Quantcast
Channel: Yachts
Viewing all 121 articles
Browse latest View live

This luxurious $110 million superyacht concept was designed to combat climate change

$
0
0

Fata Morgana 6

  • Ship designer George Lucian has designed a superyacht to raise awareness of climate change and the melting ice caps.
  • The boat is still packed with luxury and includes an outdoor swimming pool, observatory, and a helicopter pad.
  • It could cost up to $110 million if it's ever made.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Meet MY Fata Morgana, a luxurious superyacht that was designed to bring attention to climate change.

Fata Morgana, Italian for "a mirage," was designed to be sailed in arctic areas, such as the Northwest Passage. The melting ice caps, caused by climate change, have made the passage easier to navigate and sail through.

The geometric yacht was designed by George Lucian, who also created designs for a concept origami-esque yacht and a yacht that can carry a blimp

Read more: This $8 million Lamborghini seized from an African dictator's son just became the most expensive ever sold

"Everything about the yacht is thought of is such a way to be as environmentally friendly as possible, with as low as possible emissions and waste," Lucian said in a prepared statement.

The superyacht was designed with three elements in mind: icebergs, rocks, and snow. Keep scrolling to see if you can spot these sources of inspiration:

SEE ALSO: This luxurious tiny home was built out of an trailer for traveling, but looks like an upscale apartment

Lucian estimated that Fata Morgana would cost between €50 million and €100 million, about $55 million and $110 million, to be built.



The estimated price range is large because he predicts it will depend on the shipyard and type of interior fitting.



The superyacht has a range of 7,000 nautical miles.



The yacht uses experimental “kite technology,” or wind-assisted propulsion. This allows the boat to use wind energy to help sail, therefore saving fuel.



The yacht is 70 meters, about 300 feet, long.



The steel ice-classed hull allows it to travel in arctic terrain.



The bow was designed to look like rock formations partially covered in snow, while the stern is supposed to evoke an iceberg.



This is because Lucian wanted the yacht to look camouflaged in the arctic environment it was designed to sail in.



The yacht’s geometric shapes and sharp angles were inspired by the military ships and stealth planes.



There’s an observatory that can hold a telescope fitted with a stabilizer. This would allow the telescope to stay still, even if the yacht is moving.



The yacht also includes an outdoor swimming pool and helipad.



It was designed to fit 12 guests in six bedrooms, including a master suite.



There are extra rooms for staff, such as security, helicopter pilots, guides, and scientists.



“...an iceberg look-alike yacht, when seen, would remind the people of the climate change issue, and melting of the real icebergs and ice caps,” Lucian said in an email.




I got on board the biggest yacht at the Monaco Yacht Show. Take a look inside the 365-foot superyacht, which comes with a 40-foot infinity pool and 2 helipads.

$
0
0

TIS yacht

This year's Monaco Yacht Show brought 31,565 people and $4.3 billion worth of yachts to the tiny city-state on the French Riviera.

Guests included yachting-industry insiders — including superyacht builders, designers, and brokers — as well as wealthy private clients looking to charter or purchase yachts, as well as journalists like myself.

I spent two days at the yacht show, and one evening I got the chance to go on board the largest yacht on display in Monaco at this year's show: Tis, a 365-foot superyacht built by German shipyard Lürssen that comes with two helipads, a 40-foot swimming pool, eight guest suites, and a Parisian-inspired tea room.

Take a look inside the superyacht that's owned by a mysterious Monaco resident.

SEE ALSO: Here's what it's like to attend the Monaco Yacht Show — in a country where the poverty rate is 0 — when you are not a millionaire

DON'T MISS: I stepped on board a yacht for the very first time, a sleek Champagne-colored vessel for sale at an undisclosed price. Here's a look inside the 150-foot, Bugatti-designed superyacht.

I attended this year's Monaco Yacht Show, a glamorous event for yachting industry insiders and wealthy VIPs looking to buy or charter yachts.

The event took place from September 25 to September 28 in the tiny French Riviera city-state.



One evening, I got on board the largest vessel on display at the yacht show, a 365-foot superyacht called Tis.

Tis, which took about three years to construct, was built by German shipyard Lürssen and designed by Winch Design.

The yacht can sleep up to 18 guests and 38 crew.



Launched in 2019, the brand-new superyacht belongs to an unidentified Monaco resident.

During the press visit on board Tis, the yacht's designer, Andrew Winch, said the owner had the superyacht built to be a second home.

"His apartment [in Monaco] is very similar to this boat — but significantly smaller," Winch said.

The owner expects to live on the yacht for nine months of the year, according to Winch. 



Dozens of journalists were invited on board Tis for a special evening press tour of the vessel.

We all had to take off our shoes before setting foot on the yacht's pristine teak deck.

I wasn't allowed to take my own photos on board Tis. 



At one of the outside dining areas, delicate finger foods were set out on a long table decked out with white flowers, and servers wandered through the crowd serving Regi rosé Champagne while sultry lounge music played in the background.

There were shrimp on sticks, tiny brioche sandwiches of deviled eggs and tomato, and raw salmon and basil bites.



After an introductory speech by designer Andrew Winch, we broke up into small groups for guided tours of the vessel.

The main deck salon is full of classic Louis XIV to Louis XVIII style furniture.



In the formal entrance lobby is an elaborate marble staircase with 23.8 carat gold handrails that were inspired by Le Bristol hotel in Paris.

Italian Calacatta Vogli marble was used throughout the yacht.



The main deck's dining room can comfortably seat at least 16 people.

It can also convert into a board room, with hidden plug sockets in the table and a large painting that can disappear to reveal a television screen. 



Just off the main deck is a formal office that can be opened up to create one large conference space.



The yacht has its own "beach club" area, described in press materials as "a transitional space between the exterior and interior."

The beach club décor is inspired by the Italian island of Capri. A side door leads out to a fold-out swimming platform.



Guests can also access the water from the lower deck.



On the bridge deck is a citrus-themed spa, which includes a relaxation room with carved stone lemon trees on the walls. There's also a Hammam, a hair salon, and a massage room.



A side door leads to a sauna overlooking a fold-out sea terrace.



Lounge chairs line the sea terrace.



Near the spa is the fully equipped gym — complete with several live lemon trees.



The gym leads out to the pool area, where there's a nearly 40-foot infinity pool and a hot tub.



Several lounge areas are scattered around the pool area.



The space includes a hanging chair and an outdoor bar with built-in seating.



A soundproof art deco cinema on the lower deck is outfitted with several large armchairs.



On the owners deck, the main salon features a leather-embossed ceiling dome with a glass chandelier of hand-blown leaves of glass.



The owner's suite has a domed skylight and large wraparound windows.

A private balcony with built-in upholstered sofas offers 180-degree views over the bow of the yacht.



The bathroom is decked out in marble and includes a large soaking tub.

The owner's suite also comes with a private hair and beauty salon, massage room, and dressing rooms.



The eight lavish guest suites onboard each have a theme. One of the main deck guest suites was inspired by Claridge's, an iconic art deco luxury hotel in London.



Also on the main deck is a suite is an homage to Paris, with fleur-de-lis motifs and classic "Toile de Jouy" patterns throughout.



Then there's the Tuscan Olive suite, with pale gold and green tones.



On the upper deck is another Paris-inspired room, this one a tea room dedicated to French luxury bakery Ladurée.

It's decorated in the traditional pastel greens, pinks, and purples of the iconic pâtisserie.



Tis comes with not one, but two helicopter landing pads.



One of the helipads can turn into a dance floor or an outdoor cinema when it's not in use.



Tis has seemingly endless lounge spaces — both indoor and outdoor — from the owners deck ...



... to the uninterrupted views from the top deck.



The yacht's tender garage can hold two 38-foot Wajer tenders and as well as two rescue tenders and various water toys.



Winch, the yacht's designer, stressed that Tis was designed to be understated and elegant.

"This is not a nouveau riche yacht," he said, adding that the 28 carat gold finishes are muted and antique-looking, "so don't consider this a bling yacht."

"Understated" is definitely not a word I'd use to describe Tis. I'm no expert — this is only the second yacht I have ever stepped foot on— but to me, it was wildly over-the-top, with its infinity pool, classic French décor, gold staircases, and formal dining rooms and salons.



But I couldn't agree more with his characterization of Tis as a "floating mansion."

"You can take this boat anywhere in the world as an explorer," Winch said. "She is a castle. She's a floating mansion for life."

The superyacht was unlike anything I've ever seen. While my very first yacht tour aboard a Champagne-colored, Bugatti-designed yacht took about 15 minutes, Tis was so massive that the tour took over an hour, and that was moving quickly without lingering in any rooms.

It can safely be assumed that the mysterious owner of Tis is a billionaire — or at least a multimillionaire.

People outside the yachting industry may not know just how much it costs to own a yacht. Buying one can easily set you back tens or hundreds of millions — and that's not including annual fuel costs, docking fees, maintenance, and crew salaries.

As Business Insider's Hillary Hoffower put it, owning a superyacht is "the absolute pinnacle of indulgence for the 1%."

We don't know exactly how much Tis, a brand-new massive superyacht, would sell for if it were on the market right now. But to put it in perspective, a five-year-old yacht that's 65 feet smaller than Tis is currently on the market for $200 million

But what's a few hundred million when you're a billionaire living in Monaco?



The 7 biggest yacht debuts at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show

$
0
0

LeVen 90

  • The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS), which bills itself as the largest in-water boat show in the world, will be held October 30 through November 3.
  • Celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, the show expects 110,000 attendees, 1,200 exhibitors, and 1,500 boats on display, according to a press release. It also anticipates over $500 million in direct sales, with purchases ranging from sunglasses to superyachts.
  • Seven yachts are expected to make their world debut at FLIBS, including a megayacht with over-the-top amenities like a dance floor and a helicopter landing pad.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Over the course of five days, an estimated 110,000 attendees will flock to South Florida where 1,500 boats will be on display, over 100,000 glasses of beer will be consumed, and $508 million will change hands in the name of yachting.

Now in its 60th year, the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show has established itself as the biggest in-water boat show in the world. With credentials like that, it's no wonder several boats will be making their world debut at the show, which will take place from October 30 through November 3.

The seven yachts that will be unveiled for the very first time at the boat show emphasize the direction the yachting industry is taking: increasingly technologically advanced vessels that still maintain an air of luxury. Some were designed with jet propulsion mechanisms while others were designed to function in all climates — but all were created with grandeur in mind.

Here are the yachts that are celebrating their world debuts at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, listed by size in ascending order.

SEE ALSO: The world's first hydrogen-powered superyacht was unveiled at the Monaco Yacht Show. Here's a look inside the game-changing 367-foot vessel concept.

DON'T MISS: Lexus just unveiled its first-ever luxury yacht, a sleek watercraft that'll cost about $3.6 million. Here's a closer look.

7. The PB70 is a vessel that was built just up the coast from the boat show in Palm Beach.

Length: 70 feet

Yard: Palm Beach Motor Yachts

It was designed with comfortable speed in mind, capable of reaching a cruising speed of 32 knots. The bow was built to slice through water rather than bounce atop it, promising a smooth ride with minimal wake.



6. The 84R Open, shown here as a concept, will be an 84-foot motoryacht that promises maximum light, even in the cabins.

Length: 84 feet

Yard: Ocean Alexander

It will also have interior detailing that features satin, with Cambria stone flooring and counter surfaces.



5. LeVen 90 is a Dutch-engineered superyacht that was built using renewable aluminum. It has a nearly silent propulsion system and a special hull allowing it to venture into shallow waters, unlike most vessels of its size.

Length: 90 feet

Yard: LeVen Yachts

The technologically advanced boat is on its way to Fort Lauderdale from the Netherlands, but it was originally designed to be the ideal Bahamas island hopper.



4. At 100 feet, the Marlow Voyager 100 is the yard's largest yacht to date and was specifically designed for extended stays in frigid or tropical climates.

Length: 100 feet

Yard: Marlow Yachts

The yacht was also designed and built in Florida, using carbon fiber and Kevlar.



3. The Hargrave G120 is a motoryacht that can accommodate 10 guests and six crew members and prioritizes speed and long-range efficiency.

Length: 120 feet

Yard: Hargrave Custom Yachts

Galati Yacht Sales specializes in selling to American luxury yacht buyers. They teamed up with Fort Lauderdale-based Hargrave Custom Yachts to design and build a vessel they envisioned would be perfect for their existing clientele.



2. BABA'S is another Hargrave Custom Yacht. At 186 feet, it is the largest yacht the yard has ever attempted and was built out of steel and aluminum.

Length: 186 feet

Yard: Hargrave Custom Yachts

The boat, on the way to Fort Lauderdale from Turkey, is even equipped with a "beach club" lounge on the stern.



1. Madsummer, a 311-foot megayacht built this year, will be the show's largest and most glamorous debut.

Length: 311 feet

Yard: Lürssen

The yacht can accommodate 20 guests, is outfitted with colorful interiors, and has amenities like a dance floor, a gym and spa, a helicopter landing pad, a swimming pool, and beach lounge. The yacht was signed for at the 2015 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.



The Porsche-designed 135-foot yacht a decade in the making just hit the market — here's a peek inside the futuristic 'spaceship on the water'

$
0
0

Royal Falcon One yacht

Studio F. A. Porsche, the design team that is part of the Porsche group and affiliated with the legendary automaker, is continuing to position itself as a general authority on all things luxury by exploring different industries — like yachting. Its most recent endeavor? A distinctly futuristic-looking 135-foot catamaran called Royal Falcon One that just hit the market.

The motor yacht took 10 years to complete, according to Charter World. It was developed by Singapore-based Royal Falcon Fleet and built by Sweden-based Kockums shipyard.

The boat can accommodate 10 guests over five guest rooms, and it has a master suite with a private balcony. It also features other luxury amenities like an onboard bar, Jacuzzi, and tender garage.

Camper & Nicholsons holds the exclusive yacht listing and the price is available by application only. The listing agent, Hugo Van Schaik, deems Royal Falcon One to be "a spaceship on the water."

Here's a look inside the unique catamaran.

SEE ALSO: The world's first hydrogen-powered superyacht was unveiled at the Monaco Yacht Show. Here's a look inside the game-changing 367-foot vessel concept.

DON'T MISS: The 7 biggest yacht debuts at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show

Royal Falcon One, the 135-foot luxury catamaran from Studio F. A. Porsche, is finally on the water after 10 years of development and construction.

Source: Camper & Nicholsons, Charter World



The sleek, aluminum vessel is now on the market for a listing price that is available upon application through Camper & Nicholsons.

Source: Camper & Nicholsons



The luxury yacht has a cruising speed of roughly 15 knots and a maximum speed of 35 knots. It was specifically designed for low fuel consumption.

Source: Camper & Nicholsons



The multi-hull and wide beam design facilitates a spacious and luxurious feeling throughout several decks.

Source: Camper & Nicholsons



There is no shortage of indoor and outdoor areas for dining and relaxing. The interiors boast windows with panoramic views and furniture outfitted with fine leather.

Source: Camper & Nicholsons



Other luxurious amenities include an onboard bar in the main saloon and a Jacuzzi on the top sun deck.

Source: Camper & Nicholsons



The vessel can accommodate up to 10 guests and 10 crew members.

Source: Camper & Nicholsons



The crew quarters are located below deck in the hulls. There are four guest cabins and one master suite.

Source: Camper & Nicholsons



The palatial master suite showcases windows that provide maximum light and ocean views ...

Source: Camper & Nicholsons



... as well as private deck space.

Source: Camper & Nicholsons



On top of all that, because mobility-oriented yacht toys are important, there is a tender garage hidden in the stern. Deployment and recovery is made easy by a crane.

Source: Camper & Nicholsons



A dilapidated, raccoon-infested wooden yacht that was once the 'floating White House' for 8 US presidents is being restored – here's a look inside the USS Sequoia

$
0
0

USS Sequoia on the way to restoration

Air Force One is occasionally referred to as the "flying Oval Office." Forty years ago, there was a floating Oval Office, too. 

Now, a group of investors and master boatbuilders are working together to restore it.

A 104-foot wooden yacht that was once considered the height of luxury was purchased by the US government in 1931 from an oil tycoon to be the official vessel for the highest office in the country. That "floating White House" then served eight presidents, from Herbert Hoover to Jimmy Carter, between the years of 1933 and 1977.

The USS Sequoia could accommodate up to eight people across five staterooms, but could also host more than 20 for dinners and parties. JFK even had his 46th birthday party on board. The vessel has a storied history, with presidents cruising on it for both leisure and business. 

Jimmy Carter sold the USS Sequoia at auction in 1977, and since then, it has changed hands many times. Over the last decade, it has fallen into decay and been the focal point of a lengthy legal battle.

The yacht, which has been home to a family of raccoons in Virginia in recent years, was barged to Belfast, Maine, earlier in October to begin the restoration process.

Keep reading for a look at the vessel and its history.

SEE ALSO: Here's what happened to America's presidential yachts — and why there isn't one anymore

DON'T MISS: The story of the last US presidential yacht, which hosted foreign leaders and cruised the Caribbean until the 1970s

The Sequoia is a 104-foot wooden motor yacht that was built in 1925 and served as an official mode of transportation for eight US presidents between 1933 and 1977.

Source: The Equator Collection, Business Insider



The yacht was purchased by the US government in 1931 from a Texas oil tycoon. It was then used by each president from Herbert Hoover to Jimmy Carter to host events related to both work and leisure.

Source: Town & Country



Franklin D. Roosevelt installed an elevator in the 1930s to make the yacht more easily accessible for his wheelchair. Lyndon B. Johnson later replaced the elevator with a bar.

Source: Town & Country



In 1963, John F. Kennedy celebrated his 46th birthday – his last birthday – aboard the Sequoia with his family, friends, and a bottle of 1955 Dom Perignon.

Source:The Washington Post



Richard Nixon was on board when he decided to resign in 1974. The captain said he played "God Bless America" on the presidential piano following the decision.

Source: CBS News



According to CBS News, Nixon spent more time on the yacht than any other president. At one point, he even hosted Leonid Brezhnev, the fifth leader of the Soviet Union, there.

Source: CBS News



Jimmy Carter sold the vessel at auction in 1977 for $286,000, looking to maintain a less outwardly luxurious presidency.

In a 2011 interview with the JFK Presidential Library, Carter spoke about selling the presidential yacht: "People thought I was not being reverent enough to the office I was holding, that I was too much of a peanut farmer, not enough of an aristocrat, or something like that. So I think that shows that the American people want something of, an element of, image of monarchy in the White House."

After President Carter sold the boat, it was used for tours of the Potomac River and even $10,000 four-hour charters. It served that purpose through multiple owners.



It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987 and switched hands multiple times before becoming embroiled in a legal battle regarding its ownership in 2013.

The legal issues stemmed from two LLC investment groups debating ownership.



During legal proceedings, the yacht was left to decay in Virginia.

A Delaware judge ultimately ruled that one of the investment groups could acquire the Sequoia at "an adjusted price" of $0 in 2016.

In the ruling, the judge also wrote: "The Sequoia, an elderly and vulnerable wooden yacht, is sitting on an inadequate cradle on an undersized marine railway in a moribund boatyard on the western shore of the Chesapeake, deteriorating and, lately, home to raccoons."



The Equator Collection, the company that purchased the raccoon-infested yacht for $0, is a fund that aims to preserve "maritime assets that are significant to the history of the United States."

SourceThe Equator Collection



It just barged the defunct Sequoia from Virginia to Belfast, Maine, where a lengthy restoration process is set to begin.

Source: French & Webb



After collaborating with Maine-based boatbuilders French & Webb to restore the Sequoia plank by plank, the Equator Collection intends to send the yacht back to the Potomac River as a kind of museum and educational tool.

Source: French & Webb



On its barge-supported voyage from Virginia to Maine, the Sequoia passed through New York City, under the Brooklyn Bridge ...

Source:French & Webb



... before arriving in Belfast, Maine, on October 21.

Source: French & Webb



The restoration process is expected to take several years, according to the boatbuilders' press release.

Source: French & Webb



A $20 million 3-deck superyacht made in Dubai won best in show at the world's biggest in-water boat event. Here's a look inside.

$
0
0

Majesty 140 profile

The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show has established itself as the biggest in-water boat show in the world.

With credentials like that, it's no surprise that the largest and most lavish yachts from shipyards across the world flocked to South Florida in early November for a chance to entice over 100,000 boat showgoers for the event's 60th year.

The yacht that impressed the most of all was Majesty 140.

The over 140-foot superyacht built in Dubai by Gulf Craft, in addition to being named best in show by NBC Sports, sold for around $20 million on closing day, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Keep reading for a closer look at the "best in show" superyacht.

SEE ALSO: The 7 biggest yacht debuts at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show

DON'T MISS: The world's first hydrogen-powered superyacht was unveiled at the Monaco Yacht Show. Here's a look inside the game-changing 367-foot vessel concept.

Majesty 140, a superyacht built in Dubai by Gulf Craft, was named the best in show at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show at the beginning of November.

Source: South Florida Sun Sentinel



Although the vessel is less than half the size of Madsummer, the 311-foot megayacht that was the show's largest debut this year, it's certainly not lacking in luxurious amenities.

Source: Business Insider, Majesty Yachts/Gulf Craft



It has its own "beach club" on an upper deck ...

Source: Majesty Yachts/Gulf Craft



... with multiple spots to lounge around a centerpiece Jacuzzi.

Source: Majesty Yachts/Gulf Craft



There is ample space to relax indoors, as well.

Source: Majesty Yachts/Gulf Craft



The interiors were crafted by Cristiano Gatto, an acclaimed Italian design team that has outfitted over 200 show-worthy yachts around the world.

Source: Business Insider, Boat International



The superyacht sold for around $20 million on the last day of the boat show.

Source: South Florida Sun Sentinel



Last year, "best in show" at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show went to the 135-foot Mangusta Oceano Namaste.

Source: Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show



A solar-powered yacht that claims to be virtually silent as it cruises is on the market for $1.54 million — here's a look inside

$
0
0

SILENT YACHTS_SILENT55_A_Aer_46

The Silent 55 takes "chasing the sun" to a whole new level.

The Austrian shipyard Silent Yachts has been experimenting with alternative energy sources for yachts since 2005. Its newest yacht, the Silent 55, is a solar-electric catamaran that the company says can run completely on solar energy and cruises silently.

The Silent 55 catamaran made its debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival earlier this year and has since been making the boat show circuit, most recently appearing at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.

Solar panels lining the vessel not only support solar-propulsion, but air conditioning and lighting, too, eliminating the need for a generator. When necessary, electric-propulsion can support the vessel as well. This eco-friendly yacht is just one example in a recent trend of of sustainable luxury travel.

Robb Report's Julia Zaltzman reported the Silent 55 is selling for 1.4 million euros (or about $1.54 million).

Here's a look inside the vessel.

SEE ALSO: The world's first hybrid cruise ship is currently on its maiden voyage, an 18-day trip to Antarctica with 450 guests onboard. Here's a look inside.

DON'T MISS: The world's first hydrogen-powered superyacht was unveiled at the Monaco Yacht Show. Here's a look inside the game-changing 367-foot vessel concept.

Austrian shipyard Silent Yachts unveiled a new solar-powered catamaran at this year's Cannes Yachting Festival.

It has since appeared at the famed Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.

Source: Silent Yachts



The 55-foot vessel is lined with 30 solar panels that reach 10 kilowatts each.

The panels use maximum power point tracking solar charge regulators and lithium batteries. An inverter provides power to other necessities like air conditioning and lighting in the cabins.

Source: Silent Yachts, Robb Report



The catamaran was designed to have zero emissions and to cruise up to 100 miles per day.

Source: Silent Yachts



In addition to its eco-friendly features, the vessel also has lavish amenities.

Source: Silent Yachts



There are multiple spots to lounge, including trampoline-like netting along the bow of the boat.

Source: Silent Yachts



There are also outdoor ...

Source: Silent Yachts



... and indoor dining areas.

Source: Silent Yachts



The two hulls encompass four cabins ...

Source: Silent Yachts



... including a full-beam master suite with natural light.

Source: Silent Yachts



Each cabin is additionally equipped with its own private bathroom.

Source: Silent Yachts



The Silent 55 represents "an entirely new dynamic in yachting," Silent Yachts president and founder, Michael Kohler said in a press release. Boaters are striving to be more eco-friendly but are unwilling to sacrifice luxury.

Source: Silent Yachts



The "new dynamic" in yachting that Kohler references has particularly taken off in 2019.

Business Insider previously reported that a model for the first hydrogen-powered yacht was unveiled in September by Sinot, a Dutch yacht-design company. The concept is similar to that of the Silent 55, albeit on a larger scale. The 367-foot vessel will be completely powered by liquid hydrogen and fuel-cell technology. Its only emission will be water.

The idea of alternative sources powering luxury vessels extends from yachts to cruises: The world's first hybrid cruise ship is currently on its maiden voyage to Antarctica. The MS Roald Amundsen runs on low sulfur diesel fuel supported by battery packs, cutting cruise ship emissions by 20%.

Increased attention to sustainability and conservation in the luxury travel sector play into the larger trend of "transformational travel." Ultimately, the ultrawealthy want to leave their vacation with a transformative, emotional experience to bring home, and in some cases, want to make a positive impact on the places they visit.



The former consultant who launched the 'Airbnb of yachts' says she got her business idea after a taking a 6-month sabbatical — and watching her brothers struggle to sell their boats

$
0
0

Jaclyn Baumgarten

Jaclyn Baumgarten initially set out on a path that she viewed as "obligatory" and traditional: After graduating from college, she moved to New York City to work in strategy management consulting. 

"It taught me a lot about the challenges companies face and how to solve them – but I got really tired of providing recommendations and not getting to be part of the hands-on solution," Baumgarten told Business Insider. She attended Stanford Graduate School of Business and worked until she "built the skillset and confidence to know that it was time for [her] to do something for [herself]."

Then, she gave herself six months off to figure out how she could "converge passion with business."

The realization happened quickly: Baumgarten's happiest childhood memories involved cruising on Lake Michigan with her brothers, who, at the time of her sabbatical, were looking to sell their boats. Their infrequent use of the boats just wasn't enough to justify the high cost of their upkeep— and it got her thinking about solutions.

"Wouldn't it be amazing to make these experiences affordable and accessible to anyone?" she asked.

Baumgarten also took note of the success of companies like Airbnb that "help people monetize underutilized assets." If her brothers could safely rent out their vessels on an Airbnb-type platform, they wouldn't have to sell and so many others would enjoy the experience of boating, too.

boats

With this mindset, Baumgarten founded Boatsetter in 2012. Now, the Boatsetter platform rents over 17,000 boats in over 600 locations worldwide, making it the largest boat-sharing platform in the US.

Baumgarten was named to Inc.'s top female founders list this year alongside women like Magnolia's Joanna Gaines and Bumble's Whitney Wolfe Herd.

Baumgarten isn't the only woman who quit her day job to start a successful business

Liz Wessel, the CEO of WayUp, a job search platform for college students, left her job at Google after just two years there. She quit in 2014 to pitch potential WayUp investors. Now, the platform connects more than 20,000 employers with qualified early career applicants.

Wessel told Business Insider's Shana Lebowitz that the leap requires thick skin: "You need to be OK with failure, and you certainly need to be someone who can pick themselves up after a failure immediately."

The Skimm

Similarly, Carly Zakin and Danielle Weisberg, both news producers, left their jobs at NBC in 2012. They went on to launch theSkimm from their couch. The now widely read newsletter has over 7 million subscribers and even got 100,000 people to vote in the 2018 midterm elections.

During a 2017 episode of "Success! How I Did It," Zakin and Weisberg told Business Insider's US editor-in-chief Alyson Shontell about the difficulty leaving steady jobs.

"Quitting our jobs, it was the scariest day of our life. That was not easy," Weisberg said. "But those first months, we only got through it because we didn't have a backup plan."

SEE ALSO: I spent 3 years writing about yachts, and owning one takes even more money than you think

NOW READ: Luck vs. skill: The founders behind major businesses like Bumble, Shopify, and Away explain what their success boils down to — and they all have different takes

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Traditional Japanese swords can take over 18 months to create — here's what makes them so special


The founder of the 'Airbnb of yachts' says the service is attracting millennial women — here's why

$
0
0

Tourist woman ready for cruise

Boatsetter, a peer-to-peer boat-sharing platform in the US, has over 17,000 rentable boats in over 600 locations. Some are bigger yachts, others are smaller power boats; there are half-day charters and multi-day rentals; most come equipped with a captain and some even have an easily identifiable purpose.

"This yacht is great for bachelorettes!" pops up across multiple listings on Boatsetter's website.

"We have a ton of those requests," founder Jaclyn Baumgarten told Business Insider of Boatsetter's popularity for bachelorette parties.

According to Boatsetter's internal data, more than half of its clients are millennials and roughly half of those younger clients are female.

"We aren't doing anything to particularly target [millennials and women]; they are naturally gravitating toward this service because it aligns with the way they want to enjoy experiences," said Baumgarten, who was named to Inc.'s top female founders list this year, alongside women like Magnolia's Joanna Gaines and Bumble's Whitney Wolfe Herd

Millennials are not looking to own anything

Boatsetter has a similar owner-to-renter model as Airbnb, with additional insurance and safety measures thrown in the mix. It makes it possible for people to experience an afternoon on the water, complete with a captain, without having to commit to the high-cost reality of being a boat owner.

"Boats are the definition of an underutilized asset," Baumgarten said. The National Marine Manufacturers Association estimates boats were used an average of 28 days per year in 2010. Baumgarten contended that number has dropped lower since. 

Millennials, as Business Insider's Hillary Hoffower recently reported, are saddled with student-loan debt and sky-high housing prices. If they are planning to rent homes forever, why would they turn around and buy a nonessential, typically underutilized asset like a boat?

Boatsetter provides millennials the overall experience of boating without the headache of ownership heading into an affordability crisis.

women on yacht

Women prioritize safety

All Boatsetter captains are licensed by the US Coast Guard and vetted by Boatsetter, "which makes boating not only accessible but safe," Baumgarten said. That safety aspect, according to Baumgarten, is most likely what attracts so many women to the platform.

It's no secret women put a premium on safety: Business Insider's Graham Rapier previously reported that women pay up to $50 more in public transit each month to avoid harassment and ensure personal safety. "Women's safety" is even one of the five attributes that factors into the annual US News best country ranking.

As far as Boatsetter is concerned, there is also an extensive insurance policy pioneered by Baumgarten and underwritten by Geico that protects all parties involved in the boat rental. Even with the necessary insurance, rates for boats on the platform start as low as $200 for an afternoon.

SEE ALSO: The former consultant who launched the 'Airbnb of yachts' says she got her business idea after a taking a 6-month sabbatical — and watching her brothers struggle to sell their boats

DON'T MISS: The wealth gap between generations in the US has nearly doubled in the past 20 years — and the Great Recession, an unaffordable housing market, and astronomic student-loan debt are to blame

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Traditional Japanese swords can take over 18 months to create — here's what makes them so special

A new Italian yacht concept is designed to look like a killer whale and can handle Arctic exploration — and it highlights one of the biggest trends shaping luxury travel in the new decade

$
0
0

Orca yacht

  • Rosetti Superyachts, an Italian shipyard, just unveiled a 213-foot yacht concept dubbed Project Orca.
  • The vessel is designed to look (and operate) like a killer whale — a mammal known for being able to thrive in all climates. 
  • The yacht design underscores the recent trend of Arctic exploration for the ultra-wealthy.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Rosetti Superyachts, an Italian shipyard, just unveiled a yacht concept inspired by killer whales.

At 213 feet, the vessel will dwarf the actual mammal ten times over – but it will be designed to have the general appearance of an orca and be engineered to thrive in harsh climates, similar to an orca.

"Instantly recognizable by their distinctive black-and-white coloring, these sea mammals roam the world's oceans from the Antarctic to the tropics, which is exactly what our Explorer Yacht is designed to do," Fulvio Dodich, Rosetti Superyachts' CEO, said in a statement.

The concept will take an estimated three years to build at an undisclosed price, but upon completion, it is expected to be a four-deck superyacht with luxurious trappings, a range of 5,000 miles, and a speed of 11 knots. 

The development of yet another arctic-oriented luxury cruiser further underscores arctic exploration as a travel priority for the wealthy.

Keep reading for a look at renderings of Project Orca and other Arctic-related luxury vessels.

SEE ALSO: The world's first hydrogen-powered superyacht was unveiled at the Monaco Yacht Show. Here's a look inside the game-changing 367-foot vessel concept.

DON'T MISS: The world's first hybrid cruise ship is currently on its maiden voyage, an 18-day trip to Antarctica with 450 guests onboard. Here's a look inside.

Rosetti Superyachts' newest concept design mimics the appearance of a killer whale, down to the dorsal fin.

Upon completion, Project Orca will be 213-feet long and have a color palette and general shape representative of a killer whale. It will have four decks, an extended tail with a helipad, and an elongated radar mast to symbolize a dorsal fin.

The aesthetic design is meant to complement the yacht's engineering – it is meant to thrive in frigid temperatures, cut through ice, and be optimally functional in an Arctic climate.



The superyacht has a four-deck design with a variety of luxury features.

The main deck will have ample space for lounging, including the opportunity to feature an infinity pool. It will also have a helipad, outdoor dining area, and elevator access.

A lower deck will be able to hold tenders and multiple water toys, including several jet skis.



Project Orca is designed to accommodate 12 guests and 14 crew members.

There will be multiple guest suites and an owner's apartment, in addition to crew accommodation in the bow. The ship's interior will also include a study, a main dining room, and a gym.

The yacht is expected to take three years to build and will have a 5,000-mile range and a cruising speed of 11 knots.



Project Orca is not the only recent design to prioritize luxury Arctic travel.

Marlow Yachts, a Florida-based shipyard, unveiled the completed Marlow Voyager 100 at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show earlier this year. The 100-foot yacht was also specifically designed for extended stays in frigid temperatures – even without the dramatic orca design.



Some recent designs are even a direct comment on climate change making Arctic travel easier.

As Business Insider previously reported, another Italian ship designer recently unveiled a superyacht meant to look like a melting ice cap. Melting ice is, meanwhile, the very reason ships can pass more easily through Arctic areas like the Northwest Passage.

The concept was designed to be as environmentally friendly as possible, without sacrificing luxury. The superyacht, named "Fata Morgana," which is Italian for "a mirage," would also feature a swimming pool and helipad. It will take an estimated $110 million to build.



For those not looking to own a superyacht, the luxury cruise industry is also expanding to accommodate Arctic exploration.

Yacht ownership and maintenance is notoriously expensive; fortunately, there are luxurious (but still pricey) alternatives for interested parties who can't dish out several million on a yacht of their own.

Hurtigruten, a Norwegian expedition cruise company, unveiled the world's first hybrid cruise ship earlier this year. The ship is currently taking leisure cruises with 450 passengers to Antarctica, running on low sulfur diesel fuel supported by battery packs.

Unsurprisingly, the ship also features an infinity pool, luxury suites, three restaurants, and a glass-encased sauna. 

Prices for a future cruise featuring the same route start at $14,720 per person.



It's been 1 year since Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez had their relationship leaked to the world — here's the full story of their whirlwind romance (AMZN)

$
0
0

Jeff Bezos/Lauren Sanchez

  • One year ago, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez were publicly outed as a couple the same day the Amazon CEO and his wife, MacKenzie, announced their divorce.  
  • The National Enquirer had been investigating Bezos and Sanchez for months and had obtained leaked photos and texts the couple had sent, including the now-famous message where Bezos called Sanchez "alive girl." 
  • In the 12 months since, both Bezos and Sanchez have finalized their respective divorces and have embarked on a whirlwind romance that's taken them from Wimbledon to a yacht in St. Barths. 
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

It's been a whirlwind year for Jeff Bezos and his girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez. 

Exactly one year ago, the bombshell news broke that Jeff Bezos and his wife, MacKenzie, were getting a divorce after 25 years of marriage. Hours later, we learned that Bezos was in a relationship with Lauren Sanchez, a TV host, and helicopter pilot who, along with her husband, had been friends with the Bezoses. 

Despite a tumultuous few months that involved leaked texts, blackmail, a billion-dollar divorce, and maybe even interference from the Saudi Arabian government, Bezos and Sanchez are still going strong.  

Here's how their relationship became public and how they've spent their first year as a couple. 

SEE ALSO: The 27 biggest tech scandals of 2019

It all started on January 9, 2019. Shortly after 9 AM, Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos issued a joint statement on Twitter that they were divorcing.

"As our family and close friends know, after a long period of loving exploration and trial separation, we have decided to divorce and continue our shared lives as friends,"the statement read."If we had known we would separate after 25 years, we would do it all again."

MacKenzie Bezos is one of Amazon's earliest employees. The couple has four children together. 



A mere few hours later, a second bombshell dropped: Bezos was in a relationship with Lauren Sanchez.

Sanchez started her career as a news reporter and anchor— she was a longtime anchor of "Good Day LA" on Fox 11 and worked as a correspondent on "Extra." 

More recently, she's worked as a helicopter pilot and founded her own aerial filming company in 2016 called Black Ops Aviation. Bezos has hired Sanchez's company to film footage for his rocket company, Blue Origin. 

Sanchez has also had TV and film roles, including as the host of the reality show "So You Think You Can Dance" and playing an anchor in movies like "Fight Club" and "The Day After Tomorrow," according to her IMDB page



At the time, Sanchez was married to Patrick Whitesell, the co-CEO of WME, a Hollywood talent agency.

Sanchez and Whitesell had been married since 2005, but at the time the news broke, the couple had been separated since the fall, according to Page Six

The couple was friends with Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos because they had houses near each other in Seattle, Page Six reported. 



The National Enquirer said it had conducted a four-month investigation into Bezos and Sanchez's relationship and had obtained texts and photos the couple had sent to each other.

The Enquirer said it had tracked the couple "across five states and 40,000 miles, tailed them in private jets, swanky limos, helicopter rides, romantic hikes, five-star hotel hideaways, intimate dinner dates and 'quality time' in hidden love nests." 

Page Six, which published the news a few hours before the Enquirer, reported that Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos knew that the Enquirer report was coming out and had timed their divorce announcement to get ahead of the news.

The gossip site also reported at the time that Bezos and Sanchez started dating after Jeff and MacKenzie had separated the previous fall, and that MacKenzie knew of the relationship. 



The Enquirer said it had gotten its hands on "raunchy messages" and "erotic selfies," including a text that reportedly read: "I love you, alive girl." The tabloid said it also had racy photos of both Bezos and Sanchez, including one that was too explicit to print.

Source: Business Insider



Almost immediately, questions arose about the Enquirer's motives for investigating Bezos and Sanchez and the tabloid's connection to President Trump.

A feud has simmered for years between Trump and Bezos, who also owns the Washington Post, a frequent Trump target. The Enquirer's publisher, AMI, is run by David Pecker, a longtime Trump ally. 

By the end of January, The Daily Beast reported that Bezos was funding an investigation into who had leaked his private messages to the Enquirer. Bezos' personal head of security, Gavin de Becker, headed up the investigation. De Becker said at the time that he thought the leaks were "politically motivated," which AMI denied

The investigation initially pointed to Michael Sanchez, Lauren's brother and an outspoken Trump supporter, as the person who leaked the photos and texts, which Sanchez denied



Then, in February, Bezos dropped a bombshell of his own: an explosive blog post titled "No thank you, Mr. Pecker," in which he accused Pecker and AMI of trying to blackmail him.

Bezos wrote that the publisher had been threatening him with the publication of explicit photos he'd taken of himself unless he stopped investigating who was leaking his photos and texts to the tabloid.

AMI also demanded that Bezos no longer claim the publisher's investigation into his personal life was influenced by political motivations, Bezos wrote. 

As a result, Bezos published the emails he'd received from AMI.

"Rather than capitulate to extortion and blackmail, I've decided to publish exactly what they sent me, despite the personal cost and embarrassment they threaten," Bezos wrote.

Bezos also hinted in the post that there may have been a link between the investigation into his relationship with Sanchez and the Saudi Arabian government — specifically, that he might have been a target of the Saudis because he owns the Washington Post, which provided "unrelenting coverage," Bezos said, of the murder of its journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, who was killed by Saudi agents. The "Saudi angle" of Bezos' own investigation into the leaks seemed to have "hit a particularly sensitive nerve" with Pecker, Bezos wrote. 

For its part, the Saudi Arabian government denied any role in the situation and called the whole saga a "soap opera." 



Things quieted down for Bezos and Sanchez publicly for a few months, until April, when Jeff and MacKenzie finalized the terms of their divorce.

Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos both released statements on Twitter saying they had "finished the process of dissolving" their marriage and would be co-parenting their four kids.

MacKenzie said she was granting Jeff all her interests in the Washington Post and Blue Origin, as well as 75% of the Amazon stock they owned and voting control over the shares she retained. Her remaining stake in Amazon is estimated to be worth about $38 billion, placing her among the richest women in the world, according to Forbes.



One day later, Sanchez and Whitesell filed for divorce.

TMZ reported at the time that the couple asked for joint custody of their two children. The couple reportedly finalized their divorce in October. 



The Bezos divorce was finalized in July. A few days later, Bezos and Sanchez made their first public appearance as a couple at Wimbledon.

The couple was seated behind the royals at the men's Wimbledon final between Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic at the All England Club. 



The pair was spotted again in August on what appeared to be a fabulous European vacation: They were seen strolling through Saint-Tropez and cruising off the coast of Spain, in the Balearic Islands, aboard media mogul David Geffen's superyacht, the Rising Sun.

Other guests reportedly included Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein and the founder of Thrive Capital, Josh Kushner, along with his supermodel wife, Karlie Kloss. (The group was pictured in an Instagram post that has since been deleted.)

Source: Business Insider



Bezos and Sanchez were then seen on fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg's sailing yacht off the coast of Italy. The couple appears to be close friends with von Furstenberg and her husband, IAC Chairman Barry Diller.

Source: Page Six



In December, Bezos reportedly threw Sanchez an elaborate 50th birthday celebration that included both a private dinner and a star-studded party attended by von Furstenberg and Diller, Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom, and Timothée Chalamet.

Source: Page Six



Around the holidays, the couple jetted off to French-speaking Caribbean island St. Barths, relaxing on yachts and meandering around the island with Sanchez's son, Nikko Gonzalez.

Source: The Cut



The 7 biggest yacht debuts at this weekend's Miami Yacht Show

$
0
0

miami yacht show

Over the course of Presidents' Day Weekend, 32,000 people are expected to enjoy over 400 yachts at the annual Miami Yacht Show.

The show, which will take place from February 13 to February 17, will also feature the debut of over 15 vessels. Those boats range from sporty fishing boats to luxurious superyachts. Each debuting vessel features new technology and sleek design, emphasizing the futuristic mentality the yachting industry is embracing.

Tickets start at $30— but if you can't make it, we've rounded up the seven biggest yachts celebrating their debuts at the Miami Yacht Show. Here they are, listed in ascending order of size:

SEE ALSO: A superyacht design firm denies selling Bill Gates the world's first hydrogen-powered yacht for $650 million. Here's a closer look at the game-changing vessel concept they've created.

DON'T MISS: A new Italian yacht concept is designed to look like a killer whale and can handle Arctic exploration — and it highlights one of the biggest trends shaping luxury travel in the new decade

7. The Navetta 58 is a bulkier yacht focused on comfort — it has no-slip flooring, luxury furnishings, and plenty of spaces to lounge.

Length: 58 feet

Yard: Absolute of Americas

Absolute, the Italian shipyard that built the yacht, said the vessel was "designed with pragmatism and versatility, offering all guests the maximum livability possible," in a press release. Navetta 58 is making its US debut at the Miami Yacht Show.



6. The Princess s62 features an electro-hydraulic bathing platform that can launch an 11-foot tender or jet ski when at anchor.

Length: 62 feet

Yard: Princess Yachts

The vessel has two engines and a top speed of 38 knots. It can accommodate six guests and be customized to accommodate two crew members as well. The layout of the vessel allows for both indoor and outdoor dining and socializing areas. It is making its North American debut at the Miami Yacht Show.



5. The GT65 Carolina is a sportfishing boat making its world debut at the Miami Yacht Show.

Length: 65 feet

Yard:Hatteras

The boat has a top speed of 40 knots and four staterooms below deck. The fishing boat was specifically engineered and built with resin-infusion construction technology to ensure it could handle rough water conditions.



4. The MCY 70 Skylounge is a completely customizable Italian flybridge also making its world debut at the Miami Yacht Show.

Length: 70 feet

Yard:Monte Carlo Yachts

Monte Carlo Yachts, an Italian shipyard, prioritizes luxury by emphasizing customization. The yard's new collection includes boats that can be tailored to the buyer's preference, with vessels ranging from 66 feet to 105 feet. The 70-foot version has a maximum speed of 26 knots.



3. The Azimut 78's exterior was designed by popular Italian designer Alberto Mancini.

Length: 77 feet

Yard:Azimut

The yacht is Italian shipyard Azimut's newest flybridge model. The yacht boasts the yard's newest technology, including three Volvo-designed motors and carbon technology. It can accommodate eight guests and two to three crew members. It is making its US debut at the Miami Yacht Show.



2. The Azimut S8 utilizes a triple propulsion system engineered by Volvo to run quietly.

Length: 80 feet 

Yard:Azimut

The Azimut S8 has a sportier look and also employs carbon technology and a Volvo propulsion system. The vessel has a maximum speed of 34 knots. Below deck, the yacht can accommodate eight guests and two crew members. It is making its US debut at the Miami Yacht Show.



1. BOLD, the show's largest superyacht by far, features a helipad and a dance floor.

Length: 279 feet

Yard: SilverYachts

BOLD is Australian shipyard SilverYachts' largest — and most fuel efficient — build to date. The superyacht has a top speed of 24 knots and a 5,000 nautical mile range. It can accommodate 16 guests and 21 crew members. It is making its US debut at the Miami Yacht Show.



From basketball courts to floating helipads, here are the luxury yachts owned by some of the wealthiest people in tech

$
0
0

richard branson boat

Some billionaires, like Elon Musk and Bill Gates, buy private planes to take control of the open skies — others purchase yachts to access the open seas.

There aren't too many tech billionaires who own personal yachts. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, for instance, doesn't have a yacht himself, but that doesn't stop him from cruising the ocean: He was pictured recently aboard the superyacht belonging to entertainment mogul David Geffen.

But the tech billionaires who do have yachts, like Google cofounders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, reflect the view that yachts are for play: Their boats are decked out with amenities like gyms, spas, pools, nightclubs, and movie theaters.

If you want to find out what life is like aboard these multi-million-dollar yachts, some of them are available to rent out for a few nights or weeks at a time. For instance, chartering the yacht owned by Alphabet President Sergey Brin has cost past customers $773,000 a week.

Take a look at some of the yachts owned by tech billionaires:

SEE ALSO: A day with YouTube prankster Adam Saleh proved that the internet's A-listers have reached celebrity status

Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison owns a 288-foot yacht named Musashi that he acquired in 2013.

Source: Forbes



Ellison also has a knack for competitive yacht racing, and helped to found and back a racing team, called Oracle Team USA, in 2000. The team has found success and won several prestigious titles over the years.

Source: Telegraph



Ellison previously owned a bigger, 454-foot yacht called Rising Sun, which was designed specifically for the CEO in 2005. That yacht reportedly has 82 rooms, a movie theater, a wine cellar, and a basketball court. However, Ellison sold off the Rising Sun to music mogul David Geffen for a reported $300 million.

Source: Forbes, Boat International



Ellison's boat, Musashi, is a sister ship to the yacht of another billionaire, Sears CEO Eddie Lampert. However, the yacht, named Fountainhead, is often mistaken for belonging to billionaire investor Mark Cuban. "The guy who owns the boat tells everyone that it's mine," Cuban told Page Six in 2016. "It's so crazy ... I don't even own a boat."

Source: Page Six



Ellison's yacht reportedly influenced the decision of late Apple CEO Steve Jobs to get a boat himself. However, Jobs never set foot on the boat — the yacht was commissioned in 2008, but wasn't completed until 2012, a year after his death.

Source: Business Insider



When Jobs died in 2011, his yacht — along with his $14.1 billion fortune — was inherited by his wife, Laurene Powell Jobs, founder and president of a social-impact nonprofit called the Emerson Collective. The 256-foot yacht in named Venus, and is worth $130 million.

Source: Business Insider



Google's cofounders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, are two of the richest people in the world, at No. 10 and No. 14, respectively. The two billionaires are known to splurge: In addition to each owning a superyacht, they both own private planes as well.

Sources: Forbes, Business Insider



Page owns a yacht named Senses, a $45 million 194-foot boat that he bought in 2011 from a New Zealand businessman. The yacht has a private beach club with a Jacuzzi and sun beds, both indoor and outdoor dining areas, and a helicopter pad.

Source: Boat International



Meanwhile, Brin owns a longer, 240-foot yacht that he bought for a cool $80 million in 2011. It's reportedly the world's fastest superyacht, and is equipped with a dance floor and open-air movie theater.

Source: Business Insider



Brin's yacht is named Dragonfly. The boat shares a name with Google's once-secret project to launch a censored search engine in China. Google said in 2019 it had officially terminated the project.

Source: Business Insider, Forbes



But Brin and Page aren't the only two high-powered Google figures with yachts. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt owns a 194-foot yacht name Oasis. The yacht reportedly features a pool and a gym-turned-nightclub. He bought the boat in 2009 for a reported $72.3 million.

Sources: Business Insider, GQ



For Skype cofounder Niklas Zennstrom, his interest in yachts skews toward racing and competitive sailing. Zennstrom has gone through a succession of boats all named Ran, and his most recent purchase is the seventh in the series.

Source: CNN



The latest yacht, appropriately named Ran VII, is the most technologically advanced of all of Zennstrom's boats. The racing yacht uses electrical power, which Zennstrom says makes it "lighter, less drag, quieter, and most importantly it is environmentally friendly."

Source: CNN



The 40-foot yacht will compete in regattas through the racing team owned by Zennstrom and his wife, Catherine. The Ran racing team launched in 2008, and has won some prestigious regattas.

Source: CNN



Barry Diller, chairman of digital media company IAC, co-owns a $70 million yacht with his wife, fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg.

Source: Business Insider



The sailing yacht, named Eos, is 350 feet long with six bedrooms. The power couple has hosted many celebrities over the years — a few that have been spotted aboard Eos include model Karlie Kloss, actor Bradley Cooper, journalist Anderson Cooper, and singer Harry Styles.

Source: W Magazine



For Jim Clark, the cofounder of Netscape, one yacht hasn't been enough. Clark has owned boats for more than 30 years, and in 2012, he put up two of his sailing yachts for sale.

Source: Business Insider



Clark listed the boats for a combined $113 million: the 136-foot Hanuman for $18 million, and the 295-foot Athena for $95 million. However, as of 2016, Clark had yet to offload Athena. Clark also previously owned a 155-foot yacht named Hyperion, and currently also owns a racing yacht named Comanche.

Source: Boat International



Charles Simonyi worked at Microsoft until 2002, and oversaw the creation of Microsoft Office software. A few years before he left, Simonyi decided to purchase a yacht. He told the designer that wanted his yacht to be "home away from [his] home in Seattle."

Source: Boat International



The product of that conversation in 1999 is Simonyi's yacht named Skat, meaning "treasure" in Danish. The yacht measures 233 feet long, and is unique with its nontraditional design and gray color. Skat features a matching gray helicopter, a gym, and motorcycles.

Source: Yacht Charter Fleet



Opulent British billionaire Richard Branson owned a yacht, until he sold it in September 2018. The 105-foot catamaran sold for $3 million, significantly lower than the $9.6 million price Branson listed the boat for in 2014.

Source: Business Insider



Branson, the founder of Virgin Group, bought the boat in 2009. He named it Necker Belle, a nod to his private Caribbean island, Necker Island.

Source: Business Insider



Unlike some cruise ports, superyacht marinas remain open amid coronavirus fears. An expert says it's because yachts are more hygienic and less monitored than cruise ships.

$
0
0

superyacht

The coronavirus pandemic may be shutting down some ports of call for cruise ships, but it's not stopping luxury yacht marinas from staying open.

No marinas have yet to be closed to yacht charters, Stefanos Makrymichalos, CEO of superyacht firm IYC, told Business Insider. The major difference between cruise ports and marinas here is the average passenger count each sees hitting the docks on a daily basis. There are upwards of 12,000-plus cruise passengers traveling through major cruise ports a day, Makrymichalos said, while yachts on average host only four to 30 passengers. 

"If you are passing by other guests in a marina it's outdoors, whereas cruise ship terminals and luggage pick up is indoors," he said, adding that there are also more regulations for commercial vessels than private ones. "Ports of entry for ships are being monitored while marinas are not, as there is no evidence of risk."

Yachts are hygienic, but have close quarters

Compared to cruise ships, yachts are considered to be more hygienic thanks to crew members' diligent and thorough cleaning efforts, according to Makrymichalos.

"Each yacht is disinfected between [charter] groups on board, the air is purified on most yachts, and cleanliness standards are very high,"reads a newly issued IYC press release addressing coronavirus concerns. "Some of the yachts use special air filters that control [and] reduce the spread of pathogens."

Poor hygiene practices are said to have contributed to spreading coronavirus on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship that went from having 10 cases of coronavirus to more than 700 over the course of its two-week quarantine and testing. An infectious diseases expert previously told Business Insider the ship was "completely inadequate in terms of infection control."

The special nature of luxury yachts may offer advantages in limiting the spread of coronavirus, but it also creates disadvantages. Tight quarters and interactions on board can pose a problem.

"Seafarers and yacht crew are particularly vulnerable to contracting and/or spreading coronavirus due to the contained crew quarters and close contact between guests and crew," Stacey Soutar, communications manager at the Professional Yachting Association (PYA) based in Antibes, France, told Business Insider.

Yacht shows are being postponed, but charters are still encouraged under precautions

The World Health Organization officially declared coronavirus as a pandemic on Wednesday. While marinas are staying open and yacht charters continue to be encouraged, the yachting industry is still taking precautions.

The Japan International Boat Show has been cancelled, and the Taiwan International Boat Show, Dubai International Boat Show, and Singapore Yacht Show have all been postponed.

Yacht companies have also issued press releases or guidelines addressing coronavirus concerns. IYC advised travelers to keep an eye on travel advisories, and offered the option to purchase trip-cancellation insurance. Another charter company, Ocean Independence, has developed an addendum to charter agreements, outlining a change to the charter area, rescheduling option, or a no-penalty cancellation of the charter if agreed upon by all parties involved. 

And PYA issued special preventative hygiene guidelines for superyacht crew based on advice from the World Health Organization and the International Maritime Health Association to help prevent crew from spreading the virus on board.

Italy is a top charter destination and has the second-highest rate of coronavirus infection

Charterers are voicing concerns about how to handle cancellations, but IYC has yet to issue a cancellation as none of its charter destinations have been compromised as of now, Makrymichalos said. The bulk of the charters IYC manages are in the Caribbean, The Bahamas, and the Mediterranean.

"Business in The Bahamas and Caribbean is healthy right now," Makrymichalos said. "Clients seem to be a bit more cautious when planning their summer vacations in the Med."

The biggest concern, he said, is Italy. With 12,462 coronavirus cases, the country is the second-highest infected area after mainland China, where the virus originated in the city of Wuhan. Other core charter countries in the Mediterranean, according to Makrymichalos, are France, Spain, Croatia, and Turkey. Coronavirus cases in Europe are surging—France and Spain each have around 2,200 cases of coronavirus, while Croatia has seen just 19. Turkey has reported only one case so far.

Soutar said that since Italy is a major yachting location, they're specifically advising yacht crew in the region to follow the WHO guidelines. However, she noted, the Italian yacht industry is currently the winter season.

She said, "Many vessels don't have their full crew onboard and many boats are anchored in marinas, so this lack of movement and activity is definitely helping prevent the spread of the virus amongst this region's crew."

SEE ALSO: 11 mind-blowing facts that show how coronavirus could create a new financial crisis for everyday Americans

DON'T MISS: Coronavirus testing is free, but the hospital trip may set you back thousands. One graphic breaks down potential costs.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: What's inside these 8 unique creatures

Billionaire David Geffen deleted his Instagram after being slammed for a post about how he's self-isolating on his $590 million superyacht

$
0
0

david geffen

Billionaires are self-isolating on superyachts, and they're not afraid to show it.

On Saturday, David Geffen shared on Instagram that he was "isolated in the Grenadines avoiding the virus," with photos of his $590 million super yacht, Rising Sun. Rising Sun has famously hosted celebrities from Oprah to Barack Obama to Jeff Bezos.

"Sunset last night," one photo was captioned. "I'm hoping everyone is saying safe."

But people on the internet didn't take kindly to the tone-deaf nature of Geffen's post. In fact, the backlash was so swift that Geffen has since deleted his Instagram altogether.

The response to Geffen's post is just the latest example of celebrities and ultra-wealthy people being criticized and called out for posting photos from their mansions and sharing "uplifting"singing videos as people around the world deal with issues like mass layoffs and loss of income during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Business Insider previously reported that billionaires were flocking to charter superyachts so they can escape the coronavirus pandemic. Yachts are generally assumed to be cleaner than standard cruise ships because of rigorous maintenance routines, but they can be pricey to charter. Some go for $120,000 a week plus crew costs, while others can set you back as much as $600,000 a week.

Meanwhile, cruise ships around the world are still being rejected from ports as passengers become sick, and commercial airline travel has fallen so steeply that the industry is looking for a bail out. Private plane use, however, is on the rise.

SEE ALSO: Jeff Bezos partied on billionaire David Geffen's $590 million superyacht in the Balearics — here's a look at the yacht, which has hosted everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Barack Obama

NOW READ: Billionaires are chartering superyachts for months at a time to ride out the coronavirus pandemic

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Traditional Japanese swords can take over 18 months to create — here's what makes them so special


Hollywood billionaire David Geffen has been self-isolating on his superyacht in the Caribbean during the coronavirus pandemic. Take a look at the $590 million yacht.

$
0
0

rising sun yacht

Billionaire and entertainment mogul David Geffen is in the hot seat this week for a "tone-deaf" Instagram post about isolating on his $590 million yacht in the Caribbean during the coronavirus pandemic, The Guardian reported.

On Saturday, Geffen posted photos showing his superyacht, Rising Sun, in the Grenadines with the caption, "Sunset last night. Isolated in the Grenadines avoiding the virus. I hope everybody is staying safe." The backlash on Twitter was prompt, with people calling his post "shameful" and out of touch, reported Business Insider's Katie Warren. He appears to have since deactivated his Instagram.

It's the same yacht that Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos was spotted on in the Balearics, Spain, last summer. In a photo posted to Geffen's Instagram, Bezos was seen with his girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez; the supermodel Karlie Kloss; and former Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein.

But Bezos and crew aren't the first to cruise the high seas with Geffen, who appears to love hosting celebrities, musicians, and actors. Leonardo DiCaprio, Bradley Cooper, Oprah Winfrey, and Barack and Michelle Obama have also previously kicked back on Geffen's 400-foot-plus superyacht. 

Here's a look at Rising Sun — and the big names who have been on board.

SEE ALSO: A look inside Datça, the popular tourist destination in Turkey where the $400 million yacht rumored to be owned by Jeff Bezos was spotted

DON'T MISS: I spent 3 years writing about yachts, and owning one takes way more money than you think

The entertainment mogul David Geffen, founder of DreamWorks, SKG, Asylum Records, Geffen Records, and DGS Records, owns Rising Sun. According to Forbes, he's worth an estimated $7.8 billion.

Source: Forbes



The 454-foot megayacht was originally built for Oracle founder Larry Ellison. Geffen bought a half-share in 2007 and the other half in 2010, totaling $590 million.

SourceForbes



The exact value of the superyacht is unclear. However, a 2019 put its value at $300 million.

Source: Yacht Harbour



Rising Sun was constructed by the German shipbuilder Lurssen. Once Geffen became owner, he had the yacht refitted over a six-month period.

Source: Boat International



The yacht can accommodate 18 guests and a staff of 55 people. It even has a basketball court.

SourceForbes



The top deck is dedicated entirely to the owner and includes a double-height cinema.

Source: Boat International



Geffen has cruised everywhere from St. Bart's and the Tobago Cays in the Caribbean to Portofino, Italy, and Ibiza, Spain, according to posts Business Insider previously viewed on his now-deactivated Instagram — but not without a few friends.



Rising Sun is a great place for entertaining. A scroll through Geffen's Instagram feed before it was deleted showed that he's hosted many a celebrity guest on board.

 

 



Oprah Winfrey, Bradley Cooper, Orlando Bloom, Katy Perry, Chris Rock, Bruce Springsteen, Mariah Carey, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Tom Hanks have all joined Geffen in cruising the high seas, according to now-deleted Instagram posts.

Instagram Embed:
//instagram.com/p/B0d16GeHHwP/embed
Width: 540px

 

Source: Business Insider, GQ



But Geffen doesn't just invite actors and musicians on board. In 2017, Barack and Michelle Obama were spotted on board while the yacht was in French Polynesia.

Source: Business Insider



And in summer 2019, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, investment banker Lloyd Blankfein, and supermodel Karlie Kloss were spotted aboard in the Balearics in Spain.

Source: Business Insider



But Geffen likely won't have any friends on board anytime soon during the coronavirus pandemic.



On Saturday, he posted a photo to his Instagram from Rising Sun. The caption read: "Sunset last night. Isolated in the Grenadines avoiding the virus. I hope everybody is staying safe."

Source: Business Insider



Twitter lit up with backlash, with people calling his post "shameful" and out of touch. Geffen then deleted his Instagram.

Source: Twitter



While the combined $590 million that Geffen spent to buy Rising Sun is an astronomical figure, it pales in comparison to the world's most expensive yacht. That title goes to the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich's yacht Eclipse, which is estimated to be worth anywhere from $600 million to $1.5 billion.

Source: Business Insider



An $11 million yacht formerly owned by Rupert Murdoch is being sold by Italy's most controversial Prime Minister — see inside 'Morning Glory'

$
0
0

Morning Glory Yacht

  • A 158-foot sailing superyacht owned by Silvio Berlusconi — the highly controversial former Prime Minister of Italy — is for sale for $11 million. 
  • The yacht is called Morning Glory, and was originally commissioned and owned by Rupert Murdoch, the media mogul who built the Fox empire. 
  • Morning Glory has room for eight passengers and eight crew members, a marble fireplace, multiple dining rooms, a vast master suite, and a full bar.  
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

If you've got a spare eight figures sitting around, there's something on the market that fits right in your budget: Silvio Berlusconi's 158-foot sailing yacht, which is yours for a cool $11 million. 

Of course, most things on the market fit right in your budget. This one just happens to emphasize sailing.

The multimillion-dollar vessel, which is listed for sale through Burgess Yachts and was brought to our attention by Robb Report, has pretty much everything you'd expect from a massive — and massively expensive — superyacht. It's decked out in warm wood, has an operational marble fireplace, sports several lounging and dining areas, and sleeps up to eight guests. 

Plus, it's got quite the provenance. Rupert Murdoch, the billionaire businessman behind the Fox empire, had Morning Glory built in 1993. He married his third wife Wendi Deng aboard it in 1999, according to Robb Report, and sold the yacht to the controversial Italian businessman and former Prime Minister later that year. 

Take a look inside Morning Glory:

Morning Glory, a 158-foot sailing yacht owned by former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, just hit the market with an asking price of $11 million.



The massive yacht was commissioned in 1993 by Rupert Murdoch, the billionaire media mogul behind the Fox Corporation and News Corp.



Berlusconi, whose net worth Forbes estimates at $5.9 billion, reportedly bought the yacht from Murdoch in 1999 for $7.2 million, according to Robb Report.

Source: Robb Report, Forbes



As expected, there's a plethora of different lounging areas to choose from.



There's an L-shaped couch up on the flybridge ...



... by the covered captain's station.



There's also full dining area on the deck ...



And once you get tired of that, you can move to a semi-circular seating area for your after-dinner digestifs.



Climb some stairs and you've reached the "raised sun lounge," perfect for getting some rays while you think about dividends.



Inside, there's a large, U-shaped seating area facing a marble fireplace. There's also a TV for watching videos of your yacht while you're on your yacht.



Off of the "main saloon" there's a room with a formal dining area...



Along with a full bar and game table.



Morning Glory can sleep up to eight guests in four lavishly-appointed suites.



Some rooms have double beds ...



... and others have twins.



The master suite, which spans the full width of the ship, sports a study as well as couples' bathrooms.



Morning Glory also has room to sleep eight crew members.



If you're looking to hole up in a luxurious superyacht for the foreseeable future, you can snatch up Morning Glory or another multimillion-dollar vessel through Burgess Yachts.



WATCH: A video of Monaco's yacht-filled harbor at 8 p.m. shows residents thanking their first responders as only a country full of millionaires could

$
0
0

monaco yachts

In New York City, people clap, cheer, and bang pots and pans.

In Rome, they sing the national anthem.

As the coronavirus pandemic has forced millions of people around the world to stay in their homes, cities have been showing their appreciation for healthcare workers and first responders by cheering, clapping, and singing from rooftops, balconies, and windows at a designated time each evening.

Monaco, a wealthy city-state on the French Riviera, has its own unique way of thanking essential workers. A major yachting destination, Monaco plays host each year to the prestigious Monaco Yacht Show and has a port that's virtually always packed with boats. 

Its affluent residents are currently forbidden from taking their superyachts for out a cruise, but many captains and crew remain on board the yachts to keep them in good shape, according to Raphael Sauleau, the CEO of Fraser Yachts, a yacht brokerage with offices in Monaco.

Every night at 8 p.m., the yachts sound their horns to thank the frontline and essential workers, Sauleau told Business Insider.

You can witness the phenomenon for yourself in a video recently sent to Business Insider:

Video Credit: Fraser Yachts

Melanie Meder, a resident of Slovak-German origin who's lived in the city-state for more than six years, said that the horns can be heard throughout Monaco, which is smaller than New York City's Central Park.

"Monaco is small, and the harbor is quite fully parked," Meder told Business Insider. "Once they start, you hear it everywhere."

Monaco, where an estimated one-third of its 38,000 residents are millionaires, is under a lockdown that's currently set to end on May 3. Until then, residents are only allowed to leave their homes for essential activities including essential work, visits to grocery stores and pharmacies, travel for critical family reasons, and brief outings for individual physical exercise and taking care of pets. The principality has 94 confirmed cases of the virus.

SEE ALSO: Monaco — the famous yachting destination on the French Riviera — has banned its millionaire residents from taking out their superyachts under coronavirus lockdown

DON'T MISS: 15 astounding facts about Monaco, the tiny French Riviera city-state where 32% of the population is made up of millionaires

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: How waste is dealt with on the world's largest cruise ship

This $12 million yacht looks like a spaceship and can cross the Atlantic twice on a single tank — see inside 'Adastra'

$
0
0

Adastra

  • A sleek, lavish megayacht fit for a Bond villain, called "Adastra," has hit the market for $12 million.  
  • Thanks to its efficient shape and lightweight construction, the yacht can cross the Atlantic twice without refueling and boasts a total range of around 11,500 miles. 
  • Adastra has a master bedroom, two guest cabins, and room for six crew members. 
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Some people can't simply settle for a regular, run-of-the-mill superyacht like all the other millionaires and billionaires — they need something a bit flashier to set them apart from the crowd. 

For those people, there are yachts like Adastra, a sleek, custom-built trimaran that's currently on the market for a cool $12 million. 

The extravagant vessel — which looks less like a yacht and more like something out of "Star Wars"— is built for exploration, according to Burgess Yachts, which has the boat listed for sale. Due to its streamlined shape and lightweight construction, Adastra can travel across the Atlantic twice over without needing to refuel. Plus, Adastra's unique design means it can venture into shallow harbors and get up close to islands, unlike most traditional yachts.

But this multimillion-dollar yacht is built for pleasure, too — it sports multiple sunbathing areas, a diving platform, a lavish main room, three cabins for guests, and space for six crew members. 

See inside Adastra:

SEE ALSO: An $11 million yacht formerly owned by Rupert Murdoch is being sold by Italy's most controversial Prime Minister — see inside 'Morning Glory'

Adastra, a spaceship-like megayacht fit for a Bond villain, has hit the market for $12 million.



Commissioned in 2012 by shipping tycoon Anto Marden at a cost of at least $20 million, according to Robb Report, the trimaran yacht was built to cover vast distances and cross oceans.

Source: Robb Report



Thanks to its efficient shape, lightweight construction, and 15,000-liter fuel capacity, Adastra boasts a range of 10,000 nautical miles, or roughly 11,500 miles.



That means the 140-foot ship can cross the Atlantic twice over without having to refuel, and its owner has done just that, he told Robb Report.

Source: Robb Report



Plus, the yacht sits less than four feet below the water line, so it can venture into shallow harbors where traditional yachts can't.



After spending several years cruising the globe aboard Adastra, Marden is ready to sell the head-turning vessel and give more attention to his other yacht, he told Robb Report.

Source: Robb Report



To keep passengers comfortable on long journeys, Adastra is every bit as luxurious as it is capable.



Inside, there's a main living space with a wraparound lounge area ...



... and panoramic windows.



The yacht features lots of custom materials — including lightweight oak cabinetry — to decrease weight and improve fuel efficiency.



Behind the lounge, there's a full dining area ...



... complete with a kidney-shaped wood table and a pair of skylights.



Toward the back of the interior, there's a sofa and a bar area.



Below deck, there's a master suite that spans the full width of the hull.



The master bedroom has a private full bath and desk.



In total, Adastra sleeps up to nine guests ...



... along with six crew members.



There's a second full bathroom below deck as well.



The helm station has seating for two, and is raised up above the rest of the yacht.



On the aft deck, there's teak flooring and a couple of lounge areas ...



... including a full dining setup for meals outside.



The back of Adastra sports a large diving platform and has room for two "tenders," smaller boats for recreation and for getting to and from port.



A sliding door at the front of the main saloon gives way to a covered lounging area on the bow.



Plus, there's a tanning area with bean bags for catching some rays. If all that sounds appealing and you've got a spare eight figures sitting around, this may be the yacht for you.



Sundeck BBQs, trivia nights, and strict hygiene rules: An inside look at the life of crews locked down on luxury superyachts

$
0
0

Shorts and sunglasses in the hot tub in Monaco.

  • Many superyacht crew members have been stuck on their vessels after lockdowns and travel bans were instated due to the coronavirus pandemic.
  • We spoke to crew members who felt 'lucky' to be quarantined in such luxury digs — and grateful to still have jobs and secure wages.
  • There is still plenty of work to be done, but workers also described trivia games, sundeck BBQs, and hot tub nights they're using to pass the time and bond with colleagues.
  • Strict new hygiene and sanitation rules have also been put into place.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

In late March, billionaire businessman David Geffen posted a shot on Instagram taken from his 452-foot superyacht Rising Sun. It was hastily deleted — but not before it had raised more than a few eyebrows and stirred discourse around the 1% and their self-isolation privilege.

But it's not just the rare billionaire who is bunkering down on their yacht during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here is another group of people for whom this is a new reality: the yacht's crews. 

Before this crisis, there were around 80,000 people employed on pleasure craft around the globe, according to Laurence Lewis, CEO of YPI Crew, a yacht recruitment agency. As countries rushed to close their borders, ports were closed — and overnight, many found themselves unable to travel to get to or leave their yachts. 

For many, a superyacht sounds like the dream scenario to see out lockdown. But is it? 

Social Distancing in the Virgin Islands

"There are worse places to be stuck," said Kat, a chef on a 150-foot yacht currently moored in the South of France.

"We must surely be among the luckier ones. Being isolated on a luxury yacht and not having to worry about shopping for food is hardly a hardship," said Kat's friend Jerry, an engineer on an 262-foot vessel in Tarragona, Spain.

But it would be very wrong to assume that this confinement period is an excuse to raid the owner's vintage Champagne collection. Usually early- to mid-spring is prime recruitment season in the Mediterranean as yachts prepare for big-ticket events such as the Cannes Film Festival and the Monaco Grand Prix (the former currently postponed; the latter canceled). Instead of hiring, however, many are letting crew members go. 

Those who still have jobs and secure wages are especially grateful

Bianca and Joe in Monaco

Bianca and Joe, a stewardess and engineer couple now in their third year of employment on a 180-foot-yacht under lockdown in Monaco, said their employer has promised to keep them at full salary. "It's been made it clear that our safety and health is the top priority." 

In response to the pandemic, extra hygiene measures have been put in place on superyachts. "We have a tight quarantine," said Kat. "The hand sanitizers at the entrance doors must be used. All deliveries are sanitized on the dock before they come on board, and gloves and masks are readily available." 

Similar comments were echoed by every crew member Business Insider spoke to for this story.

In Tarragona, Jerry's yacht, like Spain itself, has been very strict in its approach to tackling the spread of the virus. "No one comes on and no one goes off," he said. At the time of writing, he hadn't stepped foot on solid land in 45 days. 

For Jerry, who has spent 16 years on the same vessel (and 27 in the industry), the only excuse to step onshore is illness. "We have an apartment nearby to quarantine returning crew or anyone showing symptoms," he said. Bianca and Joe say that should one of their crew need to be isolated, the aft (rear) of the boat, including a guest cabin, would be cordoned off for them. 

There are five crew members currently in port in Monaco; typically, there would be 12. Normally cramped crew quarters are suddenly spacious, and any tensions that come with living in close range are being preempted. "We are having meetings every morning about how we are feeling today," said Joe. 

There are other obstacles to account for, too: Kat's crew has already been fined $146 by French police for not providing the right documentation while sitting dockside.

Even if there are no owner or charter trips on the horizon, there is still work to be done

"It's business as usual on the surface," Jerry said. "For us in the engine room, we've been able to tackle all those little jobs that have been on the back burner for years in favor of the more urgent tasks." As the chef, Kat said that work-wise, little has changed. "We still need to eat," she laughs. Evenings and weekends have become the realm of trivia, movie nights, jigsaw puzzles, Zoom calls with family and friends, "and the occasional sing-song," said Jerry. Like many of its size, his yacht comes with a gym that he is using daily.

Puzzle time

There's an 8 p.m. salute when vessels around the Mediterranean sound their horns as people clap from balconies. This movement of gratitude towards the frontline health workers has become the soundtrack of spring evenings in cities and towns across the continent.

Across the pond in the US, many yachts have had their winter season cut short

In West Palm Beach, Florida, Captain Wean has a full crew of 14 onboard his 180-foot vessel.

"It's OK for now because we were just on a four-week guest trip in the Virgin Islands and were too busy to be paying much attention to the lockdown. Now, it's getting tough because we are still stuck onboard and didn't get to go blow off steam and decompress as usual," he said. He's also trying to balance the need for necessary end-of-season work without bringing unnecessary contractors on board.

He has told his crew that they can go running and cycling, but he has said no to the gym and socializing. Some enjoyment of the facilities is allowed. "We fill the hot tub on the weekends and have sundeck BBQs."

The Crew in Spain

"Tiresome but necessary" is how Wean, who has been in the industry for 16 years, described the current measures. Jerry is similarly pragmatic. "It hasn't been mentally easy, and it will be great when it's over. But it's nothing we can't handle for the sake of saving lives." Kat is "appreciative of the company as opposed to being alone at home," she said.
Bianca and Joe feel that, although the situation is stressful, they are well placed to handle confinement because of the nature of the job. "In the season, I don't often get off the yacht anyway," said Bianca.

With dates now starting to be set for the gradual easing of lockdown measures across Europe, they all agree that, if and when it does start, this Mediterranean yachting season will be unlike any other. "It's still too early, but I wouldn't anticipate anything happening until July or August," said Kat. "And that's a big if," said Bianca.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: What makes 'Parasite' so shocking is the twist that happens in a 10-minute sequence

Viewing all 121 articles
Browse latest View live


<script src="https://jsc.adskeeper.com/r/s/rssing.com.1596347.js" async> </script>