Launched in 1938, the history of the remarkable 117.3-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/2415" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Ansaldo (Company)">Ansaldo</a> superyacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3870" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Galeb-T117.3m (384'10&quot;)Ansaldo1939">Galeb</a> unfolds as a captivating narrative of unforeseen twists and wartime transformations. Built by the Genoa-based shipyard <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/2415" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Ansaldo (Company)">Ansaldo</a> for Italian state-owned company Regia Azienda Monopolio Banane (RAMB), the vessel features exterior design and naval architecture by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/2415" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Ansaldo (Company)">Ansaldo</a> and boasts a robust steel hull and lines typical of her period, with distinct features reminiscent of military functionality.Originally destined for service in the banana trade between Africa and Italy under the name Ramb III, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3870" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Galeb-T117.3m (384'10&quot;)Ansaldo1939">Galeb</a>'s journey took an unexpected turn with the outbreak of World War II. The grand vessel, instead of ferrying bananas, found herself under the command of the Italian army, reborn as an auxiliary cruiser with a newfound role in the theatre of war transporting meat for the Italian army in Libya.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/310593/image/large-b3793fd1459694b7f54975ca36a4475e.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/310593">Amidst the tumult of war, Ramb III faced a perilous encounter while in the Libyan port of Benghazi when she was struck by torpedoes from the British submarine, HMS Triumph. Unsunk, the yacht survived the attack and sailed 900 miles towards Sicily, Italy, before being hauled to San Marco shipyard in Trieste.As Italy capitulated to the Nazi’s in September 1943, her identity was once again changed. From here, the Germans completed her repairs and converted her into a minelayer named Kiebitz – the German word for the Lapwing bird, whose crest indicates a royal status and whose long, sharp beak is a symbol of his violent nature. During this time, Kiebitz is alleged to have laid over 5,000 mines in the northern Adriatic area.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/310594/image/large-bd8ec418bbda3d965516d051dfcc0c25.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/310594">On 25 November 1944, the vessel faced a formidable setback, hit in an Allied aircraft strike while anchored in Rijeka, Croatia, sinking the yacht. In 1948 the Brodospas supply ship company came to Kiebitz's aid and the vessel was hauled to the surface, using a pioneering technology based on air cylinders, and transported to the Pula-based shipbuilding company, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/880" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Uljanik Shipyard (Company)">Uljanik</a>. There, against the odds, a meticulous reconstruction took place, breathing new life into the resilient vessel which was relaunched in 1952.&nbsp;She was first transformed into a naval training ship, where she found a new role within the ranks of the Yugoslav Navy, before she was used as a residential yacht and sailed under the name she retains to this day – <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3870" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Galeb-T117.3m (384'10&quot;)Ansaldo1939">Galeb</a> – which translates in several languages to seagull.&nbsp;Despite a pitfalled start to life, the yacht soon garnered distinguished status among the people of Yugoslavia, when Marshal Josip Broz Tito, often revered as the alleged 'Father' of the Yugoslav Republic, was seen conducting an inspection of the boats in the Yugoslav Navy from her deck in 1952. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/310588/image/large-3b03f5a2adfd180ea8680447e31bcec1.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/310588">Elevated to an iconic status, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3870" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Galeb-T117.3m (384'10&quot;)Ansaldo1939">Galeb</a> became synonymous with Tito's leadership and the pride of the nation. She came to the attention of the world stage in March 1953 when Marshal Tito travelled onboard the vessel from Yugoslavia to the iconic River Thames in London, in response to an invitation from the British government and Prime Minister Winston Churchill.&nbsp;Tito, enamoured by the allure that <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3870" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Galeb-T117.3m (384'10&quot;)Ansaldo1939">Galeb</a> brought to both himself and his regime, often used the vessel for parties and foreign visits from world leaders. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3870" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Galeb-T117.3m (384'10&quot;)Ansaldo1939">Galeb</a> played host to a plethora of visitors including Nikita Khrushchev, Muammar Gaddafi, and Indira Gandhi, all of which graced her decks during their visits. It is also rumoured that Tito welcomed esteemed film stars Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton onboard <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3870" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Galeb-T117.3m (384'10&quot;)Ansaldo1939">Galeb</a>, following Richard’s portrayal of the Yugoslav president in the 1973 film ‘Battle of Sutjeska’. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/310589/image/large-cdc14d9e7df1df5c4afd4a6854229a2a.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/310589">For the next 27 years, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3870" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Galeb-T117.3m (384'10&quot;)Ansaldo1939">Galeb</a> remained in Tito’s service, participating in official duties for a total of 549 days, 318 of which the Marshal was onboard. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3870" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Galeb-T117.3m (384'10&quot;)Ansaldo1939">Galeb</a> remained an integral part of Tito's maritime legacy, up until the leader's passing in 1980, with his last journey onboard taking place in 1979. As the geopolitical landscape shifted with the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3870" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Galeb-T117.3m (384'10&quot;)Ansaldo1939">Galeb</a>'s destiny took a new course. She became the property of the Montenegrin government, where the spaces of “the Marshal’s Deck” were opened for visits to schools, and organisations. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/310590/image/large-b2713304170b780b1b0c9e5a6aaa1009.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/310590"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3870" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Galeb-T117.3m (384'10&quot;)Ansaldo1939">Galeb</a> was then relocated to Boka Kotorska in Montenegro and at the end of the 1990s she was sold to John Paul Papanicolaou, the same Greek yachtsman who owned the iconic 99.15-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/297" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Canadian Vickers (Company)">Canadian Vickers</a> superyacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/336" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Christina O99.15m (325'4&quot;)Canadian Vickers1943">Christina O</a>. He entrusted Rijeka’s shipyard <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/301" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Viktor Lenac Shipyard (Company)">Viktor Lenac</a> with the task of repair, however bankruptcy led to the repairs not being completed.In 2006, the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3870" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Galeb-T117.3m (384'10&quot;)Ansaldo1939">Galeb</a> was proclaimed to be an object of Croatian cultural heritage Initially moored on the quayside of the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/301" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Viktor Lenac Shipyard (Company)">Viktor Lenac Shipyard</a> in Kostrena, a suburb of Rijeka, the vessel later found a new resting place along the enchanting Rijeka waterfront. However, in September 2008 a leak emerged on the starboard side of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3870" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Galeb-T117.3m (384'10&quot;)Ansaldo1939">Galeb</a>'s hull, leading to a partial sinking.&nbsp;<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/310592/image/large-c00f5141576317f056aac2395f436e9e.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/310592"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3870" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Galeb-T117.3m (384'10&quot;)Ansaldo1939">Galeb</a> remained here until 22 May 2009, when the city of Rijeka acquired <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3870" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Galeb-T117.3m (384'10&quot;)Ansaldo1939">Galeb</a> for $150,000, a transaction that received confirmation from the High Mercantile Court of Croatia. In a visionary move to breathe new life into the historic vessel, the Mayor of Rijeka made a significant announcement on 16 July 2014 that she would be leased out for mixed use to serve a dual purpose.A portion of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3870" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Galeb-T117.3m (384'10&quot;)Ansaldo1939">Galeb</a> would be dedicated to a museum, carefully curated to showcase the former President's private rooms and selected engineering spaces. This initiative sought to preserve not only the maritime heritage represented by the vessel, but also to offer visitors a glimpse into the personal quarters of the esteemed Yugoslavian leader.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/310591/image/large-90227a3707e839b3d1619c21828a438b.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/310591">She would also be used as a vibrant hub for commercial activities, with the vision of transforming her decks into spaces for a hotel, restaurants, and bars. This innovative approach aimed not only to safeguard the vessel's historical significance but also to create a dynamic and engaging environment that echoed the footsteps of history while catering to contemporary needs.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/4494/image/large-7801108e46fb5449592d70a32d578bab.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/4494">The ambitious refit and rejuvenation of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3870" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Galeb-T117.3m (384'10&quot;)Ansaldo1939">Galeb</a> was undertaken by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/6179" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Dalmont d.o.o. (Company)">Dalmont</a> in Kraljevica, Croatia, with an estimated cost of approximately €8 million. Although the refit encountered a brief pause in May 2023, the project has since resumed its course. Progress has been steady, with an anticipated completion date set for 2024. The meticulous work being undertaken by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/6179" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Dalmont d.o.o. (Company)">Dalmont</a> signifies a commitment to preserving <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3870" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Galeb-T117.3m (384'10&quot;)Ansaldo1939">Galeb</a>'s storied legacy while ushering it into a new era of functionality and purpose.Upon the completion of the refit, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3870" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Galeb-T117.3m (384'10&quot;)Ansaldo1939">Galeb</a> is destined for a prominent position in the Rijeka port. The vessel will be transformed into a dual-purpose haven, serving as both a museum and a small hotel with a select number of rooms. Thanks to the project, 80 percent of the ship will be restored, conserved and made available to visitors, while the remaining 20 percent of the space will be reserved for “non-museum” features, such as the restaurant/café bar and hotel.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/4495/image/large-a31dd255f82d37dc467f78470aa7caea.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/4495">This thoughtful fusion of history and hospitality ensures that <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3870" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Galeb-T117.3m (384'10&quot;)Ansaldo1939">Galeb</a>'s allure continues to captivate visitors, offering them a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the maritime heritage of Croatia, while focusing on the events that played a significant part in her life.This article is featured in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/yacht-news/issue-48-superyacht-times-newspaper" target="_blank">Issue 48</a>&nbsp;of the SuperYacht Times newspaper.&nbsp;<a href="https://shop.superyachttimes.com/report/the-superyacht-times-subscription" target="_blank">Subscribe now</a>&nbsp;to receive your copy straight to your door and never miss another issue.&nbsp;

117m Ansaldo superyacht Galeb's resilient odyssey

Tito onboard Galeb yacht 

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Galeb yacht laid up

Galeb yacht at Viktor Lenac Shipyard 

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Galeb in the bay of Kotor

Galeb

Sophie Spicknell takes a look at Galeb’s expansive history, from wartime woes to a rejuvenating refit. 



Yacht history: The resilient odyssey of the 117m yacht Galeb

Film producer Simon O'Gorman’s search for the superyacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/9286" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Natalie49.37m (161'12&quot;)Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson1929">Natalie</a> stems not just from a passion for storytelling, but in something far more personal: a childhood spent onboard. His grandfather, Sir John Brayley, purchased the superyacht in 1965, leading to Simon spending his first few summers running along the deck and being out on the blue waters of the Mediterranean. The superyacht was eventually sold in the 70s, but for Simon, was never forgotten. Now a film producer and screenwriter, Simon has been hunting down the 49-metre superyacht in hopes of locating her and her lost history.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/391489/image/large-0734771282f3ce4aaf60afc1a52368ad.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/391489">A vivid pastThe story starts in 1929. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/9286" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Natalie49.37m (161'12&quot;)Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson1929">Natalie</a>, then named <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/9286" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Natalie49.37m (161'12&quot;)Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson1929">Alice</a>, was built by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5634" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson (Company)">Swan Hunter &amp; Wigham Richardson</a> under commission of millionaire Sir Richard Ashmole Cooper. Responsible for her sleek, elegant hull is <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/94" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Cox & Stevens (Company)">Cox &amp; Stevens</a>, who did both the naval architecture and exterior design. Her interiors feature richly furnished and decorated staterooms, numerous saloons, a dining space, library, smoking room, as well as a cinematograph and photographic studio and workshop, including specially-designed electrical lighting. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/383512/image/large-377379ed0c079fc3f50464672ae413ac.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/383512">Sir Cooper owned the superyacht until 1941, when she was commandeered by the Royal Navy as a patrol boat. Her clipper bow was removed, giving her a much more militaristic look; a machine gun was mounted on her foredeck.At the end of the war, the 49.37-metre motor yacht was bought by Sir Edmund Crane, who changed her name from <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/9286" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Natalie49.37m (161'12&quot;)Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson1929">Alice</a> to <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/9286" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Natalie49.37m (161'12&quot;)Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson1929">Natalie</a>. Sir Crane and his wife Kitty were quite the socialites and spent many days hosting, cruising and entertaining. One notable guest was American-British Lady Astor, who was the first woman seated as a Member of Parliament in Britain.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/391488/image/large-ad7c6cd2e7bc4145ba144e155a778e18.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/391488">In 1959, an Australian millionaire under the name William Buckland purchased the superyacht. Owning a similar superyacht in his homeport of Sydney, Buckland saw <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/9286" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Natalie49.37m (161'12&quot;)Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson1929">Natalie</a> cruising along the French Riviera and, upon finding out she was for sale, immediately purchased the superyacht. Buckland spent the next five years cruising around the Mediterranean with his wife, until his death in 1964. The superyacht was put up for sale and sat moored in Southampton with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/6" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Camper & Nicholsons (Company)">Camper &amp; Nicholsons</a>, until it was recruited for a movie, The Woman of Straw&nbsp;starring Sean Connery, that would see it relocated to Palma de Mallorca.In 1965, a Welsh industrialist named Sir John Brayley was getting ready to retire, and, upon hearing <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/9286" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Natalie49.37m (161'12&quot;)Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson1929">Natalie</a> was up for auction, he drove down to Southampton and placed a bid. Sir Brayley equipped her with a captain and crew, and spent some time fixing her up and cleaning her out, as the superyacht had been sitting docked for quite a while. Ready to set sail, Sir Brayley took his superyacht on her first trip north to Port Barry, near Cardiff.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/383503/image/large-b88d5b2f1b1c974c23ae7adc195336d0.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/383503">A search of personal importanceIt is here that the story gets more personal. Sir Brayley spent lots of time onboard <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/9286" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Natalie49.37m (161'12&quot;)Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson1929">Natalie</a> with his family, including grandson Simon. Spending the first five summers of his life onboard the superyacht, “my great grandparents came down for lunch onboard, and my grandfather would entertain old school friends and show off the superyacht”, Simon recalls. “My grandfather was a local boy done good.”Sir Brayley moored the superyacht in London during the first year, where he entertained his friends, including the Prime Minister, as well as Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Burton was in the process of purchasing <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1737" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Kalizma50.29m (164'12&quot;)Ramage & Ferguson1906">Kalizma</a>, but asked if Sir Brayley would consider selling <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/9286" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Natalie49.37m (161'12&quot;)Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson1929">Natalie</a>. “My grandfather would say, ‘she’s not for sale, I’ve haven’t enjoyed her enough!’“ Simon recalls. Burton based a lot of his refurbishments onboard <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1737" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Kalizma50.29m (164'12&quot;)Ramage & Ferguson1906">Kalizma</a> on <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/9286" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Natalie49.37m (161'12&quot;)Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson1929">Natalie</a>’s interiors.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/391485/image/large-9f5f7b079ca740a655910ccf9a6799f5.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/391485">After her time in London, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/9286" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Natalie49.37m (161'12&quot;)Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson1929">Natalie</a> sailed down to the Mediterranean, and to her new home-base in Malta. “My mother, my father, my step grandmother, my cousins all piled aboard and went cruising around the coast of Italy, Mallorca and France.” Simon shares, “Even at that young age, I have solid memories of being onboard.”&nbsp;In 1970, when Simon’s grandfather's health deteriorated, he decided to sell the superyacht. “I remember a black limousine pulled up by the boarding ladder and these immaculately dressed men in black suits, dark glasses - almost like a movie - arrived.” The men were representatives from the Japanese consortium. A personal tour from Simon’s grandfather and a few handshakes later and the superyacht was sold. “We were very sad because we knew it would be our last time onboard.”Unknowingly, these memories would lay the groundwork for Simon’s search for the superyacht 50 years later. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/391487/image/large-18358f47487255434e1db536d985162f.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/391487">Cruising the Japanese coastOnce sold, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/9286" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Natalie49.37m (161'12&quot;)Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson1929">Natalie</a> was soon underway to Japan. With the closure of the Suez Canal between 1967 and 1975, the superyacht instead made her way around the Cape of Good Hope, before heading through the Indian Ocean and making her way towards her new home in Hiroshima, Japan.Throughout his research, Simon has managed to find captains and crew who were onboard during the long journey. “They said it was a really wonderful trip, despite having engine troubles along the way, causing a three-week delay whilst waiting for parts to be flown in.” The weather made the journey more arduous, but <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/9286" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Natalie49.37m (161'12&quot;)Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson1929">Natalie</a> showed her strength: “The captain said she was a phenomenal superyacht at sea; some of the weather they encountered was so rough, with waves breaking over the bow and going down the stack, but she was built to the same technical standard as advanced naval ships.”&nbsp;Upon arrival in Tokyo, the captain was asked to stay with the superyacht. Together they spent another four years cruising up and down the Japanese coast, with most trips being centred around business deals and sweeteners. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/9286" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Natalie49.37m (161'12&quot;)Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson1929">Natalie</a>’s interiors were kept perfectly intact, but the decision not to refurbish her eventually led to her suffering from the tropical weather. While her hull was made of steel, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/9286" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Natalie49.37m (161'12&quot;)Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson1929">Natalie</a>’s deck, railings, doors and windows were made from wood, for which the Japanese climate proved too humid. While her owners were wealthy enough, they decided to sell rather than undergo a refit.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/391486/image/large-006155ce88790e2815dd48f7c6f7b74d.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/391486">It was this sale that has caused much of the mystery as to where <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/9286" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Natalie49.37m (161'12&quot;)Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson1929">Natalie</a> was. Her new owner made an unexpected move: he took the motor yacht out of the water and placed her in the middle of a water park in Hiroshima. Simon notes how “Japan went through a phase where they were fascinated by water parks. Anything to do with water and fun, they became experts at it.” Placing her in the water park, in a city previously defined by devastation, the superyacht brought an opportunity for joy. “She became a focus for courting couples, dates, English tea or lunches. You could go aboard and dress like an English lady or gentleman and be served tea.” She was so well-loved that the park was renamed in her name: ‘Hiroshima <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/9286" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Natalie49.37m (161'12&quot;)Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson1929">Natalie</a>’.Eventually the park was sold for redevelopment and the superyacht was dismantled, with various of her parts used to decorate the shopping mall that replaced the park. “It’s a bit strange, in a way, to think my family owned the superyacht that now sits spread out across a mall” Simon shares.While the superyacht has been decommissioned and will never return to sail the seas, Simon is keeping her alive by sharing her story. “There are so many details of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/9286" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Natalie49.37m (161'12&quot;)Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson1929">Natalie</a>’s story that still sit uncovered,” Simon notes, “but her story is one of love and joy, both on and off the water.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/391490/image/large-da49bbb19da41f650b7a6f023c1aebae.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/391490">If you have any information regarding Natalie’s history, please reach out to Simon O’Gorman:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:simondkogorman@gmail.com" target="_blank">simondkogorman@gmail.com</a>

searching for motor yacht Natalie

Searching for Natalie: A grandson’s search for the decommissioned yacht.

Searching for Natalie: A grandson’s search for the decommissioned yacht

Launched in 1865, the now 145.72-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2837" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="El Mahrousa145.72m (478'1&quot;)Samuda Bros.1865">El Mahrousa</a> has spent her years serving as a royal vessel, a state yacht and a witness to political transformation in Egypt for more than 160 years. Commissioned by Khedive Ismail Pasha and built by the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1648" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Samuda Bros. (Company)">Samuda Brothers</a> shipyard in London, construction on Egypt’s first royal yacht began in 1863.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/3536/image/large-b202bae6ba9f51d9cba24b458a21b241.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/3536">Built with a steel hull and fitted initially with paddle wheels, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2837" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="El Mahrousa145.72m (478'1&quot;)Samuda Bros.1865">El Mahrousa</a> was one of the largest and most advanced yachts of her era. Her owner Khedive Ismail had also requested that the vessel’s interiors reflect the richness of the civilisations that had flourished in Egypt. The result was an opulent design that combined European craftsmanship, with Middle Eastern decorative traditions. When the yacht was delivered in 1865, Ismail travelled to Istanbul to board her for her maiden voyage to Alexandria, Egypt.In 1868, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2837" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="El Mahrousa145.72m (478'1&quot;)Samuda Bros.1865">El Mahrousa</a> became central to one of the 19th century’s defining maritime events, when Ismail used the yacht to tour Europe, inviting kings and princes to attend the opening of the Suez Canal. On 17 November 1869, the yacht led the multinational fleet that sailed through the canal during its inauguration.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/382614/image/large-386503509531b9df70e5901f6eeb6ed9.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/382614">Distinguished guests included Empress Eugénie of France who presented Ismail with a piano, which she played during the ceremony, as well as the Emperor of Austria, the Crown Prince of Germany, Prince Hendrik of the Netherlands and French diplomat Ferdinand de Lesseps, who was responsible for the construction of the Suez Canal.In 1872, the yacht was sent to London by Isma'il Pasha to increase her length from 125-metres to 137.5-metres. Several years later in 1905, she was sent to Glasgow by Khedive Abbas Hilmi II, where her paddle wheels were removed in favour of a more efficient screw-propeller steam system, while in 1912 a telegraph pole was installed.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/385853/image/large-60a03fb3d29eeb5a4ff1c0e9b9f40df3.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/385853">For the following five years, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2837" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="El Mahrousa145.72m (478'1&quot;)Samuda Bros.1865">El Mahrousa</a> stayed anchored in Istanbul in order to protect her from the dangers of the First World War. In 1919, while Egyptians were amidst the revolution, the yacht was sent to England by King Fuad I to change the shape of her aft and increase her length by eight-metres, to her current length of 146-metres.&nbsp;In 1939, King Farouk I of Egypt sent the yacht to Iran to bring the Crown Prince Mohammed Reza Pahlavi to the wedding of his sister, Princess Fawzia. Just seven years later, the yacht was sent to Jeddah and back by King Farouk, where she hosted King Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia for his visit to Egypt. Upon his arrival, King Farouk had arranged a parade in celebration of Saudi Arabia’s national anniversary, becoming a landmark in the history of the Saudi Egyptian bilateral relations.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/385852/image/large-b6863a98073f0bf1304cce0b2a058391.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/385852">Following this, in 1949, the yacht was sent to the port of La Spezia, where the Italian company Ansaldo performed a series of renovations and modifications involving her propulsion capacity.A fifth deck was added in January 1952, and the same year, King Farouk departed Egypt onboard the yacht as he went into exile alongside Khedive Ismail and Khedive Abbas II, marking the end of the monarchy. Rather than being decommissioned, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2837" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="El Mahrousa145.72m (478'1&quot;)Samuda Bros.1865">El Mahrousa</a> was retained as Egypt’s official presidential yacht for Mohamed Najib, becoming part of national heritage. Her name was later changed to El Horreya (meaning Liberty) by his successor Gamal Abdul Nasser, who regarded the yacht as a symbol of Egyptian pride. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/385850/image/large-0338766b54b95efc64248be401c560cf.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/385850">On 5 June 1975, President Anwar Sadat insisted that the yacht would be the first vessel to sail through the Suez Canal for its second inauguration, to emphasise the return of Egypt’s glory. In 1976, the yacht sailed its longest journey yet of 12,700 nautical miles to participate in the bicentennial celebration of the Independence of the United States of America, and in 2000 a presidential decree was issued, giving the yacht back its old name of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2837" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="El Mahrousa145.72m (478'1&quot;)Samuda Bros.1865">El Mahrousa</a>. &nbsp;Today, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2837" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="El Mahrousa145.72m (478'1&quot;)Samuda Bros.1865">El Mahrousa</a> is maintained by the Egyptian Navy and is occasionally opened for official visits and national celebrations. She appeared during the opening of the New Suez Canal in 2015, linking her 19th-century origins to a 21st-century milestone and reinforcing her enduring importance in Egypt’s maritime identity.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/385851/image/large-a93b5dc476d9347b89825eb42fcbd661.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/385851"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2837" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="El Mahrousa145.72m (478'1&quot;)Samuda Bros.1865">El Mahrousa</a> is currently the oldest yacht in the <a href="https://iq.superyachttimes.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">SuperYacht iQ</a> database, surpassing the next oldest yacht in service by six years. There are currently over 14,000 yachts within the database, from over 1,500 builders and 66 countries. If you would like to find out more about <a href="https://iq.superyachttimes.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">SuperYacht iQ</a>&nbsp;and its database, then please visit: <a target="_blank">www.sytiq.superyachttimes.com/</a>

el mahrousa oldest royal yacht egypt

Sophie Spicknell explores the 160-year history of El Mahrousa, Egypt’s storied royal and presidential yacht.

The legacy of El Mahrousa: Egypt’s oldest royal yacht

Launched on 28 April 1930 by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1653" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="John Brown & Sons (Company)">John Brown &amp; Sons</a> at Clydebank, in the UK, if the 91.44-metre yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2841" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Nahlin91.44m (300'0&quot;)John Brown & Sons1930">Nahlin</a> could talk, she would speak of a storied past entwined with royalty, industrialists and surviving one of the most constitutional crises of the 20th century.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/380647/image/large-0bed0a22f5fc597b14276531abc60623.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/380647">Spotted here by SuperYacht Times’ Content Creator Fabio Lima during the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Event/304" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Antigua Yacht Show - 2025">Antigua Charter Yacht Show 2025</a>, we take this opportunity to explore more about the history of the 95-year-old vessel.&nbsp;Commissioned as a private steam yacht by Annie Henrietta Yule, known as Lady Yule, her owner was one of the wealthiest women in Britain at the time of her launch. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2841" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Nahlin91.44m (300'0&quot;)John Brown & Sons1930">Nahlin</a> was originally powered by four steam turbines and was among one of the last great examples of the classic steam yacht.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/380649/image/large-89d35abb2f911c7cf185232069e9b43a.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/380649">Designed by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/275" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="G.L. Watson & Co. Ltd (Company)">G.L. Watson &amp; Co</a>, which were responsible for her exterior design and naval architecture, her name is believed to have Native American origins, reportedly meaning “fleet of foot”, a reference echoed in her figurehead, which wears a chieftain’s headdress.During the early 1930s, Lady Yule and her daughter undertook an extensive world cruise onboard Nahlin, after which the yacht became internationally famous in the summer of 1936. That August, King Edward VIII chartered the vessel for a Mediterranean cruise with Wallis Simpson, discreetly shadowed by two Royal Navy destroyers, HMS Grafton and HMS Glowworm.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/380646/image/large-fa8a8f84a25180bfdef284f6a2f0e1ed.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/380646">In 1937, Lady Yule sold <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2841" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Nahlin91.44m (300'0&quot;)John Brown & Sons1930">Nahlin</a> to King Carol II of Romania, after which the yacht largely vanished from British records. Over the following decades she underwent multiple changes of use and ownership, eventually re-emerging in the 1990s when British yacht broker Nicholas Edmiston discovered her moored on the Danube, operating as a floating restaurant.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/380643/image/large-3cbe5c44671bfb6c92929595bbf5d570.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/380643"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2841" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Nahlin91.44m (300'0&quot;)John Brown & Sons1930">Nahlin</a> was sold several times in the 1990s, before being acquired by her current owner who undertook an extensive rebuild between 2005 and 2010. The rebuild saw German shipyard <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Nobiskrug (Company)">Nobiskrug</a> responsible for the body of the restorative work, while <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/3" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Blohm & Voss GmbH (Company)">Blohm &amp; Voss</a> were charged with her engineering. The whole rebuild was overseen by her original builders <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/275" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="G.L. Watson & Co. Ltd (Company)">G.L. Watson &amp; Co</a>.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/380645/image/large-1d8821910d27686b6bb312ee8d1f1730.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/380645">In 2010, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2841" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Nahlin91.44m (300'0&quot;)John Brown & Sons1930">Nahlin</a> returned to the British Isles in full, turnkey condition. The classic superyacht now has diesel engines, providing her with a top speed of 18 knots, with contemporary interiors now designed by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/533" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Rémi Tessier (Company)">Rémi Tessier</a>.According to AIS, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2841" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Nahlin91.44m (300'0&quot;)John Brown & Sons1930">Nahlin</a> is currently in Guana Island, British Virgin Isles in the Caribbean.

Nahlin: History of 91m steam yacht

SuperYacht Times takes a look at the history of the 95-year-old yacht Nahlin, following her attendance at the Antigua Charter Yacht Show 2025.

In Pictures: 91m former steam yacht Nahlin in Antigua

Among the few surviving pre-war superyachts still navigating the world’s oceans, the 58.8-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/534" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Marala58.8m (192'11&quot;)Camper & Nicholsons Shipyard1931">Marala</a> stands as a rare testament to 1930s British yacht building. Launched by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/6" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Camper & Nicholsons International (Company)">Camper &amp; Nicholsons</a> in Southampton in 1931 as hull number 388, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/534" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Marala58.8m (192'11&quot;)Camper & Nicholsons Shipyard1931">Marala</a>, later to be named Evadne, was originally commissioned by the automotive pioneer Montague S. Napier, though he passed away before her completion. Designed by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/229" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Charles E. Nicholson (Company)">Charles E. Nicholson</a>, her elegant canoe stern and classic sheerline have remained virtually unchanged for nearly a century.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/369224/image/large-672754b26eb29ffe6480a47872ec09ef.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/369224">Delivered with twin 1,000-horsepower <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1441" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="MAN (Company)">MAN</a> diesel engines, Evadne was ahead of her time, offering a transatlantic range and generous accommodation across two decks. The steel-hulled motor yacht made her maiden voyage across the Atlantic in 1931 and cruised extensively along the east coast of the United States. Her early ownership changed hands over the years, including a stint as Zapala under American businessman Robert J Reynolds, Jr.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/369227/image/large-a8bfbc42156310a8f596e613c642d1e8.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/369227">However, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/534" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Marala58.8m (192'11&quot;)Camper & Nicholsons Shipyard1931">Marala</a>'s most transformative chapter came during World War II. Requisitioned by the Royal Navy in 1939, she was renamed HMS Evadne and converted into an anti-submarine escort vessel. Serving as part of the Western Approaches Command, she was based in Gibraltar and Liverpool, operating vital convoy duties throughout the Battle of the Atlantic. Her sleek lines belied a new military edge, complete with depth charge throwers and communications equipment.Following her decommissioning in 1946, the yacht was returned to civilian service and spent time in Italy, before passing into the hands of Chilean businessman Arturo Lopez-Willshaw in the late 1960s.&nbsp;Lopez-Willshaw’s ownership was short-lived, and by 1970, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/534" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Marala58.8m (192'11&quot;)Camper & Nicholsons Shipyard1931">Marala</a> was sold to Robert de Balkany, a colourful French entrepreneur known for his larger-than-life lifestyle and love of the sea. De Balkany kept the yacht in Monaco, where she became a fixture in Port Hercule for over two decades. Though not a commercial charter vessel, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/534" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Marala58.8m (192'11&quot;)Camper & Nicholsons Shipyard1931">Marala</a> was occasionally made available for select private charters, particularly during July, to help offset operational costs.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/369223/image/large-83f01643057d1b0e364f63e8de581c85.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/369223"><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/369225/image/large-9d8c8d9629b35b4a4acd36fd8d759ef2.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/369225">Over the years, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/534" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Marala58.8m (192'11&quot;)Camper & Nicholsons Shipyard1931">Marala</a> welcomed a host of distinguished guests, including Frank Sinatra, King Carlos of Spain and Princess Alexandra of Kent. Sinatra’s Mediterranean cruise onboard the yacht in the early 1970s drew attention from the international press. Society columnist Suzy Mehle wrote at the time: “Frank Sinatra has chartered the yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/534" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Marala58.8m (192'11&quot;)Camper & Nicholsons Shipyard1931">Marala</a> for the month of June and will cruise the Mediterranean… Marala belongs to Robert de Balkany, [who] married Princess Maria Gabriella of Italy… <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/534" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Marala58.8m (192'11&quot;)Camper & Nicholsons Shipyard1931">Marala</a>… is one of the most luxurious yachts afloat.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/369226/image/large-0e0ea34118fce7f8ba2fbdb99b055d02.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/369226">For de Balkany, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/534" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Marala58.8m (192'11&quot;)Camper & Nicholsons Shipyard1931">Marala</a> was more than a yacht; she was a platform for pleasure. Her decks groaned under the weight of Donzi speedboats, a custom four-engine Miami-built powerboat and a rotating fleet of PWCs and watersports gear. Yet, despite the high-octane amusements, her classic structure remained preserved, cared for by a loyal captain and longstanding crew.By the 1990s, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/534" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Marala58.8m (192'11&quot;)Camper & Nicholsons Shipyard1931">Marala</a>'s age was beginning to show, and her use became sporadic. The yacht was eventually acquired by her current owner, who recognised the need for a comprehensive restoration. In 2019, she arrived at Pendennis in Falmouth, UK, where a meticulous three-year rebuild commenced. The restoration focused on preserving her original character while modernising her technical systems, guest areas and crew facilities.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/94751/image/large-18ecdb3a89c43f9fbe37e881acfe5575.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/94751">In 2022, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/534" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Marala58.8m (192'11&quot;)Camper & Nicholsons Shipyard1931">Marala</a> was reintroduced to the world in immaculate condition, one of the most significant historic yacht restorations completed in recent years. Her original <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/229" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Charles E. Nicholson (Company)">Charles E. Nicholson</a> exterior lines remain, but below deck, she now features a sensitively reimagined interior by London-based design studio Muza Lab, capturing the glamour of her interwar origins while meeting modern superyacht standards. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/228704/image/large-cae7c9358f19dccb283a09be462e16e2.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/228704"><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/33301/image/large-00f6a1765bd0a9363daf6fdbe3eafc95.JPG" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/33301">As she cruises once again, nearly a century after her keel was laid, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/534" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Marala58.8m (192'11&quot;)Camper & Nicholsons Shipyard1931">Marala</a> continues to turn heads, offering a rare glimpse into what yachting was like in the golden era. Marala is currently available for charter with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/136" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Ocean Independence (Company)">Ocean Independence</a>.This article was first published in issue 54 of the SuperYacht Times newspaper, available for download here. <a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/newspaper/newspaper-issue-54" target="_blank">https://www.superyachttimes.com/newspaper/newspaper-issue-54</a>

Marala yacht history

Sophie Spicknell explores the history of the 58.8-metre superyacht Marala.

Magnificent Marala: The enduring legacy of a 1930s superyacht

The 31.33-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/160" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amsterdamsche Scheepwerf G. de Vries Lentsch Jr (Company)">De Vries Lentsch</a> motor yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/5063" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Piet Hein31.33m (102'9&quot;)Amsterdamsche Scheepwerf G. de Vries Lentsch Jr1937">Piet Hein</a> has been spotted passing through Amsterdam, close to the SuperYacht Times office.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/368519/image/large-eb3fc4e53f5ce5e4fa237955911731ab.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/368519">Built at the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/160" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amsterdamsche Scheepwerf G. de Vries Lentsch Jr (Company)">Amsterdamsche Scheepswerf G. de Vries Lentsch Jr</a>. yard and designed by H.W. de Voogt, she was launched on 14 August 1937. The classic motor yacht was gifted to Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard by the Dutch people on the occasion of their wedding and delivered to the royal couple two weeks after her launch.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/368524/image/large-9f1e8b652a84be7de780ce1800d485a3.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/368524">During the Second World War, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/5063" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Piet Hein31.33m (102'9&quot;)Amsterdamsche Scheepwerf G. de Vries Lentsch Jr1937">Piet Hein</a> was seized by occupying forces and transported to Emden. She returned to the Netherlands in 1945 and was restored to her former condition. In 1953, she played a humanitarian role when she was deployed to assist during the devastating North Sea flood.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/368523/image/large-09cfc7a503c02889cbd353e381366964.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/368523">The yacht remained closely tied to the royal family for decades. In 1979, Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard established <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8352" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Stichting Piet Hein (Company)">Stichting Piet Hein</a>, a foundation created to safeguard her future. The royal couple made their final cruise aboard in 1980, after which <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/5063" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Piet Hein31.33m (102'9&quot;)Amsterdamsche Scheepwerf G. de Vries Lentsch Jr1937">Piet Hein</a> underwent extensive restoration between 1985 and 1990 and a second major overhaul between 2014 and 2015.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/368520/image/large-0c2d95472e17db03fa007034db8ed3b2.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/368520">Constructed in steel with a wooden superstructure, Piet Hein accommodates six guests across three staterooms, alongside crew quarters for five. Powered by twin <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7258" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="DAF (Company)">DAF</a> diesel engines, she cruises at around 11 knots.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/368522/image/large-979ce793ec9faef168d01a3544cb69e6.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/368522">Now maintained in near-original condition under the care of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8352" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Stichting Piet Hein (Company)">Stichting Piet Hein</a> and a dedicated team of volunteers, the yacht continues to sail. Today, she can be privately chartered for day trips with up to 30 guests.On Tuesday 19 August, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/5063" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Piet Hein31.33m (102'9&quot;)Amsterdamsche Scheepwerf G. de Vries Lentsch Jr1937">Piet Hein</a> was officially welcomed into the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/29" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Feadship (Company)">Feadship</a> Heritage Fleet during a formal ceremony. The <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/29" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Feadship (Company)">Feadship</a> Heritage Fleet is an association of owners of classic <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/29" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Feadship (Company)">Feadship</a>s that are at least thirty years old. The organisation is dedicated to preserving these vessels, sharing knowledge, and organising joint activities on the water.

Piet Hein: 31m De Vries Lentsch yacht in Amsterdam

The 31.33-metre De Vries Lentsch motor yacht Piet Hein has been spotted passing through Amsterdam, close to the SuperYacht Times office.

In Pictures: 31m historic De Vries Lentsch yacht Piet Hein in Amsterdam

When she first hit the water on 28 February 1931, the regal 135.94-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/3" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Blohm & Voss GmbH (Company)">Blohm &amp; Voss</a> superyacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/210" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Savarona135.94m (445'12&quot;)Blohm & Voss GmbH1931">Savarona</a> was the world’s largest yacht. What ensued for the German-built motor yacht was nearly a century worth of prominence, demolition, abandonment, scandal, and resurrection.&nbsp;The yacht was originally designed for American heiress Emily Roebling Cadwalader, granddaughter of John A. Roebling, who was an engineer of the Brooklyn Bridge. She nonetheless belonged to a range of owners throughout her history, including founder of modern-day Türkiye, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/33371/image/large-3eb4c0c0d7d5c49d131ef783da2e8592.JPG" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/33371">Christened after an African swan living in the Indian Ocean, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/210" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Savarona135.94m (445'12&quot;)Blohm & Voss GmbH1931">Savarona</a> features exterior design crafted by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/94" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Cox & Stevens (Company)">Cox &amp; Stevens</a>, while her interior styling stems from the drawing boards of London-based studio <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/41" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Donald Starkey Designs (Company)">Donald Starkey Designs</a>.&nbsp;Described as “probably the most sumptuously fitted yacht afloat” by Janes Fighting Ships in 1949, the yacht even made an appearance on the big screen, alongside a star studded cast in the 1934 German science-fiction film Gold. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/31761/image/large-d066336e7cc55460a349d9871cfdb588.JPG" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/31761">After spending seven serene years in the ownership of Cadwalader, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/210" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Savarona135.94m (445'12&quot;)Blohm & Voss GmbH1931">Savarona</a> was purchased by the Turkish government in 1938, and gifted to the country’s then ailing president, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.&nbsp;Following the late president’s death in November of that year, just six weeks after obtaining the yacht, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/210" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Savarona135.94m (445'12&quot;)Blohm & Voss GmbH1931">Savarona</a>’s glory days were seemingly behind her. The once majestic watercraft was left to gather dust in Kanlıca Bay on the Bosporus throughout World War II. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/33377/image/large-ae0dcca36409c937e28d97d8f4d1564d.JPG" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/33377">However, by 1951, the tide was beginning to turn for <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/210" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Savarona135.94m (445'12&quot;)Blohm & Voss GmbH1931">Savarona</a>, as she was converted and repurposed to the training ship Güneş Dil, which translates to “Sun Language” in English, going on to explore the globe for the next 28 years.&nbsp;Unfortunately, disaster struck for <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/210" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Savarona135.94m (445'12&quot;)Blohm & Voss GmbH1931">Savarona</a> once again in October 1979, when a fire broke out onboard the Turkish navy school ship off Heybeliada Island in the Sea of Marmara, leaving her ravaged beyond use. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/75270/image/large-67263cca37648ff4adad4b1c093ed31e.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/75270">Now only a shell of her erstwhile self, the demolished superyacht was deserted and virtually forgotten over the course of the next decade. It wasn’t until 1989 that <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/210" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Savarona135.94m (445'12&quot;)Blohm & Voss GmbH1931">Savarona</a> became the centre of any attention, when she was chartered for 49 years by Turkish businessman Kahraman Sadıkoğlu. Sadıkoğlu undertook an extensive refurbishment of the vessel, restoring her to her former glory.&nbsp;Carried out at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/184" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Tuzla Shipyard (Company)">Tuzla Shipyards</a>, the thorough three-year rebuild saw <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/210" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Savarona135.94m (445'12&quot;)Blohm & Voss GmbH1931">Savarona</a>’s original steam turbine engines get replaced by modern <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1408" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Caterpillar Inc (Company)">Caterpillar</a> diesel engines. Her updated engines propel the superyacht to a cruising speed of 16 knots along with a top speed of 18 knots.&nbsp;The refit breathed new life into the superyacht’s interiors, so that she could play host to the rich and famous across her 16 guest staterooms, in order to preserve the memory of her best known owner, President Atatürk. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/318/image/large-1e9f9e8716c3fd882c7880399e204fba.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/318">In addition to her new luxurious accommodation, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/210" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Savarona135.94m (445'12&quot;)Blohm & Voss GmbH1931">Savarona</a> was now home to a Turkish bath, a movie theatre, and a library suite, which paid tribute to the late Atatürk through the presence of several of his personal artefacts, including his handkerchief and gloves. Meanwhile, the standout 86-metre gold-trimmed, grand staircase from <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/210" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Savarona135.94m (445'12&quot;)Blohm & Voss GmbH1931">Savarona</a>’s previous life still remained following this refit.&nbsp;Other notably lavish features onboard <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/210" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Savarona135.94m (445'12&quot;)Blohm & Voss GmbH1931">Savarona</a> were her helipad, Jacuzzi’s, swimming pool, water sports facilities catering to water-skiing, jetskiing, scuba diving, windsurfing and sailing, along with her well-appointed fitness centre. &nbsp;<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/323/image/large-30edb6ee0ee66881eb0344cd160803bf.JPG" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/323">It wasn’t until August 2014 that <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/210" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Savarona135.94m (445'12&quot;)Blohm & Voss GmbH1931">Savarona</a> would be ready for official use again, after a 10-month restoration period. This refit involved the renewal of her electronic devices and installations, as she was fitted with the latest technology. Additionally, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/210" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Savarona135.94m (445'12&quot;)Blohm & Voss GmbH1931">Savarona</a>’s capacious saloon was redecorated to accommodate new seating and dining arrangements, making her ideal for hosting larger social gatherings.&nbsp;On 4 March, 2014, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted the first official reception on board, which involved a cruise along the Bosporus with his guest, the Bosnian politician Bakir Izetbegović.&nbsp;Most recently, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/210" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Savarona135.94m (445'12&quot;)Blohm & Voss GmbH1931">Savarona</a> benefitted from nearly a year-long refit at the Istanbul Shipyard Command’s drydock as part of the recommissioning efforts launched by the Turkish Naval Forces. The drydocking maintenance and repair operations first commenced in September 2023, and the historic superyacht was relaunched in the summer of 2024. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/319/image/large-c679b7e984afaeb10f0d859436185335.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/319">According to Turkish media reports, the Naval Forces had discovered asbestos in the coatings, circuits, and insulation of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/210" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Savarona135.94m (445'12&quot;)Blohm & Voss GmbH1931">Savarona</a> during their 2023 repair works. Not only that, but materials failing to meet certain quality standards were present in the vessel’s electric cables and pipe circuits. In light of these flaws, the Istanbul Shipyard Command proceeded to decontaminate the affected areas in late November 2023. Furthermore, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/210" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Savarona135.94m (445'12&quot;)Blohm & Voss GmbH1931">Savarona</a>’s twin <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1408" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Caterpillar Inc (Company)">Caterpillar</a> engines and the machine control system were overhauled during the comprehensive maintenance and repair work carried out by the shipyard personnel.According to local media outlets, the Defense Ministry announced that moving forward, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/210" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Savarona135.94m (445'12&quot;)Blohm & Voss GmbH1931">Savarona</a> would be used for the sea training of Naval Academy students. Thus, in spite of her repurposing and refurbishing, as well as her many trials and tribulations, the legacy of the historic superyacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/210" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Savarona135.94m (445'12&quot;)Blohm & Voss GmbH1931">Savarona</a> continues to live on. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/31760/image/large-ee102ff5872944f4e4d5d72ab7314ce0.JPG" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/31760">This article was first published in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/newspaper/newspaper-issue-52" target="_blank">Issue 52 of the SuperYacht Times newspaper, available for download at this website.</a>

The Blohm and Voss yacht Savarona's refit history 

Ellen Ranebo takes a deep dive into the rich and tumultuous history of the 135.94-metre historic Turkish yacht Savarona. 


From riches to rags to restoration: Savarona's refit history 

Nearly ninety-four years after her launch, the classic motorsailer <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/260" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Atlantide37.28m (122'4&quot;)Philip & Sons1930">Atlantide</a> has been relaunched following a meticulous rebuild by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/122" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Royal Huisman (Company)">Royal Huisman</a>'s <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7286" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Huisfit (Company)">Huisfit</a> division. The 37.28-metre motor sailor has rejoined the global fleet with numerous technological advancements, while maintaining her historic aesthetic, but the scope of her refit far exceeded her owner's original expectations. Acquired by her new owner, the serial yacht owner Jim Clark, who also owns the J Class <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/384" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Hanuman42.1m (138'1&quot;)Royal Huisman2009">Hanuman</a>, in 2020, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/260" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Atlantide37.28m (122'4&quot;)Philip & Sons1930">Atlantide</a> arrived at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/122" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Royal Huisman (Company)">Huisman</a> in 2021 for a year-long refit. Upon arrival at the yard, however, it became clear that the historic yacht was desperately in need of a major reconstruction. Fortunately, Jim and his wife were willing to undertake this transformation and the yacht has now been relaunched in beyond original standard.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/337624/image/large-075e9ca96b35e6396237348e601ce584.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/337624">The refit team had not seen the yacht out of the water before her arrival, leaving the full scope of the project undetermined. Once <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/260" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Atlantide37.28m (122'4&quot;)Philip & Sons1930">Atlantide</a> was hauled into the yard, however, a troubling discovery quickly emerged – what appeared to be a crack in the hull. Concerned, the craftsmen began a careful inspection, probing and chiselling at the gap. Relief came as chunks of material fell away to reveal not damaged steel but an unexpected layer of filler – in some places, nearly two inches thick. While the revelation was less catastrophic than feared, it highlighted the extent of the restoration challenge ahead.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/337592/image/large-8c1cc33d61c214098235288034c684b9.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/337592"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/260" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Atlantide37.28m (122'4&quot;)Philip & Sons1930">Atlantide</a>, launched in 1930 as Caleta, has a long and storied history, not least as an integral member of Operation Dynamo, the Dunkirk evacuation of June 1940. Designed by famed Scottish yacht designer <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/239" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="A. Mylne & Co (Company)">Alfred Mylne</a>, she was originally built to serve as tender to Sir William Burton's 12-metre racing yacht. Though compact, she carried a full sail plan, reaching speeds of seven knots under sail. During the Second World War, Caleta was pressed into service for the Royal Navy, playing a valiant role as one of the "Little Ships of Dunkirk." Braving enemy fire, she rescued 35 soldiers during the nine-day operation and earned the right to fly the distinguished St. George’s Cross.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/25401/image/large-325f4572e084ac23f7dc6b83f87c5f48.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/25401">Post-war, she began a new chapter as Ariane, sailing to the Mediterranean after a two-year refit at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/270" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vosper Thornycroft (Company)">Vosper Thorneycroft</a>. Under various owners and names, including Corisande and later <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/260" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Atlantide37.28m (122'4&quot;)Philip & Sons1930">Atlantide</a>, she became synonymous with glamour, gracing ports from Antibes to New England. A significant refit under the ownership of Tom Perkins in 1999 saw her transformed with Art Deco interiors and a gleaming new superstructure. Yet, despite her illustrious career, the passage of time took its toll, setting the stage for her comprehensive rebuild at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/122" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Royal Huisman (Company)">Royal Huisman</a>.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/337632/image/large-c2651265f12a73f605c8c3fca9328afc.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/337632">During the course of two years, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7286" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Huisfit (Company)">Huisfit</a> replaced approximately 40 percent of the yacht's hull, deck and frames, overhauling her systems, including her original Gardner diesel engines, and completed a complete interior refit. For six months the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7286" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Huisfit (Company)">Huisfit</a> team scanned, studied and redesigned the yacht in 3D, ensuring that her new systems and interior configurations maximised the potential volumes, while introducing contemporary technology. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/337634/image/large-5a856f619b3607db27a82f0d9dbf61e8.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/337634">The yacht's exterior profile has remained true to her post-war silhouette, while her interiors were redesigned with a refined 1930s aesthetic by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/2452" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="deVosdeVries design (Company)">deVosdeVries Design</a>, complemented by the artistry of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8176" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Acanthus International (Company)">Acanthus International</a>. Her owners were determined to retain her and return her to her aesthetic, but they wanted to simplify the styling, removing much of the more elaborate Art Deco touches favoured by Tom Perkins. The Clarks briefed a less ornate 1930’s style, married with the look of Hanuman’s classic interior that was created by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/122" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Royal Huisman (Company)">Royal Huisman</a>’s artisans in French walnut. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/337629/image/large-9311e5e7dbdfbfac73322b2c23c593a6.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/337629">While owner's suite and guest VIP stateroom aft have retained their original configuration, their styling has been dramatically redesigned, while the saloon and media room offer casual spaces for modern living. The saloon features a shallow coffered ceiling style – updated from the lacquered tongue-and-groove panels installed during the 1999 refit, alongside french-polish straight grain walnut joinery, creating a classic 1930s styling. Dining has also moved outdoors, with a stunning custom teak table under a fixed bimini, offering her guests a closer interaction with their environment.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/287134/image/large-e0b9a3686762bc98d7b5916a2a10c9f6.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/287134">Now in her next era <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/260" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Atlantide37.28m (122'4&quot;)Philip & Sons1930">Atlantide</a> complements Clark’s fleet, which also includes the 56.18-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/5848" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Apsara56.18m (184'4&quot;)Royal Huisman2018">Apsara</a>. With her rebuild complete, the historic motorsailer stands poised to write a new chapter in her long and storied life – a beacon of maritime heritage brought gloriously into the modern age.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/337625/image/large-0a0da2fa327c8bdd9a1fb04987cf9293.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/337625">This article was first published in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/newspaper/newspaper-issue-52" target="_blank">Issue 52 of the SuperYacht Times newspaper, available for download here.</a>

Atlantide yacht rebuild 

Behind the rebuild of the yacht Atlantide at Royal Huisman. 

Atlantide reborn: Behind the rebuild of the historic motor yacht

Sophie Spicknell delves into the legacy of the 28.35-metre yacht&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/13377" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Honey Fitz28.35m (93'0&quot;)Defoe Shipbuilding Co.1931">Honey Fitz</a>, which served five U.S. presidents, including John F. Kennedy.<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/13377" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Honey Fitz28.35m (93'0&quot;)Defoe Shipbuilding Co.1931">Honey Fitz</a>; a name that is well-known in U.S. history, as a vessel that was once used by five former U.S leaders. The 28.35-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/753" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Defoe Shipbuilding Co. (Company)">Defoe Shipbuilding</a> motor yacht carries nearly a century's worth of stories onboard – some whispered amongst the walls of political power, others exchanged in the quiet moments of family gatherings. Her history is as rich as her polished mahogany interiors, echoing with the footsteps of presidents, dignitaries, and some of the most influential figures of the 20th century.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/328199/image/large-bd1f00240aec81391548c4913ce84928.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/328199">Launched in July 1931 by the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/753" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Defoe Shipbuilding Co. (Company)">Defoe Boat and Motor Works</a> in Bay City, Michigan, USA, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/13377" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Honey Fitz28.35m (93'0&quot;)Defoe Shipbuilding Co.1931">Honey Fitz</a> was designed by renowned naval architect J.A. Defoe, a man known for his attention to detail and his ability to blend form with function. Commissioned by American businessman magnate Sewell Avery, she was built from humble beginnings. Originally named Lenore after Avery’s daughter, she was his private escape, a refuge from the pressures of running Montgomery Ward &amp; Co, one of the largest department store chains in the United States at the time and was primarily used on Lake Michigan by the family. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/327971/image/large-96e0ef4e22cfb663b7a3fb4b201a04e3.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/327971">Requisitioned for War ServiceHowever, on 15 August 1942, the U.S. Government requisitioned Lenore, repurposing her for use during the Second World War. From here, Lenore was assigned to the United States Coast Guard where, like many luxury yachts of the time, she was transferred to a yard in Curtis Bay, Maryland and converted for military use.By then renamed CG-92004 and refitted for wartime duties, she spent the next few years patrolling the waters along the East Coast. During this time she was assigned to various duties, including coastal picket patrol at Rockaway Point and Fire Island, New York, as well as detachment duty with the Comsublant (Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic) headquarters in New London, Connecticut, where she aided officers in training preparations against enemy submarines. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/327960/image/large-f370c5d4e739752d02ea4ec6c2242074.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/327960">But it was under her later names that the yacht would become a floating symbol of American political heritage. At the end of the Second World War in November 1945, CG-92004 was transferred to the U.S. Navy. At this time, she was stationed in Washington D.C. and served as a tender for Franklin D. Roosevelt's 50.3-metre presidential yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/5303" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Potomac50.3m (165'0&quot;)Manitowoc Shipbilding Corp1934">USS Potomac</a>, before she was passed on to President Harry S. Truman in 1945.During the presidency of Truman, the vessel was renamed Lenore II, a nod back to her previous name before the war. However, when she was placed under President John S.D. Eisenhower’s ownership in 1953, she was renamed Barbara Anne after his eldest daughter. Barbara Anne underwent significant refurbishments during this time and was used by the first family for various events, such as the President and First Lady's 42nd wedding anniversary on the Potomac River and as a tender for the U.S. Navy gunboat USS Williamsburg to carry the secret service. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/328214/image/large-c92f234fd621de8352a29bba0e9b75ca.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/328214">Kennedy’s Floating RetreatBut it was under the John F. Kennedy administration that the vessel truly gained her place in the annals of American history. Just like his grandfather John F. Fitzgerald, Kennedy had a deep affection for the sea, which led to the vessel being named in his honour, as <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/13377" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Honey Fitz28.35m (93'0&quot;)Defoe Shipbuilding Co.1931">Honey Fitz</a>. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/13377" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Honey Fitz28.35m (93'0&quot;)Defoe Shipbuilding Co.1931"><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/328204/image/large-80f011e74839a2265026782397232d26.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/328204">Honey Fitz</a> was refurbished according to the First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy's tastes and was frequently used for family trips along the East Coast. The vessel became Kennedy’s personal retreat, a place where he could escape the rigours of the presidency and spend time with his family. During his time in office, the yacht was often seen cruising the waters off Cape Cod, with his children playing on deck, and his wife, Jacqueline, lounging in the sun. The Kennedy family’s time onboard <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/13377" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Honey Fitz28.35m (93'0&quot;)Defoe Shipbuilding Co.1931">Honey Fitz</a> was well-documented, with photographs of these moments becoming iconic images of his presidency. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/328212/image/large-8182379fc70d2c26223db02158a41f5c.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/328212"><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/328203/image/large-851fcd485ed7adb9de265c093407907f.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/328203">The Kennedys spent Easter and Christmas holidays onboard the yacht and President Kennedy often hosted dignitaries on official outings. Amongst some of the guests <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/13377" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Honey Fitz28.35m (93'0&quot;)Defoe Shipbuilding Co.1931">Honey Fitz</a> welcomed onboard were, the former Prime Minister of Japan Hayato Ikeda and former United Kingdom Prime Minister Harold Macmillian. The yacht’s intimate but luxurious setting provided a stark contrast to the more formal spaces of the White House, allowing for open, candid discussions between some of the most powerful figures of the time. After Kennedy’s assassination in 1963, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/13377" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Honey Fitz28.35m (93'0&quot;)Defoe Shipbuilding Co.1931">Honey Fitz</a> continued to serve subsequent presidents, including Lyndon B. Johnson, who honoured President Kennedy by retaining her name as Honey Fitz. During the administration of Richard Nixon in 1969, the yacht underwent refurbishment and was renamed after Nixon’s daughter Patricia. However, by the 1970s, with changing tastes and advancements in security, the use of presidential yachts fell out of favour, and <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/13377" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Honey Fitz28.35m (93'0&quot;)Defoe Shipbuilding Co.1931">Honey Fitz</a> was retired from official service. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/328209/image/large-084c90d2b4026a71a6c32d95304c1b76.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/328209">Nixon decommissioned the yacht and put her up for sale, stating that it was a needless luxury. The yacht was sold at auction in 1971 and was passed into private hands once again, marking her first civilian owner since Sewell Avery in 1931. Her new owner, Joseph B. Keating, renamed the yacht The Presidents and chartered her for dinner parties and day cruises. But by the late 1990s, the yacht was put up for sale at auction once again, after falling into a state of disrepair. She was then placed onto a barge to prevent her from sinking, until Texas businessman William Kallop placed the winning bid at a 1998 Guernsey’s Auction of Kennedy memorabilia. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/328206/image/large-4df22207015eb5dbab0acd0170abe734.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/328206">A Historic Restoration and RevivalUnder the ownership of William Kallop, the vessel was once again renamed <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/13377" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Honey Fitz28.35m (93'0&quot;)Defoe Shipbuilding Co.1931">Honey Fitz</a> and began her journey of restoration. The Kallop family hosted many charity events onboard Honey Fitz and chartered her once again along the East Coast. Despite numerous attempts at topside repairs, she began to fall back into a state of disrepair and sat dormant for several years.<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/13377" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Honey Fitz28.35m (93'0&quot;)Defoe Shipbuilding Co.1931">Honey Fitz</a>’s story is one of elegance, transformation, duty, and above all, resilience. In 2020, in partnership with Lessing’s Hospitality Group, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/13377" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Honey Fitz28.35m (93'0&quot;)Defoe Shipbuilding Co.1931">Honey Fitz</a> was purchased and embarked on a three-year restoration journey to preserve her historical significance and return the yacht to her Kennedy-era grandeur. Her comprehensive refit, which was overseen by Charles R. Modica saw her systems updated and modernised, while her interior was preserved to retain her classic elegance. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/328202/image/large-fa6fcb7a052969ac7c67fa0f53de9280.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/328202"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/13377" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Honey Fitz28.35m (93'0&quot;)Defoe Shipbuilding Co.1931">Honey Fitz</a>&nbsp;made her official debut at the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Event/127" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Palm Beach International Boat Show - 2022">Palm Beach International Boat Show 2023</a>, where she was on display in her fully-restored glory. Today, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/13377" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Honey Fitz28.35m (93'0&quot;)Defoe Shipbuilding Co.1931">Honey Fitz</a> boasts all the modern amenities one might expect, but her heart remains firmly in the past, a relic of a bygone era. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/13377" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Honey Fitz28.35m (93'0&quot;)Defoe Shipbuilding Co.1931">Honey Fitz</a> can comfortably accommodate up to 35 passengers, with spaces such as a main saloon, sun deck, fully outfitted galley, and a private stateroom. She also features state-of-the-art navigational and safety equipment.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/328200/image/large-00418a8e8761b245f1cb499c0a91cfe0.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/328200">Now listed for private charters, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/13377" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Honey Fitz28.35m (93'0&quot;)Defoe Shipbuilding Co.1931">Honey Fitz</a> stands as a reminder of a time when yachts were not just symbols of wealth, but played an active role in shaping the nation’s political landscape. Whether she was ferrying a president to a diplomatic meeting or serving as a backdrop for family photographs, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/13377" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Honey Fitz28.35m (93'0&quot;)Defoe Shipbuilding Co.1931">Honey Fitz</a> has always been an extraordinary yacht – she is a living piece of American history, a vessel that carries with her the memories of presidents and the weight of history.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/327987/image/large-3b8f4e6b37a10d30b28b81ddb1825eed.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/327987">This article was first published in Issue 51 of the <a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/companies/superyacht-times" target="_blank">SuperYacht Times</a> <a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/newspaper" target="_blank">Newspaper</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/newspaper/newspaper-issue-51" target="_blank">available for download here.</a>

History of Honey Fitz yacht

Sophie Spicknell delves into the legacy of the 28m yacht Honey Fitz, which served five U.S. presidents, including John F. Kennedy.


The history of Honey Fitz: JFK's presidential yacht

Sophie Spicknell takes a deep dive into the history of the 1916 schooner <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1190" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Mariette 42.06m (137'12&quot;)Herreshoff1916">Mariette</a>, which is currently for sale with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/124" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Edmiston (Company)">Edmiston</a>.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/311795/image/large-2ef8340d2413af081bce995632e01d36.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/311795">Few yachts command the reverence and admiration of the classic 1916 schooner <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1190" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Mariette 42.06m (137'12&quot;)Herreshoff1916">Mariette</a>. At 42.06-metres, her graceful lines, storied past and impeccable craftsmanship have, rightfully, positioned her as a beacon of timeless elegance and maritime heritage.Built by the illustrious <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/829" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Herreshoff (Company)">Herreshoff Manufacturing Company</a> and designed by the legendary Nathanael Greene Herreshoff, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1190" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Mariette 42.06m (137'12&quot;)Herreshoff1916">Mariette</a> is not merely a yacht; she is a floating piece of history, a testament to the golden age of sail.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/332325/image/large-2ef9ae47bcf6383b82a884823b30a923.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/332325">The steel-hulled schooner was launched from the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/829" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Herreshoff (Company)">Herreshoff Manufacturing Co</a>. slipway in Bristol, Rhode Island, in spring 1916 under the name <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1190" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Mariette 42.06m (137'12&quot;)Herreshoff1916">Mariette</a>. Launched as the American flagship, she was built for Jacob Frederick Brown, a Boston textile manufacturer and avid yachtsman, who paid $75,000 to have her commissioned (around $2.3 million in today’s currency).The name <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1190" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Mariette 42.06m (137'12&quot;)Herreshoff1916">Mariette</a> was chosen in honour of Brown’s wife, with all his yachts bearing her name. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1190" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Mariette 42.06m (137'12&quot;)Herreshoff1916">Mariette</a> was crafted from the same half model as her near-sisterships <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/5247" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vagrant39.0m (127'11&quot;)Herreshoff1913">Vagrant II</a> and Ohonkara, built in 1913 and 1920 respectively, with a design rescaled from Harold Vanderbilt’s first <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/5248" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vagrant of Burnham32.0m (104'12&quot;)Herreshoff1910">Vagrant</a> boat of 1910. The <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/5247" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vagrant39.0m (127'11&quot;)Herreshoff1913">Vagrant</a> yacht featured steel frames and a wooden backbone and planking, with the rescaling of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1190" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Mariette 42.06m (137'12&quot;)Herreshoff1916">Mariette</a> resulting in a 43 percent increase in length and a 35 percent increase in her beam, draft and freeboard. This not only saved on carving, but enabled him to tweak the already successful design to be better. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1190" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Mariette 42.06m (137'12&quot;)Herreshoff1916"><img src="https://syt-store-production.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/photo/332327/image/large-ab5850dabb9fd4aa2e6f6790aaa84e1d.png?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&amp;X-Amz-Credential=AKIA52TLVJASOPFTPHWY%2F20241011%2Feu-west-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&amp;X-Amz-Date=20241011T104749Z&amp;X-Amz-Expires=900&amp;X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&amp;X-Amz-Signature=05f749ac03ddba49068982af1911f294811c4be20b0fa99c9a30399bb222f88e" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/332327">Mariette</a> remained in Brown’s fleet until 1927, when the schooner was sold to businessman Francis Boardman Crowninshield, the brother of renowned yacht designer B.B. Crowninshield. Renaming her Cleopatra’s Barge II, he painted her black with a white boot-top and a gilded stripe, inspired by the original Cleopatra’s Barge of 1816, which was owned by his family and reportedly “America’s first yacht.”&nbsp;Francis and his wife, Louise Evelina duPont Crowninshield, sailed aboard Cleopatra’s Barge II&nbsp;until 1942 when she was acquired by the US Navy for coastal patrol during the war. After the war, Francis refused to reclaim her, believing she had been ruined by naval operations.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/332326/image/large-6d7422a3cf76d092c5882e7ff839f0c4.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/332326">Passing through several owners, the schooner was listed as Gee Gee III in 1946, according to a supplement to the 1939 <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1452" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Lloyd's Register (Company)">Lloyd's Register</a> of Yachts UK. She remained in Boston until 1950 when she was registered in the 1950 <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1452" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Lloyd's Register (Company)">Lloyd's Register</a> of American Yachts, as Evening Star by John P. Hazzard, from Morehead City, North Carolina. During this period, she received a new diesel engine, a Bermudan staysail rig, and new sails.By 1955, she was renamed Guinevere and registered in the 1955 <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1452" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Lloyd's Register (Company)">Lloyd's Register</a> Of Yachts, as in New York, under Mrs Edgar Palmer. She was then sold in 1960 to charter captain Walter Boudreau, who renamed her Le Voyageur and offered sailing charters in the Caribbean.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/332323/image/large-92033a00497110a31ce9c846f9a53b79.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/332323">Despite this, after just five years, Boudreau was talked into selling her to one of his charter guests. He later regretted this decision and bought her back in the late 1960s, this time renaming her Janeen, after his daughter. Janeen was eventually sold in 1975 to Carlo Monzino, a great art lover, who renamed her Kebyar and owned her until 1979. The boat reached Monaco in the autumn, where she underwent another quick refit that was to last till summer 1976.In 1979, Italian publisher and film producer Alberto Rizzoli purchased and renamed the yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1190" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Mariette 42.06m (137'12&quot;)Herreshoff1916">Mariette</a> again. This also marked the start of her restoration journey at the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4793" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Cantieri Navali Beconcini (Company)">Beconcini</a> shipyard in La Spezia, Italy. Between 1979 to 1982 she was completely dismantled and reconstructed, with everything restored, except for her original interior and her schooner staysail rig, which was fitted in 1949. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/332324/image/large-485a026400200cb1c7cb57be698ad0dd.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/332324">Alberto Rizzoli continued to sail <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1190" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Mariette 42.06m (137'12&quot;)Herreshoff1916">Mariette</a> until the end of 1988 when he sold her to a Neapolitan, Wolf Chitis. Six years later, she was sold to American Thomas J. Perkins by Mike Horsley of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/124" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Edmiston (Company)">Edmiston</a>; and upon finding another vessel already registered as Mariette, he renamed her Mariette of 1915. Perkins appointed Tom Eaton as skipper, who convinced his owner to restore the boat to her original topsail gaff schooner rig.&nbsp;The original plans and data of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1190" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Mariette 42.06m (137'12&quot;)Herreshoff1916">Mariette</a> were obtained from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where Nathanael Greene Herreshoff’s archives are held. Using these plans, her rig was constructed by legendary rigger Harry Spencer of Cowes and installed at the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4793" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Cantieri Navali Beconcini (Company)">Beconcini</a> yard in Italy. In spring 1995 her hull was repaired again, as well as modifications made to her deck, with her wheel placed into a sunken cockpit. By the summer of 1995, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1190" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Mariette 42.06m (137'12&quot;)Herreshoff1916">Mariette</a> was competing in Mediterranean classic yacht regattas under her new rig, earning many awards and accolades, before being sold again in 2005.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/252022/image/large-0b1abc54fc5a92a9b9423fe9af8e91f4.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/252022">In 2000, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1190" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Mariette 42.06m (137'12&quot;)Herreshoff1916">Mariette</a> completed a major refit at Tréhard in France, which saw her sails replaced, before she made her first visit to the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/209" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Pendennis Shipyard Ltd (Company)">Pendennis</a> Falmouth facility in February 2010 for a pre-summer refit. She returned for minor works in spring 2012, &nbsp;ahead of the Pendennis Cup. In autumn 2017, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1190" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Mariette 42.06m (137'12&quot;)Herreshoff1916">Mariette</a> returned to Falmouth for a more extensive refit, in partnership with her crew. The refit saw her deck and sub-deck replaced entirely, with all but two deckhouses removed, re-varnished and put back into position.Internally her saloon saw a new flue installed for the wood burner and headlining fully replaced, while the guest and owner’s staterooms were renewed with carpet throughout, including an update of all electrical fixtures.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/311777/image/large-8c23885028c0decdc5a69a3b0c563a75.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/311777"><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/311774/image/large-ade0afb253452d38b0a9aea2d5adaf24.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/311774">The interior of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1190" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Mariette 42.06m (137'12&quot;)Herreshoff1916">Mariette</a> is a time capsule in itself, capturing the essence of sailing tradition from over a century ago. Her walls are adorned by beautiful wooden panelling, intricate golden light fixtures, and artworks centred around sailing. She can comfortably accommodate up to six guests across three sumptuous staterooms, all finished in her traditional interior styling. She features a master suite with its own separate office, along with one twin stateroom and a bunk stateroom.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/311778/image/large-9f1bb2469872d936905db3c0d63ad58d.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/311778"><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/311781/image/large-8f645245e34b321384e16cf6374eea01.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/311781">But <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1190" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Mariette 42.06m (137'12&quot;)Herreshoff1916">Mariette</a> is not just a showpiece; she is a formidable performer on the water. Her powerful sail plan, combined with a deep keel and balanced hull design, ensures exceptional sailing performance and stability. Whether competing in classic yacht regattas or enjoying leisurely cruises, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1190" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Mariette 42.06m (137'12&quot;)Herreshoff1916">Mariette</a> promises an exhilarating sailing experience.<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1190" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Mariette 42.06m (137'12&quot;)Herreshoff1916"><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/311787/image/large-fa82a363ebae0d34afcfa820ea8acf49.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/311787"><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/311789/image/large-c2406dfde6dc5b8f9da9365fd9c3c051.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/311789">Mariette</a> boasts large open deck spaces for relaxation, allowing guests to take in the uninterrupted panoramic views. Towards her midship, she features an alfresco dining area with additional seating, sheltered by a removable awning. Guests are also never far from the water, with a ladder on her starboard side providing direct access. Meanwhile her bow is home to a further forward-facing sun lounging platform and her lower deck houses formal lounge and dining areas, all of which are surrounded by magnificent traditional finishings.<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1190" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Mariette 42.06m (137'12&quot;)Herreshoff1916"><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/311790/image/large-9f1bda1e634c255abc06edebce918d11.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/311790"><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/311792/image/large-b545fe3fd2ec30e05e4775ca67ccf5f8.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/311792">Mariette</a> now embodies sailing tradition in every sense, through her elegant profile, with a stunning dark navy hull, contrasted with the warm wooden toe rail and lighter teak deck finish. She is currently for sale with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/124" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Edmiston (Company)">Edmiston</a> broker Hans Van Doornmalen and has been meticulously maintained over the years, leaving her in great condition for collectors and sailing enthusiasts alike.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/311794/image/large-452dab2b4b040ab36e7276aeac576ebb.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/311794">This article was originally published in the 50th issue of the SuperYacht Times Newspaper,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/newspaper/newspaper-issue-50" target="_blank">available for download here.</a>

The history of the 1916 sailing yacht Mariette

Sophie Spicknell takes a deep dive into the history of the 1916 schooner Mariette, which is currently for sale with Edmiston.

Magnificent Mariette: The history of the classic 1916 sailing yacht

Delivered in 1906, the 50.29-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1068" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Ramage & Ferguson (Company)">Ramage &amp; Ferguson</a> sailing yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1737" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Kalizma50.29m (164'12&quot;)Ramage & Ferguson1906">Kalizma</a> has completed an extensive refit at the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/6770" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Adriatic 42 (Company)">Adriatic 42</a> shipyard in Bijela, Montenegro. We take a look back at her history in the lead up to her 2023 refit, which was completed earlier this year.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/320206/image/large-2be028941e8a7825424c046b5642553e.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/320206">With a history spanning over a century, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1737" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Kalizma50.29m (164'12&quot;)Ramage & Ferguson1906">Kalizma</a> has survived two World Wars, a shootout incident and was even owned by actor Richard Burton from 1967-1974. She was commissioned in 1906 as a private steam yacht by Scotsman Robert Stewart of Islington, who required a yacht to travel around his land in Kinlochmoidart, at the head of Loch Moidart in Scotland.He commissioned the renowned naval architect <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/275" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="G.L. Watson & Co. Ltd (Company)">G.L Watson</a> to construct her under the name Minota, making her one of the earliest steamboats equipped with electricity and onboard lighting. Minota later served in both World Wars with the Royal Navy and underwent a conversion from steam to diesel between 1945 and 1955.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/320205/image/large-00859813cf073e395d74f8f199eb0306.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/320205">During this time the vessel sailed under the names Cortynia and Odysseia and was owned by a plethora of people, before she was purchased by one of her most famous owners, actor Richard Burton. He allegedly purchased <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1737" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Kalizma50.29m (164'12&quot;)Ramage & Ferguson1906">Kalizma</a> as a gift for actress Elizabeth Taylor, when she won the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?It is believed that Burton paid $220,000 (roughly $2,068,789 in today’s value) for <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1737" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Kalizma50.29m (164'12&quot;)Ramage & Ferguson1906">Kalizma</a> in 1967 and spent double that amount on her refit. She was named <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1737" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Kalizma50.29m (164'12&quot;)Ramage & Ferguson1906">Kalizma</a> after their children, Kate, Liza and Maria. During his ownership, Burton spoke openly about his love for both Elizabeth and Kalizma, “I have dreams of living with Elizabeth on the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1737" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Kalizma50.29m (164'12&quot;)Ramage & Ferguson1906">Kalizma</a>and never living on land again,” he once exclaimed.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/48470/image/large-9e12bd3b727245dc82adb72ed5ad55e0.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/48470">Following on from this, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1737" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Kalizma50.29m (164'12&quot;)Ramage & Ferguson1906">Kalizma</a> was owned by British businessman and former Millwall Football Club Chairman Peter John De Savary, who used her as his headquarters during the America’s Cup in the early 1980s. During his ownership he allowed the late Prince Phillip, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, to be the only guest to board <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1737" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Kalizma50.29m (164'12&quot;)Ramage & Ferguson1906">Kalizma</a> without removing his shoes.&nbsp; Prior to ownership from her new owner Founder of Samena Capital, Shirish Saraf, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1737" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Kalizma50.29m (164'12&quot;)Ramage & Ferguson1906">Kalizma</a> was owned by Vijay Mallya, the former owner of the Formula 1 Sahara Force India team. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/39946/image/large-295e003c96e46db73970c3381681ae45.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/39946">However, Shirish Saraf discovered <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1737" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Kalizma50.29m (164'12&quot;)Ramage & Ferguson1906">Kalizma</a> at the age of 30 during a golf tournament in Dubai when he met the yacht’s captain, who invited him back to Creek Marina to visit the boat. He eventually purchased the yacht in 2019 at auction and ended up spending four times the amount he paid to restore her.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/295451/image/large-ab01c7d93e92359c251efe0ac594c699.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/295451">Lasting four months, the refit saw all new modern solutions integrated into <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1737" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Kalizma50.29m (164'12&quot;)Ramage & Ferguson1906">Kalizma</a>'s design, while remaining true to her historical aesthetics. Her three main engines and two diesel generators were completely overhauled, with the team facing the challenge of limited space onboard.This meant that the team at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/6770" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Adriatic 42 (Company)">Adriatic 42</a> had to carefully plan to determine when each team would be able to work, to avoid potential problems and wasted time. Her engine room piping was also replaced, along with the valves on the yacht’s hull.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/319970/image/large-7e0de6e0860b0cdae3c99f660dd01e30.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/319970">However, the biggest job was at her helm, where her steering system and rudder shaft needed to be repaired. To resolve the issue of seawater leakage into the steering compartment, which threatened to permanently damage the mechanism, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/6770" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Adriatic 42 (Company)">Adriatic 42</a> workers had to literally crawl into parts of the yacht to repair the damage.&nbsp;The <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/6770" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Adriatic 42 (Company)">Adriatic 42</a> engineering department even had to manufacture some new parts for the yacht to ensure everything was installed correctly, and this task was executed masterfully. Her owner also requested a paint job on her upper superstructure.&nbsp;Read:&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Article/59255" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="50m motor yacht Kalizma in Montenegro (2023-12-06 08:00:00 +0100)">50m motor yacht Kalizma in Montenegro</a><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/319969/image/large-346a841cab8b09ee081b531bd1b739c9.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/319969">“Working on the yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1737" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Kalizma50.29m (164'12&quot;)Ramage & Ferguson1906">Kalizma</a> provided immense experience for the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/6770" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Adriatic 42 (Company)">Adriatic 42</a> team,” explained <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/6770" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Adriatic 42 (Company)">Adriatic 42</a>. “The work on <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1737" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Kalizma50.29m (164'12&quot;)Ramage & Ferguson1906">Kalizma</a> influenced all future approaches to yacht reconstructions, emphasising the continuous need for balance between preserving yachts and their modernisation.”<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1737" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Kalizma50.29m (164'12&quot;)Ramage & Ferguson1906">Kalizma</a> has since left the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/6770" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Adriatic 42 (Company)">Adriatic 42</a> shipyard and is currently cruising close to Italy, following her refit. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/319971/image/large-cb4752d0dd5c9a0075721d90d76ae0fa.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/319971">“After the reconstruction of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1737" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Kalizma50.29m (164'12&quot;)Ramage & Ferguson1906">Kalizma</a>, the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/6770" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Adriatic 42 (Company)">Adriatic 42</a> team strengthened its commitment to delivering exceptional results while respecting the historical significance of such yachts,” concluded <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/6770" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Adriatic 42 (Company)">Adriatic 42</a>. “By servicing <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1737" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Kalizma50.29m (164'12&quot;)Ramage & Ferguson1906">Kalizma</a> in this way, we highlighted the importance of careful planning and the integration of modern techniques with traditional craftsmanship, as only the combination of these skills produces the best results.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/319968/image/large-83cbacaae7cc1abc6d2f6a4810f329bf.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/319968">

1906 sailing yacht Kalizma completes refit at Adriatic 42

The 1906 Ramage & Ferguson sailing yacht Kalizma has completed an extensive refit at the Adriatic 42 shipyard in Bijela, Montenegro.

The history and recent refit of the 1906 sailing yacht Kalizma 

<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/29" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Feadship (Company)">Feadship</a> has launched the 89-metre Project 828 <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12427" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Milky Way89.0m (291'12&quot;)Feadship2026">Milky Way</a> from its Royal Van Lent shipyard in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396324/image/large-d7c701ac79a9f785ee73706e82a68384.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396324">The custom superyacht features exterior design by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/30" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="De Voogt Naval Architects (Company)">Studio De Voogt</a>, with interiors by British design studio <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/61" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="RWD (Company)">RWD</a>. Technical support for the project was provided by OCCAM. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12427" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Milky Way89.0m (291'12&quot;)Feadship2026">Project 828</a> was sold in 2023 and has since remained under construction in the Netherlands.The launch follows an earlier construction milestone in May 2025, when the yacht was seen out of the shed for the first time as her hull was launched from the NMC hull fabrication facility in Nieuw-Lekkerland.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396325/image/large-258dd0e051c8879b02bf26f5a2e5d236.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396325">According to <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/29" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Feadship (Company)">Feadship</a>, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12427" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Milky Way89.0m (291'12&quot;)Feadship2026">Project 828</a>’s purposely long bow was developed to optimise exterior deck spaces, pushing the yacht’s volume aft and creating a profile defined by strong horizontal lines, a striking vertical bow and long structural deck lines.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396323/image/large-f71c6523299ec8b45784e401bab8b1b4.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396323"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12427" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Milky Way89.0m (291'12&quot;)Feadship2026">Milky Way</a>'s interior, designed by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/61" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="RWD (Company)">RWD</a>, has been developed to complement the exterior, with soft, flowing lines intended to create a cohesive spatial experience throughout the guest and owner areas.

89m Feadship project 828 Milky Way launched in Amsterdam

The 89m Feadship superyacht Feadship 828, Project Milky Way,  has been launched. 

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<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4385" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Bering Yachts (Company)">Bering Yachts</a> has unveiled the interior concept for its 33-metre explorer yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4385" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Bering Yachts (Company)">Bering</a> 110, developed in collaboration with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4720" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Red Yacht Design (Company)">Red Yacht Design</a>. The reveal offers a first look inside the model, with the first hull currently under construction.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/372249/image/large-9ffc2bdc420009249ec1e58cf2df10ec.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/372249">Conceived as a crossover yacht, the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/16391" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Bering 110/0133.3m (109'3&quot;)Bering Yachts2027">Bering 110</a> aims to combine explorer yacht capabilities with the volume and comfort more commonly associated with larger vessels. While her steel hull and projected range of more than 5,000 nautical miles highlight her exploration credentials, her interior design takes a more restrained direction.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396259/image/large-f625f19ab89d937510477f384352590f.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396259"><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396260/image/large-a2b92ec224adb00b9d7dd82abc89d6e7.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396260">According to <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4720" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Red Yacht Design (Company)">Red Yacht Design</a>, the model’s interiors draw inspiration from Far Eastern principles of simplicity, balance and precision. The main saloon has been conceived as a continuous living space where the lounge, dining area and window seating flow naturally into one another. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396261/image/large-cc4e5a6cd3ef0e8648071aa84ed8aa4c.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396261">Warm wood panelling, soft neutral tones, raw marble surfaces and placed burgundy accents are meticulously layered, while a curved sofa serves as the focal point of the lounge. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396263/image/large-0399d48b166deffd4f40f4913f613896.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396263">Moreover, textured stone and bronze-toned detailing are combined with carefully layered lighting, while a sculptural staircase frames her darker finishes.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396262/image/large-ce40fe1687e59360a3005f217a6e43f4.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396262" style="box-sizing: inherit; border: 0px; font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, sans-serif; position: relative; max-width: 100%; margin: 1rem 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13.6px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396270/image/large-ad0ab9b178534091e4385f873d3d1d9c.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396270">Full-height wooden windows let in abundant natural light and the surrounding sea views. Cana Gokhan of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4720" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Red Yacht Design (Company)">Red Yacht Design</a> further remarks,“The details are clean and deliberate, with subtle nods to the discipline of calligraphy.” <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396266/image/large-e4501624263e2141f062a608fa7b3791.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396266">Her interiors are imagined as a space where guests can genuinely unwind. Rather than displaying traditional superyacht opulence, the yacht’s design prioritises stillness, comfort and liveability.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396267/image/large-b4c50c8988ec45e5ee044bbec49a62ac.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396267" style="box-sizing: inherit; border: 0px; font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, sans-serif; position: relative; max-width: 100%; margin: 1rem 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13.6px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396264/image/large-8b953afd3227d4243379a0203dd395a2.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396264">The layout remains closely aligned with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4385" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Bering Yachts (Company)">Bering</a>'s explorer identity. Her asymmetrical main saloon benefits from generous width and circulation. The owner's suite, additional guest accommodations and crew areas have been configured for extended stays onboard.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396269/image/large-0acb9673d1b760945dfd2d9b0b56ca8f.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396269" style="box-sizing: inherit; border: 0px; font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, sans-serif; position: relative; max-width: 100%; margin: 1rem 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13.6px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">&nbsp;Dedicated storage with ample space for necessary supplies and equipment have also been incorporated to support long-range cruising and self-sufficiency at sea.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396268/image/large-ab189de88814a2399080943d53faafd3.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396268" style="box-sizing: inherit; border: 0px; font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, sans-serif; position: relative; max-width: 100%; margin: 1rem 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13.6px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396265/image/large-9161f81cc4dbee429d677289fd44aba4.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396265">The <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/16391" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Bering 110/0133.3m (109'3&quot;)Bering Yachts2027">Bering 110</a> forms part of the shipyard's growing Superyacht Division, with additional interior details expected to be revealed as the project progresses. According to <a href="https://sytiq.superyachttimes.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">SuperYacht iQ</a>,<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4385" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Bering Yachts (Company)">&nbsp;Bering</a> has several yachts in-build including the 49.68-metre Bering 165 yacht, and the first hull of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/16391" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Bering 110/0133.3m (109'3&quot;)Bering Yachts2027">Bering 110</a>.&nbsp;

 Bering unveils interior concept for in-build 33m explorer yacht Bering 110

Bering has unveiled the interior concept for its in-build 33-metre explorer yacht Bering 110, developed in collaboration with Red Yacht Design. 


<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/201" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="ISA Yachts (Company)">ISA Yachts</a> has announced that the keel of the third 43.7-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/17023" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="ISA Unica 45M/0343.7m (143'4&quot;)ISA Yachts2029">ISA Unica 45M</a> yacht has been laid from the shipyard in Ancona, Italy, marking the start of her construction. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396273/image/large-966918cdfe1cdf289affc294bd4fded0.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396273">The sale of the third displacement yacht was announced in April 2026 to a client from the United States, with delivery scheduled for 2029. Developed by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1197" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Team for Design - Enrico Gobbi (Company)">Enrico Gobbi of TEAM for Design</a> in collaboration with the shipyard’s technical department, the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/17023" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="ISA Unica 45M/0343.7m (143'4&quot;)ISA Yachts2029">ISA Unica 45M</a> yacht features a steel hull and aluminium superstructure.&nbsp;Distinguished by fluid, perfectly balanced lines that create a sleek silhouette, the ISA Unica 45M yacht combines generous interior volume with extended outdoor spaces and large glazed sections.Read:&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Article/65857" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Third ISA UNICA 45M Steel superyacht sold with 2029 delivery date (2026-04-14 20:30:00 +0200)">Third ISA UNICA 45M Steel superyacht sold with 2029 delivery date</a><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396272/image/large-8336c72513a1f53dfad504c1679588b9.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396272">Spanning 430 GT, the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/17023" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="ISA Unica 45M/0343.7m (143'4&quot;)ISA Yachts2029">ISA Unica 45M</a> yacht can accommodate up to 12 guests across a six stateroom configuration, with her owner’s suite positioned aft on the upper deck. The suite includes a private lounge, desk area, walk-in wardrobe and ensuite bathroom.Further guest accommodation includes a VIP suite on the main deck with large side windows, a walk-in wardrobe and an ensuite with a separate shower, while the remaining guest accommodation can be found on the lower deck, comprising two further VIP suites and two twin suites.&nbsp;Moving outside, the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/17023" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="ISA Unica 45M/0343.7m (143'4&quot;)ISA Yachts2029">ISA Unica 45M</a> yacht boasts a stern layout spanning three levels. Descending towards the water, the space includes sunpads, a pool and an infinity cockpit, all of which are enclosed by a glass balustrade.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396271/image/large-796abe1179971e5145e9e562c63fbc12.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396271">Her main deck includes a gym, while dining spaces will be arranged both indoors on the main deck and outside on the upper deck, each accommodating up to 12 guests for formal dinners.Other key features include her upper deck which features a forward lounge and sunpad area, while her 16-metre fly deck incorporates additional lounging and dining spaces, a bar and a circular Jacuzzi.In terms of performance, the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/17023" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="ISA Unica 45M/0343.7m (143'4&quot;)ISA Yachts2029">ISA Unica 45M</a> yacht is powered by twin <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1408" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Caterpillar Inc (Company)">Caterpillar</a> engines, giving her a top speed of 15 knots and a cruising speed of 14 knots.

Keel of third ISA Unica 45m yacht laid

ISA Yachts has announced that the keel of the third 43.7-metre ISA Unica 45M yacht has been laid from the shipyard in Ancona, Italy.

Third ISA Unica 45M motor yacht keel laid

Dutch design studio <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/15" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vripack (Company)">Vripack</a> has revealed new renderings of in-build 69-metre sailing yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12410" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Project Zero68.85m (225'11&quot;)Vitters Shipyard2026">Project Zero</a> ahead of her launch this summer, offering a closer look at her design philosophy, custom interiors, and renewable energy systems.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396254/image/large-94d02d1ae28bc065a048800a6e2d96e3.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396254">Developed in collaboration with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/230" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Dykstra Naval Architects (Company)">Dykstra Naval Architects</a>, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12410" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Project Zero68.85m (225'11&quot;)Vitters Shipyard2026">Project Zero</a> has spent six years in development. Rather than purely focusing on reducing energy consumption, the yacht is reported to be the first of her class to be designed around energy generation. This radical approach allows the yacht to run for up to two weeks on purely renewable sources, without relying on fossil fuels.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396253/image/large-7447c42b77f8a8f7bc690af39433370f.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396253"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12410" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Project Zero68.85m (225'11&quot;)Vitters Shipyard2026">Project Zero</a> has been designed to honour the owners' appreciation for traditional sailing yachts while introducing a host of bespoke design solutions. Outside, custom elements can be found throughout, from the spoon bow and matte-finished deck hardware to the sculpted stern cap and hand-painted transom finished in a wood-effect treatment. Her notable metallic blue hull is further distinguished by a feather-inspired boot stripe, a reference to the black-browed albatross that served as a major inspiration for her design.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396256/image/large-a8857968400b95119871dc187c9832f9.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396256">Looking inside, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12410" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Project Zero68.85m (225'11&quot;)Vitters Shipyard2026">Project Zero</a> embraces a holistic interior concept centred on natural materials, craftsmanship and owner-focused living. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/15" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vripack (Company)">Vripack</a>’s interior rejects highly polished finishes in favour of tactile textures and organic materials to embody nature. Smoked European oak, reclaimed bark-based materials, leathered stone and hand-selected veneers are featured prominently throughout. Natural knots, cracks and grain variations have been deliberately preserved rather than concealed.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396255/image/large-213cb67058fc8448969608065d402377.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396255">A unifying design language runs throughout the entire yacht. The designers have employed curved architectural forms, shaping joinery, furniture, structural glazing, and lighting. They further remark that all elements either begin or end in a full radius, creating a sense of continuity between the spaces.The owners' choices can be seen throughout <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12410" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Project Zero68.85m (225'11&quot;)Vitters Shipyard2026">Project Zero</a>’s design. Her main saloon features a flexible dining table designed to double as a puzzle and craft table, reflecting the owners' hobbies during extended periods onboard. Elsewhere, modular cockpit furniture can be swiftly reconfigured into either lounge or dining arrangements. Meanwhile, electrically operated cockpit windows enable guests to enclose exterior spaces at the touch of a button.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396257/image/large-90f1c0052c3eb53d6f1ebf5adf3d6cce.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396257">Accommodation onboard includes four staterooms. Each stateroom is personalised around places of significance to the owners, all taking inspiration from destinations from Italy to French Polynesia. The owner’s suite is arranged around the mizzen mast, which has been wrapped in a bespoke artwork by American sculptor Sienna Martz. Moreover, this area benefits from a dedicated study to support long periods of working remotely while cruising.Further customisation extends behind the scenes, where the traditional full-beam engine room has been eliminated to make room for a concealed service corridor, enabling the crew to move discreetly throughout the yacht while maintaining guest privacy.According to <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/15" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vripack (Company)">Vripack</a>, the yacht combines hydro-generation through regenerative turbine propellers with more than 100-square-metres of photovoltaic thermal panels integrated into her biminis. These panels generate electrical and thermal energy to power onboard systems, heating and cooling.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396258/image/large-478db106ff098d1896050a1003af3d87.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396258">The yacht's sailing performance has also been refined thanks to a collaboration with Emirates Team New Zealand. Through advanced computational fluid dynamics testing, they developed a distinctive topside curvature that reportedly improves sailing speed by 2.5 percent while simultaneously increasing the vessel's electric power generation by approximately eight percent.Currently under construction at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/34" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vitters Shipyard (Company)">Vitters Shipyard</a>, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12410" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Project Zero68.85m (225'11&quot;)Vitters Shipyard2026">Project Zero</a> is scheduled for launch in summer 2026.

First look: Vripack unveils interior concept of 69m ‘fossil-free’ sailing yacht Project Zero 

Interior concept of 69m sailing yacht Zero, an all-electric project by Vripack and Dykstra Naval Architects currently under construction at Vitters.

Recently spotted anchored off St Tropez by the SuperYacht Times team the 96-metre superyacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1711" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vava II96.0m (314'12&quot;)Devonport2012">Vava II</a> remains the largest modern private superyacht ever built in the United Kingdom. Constructed by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/96" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Devonport (Company)">Devonport Yachts</a> in Plymouth and delivered in 2012, SuperYacht Times takes a look at 10 things you didn’t know about the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/96" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Devonport (Company)">Devonport</a> flagship.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395647/image/large-c8c0480475b32d2822ac3b4050fd16cb.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395647">1. She has been under the same ownership since deliveryCommissioned in 2007 by a Swiss-Italian family and delivered in 2012, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1711" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vava II96.0m (314'12&quot;)Devonport2012">Vava II</a> has remained within the family’s ownership for over a decade. Known as the former Project-55, she was launched on 10 September 2011 and christened <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1711" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vava II96.0m (314'12&quot;)Devonport2012">Vava II</a>, with her sea trials commencing in October 2011.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395636/image/large-784dda4f94be2bf21fab944a36c68946.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395636">2. She was built at a former naval shipyardFounded in 1989, by the Babcock International Group, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/96" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Devonport (Company)">Devonport Yachts</a> was based in Plymouth, Devon and was part of a tradition of boat building at the Devonport Royal Docks, which have been building and supporting The British Royal Navy for over three hundred years. Blending military-grade engineering with superyacht luxury, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/96" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Devonport (Company)">Devonport Yachts</a> put the UK on the map for large motor yacht designs. On 23 February 2010, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/96" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Devonport (Company)">Devonport Yachts</a> was acquired by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/209" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Pendennis Shipyard Ltd (Company)">Pendennis</a>, with the two companies joining forces to expand the offering at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/209" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Pendennis Shipyard Ltd (Company)">Pendennis</a>’ base in Falmouth.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395648/image/large-5c060da19ac4dc275b02e1e9083a83ba.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395648">3. The owner gifted his last superyacht to his motherThe name Vava has been used by the family on previous yachts, with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1711" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vava II96.0m (314'12&quot;)Devonport2012">Vava II</a> succeeding an earlier vessel bearing the same name. The previous 47.3-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/29" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Feadship (Company)">Feadship</a> superyacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1064" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vava47.3m (155'2&quot;)Feadship1996">Vava</a> was delivered in 1996, with the brief that her owner should enjoy the most peaceful long-distance cruising possible. The yacht was allegedly gifted to his mother when <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1711" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vava II96.0m (314'12&quot;)Devonport2012">Vava II</a>I was delivered. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395638/image/large-690e352299b20df7f4a808579a964981.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395638">4. Her owner won sailing's most famous trophyHer Swiss-Italian owner who as well as being listed as one of the top 100 wealthiest people in the world by Forbes magazine in 2013, is also a keen yachtsman and sailor. After founding the yachting syndicate Team Alinghi in 2000, her owner entered and won the renowned America’s Cup in 2003, bringing the Cup to Europe for the first time.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395644/image/large-8e6e948f928e48edf31db24a2923fcf6.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395644">5. Her designers fought off competition to be chosen&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1711" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vava II96.0m (314'12&quot;)Devonport2012">Vava II</a> features exterior design by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/61" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="RWD (Company)">RWD</a>, while her interior was penned by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/533" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Rémi Tessier (Company)">Rémi Tessier</a>, with naval architecture by her builder Devonport. In an interview with SuperYacht Times in 2016, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/61" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="RWD (Company)">RWD</a> Founder Justin Redman explained that it was an incredible opportunity to win the commission over other designers. “We felt we won it because we developed not only a very unique looking profile for her owner, but one which incorporated key influences which he had brought to the table from sailboat racing,” he explained.&nbsp;You can read the full interview <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Article/46674" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Insight: A behind-the-scenes look at Redman Whitely Dixon (2016-03-08 12:00:00 +0100)">here</a>. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395643/image/large-c90cf5553c0191d6762a7293bea6cb81.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395643">6. She can accommodate a high number of guestsBuilt to SOLAS-36 passenger ship standards, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1711" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vava II96.0m (314'12&quot;)Devonport2012">Vava II</a> set a new standard in the charter market for 2012 following her delivery. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1711" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vava II96.0m (314'12&quot;)Devonport2012">Vava II</a> can comfortably accommodate up to 36 guests across an impressive 18 staterooms. Her master suite boasts an open-plan layout, while her full-beam VIP suite rivals other luxury yachts. She can also sleep a crew of 34. &nbsp;<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395633/image/large-d1c97626edc7f61f7ed6e51652d62cfb.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395633">7. She features one of the largest beach clubs of her generationWhen <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1711" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vava II96.0m (314'12&quot;)Devonport2012">Vava II</a> was launched, expansive beach clubs were still relatively uncommon on large yachts. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1711" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vava II96.0m (314'12&quot;)Devonport2012">Vava II</a> boasted a substantial waterside leisure area that helped set the standard for the indoor-outdoor lifestyle spaces that have since become commonplace across the superyacht sector. Other key features include an aft deck swimming pool, a main deck saloon with a sliding glass wall and a helideck, which was recently spotted with an Airbus H125 landing onboard. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395637/image/large-45075d272b12450df93265d130e80084.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395637">8. She has participated in scientific missions Although often spotted in the Mediterranean, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1711" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vava II96.0m (314'12&quot;)Devonport2012">Vava II</a> was designed with global exploration in mind. She has been deployed for three research expeditions by scientists from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and other research universities from around the world. Her substantial fuel capacity, advanced engineering systems and robust construction allow her to undertake extended voyages far beyond the traditional summer cruising grounds frequented by many large yachts. Over the years she has travelled as far as Antarctica and Polynesia and has participated in scientific missions in the Indian Ocean.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395645/image/large-9a7d3fd9d75bd6b12e895fb6df0b9175.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395645">9. She helped put British superyacht construction back in the spotlightThe delivery of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1711" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vava II96.0m (314'12&quot;)Devonport2012">Vava II</a> attracted significant international attention and demonstrated that Britain could still compete in the upper size segments of superyacht construction. More than a decade later, she remains a lasting symbol of British engineering, design and craftsmanship.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395639/image/large-ce7d1bb5e1194e11f710c58e1226e024.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395639">10. She remains the largest modern superyacht built in the UK<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/1711" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vava II96.0m (314'12&quot;)Devonport2012">Vava II</a> still remains the largest modern superyacht ever constructed in the UK. The second largest modern superyacht is the 82-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/96" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Devonport (Company)">Devonport</a> yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/307" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Pure82.0m (269'0&quot;)Devonport2008">Pure</a>, which was launched in 2008 and recently underwent an extensive refit at the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/86" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amico & Co. s.r.l. (Company)">Amico &amp; Co</a> facility in Genova Italy.

UK’s largest modern superyacht Vava II

SuperYacht Times takes a look at 10 things you didn’t know about the Devonport flagship, Vava II. 

Vava II: 10 things you didn't know about the UK's largest superyacht

<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1821" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Damen Yachting (Company)">Damen Yachting&nbsp;</a>has announced that the 60.2-metre Xplorer 60 yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/11078" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="After You60.2m (197'6&quot;)Damen Yachting2025">After You</a> and her 53.25-metre support vessel <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12677" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Emotional53.25m (174'8&quot;)Damen Yachting2025">Emotional</a> have departed the builder's main shipyard in Vlissingen, the Netherlands. This departure follows a period of refit, service and optimisation works. According to AIS data, both vessels are currently en route to Reykjavik, Iceland.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396232/image/large-abd42b77a1b431f487ab944294f2e03e.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396232">The yard commented the works were customised to the owner's specific operational needs while preparing the fleet for extensive cruising and exploration in remote regions.Delivered in 2025, both vessels were conceived for long-range autonomy and expedition-style cruising. The pair were acquired by the same owner through <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4547" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="TWW Yachts (Company)">TWW Yachts</a>, who oversaw their integration into a single exploration-focused fleet.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396229/image/large-f729916d9bf110968c318dc15a60c062.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396229"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/11078" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="After You60.2m (197'6&quot;)Damen Yachting2025">After You</a> features naval architecture developed in-house by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1821" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Damen Yachting (Company)">Damen Yachting</a>, with exterior design by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/37" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Azure Yacht Design & Naval Architecture (Company)">Azure Yacht Design &amp; Naval Architecture</a> and interiors by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/161" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="H2 Yacht Design (Company)">H2 Yacht Design</a>. Her onboard amenities include a wellness deck equipped with a Jacuzzi, bar and sauna, a convertible tender hangar that transforms into a lounge and karaoke bar, and a forward observation lounge designed for wildlife and weather watching.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396230/image/large-5aa256db87522afed8b9fe78dbef7a37.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396230">Meanwhile, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12677" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Emotional53.25m (174'8&quot;)Damen Yachting2025">Emotional</a> was designed inside and out by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1821" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Damen Yachting (Company)">Damen Yachting</a>. The support vessel carries a range of expedition equipment, including tenders, a submarine and watersports gear. This allows the mothership to remain dedicated to guest accommodation and entertainment.In terms of performance, both yachts are powered by twin <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1409" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="MTU (Company)">MTU</a> engines. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/11078" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="After You60.2m (197'6&quot;)Damen Yachting2025">After You</a> has a cruising speed of 11.5 knots and a top speed of 14.5 knots, while <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12677" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Emotional53.25m (174'8&quot;)Damen Yachting2025">Emotional</a> cruises at 12 knots and can reach a maximum speed of 19 knots. Together, the two vessels provide the capabilities of a much larger expedition yacht while retaining the flexibility and operational advantages of a dual-vessel setup.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396231/image/large-b80cda5f786823cbca02643d696ec9a9.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396231">“It is always rewarding to welcome our yachts back to Vlissingen,” said Head of Refit &amp; Services at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1821" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Damen Yachting (Company)">Damen Yachting</a> Michel Coens. “Their return reflects the trust placed in our team, our facilities and the way we work together with the Owner’s team, the Crew and our own specialists. Seeing After You and Emotional depart again ready for their next journey is something we can be proud of.”&nbsp;Photos provided courtesy of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1821" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Damen Yachting (Company)">Damen Yachting</a>.

After You and Emotional depart Damen Yachting following refit

The 60.2-metre Xplorer 60 yacht After You and her 53.25-metre support vessel Emotional have departed the builder's main shipyard in Vlissingen.


Xplorer 60 yacht After You and support vessel Emotional depart Damen Yachting after refit

For owner Paul Andrews, the search for the right yacht was a journey that spanned more than a decade. However, when he first came across the 25.6-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/121" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Palmer Johnson Yachts (Company)">Palmer Johnson</a> sailing yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12413" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Firebird25.6m (83'12&quot;)Palmer Johnson Yachts1967">Firebird</a> online, something about her caught his attention. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394762/image/large-d54e9461baa90d5794ad964df495e456.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394762">“I first saw her in a video while I was searching for yachts,” he explained. “She was located in Thailand at the time, which was quite literally on the other side of the world from me, but her presence immediately stood out.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394534/image/large-bfddc47ecaf6a83efc8300953b5b19d9.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394534">Originally launched in 1967, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12413" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Firebird25.6m (83'12&quot;)Palmer Johnson Yachts1967">Firebird</a> was the largest aluminium hulled sailing yacht in the world when she first hit the water. Built as a classic world cruising yacht, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12413" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Firebird25.6m (83'12&quot;)Palmer Johnson Yachts1967">Firebird</a> had circumnavigated the world three times, with voyages to the Antarctic and Arctic regions when she entered the market in 2022. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394541/image/large-c96b4ebc0ab5a9453459421e627799d7.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394541">“The beam, the proportions and the sheer character of the yacht caught my attention straight away,” recalled Andrews. “I wasn’t specifically searching for a <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/121" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Palmer Johnson Yachts (Company)">Palmer Johnson</a>, but when she was built, she was engineered to a commercial, almost military-grade standard and built to navy specs, which gave her a genuine pedigree, strength and a fascinating story behind her.” <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394543/image/large-0b87ef55ef9559c3dc95e76eca2db6c7.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394543">However, when Andrews finally travelled to Thailand to inspect the yacht in person, the initial impression was far from ideal. “It was raining heavily and she looked tired and neglected.” But returning the following day to see the yacht in clear conditions revealed a completely different vessel. “Her lines were beautiful and the potential became obvious. She simply needed vision and attention.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394544/image/large-f191bd60c4deb3732c009830efb76fc3.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394544">In 2015 under the ownership of her previous owners, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12413" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Firebird25.6m (83'12&quot;)Palmer Johnson Yachts1967">Firebird</a> had started a refit programme spanning more than $1 million, which lasted five years and saw her receive a full teak interior refit. “It was clear that previous owners had already invested heavily in the yacht,” added Andrews. “The teak interior joinery was exceptional and the hull structure was sound. However, the layout did not fully make use of the yacht’s size.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394540/image/large-3bd64f4dfb231598384875f28fc57a05.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394540">With the help of Martin Holmes and his team at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/2262" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Lee Marine International Brokerage (Company)">Lee Marine</a>, Andrews took a boat from Langkawi, Malaysia where he purchased <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12413" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Firebird25.6m (83'12&quot;)Palmer Johnson Yachts1967">Firebird</a> and started the process of refitting her in Phuket. “My vision was always to maximise the yacht without taking away the character that makes Firebird special,” he explained. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394689/image/large-066bcffa01ddea4816fadbefefba6fb6.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394689">“Rather than remove that character, the refit focused on respecting the craftsmanship already onboard, while improving the functionality and layout for modern cruising. So the very first thing I wanted to do was lay a completely new teak deck.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394684/image/large-59c92dfa1c2c4dfaf499558c82520e13.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394684">The refit saw beautifully laid teak installed throughout, which instantly transformed her appearance and the feeling underfoot. From here, Andrews had a large swim platform and gangway at the stern installed for easy access, as well as an alfresco dining area for 12, with a large three-metre teak L-shaped sofa added and a circular seating area for eight at her stern.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394683/image/large-ccd9dbe381bbc98da19e89f67500eafb.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394683">Additional work saw her saloon and guest staterooms reworked to create a larger and more comfortable interior, while technical works included the installation of a new <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4062" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Raymarine UK Ltd (Company)">Raymarine</a> navigation suite, electric furling systems and the recommissioning of her <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1497" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Detroit Diesel (Company)">Detroit Diesel</a> engine and generators.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394537/image/large-a9744df0db0cb9126710320c8ad8f685.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394537">&nbsp;“I was involved in every stage of the project!” beamed Andrews. “Working alongside skilled craftsmen in Thailand allowed the ideas I had for the yacht to be executed properly.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394682/image/large-6c7c43f1ab3dc6151b36ef4b9e0c6d90.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394682">“The region has an impressive concentration of marine specialists including riggers, carpenters, sailmakers and marine engineers. The quality of teak craftsmanship in Thailand is also exceptional and the cost of skilled labour is significantly lower than in many other parts of the world. By chance I also discovered a local boat carpenter whose family had been building boats in the region for generations. His team worked tirelessly and played a crucial role in transforming the yacht.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394536/image/large-a684c5dbb17405c08f59b474c49fe63e.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394536">A large portion of the refit work was carried out at Premier Superyacht Shipyard near <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/3209" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Yacht Haven Marina (Company)">Yacht Haven Marina</a> in Phuket. The yard operates an 890-tonne travel lift and regularly handles vessels significantly larger than <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12413" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Firebird25.6m (83'12&quot;)Palmer Johnson Yachts1967">Firebird</a>, so during her haul-out, hull works, repainting, mechanical servicing and installation of the bow thruster were completed at the yard. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394535/image/large-fe228dc87c3eb4c006007450d0644190.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394535">The refit started almost immediately after Andrews had stepped onboard and he remained involved throughout the process. “After studying the layout of an <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1097" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Oyster Yachts (Company)">Oyster</a> 85, I realised it might be possible to alter the companionway arrangement and open access to unused space within the yacht. By cutting through the bulkhead at the end of the galley we created a new passageway that allowed an entirely new guest stateroom to be built.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394687/image/large-2e193db0a4b19958ca9e5ecb0fbbb3b1.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394687">The result allowed for unused areas to be converted into additional guest accommodation, while maintaining the logical flow through her companionway and saloon areas. Thanks to this, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12413" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Firebird25.6m (83'12&quot;)Palmer Johnson Yachts1967">Firebird</a> is now able to comfortably accommodate up to 13 guests, while still feeling spacious. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394691/image/large-d359643ead180961dcf469e992df6a3a.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394691">“The onboard experience is exceptional now! <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12413" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Firebird25.6m (83'12&quot;)Palmer Johnson Yachts1967">Firebird</a> is incredibly comfortable and she has become a wonderful place to spend time. I have several comfortable homes on land, but I genuinely did not expect living aboard a yacht to feel this enjoyable.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394775/image/large-19d12ff20ebf8798893858104887e523.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394775">From a technical standpoint the most important upgrade was the installation of a Max Power bow thruster. At 71 tonnes, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12413" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Firebird25.6m (83'12&quot;)Palmer Johnson Yachts1967">Firebird</a> is not a small yacht and the thruster significantly improved manoeuvrability for docking. Paired with electric furling systems, her sails can now be easily controlled from the cockpit, &nbsp;which means the yacht can be sailed comfortably by a small crew. “Together with the bow thruster and upgraded navigation systems, the yacht is now far easier and safer to operate,” added Andrews.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394782/image/large-7d015b051a954c975849eb73b943caa0.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394782">Currently available for charter, Andrews noted that there had already been interest from charter clients in the Seychelles and the Maldives. “It would feel rather selfish to keep such a yacht entirely to myself! Our goal is to have her operating in the Greek islands by 2027.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394781/image/large-71d773016ba60ca5be3610663cfc2a04.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394781">The refit took approximately 18 months to complete, with the project bringing the yacht a new lease of life. “I have restored historic buildings and classic cars before, but <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12413" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Firebird25.6m (83'12&quot;)Palmer Johnson Yachts1967">Firebird</a> has been the most rewarding project of them all! Working on her felt almost like giving a living vessel a new chapter in her life. I feel incredibly privileged to have been part of that transformation.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394773/image/large-89483fb30e91ef0842117ed871bea925.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394773">“<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12413" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Firebird25.6m (83'12&quot;)Palmer Johnson Yachts1967">Firebird</a> has had an extraordinary life with many different owners over the decades, with each leaving their own mark on the vessel,” concluded Andrews. “If I had to describe her in just a few words, I would say she is an iconic, unique superyacht and I hope she continues to bring joy to many future owners and guests.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394763/image/large-26cc3acdb14ea54697eb754a850e1393.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394763">

Firebird: 26m Palmer Johnson yacht refit

Inside the 18-month Thai refit that transformed the 26m Palmer Johnson sailing yacht Firebird into a modern cruising yacht.

Firebird reborn: Behind the Thai refit of a classic 26m yacht

Superyachts have become a floating home for many of its new-age owners, and it is precisely this that has motivated <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha Custom Yachts</a>’ design for the Squalo 100. The brief for both the exterior and interior design was to create a yacht that feels right to live on, emotionally, physically and sensorially. From the layout to the engineering behind the walls was approached through the lens of human experience, rather than mere aesthetics. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395777/image/large-3128f701f247e9a823704b469af76762.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395777">Intimacy, comfort &amp; balanceFor <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha Custom Yachts</a>, luxury is deeply connected to proportion, intimacy and comfort: “a yacht can feature the finest materials and highest quality finishes, but if the spaces feel too tight, disconnected or uncomfortable, the emotional experience aboard is lost” says Roberto Aboumrad, the founder and CEO of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha Yachts</a>.Hence, true onboard luxury is not measured by excess or scale alone, but by understanding the emotional relationship between people and space. If seating arrangements are too close together or too far apart, it can obstruct the way onboard guests interact with one another. “True comfort comes from finding that human balance of space.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395771/image/large-de41a280b3ab03c380c47ca7096655df.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395771">For Roberto, that comfort starts with the shape of the hull. Rather than pursuing narrow planning hulls, which are optimised for going fast, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha</a> decided on a semi-displacement hull. “These hulls are designed for liveability, efficiency and comfort. There is more interior volume, while simultaneously cruising at speeds it was designed to (i.e. 10-14 knots).”Cruising at the speed that the yacht was designed to do, also ensures high fuel efficiency and long range cruising, which sits in line with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/YachtModel/12554" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Squalo 10030.02m (98'6&quot;)">Alpha</a>’s approach towards sustainability. “There’s a misconception in today’s market that, by adding more electronics and gadgets, you automatically create a better boat,” yet often the opposite is true. “The more complicated you make a vessel, the more things you create that require maintenance.” <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha Custom Yachts</a> instead focuses on “creating systems that are durable, intuitive and reliable for long-term ownership.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395758/image/large-1424f9925cdca3c1115877f949e5d9c4.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395758">While keeping the number of gadgets to a minimum, technology does play a crucial role in any <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha Custom Yacht</a>s vessel. “Technology is extremely important for us,” shares Roberto, “but for us technology means simplification.” Making elements more simple and functional makes for happy yacht owners. “It’s a mentality that extends directly into the crew’s workflow and maintainability. A happy crew creates a happy yacht.” With that same thought, the yard has placed enormous importance on crew accommodations and facilities: “the crew lives onboard year-round - it is important they are comfortable and happy.”&nbsp;Especially the galley is a space of pride for Roberto, “we have an incredibly large galley,” he continues, “the space has a centre island, industrial refrigerators, freezers and extraction hoods, a Hoshizaki ice maker capable of producing 90 kilos of crystal clear ice per day.” For <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha Custom Yachts</a>, Roberto emphasises, “the galley is one of the most important areas onboard; it directly impacts everyday life.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395781/image/large-eca123327394f5b4dce944d6d68412a7.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395781">Living the experienceA crucial element to designing a yacht for <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha Custom Yachts</a> is onboard experience: “when you’ve lived aboard boats for enough years, travelled enough and truly experienced living at sea, you begin to understand the human needs of onboard living” shares Roberto, “you can study design at a desk, but living it opens up a whole new understanding.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395757/image/large-c3608611ab7f6dd82cd72bba6d9c9e54.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395757">This philosophy is not just extended to the yacht’s interiors, but also to the engineering of the Squalo 100. One such place is the engine room, which, onboard all <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha Custom Yachts</a>, are designed with accessibility and functionality as priorities - the goal is to make the engine room and its equipment accessible and simple.Roberto explains how “comfort is an overall sensory experience - space, silence, vibration, colours, atmosphere - to truly feel comfortable and happy, you need to feel all five senses.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395753/image/large-8a75feae7d000d25adda68409da4ead2.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395753">One way in which the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha</a> team has done this is by structurally separating the hull and superstructure, which dramatically reduces vibrations and sound transfer throughout the vessel. “You don’t hear generators, vibrations, nor conversation in any of the other staterooms. There is total silence onboard.”Another one of the senses <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha Custom Yachts</a> is especially considerate of is smell. “You can walk into a beautiful boat but if it’s humid or there are unpleasant odours, it ruins the experience.” The yard has noticed that many of the odour-related issues don’t actually originate from black or grey water tanks themselves, but from low-quality piping systems that begin to sweat over time. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395761/image/large-f1870b9a00c455b1e44bcca22a5b9127.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395761">To prevent this, the Squalo 100 has incorporated high quality piping systems alongside a positive-pressure make-up air system designed to continuously renew and purify the air onboard. “Approximately six times per hour, the entire interior air volume is renewed with fresh air.” The result is a refreshing onboard environment.The air-flow design onboard the yacht has also been thoroughly considered: “we maintain more pressure inside the salon than outside, so when the doors open, fresh air escapes outward and blocks hot air from entering” Roberto explains. For the galley, the same construction is used, but flipped, “the galley maintains a lower pressure than the guest areas so that not all the cooking smells will spill into the staterooms and saloon.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395762/image/large-48885ca43e88052e18731411f2ea3610.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395762">Living in spaceA central element in the design of the Squalo 100 and all other <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha Custom Yachts</a> is the ceiling height. “For me ceiling height is a must,” Roberto shares how this decision was rooted in a very human observation: “When tall people walk onto yachts, they have to check how much space sits between the top of their head and the ceiling - which often isn’t very much.” Combined with the Squalo 100’s full-beam saloon and master cabin, the increased ceiling height dramatically transforms the perception of the interior volume. “It creates a totally different feeling onboard.”Besides a spacious layout, a refreshing airflow and minimal yet high-end technologies, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha Custom Yachts</a> offers additional personalisation for their yachts through elements like hull colours. “I had a client with a huge fascination for Porsche and he told me he wanted his hull the same colour of his Porsche Calipers brakes."<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395763/image/large-5a734ebfefcf55bc0e5400e54e0d53fc.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395763">“We have always been extremely flexible with customisation because we understand that every owner lives differently and expresses luxury differently.” This type of pursuit of individuality is the main reason that <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha</a> has intentionally stayed a boutique shipyard. “We’ve done crazy things,” shares Roberto, “but if it doesn’t hurt the value or integrity of the yacht, we’re happy to make our client’s vision become a reality.”There’s a few elements that the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha</a> team won’t compromise on, like the crew accommodations and facilities. Roberto shares how “the crew lives onboard year-round. If the crew isn’t comfortable or happy, the boat won’t be a happy boat.” While owners or guests spend maybe just over a week onboard, crew lives onboard and ensuring they feel at home is of utmost importance.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395746/image/large-e1304f071c6fd249b2bf1a2b910fbc15.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395746">A symbol of powerThe Squalo 100 carries an air of power. Its name stems from the Italian word squalo, meaning ‘Shark’. “A shark is the most efficient creature in the ocean. It’s powerful, intelligent, efficient, and naturally dominant.” For the shipyard, the name perfectly reflects its in-house philosophy. “<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5252" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alpha Custom Yachts (Company)">Alpha</a> represents leadership, and the Squalo yacht represents efficiency, strength, personality and power.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395767/image/large-999c901798381e697b3243b4b14b578f.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395767">

Inside the design of Alpha squalo 100

Alpha Custom Yachts' Squalo 100, designed for spacious living on the water.

Alpha Yachts’ Squalo 100: Redefining human-centred yacht design

The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has upheld a lower court ruling that Eduard Khudainatov, the former owner of the 106.1-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/23" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Lürssen Yachts (Company)">Lürssen</a> superyacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a>, cannot claim ownership following her seizure in 2022, marking the last chance he had to appeal the decision.SuperYacht Times takes a look back at the full legal battle over the yacht’s ownership and the proceedings that led to the US Government’s forfeiture of the yacht.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/393887/image/large-ad933bf5db70a1d40d13082c78016610.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/393887">The seizure of AmadeaIn April 2022, U.S. authorities under the Biden administration, seized <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> in Fiji as part of their Task Force KleptoCapture, which aimed at intensifying sanction enforcements against Russian oligarchs linked to President Vladimir Putin.&nbsp;Prosecutors allege that sanctioned Russian billionaire Suleiman Kerimov is the owner of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a>, while Eduard Khudainatov, the former chief of Russian state oil and gas company Rosneft, and his company Millemarin Investment claim that the yacht is under their ownership.&nbsp;Suleiman Kerimov was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department, in consultation with the Department of State in 2018 for his role as an official of the Russian Federation and a member of the Russian Federation Council. He was alleged to have moved hundreds of millions of euros into France, in addition to conducting standard fund transfers without disclosing the money to French tax authorities.The arrest of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> was announced on 14 April 2022, but the Task Force KleptoCapture did not get the official green light for her arrest until 4 May. During this period a plea had been made by Millemarin Investment on the registration of the US warrant to seize <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a>.&nbsp;The Fijian Court of Appeals dismissed the plea on 27 May, opening an avenue for the U.S. Department of Justice to actualise the arrest and transport her to U.S. territory. From there, the yacht was locked in a legal battle for several years regarding her true ownership. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/393882/image/large-85002cf90fcbd0f9d3c4545d29a092c9.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/393882">The ownership structure behind AmadeaAccording to court documents, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) in September 2021 showed that Millemarin Investments Ltd were committed to sell <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> for €225 million to a Cayman Islands entity that was created less than one week before the deal. Under the agreement, the buyer acquired the right to use the yacht and assumed responsibility for her operating costs following the initial €45 million payment.Lawyers representing Millemarin claim the Cayman Islands-based company is owned by Khudainatov and because he is not currently sanctioned by the U.S, his legal team therefore challenged the seizure and forfeiture of the yacht.However, U.S prosecutors argue that the sanctioned Russian billionaire Kerimov was behind the Cayman Islands entity and that he allegedly used a web of shell companies to hide his assets, including <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a>, and evade international sanctions.&nbsp;It was alleged that Khudainatov was serving as the "straw” or nominal owner to obscure Kerimov's involvement.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/393883/image/large-99488250fa35ea39ce37fa28d4ff2747.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/393883">The court battle In October 2023, U.S. Justice Department filed a civil forfeiture complaint for ownership of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> following her seizure and relocation to San Diego in 2022. The complaint was filed at the Manhattan federal court and marked the start of a lengthy judicial process for the US to seek ownership.The U.S. Department of Justice alleged in its complaint that Suleiman Kerimov bought <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> in 2021, and then violated U.S. sanctions by making more than $1 million in maintenance payments through U.S. financial institutions.Just four months later, the U.S. government filed a petition to auction <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> before the dispute over her ownership was resolved, stating that the yacht was currently costing the U.S government more than $7 million a year to maintain.A court filing by federal prosecutors in Manhattan told U.S. District Judge Dale Ho that <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> currently had an “excessive” $600,000 monthly average maintenance bill, and urged the judge to consider an auction. They also alleged that talks to have Khudainatov pay for <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a>'s upkeep had broken down.&nbsp;In January 2025, the evidentiary hearing began to determine the ownership of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a>. Rachael Doud, Assistant US Attorney for the Southern District of New York stated that Kerimov’s niece allegedly paid €225 million to complete the sale of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> in 2021 on his behalf and to bypass sanctions which had been imposed on him since 2018.According to Doud, Kerimov and his family used the vessel and had plans to use it further, with Khudainatov acting as a straw owner. Khudainatov’s lawyer Adam Ford argued that there is no evidence of a completed sale and characterised the agreement with Kerimov as a loan rather than a purchase.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/393875/image/large-a816cc99184d93f85c79dca79e3e1630.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/393875">Ownership claims rejected and yacht sold at auctionOn 10 March 2025, U.S. District Judge Dale Ho issued an 80-page ruling that stated that while Khudainatov retained the "bare title" to <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> after September 2021, the true beneficial owner was sanctioned Russian billionaire Suleiman Kerimov.The decision marked a significant victory for the U.S. Department of Justice, prompting them to announce in August 2025 that <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> would be offered for sale via a sealed-bid auction on 10 September 2025.The auction was administered by the National Maritime Services of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in accordance with a forfeiture order issued by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (Case 1:23-cv-09304), with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/158" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Fraser (Company)">Fraser Yachts</a> appointed as promotional agent for the auction.In October 2025, a spokesperson for the United States Marshals Service confirmed that <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> had been sold at auction, with her new owner and price not disclosed. However, Khudainatov and Millemarin Investments submitted an appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, maintaining they were the beneficial owners of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a>. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/393872/image/large-9aac7473aea0108815459490aee8c9cf.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/393872">Final ownership appeal rejectedIn a decision issued on 1 June 2026, the court and circuit Judges Parker, Lohier and Merriam affirmed Ho’s previous ruling, confirming that Eduard Khudainatov and Millemarin Investments Ltd were unable to demonstrate a sufficient beneficial interest in <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a>.&nbsp;The court agreed with the District Court in the Southern District of New York, stating that Khudainatov acted as a "straw owner" and despite a sale agreement in 2021 that transferred control and economic responsibility for the yacht, he only appeared as the legal owner on paper, with the real economic ownership allegedly under the control of Kerimov.&nbsp;The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit confirmed that Khudainatov failed to demonstrate the type of beneficial interest required under US law to contest civil forfeiture proceedings.“With the standard of proof established, we review the District Court’s legal conclusions relating to standing de novo and its factual findings for clear error,” explained the court. “The District Court correctly concluded that the claimants’ legal title to the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> did not itself establish standing to contest the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a>’s forfeiture. For the foregoing reasons, we affirm the judgments of the District Court.”As a result of this, the legal challenge over ownership has been brought to a close, with the Government’s forfeiture of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> remaining in place, and no other avenues available for the claimants to pursue ownership arguments in the United States courts.Delivered in 2017, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> features exterior design by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/82" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Espen Øino International (Company)">Espen Øino International</a>, while her interior was penned by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/67" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Zuretti Interior Design (Company)">Zuretti Interior Design</a>, with naval architecture by her builder <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/23" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Lürssen Yachts (Company)">Lürssen</a>. With a gross tonnage of 4,402, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> can comfortably accommodate up to 16 guests across an eight stateroom configuration, alongside an impressive crew of 36.&nbsp;Amenities onboard include an infinity pool, a certified helipad, a private owner’s spa, a separate guest spa and two elevators. Powered by twin <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1409" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="MTU (Company)">MTU</a> engines, the yacht has a top speed of 20 knots, a cruising speed of 13 knots and a range of 8,000 nautical miles.&nbsp;According to AIS, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/6167" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amadea 106.1m (348'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2017">Amadea</a> is currently located in Monaco.

Amadea yacht ownership appeal rejected

The US Court of Appeals has upheld the court ruling that Eduard Khudainatov cannot claim ownership of the 106m Lürssen yacht Amadea.

US Court rejects final appeal from ex.owner of 106m yacht Amadea

As Venice Climate Week runs from 3 to 8 June, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/374" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sanlorenzo (Company)">Sanlorenzo</a> is calling for urgent investment in alternative fuel infrastructure across Europe. The company noted that the transition to next-generation sustainable yachts will depend on availability of energy infrastructure, rather than the speed of technological progress.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396223/image/large-103ef131c568767e63b19cb8b8a430ac.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396223">Executive Chairman Massimo Perotti presented the ‘Venice Call for Maritime Action’ at the event, an initiative formalised through an open letter addressed to Jessika Roswall, European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, and copied to Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.“Across our industries, the technologies required to enable more sustainable mobility, employment and enjoyment at sea are no longer theoretical,” he stated in the letter. “They are real, advancing rapidly, and increasingly ready to move beyond experimentation and into everyday use.” The initiative calls for coordinated investment in green methanol supply chains and electrification infrastructure across key maritime hubs.<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/374" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sanlorenzo (Company)">Sanlorenzo</a> noted that while it has already invested in bi-fuel methanol propulsion as part of its 'Road to 2030' strategy, adoption remains constrained by limited infrastructure. This case is &nbsp;particularly apparent in the Mediterranean, where availability across marinas is still minimal.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396224/image/large-fa3744cfa8c57f5776899c890d02e793.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396224">Currently, less than one percent of global methanol production is renewable, with supply concentrated in industrial ports such as Rotterdam and Antwerp-Bruges, leaving major yachting regions underserved.The ‘Venice Call for Maritime Action’ urges coordinated action among European institutions and policymakers, port authorities and coastal cities, energy producers and fuel suppliers, and industrial and technology partners to accelerate the transition. This includes including a six-month progress review to assess infrastructure development.The letter also pushes forward <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/374" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sanlorenzo (Company)">Sanlorenzo</a>'s commitment to the following initiatives:&nbsp;<ul><li>Championing a future vision for more sustainable yachting</li><li>Continuing investment in innovation and technological progress</li><li>Supporting the development of viable and accessible energy ecosystems</li><li>Engaging in cross-sector collaboration to accelerate progress<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396226/image/large-dd7b8005406727dc9430ff3c953dbf09.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396226"></li></ul>The effort has already drawn support from across the maritime sector, including SYBAss, Professor Flavio Manenti of Politecnico di Milano, alongside representatives from marine technology, energy, and sustainability organisations.As one of the founding partners of Venice Climate Week, the company is using its Casa Sanlorenzo hub to convene industry dialogue under the ‘Planet Aqua, Planet Peace’ programme. The initiative brings together city leaders, scientists and industry stakeholders to address coastal resilience and maritime transition.Moreover, the group continues to advance its Road to '2030 strategy'. This includes the 50Steel Almax, the first superyacht to feature a methanol fuel cell system, and Bluegame’s hydrogen-powered BGH-HSV support vessel, developed for zero-emission operations during the America’s Cup."By aligning investment, infrastructure and policy, it is possible to unlock the next phase of sustainable &nbsp;maritime mobility and support the wider integration of alternative propulsion technologies across &nbsp;Europe,” Perotti concluded.

Sanlorenzo Venice Climate Week

Sanlorenzo is calling for urgent investment in alternative fuel infrastructure across Europe at the Venice Climate Week 2026.