top yacht profile

Luxe Digital

Conscious, elevated living.

• Men's style
• Women's style
• Stricking superlatives
• Advertising

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY

Receive our finest finds, exclusive deals, and luxury news to stay in the know.

As Far As You Can Sea: World’s Largest Superyachts

Multimillion-dollar mega yachts.

by Emma Treagus Published on February 2, 2024

At Luxe Digital, we independently research, review, and recommend products we love and that we think you will love, too. Learn more about how we curate the best products for you .

With onboard swimming pools, cinemas, helicopter landing pads, and spas, the world’s largest superyachts have more facilities than your ‘average’ five-star hotel.

Owned by some of the world’s wealthiest people—along with a few anonymous owners who’d prefer to keep their luxury transport a secret—these mega yachts redefine the word “boat” into something indescribably sleek, stylish, and seriously impressive. 

If superyachts are your thing, you’ll want to read on for all the facts and figures on all of the largest yachts in the world.

The 26 largest yachts in the world

Multimillion-dollar mega yachts: our ranking methodology.

A superyacht or mega yacht is typically a motor yacht or sailing yacht with a length of 30 meters (100 feet) or more. For this ranking, we looked at the superyachts and luxury expedition mega yachts that are used privately or made available for charter. We excluded so-called ‘residential superyachts’ (think Njord and The World), which are essentially luxury apartment buildings at sea where people own private residences inside the superyacht rather than the whole yacht. By researching diverse, reliable sources like Wikipedia and the Superyacht Times, we compile a list of the largest yachts in the world.

Curious about other striking superlatives? Check our round-up of the most expensive cars in the world and the most expensive private jets in the world . They are both perfectly good alternatives to owning a yacht. And if you prefer to stay home, we’ve ranked the biggest homes and the most expensive houses in the world to give you some inspiration too.

26. Y721 (aka Koru) | 417 feet—127m

Ever wonder where Jeff Bezos spends his downtime? As of today, we’re predicting it to be on his $500 million superyacht. Y721—nicknamed Koru—is 127m long. And featuring three sky-high slender masts, Koru is said to be the largest sailing yacht in the world . 

With dark exteriors and natural wooden decks, Koru is inspired by another one of Bezos’ yachts—the Black Pearl. The clean lines and classically curved bow speak to an understated elegance despite the yacht’s mammoth size. While a long line of portals indicates at least 9 guest cabins. In light of all the secrecy surrounding Koru, we doubt Bezos will ever charter her out, but we can still dream.

25. Al Mirqab | 436 feet—133m

Adorned with cascading chandeliers and gold accents, Al Mirqab is renowned for its unrivaled interiors. Surrounded by suspended glass artworks, a grand staircase floats throughout the four floors. And inspired by authentic Arabian styles, the magnificent superyacht is reminiscent of a magic carpet ride through the seas . 

Built for the former Prime Minister of Qatar, Peterswerft-Kusch spared no expense in delivering Al Mirqab to an impossibly high standard for luxury. The large swimming pool is a standout feature as it opens up into the sea, creating the ultimate playground for adults. Al Mirqab has a capacity for up to 60 guests and is manned by an equal number of crew. Although you have to be invited by the politician himself as Al Mirqab isn’t available for private charter.

24. Serene | 439 feet—134m

Adeptly named, the magnificent superyacht embodies the serenity of a life at sea. Serene was built in Italy for a Russian owner in 2011. She was leased to Bill Gates for the Summer in 2014 for $5 million per week. 

Designed by Reymond Langton, the 134m mega yacht marries elegant sophistication with state-of-the-art technologies. The seven decks leave ample space for guests to soak in scintillating views. While the underwater viewing room—nicknamed the Nemo room—is a permanent gallery of resplendent sealife. The real-life snow room makes up to four inches of snow. And whilst this may seem odd when your billionaire boss asks for snow—you make it snow.

23. Crescent | 445 feet – 136 m

Yet another Lurssen masterpiece, Crescent pays homage to classic naval designs with traditional architecture and elegant interiors. Formerly named Project Thunder, she was built in Germany and delivered to Igor Sechin in 2018. The Russian oligarch’s superyacht was seized by Spain after sanctions were placed on Russia in 2022. 

Crescent features low bulwarks and full-height windows to maximize the view from the center of the boat. Her distinctive wing station provides unrivaled views for up to 18 guests. But don’t get your hopes up—Crescent is strictly for private use only and isn’t available for charter. 

22. Savarona | 446 feet – 136m

Savarona is the second-largest yacht built by Blohm & Voss and spends most of her time in the Mediterranean. This luxury superyacht is one of the oldest in the market — a perfect fusion of traditional charm and modern facilities. 

Previously named Gunes Dil, Savarona was designed by Cox & Stevens, with interior design carefully handled by Donald Starkey. She’s available to charter on a weekly basis and has been refurbished over the years. Back in the day, her cost price was $4 million, and in 1989, she was chartered by Kahraman Sadikoglu, owner of the Turkish Sadikoglu Group, who spent an estimated $50 million on refurbishing her from top to bottom.

21. Flying Fox | 446 feet – 136m

Flying Fox is known as the most expensive charter yacht in the world , and a week aboard will set you back around $3 million. Chartered by the one and only power couple Beyonce and Jay-Z in 2021, it’s filled to the brim with all of the luxury facilities you could ever possibly want. 

The Flying Fox is rumored to be owned by Jeff Bezos, although that’s a claim that’s never been totally certified. She spends most of her time in the Mediterranean, specifically Cannes, Capri, and Sardinia, although she’s recently visited Norway, too. She can accommodate the largest helicopters on the market, and it reportedly took more than 50 meetings with her owner for interior design to be completed.

20. Rising Sun | 454 feet – 138m

The Rising Sun’s original owner, Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle Corporation, sold her in 2010 as he considered her too large. Famously used by David Geffen for self-isolation, Rising Sun has also been a popular hang-out spot for celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Beatrice, the Princess of York. 

She’s a Superyacht with impressive attention to detail like interiors kitted out in teak and onyx and endless features like a full gym , a large wine cellar, a sauna, and a spa. She’s got a full-size basketball court that doubles up as a helicopter landing pad and a private cinema for those long evenings spent at sea.

19. Al Salamah | 457 feet – 139m

Al Salamah is part of the Omani Royal fleet and started her very secretive life in Genoa. Known as the world’s biggest superyacht right up until 2016, she’s a sleek masterpiece of a ship, with a distinctive cream color and beach club design. 

Al Salamah does everything in multiples, from the five galleys onboard (the main galley, a bakery, a crew galley, an owner’s diet galley, and an Arab galley), three hospitals (one for the owner, one for guests, and one for the crew) and 2,000 sqm of floor space. She was put on sale briefly for $280 million USD, before being delisted and instead given as a gift to the Crown Prince of Bahrain. 

18. Solaris | 458 feet – 139m

Everything about Solaris was supposed to be kept a secret when she was being built—a secret that didn’t last long when her huge size was spotted undergoing sea trials in the North Sea. One of this Superyacht’s main attractions is her beach club on the top floor: the perfect spot for relaxation during those long days out at sea. 

That beach club comes complemented with endless other stylish amenities, like a large helipad, sun deck, and a crane to launch tenders, toys, and subs. Interior design is largely unknown, but, if it’s anything as sleek and white as its exteriors, it’s sure to be impressive.

17. Scheherazade | 459 feet – 140m

Two helicopter landing pads, two outdoor Jacuzzis, and two outdoor fire pits: Scheherazade doesn’t hold back with not only the essentials but also the luxuries. Previously named Lightning, “Scheherazade” is mostly associated with a female character in the Middle Eastern folk tales in the series One Thousand and One Nights. 

Not much is known about this superyacht, and even her birth and building process were referred to under a codename: Project Lightning. No one involved in her creation, even Lurssen, has revealed anything about her interiors or her owner. All that’s really known is that she sailed from Germany to Norway initially after completion. 

16. Ocean Victory | 460 feet – 140m

Ocean Victory has traveled all over the world, from Europe to Southeast Asia and back again. Owned by Russian billionaire Viktor Rashnikov, she’s the upgraded vessel to follow his purchase of the 76-meter Ebony Shine. 

She’s one designed with pure luxury in mind, from the six individual swimming pools onboard to the 300-square meter spa area. She’s beautiful both inside and out, with a unique concept designed by Espen Oeino and interior designer Alberto Pinto. The largest superyacht ever built in Italy, Ocean Victory shows some of the finest in the world when it comes to premium quality adventures at sea.

15. Yas | 463 feet – 141m

Yas is known best for its seamless and rather unusual design — one that’s a little different from most superyachts out there. The owner of Yas wanted a yacht that lived up to his own heritage; one with a backbone reminiscent of the navy and with abstract lines throughout. 

He chose an existing boat in Abu Dhabi, which was deconstructed within the region before being shipped off and renovated into the wonder that it is today. The Yas yacht was originally a Dutch navy frigate, which you’d never guess from strolling around onboard today.

14. Nord | 465 feet – 142m

Nord’s distinctive bow design has never been seen before on a yacht. That’s one of the first things you’ll notice about her. The next thing you’ll notice is her unusual design, which verges on battle-esque and has been called “ a warship wearing a tuxedo ” by Dan Lenard of the Italian design studio Nuvolari-Lenard. 

She’s one of the best superyachts out there for fun, with a sports and diving center on the lower deck, a swimming pool higher up, overlooking the ocean, and a fleet of tenders. She was designed for global exploration: a yacht that will calmly cruise her way all across the world.

13. Sailing Yacht A | 469 feet—142.8m

Challenging the status quo and pushing design boundaries, Sailing Yacht A is an enigma. The sail-assisted superyacht was built in Germany and delivered to Russian tycoon Andrey Melnichenko in 2017. However, she was seized by the Italian police force, Guardia di Finanza, in 2022 after sanctions were placed on Russian businessmen following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

Distinguished by soaring rotating carbon fiber masts, Nobiskrug’s hybrid approach to superyachts makes Sailing Yacht A more eco-conscious than other luxury yachts of her size. The u nderwater viewing pod molded into the keel speaks to her unrivaled innovation. And many balconies are enclosed by some of the largest pieces of curved glass ever made. 

12. El Mahrousa | 478 feet – 146m

El Mahrousa had a few different names in her time, ranging from the translated “The Protected” to El Horreya, which in Arabic translates to “Freedom.” It’s not surprising that she’s had more than one name when you take into account her age. As the oldest superyacht in the world, she’s undergone a lot of restoration over time, including multiple lengthenings and faster engines. 

She was renamed back to El Mahrousa in 2000 and gained even more recognition for being the first ship to cross the new Suez Canal extension in 2015. Back in her original days, she was built on the River Thames and took her first trip in 1867.

11. OK | 479 feet—146m

Delivered in Japan in 1982, OK is one of the largest and most unique superyachts in the world. Sprawling over 479 feet, the water giant is engineered to submerge almost seventy percent. This is accredited to the work done by Karmarine Shipyard. While the majority of the vessel was built by Oshima Shipping, it was privately converted to a semi-submersible yacht in Turkey. 

The superlative finishing on OK superyacht was designed by Timur Bozca, winner of the Younger Designer of the Year award in 2015. The blueprint being as many games as possible. The extraordinary vessel has the uncanny ability to hold over seventy toys, including a sailing yacht, a sea plane, tenders, buggies and even a tennis court.

10. Opera | 480 feet—146.4m 

Like many of the most majestic water titans, Opera was delivered by Lurssen in Germany and built for Abu Dhabi royalty. This time, the owner is Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, son of the founder of the United Arab Emirates. And while it may not be quite as astronomical as Lurssen’s previous builds—Azzam, Blue and Dilbar—the streamlined vessel is equally impressive onboard. 

The three-story superyacht proves large enough for a pair of helipads and two swimming pools, amongst many other toys, while simultaneously making room for up to 48 guests and 80 crew members. When it comes to the interior, details are sparse, but we do know that it was designed by Terence Disdale, a London firm renowned for creating bespoke luxury spaces. 

9. Prince Abdulaziz | 482 feet – 147m

The Prince Abdulaziz’s yacht was ordered by King Fahd, who named her after his son Prince Abdul Aziz. Now, she’s owned by his brother, Abdullah. Just one of the yachts owned by the Saudi royal family, she’s spotted frequently throughout Europe, especially in Cannes, where the royal family owns a property. 

She’s been redecorated once — in 2007 — in a project that took 15 months to complete, without even taking into account the rest of the ship’s upkeep. The Prince Abdulaziz is known for its combination of bold colors and fusion of traditional and modern design, thanks to its influence from the late David Hicks.

8. A+ | 483 feet – 147m

What do you do when the name “A” is already taken for your superyacht? Choose the next closest thing: A+. Previously named Topaz, this superyacht was the world’s fourth-largest luxury yacht when she was built, before being stripped of that particular title only a few years later. 

Nevertheless, she’s a seriously impressive superyacht, with endless facilities like a large jacuzzi, double helicopter landing pads, a swimming pool with a swimming platform and underwater lights, as well as a fitness hall, cinema, and a large conference room. She’s also well equipped with water toys, like jet skis, inflatable boats, a catamaran, and even a mini-submarine.

7. Al Said | 508 feet – 155m

Another Superyacht built, shrouded in secrecy, Al-Said was referred to as “Project Sunflower” the entire time she was being created, right up until she was delivered to her owner in 2008. Not much is known about Al Said, from her movements through to her amenities — although she is known to have a huge concert room with space for a full 50-person orchestra. 

Currently, she’s flying the flag of Oman and has spent a lot of time in its surrounding waters. Her interior was styled by British designer design house RWD, with exterior design being credited to Espen Oeino. When she was delivered to the Sultan of Oman, she replaced a previous ship of a smaller size. 

6. Dilbar | 511 feet – 156m

Dilbar, or Project Omar, as it was originally known as, is another superyacht designed with the help of exterior expert Espen Oeino, but with interiors strikingly designed by Andrew Winch. Dilbar is famously known as the world’s largest yacht by gross tonnage (interior volume) but as the fifth-longest superyacht in the world. 

She’s home to a spa pool and beach club, as well as a large private cinema, spacious cabins set high on the main deck, a spacious dining room, and a salon with its own piano. She’s just as classy and beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside.

5. Blue | 527 feet—160.6m

Sunday blues simply cease to exist on one of the world’s most extravagant superyachts. The elegant behemoth was built for member of the ruling family of Abu Dhabi and billionaire, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan in 2022. Valued at over $600 million, Blue is one of the most expensive superyachts in the world. And with a strong emphasis on the environment, this superyacht is also one of the most sustainable. 

Blue strives to be as environmentally friendly as possible. She is equipped with a highly efficient Diesel-Electric Hybrid Propulsion Concept developed by Lürssen’s own engineering specialists. And the wastewater treatment plant allows water to be disposed of in drinking water quality.

4. Dubai | 531 feet – 162m

Dubai had multiple names in the planning stages—including Panhandle, Platinum, and Golden Star. Owned by the ruler of Dubai, it was aptly named after its home country and comes with all of the luxurious amenities you’d expect from such a name. 

The Dubai comes complete with a huge swimming pool and two jacuzzis. Further down, you’ll find a large dining room with striking blue and burgundy decor and space for up to 90 guests. Dubai usually spends her time moored at Sheikh Mohammed’s private island in front of his summer palace in Dubai. She’s basically the definition of a floating palace.

3. Eclipse | 533 feet – 162.5m

It took around five years for Eclipse to be built from start to finish. While she was always designed to be a huge, luxurious Superyacht, the focus was more on decking it out appropriately rather than breaking any records. An award-winning superyacht, she’s incredibly spacious, with endless rooms to explore and a sleek, neutral color palette running through. 

The Eclipse’s owner, Roman Abramovich, was more focused on facilities: he wanted more than one helicopter pad and a large swimming pool, too. Other than that, designer Terry Disdale had free reign for the rest of the superyacht. It’s just as much a clean piece of architectural styling as it is a stunning experience on deck.

2. Fulk Al Salamah | 538 feet – 164m

Fulk Al Salamah translates to “Ship of Peace” and that’s something that sounds like a given when you’ve taken a look at this superyacht’s incredible layout. Developed under the codename Project Saffron, Fulk Al Salamah is more of a support vessel than she is a typical superyacht. 

While she might still come complete with all of the necessities for a particularly relaxing voyage, she’s more so known for being a transport ship for the Royal Navy of Oman. She’s also used as a sort of friendship boat — pun intended — and is often sailed across the world with the intention of strengthening ties with the Sultanate. In some ports, influential people are welcomed onboard.

1. Azzam | 590 feet – 181m

Most superyachts in the top 10 category have a few mere inches between sizes, but the Azzam shoots far ahead with a large amount of extra length. The largest superyacht in the world, she was never designed to win the title — rather just to be a sleek and elegant vessel. Azzam was crafted backward, with the plans for her interior confirmed long before her exterior was fully signed off. 

Her length only came to be as such to incorporate everything required for the interiors, which added an extra 35 meters to her overall size. She’s also designed to look smaller than she actually is, with a blend of indoor and outdoor living. It took more than 4,000 people to build Azzam , clocking up six million man-hours over a period of four years.

The largest yachts in the world: Conclusion

The largest yachts in the world are:

• Azzam—590 feet
• Fulk Al Salamah—538 feet
• Eclipse—533 feet
• Dubai—531 feet
• Blue—527 feet
• Dilbar—511 feet
• Al Said —508 feet
• A+—483 feet
• Prince Abdulaziz—482 feet
• Opera—480 feet
• OK—479 feet
• El Mahrousa—478 feet
• Sailing Yacht A—469 feet
• Nord—465 feet
• Yas—463 feet
• Ocean Victory—460 feet
• Scheherazade —459 feet
• Solaris—458 feet
• Al Salamah—457 feet
• Rising Sun—454 feet
• Flying Fox—446 feet
• Savarona—446 feet
• Crescent—445 feet
• Serene —439 feet
• Al Mirqab—436 feet
• Y721 (aka Koru)—417 feet

The most expensive yacht in the world

The fact that the History Supreme, the world’s most expensive superyacht, comes coated in gold, is only part of the reason for its high cost. A superyacht with a real-life Midas touch, it was sold to an anonymous Malaysian businessman for $4.8 billion. 

Robert Kuok, the richest Malaysian businessman, is the rumored owner of History Supreme, but no one has confirmed for sure. The History Supreme also comes with plenty of other impressive touches: a master bedroom decked out in platinum, a wall feature made from meteoric stone, and a genuine T-Rex dinosaur bone, to add to the list. 

She took three years to build from scratch and comes with 10,000 kilograms of solid gold and platinum. Other seriously luxe features are her 68 kilograms 24-carat gold Aquavista Panoramic Wall Aquarium and a liquor bottle adorned with a rare 18.5-carat diamond . The base of the vessel comes wrapped in gold, too.

Frequently asked questions about the world’s largest yachts

The largest yachts in the world are owned by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, Roman Abramovich, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and Alisher Usmanov. Our guide tells you more about all the biggest yachts in the world .

At 417 feet (127 m), Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ sailing yacht, Koru (formerly Project Y721), is one of the world’s largest yachts.

The 181-m (590 ft) Azzam is the world’s longest yacht in length, but the 156-m Dilbar has a much larger internal volume (measured in Gross Tons) at 15,917 GT (Gross Tons) versus 13,136 GT for Azzam. As such, Dilbar is the world’s largest yacht in volume. Read our full guide to discover the largest yachts in the world .

The biggest yacht in the world is the Azzam , which has an estimated cost of $600 million. She’s owned by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and is not currently for sale.

In terms of the number of megayachts, the largest superyacht-owning country is the United States. Nationality-wise, beyond American, an increasing percentage of superyacht owners are Turkish, Greek, Emirati, German, Australian and Dutch.

About the author

Emma Treagus

Women’s fashion & travel editor.

A former fashion assistant and budding entrepreneur who calls the world her home, Emma writes many of Luxe Digital’s women’s style and travel stories, drawing on her passion and experience for slow fashion alongside an appreciation for current trends. When she’s not getting her way with words, you’ll find her exploring a new city (at quite a walking pace)—locating the nearest sushi restaurant or devouring a book on the beach.

Learn more about Emma Treagus

The Best French Car Brands: From Alpine Trails To Goddesses

A long-standing legacy.

Cuyana Easy Tote Review: Going Places Has Never Been Easier

Standing Tall: Oakywood Adjustable Desk Doesn’t Sit Still

Beyond Playthings: The Most Expensive 1000% Bearbricks Ever Sold

Eberjey Gisele Pajamas Review: Classic Cocoons Of Comfort

The Most Expensive Basquiat Paintings Are Message-Infused Masterpieces

15 Rarest Cars in The World – From Alfa To Zagato

Beyond The Velvet Ropes: London’s Most Exclusive Private Members’ Clubs

Luxury Lumber: The Most Expensive Wood In The World

Decadent & Diplomatic: The Most Exclusive Private Members’ Clubs In Brussels

Proudly inspiring millions of readers like you .

Your Conscious,

Elevated Life

Starts Here.

• Striking superlatives

• THE PRINCESS PASSPORT
• Email Newsletter
• Yacht Walkthroughs
• Destinations
• Electronics
• Boating Safety

View the latest luxury yachts, superyachts, motoryachts, trawlers and more.

Riviera Launches 6000th Yacht

The new yacht, a 5400 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition, is going to a 10-time Riviera owner.

Horizon Yachts Unveils FD108 Tri-Deck

The 108-foot, five-stateroom superyacht was built for a repeat owner.

CRN to Build 220-Foot Superyacht

Project 146 will be a custom design with a steel hull and aluminum superstructure.

Riva 82′ Diva Reviewed

With an express cruiser profile, flybridge functionality, the high-performing Riva 82′ Diva is 31 knots of fun on the water.

Latest Yacht Reviews

Best Father’s Day Gifts For Boaters 2024

Here are 15 must-get gifts for your boating-enthusiast dad.

For Sale: Palm Beach Motor Yachts 42

This 2018 Palm Beach 42 has low-hour diesels, 32-knot speed and is asking $1.35 million.

For Sale: 2021 Ocean Alexander 70e

This 28-knot, four-stateroom Ocean Alexander 70e is asking $3.45 million.

More Yacht Reviews

An Unusual Downeast Yacht For Sale

This one-owner 46-foot Jarvis Newman Bounder has a long history with Lyman-Morse. Asking Price: $375,000.

Hunter Scott Duffy 38 Downeast Flybridge Cruiser For Sale

The 38-foot, Deceiver, a Hunter Scott Custom Boatworks build has a $349,000 asking price.

Meet the Vicem Yachts 65 Classic Flybridge

The Vicem Yachts 65 Classic Flybridge has timeless downeast lines, two or three staterooms and cold-molded mahogany construction.

More Downeast

Express and Flybridge Cruisers

14 Great Pocket Cruisers in 2023

Our experts review some of the top pocket cruisers, mini yachts and voyaging vessels under 50 feet in length.

Riviera’s 4600 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition to Debut at FLIBS

This luxury express cruiser comes with IPS diesels and two or three staterooms.

Reviewed: Prestige Yachts 590S

The Prestige Yachts 590S is a nearly 30-knot yacht with room for the cruising family.

More Express and Flybridge Cruisers

Long Range Cruisers

Outer Reef Yachts Debuts 670 Azure Sport Yacht

This long-range bluewater cruiser is notable for its stout build, homelike accommodations and an inside-outside layout.

Horizon Yachts FD110 Trideck Reviewed

Mansion-type volume, a seakindly hull form and a 3,000-nautical-mile range define the Horizon Yachts FD110 Trideck.

Princess Yachts’ Superpowered X80

The Princess X80 is a 31-knot socializing machine with a “super flybridge.”

More Long Range Cruisers

Motoryachts

Riviera Launches 58 Sports Motor Yacht

The Riviera 58 SMY has three staterooms and Volvo Penta IPS diesels.

Palatial Powercat

The 20-knot, all-aluminum SilverCat 22M has an open floor plan and cruising accommodations for six.

More Motoryachts

Sailing Yachts

The Family Sailboat

Five decades after first stepping aboard the 42-foot sailboat, Improbable , its owner is restoring it to sail the planet again.

Reminiscing “Freedom”: a 12 Metre Classic

This renowned 12 Metre yacht didn’t win the race, but it won the heart of our writer.

Superyacht Smack Talk

The team behind the 154-foot Nilaya from Royal Huisman throws down with news that the yacht has arrived in Antigua ready to race.

More Sailing Yachts

Sport Fishing Yachts

Release Marine Launches 43 Gameboat

The Release 43 Gameboat is a modern take on the classic Merritt 43 sport-fisher.

Viking’s New 90-Foot Sportfish Yacht

New Jersey’s Viking Yachts has launched its new flagship 90-foot Convertible, a go-anywhere fishing machine.

Tony Soprano’s Boat “The Stugots” is for Sale

The 1999 Cape Fear 47, now renamed Never Enough , was featured in season one of the HBO series.

More Sport Fishing Boats

Superyachts

Heesen Yachts Delivers 164-foot “Cinderella Noel IV”

The smart-custom, hybrid superyacht tests in the North Sea were a success despite rough weather.

Nauta Reveals Details of the XP75

The 245-foot motoryacht has two helipads, three pools, and a garage to hold three tenders and a mini-sub.

More Superyachts

Compass’ New Luxury Limo Tender

The 36-foot, 34-knot Compass Tenders 11.1 Limo Tender is a quick, comfortable way to journey from ship to shore.

One Luxurious Dayboat

The Rebel 50 G is a 36-knot RIB from SACS Tecnorib that is equally at home as a yacht tender or a standalone cruiser.

Wooden Boats’ Semi-Bespoke Speedster

Wooden Boats Limo Tender 27 delivers comfort and 37-knot speed.

More Tenders

Go-Anywhere Style: the Nordhavn 112

This Nordhavn 112 is on the drawing board now, with Hull No. 1 still available for order.

Top 15 Trawlers for 2023

Our experts review 15 of the top trawler and trawler-style yachts, from owner-operator-size bluewater-cruising platforms to globe-girdling supersized explorer yachts that can cross oceans to far-flung waypoints.

More Trawlers

• Digital Edition
• Customer Service
• Privacy Policy
• Email Newsletters
• Cruising World
• Sailing World
• Salt Water Sportsman
• Sport Fishing
• Wakeboarding

Yachting World

• Digital Edition

Best performance yachts: Our pick of the top options

• Toby Hodges
• March 10, 2023

Toby Hodges takes a look at all the nominees and the winner of the performance yachts 2022 category in the European Yacht of the Year Awards

The European Yacht of the Year awards is the most thorough and impartial awards programme – the winners here are widely considered the best yachts of the year . As such the boats nominated by the jury in the performance yachts category can be considered the best of the best.

This year’s shortlist had the full range. From the more conventional definitive style of performance cruiser to the contemporary French interpretation of a lightweight planing cruiser – and even a new brand of sports  catamarans  for the thrill seekers.

Three Italian pure performance yachts and two very different yachts built in Slovenia made for a varied and exciting Performance Yachts category.

Best performance yachts

Winner best performance yachts 2023 – beneteau first 36.

Where once we could assume a cruiser-racer was a fairly standard format design, over the last decade it’s been much more the sexy, perormance yachts the Italian yards specialise in. But as French yards like Pogo and JPK have proven, there’s growing enthusiasm for lightweight planing yachts – and the First 36 is the first real production yacht in that spirit.

Here’s a yacht that puts the focus firmly back into sailing. The First 36 has been kept inviting and approachable – unlike many yachts that can plane, the look is modest, not aggressive. It’s uncomplicated, unfussy and the result is a pleasure for all to sail. It’s more about what you can’t see, the design and engineering, which should ensure longterm demand.

The small, fiddly heads compartment and lack of tiller options are perhaps the only real detraction from an otherwise brilliant collaboration by Seascape and Beneteau, from concept to build quality.

It was their goal to keep this area of the market relevant and prove a mainstream brand can do it, rather than only niche specialist yards. To create a mass produced yacht at this weight and to this foam-cored quality and one that can bring so much fun is a feather in the cap of the First brand.

Grand Soleil 40

The Grand Soleil 40 is an archetypal Med cruiser-racer, and an absolute delight to sail – a feature I’ve learned that Matteo Polli designs tend to share (he also drew the Ecoracer). We sailed the race set up with ORC keel (an IRC version is available too) and six winches, an extended bowsprit and a taller mast. It was one of my most memorable trials of the season in 10-12 knots, with the deep and forward positioned rudder giving plenty of control and lovely direct steering.

The three cabin interior can have one or two heads and different galley options, the cabins are a good size with modest stowage, and it’s all tastefully styled by masters Nauta.

Italia yachts 12.98

At 5ft longer and from the board of Cossutti (who Polli once worked under), the Italia Yachts 12.98 is another cruiser-racer in the same grain as the GS40, but with a markedly different looking white interior. We sailed the ‘Bellissima’ cruising version, which 80% of customers have opted for.

Italia’s yard is now in Fano and its one-shot infused vinylester build looks impressive. However, the deck lacks some refinement and practical stowage, while the three cabin interior isn’t voluminous by today’s standards.

This is a slippery yacht that has a lovely, light feel on the single rudder – the interior styling will be the deal breaker for most.

Solaris Yachts on the other hand has perfected its recipe, tripling its yard size to cater to demand for its sexy Acebal-designed performance yachts.

The Solaris 50 we tested in 2015 and which won this award was arguably the turning point that propelled the brand’s popularity. The owner of the new 50 we tested previously had the original 50 and a 58 and confirms this replacement has nearly the same space as the 58, yet is faster, more powerful and stable than its predecessor (we easily matched 7-8 knot winds under gennaker).

It heels onto its chine and accelerates well, while twin rudders provide ample control. The design prioritises helming experience but the yard needs to come up with a better helm seat option. The interior is well executed, especially the spacious forward owner’s cabin.

The Elan E6 is a big 47-footer, high and beamy and one that leans more towards spirited cruising with generous accommodation over racing. That said, extensive options allow you to tailor it either way, including foam cored furniture and a taller carbon mast for those looking for extra oomph.

It’s a fine collaboration between Humphreys Yacht Design, Gurit, Pininfarina and Elan, while an impressive standard spec includes a carbon sprit and six winches.

The E6 is fun to sail at various angles and gives a nice, sporty feel on the helm – it likes to heel but has plenty of grip and tracks well.

The cockpit is deep and comfortable, with good optional protection and there’s ample deck stowage. A really smart three (or four) cabin interior shows a high standard of construction, finish and styling. It is bulky and you pay for the size in weight, but it looks good and Elan knows how to build a great boat for the price.

Best performance yachts 2022

Winner best performance yachts 2022 – jpk 39fc.

Along with fellow Brittany yard Pogo, JPK has redefined the modern performance cruiser: stiff, stable and efficient to the max. For the keen sailor who wants to get the utmost enjoyment out of hands-on cruising, the JPK 39 is a superb design (and to my eye, an appealing one too), while the yard has done a nice job with the vacuum-infused construction and interior fit-out. The two-cabin version we sailed had plenty of stowage too.

It looks different, behaves beautifully and stands up to its canvas, is designed to sail efficiently with a loaded displacement, and has a deck set-up to encourage you to trim it to your heart’s content. My only slight negative is the unnerving mess the cockpit can become as there are so many control lines.

This lightweight blast will best suit experienced sailors and those comfortable with short-handed sailing. And it guarantees smiles.

Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/European Yacht of the Year

One such sports catamaran is the IC36, an exciting first offering from a new Czech brand that’s packed with fresh thinking. The first turbo version of this cruising catamaran (Independence) is built using a carbon fibre crossbeam, bowsprit, boards and rudders, epoxy hulls, plus a custom Pauger rotating mast, which all serve to keep weight below three tonnes.

It provided some spirited sailing, particularly when fetching at a measured pace of 10-13.5 knots with the code 0. The direct feel of tiller steering while seated in the low rotating bucket seats was a highlight.

The finish quality in the hulls is first class and there is somehow space for up to eight berths. The coachroof features a retractable bimini and removable vinyl side panels and solar panels, while the cockpit table, which includes an exterior galley, is also removable.

In fact the IC36 can be dismantled to 2.55m beam to make it legally trailable. It has so many options and ideas – too many perhaps – all reflected in the price.

Monohull enthusiasts will share our congratulations to J-Boats for its elegant new flagship. The J/45 won the hearts of the jury and made for a long drawn out decision against the JPK. In the end the two yachts will appeal to different sailors and tastes.

J has stayed true to its roots, yet still managed to bring a current, classy new offering. The unmistakable Alan Johnstone lines have been paired with a contemporary, warm European interior designed by Isabelle Racopeau, while much focus has been paid to the joinerwork and the invisible quality. We saw the two cabin version, which has an excellent technical cabin in place of the second aft cabin.

The J/45 is designed to still perform when loaded with cruising gear. True to J’s reputation, it was a witch upwind and could outpoint anything else during our trials. The compromise is that it won’t plane easily like a JPK or Pogo.

The Solaris 40 is another looker from Soto Acebal and the blue steel metallic hull colour of the test boat made the powerful hull shape really stand out.

We liked the recessed traveller, direct steering to the twin rudders, neat folding helm seats, clutches integrated into the coamings and the easy access to the side decks. However, the jury found the cockpit with its short benches and deck design a little too flat and minimalist.

The interior is smart and contemporary, again offered with two or three cabins with two heads it makes good use of the space.

One of the yachts I was looking forward to sailing most was the Pogo 44, and the only one shortlisted that I didn’t manage to! A collision with the photographer’s RIB shortly before my scheduled trial put it out of action.

However, my colleague Rupert Holmes did a full Pogo 44 test and report on it for Yachting World and describes the 44 as designed to thrill and unlike any other pure cruising yacht of its size. The stability from the beamy hull and deep lifting keel combines brilliantly with the ability to sail fast easily and in comfort. However some jury members didn’t like having to rely on an autopilot to use winches.

The interior is like a loft apartment, with so much natural light – it’s minimalist yet comfortable, spacious and practical for cruising.

If you enjoyed this….

Yachting World is the world’s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams. Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Find anything, super fast.

• Destinations
• Documentaries

The Top 100

A comprehensive and accurate list of the largest luxury yachts set to launch in 2024.

A live list of the Top 100 largest superyachts in the world as it currently stands.

The Top 100 luxury yachts launched in 2023 who defined the last year in large yachting.

Has your yacht ever been in the Top 100? Search any yacht to view its ranking.

Select any year since 1906 to view the ranks of the Top 100 largest yachts at the time.

A selection of the Top 100 largest yachts, available for charter on Superyachts.com.

View a selection of brokerage yachts in the Top 100 on Superyachts.com.

The global authority in superyachting

• NEWSLETTERS
• Yachts Home
• The Superyacht Directory
• Yacht Reports
• Brokerage News
• The largest yachts in the world
• The Register
• Yacht Advice
• Yacht Design
• 12m to 24m yachts
• Monaco Yacht Show
• Builder Directory
• Designer Directory
• Interior Design Directory
• Naval Architect Directory
• Yachts for sale home
• Motor yachts
• Sailing yachts
• Explorer yachts
• Classic yachts
• Sale Broker Directory
• Charter Home
• Yachts for Charter
• Charter Destinations
• Charter Broker Directory
• Destinations Home
• Mediterranean
• South Pacific
• Rest of the World
• Boat Life Home
• Owners' Experiences
• Interiors Suppliers
• Owners' Club
• Captains' Club
• BOAT Showcase
• Boat Presents
• Events Home
• World Superyacht Awards
• Superyacht Design Festival
• Design and Innovation Awards
• Young Designer of the Year Award
• Artistry and Craft Awards
• Explorer Yachts Summit
• Ocean Talks
• The Ocean Awards
• BOAT Connect
• Between the bays
• Golf Invitational
• Boat Pro Home
• Global Order Book
• Superyacht Insight
• Premium Content
• Product Features
• Testimonials
• Pricing Plan
• Tenders & Equipment

Top 10 design features of the world's largest yachts

Private owner's deck.

While the waters of the world are dotted with custom yachts, fully bespoke from bridge deck to bilge, the old saying about imitation being the sincerest form of flattery comes into play too. That’'s because many of these yachts, including ones in our register of the top 200 largest yachts in the world, have features that the owners first saw on another yacht.

This isn'’t to say that clients are facing a copycat problem. On the contrary, the way that superyacht owners, designers and builders put special spins on the features makes it all the more interesting. What follows is a top 10 list of must-have superyacht amenities found on many of the largest yachts in the world.

1. Private owner's deck

Gone are the days of simply having a large stateroom forward on the main or upper deck. Today’'s large yachts require a whole apartment on a private deck to satiate superyacht owners .

Witness Blohm & Voss -built superyacht Eclipse , currently the second largest yacht in the world at 162.5 metres, with an owner’'s deck measuring about 56 metres in length. Then there’'s the 119 metre Blohm & Voss Motor Yacht A , with a loft-like owner'’s suite that also includes an aft-facing balcony. The 82 metre Graceful , also from the Blohm & Voss shipyard, has a similar setup.

Some owners want more than a mere balcony, though, which is why motor yachts like the 114.5 metre Lürssen Pelorus include a private al fresco area off the owner'’s suite.

The 80 metre CRN superyacht Chopi Chopi , pictured above, has an expansive private outside space on the owner’'s deck too. Part of it is shaded, with furnishings suitable for taking in an anchorage or enjoying morning coffee. The part that'’s not shaded doubles as a helipad. The owner'’s deck additionally features a pool and a TV lounge.

Helicopter deck

Sure, the best limo tenders allow you to arrive in style, but it’'s hard to compare the experience with being whisked from the airport straight to the deck of your yacht.

The list of superyachts with helipads is long, but some of the top 200 largest boats are taking the concept up a notch, such as the 85.5 metre Oceanco Sunrays , whose whirlybird has a matching colour scheme, and the 88 metre Lürssen Quattroelle , whose popular EC 135 Eurocopter has an unmistakeable paint job.

If you don'’t like your chopper being left out in the open, borrow a page from the owner of the 99 metre award-winning Feadship Madame Gu . That yacht’'s helicopter tucks away in a belowdecks hangar, as do those on some of the world's biggest explorer yachts such as  Luna and Octopus .

Drive-in tender bay

When imagination and technology meet they make for fantastic features like innovative tender garages , including floodable garages, where guests can board comfortably from within the yacht.

Tenders and toys can float right in, and once they’'re securely in place, the water gets pumped out, taking mere minutes. When the 78.6 metre Royal Denship Pegasus VIII was delivered (as Princess Mariana ) in 2003, she took yacht watchers by storm with her aft arrangement for two boats.

She wasn'’t the only yacht to debut that year with this novel feature. The 126.19 metre Lürssen Octopus was handed over in 2003, too, though kept most of her features unknown until she started cruising in the public eye.

Not until photographers started getting good photos of Octopus did most people learn her tender bay allowed two craft to manoeuvre in. Each is impressively in the 19 metre range; one is a custom Vikal named Man-of-War , and the other, even more impressive, is a mini-submarine.

The 58 metre superyacht J'ade is one of the more recently launched yachts to feature one of these drive-in tender bays.

Photo courtesy of Barry Peters / Flickr

Exact-replica tenders

Limo tenders are understandably popular, as they are able to shuttle owners and guests to and from shore while offering protection from wind and water. Yachts like the 95 metre Blohm & Voss Palladium and the 85.6 metre Derecktor superyacht Aquila (ex- Cakewalk ) take the concept up a notch as their owners commissioned tenders to complement and exactly match the mothership’'s styling.

Palladium has two 10 metre tenders (capable of 40 knots, no less) built by Cougar Marine to specifications by Michael Leach Design , who also styled the yacht.

Aquila has an 11 metre Vikal limo tender styled by Tim Heywood , who also designed Aquila herself. Then there'’s Blohm & Voss Motor Yacht A , with three distinctly different tenders, one being an 11 metre craft with lines penned by Philippe Starck to match his equally different vision for A .

Picture courtesy of Bugsy Gedlek

Bold paint jobs

White hulls and superstructures don'’t suit everybody, and even dark-blue or green hulls are too conservative for others. Maybe that was the thinking behind Feadship’'s 77.7 metre Tango , which makes clever use of metallic greys and blues. The greys wind their way across the superstructure, aft to front, in shapes akin to waves.

Sports courts

Who needs to watch Wimbledon on a large-screen TV when there'’s an al fresco deck area suitable for sports? Feadship superyachts Madame Gu , Musashi and Hampshire II each have terrific setups.

The 87.78 metre Musashi  has a permanently mounted basketball hoop on her aft deck, modelled after the one on Rising Sun . (Both were commissioned by Larry Ellison, so it makes sense.) Not to be left out, also at 87.78 metres Fountainhead , has an al fresco basketball court, as do superyachts Tatoosh and Octopus .

The 78.5 metre Feadship Hampshire II’'s guests can play basketball, too, but also badminton, tennis and even football on the expansive foredeck, once the crew ring the area with specially designed nets to prevent balls from going overboard. It also has a zipline and a squash court.

Indoor gardens

Fresh flowers are ordered by many owners once in port, but the 72.1 metre VSY superyacht Stella Maris offers her owner and guests visions of greenery at all times thanks to glass-enclosed, vertical gardens that rise from the main deck to the level above.

The goal was to treat the owner and guests to green landscapes while at sea regardless of season; no need to venture to the Caribbean or other warm climes come wintertime. Even smaller yachts are incorporating gardens of all types; the 55 metre Zen-inspired Benetti superyacht Ocean Paradise , has a Zen garden in the main-deck foyer that changes every day.

What better way to relax on board a superyacht than to have massage rooms and saunas/hammams at your disposal. The 99.14 metre Christina O’'s Turkish bath, outfitted with 60 tons of marble, delights the eyes as much as the spirit, but that’'s just one area in the multi-room onboard spa . It further includes two massage rooms and a hairdressing salon.

The 70 metre Rossinavi High Power III (ex- Numptia ) has a spa that includes a sauna, steam room and gym. Even many of the yachts ‘too small’ to rank on the top 200 largest yachts in the world have these features. For instance, bright-green mosaic tiles used in the Turkish bath aboard the 60 metre CRN J’'ade leave no doubt as to how she got her name.

Infinity pools

Ever since the day she was delivered in 2007, the 81.27 metre iconic Oceanco yacht Alfa Nero has turned heads as much for her aft-deck infinity pool as she has for her overall looks. Alfa Nero's pool still ranks as one of the best superyacht pools .

The 86 metre Oceanco Seven Seas and the 72.5 metre Dunya Yachts superyacht Axioma (launched as Red Square ) have infinity pools, too. When Axioma is at anchor, lounge chairs can be set up on her swim platform, directly beneath the pool’'s front, for a striking effect.

Floor-to-ceiling glass

When the 70.7 metre Lürssen superyacht Skat was delivered in 2002, even those who didn'’t like her styling had to admit the expanses of glass made the largest traditional yacht windows look tiny. The idea caught on, and now there are a whole host of yachts of all sizes that have made the most of glass .

As with many of these top 10 must-have superyacht design features, they may first have debuted on a yacht where size posed few limits to one'’s imagination, but these features proved too good not to integrate into the rest of the fleet. This is perhaps most recently seen on the groundbreaking 78 metre Feadship superyacht Venus , built for none other than innovator Steve Jobs.

Sponsored listings

The 2020 New Yacht Buyer's Guide

2019 was an exceptional year for boat sales that was driven by new, award-winning models and a strong economy. Our premium brands brought home several significant accolades in 2019, particularly in the under-60 foot range, including:

• Princess Yachts Won Best Flybridge Up To 60 Feet for the F55 by Motor Boat & Yachting
• Absolute Yachts brought home the same award for their Navetta 48 at the Asia Boat Awards
• Prestige Yachts won Best Sports Cruiser Up To 55 Feet with the 520S and the 590 Flybridge was a finalist for Best of Boats
• And while there's no award for Sportfishing Yachts, we're confident that Viking Yachts would have won with the new 46 Billfish
• The 2021 New Yacht Buyer's Guide is now released.

The 2020 New Yacht Buyer's Guide reviews the most exciting new boats from the top yacht brands in the world. SI Yachts makes it easy for you to have the newest and best out on the water with our trade-in program, our expertise in helping you order the right options for your new yacht, and our industry-leading service team. Contact us today to talk about what your boating plans are by calling our main office at (718) 984-7676 or by email at [email protected] . 

New Models For 2020 Below In Order By Length :

Princess Yachts X95

Princess Yachts is nearing completion of the new X95 and as of just mid-February had been placed into the water for the first time. While the U.S. debut will be the 2020 Fort Lauderdale Boat Show, there are order slots available for this exceptional new creation from one of the industry's hottest builders. Designed for long-distance luxury cruising, the X95 has a fuel capacity of over 3,500 gallons and is powered with twin MAN V12 1,900mhp engines. This is perhaps the most exciting new yacht under 100-feet that truly has the mega-yacht feel to it. For more photos, follow this link .

Prestige Yachts X70

The all-new Prestige X70 is one of the most anticipated new boat premiers in 2020. Scheduled to debut at the Cannes Boat Show in September, it will be the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show before the U.S. market gets to see it. The big design change on the X70 is undoubtedly the side-decks being moved to the flybridge which allows the interior walls to be expanded providing greater interior volume. There is a staircase leading from the bow to the flybridge as well as in the cockpit. Stay up to date with the new X70 as they become available here: https://www.siyachts.com/yachting-news-and-events/introducing-the-prestige-x70-luxury-motor-yacht For more photos, follow this link .

Absolute Yachts Navetta 64

The Absolute Navetta series has taken the marine industry by storm thanks to its combination of fuel-efficient, long-distance cruising features and it's really interesting social space enhancements. Absolute continually integrates new ideas into their models from owner feedback and the results are remarkable. The new Navetta 64 will feature an optional VIP cabin in what is normally the transom garage. This additional VIP "Beach Club" features a complete living space and doors that open for a true water's edge view. For more photos, follow this link .

Absolute Yachts 62 Flybridge

Absolute Yachts continues its spectacular display of innovative and thoughtful design with the new 62 Flybridge. A perfect combination of Italian style, luxurious fit-and-finish, and highly sociable living areas, the 62 Fly is an excellent choice for cruising or overnight entertaining with friends. From the aft cockpit sunshade that pulls down to the hydraulic bathing platform, to the wrap-around flybridge seating under the opening sunroof, Absolute has achieved yachting perfection with the 62. For more photos, follow this link .

Princess Yachts S62

The Princess S62 is a new, refreshed model of the popular S60. The S62 received a new window-line that is similar to the updated design that Princess is now integrating into their latest models. The sleek exterior combined with MAN V8 1200 engines, and a 38 knot top speed, provides a truly exhilarating driving experience from the sport bridge helm. Expect Princess quality from the electro-hydraulic bathing platform to the foredeck lounge area. Stay tuned to SI Yachts for more information on the S62 as it becomes available. For more photos, follow this link .

Prestige Yachts 590S

Prestige has evolved its sport yacht line with the new 590S thanks for the incredibly talented design team collaboration between Garroni Design, JP Concepts, and the Prestige engineers. Luxury, comfort, and performance outline the characteristics of the newest Prestige model that feature three separate sun-bathing or socializing areas of the boat. Powered with a paid of Cummins 8.3L 600HP engines (with Zeus pod drives), the 590S can hit a wide open throttle speed of 30 knots. Playing on the ocean never looked quite so amazing! For more photos, follow this link .

Princess Yachts V55

The striking new Princess V55 has all of the best characteristics of the popular V-class series. The innovative new design of the cockpit maximizes your enjoyment on the water through the L-shaped seating, large aft sunpad, folding teak table, wetbar, electric BBQ grill, and an incredible sound system. Whether anchoring up to enjoy the sun or cruising for days at a time, you'll never get tired of the V55's luxurious appointments. The salon and galley are incredibly light and open thanks to the large windows and opening sunroof. For more photos, follow this link .

Viking 46 Billfish

If you love Viking Sportfish, but don't want a larger model and the need for a captain, the 46 Billfish is your boat. Sporty, easily maneuvered, and rigged to fish, anglers love the new 46 Billfish for its performance. The 140-square foot cockpit is large enough for several anglers and includes Viking's signature mezzanine seating. We invite you to read our article " Viking's 46 Billfish Is The Personal Sportfisherman ." For more photos, follow this link .

Prestige Yachts 420 Flybridge

For boaters that want an easily maneuvered, sporty, relaxing experience aboard their cruising yacht, the Prestige 420 Fly is an excellent option. Whether driving from the upper bridge at a 20 knot cruise or sunbathing on the foredeck sunpads, the Prestige 420 Fly offers freedom and privacy for a couple that want to get away or enjoy a weekend on the water with friends. Prestige will also soon launched the new 420S for those that prefer the design and layout of an express yacht. For more photos, follow this link .

HCB Yachts 42 Siesta (Model Refresh)

While the HCB Yachts 42 Siesta isn't a new model, the 2020 version as has refreshed features. The hull shape has undergone some slight improvements that have resulted in increased speed, faster planing, and overall better performance. The cabin below deck was also re-designed and now offers greater interior volume for overnight fishing or cruising trips. For more photos, follow this link .

Viking Yachts 38 Open

The 38 Open Billfish gives Viking another sub-40 foot sportfish with the amenities and performance that center-console owners crave. Perfect for the owner/operator that enjoys fishing and cruising, the overnight accommodations are luxurious and comfortable. Nothing can match Viking quality in the sportfish market and the 38 Open Billfish has everything you could ask for in a fishing boat. For more photos, follow this link .

Valhalla Boatworks V-37

Viking's new center-console line, Valhalla Boatworks , has absolutely amazed everyone that has had the opportunity to see them at boat shows and so far over 100 have been sold. While all 3 models technically came out in 2019, it was towards the end of the year and are considered 2020 models. The new V-37 is available at our Freeport, NY location. Come experience a new style and quality of center-console that only a legendary company like Viking could achieve. For more photos, follow this link .

Please don't hesitate to give us a call about pricing, options, and availability of any of these models. We are stocking dealers for each brand and can take your existing boat in on trade. Call us today at (718) 984-7676 to get started. Here is a link to last year's article: 2019 Yacht Buyer's Guide .

Staten Island Yacht Sales

• Yachts Under 1 Million
• Staten Island Marina
• Yachts For Sale 500K
• Yacht Dealer
• 3 Million Yacht
• Pershing Boats For Sale
• Absolute 56 Fly
• Absolute 47 Fly Price
• Absolute Navetta 52
• Best Yachts Under 500K

Luxury Yachts & Boats

• Hinckley Yachts For Sale
• Weaver Yachts
• Grand Banks Boats For Sale
• Yellow Fin Boats For Sale
• Regulator Boat For Sale
• Luhrs Boat For Sale
• Grady White For Sale
• 2019 Riva 100 Luxury Yacht Price
• Pursuit Boat For Sale

Popular Models

• Used Viking Boats For Sale
• Buddy Davis Boats For Sale
• Valhalla Boat
• Viking 42 For Sale
• Cris Craft Boats For Sale
• Used Carver Boats For Sale
• F And S Boats For Sale
• Sunseeker Boats For Sale
• Cruiser Yachts For Sale
• Bayliss Boats For Sale
• Used Cabo Boats For Sale
• Absolute Yachts For Sale
• 38 Billfish For Sale

Brands & Types

• Viking 80 Convertible
• Valhalla V46
• 37 Valhalla
• 52 Viking Express For Sale
• Viking 68 For Sale
• Princess V40 Review
• 41 Valhalla
• Princess Y78 Yacht Price
• Valhalla V-55
• 60 Cantius Price
• Viking 82 Cockpit Motor Yacht

Send Us A Message

Share this Article:

• Creating a Personal Profile in TES
• Entrants - kb

Who Needs a Personal Profile in TES?

You need a personal profile in TopYacht if:-

• You are a boat owner of a Keel Boat or OTB boat that enters races via TES; or,
• You are a crew member of a boat for an offshore race, for Cat 1, 2 or sometimes Cat 3. (Such crew are referred to as “Offshore Crew”.)

For sailors who sail both, you will need two profiles, one for keel-boats and one for OTB Boats.

You do not need a personal profile if you are crewing on a boat for club (not offshore) racing. These crews are referred to as ‘Day Crew’. The information stored for ‘Day Crew’ is very basic (primarily used for safety purposes) and is managed by the boat owner rather than the crew-member themself. [This saves remembering yet another password.]

Click HERE for the Keel-boat Guide

Click HERE for the OTB boat Guide

Meet Nancy Walton Laurie, the billionaire Walmart heiress whose $300 million yacht was spray-painted by climate activists last year

• Nancy Walton Laurie is the daughter of Walmart cofounder James "Bud" Walton.
• Her net worth is $9.10 billion, according to Bloomberg's Billionaires Index.
• Here's what we know about the Walmart heiress.

While Sam Walton is the better-known cofounder of Walmart, he didn't start the world's largest retailer by himself.

Walton had help from his younger brother, James "Bud" Walton, who left behind his stake in the company to his two children, daughters Ann Walton Kroenke and Nancy Walton Laurie, when he died in 1995.

His younger daughter, Nancy, made headlines last year when her $300 million superyacht, Kaos, was spray-painted by climate activists proclaiming the message "You consume, others suffer."

Here's what you need to know about the billionaire Walmart heiress:

Nancy Walton Laurie, 72, is the youngest daughter of James "Bud" Walton, who cofounded Walmart with his brother, Sam Walton. The brothers opened the first Walmart in 1962 in Rogers, Arkansas.

She currently lives in Henderson, Nevada, and Los Angeles, according to Bloomberg.

Sources: Bloomberg

In 1973, she graduated from the University of Memphis, known then as Memphis State, with a bachelor's degree in English.

Source: Bloomberg

She met her future husband, Bill Laurie, at the university, where he played basketball. His team made it to the 1973 NCAA finals.

Source: Memphis Daily News

The couple had a daughter, Elizabeth Paige Laurie, in 1982. Paige was accused of paying a fellow student $20,000 to do her homework for three and a half years during her time at USC and in 2005, she surrendered her degree.

Source: LA Times

When James "Bud" Walton died in 1995, Nancy inherited around half of her father's 40 million shares in Walmart, while her older sister, Ann Walton Kroenke, received the rest. Nancy owns less than a 5% stake in the company, according to Bloomberg. She is not actively involved in Walmart's operations.

Nancy is the 269th richest person in the world as of April 29, 2024, according to The Bloomberg Billionaires Index, with an estimated net worth of $9.10 billion.

Nancy's cousin, Alice Walton, is one of the world's richest women and for a brief time was named the richest woman in America.

Source: Business Insider

Collectively, members of the Walton family own an estimated stake of around 45% of Walmart.

Source: Forbes

Nancy is a patron of the arts. In 1998, she established a dance school called the Columbia Performing Arts Center in Columbia, Missouri.

Source: New York Times

She also owned a contemporary ballet company called the Cedar Lake Ensemble in New York City. She established the company in 2002. In 2004, she paid $11.37 million to build out "a 191-seat theater, a rehearsal studio and offices for her company," according to the New York Times. The company closed in 2015.

Source: New York Times ; New York Times

Nancy and her husband owned the St. Louis Blues hockey team from 1999 to 2005. Today, they have a commercial real estate portfolio, multiple homes, and two yachts, according to Forbes.

Sources: Como Mag ; Globe Newswire ; Forbes

One of Nancy's yachts, called Kaos, was the subject of news last year when climate activists spray-painted it.

Members of Spanish environmental group Futuro Vegetal last year spray-painted the yacht as it was docked at a port in Ibiza, an island off the coast of Spain.

The 361-feet long yacht is worth an estimated $300 million and includes a swimming pool, cinema, spa, and aquarium, according to Yacht Bible.

After activists spray-painted the stern of the yacht in red and black, they held up a sign that read "You consume others suffer."

A video of the event, and of workers hosing down the paint afterwards was uploaded online.

—FuturoVegetal🍒 (@FuturoVegetal) July 16, 2023

• Main content

• Nautic Shows
• America’s Cup
• Classic Yachts
• Motor Yachts
• Sailing Yachts
• Superyachts
• Yachts News
• Destinations
• Yacht Clubs
• Boat Racing
• Meta Yachts

Navigating a century of innovation: from steam engines to hydrogen fuel cells, witness the transformative evolution in yacht design and technology showcased by these 25 exceptional vessels.

Yachts have seen remarkable transformations in design and technology in the last 100 years. The lengths and shapes have changed decade by decade, from the mini-ocean liners of the 1920s to a more glamorous, fuller shape by the 1950s, eventually giving way to the layered wedding-cake construction that was so popular until about a decade ago. Now, just about anything goes, judging from the list below, with yachts boasting vertical bows being the most popular.

Technology also changed over the years, from steam engines to diesel to a growing list of hybrid diesel-electric powerplants. In the next five years, expect to see the first generation of superyachts with hydrogen- or methanol-powered fuel cells. What really hasn’t changed in the last century are owners’ desires to create superyachts that are unique, often clashing with the accepted design norms of the time.

Here are the 25 greatest superyachts from the last 100 years:

‘Delphine’ (257 Feet 9 Inches) 1923, U.S.A.

Photo : Wikipedia

Delphine  is the original 1920s oceangoing queen. American automobile magnate Horace Dodge commissioned the vessel, rumored to have once hosted former President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, and Michigan shipbuilding company Great Lakes Engineering Works built it in 1921. At 258 feet,  Delphine  remains the largest yacht ever built in the U.S. that is still in operation. She is also the largest active steam-driven yacht in existence. The two original 1,500 hp steam engines were re-equipped with two modern water-tube boilers during a 2003 refit, which provide 18 metric tons of steam per hour. Surviving a stint in the U.S. Navy during World War II, several fires, and multiple owners,  Delphine  is today fully restored to her 1920s glory, including original teak on the main deck and a revived Tiffany-designed interior.

‘Talitha’ (247 Feet) 1929, Germany

Photo : Photo: Javier Rullan Ruano/YouTube

Talitha  is one of the world’s first superyachts with an exceptional pedigree. F. Krupp built the vessel, which was originally penned by naval architects Cox & Stevens (leading designers of their day), in Kiel, Germany. First known as  Reveler ,  Talitha  was delivered in 1929 to Russell Algar, chairman of the Packard Car Company. A string of high-profile owners ensued, including John Paul Getty Jr. in the 1930s, son of one of the richest men in the world at the time. Getty commissioned an exterior and interior redesign by late superyacht designer Jon Bannenberg and, in 1993, a full reconstruction was completed at the Devonport shipyard in Plymouth, U.K. Regular refits since, including a 1999 newly installed wheelhouse, has made  Talitha  successful as a popular charter yacht.

‘ Malahne’ (164 feet) 1937/2015, UK

Photo : Camper & Nicholsons

Originally designed and built for the owner of renowned J-Class yacht  Velsheda , classic motor yacht  Malahne  enjoys a period interior designed by Scottish designer Guy Oliver (best known for styling London’s 10 Downing Street and Claridge’s). Original Art Deco features include Baccarat crystal, Willer porcelain, Georg Jensen silverware, and a lamp by 1930s designer Edgar Brandt. The yacht was once used as the production headquarters for Lawrence of Arabia and had luminaries such as Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly, and Frank Sinatra walking the teak decks. In 2015, it underwent an extensive restoration at British shipyard Pendennis, which focused on maintaining its old-world glamour, including the yacht’s 25-foot custom-built Cockwells varnished Brazilian mahogany high-speed tender.

‘Savarona’ (446 Feet 9 Inches) 1931, Germany

Launched in 1931,  Savarona  was built for an heiress, enjoyed by royalty, and starred on the big screen. Built by Blohm & Voss for Emily Roebling Cadwalader, granddaughter of Brooklyn Bridge engineer John Roebling, 446-foot  Savarona  was featured in the German science-fiction film  Gold . The Turkish government bought the vessel in 1938 and leased to Turkish businessman Kahraman Sadıkoğlu in 1989, who spent $45 million refurbishing the yacht. The original steam turbine engines were replaced with modern Caterpillar diesels, but the original 282-foot gold-trimmed staircase remains. Today,  Savarona  is the official presidential yacht of the Republic of Turkey.

‘Shemara’ (212 Feet, 2 Inches) 1938, Great Britain

Within a year of being built in 1938, 212-foot  Shemara  was requisitioned by the Royal Navy and used throughout World War II as a training vessel for anti-submarine warfare. Following the end of its service, the superyacht returned to her owner Bernard Docker, who entertained high society aboard its decks. Later in life,  Shemara  endured long periods of neglect until current owner Charles Dunstone acquired her in 2010, starting the long road back to refurbishment. Alongside much of the original teak and steel exterior features,  Shemara  is now fitted with a Rolls-Royce diesel-electric system, including two electrically driven azimuthing pods and a bow thruster.

‘Christina O’ (325 Feet) 1943/1954

Possibly one of the most eminent superyachts of all time, 325-foot  Christina O  didn’t begin life in the spotlight. Built in 1943 by Canadian Vickers, the vessel served as a frigate in World War II until 1954 when Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis bought it as war surplus for a mere $34,000. He spent $4 million on the refurbishment and then entertained the world’s elite on board, from Maria Callas and Grace Kelly to Jack and Jackie Kennedy, prior to Onassis marrying Jackie. Named after Aristotle’s daughter,  Christina O  enjoys a bronze-edged swimming pool with a mosaic dance floor that rises at the push of a button. The stools in Ari’s Bar retain the original leather upholstery.

‘V2V’ (ex-Carinthia VI) (137 feet, 7 inches) 1973, Germany

Photo : Yacht Charter Guide

The first major yacht designed by Jon Bannenberg and a breakthrough build for German shipyard Lürssen,  Carinthia VI  is a star of the decades, commissioned by supermarket magnate Helmut Horten as the sixth yacht in his  Carinthia  fleet. However,  Carinthia V  was in fact the original version but sadly hit an uncharted rock on her maiden cruise in the Mediterranean and sank. Horten ordered an almost identical replacement (this time with extra watertight bulkheads) and used  Carinthia VI  until his death in 1987. In 2016, the yacht suffered severe damage in a fire. Its new owner then bought the yacht, undergoing an extensive rebuild in Turkey to its original Bannenberg lines that was completed in 2023 when the yacht was renamed  V2V.

‘La Sultana’ (214 Feet 56 Inches) 1962, Bulgaria

A Bulgarian passenger ferry turned Soviet spy vessel, 214.5-foot  La Sultana  has a checkered past. Built in 1962 for operations in the Black Sea, it was absorbed into the Russian fleet during the Cold War and sent to the North Atlantic for unofficial reconnaissance on the United States and United Kingdom. In 2015,  La Sultana  completed a seven-year refit, which saw the addition of a raised bow, seven guest cabins across six decks, and a diesel engine installed to drive the original propeller. Several spying instruments were also discovered, including a radioactivity detector and thick aluminum insulation across the entire boat. The original push button steering controls are still in operation.

‘Highlander’ (164 Feet) 1986, Netherlands

American media mogul Malcolm Forbes commissioned the 164-foot  Highlander , built by Feadship to a Jon Bannenberg design with De Voogt naval architecture, in 1986. The yacht’s historic guest list reads like a who’s who of Hollywood stars, from Elizabeth Taylor to Robert De Niro. Two bathrooms in the master suite are offset by six guest cabins. Those lucky enough to charter this piece of yachting history also have use of Forbes’s original cigarette boat, now re-painted in jet black with a bold red stripe.

‘Tatoosh’ (303 feet) 2000, Germany

Photo : Fraser Yachts

Built by Nobiskrug for cellular pioneer Craig McCaw, the 303-foot  Tatoosh  was more famously owned by the late Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen, who bought the yacht off McCaw in 2001. Penned by German designer Claus Kusch—with input over the years from Jon Bannenberg, Terence Disdale, Martin Francis, and Stefano Pastrovich— Tatoosh  is arguably one of the foremost explorer yachts of the modern age. The vessel was conceived to be a world cruiser with all the toys and entertainment that a yacht could carry. Alongside two helicopter landing pads, it has 11 staterooms for 19 guests, a heated swimming pool with a lifting floor, a cinema, and a dive center with a nitrox refilling station for deeper dives.

‘Al Salamah’ (456 Feet 10 Inches) 1999, Germany

Photo : Lürssen

At the time of its construction in 1999, 456-foot  Al Salamah  was the third largest yacht in the world. The build began at German yard HDW in Kiel but was completed by Lürssen in Bremen, the only yacht builder at the time capable of meeting the owner’s demanding timeline.  Al Salamah  was commissioned by the late Saudi Arabian crown prince Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz. Estimated to be worth in the region of $200 million and accommodating 36 guests, the ample amenities include a cinema, a fully equipped onboard hospital, two full-time beauticians, a business center, and a spa.

‘H’ (ex-NEOM) (311 feet) 2000, Netherlands

Delivered in 2000, the 311-foot  H  remained the largest Oceanco yet built and the largest yacht built in Holland until the delivery of  Kaos  (ex- Jubilee ) in 2017. Originally named  Al Mirqab , the vessel was a highly private yacht under the ownership of the Qatar royal family before ex-politician and co-owner of Formula One Force India team Vijay Vittal Mallya took ownership in 2006. The Maltese government seized the lavishly outfitted yacht, which includes a helipad large enough for a twin-engine helicopter, Elton John’s baby grand piano, a full medical suite, and triple engines each delivering 10,000 hp, in 2017 over unpaid maritime bills.  NEOM  was auctioned off to her current owner in 2018.

‘Rising Sun’ (453 Feet) 2004, Germany

Photo : Photo: Courtesy of Lürssen

Built for Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison in 2004 and currently owned by business mogul David Geffen, Lürssen’s  Rising Sun  is another Jon Bannenberg success story, completed two years after the designer’s death. Even with her 453-foot length and 7,841-gross tonnes volume,  Rising Sun  achieves an impressive top speed of 28 knots. The owners were impressed enough with the speed to build a suspended, tube-like walkway so visitors can see the four MTU 20V 8000 M90 diesel engines providing the power. A bank of full-height curved windows run along the entire length of the superstructure, flooding the interior with natural light and giving the yacht a striking exterior profile.

‘Motor Yacht A’ (390 feet, 4 inches) 2008, Germany

Photo : Francis Design

Few yachts divide opinion like  M/Y A . Designed by Philippe Starck, engineered by naval architect Martin Francis, and built by Blohm + Voss, the yacht is rumored to have cost in the region of $300 million to bring to life. Characterized by its head-turning reverse bow and vertical superstructure, the vessel is a private floating fortress where guests’ access to the water is restricted to the stern. It boasts a cathedral-like tender garage and three swimming pools; it’s also the predecessor to the even more controversial  S/Y A , which emerged nine years later and briefly held the place of world’s largest sailing yacht before being displaced by  Koru.

‘Dubai’ (531 Feet 5 Inches) 2006, Germany

Photo : Bigstock

Prince Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei first commissioned  Dubai  in 1995 to be built in collaboration by German shipyards Blohm + Voss and Lürssen. But the superyacht was not completed until 2001 by Platinum Yachts when current owner, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, took over the project. British studio Winch Design crafted the exterior, and the vessel is reported to have cost in the region of $400 million to build.  Dubai  was the largest yacht in the world until 2010, when she was replaced by Roman Abramovich’s 533-foot  Eclipse .  Dubai ’s amenities, spread across eight decks, include a helipad, two 33-foot chase boats, a squash court, and 20 Jet Skis.

‘Savannah’ (273 feet, 11 inches) 2015, Netherlands

Photo : Northrop & Johnson

Savannah  is renowned for being the first hybrid yacht on water, with fuel savings of up to 30 percent. It blends a single diesel engine with three gensets, batteries, a propeller, and an azimuting pioneering electro-mechanical propulsion platform. Built by Feadship, the yacht’s 41-foot beam was such a tight fit for the Dutch canals during delivery that the builder wrapped her in protective film and used plywood on the sides to serve as fenders. With its interior and exterior designed by Cristina Gherardi Benardeau, the yacht was also ahead of its time, with a corridor of double-height video walls, a floating superstructure, and an underwater Nemo lounge.

‘Maltese Falcon’ (289 Feet) 2006, Turkey

Photo : Perini Navi

The legendary  Maltese Falcon  broke the mold of yacht design when launched in 2006. Perini Navi’s 289-foot, three-masted schooner was the result of its adventurous owner, the late Tom Perkins, and naval architect Gerard Dykstra’s radical design idea. The show-stopping Dynarig concept, now coined the Falcon Rig, catapulted  Maltese Falcon  to becoming the world’s most instantly recognized yacht, not to mention one of the most complex and largest sailing vessels ever built. The contemporary, computer-controlled sail system is based on freestanding carbon masts and yard-arms into which the sails furl. This system allows for easy sailing in all sea conditions. Famous charterers include Tom Hanks, Hugh Jackman, and Google cofounder Larry Page.

‘Eclipse’ (533 Feet) 2009, Germany

Aside from stealing the title of world’s largest yacht from 531-foot  Dubai  by a mere 1.5 feet,  Eclipse  is an exercise in amenities. Delivered to her owner Roman Abramovich in 2009, the vessel features a 52-foot swimming pool within an extensive beach club, two helipads, and a helicopter hangar under the foredeck. The 533-foot yacht is powered by a diesel-electric system driving azimuthing pods, one of the first of its kind.  Eclipse  retained the title of world’s largest yacht until the arrival of 590.5-foot  Azzam  in 2013. Designed inside and out by Terence Disdale,  Eclipse  took five years to build and is reported to have cost in the region of $590 million.

‘Chopi Chopi’ (262 Feet) 2013, Italy

Tasked with an experienced owner’s brief for a private yacht on which to spend long family holidays, CRN delivered with  Chopi Chopi . The largest yacht built by CRN at the time of her 2013 launch, the 262-foot  Chopi Chopi  remains the Italian yard’s flagship. A 656-square-foot owner’s suite with private terrace is complemented by a helipad capable of landing a three-ton helicopter. The interior ceiling heights are in excess of seven feet. But the focus of the design is on comfortable outdoor living, realized by a large beach club with an adjoining sauna, hammam, and spa with a treatment room.

‘Azzam’ (590 Feet) 2013, Germany

Photo : Lurssen/Klaus Jordan

At a whopping 590-foot,  Azzam  has held the title of world’s largest yacht since her launch in 2013.  Azzam  was built by German yard Lürssen in a record three years for Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the current President of the United Arab Emirates. Alongside a 95-foot main saloon,  Azzam  carries a submarine and its own missile defense system. Two gas turbines and two diesel engines propel the yacht through the water more than 32 knots.

‘Black Pearl’ (350 Feet) 2018, Netherlands

Photo : Tom Van Oossanen

Delivered by Oceanco in 2018, the 350-foot  Black Pearl  is only the second yacht in the world to be fitted with Dykstra’s DynaRig carbon masts and sailing system. Its eye-catching black sails span 9,514 square feet and can be set in a record seven minutes with the push of a button. The hybrid propulsion system combines wind power with two electric propulsion motors, and its controllable pitch propellers generate enough energy to support the yacht’s hotel load. A waste heat-recovery system is just one of the onboard features that helps to realize the owner’s vision of a “zero-impact” yacht.

‘Excellence’ (262 Feet) 2019, Germany

Photo : Guillaume Plisson for Abeking & Rasmussen

Built for an experienced serial owner, American automobile magnate Herb Chambers, the Winch-designed 262-foot  Excellence  was delivered in 2019. The vessel takes its design inspiration from  Motor Yacht A , which Chambers at first didn’t care for but then began to love. The piercing reverse bow (that mimics the beak of an American eagle) and triple-height glass-fronted atrium give it curb appeal but has also led to the yacht being likened to a spaceship. Driven by the desire to have a connection to the outdoors, the design rests upon a symbiotic relation between the indoors and out and was ultimately successful, partially due to the use hundreds of square feet of curved, mirrored glass panels.

‘Koru’ (417 feet) 2023, Netherlands

Photo : Oceanco

Oceanco’s 417-foot  Koru , commissioned by Jeff Bezos, is a three-masted, black-hulled schooner with a bowsprit, classic lines, and white superstructure. Reportedly costing $450 million to build and accompanied by a 246-foot custom Damen support yacht  Wingman , the new vessel is the world’s largest sailing yacht (knocking  S/Y A  off the top spot).  Koru  also holds the title of the largest superyacht ever built in the Netherlands and the tallest sailing yacht in the world, with masts that measure over 230 feet.

‘Obsidian’ (417 feet) 2023, Netherlands

Photo : Feadship

Feadship’s 2023 delivery  Obsidian  has the appearance of a spaceship. But the boat’s technically advanced propulsion package, described as having a 90 percent reduction in total CO2 emissions, is what places it on this list, carrying the Dutch builder one step closer to its goal of achieving a zero-emission superyacht by 2030. The hybrid diesel-electric system is designed into a single-floor engine room creating additional interior space for owners, guests, and crew. With no drive shafts or rudders, the steering is done through a pair of electric Veth contrarotating thrusters. The diesel generators will also run on HVO, a second-generation biodiesel that manufacturers describe as a net-zero CO2 fuel. A low profile, horizontal styling features, and clean exterior shapes are a preamble for the yacht’s interior, which includes an underwater observation area—known as the Aqua Lounge.

‘Luminance’ (417 feet) 2023, Germany

Photo : Lursssen Yachts

Delivered in late 2023, Lürssen’s eighth largest build,  Luminance , ranks as the 12th largest yacht in the world and is the 30th yacht built by the German shipyard with an exterior design by Espen Øino. The six-deck behemoth is one of the most significant yachts to be launched this year, with an internal volume of 9,000 GT, a beam of 66 feet, and an interior by Francois Zuretti. The gigayacht features two helipads, two Jacuzzis, a large swimming pool, and a distinctive stretched bow.

Follow us on X at @NauticMag for the freshest nautical news, insights, and more.

• superyachts

RELATED ARTICLES

Nauta xp75: explore. dream. discover, crn signs a new contract for a fully bespoke 67-metre yacht: crn m/y project 146, a symphony of art and science: introducing spear, the 140m trimaran yacht concept, rossinavi launches m/y bel1, making waves with king benji – the 47m superyacht designed for adventures.

Subscribe to our newsletter

To be updated with all the latest news, offers and special announcements.

LATEST ARTICLES

Cannes yachting festival 2024: showcasing innovation and joy on the french riviera, sailgp season 4 heats up: bermuda grand prix marks a pivotal turn, exploring ineos britannia’s ac75 launch: a leap in america’s cup competition, emirates team new zealand preparations for america’s cup and kiwi cup raffle, editor picks, canadian beau lake introduces the tahoe ’14 and lugano ’14 electric runabouts, underwater adventure and exploration with deepflight’s super falcon 3s, driving performance on land and on water: 41′ amg carbon edition, popular posts, young designer of the year 2022: ioana valentina corcodel reveals 65m ophelia concept, mirabaud sailing video of the century: celebrating 2 decades of passion, superyacht the flying fox seized in the dominican republic, popular category.

• Regatta 823
• America's Cup 422
• Motor Yachts 264
• Boating 216
• Superyachts 186
• Sailing 179
• Yachts News 174
• Sailing Yachts 165

"There is a lot of important information that we can’t make public," Andrade Ramírez said at the time.

She added the conditions of the three men were unknown and acknowledged the presence of active drug cartels in the area, adding "all lines of investigation are open at this time. We cannot rule anything out until we find them."

The three men — identified as Jake Robinson, Callum Robinson and Jack Carter Rhoad — were thought to have been surfing and camping in Baja California along the coast near the city of Ensenada.

They were considered missing Saturday when they did not arrive at their Airbnb in the nearby city of Rosarito, according to a Facebook post from Jake and Callum Robinson's mother, Debra Robinson.

Debra Robinson posted in a local community page Wednesday looking for help finding her sons. She wrote that she had not heard from them since Saturday, which is when they were set to show up in Rosarito.

In the post, she wrote that Callum Robinson is diabetic and mentioned that her sons were with Carter.

The U.S. Embassy in Mexico did not immediately confirm at the time that Carter was one of the missing men. The U.S. State Department said at the time it was aware of reports of a missing American in the area but did not provide more information.

A spokesperson for the Ensenada municipality subsequently said a fourth body was discovered where the other three were found and was also unidentified so far. Possible links between the deceased remained a mystery Saturday.

Andrade Ramírez on Thursday said her office was in touch with officials from both the U.S. and Australia on the case, but also said the time that had passed between when they went missing and when they were reported missing could make it harder to locate the three men.

The peninsula's Pacific coast has been a staple destination for United States surfers for 60 years — breakout documentary "The Endless Summer" sampled its waves in '64 — but the U.S. State Department has more recently urged Americans to avoid Baja travel as murderous drug cartel violence has gripped Tijuana and points south.

Rebecca Cohen is a breaking news reporter for NBC News.

The Associated Press

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Katt Williams Wants to Show You the Receipts

After setting the internet aflame earlier this year when he slammed several other comedians in a viral interview, he plans to say more of what’s on his mind in a rare live special on Netflix.

By Elena Bergeron

Reporting from Ponte Vedra Beach and Jacksonville, Fla.

In the crowded landscape of athlete podcasts , “Club Shay Shay,” hosted by the retired N.F.L. star Shannon Sharpe, mostly served sports fans and observers of Black Hollywood since it started in 2020 with interviews with DaBaby and Deion Sanders.

That was until Katt Williams appeared on the show in January and for nearly three hours delivered an incendiary, rollicking and, at points, curiously uplifting interview that pervaded the internet like nothing else this year. Williams accused other big-name comedians of stealing jokes and movie roles from him, riffed on why partying with Diddy (or Jeffrey Epstein or Harvey Weinstein) is a bad idea, asserted that he read 3,000 books a year as a child and claimed that at 52, he was capable of running a 40-yard dash in less than 5 seconds.

The interview has been viewed more than 67 million times on YouTube, numbers that put it on par with Joe Rogan’s blazing episode with Elon Musk, the industry high-water mark for video podcasts. Its most outrageous moments have been shared, excerpted and spoofed on so many other platforms that even that figure understates its impact. According to Williams, who said he wrote out his part of the dialogue in advance, it’s just what happens when he sets the record straight.

“I’m quite likely to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God,” he said during the interview.

Beyond raising Sharpe’s numbers, the spot helped Williams move tickets to his “Dark Matter” tour and got the PGA interested in hosting him at T.P.C. Sawgrass, the golf course that serves as a playground for pros and that most others will see only by plugging in “PGA Tour Golf” into their PlayStations. On the course, in between shots, he says he made his nuclear-option remarks carefully, responding to rumors — in some cases, told by people he spoke up about — that have dogged him for years about drug use, erratic behavior and arrests (though, he said, no convictions). “I thought that I had worked out a way of breaking the internet, and I felt pretty confident,” he said with a Mr. Rogers level of thoughtfulness. “So I wrote it kind of like a one-man movie, with the intention of its outcome. And — —”

“You’re great, Katt,” a man trills as he passes in his golf cart.

“ Thank you so much,” Williams replies, then pulls to a stop.

“If I let it go at this point, they can actually rewrite history,” he says. Few things unnerve him more than a poor chronicling of facts. That’s probably because few people are better at weaving narratives that seem too incredible not to be true, like when he describes how he taught himself to fall asleep in exactly 59 seconds. (“It wasn’t something I knew I needed but it’s changed my [expletive] life!”)

The things that make Katt Williams such a great raconteur — he is diligent about numbers, inexhaustible in his curiosity and meticulous about his delivery — have made him a persistent presence in comedy since he emerged from the standup world over 30 years ago, through regular appearances on the improv sketch show “Wild ’N Out” and as a scene-stealing dervish in movies like “Friday After Next.” That his improbable rise from homelessness to one of the most prolific, and profitable, comics of his generation isn’t looked on as a feat of craft and yeoman effort, well, that was a record that needed straightening. Williams grabbed even the furthest corners of the internet to do so, and now that he’s got everyone’s attention he is gearing up for the ultimate told-you-so — “Woke Foke,” set to air globally on Saturday. It’s Netflix’s second-ever live special after Chris Rock’s last year .

Williams, who does not work his material in clubs partly because of the looming threat of joke-stealing, has been prepping his material on a 100-date arena tour where audiences were not asked to lock away their phones. It seems a sure way to spoil the act he and Netflix are banking big on. It’s also a show of extreme faith in his current set, and will make for a high-wire debut for the roughly 25 percent of new material he’ll deliver live in Los Angeles.

“ He’s one of the most exceptional improvisational comedians of our time,” says Robbie Praw, Netflix’s vice president of standup and comedy formats. “He does often change his material close to tapings, which is a key reason why he was the perfect person to be our second live special. Because there is something super exciting about that. When there’s no script, there’s no net.”

Or as Williams himself puts it, “The benefit of Katt Williams live is that you don’t, in any way, know what he’s going to say.”

THOUGH HE USUALLY PLAYS golf alongside the retired athletes he’s friends with or someone from the tour crew, today Williams plays this round effectively solo. An assistant named Rhonda trails him in a separate cart driven by a cigar-smoking bodyguard. Later, he calls out to Rhonda, who dutifully takes photos when Williams points up at the trees that rim a rippling green, where two bald eagles have alighted on branches near their nest. “Look at that,” Williams marvels through an open-mouthed grin.

Over the round, he’ll point out a peregrine falcon swooping in to feed, stop in the middle of a fairway to show Rhonda and a caddie a woodpecker that has gotten thisclose to severing a branch, and sprint across one tee box to stand under a magnolia tree and catch its wafting perfume. He’s got dozens of them lining his 100-acre farm, he says.

That sprint to the magnolia, and several more full-speed runs from fairway back to the golf cart, each have the same track-star form he showed in an Emmy-winning cameo on “Atlanta” that ended with his character bolting from the house where he’d kept both his girlfriend and an alligator illegally. Williams displayed that same running form when he showed up at the Dallas Cowboys’ facility in February and ran a 40-yard dash in 4.97 seconds. His claim on Sharpe’s podcast seemed suspect until Williams clocked the time in front of an audience, while wearing Dior sneakers.

Williams left his home in Ohio at 13 over a religious dispute with his parents and landed in Miami, where he says he supported himself stealing car radios and cleaning restaurants. His stint in a homeless encampment introduced him to addicts, many of whom had once been high-functioning professionals. The extent to which those stories informed his reaction to the drug rumors is in the numbers, too. He still does 100 push-ups and 100 sit-ups a day. That 40-yard-dash time, it’s denial through demonstration.

To those who accuse him of using, he says, “at some point, even as an idiot, you’re going to have to acknowledge that these drugs should be taking some toll on me. At some point, I shouldn’t be better and faster and stronger because of them.”

Williams has an allegiance to numbers typically reserved for athletes and actuaries, and it’s apparent in the quantifiable way he breaks down his sets. “I try to write the seven to 10 most [expletive] things that I think,” he says, “and I try to make that into the comedy show.” An hourlong special comprises 10 to 12 stand-alone pieces, which usually leaves him looking to add a bit or two as he’s writing. For this run, he says he’s needed to pare down what started as a 90-minute set.

On the road, Williams hones an act by watching footage of the previous night for the first 30 or so dates. “My job is to let this guy know, ‘Hey, you’re looking old out there, like, you going to work this stage?’” he says, adding that he’s most often not refining the words but the delivery — a bigger gesture, a different tilt of his head.

Williams has been writing and performing and refining in this way for 37 years, ever since he won a standup competition in Ruskin, Fla., at 16. The prize was a five-minute opening slot on a tour that featured Richard Jeni, Jeff Foxworthy and Dan Whitney, later known as Larry the Cable Guy.

“He respects the craft,” says Mo’Nique, who is touring with Williams for the first time on “Dark Matter.”

“He respects the ones that came before him. He respects those doors being open. He respects the obligation of, the craft of being a comedian.”

HIS REVERENCE FOR JOURNEYMEN COMICS , those who prove their mettle on live stages night after night, fueled many of the shots Williams took during the Sharpe interview at funnymen who no longer work the circuit, or those who had gotten specials without a lengthy road history. He felt assured in his criticisms, and that there wouldn’t be effective retaliation, he says, “because there’s no big dogs for them to call other than Chappelle, and Chappelle would never cross me. Dun dun dun dun, and then he did!”

Williams is referring to Dave Chappelle’s response to the beefs onstage, saying, “Katt is one of the best painters in the game. So why are you drawing ugly pictures of us?”

Though the question stung (Williams referred to Chappelle as “the king”), Williams stood by his attack: “If I came to tell you a beautiful story, I would have painted you a beautiful picture. I was trying to paint a story of a group of ugly [expletive] that would do things that would hurt you and uplift them, even though they didn’t need to do that. And then instead of helping you or befriending you, that they would,” he pauses to let out a disbelieving sigh, “go so far as to steal from you if they couldn’t emulate you and then lie about you.”

While waiting for the foursome ahead to finish a late-round hole, Williams entertains the question of whether art can be competitive. “History is just a collection of the people that did things the best,” he says between drags of a prerolled joint. Williams brings up Mozart and Chopin, masters who have been studied for centuries.

That’s his aim in comedy, he says. “I will, without question, be one of the greatest comedians that ever lived just because of the body of work.”

Williams means for his 12 specials to be assessed as a whole. It’s a yearslong conversation with an audience that began in 2006’s “Pimp Chronicles Pt. 1,” his electric big-league introduction that built to a flaming indictment of a different celebrity, Michael Jackson, two years before the pop star’s death and a decade before the “Leaving Neverland” documentary.

His more recent specials have skewed toward topics that tend to send people down conspiracy rabbit holes. On a 2023 Marc Maron podcast episode, Williams said he swapped out about half of the material in his 2022 “World War III” special after touring and receiving notes from Netflix about the show’s darkness, which he said was “turned up viciously high” around race and religion. The set still hit one of its funniest peaks in a riff on how the Nazis became such a fearsome military — by producing and consuming methamphetamine. He told Maron he’d be happy if listeners Googled whether that was true.

The night after his round of golf, Williams’s sold-out audience at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville looks perfect for national election polling. There are women in extended-size bodycon dresses, men in Tommy Bahama-esque shirts and couples in matching satin short sets, carrying yard dogs filled with frozen rum runners to their seats.

Williams works through a brisk set, zipping darts at Diddy and Ron DeSantis, with a knockdown bit about white slavery. When it’s done, lounging in a locker room where Chet Baker’s version of “My Funny Valentine” rings out against the tiles, Williams suggests that the live Netflix show might delve into touchier topics, if they exist. “I can’t discuss, maybe, Israel and Palestine and Iran until live?”

The key to skirting flammable topics and still landing a laugh, he says, is “no matter what joke I’m telling or who the focus of that joke is, the thing that you’re supposed to get from it is that my heart is in the right place. But I see what I see.”

Elena Bergeron is an editor and writer in the Culture section of The Times. More about Elena Bergeron

Inside the World of Comedy

The White House Correspondents’ Association dinner has occasionally featured some great stand-up comedy. Colin Jost’s set will not join that list, our critic writes .

The pandemic dealt a major blow to improv in New York, but a new energy can be seen in performances throughout the city .

Kevin Hart became the 25th comic  to receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor from the Kennedy Center.

The joke writers for awards shows are a corner of the showbiz work force that tends to remain in the shadows. The job requires skill, self-awareness and even diplomacy .

Comedians, no strangers to tackling difficult and taboo subjects with humor, are increasingly turning their attention to the climate crisis .

• Motorcycles
• Car of the Month
• Destinations
• Men’s Fashion
• Watch Collector
• Art & Collectibles
• Vacation Homes
• Celebrity Homes
• New Construction
• Home Design
• Electronics
• Fine Dining
• Aston Martin
• L’Atelier
• Les Marquables de Martell
• Mira Villas
• Panther National
• Reynolds Lake Oconee
• 672 Wine Club
• Sports & Leisure
• Health & Wellness
• Best of the Best
• The Ultimate Gift Guide

From Epic Sailing Vessels to Rugged Explorers: The 10 Best Superyachts That Will Launch This Year

Beyond size, this year's launches are unusually diverse, including motoryachts, sailing vessels, explorers and even a giant sportsfisherman., julia zaltzman, julia zaltzman's most recent stories.

• This Boatmaker Builds 1960s-Inspired Cruisers With a Modern Twist. Here’s How.
• This 150-Foot Fishing Trawler Was Transformed Into a Rugged Explorer Yacht
• These 3 Miniature Explorer Yachts Are Ready to Take You Off-Grid
• Share This Article

With a combined length of 2,929 feet, the world’s top 10 superyachts scheduled for delivery this year are moving away from the idea that yachting is about whose boat is bigger. The trend is now more about mission than size. This year’s launches will be wide ranging, from motoryachts to sailing vessels, explorers and even a giant sportfish.

The list includes offerings from German shipyard Lürssen , which has two 400-foot-plus yachts ready to splash this year, with noteworthy deliveries from other shipyards in Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands showcasing different definitions of design, power and performance.

Here are the yachts we can’t wait to see.

‘Koru’ (564 feet) Oceanco

Jeff Bezos’ first yacht, Koru , was spotted last week on sea trials. The Amazon founder chose to make a bold design statement by commissioning the world’s largest sailing yacht, not to mention the longest pleasure vessel, motor or sail, ever from The Netherlands. Built by Oceanco, the titanic sailing machine is an incredible 3300 GT, powered by kinetic energy generated by the sails. Besides its massive length, its classic canoe stern, a double-deck wooden coach house and navy hull with a red stripe differentiate Koru from any other vessel on the water. The project remains hush-hush. Even the designers remain a secret.

‘Liva’ (387 feet, 1 inch) Abeking & Rasmussen

Launched late last year and scheduled to be delivered in early 2023, Liva is the largest yacht built by Abeking to date, overtaking the German shipyard’s previous flagship Aviva by 65 feet. The French studio Joseph Dirand Architecture was commissioned to pen both the exterior and interior, which is reported to include a semi-submerged underwater observation room on the lower deck, a supersized pool, helipad, spa with sauna and beauty salon, and a lower-deck beach club.

‘Alchemy’ (216 feet, 5 inches) Rossinavi

Commissioned by a private American client, the 216-foot multi-deck motoryacht Alchemy is one of three yachts to be launched by Italian shipyard Rossinavi in 2023. Exterior design is by Philippe Briand, with interior styling by Enrico Gobbi’s Team for Design. Little information has yet to be revealed, though it’s visible from images that the custom yacht features an axe bow, drop-down side terraces at the stern and large floor-to-ceiling windows that afford views from all levels.

Project Jag (400 feet) Lürssen

The 400-foot displacement motoryacht known only as “Project Jag” is reported to be the owner’s third Lürssen. His most recent is Kismet . It is set for delivery in late 2023. Capable of sleeping 20 guests and 40 crew, the gigayacht is equipped with a helipad, spa, swimming pool, two cinemas, gym and storage for a sub. Italian design firm Nuvolari Lenard designed the steel yacht’s exterior, while UK studio Reymond Langton has crafted what is rumored to be a “bespoke homage to the owner’s lifestyle”—whatever that means.

Project Luminance (426 feet, 5 inches) Lürssen

Project Luminance is a 426.5-foot motor yacht that Lürssen claims will be one of the largest and most technologically advanced boats in the world. It’s also the largest yacht due to deliver in 2023. Construction began in 2018, yet few details have been revealed. What we do know is that the seventh-largest project to ever come out of the German shipyard to date features state-of-the-art propulsion systems, advanced navigation and communication systems, as well as next-generation entertainment.

‘T52’ (170 feet) Baglietto

The first model in Baglietto’s T52 line, which splashed in February 2023, features sleek lines and aerodynamic grills penned by Francesco Paszkowski Design. Power comes from a diesel-electric-hybrid propulsion system. The yacht celebrates outdoor space, including a large multi-level beach club at the stern with a fold-down transom, oversized sunbeds and a swimming pool with a floor that rises flush with the deck. Sliding windows on the upper deck convert space into an open-air sky lounge and a 78-foot sundeck with a glass-encased hot tub.

Project 406 (170 feet, 6 inches) Royal Huisman

The Dutch shipyard Royal Huisman made its name building some of the world’s largest sailing yachts, including 296-foot Athena , but now it’s hitting the record books again with the impending launch of Project 406 , the world’s largest sportsfisherman. Naval architecture, exterior and interior are by Dutch studio Vripack. The firm gave the six-decked aluminum yacht a towering profile promising spectacular front-row views of the big game fishing action. The team balanced its height by a long bow, high bulwarks and uncluttered fishing cockpit.

‘Black Shark’ (252 feet, 6 inches) Nobiskrug

Black Shark first began construction in 2019, but all work ceased when Nobiskrug later filed for insolvency. In March 2022, following the German shipyard’s acquisition by entrepreneur Lars Windhorst, work on Black Shark recommenced, with delivery set for 2023. The 252-foot boat, designed by Winch Design, gets its name from its predatory profile and mast shaped like a dorsal fin. A reverse bow, black matte hull and metallic silver superstructure will also help to enhance the marine connection.

‘Ultra G’ (196 feet, 8 inches) Heesen

Heesen is renowned for building fast boats, so it’s no surprise that Ultra G , equipped with a propulsion package totaling 22,000 horsepower, with four water jets and a top speed of 37 knots. The Dutch yard hailed this as its most powerful project to date. The motoryacht was commissioned by an avid sportfisherman, with a fighting chair and storage for 40 rods. Entertainment was also a big mandate for the design, stretching from Samsung’s “The Wall” screen, an infinity pool, and a dedicated self-cleaning “dog park” for furry guests.

‘Maverick’ (145 feet, 3 inches) Cantiere delle Marche

Maverick is the first Flexplorer 142 to soon be delivered by Cantiere delle Marche (CdM), bought by a young German who is a keen sailor and serial owner of both sailing boats and motoryachts. The owner’s itinerary will see him cruising the Mediterranean, before heading to the Northern latitudes to cross the Northwest Passage and put Hydro Tec’s bold exterior design and running surface to the test. Key features include a custom-built A-frame crane that sits flush on the deck when not in use, collapsible bulwarks that fold-down to reveal a 1,450-square-foot beach club, and an infinity pool at the transom.

Read More On:

• Abeking & Rasmussen

More Marine

INEOS Britannia’s America’s Cup Race Boat Just Crossed a Lightning-Fast 40 Knots at Sea Trials

This New 248-Foot Superyacht Has Its Own Sports Court on the Deck

Brabus’s New Flagship Is a Loud, Speedy 45-Foot Dayboat. We Hopped Onboard.

Forget a Crow’s Nest. This 207-Foot Explorer Yacht Concept Has Its Own Pop-Up Observatory.

Culinary Masters 2024

MAY 17 - 19 Join us for extraordinary meals from the nation’s brightest culinary minds.

Give the Gift of Luxury

Latest Galleries in Marine

Meet ‘Sherakhan,’ the 228-Foot Ice-Class Explorer Yacht With a Lavish Balinese Spa

The 12 Best Water Safaris Around the World, From Antarctic Cruises to Botswana River Journeys

More from our brands, rosé and pharrell celebrate joopiter’s ‘joyride’ auction in new york, mystik dan wins 2024 kentucky derby in photo finish, kendrick lamar drops yet another drake diss track, ‘not like us’, faith ringgold, pivotal artist, impassioned activist, and inventor in many mediums, is dead at 93, the best yoga mats for any practice, according to instructors.