New York natives Robert Book and his wife Amy are serious, serial boat owners. Obvious from their past record of ownership (“I think this one is number 17,” Bob tells me on board their latest 46.7-metre supertoy), but what makes them serious in their serial ownership is in the way they talk about yachting: the ins and outs of their multiple experience building boats from scratch and their intimate knowledge of not only the superyacht lifestyle, but the superyacht business. Their interest is invested, of course. Of the 17 boats they’ve owned over the past four decades, none have been in their possession for longer than two and a half years. And the vast majority have been sold on to their next happy owner without the seemingly inevitable loss of investment. So, how did this journey begin and how do the Books’ manage to continuously invest wisely in their passion?<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/28775/image/large-7883b8aecf8c8b9b3607f38bc329f6cf.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/28775">First things first: consistently securing resale value. The most important aspect here, Book says, is choosing the right time to sell. “If you have a boat more than three years, it’s hard to sell. Two years old with 1000 hours on the engine? There’s a person out there who wants a new boat but doesn’t want to wait to build it. We had our&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/354" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sunseeker (Company)">Sunseeker</a>&nbsp;for just 6 months… I know, it sounds crazy. But I’ve always made money from selling my boats.” The second golden rule? Keep her interior neutral, with accents of personality that can easily be altered to suit her new owner’s tastes. “One of the things about this boat that is so beautiful is that it is so light,” Amy explains as we sit in the upper deck lounge of the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/54" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Heesen Yachts (Company)">Heesen</a>-built <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/5960" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Artisa46.7m (153'3&quot;)Heesen Yachts2017">Book Ends</a>. “We’ve brought in the accent colours, but anyone that wanted to buy this boat, they have this neutral palette in which they can bring in their own accents. When you have very dark wood or built-in prominent colours, it’s obviously harder to sell.”Years of experience resulted in the seasoned owners in front of me, but on to the second part of our question - where did this journey begin? Well, it all began in their native New York. Starting out with a 25 footer which the Books frequently used in New York area, they started climbing the size classes boat by boat to incorporate a growing family over the years, expanding their cruising grounds to the Caribbean, the Bahamas, Florida, New England, Martha's Vineyard and other spots along the Eastern US coastline. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/25818/image/large-d0c25269e8b87326f6b3bc438f99e97b.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/25818">This year, however, the Books opted for a change of pace and headed over to the Mediterranean for six weeks of cruising - the most time they’ve ever spent onboard in one go. With this plan in mind, they also needed to change the kind of boat they were looking for the latest addition to the Book Ends fleet. Enter: <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/54" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Heesen Yachts (Company)">Heesen</a>. “I wanted to make a change in my boating habits,” Bob starts. “I had a 40-metre Westport before this which was fibreglass and semi-displacement - very Bahamas friendly. We always wanted to spend a summer in the Med, so we decided that with our new boat, we wanted to go full displacement, steel hull, Med-ready. We’ve also always had great admiration for the Dutch shipyards, they really build high-quality boats.”Built on speculation and sold just a few weeks before completion, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/5960" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Artisa46.7m (153'3&quot;)Heesen Yachts2017">Book Ends</a> found her new owner in a classic case of right-place-right-time. Coming into the build at such a late stage has its obvious advantages, though one distinct disadvantage is the potential for customisation. Bob explains: “It was not easy to incorporate our changes, but there was already a lot to work with - the windows are amazing and let in a lot of light, there’s light wood throughout. We took a ton of stuff off and ripped a wall out here and there, but&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/54" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Heesen Yachts (Company)">Heesen</a>&nbsp;ultimately delivered.” <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/16907/image/large-2ae712f2246501e825efc0605d038b61.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/16907">“One thing coming to a European boat from an American perspective was that they had no outdoor TVs anywhere on the boat,” Book continues. “We as Americans like watching TV. Especially on a Sunday, we want to sit outside and watch sports. We don’t just eat and drink all the time, we eat, drink and watch TV! So we changed that. There is still a lot we would change on the boat, but it’s little things, and every boat incorporates an element of compromise. And you know what? You won’t find a better-built boat than a&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/54" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Heesen Yachts (Company)">Heesen</a>.”So, Med-friendly boat checked off the list, but what about the destination itself? Will the Books be returning to their summers on the East Coast? The answer - surprisingly after endless summers spent in the States - was a definitive no. “We had so much fun and we had a lot of friends and family over flying from the States - they all wanted to experience the Mediterranean! We will never spend the summer anywhere else. It’s amazing - especially the Italian coast, Amalfi and Sardinia... it’s just spectacular.” &nbsp;For now, at least, the all-American Book family are converted.SYT: You purchased&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/5960" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Artisa46.7m (153'3&quot;)Heesen Yachts2017">Book Ends</a>&nbsp;while she was under construction, and took delivery just three weeks later. Tell us about your yacht search.&nbsp;When I sold my other boat I was shocked. It sold in less than 60 days! We quickly discovered that we didn’t want to wait to build a boat from scratch, so we spent two years and close to two million bucks on the search for a new boat. I took my whole crew with me on every shopping spree. They live on board - they are like a family and they need to be happy, and they also spot things that perhaps we wouldn’t. We were actually very close to signing a contract with an Italian yard, but it didn’t feel right.&nbsp;I came across&nbsp;Book Ends when I was in the yard visiting the Dutch shipbuilders. At the time they were around 10 months into the build, but I didn’t even want to look as I was looking for a 55-metre. Thom Conboy rang me a while later and said, ‘Robert, that 47-metres is finishing up at&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/54" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Heesen Yachts (Company)">Heesen</a>. Do you want to go and have a look?’ I told him if we can agree on a price, then I’ll be there in two days - basically, at this point, I wanted to be in the Med by the summer on my own boat or I was going to throw in the towel altogether. So after a long search, Thom rang me at just the right time. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/25815/image/large-9f855f5f73701d28c8d8d97c911bafbc.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/25815">SYT: As your first <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/54" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Heesen Yachts (Company)">Heesen</a> after a long history of predominantly American-built boats, how was your first stint on board?When we made the deal, I told <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/54" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Heesen Yachts (Company)">Heesen</a> that I needed the boat by mid-June to meet a friend in Monte Carlo. Now, I hadn’t looked at the distance from the Netherlands to Monte Carlo… turns out its 2,500 nm. So I was like, our maiden voyage is going to be 2,500 nm on a boat that has never been tested?! But what really impressed me was <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/54" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Heesen Yachts (Company)">Heesen</a>’s answer: ‘Well, it’s a <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/54" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Heesen Yachts (Company)">Heesen</a>. You just put the key in and go.’&nbsp;They lived up to their word. We met the boat in Monte Carlo. The crew had a tough time on the approach to Gibraltar with 18’ waves, but they told me the boat was great. Heesen really got it done. We did around 300 hours on her this summer.&nbsp;SYT: What are some of the key differences you’ve noticed between the boat building cultures?With US yards like <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/217" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Westport Yachts (Company)">Westport</a> or <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4332" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Viking Yachts (Company)">Viking</a>, they work like hell to get you as a customer but work even harder to keep you. In my opinion, the European yards need to adapt more to the North American culture of after-sales support. A boat is a big investment, and the experience should not end when you take delivery. You want the entire experience to be positive and the yard ultimately wants to sell me my next boat… you won’t get that with arrogance or a lack of support. I think that is more a problem with Northern European yards. &nbsp;The Italian shipyards are the nicest, most charming, most fun people to hang with… you feel like you’re part of an Italian family. But if you’re going to build a boat with Italians, you can’t get hung up on having it delivered on time. The difference with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/54" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Heesen Yachts (Company)">Heesen</a> is that everything is clean, uniform. They even have a digital countdown to scheduled launch hanging over the project throughout construction. The culture is efficiency and attention to detail. With the Italians, well, if you have a good project manager then it’s fine. They do build great boats. Nick Candy’s boat, 11:11, for example, it’s one to see - the finest <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/212" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Benetti SpA (Company)">Benetti</a> ever built.&nbsp;SYT: In terms of American shipbuilders, there are few big yards left. As an American buyer, would you like to see the U.S. shipbuilding industry rejuvenated?I don’t know, I think the market has passed a lot of the American shipyards by. There was a time that <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/145" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Burger Boat Company (Company)">Burger</a> and <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/2631" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Broward Shipyard (Company)">Broward</a> owned the market on big boats. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/47" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Delta Marine (Company)">Delta</a> builds big boats, but they’re fibreglass and very expensive. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/217" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Westport Yachts (Company)">Westport</a>, great quality, great people, but it’s semi-displacement, fast, light, and you outgrow that. So as owners have evolved, the American shipbuilding market has not. If you want to buy a steel hulled boat and you want to cruise the Med with a big stable ride, you go to Europe. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/25821/image/large-b14fe9b309d59a4feddf18e4052a89f1.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/25821">SYT: Why do you think the American industry did not evolve like the European?A lot of the builders were not good business people… they were just good boat builders. They got by when things were fine, but things got tough. Americans do own certain niches to this day, but in general, they didn’t stay up to date with the market and I don’t know about their future. Now, if Westport really wanted to get into the market that Europeans hold, they’re going to have to build steel-hulled boats that can go anywhere in the world. I believe <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/149" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Christensen Shipyards, LLC. (Company)">Christensen</a> will start building steel-hulled boats. They are not going to give the market to the Europeans so quickly.&nbsp;SYT: Moving to the market as a whole, do you think the yachting world has recovered from the fallout from the Financial Crisis?&nbsp;I don’t think this industry is in trouble. I think it’s evolving, and the industry will expand and get stronger. It will be people with good financial power, good marketing skills, good communication skills.SYT: But what about the fact that the number of UHNWI in the world has risen, but the amount of clients has not?Well, look at where all of that new wealth is? Asia. You need more infrastructure there, but I know Asia very well, I’ve been doing business there 35 years. You build good infrastructure and people will come, but you need more. A lot of people in Asia have boats but they keep them in Europe.&nbsp;SYT: So let’s say Asian infrastructure dramatically improves - will it just attract more European and North American yachties?I think the Asian market will still pick up. I know a lot of very wealthy Asian people and I think they could really get into boating. You have some great marinas in Phuket already. Once one guy starts getting into it, then talking to his buddy, and they start doing it together… I’m very optimistic and I do not see this industry diminishing. It’s changing, its evolving, but it’s not decreasing. I think there will be fewer players in the game in the future, but they will be big players. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/14585/image/large-a683a0f22c44b44fc124626cb8ca4de8.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/14585">SYT: In terms of clients, how can we attract more people to yachting?In this world, it’s all word of mouth. My friend has a 201’ <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/40" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Royal Hakvoort Shipyard (Company)">Hakvoort</a>, Just J’s. We did our boating together for seven years in Newport, until last summer which we spent in the Med. He has a <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1306" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Nautica International Inc. (Company)">Nautica</a> tender, a 48 footer with four engines on the back. Wherever we went, people went crazy to see that tender. So <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1306" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Nautica International Inc. (Company)">Nautica</a> asked if they could take her to the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1429" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Monaco Yacht Show (Company)">Monaco Yacht Show</a>. Do you know how many Nauticas they sold at the show? 12! So who is buying these boats if the market is diminishing? But to answer your question, it is very word-of-mouth promotion but I also think that people want to see a different product. You’re going to get younger people buying these smaller boats, and building up to the superyachts. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/25829/image/large-081b03e5fdc5f87b7efaeaa5f8cd1ced.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/25829">SYT: And what about the next generation of owners?My son is putting our 6-year old grandson up for sailing school, and it’s the best way to learn. He already handles a tender all by himself. At show-and-tell at school, he does all the lines in front of his classmates, he makes pictures of the buoys… he loves it. It’s sheer, pure joy. So kids are the future of yachting, and you’re seeing kids being put through sailing schools in places like Asia, too. I think this is growing all over the world. I’m optimistic about the future of yachting. Photos of Book Ends by Jeff Brown / <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5064" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Breed Media (Company)">Breed Media</a>This article was featured in the latest edition of the SuperYacht Times newspaper.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.superyachtcompany.com/newspaper/the-superyacht-times-subscription" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">Subscribe now</a>&nbsp;to receive your copy straight to your door and never miss another issue.&nbsp;

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Book ends - Upper deck

Book Ends shooting

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Book Ends main saloon 

Book Ends exterior detail

Robert H. Book 

Owner insight: Robert Book talks Book Ends and American ownership

Paul Kinkley, the owner of the Bering 78,&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/16808" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Slow Ride23.85m (78'3&quot;)Bering Yachts2026">Slow Ride</a>, sits down with Leona Caanen to chat about his brand new yacht, her personalised features and his upcoming cruising plans.Sitting across from me is Paul Kinkley, Canadian native and the owner of the brand new <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4385" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Bering Yachts (Company)">Bering</a> 78. The 23.85-metre superyacht, named <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/16808" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Slow Ride23.85m (78'3&quot;)Bering Yachts2026">Slow Ride</a>, is currently in process of delivery at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4385" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Bering Yachts (Company)">Bering Yachts</a>, in Turkey. Earlier this year, Paul visited the yard for the yacht’s official launch.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/398589/image/large-392751553f2d2f178de6f73300a22a02.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/398589">The yacht’s name comes from a song by Foghat, and is something Paul’s entire family connected with. “We narrowed it down from about a 100 names to 10, and then five and then three, and eventually I just pulled the trigger. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/16808" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Slow Ride23.85m (78'3&quot;)Bering Yachts2026">Slow Ride</a> made the most sense, we all related to it”, recalls Paul, who is very much a family man. On a cloudy day in January, as the yacht was launched, Paul blasted 'Slow Ride'&nbsp;on the yacht’s speakers whilst taking the yacht for her very first ride.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/382519/image/large-136ef5f4fa7f10e6c8be257f7d67b10b.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/382519" 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;"> Love at first sightPaul has closely followed the build process along. “From the time of ordering the boat to hand over, it’s a long period,” shares Paul. Yet building his very own yacht is something Paul has thought about for a long time. “We’ve had used boats, I’ve always fixed them up, put the systems I wanted on them,” Paul continues, “I was watching boating videos and stumbled upon the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/16808" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Slow Ride23.85m (78'3&quot;)Bering Yachts2026">Bering Yachts</a> channel, and decided to give them a call.”“Honestly, we didn’t actually look anywhere else,” Paul mentions, “when I saw the videos and chatted with Alexei, he was just so down-to-earth, and I loved the style of the boat, it was unique looking.” Paul felt like the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4385" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Bering Yachts (Company)">Bering Yachts</a> Shipyard in Antalya was the right fit, “the yacht is a steel hull, which is precisely what I was looking for.”Having always owned pre-built yachts, Paul’s patience has been tested, not just because of his excitement to cruise onboard the yacht, but also because a week after signing the deal, Paul’s other yacht, sitting in Fort Myers, Florida, was destroyed by hurricane Ian. “It’s quite surreal that it happened like that.” Getting to launch the yacht and see her touch the water was a great moment of both relief and excitement.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/382538/image/large-b3a6aabc47478833dc3131bd137e923b.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/382538">Designing a superyachtThe yacht is a semi-custom, so while the bones were pre-designed, there were plenty of choices left for Paul and his family to decide on. The stand-out choice has been the colour of the hull: “we probably went through 15 or 20 different colour renders, and Carol likes blue, so we were searching for the perfect colour” Paul recalls. Upon finding a colour they liked, Paul asked the yard to send a big colour swatch: “a computer only shows so much, but as soon as we saw the swatch we fell in love with the colour.”The interiors feature a softer, more neutral palette than the teal exterior, across an open floor plan that seamlessly connects the galley with the saloon and features large windows, providing plenty of natural lighting. The galley looks out onto the aft deck, where a table for ten creates the ideal place for al fresco dining, enjoying sunsets or a delicious morning coffee.A diesel electrician by trade, Paul is especially happy with how the engine room turned out. “Anything mechanical I love,” Paul highlights, “we’ve packed that room like you can’t believe: we’ve changed some of the electronics, the AC systems, upgraded it to 48 volt.” The engine room was expanded, getting rid of the crew head, as “we’re not really crew people anyways.” <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/382508/image/large-8957a0d4c70d67e74479c8a653443b1a.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/382508" 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;">Feeling secure<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/16808" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Slow Ride23.85m (78'3&quot;)Bering Yachts2026">Slow Ride</a> marks a sense of security, but also of freedom, and a big point of purchasing a yacht was ensuring Paul and Carol could manage it themselves: &nbsp;“It’s important to us that we can run the yacht by ourselves; not having to run upstairs, worrying about fenders.”The yachts that Paul previously owned were great, but ”they never had everything on it that we wanted; I was constantly busy converting yachts we purchased,” shares Paul. With <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/16808" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Slow Ride23.85m (78'3&quot;)Bering Yachts2026">Slow Ride</a>, Paul has “all the systems onboard: not having to go in for pump outs anymore because there is a sewage treatment plan onboard and dual water makers so you have the back-up.” A lot of the technological systems introduced onboard are not just for comfort of long distance cruising, but also to feel safe and secure when cruising: “Just knowing all this is onboard, in case something happens while cruising with my family, I don’t worry so much,” shares Paul.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/398588/image/large-2631ff32ceef53dd64b3c6380ef5683d.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/398588" 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;">A sense of freedomOne place that is definitely on the cruising destination is a little fishermen village, near the shipyard that Paul and Carol visited a while ago. “We befriended the owner of a restaurant, he’s a fantastic chef, and we promised that once we have the yacht, we’ll come visit and enjoy dinner together.”&nbsp;Besides the shores of Turkey, Paul is eager to explore the Mediterranean: “We’ve never boated in the Mediterranean, but I’ve done lots of research on it, followed lots of sailboaters online.” Having itineraries planned out, thanks to fellow yachties, and with the yacht ready cruise, Paul and Carol are bound to have a great summer in the Mediterranean, “getting as close to shore as I can with the shallow draft.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/398590/image/large-1289eb29cd7094aadb3ee64b0312c4f1.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/398590" 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;">

A Slow Ride: building a Bering 78

Paul Kinkley, owner of the Bering 78 Slow Ride, talks to Leona Caanen about his new yacht, custom features and cruising plans.

Not your average Slow Ride

Early March, Jim Offield returned after two years of circumnavigating the globe onboard sailing yacht&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2089" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Legend34.14m (112'0&quot;)Alloy Yachts1999">Legend</a>, just in time for his 76th birthday. Leona Caanen sits down with Jim to dive into his journey sailing the seven seas onboard the 34-metre ketch.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/397312/image/large-2d480c55397f28e4576e480c910ab08e.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/397312">As the world was closing up in July 2020, Jim’s longtime captain and dear friend Bruno, found the perfect ketch sitting for sale, docked in Palma de Mallorca. After a quick tour via FaceTime, Jim bought the yacht and had Bruno prepare it to set sail. Jim made his way to the yacht, where Gibraltar authorities granted him a sole 24 hours of entry before he and his yacht needed to leave.What followed was Jim’s very first Atlantic crossing on a sailing yacht. “We did the Atlantic crossing in August and I absolutely fell in love with offshore sailing. It was an absolute magical trip,” Jim shares. Crossing the Atlantic in the middle of hurricane season is quite a feat, but <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2089" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Legend34.14m (112'0&quot;)Alloy Yachts1999">Legend</a> showed what she was capable of and with Bruno captaining the vessel, Jim felt right at ease.After that, Jim, Bruno and the crew spent four years leisurely exploring New England and the Caribbean, sailing from island to island. After exploring much of the region, Bruno and Jim were having coffee one morning on shore when the question arose: what next? Having previously travelled to the Pacific and Oceania onboard a 156 foot <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/47" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Delta Marine (Company)">Delta</a>, Bruno floated the thought of sailing around the world onboard <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2089" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Legend34.14m (112'0&quot;)Alloy Yachts1999">Legend</a>. A simple ‘why not’ from Jim and a plan was made. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/397341/image/large-e986b042286f4f2e39e0b8b2219a4a49.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/397341">Around the worldIn early April of 2024, Jim and his wife, captain Bruno and their crew set sail from Savannah, Georgia, heading towards the Panama Canal. From there <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2089" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Legend34.14m (112'0&quot;)Alloy Yachts1999">Legend</a> sailed towards the Galapagos and towards New Zealand, taking time to sail past many islands of the South Pacific that lay along the route, the likes of French Polynesia and Tonga.To sail to such remote places, witnessing stunning wildlife along the way, felt like a true sailor’s journey, but in the comfort of the 34-metre superyacht. All these sailing experiences, exploring the Mediterranean, crossing the Atlantic, and cruising around New England and throughout the Caribbean, making minor tweaks to the vessel along the way, had unknowingly prepared her for the circumnavigation. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/397298/image/large-cf68dc5ec2d388b4dac703ab8511d9ff.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/397298">Designed by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/52" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Ron Holland Design (Company)">Ron Holland Design</a> (exteriors) and <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/61" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="RWD (Company)">RWD</a> (interiors) and built by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/60" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alloy Yachts (Company)">Alloy Yachts</a> in 1999, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2089" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Legend34.14m (112'0&quot;)Alloy Yachts1999">Legend</a> is a sturdy lady. Bruno shares how, as ”Jim goes to bed quite early, sometimes, when we sail at 10 or 12 knots through the night, he’ll come up in the morning and not have felt a thing!” <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2089" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Legend34.14m (112'0&quot;)Alloy Yachts1999">Legend</a> was the right choice of vessel for the journey they took.One of the most exciting legs of the journey was sailing from Cairns to the Cape of Good Hope, through the Indian Ocean. “98 percent of this trip is going to be spectacular,” Captain Bruno had said to Jim, “but two to five percent of it, you're going to have to hold on to your shorts. And it didn't let us down.” The Indian Ocean is notorious for its strong, unexpected monsoon-like winds and heavy rains, accompanied by a chaotic sea with waves coming in from all directions. “In the middle of one of those days when it was full on, Jim looked at me and he goes, ‘it's worse than you said it would be!’”. As the duo tells the story, Bruno laughs, “I always said to Jim, ‘you haven’t crossed an ocean until you’ve sailed an ocean!”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/397339/image/large-9ffd3d4bc8d1c964c524477a86d0a59e.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/397339">Harmonious sailingHaving known each other for 25 years, Jim and Bruno share a special bond. Something that, in turn, had a positive effect on the rest of the crew. ”We travelled with an amazing group of people and many friendships were born,” shares Jim. “Being alone in the ocean for so many days with such a great crew, it’s the experience of a lifetime. It was harmony in every sense of the word.” <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/397343/image/large-317e67d451ee84abdd838a57bf53debb.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/397343">Captain Bruno points out how Jim is also very conscientious of the crew’s well-being. “One day, in Tonga, Jim and his family went diving with the humpback whales. But I know that, if I don’t also get a boat for the crew to go diving, Jim won’t be happy.” Everywhere <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2089" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Legend34.14m (112'0&quot;)Alloy Yachts1999">Legend</a> sailed, Jim shared his experiences with the crew. “We would go diving, hiking up a mountain, or skydiving, and leave to go sailing in the evening but no one would complain because we had the most terrific day,” Bruno notes. “They were &nbsp;just like, ‘okay, what's the next adventure?”To have such camaraderie onboard over the course of two years has made the journey even more valuable to Jim. “Being 75 years old, there are no words to describe how absolutely magnificent it was to be able to do this, as an owner; to be part of the crew, to enjoy such a journey. I would have to say it's the greatest accomplishment in my life.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/397400/image/large-246ee0ced6e7b7d52bb60e4bf1c45023.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/397400">So why sell?Upon arrival back home to the US East Coast, Bruno held a speech and tears were shed, and within six hours of being on land, the crew talked about going back out for another trip around the globe. Yet a trip like this you can only do once for the first time: “I just don't think the repeat of it would ever compare to what we just did,” Jim says“I’m a big believer in not duplicating: there are other parts of the world and other adventures I want to do. I’m starting to feel the age a little bit, so I’m ready for a bit more comfort” Jim shares. Now, Jim is looking to explore on a more comfortable, slightly smaller yacht, “but I’ll never give up travelling the ocean!”“The boat was always there for us. She was amazing” shares Bruno. “Jim and I both feel that it's a pity we don't see more owners taking on these experiences.” The hope is that Jim’s experience will inspire not only the new owner of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2089" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Legend34.14m (112'0&quot;)Alloy Yachts1999">Legend</a>, but other owners to traverse around the world. A sailing yacht the likes of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2089" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Legend34.14m (112'0&quot;)Alloy Yachts1999">Legend</a> is born to circumnavigate and she’s more than proven her capability. “To cruise the seven seas on a sailing yacht is to truly experience the open Ocean,” notes Jim.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/397313/image/large-9eaa45403680c94f2b2494324778a6a0.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/397313">

Traversing the seven seas onboard Legend: "It's the experience of a lifetime"

After sailing around the world onboard his 34m Alloy sailing yacht Legend, Jim is ready for his next adventure.

travel-hero#1

Travelling to Sydney, Leona Caanen speaks with Luke Geelan, family man and owner of the&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3832" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Shore Thing35.05m (114'12&quot;)Lloyds Ships1986">Shore Thing</a>&nbsp;fleet.Growing up with a passion for boating, and especially fishing, is Luke Geelan, Sydney native and owner of the 35.05-metre motor yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3832" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Shore Thing35.05m (114'12&quot;)Lloyds Ships1986">Shore Thing</a>. Having spent most of his life around the water, it seems only natural for Luke to have moved into the world of boating. Overtime the yacht has come to resemble not only a connection to his past, but also to his future, getting to enjoy it with his family and friends, as well as sharing it with charter guests.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/388213/image/large-0b83e89d1054e69437b37ff303a35921.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/388213">A family passionGrowing up on a river in Sydney, Luke was introduced to the rhythms of tide and weather from an early age. “I’ve grown up with a passion for boating, my father taught me to water ski and sail as a young child” Luke shares. Over time, Luke exchanged sailing for wakeboarding and eventually game-fishing, depending his passion for being out at sea. This passion has remained a constant factor in Luke’s life, deepening even further once he could share it with his own kids.A few years ago, Luke sold his business and decided to step into boating in a more deliberate way by acquiring the 35-metre motor yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3832" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Shore Thing35.05m (114'12&quot;)Lloyds Ships1986">Shore Thing</a>, built by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/554" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Lloyds Ships (Company)">Lloyd Ships</a> in Australia in 1986. Purchasing her in 2024, the yacht allowed for Luke and his family to explore the Australian coast with more comfort, as well as for them to get to share their passion for the sea. “My two boys are especially big on game fishing, and my daughter is very passionate about snorkelling and marine life”, says Luke. By acquiring <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3832" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Shore Thing35.05m (114'12&quot;)Lloyds Ships1986">Shore Thing</a>, it allows for the family to share their passions with one another.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396937/image/large-131bb2f788c31defa0822382f533d318.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396937">A three-part refitAs <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3832" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Shore Thing35.05m (114'12&quot;)Lloyds Ships1986">Shore Thing</a> is from the 80s, she was in need of an upgrade when Luke purchased her. The refit has been phased and purposeful, with 2024 seeing the first of the three phases. The yacht spent September to November at the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/3255" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Gold Coast City Marina & Shipyard (Company)">Gold Coast City Marina &amp; Shipyard</a> where the bridge was upgraded, soft furnishings replaced and extensive paintwork completed. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/388209/image/large-c74eb7958e3e321e611bea0e2d9fee9c.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/388209">The second phase was centred around remodelling the saloon, with new flooring, carpeting and ceilings, as well as mechanical enhancements. Other upgrades included a beach club installation, complete with an inflatable pool, protective netting and a shaded cabana, which has proved particularly popular with charter guests. Possibly the most meaningful addition during this refit have been the zero-speed stabilisers, “my wife suffers from really severe seasickness, the stabilisers are essential in making the yacht comfortable for my family,” Luke shares.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/388210/image/large-06ec6524534531dc1f3ac942dd743803.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/388210"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3832" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Shore Thing35.05m (114'12&quot;)Lloyds Ships1986">Shore Thing</a>’s third and final refit will take place in 2027 and will see an upgrade of the crew quarters. Originally, Luke had hoped to finalise the refit this year, but the yacht’s agenda, both in charter and personal use, is almost fully booked for the calendar year, and Luke wants to ensure there is enough time for the refit: “Our crew is so amazing, I'm super lucky to have what I believe is the best crew.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/388187/image/large-fde4622fb25e3e416358ace496ed0104.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/388187"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3832" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Shore Thing35.05m (114'12&quot;)Lloyds Ships1986">Shore Thing</a>&nbsp;juniorYet the 35-metre motor yacht is only half the story. Six months after acquiring the mothership, Luke secured what he describes as Australia’s leading game fishing platform: a custom-built 17.7-metre (58’0”) Assegai sportfisher. Designed specifically for marlin fishing along the country’s east coast, the yacht is equipped with a gyro stabiliser and, more recently, a Furuno Omni Sonar System capable of scanning 360 degrees around the vessel to significant depths, providing a technological edge in a pursuit that still relies on instinct and patience.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396954/image/large-96857bf8151cfcd655d86dc3d061d704.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396954">The reason for acquiring the fishing vessel to cruise alongside the mothership are his sons. Luke shares that “my sons and I have been game fishing together for the last five years or so,” and have even partaken in various competitions in- and around Sydney. “We’ve won a couple of state titles and other competitions,” a hint of pride sits in Luke’s voice. “My children in particular, have a passion for fishing, and I've just shared that passion, and supported it”, he adds.Lukes really enjoys fishing with his family and friends, on a recent trip to the Great Barrier Reef, the Shore Thing 58' landed a 1,223 pound Black Marlin. Yet Luke is quick to note that they’re conscious about the way they fish. “We only catch what we eat; everything else goes right back in the ocean. We’re not hunters, we just fish for the joy of it.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/388186/image/large-a98a34adf0095495d9e5f32f36eb458e.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/388186">The joy of cruisingSome of Luke’s most cherished moments onboard are those with friends and family. “We hosted my 50th birthday onboard,” Luke shares, having chartered the yacht to Whitehaven Beach, located in the Whitsundays, “there were about 40 guests, all friends and family.”&nbsp;Possibly Luke’s favourite memory is the recent Christmas holiday onboard. “Spending time with our family and another family, sitting around and just having deep belly laughs over some beautifully cooked meals by our chef onboard.” Luke describes this as delightful and quite possibly one of the most memorable times onboard. “Your kids grow up so quick, getting to share such a beautiful time together and feeling like, as your kids become young adults, that you can really share laughs and stories. It was just special.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/396938/image/large-04bc34860fd9bc9b421321a8d9f42e09.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/396938">The beauty of being on a boat is that it ties everyone together, whether that is his own family and friends, or guests who charter the yacht, for Luke, the joy of owning <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3832" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Shore Thing35.05m (114'12&quot;)Lloyds Ships1986">Shore Thing</a> lies in “getting to share the joy with other people.”The yacht and her fishing counterpart offer not just a sense of luxury, but a space for guests to create memories and experience the beauty of the Australian coastline as they cruise <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/3832" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Shore Thing35.05m (114'12&quot;)Lloyds Ships1986">Shore Thing</a> between the Great Barrier Reef, the Whitsundays and the Sydney Harbour.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/388177/image/large-2991a957e2fdb4ef0038789921600aa2.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/388177">

Owning the shore thing fleet 

A look inside Luke Geelan's charter fleet: his 35m Shore Thing and the 58' sport fisher chartering around Sydney.

"The joy of owning Shore Thing is getting to share it with others"

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

Leona Caanen sits down with Rick and Rebecca Szelc, the owners of the 122’&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/47" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Delta Marine (Company)">Delta Marine</a>&nbsp;motor yacht&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/4666" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Probabilty37.2m (122'1&quot;)Delta Marine1997">Probability</a>, to learn more about their love for the sea, their adventures onboard the 37-metre, and why she’s for sale.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/382924/image/large-2b32f2fc69c7bc21ae4c70cda2218e36.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/382924">A love for the waterWhile growing up in vastly different places, Rick in the Great Lakes area and Rebecca along the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic, the two share a deep love for the water. “Growing up,” Rick shares, “I was always fresh water boating with boats under 30 feet.” Rebecca, instead, could be found (spear)fishing, snorkelling, or at the beach: “I fished off the beach, off of bridges, anywhere. I developed a love for it.”&nbsp;When not fishing, Rebecca spent much of her childhood snorkelling and scuba diving, obtaining her PADI certificate at just 12 years old. “I’m fascinated not just by the fish, but by the corals and reefs and the entire underwater environment. It brings you such peace and calm,” adding that &nbsp;“if I’m near or under the water, that’s when I’m happiest.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395447/image/large-b135c7290df34a505d963856c0579d1a.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395447">For Rick and Rebecca, owning a yacht has always been about sharing their love for the sea with their community. “The yacht allows us to share our passion and love with friends and family in a way that we just couldn’t before,” Rebecca shares, “having grown up with a love for the sea, being on a yacht has only amplified that passion.”Rick shares “what is really joyous in our life is that we have similar passions, we both really enjoy being onboard. The alarm goes off at 5:30 and Rebecca will go fishing, and I’m just up for a cup of coffee”; a serene glimpse into life onboard <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/4666" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Probabilty37.2m (122'1&quot;)Delta Marine1997">Probability</a>, their 37-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/47" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Delta Marine (Company)">Delta Marine</a>. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/382939/image/large-13d291311d75d42e63f6db9ff710acd3.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/382939">Purchasing <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/4666" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Probabilty37.2m (122'1&quot;)Delta Marine1997">Probability</a>The <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/47" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Delta Marine (Company)">Delta Marine</a> isn’t the first yacht that the couple has owned; that would be a 35 Formula. While they didn’t own it for long, acquiring it was eventful enough that the boat hasn’t been forgotten.Living in Texas at the time, on a regular Saturday morning in January 2015, whilst out for breakfast “I threw Rebecca a curveball, as I always do,” Rick laughs. “I said, ‘what would you like to do for the rest of our lives?’ to which she replied, ‘I’d like to order breakfast and not think about the next decades of our lives together.’“ Rick continued his brainstorm, “what if we did something in Naples, Florida?” to which Rebecca laughingly replied, “okay, can I order breakfast now?”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/393421/image/large-5f33d7eece57325c28391897d8eef9c7.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/393421">Later that same day, Rick mentioned he had great news, he had purchased the 35 Formula in Naples, Florida. Flying down to Hamilton Harbor, they set out to spend the next few days onboard the new yacht. Unfortunately, that turned out to be the most uncomfortable night of sleep Rick ever had, leading to him putting the boat up for sale.Throughout the next few years, Rick and Rebecca exchanged one model for the next in the journey to find the perfect yacht for their adventures. The 35 Formula was exchanged for a 44 <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5727" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Tiara Yachts (Company)">Tiara</a>, which was eventually upgraded to a 64’ <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/466" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Hatteras Yachts (Company)">Hatteras</a>. Because of the limited space onboard for crew, eventually Rick and Rebecca decided on an 80’ <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/466" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Hatteras Yachts (Company)">Hatteras</a>, before exchanging that for the 100’ <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/466" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Hatteras Yachts (Company)">Hatteras</a>. Onboard their various vessels, they have explored much of the southern coast of Florida, as well as the Bahamas. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/382944/image/large-9210f5f0dab1395f5343ac08e2c398b4.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/382944">In 2021, the timing seemed right to step out of yachting. “It’s not about how much the elephant costs, but rather how much you have to feed it,” an acquaintance told Rick. “Rick will now always advise his friends to buy their last yacht first” Rebecca shares. “Don’t buy 10 boats on your way to the last one!” Rick laughs, adding “but we’ve made a lot of brokers very happy over the last ten years; we probably paid for some home down payments and fancy meals as a result of all our boating adventures.”Whilst seriously considering leaving the yachting world and selling the boat, a 122’ <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/47" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Delta Marine (Company)">Delta Marine</a> in pristine condition came on the market. “It’s a special <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/47" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Delta Marine (Company)">Delta</a>,” says Rick, “she’s just so beautifully crafted and she has a timeless design.” <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/47" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Delta Marine (Company)">Delta Marine</a> is widely known as the “<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/29" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Feadship (Company)">Feadship</a> of the US,” says the couple, “we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to purchase her.” She was built in 1997 by the all-American yard and has been properly cared for by her various owners over the years. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/284541/image/large-83b17ef9687251543f7916d050dda159.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/284541">High probability of adventureWhen coming into ownership of the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/47" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Delta Marine (Company)">Delta Marine</a>, they renamed her <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/4666" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Probabilty37.2m (122'1&quot;)Delta Marine1997">Probability</a>. “It’s always difficult to name a yacht; you want a name that’s not too long and is easy for when you’re pulling into port,” Rick notes. The reason Rebecca and Rick decided on <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/4666" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Probabilty37.2m (122'1&quot;)Delta Marine1997">Probability</a>, is because, to them, everything in life has a probability: your friendships, relationships,” shares Rick. “Even in investing, which is my line of business,” he adds, “we make decisions based on 70 percent certainty. Living life means not having perfect information and taking risks.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/382945/image/large-4691d16221dd7aa7aa2f7dac280538eb.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/382945">“His philosophy in life is that there are no certainties; it’s just a series of probabilities and it’s how you manage them that determine the outcome” Rebecca says. ”It’s human - we all make decisions and you hope you make good choices, but things happen and life changes course,” Rick adds, “that’s how we came up with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/4666" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Probabilty37.2m (122'1&quot;)Delta Marine1997">Probability</a>.”Rick and Rebecca have many happy memories on and in the water, yet some of the highlights have taken place onboard the 37.2-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/47" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Delta Marine (Company)">Delta Marine</a>. Specific stand-outs are their trips to the Bahamas, specifically to the Exumas. “I just couldn’t get over the colour of the water and the various shades of blue; every shade of blue you can imagine was there”, Rebecca recalls.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/382930/image/large-6b046cd52c5594a080bb1e1577132b4c.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/382930">They were onboard with some friends who had never been to the Bahamas, “one of them was a yoga instructor, so we gathered on the aft deck and she hosted a yoga class while we were anchored in this beautiful water.”Shortly after finishing the yoga flow, the first mate mentioned that there’s a little river running through the mangroves towards a little island that serves as a sanctuary for turtles. Rebecca recalls how “we jumped in our little 17’ dinghy, one of those rigid inflatable boats, and the mate took us on this tour through the mangroves and we came upon so many turtles, I lost count after 55.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/395448/image/large-53940afe3e6bdc115b22c2595f1624a6.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/395448">That specific tour ended in a little lagoon with a beautiful, white sand beach. “You’re seeing fish and birds and we spent the afternoon snorkelling. It was a perfect day on the water,” Rebecca shares. There is something really joyful about getting to share experiences with friends and loved ones, and sometimes it is these small moments, snippets of a trip, that become stand-out memories.The duo has worked hard to make their yacht feel not just like an adventure vessel they share with friends, but also to make her feel like a home. They’ve decorated the interior spaces with some of the art pieces they love, half a dozen of which have been commissioned specifically for the yacht including pieces by artist Bette Ridgeway. “Art makes a house a home,” Rick shares, “Bette’s paintings fit so perfectly and really add an extra charm, a bit of a newer feeling, to the 1997 yacht.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/382947/image/large-79c7b6b37992a228c650d15b0abcc15e.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/382947">A shared passionBeing onboard superyachts didn’t always come naturally, for Rick nor for Rebecca. Rick shares how “both Rebecca and I are self-made; it was unusual to have someone care about me, ask me ‘can I help you?’ - things like that.” After ten years, the couple has gotten the hang of it, “we realised that, what these folks, the crew, do for a living, it’s because they share the same passion that we do.”“Our team, our crew, they want to get off the dock. They don’t want to get paid to sit at Old Port Cove in Palm Beach. They want to go somewhere,” shares Rick. “I really enjoy it when they take the fishing boat out and go diving or spear fishing with us.” Rebecca recalls how, a couple of weeks ago when cruising around the Bahamas, their engineer said ‘this is my happy place’. “When you bring in people and give them a memory, something to share, it shows not just the opportunity of where a vessel can take you, but also of the community out at sea.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/382959/image/large-6174f809cc01abda573d02360838f0f3.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/382959">Why sell?“When we bought her five years ago, we didn’t have a home in Harbor Springs nor in Palm Beach, and in those places we have a few smaller boats, so really it came down to how much time we can use it to justify ownership and costs,” shares Rick. While selling <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/4666" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Probabilty37.2m (122'1&quot;)Delta Marine1997">Probability</a> is a question of logistics, the couple is focused on enjoying the yacht while still theirs.&nbsp;The hope is that someone will buy <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/4666" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Probabilty37.2m (122'1&quot;)Delta Marine1997">Probability</a> who is equally as impressed with the work done by the American shipyard and will care and share the yacht in the same way that Rick and Rebecca have done. The yacht is a labour of love and, when cared for, can embark on many, many more adventures.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/382142/image/large-33d07d628b6c8b865ff523abf68f14c6.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/382142">

ownership delta marina probability

The love, passion and purchase of the 122' Delta Marina Probability, currently for sale. 

Rick & Rebecca Szelc of 37m Probability: "It's always been about sharing our love for the sea"

Born into a Romany-Gypsy family in Lutterworth, Leicestershire, is Alfie Best, self-made businessman, father, and owner of the 27-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/354" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sunseeker (Company)">Sunseeker</a> <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/9510" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Wyldecrest27.1m (88'11&quot;)Sunseeker2021">Wyldecrest</a>. A life shaped by ambition and an unrelenting belief in self-made success, Alfie Best has managed and navigated various enterprises in the United Kingdom, before eventually passing the baton and settling down in Monaco. Leona Caanen sits down with Alfie to discuss his entrepreneurial journey that eventually led to owning a superyacht.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394909/image/large-1cc1e789b82e0d5ad527fa41b674b295.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394909">An entrepreneurial spiritOne thing becomes immediately clear about Alfie, is that he is proud of his origins and especially proud of his family. “I come from a very supportive family, as in, I have a very good mother and father, and have an extremely good family now, which has helped me along the way.” For Alfie, life wasn’t always easy, especially growing up as what he describes as a Gypsy; people judge you based on preconceived ideas, rather than who you are. Yet that element seems to have never bothered Alfie, rather it is precisely this that fuels his work ethic.With the odds against him, Alfie built his wealth starting with nothing. At the age of 14, having dropped out of school two years prior, Alfie ran a business buying and selling vans and cars. By the age of 20, his company nearly went bankrupt, but, unafraid to put in work where needed, Alfie picked up a second job in a phone store. Within weeks, he had opened his own store and over time another twelve more. A decade later he exchanged phones for real estate and established the company he is most widely known for: Wyldecrest Parks.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394910/image/large-fa857286131e1bbd6e35e7b6ae3ffe93.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394910">What started as a residential mobile home park, has expanded throughout the entirety of the United Kingdom, with over a 100 mobile parks, for residency and holidays. The expansion across the UK is in part due to Alfie’s daughter, who has taken over the family business. “My daughter runs the Wyldecrest Mobile Home Park, and I’m very, very proud of her, she has taken the reins and ran with it.” His son also works in the family business, but in sharing the name and not wanting to live in his father’s shadow, he has positioned his focus on his own entrepreneurial journey.The parks are specifically designed for people over 50 wishing to enjoy their retirement. “Simply put, we supply affordable homes”, shares Alfie, yet the reality has proven more complicated than that. &nbsp;Running Wyldecrest Parks has not been without its challenges over the years, with the company facing a period of public scrutiny and regulatory hurdles as it expanded.&nbsp;Alfie, however, appears unphased by the criticism, viewing such obstacles as symptomatic of what he sees as the UK’s lack of support for entrepreneurship: “[the UK] encourages socialism, and it doesn’t work because it stops rewarding competition”. Continuing business as always, Alfie’s focus remains on “supplying affordable homes in the United Kingdom. I know all my employees by name, and I love meeting all my residents as often as I can.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394988/image/large-ba1891d28ddb056b75d435af485bd1be.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394988">Sharing the know-howWith his daughter managing the business in the UK, Alfie has focused his energies on his next entrepreneurial venture: Best Wealth Network - a mentoring platform where successful entrepreneurs can share their know-how with others. “Our mission is to provide unparalleled support, resources, and mentorship to help our members,” shares Alfie.The organisation focuses on providing unparalleled support, resources, and mentorship to “help members achieve their financial goals and lead extraordinary lives. We have people who have done it, lived it, earned it, and bear the scars of their experiences,” Alfie shares, emphasising that he seeks to work with individuals who are not just good at what they do, but have also experienced struggles along the way and understand how to navigate challenges.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394906/image/large-f9149d6ef6d4d332a56b13d886968363.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394906"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/9510" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Wyldecrest27.1m (88'11&quot;)Sunseeker2021">Wyldecrest</a>&nbsp;as a businessWith a desire to navigate a new challenge, Alfie embarked on his next big business adventure of running a successful 27-metre charter yacht named <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/9510" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Wyldecrest27.1m (88'11&quot;)Sunseeker2021">Wyldecrest</a>. Both Alfie and the yacht are currently based in Monaco.With the support of both his parents and his children, and an entrepreneurial mindset, Alfie purchased <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/9510" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Wyldecrest27.1m (88'11&quot;)Sunseeker2021">Wyldecrest</a> back in 2022 with the goal of having it primarily operate as a charter vessel. “I purchased the yacht to start a charter business. Of course, I enjoy it too, but I’m careful not to love it too much: I believe that if you fall in love with what you own, it ends up owning you.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394901/image/large-2d2ce23e691ce4f5e9961b046da97c39.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394901">For Alfie, yacht ownership was never solely about indulgence. It was about positioning, branding and the extension of a commercial vision into another arena; he explains, “everything we do is business. It’s a charter vessel. When I go onboard with my family, I pay to use the yacht. We don’t take free vacations on it.”When searching for the right charter yacht, it was clear from the get-go that it had to be a <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/354" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sunseeker (Company)">Sunseeker</a>. “It’s been a historic British brand, which, at the time of my purchase, was very important to me. A British brand supporting another British business”, Alfie notes.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394904/image/large-e36cf7c2a3ff5d11af7e45d96599b655.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394904">Yet it wasn’t just Alfie’s patriotism that made him pick a <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/354" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sunseeker (Company)">Sunseeker</a>, “the workmanship on a Sunseeker is second to none. On <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/9510" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Wyldecrest27.1m (88'11&quot;)Sunseeker2021">Wyldecrest</a>, we have an electronic platform and a truly phenomenal Beach Club that also made the decision to purchase very easy.”Currently, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/9510" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Wyldecrest27.1m (88'11&quot;)Sunseeker2021">Wyldecrest</a> is for charter with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4536" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="West Nautical (Company)">West Nautical</a> whilst Alfie is working to expand his fleet, and has already scanned the market for the perfect fit. The next yacht he is in the process of purchasing is “a 155 footer able to cross the Atlantic, so we’ll be able to charter in the Caribbean, the Americas, as well as the South of France and the Mediterranean.” Ultimately, the goal is to have a charter fleet of five yachts.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/394908/image/large-3c5ce969ece65f57218f3a921406ca1b.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/394908">

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Alfie Best: From Gypsy to superyacht owner

Currently cruising around the Caribbean is the 35.5-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/358" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Azimut Yachts (Company)">Azimut</a> motor yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2614" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Tail Lights35.46m (116'4&quot;)Azimut Yachts2011">Tail Lights</a>, owned by tech entrepreneur Lee Mandel. After a recent refit, including a full repaint of the superstructure in a non-metallic grey, this gem is meticulously maintained; mainly due to the diligent care provided by her owner, captain and crew. With over six years of ownership also comes vast experience regarding charter and caring for guests. I got the pleasure to chat with Lee about why <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2614" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Tail Lights35.46m (116'4&quot;)Azimut Yachts2011">Tail Lights</a> is so special.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/312481/image/large-2d82503d7ec1f9be4b35a5662a388ebe.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/312481">Tell me a little bit about how you came to own&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2614" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Tail Lights35.46m (116'4&quot;)Azimut Yachts2011">Tail Lights</a>“That's a very easy question to answer. I had a technology company for about 20 years, and our main focus in that company was building school safety and security technology. We took the company global over a couple of years, and we probably saved a lot of lives with the technology that we developed in the USA. When I had the opportunity to sell the company in 2019 to help it grow, I took it.&nbsp;At the time, I was about 39 years old, and I said, I need to do something, something different, to keep me busy and motivated. One of my passions outside of work is boating; I've been a boater my entire life. I boated as a kid growing up. I have such found memories with my family and learning how to boat with my grandfather and father. I figured if I was going to take the plunge into yacht ownership, why not turn it into a business? I purchased <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2614" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Tail Lights35.46m (116'4&quot;)Azimut Yachts2011">Tail Lights</a> as a true business model.I spoke to a lot of people and experts, they said, ‘Look, this is not a profitable business model.’ Well, then I'm going to be the first one to make it a profitable business model. So that's how it came about. Whenever I go do my annual or semi-annual inspections on the vessel, it brings me back and reminds me how hard I worked to get to this point in my life. It's a passion for me, but it's also something that brings me a lot of pleasure when I see guests having the vacation of their lives and hear the great feedback that guests give me after they have a wonderful time with their families and friends; yachting truly brings them together.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/365511/image/large-0fa4c668da228d126c9b500a19bb98b4.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/365511">Then this is much more of an exciting business project for you?“Yes, I call it a passion business. Many yacht owners don't run their yachts as a business; they'll do it for pleasure and hopefully they can get some benefits out of it. I took the opposite approach, for me this is truly a business. When it comes to how you run a business like this, it’s truly the hospitality business at an extreme level. When you run a hospitality business, you've got to be able to analyse what the guests experience and step onboard from time to time: like a secret shopper, so to speak.&nbsp;I'll have different people from different walks of life on the vessel two or three times a year to get an idea of what the experience is like, and give feedback and guidance to my team. This is how we come up with our maintenance periods and determine what needs to be upgraded. When a guest comes on they're not going to necessarily tell you what is wrong. If something is not up to par you may never hear back or they may never book the vessel again. Maybe the issue wasn’t bad enough for them to complain, but it wasn't good enough for them to want to come back. I try to mitigate that by being a secret shopper, or I should say, a secret yachter. I do this to really get an idea of the true guest experience and make sure it's up to par, and make necessary adjustments when needed.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/382796/image/large-a9563b92513a997506375bac60686296.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/382796">Would you say, considering everything you’ve noted, that your business model has been successful?“On average, we do 20 to 25 term charters per year, which is incredible. We focus on maintaining the vessel. When people come on, they say, ‘There's no way this yacht is doing 20 to 25 charters. There's no way this crew or this captain has done this amount of charters.’ This is how I truly measure success.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/365512/image/large-464ce55cef09b4d12fe71cb58a12143e.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/365512">What is your relationship like with the crew?Treating this like a true business, we follow the chain of command: the captain reports directly to me, the crew reports directly to the captain. Captain Sean's been with me for over five years now and he’s an incredible captain; this is a very busy program, and I had to find someone who wants to run and treat it as a business the way I like to run it. Being a captain is not just about driving the yacht, in fact that's the easiest part. Rather, being a captain is like being the COO of a company, and that COO reports directly to me as the CEO of the enterprise. I treat Sean as I do other COOs of my other companies and we have frequent meetings. He also works with my financial team, who handles billing, accounting, purchases, and expenses. Honestly, Sean’s incredible, he brings these guests such pleasure and joy when they have their vacations and the feedback we get is just incredible.There is a book on the vessel, we call it our guest book, where guests can leave feedback or messages. We’ve already filled two of them because every one who steps onboard notes how incredible of a time they’ve had and that they’re eager to come back, or how it brought their family and friends together, or sharing a once in a lifetime experience. Reading these is a great feeling.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/382793/image/large-54de1df21c2bc03a22104a10a924093d.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/382793">The formula in yachting I would say is 20 percent the vessel, and 80 percent the crew. The vessel is a means to transport people from point A to point B. You must maintain it, and keep up with it. You have to make sure it's clean and everything's working and operating, which sounds easy, but it's harder than it seems. I would say 80 percent of charter success is the crew: It's all about the crew and how comfortable they make the guests feel. The entire crew is full time. To support the crew we’ve created our own version of a rotational program where we work with the crew to support them and give them ample time off.The crew truly is family to me, and we do our best to treat them as such. Like I said earlier, the success of the program is all about our crew. They are the ones who really put it all together. Captain Sean is a great leader and wonderful at interacting with the guests.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/365515/image/large-bfc73ee5ed3088ed4660dabc0a6e2763.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/365515">Where does&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/2223" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="HMY Yacht Sales (Company)">HMY Yachts</a>&nbsp;come into all of this? Why partner with them?‘When I purchased <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2614" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Tail Lights35.46m (116'4&quot;)Azimut Yachts2011">Tail Lights</a>, I had never purchased a vessel of this size. A friend of mine recommended <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/2223" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="HMY Yacht Sales (Company)">HMY</a>. I remember standing on the swim platform of my private vessel with this thought to go pursue this business idea. I called <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/2223" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="HMY Yacht Sales (Company)">HMY</a> at 07:30 in the morning and this gentleman named Mike Scalisi picked up the phone. He became my broker in the purchase and, since then, we’ve had an incredible relationship, both business and friendly. Mike then introduced me to Susan Harris, who is our charter yacht broker. Since <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2614" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Tail Lights35.46m (116'4&quot;)Azimut Yachts2011">Tail Lights</a> was already a part of the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/2223" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="HMY Yacht Sales (Company)">HMY</a> charter fleet, Susan mentioned how she’d love to keep it in the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/2223" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="HMY Yacht Sales (Company)">HMY</a> family. I explained to Susan how I intend to run this charter yacht as a business, wanting to do 20 to 25 charters a year. Together with Katie and Kimberly from marketing, we sat down for a meeting, and I fell in love: They are incredible and passionate people that were willing to take on the challenge and made it happen.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/365517/image/large-0dd58c493415c69a87d14fd7aaae53d8.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/365517">Looking aheadI’ve considered upgrading and getting a larger vessel, possibly even a second vessel in the fleet. My dream is to have a vessel that literally goes around the globe every year, and guests can fly into different places. We can even work with our repeat clients to say, ‘Hey, do you want to visit Tahiti’, or ‘would you like to go to the Amalfi coast,’ we can figure out ways to fit everyone into that equation in different destinations around the globe.For now, we're thrilled with what we're doing. We're thrilled with the response from the guests, and the experiences that they've had. You know, to me, it's a passion: when I sold my company, it's something I always wanted to do, and now we're doing it successfully and we continue to move onward and upward.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/312482/image/large-6f334043a3bc98dc01fcfbb9f82cc070.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/312482">This article was first published in the <a href="https://yachtchartermarket.com/p/from-tech-to-charter-lee-mandel-on-owning-tail-lights" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">Yacht Charter Market</a> newsletter. You can read more <a href="https://yachtchartermarket.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.

From Tech to Charter: Lee Mandel on Owning Tail Lights

From tech to charter: How Lee Mandel turned a motoryacht into a business

From Tech to Charter: Lee Mandel on owning the 35m Tail Lights

How an owner turned a lifelong pursuit of independence into a yacht that embodies mobility, mindfulness, and modern design.While the Alpine mountains are what shaped Hubert’s upbringing, it has been the sea that he has longed for. Symbolising the feeling of freedom, shaped by endless horizons, a life at sea seemed like a faraway dream, until he built <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12519" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sitara24.9m (81'8&quot;)VisionF2023">Sitara</a>.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/380635/image/large-1ae8e216482167578cd998845390bedb.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/380635">The value and design of freedom<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12519" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sitara24.9m (81'8&quot;)VisionF2023">Sitara</a> is a 82-foot (24.9-metre) motor yacht catamaran with an aluminium hull and superstructure. Designed for circumnavigation without a crew, Hubert and his wife spent most of their year onboard the catamaran.Becoming an entrepreneur at the age of 28, Hubert shares how “freedom has always been my greatest value.” It’s a word, and a feeling, that echoes through the entire yacht. With her broad 9.9-metre beam and sharp, sculptural lines, she appears not so much constructed as carved out of the very water she cruises. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/380633/image/large-de8b5bd6db94db1858ca097bb00b837d.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/380633">Beneath her sleek exterior lies a philosophy of life: to live deliberately, travel far, and design each day as it comes. “Living a free, self-determined life has always been my goal. Added to that is my love for long, distant journeys,” notes Hubert, “Both goals can be achieved onboard a yacht.”With a professional background in architecture, Hubert approached <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12519" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sitara24.9m (81'8&quot;)VisionF2023">Sitara</a>’s design with the same sensitivity he would apply to any living space: focusing not just on form, but on feeling. “Design is more than aesthetics,” Hubert shares, “It’s about the energy a space gives you.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/380634/image/large-432b430f980389af1ac7a82506e33a4c.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/380634">Onboard <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12519" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sitara24.9m (81'8&quot;)VisionF2023">Sitara</a>, the energy is one of openness and calm. Her interiors, conceived by in collaboration with the owner, are defined by scale and contrast. “Open space,” the owner explains, “is true luxury, whether in a villa or a yacht. Space for big thoughts, big dreams.”Every detail onboard serves that philosophy. Natural textures and clean lines meet in harmony: polished metals reflect soft leather tones, while wood grains ground the modern geometry. “We need contrast in life,” the owner says. “It gives us balance.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/380637/image/large-1ce9b5f5227bc011ebed0ef4138398c8.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/380637">Onboard living The catamaran can accommodate up to six guests and, while it has space for two crew, can also be manned by the owners themselves. “An 82-foot catamaran undoubtedly requires a lot of maintenance and care. The living and deck areas alone are enormous,” Hubert shares, “but <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12519" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sitara24.9m (81'8&quot;)VisionF2023">Sitara</a> is our home; we enjoy working, and we love this very private life.”&nbsp;Most people to step onboard Sitara would travel with a crew, which is more than possible. The 82-footer motor yacht is also designed to be sustainable: the yacht houses “a sophisticated, reliable and highly efficient propulsion system powered by conventional diesel engines (VOLVO IPS). At 7 knots we consume only 21 litres of diesel - incredibly low for a yacht of this size!” Hubert says. With a fuel tank capacity of 15,000 litres, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12519" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sitara24.9m (81'8&quot;)VisionF2023">Sitara</a> can easily make long voyages. Additionally, she houses 34 solar panels, which power the onboard batteries: “After our first season, the 15 kW generator had only operated for 100 hours. That’s peace of mind.” The hybrid setup not only minimises noise and fuel consumption but also reinforces the yacht’s core ethos: quiet, conscious freedom.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/380640/image/large-592cbaeb0d151e6982d27e22f4aac6e2.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/380640">A Home That AdaptsFor the owner, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12519" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sitara24.9m (81'8&quot;)VisionF2023">Sitara</a> was never meant to be static, not in design, purpose, or spirit. “Flexibility was essential,” Hubert notes. “Life changes, and the yacht must change with it.” To that end, the yacht’s layout is remarkably versatile. The office can transform into a guest cabin, utility room, or even crew space. Color schemes and finishing touches can be easily updated; Sitara’s current accents are a vivid orange, but the palette could shift to white, turquoise, or even deep red with minimal effort. “You can change the entire atmosphere without needing to change the architecture.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/380638/image/large-bf5f0075b9085f38179373aa7d910797.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/380638">This adaptability mirrors the owner’s mindset, which values change over permanence. Even while Hubert and his wife currently live onboard, they know that <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12519" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sitara24.9m (81'8&quot;)VisionF2023">Sitara</a> may soon find a new owner. The yacht is currently listed for sale with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/136" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Ocean Independence (Company)">Ocean Independence</a> at €5.9 million, though for now, she remains their floating home. “We took delivery in 2024 and spent our first season in the Mediterranean,” Hubert shares. “Now, we’re exploring the Eastern Mediterranean. Part of living freely is deciding where you live, and when.”The reason Hubert’s put his dream yacht up for sale is because “the excitement in my life is new challenges! As an architect, you're used to designing things for people and creating new living spaces. I can't and won't ignore this inner drive.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/380636/image/large-d83c63f2e56ac341eee637ad3ecf374c.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/380636">Looking AheadWhat comes next for someone who has built their dream yacht? The answer, fittingly, is creation. “Building <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12519" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sitara24.9m (81'8&quot;)VisionF2023">Sitara</a> reawakened a creative joy; that is something I want to keep developing.”Hubert envisions a future in which he gets to design yachts for others seeking a life of freedom and impermanence; for people who “want to escape the daily grind and live self-determined lives. A yacht isn’t a possession,” Hubert reflects, “It’s a platform for freedom.”Looking towards his own future, which is defined solely by a big question mark, Hubert feels excited. “Where and how we'll live after the sale... isn't yet decided. In any case, we'll be living a ‘free life’." Possibly in the cards is a sailing yacht: “My heart still beats for sailing,” Hubert admits. “But for a couple, handling a sailing yacht over 50 feet can be demanding. A motor yacht offers more safety, less effort.” Ultimately, it’s not the yacht that determines your freedom: it’s your mindset.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/380641/image/large-fb4b896142af1c083a5394e34f001a52.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/380641">The Spirit of&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12519" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sitara24.9m (81'8&quot;)VisionF2023">Sitara</a>On the water, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12519" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sitara24.9m (81'8&quot;)VisionF2023">Sitara</a> appears effortless: her twin hulls slicing through glassy blue, her aluminium surfaces catching the sunlight. Yet within her calm precision lies an entire philosophy. She is more than a vessel; she’s a statement about what it means to live without anchors, to chase horizons without losing one’s center.“Freedom reaches its limits sometimes, with authorities, or repairs, or reality itself,” Hubert notes, “But every system has limits. What matters is how you live within them. That’s where life truly begins.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/380632/image/large-eda54183c8fb3baf47091b0aef03c19a.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/380632">

Building Sitara, an 82-foot catamaran: From dream to reality

How an owner turned a lifelong pursuit of independence into a yacht that embodies mobility, mindfulness, and modern design.

It is not every day that one is invited onboard a superyacht with more than a century of history. The 50.29-metre <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> is no ordinary vessel, built in 1906 by the Scottish shipyard <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1068" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Ramage & Ferguson (Company)">Ramage and Ferguson</a>, she has a storied past, having served with the British Royal Navy in both World Wars.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/373893/image/large-bc3383c62d81626c1b1dc806c5e6069c.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/373893">Over the decades, <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 been owned by a succession of prominent figures, including Richard Burton, who famously gifted her to his wife Elizabeth Taylor, as well as Peter de Savary, Vijay Mallya and, most recently, Shirish Saraf, who acquired her at an auction in 2019.SuperYacht Times Features Writer Enrico Chhibber met Saraf at Monaco Classic Week, following the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Event/269" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Cannes Yachting Festival - 2025">Cannes Yachting Festival</a>, to discuss how he came to acquire the yacht, his preferred cruising destinations, and his perspective on India’s emerging presence in the global yachting sector.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/373921/image/large-b541572dd3028e8d9ad8b2b08ad58193.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/373921">From encounter to ownershipUpon stepping into the main saloon, I was greeted by Saraf and invited on a tour. Being onboard felt like walking through a museum, or being transported back in time. “She carries with her a story,” Saraf said with pride, noting that she had “survived two World Wars,” had welcomed “practically every Hollywood legend” and “all of Bollywood, really,” and that “Prince Philip stayed onboard with the Queen when <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 the headquarters of the America’s Cup for Peter de Savary.”“I saw her truly as something very special, not just a yacht, but a piece of art. She is art on sea, you know,” said Saraf.Saraf first encountered <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 1996, when she was moored in <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/3474" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Dubai Creek Marina (Company)">Dubai Creek</a> under the ownership of Vijay Mallya. “I had just finished a round of golf with her captain during a tournament,” he recalled. “He asked if I wanted to come onboard. I went with my father, but at the time I never imagined I would one day become her owner.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/373924/image/large-8cf25ddbb56bcaae13e9cd5c2cc3779c.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/373924">By 2004, Saraf had begun to take a greater interest in boating. He owned a small day boat and began spending more time at sea, often cruising the Mediterranean during the summer.When the opportunity arose in 2019, Saraf acquired <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 auction in Sri Lanka. What captivated him was not merely her form, but the layered history she embodies. He emphasised “the fact that she is still recognised. I was at the restaurant La Réserve de Beaulieu, and the general manager came out because the bar displayed photos 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> and Elizabeth Taylor arriving for Princess Grace’s 40th birthday in 1969. It is all there, in French, on the walls.”When Saraf took ownership, his priority was to restore <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> to her former glory while preserving her historical character. The first phase of her restoration began in Colombo, followed by a more extensive refit at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/6770" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Adriatic 42 (Company)">Adriatic 42</a> in Montenegro, where Palazzo Morelli oversaw the interior works. Most recently, she spent the winter in Malta for further refit, managed by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1372" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="West Coast Marine (Sea Waif) (Company)">West Coast Marine</a>.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/373894/image/large-c86bbac206a52e1597866767881a0b98.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/373894">Favourite cruising destinations&nbsp;“For me, it’s all about the water quality. I never really like to stay in the marina. Normally I’m anchored in the middle of the sea, somewhere quiet with friends, without too many buildings in sight,” he recounted.Saraf expressed a clear preference for the Mediterranean over the Caribbean, highlighting Corsica, Sicily and the Aeolian Islands, including Panarea and Stromboli, along with Malta, Montenegro and Croatia. “The Turkish coast is my favourite,” he added. “Gocek and all of those areas are really lovely.”Beyond the Mediterranean, Saraf has spent extended periods in Sri Lanka and has cruised the Lakshadweep islands. One destination he still hopes to visit is &nbsp;Raja Ampat in Indonesia.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/373915/image/large-3bd8fddc2e0c0f222003bed879c5e4aa.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/373915">India’s potential as a yachting destination and marketThe conversation then turned to India’s potential as both a yachting market and a cruising destination. Saraf offered a measured view of the country’s role in global yachting, distinguishing between its growing base of yacht owners and its limited appeal as a cruising ground. “Over time that will happen,” he said, referring to Indian ownership. “The typical Indian businessman is only now, after twenty years of economic growth, reaching a stage of wealth and maturity where yachting becomes a realistic pursuit. The second generation is beginning to grow up with friends who already have yachts.”Saraf added that “Indians tend to be more cost-conscious than the rest of the world. If you look at it purely from an economic perspective, superyachts shouldn’t be owned.” He went on to explain that ownership, for him, is driven by emotion rather than calculation. “This is something you love,” he reflected. “Why do I own <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 not charter? Because where do I find the crew? The crew brings the soul to this life, they’re like family. From the moment you step onboard until you leave, it feels like home. Having my own yacht also means I am the master of my fate.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/373917/image/large-fbf40af47a28e0c7504c07a623b3cb54.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/373917">From a cultural perspective, Saraf also noted that many wealthy Indians spend more time in London than at sea. “Indians are not really people of the sea,” he observed. “They haven’t had that exposure. I did, because I grew up in Oman, but in India, apart from Goa or Kerala, where would you go?”On India as a yachting destination, Saraf maintained that the country’s lack of infrastructure and bureaucratic constraints continue to limit its potential. “There is not much water to cruise around there,” he explained. “You can keep your yacht in the Maldives, which is good, but most Indians prefer to stay in a resort rather than cruise.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/373922/image/large-90666725ab450b2de9a5cb7c1ea3b918.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/373922">He went on to describe how limited marina capacity, regulatory hurdles and security restrictions continue to make yacht cruising in India challenging. “There is not even basic infrastructure yet,” he said. “Even Goa does not have proper facilities. Since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, regulations have become stricter. Owners must now notify the Coast Guard weeks in advance, and in places such as Lakshadweep, each island requires a separate visa, and approvals can take months.”Looking ahead When asked whether he planned to acquire another yacht, Saraf replied with characteristic clarity. “No,” he said, later revealing, “I do have plans to put <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 the charter market.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/373895/image/large-32b425e760c7fd2ed70a317a359b4fc6.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/373895"> His approach reflects both pragmatism and reverence. As custodian of one of the world’s most storied vessels, Saraf views ownership less as possession and more as preservation, ensuring that <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 legacy, from her Royal Navy service to her Hollywood chapter, continues to endure. Images of Shirish Saraf provided by Captain Saini Surendra

Shirish Saraf on Kalizma preserving a century of history

Shirish Saraf reveals how he came to own Kalizma, and reflects on India’s potential as a superyacht market and destination.

Inside Shirish Saraf’s journey with Kalizma, the century-old superyacht

It isn’t every day that the superyacht press finds itself on a video call with one of the most influential figures in technology. But when Gabe Newell, co-founder of Valve and now shareholder at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/64" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Oceanco (Company)">Oceanco</a>, appeared on screen for a private roundtable with a select group of journalists during the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Event/271" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Monaco Yacht Show - 2025">Monaco Yacht Show</a>, the atmosphere was one of curiosity and anticipation. For an hour, he spoke candidly about his unlikely journey into yachting, his vision for research-led fleets and why he believes there will always be interesting technologies and opportunities to build more boats.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/372661/image/large-efbaa1c91bfa6988f938d8e2732895dd.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/372661">“I wasn’t interested in yachts at all,” he admitted with disarming honesty over the call, explaining how a surprise charter onboard the 77.6-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/270" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vosper Thornycroft (Company)">Vosper Thornycroft</a> <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/301" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="M577.6m (254'7&quot;)Vosper Thornycroft2004">M5</a> (ex. Mirabella) for his ex-wife’s 50th birthday turned into the start of a lifelong passion. “I thought I was going to be miserable. Instead, I discovered this incredible way to spend time with friends and family.”That first charter led to many more. Then came ownership. Then, inevitably, came shipbuilding. Today, Newell not only owns a growing fleet, but also lives full-time at sea. “Other than a couple of months in 2021, I’ve been living onboard ever since the pandemic,” he said, leaning back in his chair on screen. His three cats, he joked, are just as bemused as he is when the captain informs them which vessel they’re moving to next.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/319785/image/large-4bb2a8fa9dff74386dd0cf81c8991888.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/319785">The scale and diversity of Newell’s fleet is unusual, even by superyacht standards. He counts the 78.5-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/10" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Rocinante78.5m (257'7&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2008">Rocinante</a> as his first acquisition, the 72.15-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1821" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Damen Yachting (Company)">Damen Yachting</a> yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/5955" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Game Changer72.15m (236'9&quot;)Damen Yachting2017">Game Changer</a> as a support vessel, and both <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/4018" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Draak91.5m (300'2&quot;)Oceanco2014">Draak</a> and the new-build 111-metre superyacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/10354" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Leviathan111.0m (364'2&quot;)Oceanco2025">Leviathan</a> by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/64" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Oceanco (Company)">Oceanco</a> as those included under his ownership. Beyond the traditional yachts, however, lies an array of research platforms, including the 68.2-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/3754" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Tacoma Boat Building Co (Company)">Tacoma Boat Building</a> vessel <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/10637" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Dagon68.28m (224'0&quot;)Tacoma Boat Building Co1985">Dagon</a> which operates as a full-ocean-depth surface platform and the 55.75-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1643" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Auroux (Company)">Auroux</a> vessel <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2832" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Hydra55.75m (182'11&quot;)Auroux1974">Hydra</a> which is designed for coastal studies.&nbsp;He also has a 35-metre sportfisher in development at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/474" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Yachting Developments (Company)">Yachting Developments</a>, that will travel with the main boat and the support boat, and has signed an agreement with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4590" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vard Group AS (Company)">Vard</a> for the 100-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/15856" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="RV6000100.0m (328'1&quot;)Vard Group AS2028">RV6000</a>, which will carry a 6,000-metre-capable remotely operated vehicle for submarine rescue and ocean science, and the research vessel <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/17142" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="RV11000162.0m (531'6&quot;)Vard Group AS2030">RV11000</a>, which is still in development.&nbsp;While the fleet is diverse, the vision is consistent that yachts are not just used as platforms for leisure, but as tools for exploration and science. Through Inkfish, his marine research organisation, Newell supports scientists with access to deep-sea technology, from advanced ROVs to mapping equipment. “Our focus is to be a service organisation to the scientific community,” he explained. “We ask scientists directly, what’s helpful? Sometimes that means getting them to critical parts of the ocean. Sometimes it means grants to process the data we collect. The point is to be led by science, not by ego.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/367974/image/large-ea8d38f7ced1d8b2d5c392d963d93997.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/367974">At one point during the call, he described how high-school students had boarded his research vessels, watching specimens being prepared, and later wrote to ask when the boats would return. He smiled as he recounted their excitement: “That’s the impact I want to see. When the community says, ‘You’re coming back? Hooray!’ then we know we’re doing it right.”If his research ambitions are ambitious, his philosophy as a yacht owner is just as striking. Newell has imported the mindset of a software engineer into yacht design, thinking in terms of productivity and user experience.On <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/10354" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Leviathan111.0m (364'2&quot;)Oceanco2025">Leviathan</a>, for instance, the deck is not teak but <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7672" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Bolidt (Company)">Bolidt</a>. “I’d rather the crew spend less time polishing decks and more time interacting with guests,” he said. “It’s about maximising the valuable experiences onboard. Do you want your crew polishing chrome, or taking your child out on a Jet Ski? To me, it’s obvious.”That approach extends deeper, with crew actively designing tenders, galleys and operational spaces. “We started by asking our dive team to design their own tender. The results were so good that we realised, the more you involve the crew in design, the better the outcomes.” On screen, he gave a small shrug as if to say the idea was obvious, though it represents a radical departure from how most yachts are conceived.Few yacht owners speak as comfortably about CNC machining, AI models or pressure vessels as they do about cruising grounds. For Newell, technology is not an accessory to his yachting, but the foundation of it. A self-taught machinist who once kept a five-axis CNC mill in his living room, he now funds advanced material research. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/367451/image/large-26f50ff0e23faff563f5ba25af0026b5.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/367451">One project in partnership explores aluminium oxynitride, a transparent ceramic stronger than titanium. “It’s so strong that titanium becomes the gasket material,” he said, eyes lighting up through the video link. The aim, to build a fully transparent, full-ocean-depth submersible hull.Newell was also an early funder of OpenAI, and speaks enthusiastically about applying machine learning to shipbuilding. “Putting stress and strain gauges everywhere, collecting time-series data and comparing it to model predictions, that’s where AI can validate and improve design. It’s about putting shipbuilding in front of the wave of technological advancement.”Examples already in place include pathogen-detection systems onboard to identify influenza or RSV, and discussions around bridge systems that use augmented reality to detect submerged objects at night. “Machine vision is already better than humans in many cases,” he said. “It’s just about integrating it in a way that enhances safety.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/372683/image/large-fde494e79d89a678a296d7074c300d04.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/372683">Gabe Newell acquired <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/64" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Oceanco (Company)">Oceanco</a> in August 2025, stating he intends to support and reinforce its existing culture, which he views as effective, principled and forward-looking. The investment in <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/64" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Oceanco (Company)">Oceanco</a> itself stemmed not from a cold business calculation, but from a sense of belonging. Building <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/10354" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Leviathan111.0m (364'2&quot;)Oceanco2025">Leviathan</a> with the yard’s CEO Marcel Onkenhout and his team created a natural partnership for Newell.“It didn’t feel adversarial. It felt like collaboration,” Newell explained. “I was fanboying all over Marcel and his team. The quality made me root for them. Eventually it was like, how can I be part of this team too?” The result was a formal stake in <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/64" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Oceanco (Company)">Oceanco</a>, but with a philosophy that profit alone is not the driver. “The goal is to create happy customers. Profit is just the signal that you’re doing better than others. My focus is on how to make already brilliant yachts even more valuable to owners.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/365665/image/large-908318675f42f6a91544e68f54985a77.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/365665">For Newell, the process of designing and building yachts has become as much a joy as the finished vessels themselves. “I’ll actually be sad when <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/10354" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Leviathan111.0m (364'2&quot;)Oceanco2025">Leviathan</a> is delivered, because I’ve loved working with the team,” he admitted via the video link. Asked whether he will always be building yachts, he admitted that it's an ongoing conversation and that there will always be interesting opportunities to move technology forward in the industry, in ways that might be too risky to ask another owner to take on. “In those cases, we could look at a speculative project or something I’d build myself, which gives the yard more design freedom. But it depends on what the team at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/64" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Oceanco (Company)">Oceanco</a> wants to try.”It is a revealing answer. For an industry often shrouded in secrecy, Newell brings not only capital and innovation, but a refreshing openness. He jokes about his cats, shares anecdotes of his children, and speaks earnestly about wanting yachts to be seen as good actors in the communities they visit.Marcel, speaking towards the end of the call, agreed wholeheartedly. “What has always bothered me most in 30 years is the secrecy and gossip,” he reflected. “In the years ahead, we want to lead by example, and transparency will be part of that.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/367971/image/large-02a0541df7b4d8e25e92bf73af030e34.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/367971">Gabe also noted that many of his peers in the American tech world “aren’t nearly as aware of yachts and yachting as a lot of people in Europe,” and that simply getting them onboard could be transformative. “It’s a little like shooting fish in a barrel,” he said with a grin. “There are so many people who would never think about yachts, but once they experience it, they’ll realise it has an important role to play in their lives.” For Newell, the challenge lies in making the sales process experiential, because simply getting potential owners onboard, he argued, is often enough to change perceptions entirely.As the call drew to a close, he turned the tables on the assembled journalists: “What do you want <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/64" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Oceanco (Company)">Oceanco</a> to do?” It was a fitting end from a man whose career has been built on questioning assumptions, listening closely and then reimagining what is possible.

Gabe Newell: Life at sea and building the future with Oceanco

Gabe Newell speaks about his fleet, Oceanco investment and vision for yachting innovation.

From gaming to yachting: Gabe Newell on life at sea and building the future with Oceanco

The 79.8-metre Amels 80 yacht Project Zurich has departed the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1821" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Damen Yachting (Company)">Damen Yachting</a> facility in Vlissingen in preparation for her delivery. According to AIS, the yacht is now displaying the name <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12881" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Germaine79.8m (261'10&quot;)Amels2026">Germaine</a> and is making her way towards the United Kingdom before continuing on to the Baltic Sea and the Norwegian fjords.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/399654/image/large-b7461a17785f4163a57ead5ef41034d3.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/399654">Launched in March 2026, the third <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/18" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amels (Company)">Amels</a> 80 yacht features exterior design by Espen Øino International, with naval architecture by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1821" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Damen Yachting (Company)">Damen Yachting</a> and a custom interior design by an award-winning interior design team, which remains confidential.Described by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1821" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Damen Yachting (Company)">Damen Yachting</a> as being “distinguished by a refined contemporary character”, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12881" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Germaine79.8m (261'10&quot;)Amels2026">Germaine</a>'s innovative interior design features a carefully curated collection of contemporary art by international artists, which have been integrated throughout the yacht.<img src="https://syt-store-production.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/photo/397930/image/large-d20f4b28ba62e8fb0644568654fd0d55.jpg?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&amp;X-Amz-Credential=AKIA52TLVJASOPFTPHWY%2F20260709%2Feu-west-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&amp;X-Amz-Date=20260709T143751Z&amp;X-Amz-Expires=900&amp;X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&amp;X-Amz-Signature=ab18982d169cceeff10a13661e5baa4bedad43e10a70e9a331c8eee2728f26b9" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/397930">"Project Zurich has been an exceptionally rewarding yacht to bring to life,” explained Sander Peeters, Project Manager at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1821" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Damen Yachting (Company)">Damen Yachting</a>. “From the very beginning, the collaboration with the designers and the owner’s representative team was defined by clarity, trust and a remarkably fluid exchange of ideas.”Construction on the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/18" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amels (Company)">Amels</a> 80 yacht began in 2023, with the yacht seen for the first time in November 2024 when her hull was launched from the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1821" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Damen Yachting (Company)">Damen Yachting</a> facility in Galati, Romania, before she was transferred to the Netherlands for outfitting.Read more: <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Article/62113" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Hull of third Amels 80 superyacht launched and preparing for outfitting (2024-11-28 14:15:00 +0100)">Hull of third Amels 80 superyacht launched and preparing for outfitting</a><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/397929/image/large-f2517c13ec6db813dd76f01d08744f3c.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/397929"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12881" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Germaine79.8m (261'10&quot;)Amels2026">Germaine</a> can comfortably accommodate up to 14 guests across seven sumptuous staterooms, with her master suite situated on a dedicated owner’s deck. Her remaining six guest staterooms are located on the main deck, while crew accommodation for 20, plus the captain is on the lower deck.This <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/18" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Amels (Company)">Amels</a> 80 yacht includes a 6.5-metre glass-bottomed pool on her main deck aft, which also serves as a skylight for her beach club below. Opening up on three-sides, the space offers direct access to the water.<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12881" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Germaine79.8m (261'10&quot;)Amels2026">Germaine</a>'s beach club incorporates a comprehensive wellness and spa area featuring a gym, hammam and sauna, while further signature elements include a spacious sun deck, complete with a Jacuzzi.

Project Zurich: Amels 80 yacht delivered and named Germaine

The Amels 80 yacht Project Zurich has departed the Damen Yachting facility in preparation for her delivery displaying the name Germaine on AIS.

Amels 80 yacht Project Zurich delivered and named Germaine

<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/584" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Pershing S.p.a. (Company)">Pershing</a> has announced the launch of the first 27.97-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/17226" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Pershing GTX90/0127.97m (91'9&quot;)Pershing S.p.a.2026">Pershing GTX90</a> yacht on 1 July at the port of Fano in Italy.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/399651/image/large-48103691913c2a729257153a5c90d2a5.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/399651">The <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/17226" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Pershing GTX90/0127.97m (91'9&quot;)Pershing S.p.a.2026">Pershing GTX90</a> yacht expands the GTX range and is the result of a joint effort between <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/289" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Studio Vallicelli Design (Company)">Vallicelli Design</a> studio and the Group’s Engineering Department. Construction began at the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4876" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Ferretti Group (Company)">Ferretti Group</a> Plug and Mould facility and was completed in the new Mondolfo production area where the GTX range is built.&nbsp;The new sport utility yacht incorporates several of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/584" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Pershing S.p.a. (Company)">Pershing</a>’s distinct features, such as a slightly convex sheer line running from bow to stern and the vertical bow. Her overall appearance expresses sportiness, with a contemporary silhouette, while staying true to <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/584" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Pershing S.p.a. (Company)">Pershing</a>'s DNA.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/399652/image/large-cbf95dd307eb52bd370394e2e58c44ed.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/399652">Moving inside, the main deck saloon includes a generous C-shaped sofa for socialising and relaxation, while her port side deck is equipped with a large bar counter with three stools, fridges, an ice maker, and a dish washer, while her dining table seating eight is positioned on the opposite side.Spanning two decks and a sportbridge, the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/17226" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Pershing GTX90/0127.97m (91'9&quot;)Pershing S.p.a.2026">Pershing GTX90</a> yacht can accommodate up to eight guests across four comfortable staterooms on the lower deck, comprising a full-beam owner's suite amidships, a VIP stateroom forward and two guest staterooms.Designed to optimise the use of every single space onboard, her master suite extends across the yacht’s full beam. There are also two double crew cabins with private bathrooms and a direct connection to the main galley, ensuring smooth operation and efficient service.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/399650/image/large-b637da805d41d84f2e5bd0f5d18c228d.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/399650">The helm station of the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/17226" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Pershing GTX90/0127.97m (91'9&quot;)Pershing S.p.a.2026">Pershing GTX90</a> yacht is in the bow and is fitted with three pilot chairs, an optional electrically operated skylight and access to both side walkways leading to the forward area.&nbsp;This space features a sunpad and a dinette fitted with an electric table which moves up and down, offering flexibility to be used as a single sunbathing space with additional seating and direct access to the water.&nbsp;At her stern, the raised cockpit of the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/17226" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Pershing GTX90/0127.97m (91'9&quot;)Pershing S.p.a.2026">Pershing GTX90</a> yacht includes two swing-down side terraces, which extend her beam to its widest point in the cockpit area and increase the deck space to 37 square-metres. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/399653/image/large-0324ed23881e7aaa4f5d45bb13189868.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/399653">Her cockpit features a spacious panoramic sunpad, with storage beneath for two Seabobs, and a lounge area in the shade of the superstructure, with a forward-facing sofa and two coffee tables.One of the standout features of the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/17226" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Pershing GTX90/0127.97m (91'9&quot;)Pershing S.p.a.2026">Pershing GTX90</a> yacht is her spacious 33-square-metre sportbridge, which offers over 43 percent more deck space than the average for yachts of this size.A sunbathing area is positioned aft, with a coffee table in the centre of the yacht furnished with a dinette and two large sofas, all of which are sheltered under a generously sized hard top. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/399649/image/large-c63a3fccd3fab40dedfbcb0b6451aee9.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/399649">The central helm station forward is equipped with three pilot chairs and two control tunnels fitted with azimuth levers. While her double garage can house a <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4203" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Williams Jet Tenders (Company)">Williams</a> 395 SportJet tender and a Sea-Doo Spark Trixx Jet Ski.In terms of performance, the first <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/17226" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Pershing GTX90/0127.97m (91'9&quot;)Pershing S.p.a.2026">Pershing GTX90</a> yacht is powered by twin <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1441" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="MAN (Company)">MAN</a> V12X engines delivering 2,200 horsepower each, coupled with a pair of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/2027" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Castoldi S.p.A. (Company)">Castoldi</a> TurboDrive 600 HCT waterjets. The yacht has CE Class A certification and is the first unit fitted with two <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/2383" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Seakeeper, Inc. (Company)">Seakeeper</a> 18 gyroscopic stabilisers.

Pershing GTX90: First 28m yacht launched

Pershing has announced the launch of the first 27.97-metre Pershing GTX90 yacht on 1 July at the port of Fano in Italy.

First 28m Pershing GTX90 yacht launched

The 24.66-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1912" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Princess Yachts (Company)">Princess</a> motor yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12059" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alexandra II24.66m (80'11&quot;)Princess Yachts2021">Alexandra II</a> has been sold, with Joe Hill of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1912" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Princess Yachts (Company)">Princess</a> Motor Yacht Sales representing the buyer and Michael St Pierre of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1912" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Princess Yachts (Company)">Princess Yachts</a> Monaco representing the seller.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/399631/image/large-8f34e0131262236d33d87a4d5a1b0a04.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/399631">Delivered in 2021, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12059" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alexandra II24.66m (80'11&quot;)Princess Yachts2021">Alexandra II</a> is a <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1912" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Princess Yachts (Company)">Princess</a> S78 featuring exterior design and naval architecture by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/2740" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Olesinski Ltd. (Company)">Olesinski</a>. Meanwhile, her interior was designed in-house by her British builder, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1912" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Princess Yachts (Company)">Princess Yachts</a>.Constructed with a GRP hull and superstructure, the motor yacht has a beam of 5.76-metres and an interior volume of 78 GT. Accommodation onboard is arranged for up to four guests across eight well-appointed staterooms. Dedicated quarters are available for a crew of two, including her captain.In terms of performance, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12059" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alexandra II24.66m (80'11&quot;)Princess Yachts2021">Alexandra II</a> is powered by twin <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1441" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="MAN (Company)">MAN</a> engines, propelling her to a top speed of 39 knots and a cruising speed of 37 knots.At the time of her sale, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12059" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Alexandra II24.66m (80'11&quot;)Princess Yachts2021">Alexandra II</a> had a last known asking price of €3,700,000. Image courtesy of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1912" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Princess Yachts (Company)">Princess Yachts</a>.

25m Princess S78 motor yacht Alexandra II sold

The 25m Princess S78 motor yacht Alexandra II has been sold with a last known asking price of €3,700,000.

25m Princess motor yacht Alexandra II sold

<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1312" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="MarineMax (Company)">MarineMax</a> has announced the sale of a <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12830" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Azimut Grande 32/3632.0m (104'12&quot;)Azimut Yachts2025">2025 Azimut Grande 32 Metri</a>, with Roberto Borges representing the buyer.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/361877/image/large-f01070af2377efd83b0702cec9441623.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/361877">The 32-metre flybridge yacht features interiors by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/563" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Salvagni Architetti (Company)">Salvagni Architetti</a> and naval architecture by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5244" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="PierLuigi Ausonio Naval Architecture (Company)">PierLuigi Ausonio Naval Architecture</a>. Meanwhile, she showcases a sculptural exterior profile designed by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/254" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Stefano Righini Design (Company)">Stefano Righini Design</a>.With a volume of 212 GT, she accommodates up to 10 guests across five well-appointed staterooms. Onboard, guests can enjoy two beach clubs, a generous forward deck and seamless indoor-outdoor living and entertaining areas.The Azimut Grande 32 Metri has a beam of 7.3-metres and a shallow draft of 1.9-metres. 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, she cruises at 21 knots and reaches a top speed of 26.5 knots.

Azimut Grande 32/36 motor yacht sold

Marine Max has announced the sale of the Azimut Grande 32 Metri/36.

The <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8923" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Virgin Islands Shipping & Maritime Authority (Company)">Virgin Islands Shipping and Maritime Authority (VISMA)</a> has launched a new Yacht Engaged in Trade (YET) programme, providing British Virgin Islands (BVI)-flagged superyachts with a formal path to combine private use with limited commercial chartering in Greek, Monaco and French waters.The certification, which comes under a newly published <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8923" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Virgin Islands Shipping & Maritime Authority (Company)">Virgin Islands Shipping and Maritime Authority (VISMA)</a>, only applies to BVI-flagged yachts measuring 24-metres and above.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/285871/image/large-8fcbfd6ecd33123efe76d4c151e81472.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/285871">According to <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8923" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Virgin Islands Shipping & Maritime Authority (Company)">VISMA</a>, owners may retain their Pleasure Certificate of British Registry while taking on a temporary Yacht Engaged in Trade (YET) certificate for the duration of each charter period, for up to a maximum of 84 days per year. Once the charter concludes, the yacht's pleasure certificate is reinstated without requiring conversion to full commercial registration.<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8923" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Virgin Islands Shipping & Maritime Authority (Company)">VISMA</a> also stated that owners are no longer required to leave European Union waters to complete new import or export formalities when switching between private and charter use.&nbsp;Under the programme, yachts may operate on either basis during the 18-month Temporary Admission period without further customs formalities, provided the relevant conditions are met. Yachts with VAT-paid status or in Free Circulation are not subject to the 18-month limit.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/363128/image/large-9de6013ee3a3b56cf02c66b85dc42db8.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/363128">The programme is intended for yachts already operating to a commercial standard. To qualify, vessels must measure at least 24-metres in load line length, hold class certification and comply with the Red Ensign Group Yacht Code, the Maritime Labour Convention, the International Safety Management Code and the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code.Furthermore, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8923" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Virgin Islands Shipping & Maritime Authority (Company)">VISMA</a> verifies compliance through a survey before issuing a Yacht Engaged in Trade Certificate of Compliance, which must be held before each charter period.Charters are limited to 84 days annually and may carry no more than 12 passengers. For non-VAT-paid yachts, charters can currently only commence in Greek, Monaco or French waters. During charter periods, yachts operate under commercial requirements and remain subject to Port State Control inspections under the Paris Memorandum of Understanding.Commenting on the programme, Business Development Manager at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8923" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Virgin Islands Shipping & Maritime Authority (Company)">VISMA</a>, Georgios Bazos, said: "This gives BVI-flagged yachts operating in Europe the opportunity to charter for part of the year while keeping their private registration for the rest. It's a natural next step for the registry, and one more option for owners who want flexibility without added complexity."

VISMA launches 84-day European charter programme for BVI-flagged superyachts

VISMA has launched a new programme, allowing BVI-flagged superyachts up to 84 days of commercial chartering in selected European waters. 

<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4585" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Idea Yachting (Company)">Idea Yachting</a> has announced the appointment of Gianluca Magini as Yacht Broker. He brings more than 35 years of industry experience to the role.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/399630/image/large-60c4bafd1fb33034f3fce28e0d1cd9cf.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/399630">According to the company, Gianluca’s appointment will strengthen its presence across the Mediterranean. Introduced to the world of boating from an early age, he has built his entire career around the industry. He began his career with Ilver, where he gained hands-on experience through yacht refits, deliveries and participation in leading international boat shows.Moreover, Gianluca has been delivering yachts throughout the Mediterranean, particularly to Sardinia and Corsica since 1986. Through this experience, he was able to develop extensive technical expertise and nurture long-standing industry relationships. He later founded his own company in 2000, becoming an official Rodman dealer before going on to represent <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/79" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Platinum Yachts FZCO (Company)">Platinum Yachts</a>.Fluent in Italian, English, French and Spanish, Gianluca is currently based in Lavagna and is positioned to assist <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4585" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Idea Yachting (Company)">Idea Yachting's</a> international clients.Photo courtesy of&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4585" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Idea Yachting (Company)">Idea Yachting</a>.

Gianluca Magini Idea Yachting Yacht Broker

Idea Yachting has announced the appointment of Gianluca Magini as yacht broker.

Gianluca Magini joins Idea Yachting as Yacht Broker

The 40.05-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/354" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sunseeker (Company)">Sunseeker</a> motor yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/5947" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Aroha40.05m (131'5&quot;)Sunseeker2016">Aroha</a> has been sold. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/2429" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Absolute Yachting (Company)">Absolute Boat</a> introduced the buyer, while Ed Dickinson of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/526" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Northrop & Johnson (Company)">Northrop &amp; Johnson</a>, in a joint central agency with Matthew Ruane of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/2989" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Cecil Wright (Company)">Cecil Wright &amp; Partners</a>, represented the seller.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/333378/image/large-949e06eb85c9e3662f392d4844bef3b4.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/333378"><a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/5947" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Aroha40.05m (131'5&quot;)Sunseeker2016">Aroha</a> is the fourth hull in the Sunseeker 131 series and was delivered in 2016. She features three decks, with a sleek exterior and inviting interior, both designed by the British shipyard.Inside, her modern interiors are distinguished by floor-to-ceiling windows that illuminate satin-finished American walnut wall panels. A palette of silver and grey tones is complemented by Fendi furnishings. Her skylounge serves as a secondary social space, complete with a home cinema setup, a waterfall feature and a wet bar.With a volume of 342GT, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/5947" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Aroha40.05m (131'5&quot;)Sunseeker2016">Aroha</a> accommodates up to 12 guests across five staterooms. Her layout comprises a full-beam master suite on the main deck and four guest suites on the lower deck. The sundeck features a custom bar, Jacuzzi and sunpads, while a private seating area is located on the bow.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/5947" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Aroha40.05m (131'5&quot;)Sunseeker2016">Aroha</a> has a cruising speed of 18 knots and a top speed of 23 knots.&nbsp;She had a last known asking price of €11,995,000 at the time of her sale.Photo courtesy of&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/526" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Northrop & Johnson (Company)">Northrop &amp; Johnson</a>.

Sunseeker yacht Aroha sold

The 40.05-metre Sunseeker motor yacht Aroha has been sold.

40m Sunseeker superyacht Aroha sold

Plymouth-based boat refit company Yacht Solutions Europe has gone into liquidation, with debts of more than £600,000 likely to remain unpaid.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/399628/image/large-90cdcccefd37fd95c414dc2c921b672b.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/399628">Yacht Solutions Europe focused on yacht refit and repairs, with services including engineering, retrofitting, carpentry, upholstery and upgrades. They worked on projects worldwide and opened a base in Florida, USA, in 2023.Yacht Solutions Europe was founded in 2021 by two former <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1912" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Princess Yachts (Company)">Princess Yachts</a> employees, Paul Eccles and Dave Watson, after the collapse of a previous business, Yacht Solutions Worldwide Ltd.&nbsp;The assets were sold to Yacht Solutions Europe in a pre-pack deal and was dissolved in 2024, leaving debts of more than £282,000 unpaid, with the company now entering creditors’ voluntary liquidation.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/399629/image/large-a78e5de8571b860d8e0ffc83ed261014.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/399629">Documents filed on Companies House show assets of about £18,000 which will be used to pay nine employees and the pension scheme, however there is less than £1,000 left for other creditors, which include more than £176,000 owed to HM Revenue and Customs, nearly £85,000 owed to a lender, around £160,000 owed to six other banks and institutions and £82,500 owed to workers as unsecured creditors.There are 21 trade creditors claiming a combined £34,700, while the American arm Yacht Solutions USA is claiming £71,000. Yacht Solutions Europe’s statement of affairs also revealed that an estimated £608,522 will end up being unpaid.Steve Henson, Managing Director at Devon’s Castle Hill Insolvency, has been appointed joint-liquidator.

Yacht Solutions Europe enters liquidation

Yacht Solutions Europe has gone into liquidation, with debts of more than £600,000 likely to remain unpaid.

Yacht Solutions Europe enters liquidation with more than £600k unpaid debt

The 24.6-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/358" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Azimut Yachts (Company)">Azimut</a> motor yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/17222" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Jr 2823.6m (77'5&quot;)Azimut Yachts2020">Jr 28</a> has been listed on the market with Matt Palmer and Edoardo Turati of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/526" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Northrop & Johnson (Company)">Northrop &amp; Johnson</a>. Delivered in 2020, the <a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/directories/yachts/for-sale" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">yacht for sale</a> is the final <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/358" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Azimut Yachts (Company)">Azimut</a> 77S ever delivered. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/399499/image/large-f25d9db87cb1487a4f7095ae1488818b.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/399499">The <a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/directories/yachts/for-sale/of-type=motor" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">motor yacht for sale</a> features exterior design by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/254" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Stefano Righini Design (Company)">Stefano Righini</a>, while her interiors were penned by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/436" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Galeazzi Design (Company)">Galeazzi Design</a>.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/399572/image/large-c8d297fa1d58e4e6aab2c47ca6dae062.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/399572" 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;">Constructed with a carbon fibre superstructure,&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/17222" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Jr 2823.6m (77'5&quot;)Azimut Yachts2020">Jr 28</a>&nbsp;is lightweight build with a sporty profile and the convertible Sport Fly configuration. The <a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/directories/yachts/for-sale" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">yacht for sale</a> has been privately owned since new, and has been maintained by a single owner.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/399552/image/large-23c395b161cf754e2fad53bc81d5aba9.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/399552" 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/399523/image/large-30b541ae69b2df8f4369453df678e88e.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/399523">In terms of outdoor living, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/17222" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Jr 2823.6m (77'5&quot;)Azimut Yachts2020">Jr 28</a> boasts an aft cockpit arranged for alfresco dining, while the Sport Fly houses a secondary helm station, lounge seating and sun pads. Forward, a spacious sunbathing area is complemented by generous lounge seating, while her hydraulic swim platform grants easy access to the water, and can accommodate a tender of up to 3.85-metres alongside a Jet Ski.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/399553/image/large-1985ae807023835aaf3528666542bc11.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/399553">Stepping inside, the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/17222" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Jr 2823.6m (77'5&quot;)Azimut Yachts2020">yacht Jr 28 for sale</a> embraces a bright, contemporary interior by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/436" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Galeazzi Design (Company)">Carlo Galeazzi</a>, featuring soft neutral furnishings, dark wood cabinetry and light carpeting. Her open-plan main saloon leads to a formal dining area, while floor-to-ceiling windows introduce abundant natural light throughout her living spaces.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/399504/image/large-383ad92270926d8d12b90c4720e55a9f.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/399504" 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/399577/image/large-cd7ef54ebe1d8d123dd1ba24801b568d.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/399577">With a beam of 5.5-metres and interior volume of 85 GT, accommodation onboard the <a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/directories/yachts/for-sale/built-by=azimut" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">Azimut yacht for sale</a> is arranged for up to nine guests across four well-appointed staterooms, including a full-beam owner's suite, a forward VIP stateroom and two twin guest staterooms, one of which features an additional Pullman berth. Moreover, separate quarters sleep up to three crew members. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/399509/image/large-7108f9e1dc5d6637293c8fbf18e88516.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/399509"><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/399518/image/large-8f998c58354f2a1502901e3740c27192.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/399518">In terms of performance,<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/17222" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Jr 2823.6m (77'5&quot;)Azimut Yachts2020">&nbsp;Jr 28</a> is powered by triple <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5350" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Volvo Penta (Company)">Volvo Penta</a> engines, delivering a cruising speed of 25 knots and a top speed of 35 knots. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/399569/image/large-75f6c9a0e3701ef51e707f3c27986a14.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/399569"><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/399570/image/large-a3bcb6e6ff591da3387cf9dd1faa307c.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/399570">

24m Azimut motor yacht Jr 28 for sale

The 24m Azimut 77S motor yacht JR 28 is for sale with Northrop & Johnson. Delivered in 2020, she is the final Azimut 77S ever delivered. 


<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7053" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Tureddi Group Limited (Company)">Tureddi Yachts</a> has announced the sale of the first 24-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/17224" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Tureddi TD7924.0m (78'9&quot;)Tureddi Group Limited2027">Tureddi TD79</a> yacht, representing the fifth new-build yacht sold by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7053" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Tureddi Group Limited (Company)">Tureddi Yachts</a> in 2026. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/399606/image/large-c9fb59e8ec9db37d58d53bfff4a6fc75.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/399606">Conceived as a fully custom aluminium yacht, the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/17224" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Tureddi TD7924.0m (78'9&quot;)Tureddi Group Limited2027">Tureddi TD79</a> yacht combines lightweight construction with long-range cruising capabilities. She features interior and exterior design developed by Leonardo Cecchi of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/6683" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Yellow Addition (Design Studio) (Company)">Yellow Addition</a> in collaboration with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8757" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="3-Studio (Company)">3-Studio</a>.“The <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/17224" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Tureddi TD7924.0m (78'9&quot;)Tureddi Group Limited2027">Tureddi TD79</a> represents another important step in the expansion of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7053" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Tureddi Group Limited (Company)">Tureddi Yachts</a> into different market segments, while maintaining the same uncompromising standards of quality, craftsmanship and innovation that define every yacht we build,” explained Alessandro Tureddi, CEO of the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7053" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Tureddi Group Limited (Company)">Tureddi Group</a>.Described by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7053" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Tureddi Group Limited (Company)">Tureddi Yachts</a> as a contemporary platform, the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/17224" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Tureddi TD7924.0m (78'9&quot;)Tureddi Group Limited2027">Tureddi TD79</a> yacht is entirely customisable to her owner’s requirements. She offers generous interior and exterior spaces, high operational efficiency and flexibility without compromise.“I personally followed this project from its earliest stages, establishing a direct relationship with the client throughout the process,” added Tureddi. “Seeing that relationship evolve into another successful contract makes this achievement particularly meaningful.”Construction of the first <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/17224" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Tureddi TD7924.0m (78'9&quot;)Tureddi Group Limited2027">Tureddi TD79</a> is progressing according to schedule, with delivery planned for spring 2027.According to <a href="https://sytiq.superyachttimes.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">SuperYacht iQ</a>, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/7053" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Tureddi Group Limited (Company)">Tureddi Yachts</a> has several yachts in-build including the first 36.7-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Article/64820" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Construction begins on first Tureddi Azzurra 36 superyacht (2025-11-21 18:00:00 +0100)">Azzurra 36 yacht</a>, the 27.7-metre Tureddi 92 yacht and the 27-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Article/65732" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="First full custom Tureddi Yachts TD27 yacht sold (2026-03-30 09:30:00 +0200)">Tureddi TD27 yacht</a>.&nbsp;

Tureddi TD79: First yacht sold

Tureddi Yachts has announced the sale of the first 24-metre Tureddi TD79 yacht, with a delivery date of spring 2027.

Owner Experience

Owner insight: Robert Book talks Book Ends and American ownership