. It’s easy to get carried away during a custom build,” says the owner’s rep James Hutchinson of Hutchinson Yacht Consulting. “When we were trying to find more space, he was the one reining us back in, saying ‘No, I want to be strict on myself because I don’t want to feel lost in my own boat.’ The feeling of cosiness was important.”

Despite being firm on the LOA, the owner had no hard and fast rules for the volume, leaving it up to the designers to shape things. “We designed this yacht from a blank piece of paper, so rather than having an envelope that the interior works within, we were able to make sure everything in the interior was optimised with the structure,” Rowell says.

But the owner knew that, if he was going over 500GT, it needed to be a worthwhile step. At 835GT, the yacht has gained larger lower deck guest cabins, an expansive master with a walk-in closet, a much better gym and expanded exterior areas. “One huge upgrade is the [main] aft deck,” says Rowell. “The previous Moon Sand also had a pool, but it felt a bit too cramped and close to the exterior stairs leading to the upper deck.” The bottom of the pool raises to be flush with the faux teak deck when not in use.

The beam is just one metre wider than the earlier Moon Sand , but the saloons feel much bigger thanks to her massive windowpanes. “Though she’s only a 55-metre yacht, the yard said the pieces of glass, particularly those in the upper deck lounge, were among the biggest pieces they had ever fitted because there are no mullions,” Hutchinson says.

The lack of mullions meant that Lürssen put some serious R&D into creating a surrounding structure that could support the panes without any flexing. In the main saloon, the designers wanted to dress the windows without using drapes, so they are bordered by glass frames  over an ombré mesh – while sheer blinds lower when privacy is required. “The boss was nervous he was losing window real estate,” says Dickie Bannenberg. “We walked a tightrope between having a softening edge to the windows without blocking light.”

The interior living spaces are also arranged differently, with fewer visual disruptions and an open-plan feel. “The main saloon is amazing,” Bannenberg says. “Main saloons can be transit spaces, but they actually use it.” The saloon has two seating areas, and the pièce de résistance in this space is the dining table, just one of the complicated custom furnishings built by Frank Pollaro. Many of the other furnishings come from Silverlining and Linley.

The interior styling is unabashedly bold, which speaks to the owner’s taste for interesting details. “He’s always given us free rein,” says Rowell.  “If someone is brave enough to commission a bespoke boat, you want to take advantage of that on their behalf.” Yet it is purposefully more subdued than the previous Moon Sand . “We proposed a less claustrophobic scheme. We told the owner, ‘We can make it a calmer backdrop, but still have a lot of fun’,” he says. The owners are glass collectors and at first wanted a Chihuly chandelier, but the designers thought it might make things too busy. Instead, Rowell suggested petal-shaped white glass fixtures by Preciosa. These adorn the main saloon and dining area, affixed on the drop ceilings, which are finished in a subtle blue-sky fresco.

The owner’s preferred colour palette is blues and yellows, the latter of which the designers have drawn out with the use of bronze and brass detailing, instead of just splashes of colour in the soft goods. An example of this can be seen in the bronze detailed chairs Silverlining designed and built for the upper deck lounge. This saloon is the owner’s lair; it’s the place he spends the most time on board. Rowell says it was the most challenging space to design because it’s really four rooms in one – a games area, a lounge, an office and a bar – and is divided as such. The lounge has an eclectic pairing of woods – a coffee table in white “ebony Royale” is set against a custom-designed sofa with a ziricote wood base and built-in end table.

Hutchinson has worked with the owners for nearly two decades, since they owned Sunseekers. “They moved from production boats to custom, so they like all the little things you can do because it’s a custom boat,” he says. “Because we had done several boats with them before, we knew what they wanted. Everything to the smallest detail has a home; everything is here for a purpose. That’s what building a custom boat is all about.” This includes having power units hidden in upper saloon furnishings to charge iPads and a drawer built into the master cabin dresser that is there purely to hide the Crestron remote control.

Regulations that come with going over 500GT that might put other owners off, such as more allowances for fire doors and space for crew, wasn’t an issue. “He actually wanted more space for crew and made a point of telling me there should be big showers for the crew, a comfortable mess and a large galley,” Rowell says. “It was refreshing, because the crew areas are always the spaces that get pinched.”

The captain, engineer and chief stew have all been with the owner for many years, so they were able to guide decisions. “Having worked with them for seven years, you can better tailor the spaces,” says chief stew Katy Mijatovic. All the china is hand-washed, so there was no need for a dishwasher in the pantry, and the owner prefers tea to coffee, so there aren’t any big barista machines. The galley also has a built-in wok on the stovetop.

The technical spaces challenged Lürssen to think differently when returning to building “small” boats. “It’s harder because you have to fit the same systems of a 100 metre in a smaller volume,” says Lürssen project manager Lorenza Allegrini. The size and placement of the engines, generators and equipment all had to be carefully developed, digging into 3D models. Moon Sand ’s chief engineer, Bozidar Mijatovic, worked closely with the yard’s team on this. “We found new ways to route the piping and played with every available centimetre – even gaining five centimetres in a passageway was really important,” he says. Moon Sand is built to IMO Tier III, and the engineering team decided to maximise the onboard urea capacity so the yacht can travel its entire 5,000-nautical-mile range in low-emission mode.

As we make our way down the Thames to Canary Wharf, Moon Sand ’s Captain Lorian Smith is in the bridge along with the Thames pilots. The bridge has excellent visibility, despite the stormy English weather. “We took as many mullions out as we could, then we moved from 19-inch screens up to 27 inches. The technology has changed hugely in those years,” he says.

Fortunately, there was much better weather in London when the owners first stepped on board a week before, and they were able to see their yacht for the first time in the glow of sunlight. The owners are very much hands-on and would have been even more so if it wasn’t for Covid-19. Their last design outing was in February 2020 to select marbles in Italy. After that, they weren’t able to visit the boat until it arrived in London. “It was unusual to not have them see it in the shipyard, but it’s a buzz seeing all the landmarks from the yacht and cruising under Tower Bridge,” Hutchinson says.

As for Lürssen’s re-entry into the world of smaller boats, the yard reports a healthy order book in part as a result of moving in this direction. Breman is quick to note that though she’s not a 100 metre, Moon Sand is far from dinky. “I don’t think she’s a small boat at all;  I think she’s a huge boat!” he says. “I’m always surprised that the human mind can get comfortable with size very quickly. When you’re on board she feels very comfortable and the size is good. Most importantly, the owner and his family are very happy.” One might say they’re over the moon.

Moon Sand is available for charter with Edmiston from €475,000 per week.

First published in the March 2022 issue of BOAT International. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.

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Motor Yacht

KISMET is a custom motor yacht launched in 2023 by Lurssen Yachts, in Germany.

Lürssen has remained a family-run German shipyard since its inception in 1875 and is now in its fourth generation of private ownership. The company was founded by Friedrich Lürssen with a desire to create a leading shipyard in both quality and performance.

KISMET measures 122 metres in length, with a max draft of 4.8 feet and a beam of 17.8 feet.

KISMET has a steel hull.

It is not necessary to live, it is necessary to sail; This is the firm belief of Italian design company Nuvolari & Lenard. No stranger to high-profile yacht design, the studio has stamped its distinctive style on a number of the ocean’s biggest and brightest.

Her interior design is by Reymond Langton Design.

Accommodation

KISMET accommodates up to 20 guests in 11 cabins. She also houses room for up to 40 crew members.

• Yacht Builder Lurssen Yachts View profile
• Exterior Designer Nuvolari & Lenard No profile available
• Interior Designer Reymond Langton Design No profile available

Yacht Specs

Other lurssen yachts, related news.

Luxury £288m superyacht belonging Shahid Khan docks in Scotland

• The vessel, Kismet, requires staff of up to 40 to cater for dozen guests on board
• Megayacht is also available for charter, with prices starting at £2.4m per week 

It would not look out of place at the billionaires’ playgrounds of Monaco and Dubai .

So locals in the Scottish town of Troon were stunned to see the £288 million Kismet megayacht pull into harbour at the weekend.

The 400-foot charter yacht includes a helipad, a beauty salon, a spa, a sauna and a swimming pool, as well as indoor and outdoor cinemas, a dance floor and a gym.

It has accommodation for 12 guests across nine cabins, and is so large that it contains an elevator.

The luxurious interior styling is by British designer Reymond Langton Design.

Kismet arrived in Troon on Saturday on its maiden voyage after being constructed at German shipyard Lurssen.

Who is Shahid Khan? From washing dishes for 85p an hour to splashing out on a £140m superyacht... meet 'the Tache with the Cash' primed to take over ownership of £800m Wembley 

The vessel commands a staff of up to 40 workers, and belongs to Shahid Khan, the Pakistani-American billionaire businessman and owner of Premier League side Fulham.

Mr Khan is also principal owner of American football team Jacksonville Jaguars.

Kismet was spotted by keen kayaker Mark McInnes.

He said: ‘I’m from Troon, a short walk along the road to the beach to launch the kayaks.

‘Myself and my girlfriend Dawn decided to paddle out to the harbour on Saturday morning to get a closer look at the yacht.

‘Not every day these are in Troon and it was such a lovely sunny calm morning on the water.

‘It was amazing to see it up close, so new and clean. There was even a man abseiling off the side of it to clean the windows.

‘We would have loved to get an invite on board but that didn’t happen, so we will just have to imagine what it looks like inside.’

Passengers are able to arrive by helicopter and can enjoy a dancefloor, beauty salon, spa, elevator, underwater lights, beach club and gym.

The opulent yacht is also available for charter, with prices starting at £2.4 million per week, plus expenses.

Mr Khan is well known in celebrity circles and is understood to have entertained the likes of Beyonce and Jay-Z on his yachts in the past.

His rags to riches story has seen him go from earning just 85p an hour washing dishes to making a £900million bid for Wembley stadium in 2018.

The 73-year-old businessman, who moved to the US when he was 16 with just 500 US Dollars (£360) to his name, became owner of west London side Fulham in 2013.

The married father-of-two bought the club from Mohamed Al Fayed for a fee believed to be between £150m and £200m and at the time he said: 'Fulham is the perfect club at the perfect time for me.

'I want to be clear, I do not view myself so much as the owner of Fulham, but a custodian of the club on behalf of its fans.’

He was born in Lahore, Pakistan to his mother, Zakia, a maths professor, and father, Rafiq, who sold surveying equipment.

Encouraged by his father, who stood for humility and frugality, Khan from an early age developed a nous for business.

He is said to have charged his school friends to borrow his comic books as a youngster.