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MOTOR YACHT A – Cutting-edge $300M Superyacht

MOTOR YACHT A is one of the largest privately-owned megayachts in existence, measuring 119 meters (390 ft) in length.

It is currently ranked the 27th biggest yacht in the world and sails under the flag of Bermuda.

A was built by the famous shipyard Blohm & Voss in Kiel, Germany and after four years of construction, she was handed over to her new owner in 2008.

MOTOR YACHT A interior

The interior of the 119 meters (390 ft) long A offers plenty of natural light and elaborate wooden furniture, providing a luxurious and comfortable ambiance.

The interior design is by Philippe Starck, a renowned French architect, and designer who helped develop the private rooms of the Élysée Palace in Paris.

MOTOR YACHT A features a beautiful master suite and an additional six state-of-the-art guest cabins. A crew of 35 members is able to stay on board to take care of up to 14 guests.

Specifications

Two diesel engines power MOTOR YACHT A with an output of 9,000 kW each. A full tank of over 750,000 liters provides her with an impressive reach of up to 6,500 nautical miles.

Her cruising speed lies at 19 knots, but the vessel can reach maximum speeds of up to 23 knots.

A is equipped with the latest technology and control systems, which aid the crew in maneuvering the gigantic vessel. She has a width of 18.87 meters (61.90 ft) and weighs in at an impressive 5,500 tons.

Philippe Starck also created the exterior design of A in collaboration with naval architect Martin Francis and the shape of the yacht strongly resembles a US Navy destroyer.

A has a total of three swimming pools distributed on the different decks.

The pool on the front deck is the largest of all and is equipped with a jet nozzle that can simulate currents.

Furthermore, A features a spacious beach club as well as three tenders housed in their own garages.

She also has her own helicopter landing pad located on the forward main deck while three elevators make it easy for guests and crew to reach the different levels of the vessel.

Of course, A is equipped with a high-quality gym and a spacious spa area.

The price of MOTOR YACHT A is estimated at about US $300 million, which the owner, Russian billionaire Melnichenko paid for the vessel in 2008.

The annual costs amount to US $12 to $15 million depending on use.

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What makes a superyacht a superyacht.

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A superyacht with the best limousine tender provides plenty of "billionaire bragging rights."

Each of the largest, most expensive, most over-the-top yachts in the world are custom-built creations that represent the pinnacle of creativity, craftmanship, luxury and yes… billionaire bragging rights . But the question I’m often asked is…what makes a superyacht a superyacht? Is there a minimum price, or size, or other criteria that separates “super” yachts from much more common “yachts?” Does a superyacht require its own helicopter? What about a swimming pool(s) or IMAX theater?

Guests onboard the the Onda 321L limousine tender can rocket from the mothership to the dock without ... [+] ever getting their hair messed up.

Well, the answer is, yes and no. There is no “law” that says all yachts over a certain length, price or equipment must be called superyachts. However, the largest and most expensive yachts in the world are always (and obviously) referred to superyachts. And Wikipedia only muddies the water by quoting several sources in this vague attempt at a definition: “A superyacht or megayacht is a large, luxurious, professionally crewed motor or sailing yacht, ranging from 24 meters (79 ft) to more than 180 meters (590 ft) in length. Superyachts are often available for charter with a staff that caters to guests at a high standard of comfort.”

The interior of a superyacht limo is as luxurious as you think it'd be.

So, without even getting into the question of what’s the difference between a superyacht, megayacht or “gigayacht” (the three new 300-foot-long Benetti’s that were launched earlier this year have been called “gigayachts”). Or debating the fact that all superyachts are usually equipped with a wide range of “toys” that include everything from jet skis and speedboats to personal submarines . I may have found a very simple (and universal) metric.

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Superyacht limos are highly engineered to provide maximum comfort.

All superyachts are opulent enough to be equipped with an object that represents the epitome of luxury—a limousine tender—like the Onda 321L . And like most yacht limos, it’s comprised of three distinct zones. The helm is separated from the guest area in the front of the boat. The back section is comprised of a large teak swim and boarding platform, while the large covered section in the middle is a luxurious as it gets.

A superyacht limo that is deployed from the mothership is the epitome of luxury.

The interior features two hand stitched leather couches that are large enough for ten guests to travel from the mothership to anywhere on land in air-conditioned comfort. In addition, it has a number of extra features including a high-end entertainment system, espresso machine and champagne cooler.

Is your yacht tender a cross between a limo and a Ferrari?

“The Onda 321L is an outstanding luxury service boat,” George Riginos, CEO at Onda Tenders, said. “It has a special hull form that allows more space inside the cabin. Also, it starts planning at lower speeds, only from 10 knots, which is amazing. Therefore, the ride is much smoother and top speed is higher than usual for comparable tenders. It is as if a limousine was crossed with a Ferrari .

Not every superyacht is fitted out with a limousine that's crossed with a Ferrari. But I will say this: Every superyacht has a limousine.

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How Much Does a Superyacht Cost?

21st apr 2024 by samantha wilson.

Superyachts are some of the most astounding machines on the planet. Their innovation and luxury have fascinated us for decades as we’ve watched them grow in length—and cost—by the year. Today, some of the most expensive yachts in the world can measure a staggering 590 feet and cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Yet the purchase price is just the beginning, and you need to have extremely deep pockets to consider owning a superyacht. Here we take a closer look at how much it costs not just to build or buy a superyacht, but to run it, as well as the price of chartering one of these magnificent vessels. 

Superyachts are some of the most expensive luxury items on the planet and the largest ones can cost hundreds of millions of dollars. 

The Cost of Buying a Superyacht

There are 5,396 superyachts (classified as over 98 feet in length) gracing our oceans as we speak according to SuperYacht Times reporting in 2022. It’s a surprisingly small number when you consider the vast industry that supports them. Although when we look at the cost of owning a superyacht—the build or purchase price , as well as the annual ownership costs—it perhaps shouldn’t come as quite such a surprise. Superyachts are expensive! In fact, they’re one of the most expensive luxury items in the world, and some of the largest superyachts cost not just millions but hundreds of millions to build. 

The gargantuan Azzam holds the title of the world’s largest superyacht (for now), and at 590 feet long, it is huge. (See our analysis on Superyacht versus Megayacht .) The industry has estimated it cost $600 million to build, a figure that few people in the world can afford. One of those people is Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, whose 533-foot superyacht Eclipse cost an estimated $700 million to build in 2009. Jeff Bezos' recently completed the 417-foot superyacht Koru for an estimated $500 million.

While the largest superyachts hit headlines with their jaw-dropping sizes and build prices, the term “superyacht” covers a broad spectrum of sizes, from the smallest 80- to 100-foot (30-meter) yachts straight up to 230-foot yachts (70 meters) and on to those in the 330-foot (100 meter) range. According to Triton Charters, a good rough estimate for a small, custom-built superyacht is $1 million for every 3.3 feet in length. That means a custom 100-footer might cost $30 million. The formula is less likely to work for a larger superyacht, however, such as a 330-footer that could easily have a price tag of $275 million. 

When discussing prices it’s important to point out that custom and semi-custom vessels built in a production series hull) superyachts will vary in price accordingly. Many brands such as Princess Yachts or Sunseeker offer a production hull with a range of customizable options, from the layout to the finishings. The specifications chosen may increase the final price 20 percent or more. Even so, a new 130-foot semi-custom superyacht might cost in the region of $12-15 million, less than half what a fully custom yacht would cost due to being built from scratch from the very design upwards. 

Pre-owned superyachts of reasonably large size are likely to sell for prices in the $20 to $30 million range, according to a report by Insure4Boats. Older yachts on the market may fetch prices as low as $1.5 million to $2.5 million for a 15- to 20-year-old 90-foot superyacht. 

Superyachts vary hugely in size, from 100 feet to the largest at 590 feet in length. 

Cost of Owning a Superyacht

Buying a superyacht is one thing, keeping it running is quite another. Where the industry once used the figure of 10 to 12 percent of the price of the boat in running costs per year, today that figure has risen to closer to 20 percent, according to Insure4Boats. So what goes into the running of a boat and why does it cost so much?

As we’ve seen, the sale prices of used yachts vary widely, from $11 million in the 130- to 160-foot category, $24 million in the 160- to 230-foot category, and perhaps $80 million for yachts of 230 feet or more. The running and maintenance costs of any vessel always need to be taken into account when looking at luxury yachts for sale , but when we’re talking superyachts for sale, the figures rise exponentially. 

• Fuel: One of the biggest expenses is fuel, as superyachts are thirsty machines. As an example, a 230-foot yacht will use around $2,000 of fuel per hour while underway at 20 knots. A smaller yacht will use much less fuel, so a 150-foot yacht will use around 150 gallons per hour at a rough cost of around $500/hour. Assuming a figure of 500 hours of cruising time a year, that’s a total of $250,000 (excluding all the time spent at anchor with generators running). 
• Dockage: Dockage costs for the largest superyachts can be extraodinary, and at any size point they will still be one the biggest expenditures. Prices are based on the length of the yacht per night. The more sought-after and prestigious addresses will carry the largest price tags, with $4,000 per night in the high season commonplace according to the Luxury Yacht Group. Towergate Insurance estimates that docking fees for larger boats can run up to $350,000 per year. 
• Crew Salaries: Depending on the size of the superyacht, a full-time crew is usually required, and the size of that crew goes up with the yacht size, ranging from three or four members to in excess of 70 members. From the captain all the way down, the total sum of crew salaries will add up. A comparatively modest 150-foot superyacht could have an annual crew salary of $800,000 according to Luxury Yacht Group, which is around 45 percent of the total annual running costs. 
• Maintenance: The upkeep and maintenance of these behemoth yachts is constant and, according to CNN, the annual estimated maintenance costs for Azzam are around $60 million. A much smaller yacht would of course be quite a bit less, but the same yacht maintenance costs need to be factored in. Add to that surveys every few years, which can run into the hundreds of thousands. 
• Provisions: Whether the boat is being used by the owner or for charter, there will be a significant cost to provisioning, both for high-profile guests and the crew. Food, alcohol, flowers, water sports equipment, and much more will all be of the highest caliber and run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Consider that a single jet ski to run off the back of the yacht can cost between $5,000 and $20,000. 
• Insurance and administration: The insurance on a 150-foot yacht would be around $73,000 annually, according to Luxury Yacht Group, with management and administration costs on top of that. 

The annual maintenance and running costs of superyachts can run into the millions including crew salaries, fuel, and dockage fees. 

How Much Does it Cost to Charter a Superyacht

If the numbers above have got you reassessing whether superyacht ownership is right for you, then fear not. Chartering a superyacht can be a stress-free way to enjoy the luxury yachting lifestyle with more predictable prices. The cost of chartering a yacht will depend on several factors such as the size and age of the yacht, the destination, the length of the charter, and the level of provisioning required. 

Superyachts usually operate on a pricing structure that is based on the base cost of chartering the yacht including the crew, facilities, and insurance. Other expenses such as fuel costs, food and drinks, special events, and dockage, which will all vary from charter to charter, are charged in advance in what is known as an Advanced Provisioning Allowance (APA).

According to Northrop and Johnson, superyacht charters can cost anywhere from $150,000 per week to over $2 million per week plus expenses. The 278-foot yacht O’ptasia , for example, has charter prices starting at $868,000, while 196-foot Scott Free starts at £395,000 per week.

Buying a Superyacht

If you think purchasing a superyacht might be right for you some day, read our  Top Tips on How to Buy a Superyacht  and our article on  Superyachts 101: All Your Questions Answered . You can get started by browsing for superyachts for sale and megayachts for sale on Rightboat. 

Written By: Samantha Wilson

Samantha Wilson has spent her entire life on and around boats, from tiny sailing dinghies all the way up to superyachts. She writes for many boating and yachting publications, top charter agencies, and some of the largest travel businesses in the industry, combining her knowledge and passion of boating, travel and writing to create topical, useful and engaging content.

More from: Samantha Wilson

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How to Charter a Superyacht: Everything You Need to Know About Booking a High-Seas Vacation

Considering a yacht vacation this summer or even into 2023 here are the abc's to finding the best maritime fit for your family and friends., julia zaltzman, julia zaltzman's most recent stories.

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The Beckhams do it. Jeff Bezos does it. Leonardo DiCaprio even did it last month. Chartering a yacht has become many celebrities’ favorite way to get away from it all, whether lounging on sunbeds or snorkeling remote atolls. According to Fraser Yacht’s 2021 market report, there are around 2,900 yachts available for charter in the world today. The global charter fleet keeps on growing, which means there is a charter-yacht vacation out there to suit everyone.

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Ranging from 80- to over 450 feet, from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean to the South Pacific, elegant sailing yachts, high-performance motoryachts, explorer yachts with expansive deck spaces and award-winning gigayachts with armadas of water toys are available.

If you’ve never dipped your toe in the charter waters before, let us walk you through the need-to-know details of how to charter a yacht successfully and have the time of your life.

Your chariot awaits. The welcoming swim platform of the new superyacht Ahpo , available through Moran Yachts.  Courtesy Guillaume Plisson

How to Choose the Right Yacht to Charter

Consult the pros—talk to a broker.

The biggest question for first-time charterers is where to begin. The tried-and-tested method is to engage the help of a reputable charter broker. It’s their job to understand what you would like to get from the charter and then matchmake your preferences with the most suitable yacht.

“Engaging a professional charter broker is free and they are key to ensuring your holiday is stress-free,” Alexandra Groom, charter broker at Worth Avenue Yachts, told Robb Report . “Professional charter brokers have access to exclusive databases with stringent membership, communication and ethics rules, meaning they are most likely to be able to find you the right yacht in the right location, even if what you require is off market.”

“Make sure your broker gets to know you and your family,” adds Nick Trotter, chairman of the charter committee of MYBA The Worldwide Yachting Association. “Finding the right broker is often via word of mouth, so ask your friends, ask people you trust, find out what they’ve done and who they’ve done it with. The communication between you and your broker is paramount because the broker represents you, they’re acting on your behalf, so you need to be able to articulate your vision.”

The upper-deck pool on the 351-foot Lana chartered via Fraser Yachts .  Courtesy Benetti Yachts

Neal Hornsby, co-founder and CEO of Yomira, advocates finding out about your broker’s eco-credentials, too: “Can they offset your carbon footprint from the charter, teach the kids about the marine environment or perhaps involve you in local conservation projects if you are keen to participate during your time aboard? The right broker for you is the broker that you not only connect with, but most importantly has the credibility to back up their advice.”

You can find a listing of charter brokers and companies that adhere to global guidelines at the  MYBA , the yachting industry’s technical and ethics guide, as well as that of the  International Yacht Brokers Association .

Booking With Apps

For those who feel safer behind a screen, several different online platforms, such as  Ahoy Club , Yotha and Borrow a Boat allow you to scroll and book your yacht. This flexible approach embraces a younger generation of digitally minded charterers. That said, hailing a $10 taxi ride with Uber is much less risky than booking a $500,000 charter on your iPhone. So be sure you have contact info for a live human in case anything goes wrong on your charter vacation.

Finding the Right Crew for Your Needs

Equally as important when choosing a yacht is making sure the crew are a good fit. If you have children in tow, you’ll want a family-friendly crew who can keep them entertained. If you’re traveling with a group of active friends, having crew who double as watersports instructors is a great benefit. Or maybe you’ve been dreaming of a gastronomic itinerary that features a Michelin-caliber chef on board? A broker will go over all your options. June Montagne, charter consultant at IYC, recommends requesting references on the crew prior to making your final decision. “Your crew are far more important than your yacht,” she told Robb Report .

The 446-foot Flying Fox is the world’s largest charter yacht. Charter guests have multiple decks and interior spaces for privacy. For a sense of scale, note the size of the couple on the upper-deck lounge  Courtesy Imperial Yachts

Picking Your Yachting Destination

An important element of any charter is knowing where you would like to vacation. This will also heavily influence the yacht that you end up chartering. Different yachts are based in different locations and usually move throughout the year, so if you have your heart set on experiencing Lady E ’s brand-new beach club for spring break , you’ll be cruising the Indian Ocean. If you’re more interested in exploring UNESCO World Heritage sites along Croatia’s coastline, then GECO, which cruises the Eastern Mediterranean in summer , would be a smart option.

“Decide on your group’s makeup and whether or not you have a particular destination in mind,” Katya Hall, IYC sales and charter consultant, told Robb Report . “It’s fine if you don’t—your broker will propose yachts in multiple locations and walk you through highlights of every destination.”

The most common migration is the Mediterranean in the summer and the Caribbean in the winter. However, you will also find yachts cruising the waters of Central and South America, Antarctica, the Pacific islands, Northern Europe and even Costa Rica. In 2021, the Amalfi Coast in Italy and the Greek islands were among the most popular summer charter destinations.

The recently launched 278-foot Victorious is one of the brand-new charter yachts on the water. Available through Burgess .  Courtesy Burgess Yachts

Choose a Vessel That Fits Your Plan—and the Occasion

Most yachts carry the basic water toys and tenders for being towed and simple snorkeling exploration. But some yachts carry specific equipment, from personal submarines, decompression chambers for scuba diving, inflatable slides and even Hammam saunas and snow rooms. Does your charter have a theme? Or maybe you want to celebrate a birthday? Just be sure the yacht caters for your needs, whether planning a party with a DJ or hosting a business meeting.

“A yacht charter opens up destinations in ways that staying in a hotel can’t,” says Groom. “Instead of being restricted by transport links and journey times, you can start at one part of a coastline and end at another, taking in multiple islands, villages or bays in one short week, all from the comfort of your yacht. Even if a particular coastline is new to you, your captain will ensure that your trip focuses on the elements that are most important to you.”

  If you want to keep the yacht on the move, its speed, size, draft depth and flag will determine how many stops you can make. For example, cruising in the Bahamas requires a shallow draft if you want to visit out islands like the Exumas, though plenty of ports have deeper waters.

“A yacht with stabilizers is key for first time charterers if they haven’t experienced the sea before,” advises Lotte Barker-Hahlo, charter broker at Burgess.

The forward mast of the iconic sailing yacht Maltese Falcon doubles as a nighttime movie screen.  Courtesy Edmiston

Why Yacht Size Matters

The duration of the trip and number of guests is another consideration. One week for family and a second week for friends? Or maybe you’re planning a three-week itinerary to island hop your way around the Florida Keys. Charter brokers usually list pricings per week and most charter yachts are certified to carry 12 guests, plus crew. If you plan to vacation with more than that, you will need a PYC- or SOLAS-class yacht, which is licensed for up to 36 passengers. Yachts such as 278-foot Victorious , an explorer vessel capable of circumnavigating the world, has 12 staterooms for 24 guests plus crew.

Guest cabin configurations tend to be varied and flexible. The principal (person who booked the charter) will typically take the master suite. But yachts with large VIPs, cabins with bunks designed for kids, and twin cabins with a Pullman bed make sleeping arrangements tailored to suit your group easy. Don’t forget to include in your count any personal assistants, babysitters or other security guards. And if anyone in your party has concerns about limited mobility, factoring an elevator or stair-climber into your criteria early on is a must.

Toys are a major consideration when looking for a superyacht to charter. A lot of fun will be off the boat. Benetti ‘s 11.11 via Y.CO.  Courtesy Benetti Yachts

When to Book 

Once you’ve identified which yacht you prefer in your chosen destination, be sure not to leave booking until the last minute. Just like any other vacation, chartering over the summer holidays, Christmas and popular events such as the Monaco Grand Prix makes for the high-demand season.

“Only book when you’re ready!” says Hornsby. “But as with any holiday periods, July/August and Christmas/New Year are always in high demand so an early conversation with your broker is recommended. There are always some great deals to be done in the quieter months, but lead-in time is key, particularly as we emerge from a Covid world.”

In 2021, Fraser Yachts reported an increase of 56 percent in bookings across their charter fleet compared to the previous year, as well as a slight increase in the number of tandem charters—clients chartering two yachts simultaneously so more of the family could be together. Booking your charter at the last minute could mean you’re unable to secure your first, second or even third preference. If the timing and the yacht are both important, book a year in advance. If you are flexible with both dates and the yacht, most brokers can find a yacht for you.

Family time aboard the 230-foot Joy, available through Burgess Yachts.  Courtesy Burgess Yachts

Privacy and Personalization

Privacy and discretion form the backbone of yachting. Builders usually don’t share who the owner of a yacht is, nor do the brokers or crew. If you have concerns about the confidentiality of high-profile guests during your charter, requesting your charter broker to sign an NDA is an option. As with all elements of a bespoke yacht charter, the choice is yours, from dietary needs and favorite cocktails to service etiquette and daily activities.

If you or your travel partners are inclined to remain plugged in, most yachts feature high-speed Wi-Fi, allowing you to keep in touch as much or as little as you would like. For those keen to get out and explore, options range from shopping for local artisan goods, taking a cooking class or dropping anchor in one cove all day to dive and fish. It’s up to you how you spend your time, just be sure to give the crew a heads-up so they know what to be prepared for.

Pools and Jacuzzis are an expected feature among most superyacht charters. Here, aboard the 136-ft. Ruya.   Courtesy Burgess Yachts

Yacht Charter Costs: What Should You Expect to Pay?

The final step is the contract. Most brokers use the MYBA contract or something similar. All these decisions lead down to the bottom line: How much does it cost?

“Ask for all expenses involved,” says Montagne. “Does the charter fee include expenses or are they are additional? Is there any tax or VAT payable? What percentage is acceptable in the area you will be chartering? What about liability and trip cancellation insurance?” All these points need to be considered.

As an example, for the 2021 summer season, the 160-foot Rossinavi EIV superyacht, with five cabins and nine crew chartered in the Mediterranean from approximately $280,000 per week. The overall price varies with fuel consumption (staying in port or cruising), location (France or Greece), the number of people you are traveling with, food and drink, as well as activities. Adding in food and drink; expenses for docking, fuel and other fees; and tips will tack roughly 30 to 50 percent of the charter rate to your trip. So, if you were on  EIV  for a week last summer, it most likely cost you between $364,000 and $420,000 depending on how often the yacht moved, how many bottles of rosé you went through, and what kind of gratuity you left the crew for your incredible stay on board.

Superyacht Excellence lives up to its name, as one can see from the indoor/outdoor living spaces.  Courtesy Burgess Yachts

How Yacht Size and Destination Determine Price

When it comes to costs, the size of the yacht matters. A smaller yacht will cost less, while the 446-foot Flying Fox , one of the largest charter yachts on the market accommodating 25 guests and with an unprecedented 4,300-square-foot two-floor spa, charters from around $3,400,000 per week.

Certain destinations, such as Patagonia or Kamchatka, may bring a different set of fees if you intend on heli-skiing, while heavily protected locations like Antarctica and the Galapagos require permits confirmed in advance. Wherever you cruise, you will heavily rely on the knowledge, professionalism and help of the crew, so it goes without saying that the service tip is a crucial fee that should factor into your expenses.

Spas and massage therapists are standard on most of the larger charter vessels. The spa on Victorious is unusually lavish.  Courtesy Burgess Yachts

How Much to Tip the Crew

MYBA suggests five to 15 percent as customary, though it’s left up to your discretion to reward an exceptional crew with a larger amount if you think that’s fair, or a smaller amount if the service hasn’t been up to par. In terms of how to hand the tip over, standard procedure is to leave the gratuity with the captain at the end of your stay so he or she can divvy among the various crew members you may or may not have seen, based on their duties.

All that’s left is to prepare to have a vacation of your lifetime. “There is nothing that compares to spending time on the water with your family and friends,” says Hall. “It’s about enjoying watersports, having exquisite meals and discovering magical spots of the world along the way.”

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• Imperial Yachts

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The Real Costs of Owning a Superyacht [Complete Guide]

November 25, 2019 1:00 pm

Owning a  superyacht  is a status symbol available only to the world’s wealthiest individuals and corporations. Although there is no strict definition, the Red Ensign Group Yacht Code is applicable to “motor or sailing vessels of 24 meters in load line length and over…and which, at the time, is in commercial use for sport or pleasure and carries no cargo and no more than 12 passengers 1 .” There are currently just over 10,000 superyachts in the world with around 200-250 new builds delivered each year. The vast majority are  motor yachts , with sailing yachts counting for less than 20% of the total. The world’s largest private vessel, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s 180m (590-foot) AZZAM,  cost $600 million to build when it was delivered in 2013. Eight of the ten most expensive luxury acquisitions of all time were superyachts.

Purchase Cost

Buying a new or used superyacht will most likely cost the buyer several million dollars. Pricing varies widely based on the yacht size, age, and other factors such as builder, guest capacity, speed, range, and more. The market is worldwide and extensive. Any potential buyer would be well-advised to engage a professional, certified broker to guide them in the selection of their dream yacht and through the myriad of complications in making the purchase.

• • Financing the Purchase
• • Immediate Post Purchase Costs

Operating Costs

In years past, owners and their brokers would work on 10% of the purchase price as an estimate of annual operating costs, but the vast range of yacht size, operating location, and usage profile makes this approach less useful without giving the question more thought. Building a budget for a yacht requires consideration of the following elements:

Crew – Salary, payroll taxes, recruitment fees, uniform, health insurance, food, and travel for vacation and repatriation are all crew-related costs. A good guide for salary costs is published by Dockwalk magazine every year based on an extensive survey of the crew and placement agents. Using their most recent article as a guide, a crew of eight full-time crew on a 150-foot yacht will cost over $650,000 per year in salary alone. Get a complete crew cost breakdown.

Dockage – Unless the owner plans to spend the year at anchor, then keeping the yacht in a marina incurs a significant cost. Dockage is normally sold per foot of the yacht’s full length and per night, although contract rates for longer periods may be available. High-quality marinas in peak seasons are currently running in the $6-8 per foot per night range. Electricity, fresh water, and waste removal are all additional costs to be considered.

Fuel – The captain or engineer should be able to provide the fuel consumption per hour at any given speed, so if a yacht owner knows roughly how much he wants the boat to travel, then he can estimate the total fuel consumption and budget the fuel cost. There is also the fuel cost for generators, particularly at anchor. A typical 150-foot motor yacht cruising at 12 knots will consume in the region of 150 U.S. gallons per hour. At today’s fuel prices, that’s going to be close to $500 per hour. 500 hours per year will give us the main engine fuel budget of around $250,000. To this, we must also add the generators’ fuel consumption at anchor plus any additional cost for tenders.

Communications – Everyone onboard, crew and guests, want to remain connected to their social media, streaming services, and email. The technology available in this area moves fast and with 5G coming online, near-shore costs will likely come down. For those who want broadband speed while offshore, costs are high and depend on the upload/download speeds required. Start with an estimate of $4-5,000 per month and work from there. Additional communications costs include satellite TV subscriptions, crew cell phone costs, mail, freight, and more. Get a complete communication cost breakdown.

Maintenance, Consumables, and Other Operating Costs – Having considered crew payroll, marina costs, fuel, and internet, the budget will start to materialize. One must take all other costs into account, such as hull insurance, liability insurance, maintenance and consumables, warehousing, safety and survey costs, upkeep of the navigation outfit, computing support, car rental, and more.   

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This should not be considered a financial guide. For a more accurate estimate, contact Clive McCartney .

1 Red Ensign Group Yacht Code Section A 1.2(1) 

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At an incredible 147.25 metres in length, it is no surprise that A+ (formerly named Topaz), a 2012 launch by German yacht-building giant Lurssen, ranks strongly in the Top 10 largest yachts in the world.

She features magnificent Disdale exterior designing and exquisite interiors crafted by the celebrated Tim Heywood Design, and at her time of building in 2012 was forecast to be 4th largest superyacht in the world. 

She can house an incredible 62 guests and up to 79 crew members in her substantial accommodation. Perhaps unsurprisingly, A+ took 4 years to build and is reported to have cost over £400 million. 

Her cruising speed is 19.5 knots, reaching a max of 22 knots - an impressive figure for a boat of her size. 

Despite flying a Cayman Island flag, A+ belongs to Manchester City Football Club owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahnan - Emirati royalty and deputy prime minister of the UAE.

Like most royally-owned superyachts, not much is known for certain about A+ other than her basic specifications; although what is known for sure, is that this megayacht has well earned her spot as 7th largest yacht in the world.

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Lynch Yacht Sinking Off Sicily Proves as Baffling as It Is Tragic

As bodies were recovered, the authorities and experts wondered how a $40 million, stable and secure vessel could have sunk so quickly.

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By Emma Bubola and Michael J. de la Merced

Emma Bubola reported from Porticello, Italy, and Michael J. de la Merced from London.

Two months after being cleared in a bruising legal battle over fraud charges, the British tech mogul Mike Lynch celebrated his freedom with a cruise. He invited his family, friends and part of his legal team on board his luxury sailing yacht, a majestic 180-foot vessel named Bayesian after the mathematical theorem around which he had built his empire.

On Sunday night, after a tour of the Gulf of Naples, including Capri, and volcanic islands in the Eolian archipelago, the boat anchored half a mile off the Sicilian coast in Porticello, Italy. It chose a stretch of water favored by the Phoenicians thousands of years ago for its protection from the mistral wind and, in more recent times, by the yachts of tech billionaires. The boat was lit “like a Christmas tree,” local residents said, standing out against the full moon.

But about 4 a.m., calamity unfolded. A violent and fast storm hit the area with some of the strongest winds locals said they had ever felt. Fabio Cefalù, a fisherman, said he saw a flare pierce the darkness shortly after 4.

Minutes later, the yacht was underwater. Only dozens of cushions from the boat’s deck and a gigantic radar from its mast floated on the surface of the sea, fishermen said.

In all, 22 people were on board, 15 of whom were rescued. Six bodies — five passengers and the ship’s cook — had been recovered by Thursday afternoon, including that of Mr. Lynch, an Italian government official said, adding that the search was continuing for his daughter.

It was a tragic and mystifying turn of events for Mr. Lynch, 59, who had spent years seeking to clear his name and was finally inaugurating a new chapter in his life. Experts wondered how a $40 million yacht, so robust and stable could have been sunk by a storm near a port within minutes.

“It drives me insane,” said Giovanni Costantino, the chief executive of the Italian Sea Group, which in 2022 bought the company, Perini, that made the Bayesian. “Following all the proper procedures, that boat is unsinkable.”

The aura of misfortune only deepened when it emerged that Stephen Chamberlain, 52, a former vice president of finance for Mr. Lynch’s former company and a co-defendant in the fraud case, was killed two days earlier, when he was hit by a car while jogging near his house in England.

Since June, the two men had been in a jubilant mood. A jury in San Francisco had acquitted both on fraud charges that could have sent them to prison for two decades. There were hugs and tears, and they and their legal teams went for a celebratory dinner party at a restaurant in the city, said Gary S. Lincenberg, a lawyer for Mr. Chamberlain.

The sea excursion was meant as a thank-you by Mr. Lynch to those who had helped him in his legal travails. Among the guests was Christopher J. Morvillo, 59, a scion of a prominent New York family of lawyers who had represented Mr. Lynch for 12 years. He and his wife, Neda, 57, were among the missing.

So, too, was Jonathan Bloomer, 70, a veteran British insurance executive who chaired Morgan Stanley International and the insurer Hiscox.

The body of the ship’s cook, Recaldo Thomas, was recovered. All the other crew members survived. Among them was Leo Eppel, 19, of South Africa, who was on his first yacht voyage working as a deck steward, said a friend, who asked not to be identified.

Since the sinking, the recovery effort and investigation have turned the tiny port town of Porticello, a quiet enclave where older men sit bare-chested on balconies, into what feels like the set of a movie.

Helicopters have flown overhead. Ambulances have sped by with the sirens blaring. The Coast Guard has patrolled the waters off shore, within sight of a cordoned-off dock that had been turned into an emergency headquarters.

On Wednesday afternoon, a church bell tolled after the first body bag was loaded into an ambulance, a crowd watching in silence.

The survivors were sheltering in a sprawling resort near Porticello, with a view of the shipwreck spot, and had so far declined to comment.

Attilio Di Diodato, director of the Italian Air Force’s Center for Aerospace Meteorology and Climatology, said that the yacht had most likely been hit by a fierce “down burst” — when air generated within a thunderstorm descends rapidly — or by a waterspout , similar to a tornado over water.

He added that his agency had put out rough-sea warnings the previous evening, alerting sailors about storms and strong winds. Locals said the winds “felt like an earthquake.”

Mr. Costantino, the boat executive, said the yacht had been specifically designed for having a tall mast — the second-tallest aluminum mast in the world. He said the Bayesian was an extremely safe and secure boat that could list even to 75 degrees without capsizing.

But he said that if some of the hatches on the side and in the stern, or some of the deck doors, had been open, the boat could have taken on water and sunk. Standard procedure in such storms, he said, is to switch on the engine, lift the anchor and turn the boat into the wind, lowering the keel for extra stability, closing doors and gathering the guests in the main hall inside the deck.

12 guests occupied the yacht’s six cabins. There were also 10 crew members.

Open hatches, doors and cabin windows could have let in water during a storm, according to the manufacturer.

Open hatches, doors and

cabin windows could

have let in water

during a storm,

according to the

manufacturer.

Source: Superyacht Times, YachtCharterFleet, MarineTraffic

By Veronica Penney

The New York Times attempted to reach the captain, James Cutfield, who had survived, for comment through social media, his brother and the management company of the yacht (which did not hire the crew), but did not make contact.

So far none of the surviving crew members have made a public statement about what happened that night.

Fabio Genco, the director of Palermo’s emergency services, who treated some of the survivors, said that the victims had recounted feeling as if the boat was being lifted, then suddenly dropped, with objects from the cabins falling on them.

The Italian Coast Guard said it had deployed a remotely operated vehicle that can prowl underwater for up to seven hours at a depth of more than 980 feet and record videos and images that they hoped would help them reconstruct the dynamics of the sinking. Such devices were used during the search and rescue operations of the Titan vessel that is believed to have imploded last summer near the wreckage of the Titanic.

After rescuers broke inside the yacht, they struggled to navigate the ropes and many pieces of furniture cluttering the vessel, said Luca Cari, a spokesman for Italy’s national firefighter corps.

Finally, as of Thursday morning, they had managed to retrieve all but one of the missing bodies, and hopes of finding the missing person alive were thin. “Can a human being be underwater for two days?” Mr. Cari asked.

What was certain was that Mr. Lynch’s death was yet another cruel twist of fate for a man who had spent years seeking to clear his name.

He earned a fortune in technology and was nicknamed Britain’s Bill Gates. But for more than a decade, he had been treated as anything but a respected tech leader.

He was accused by Hewlett-Packard, the American technological pioneer that had bought his software company, Autonomy, for $11 billion, of misleading it about his company’s worth. (Hewlett-Packard wrote down the value of the transaction by about $8.8 billion, and critics called it one of the worst deals of all time .) He had been increasingly shunned by the British establishment that he sought to break into after growing up working-class outside London.

He was extradited to San Francisco to face criminal charges, and confined to house arrest and 24-hour surveillance on his dime. In a townhouse in the Pacific Heights neighborhood — with security people he jokingly told associates were his “roommates” — he spent his mornings talking with researchers whom he funded personally on new applications for artificial intelligence. Afterward, he devoted hours to discussing legal strategy with his team.

Despite his persistent claims of innocence, even those close to Mr. Lynch had believed his odds of victory were slim. Autonomy’s chief financial officer, Sushovan Hussain, was convicted in 2018 of similar fraud charges and spent five years in prison.

During Mr. Lynch’s house arrest, his brother and mother died. His wife, Angela Bacares, frequently flew over from England, and she became a constant presence in the San Francisco courtroom during the trial.

After he was finally acquitted, Mr. Lynch had his eye on the future. “I am looking forward to returning to the U.K. and getting back to what I love most: my family and innovating in my field,” he said.

Elisabetta Povoledo contributed reporting from Pallanza, Italy.

Emma Bubola is a Times reporter based in Rome. More about Emma Bubola

Michael J. de la Merced has covered global business and finance news for The Times since 2006. More about Michael J. de la Merced

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This superyacht hot spot for the uber-wealthy is heating up — and becoming more dangerous

The storm that sank the “Bayesian,” a luxury yacht anchored off the Sicily coast, was sudden, violent and deadly — and scientists say it may be a warning of what’s to come as global warming fuels more extreme weather in the Mediterranean.

The superyacht, which was carrying 22 people, sank in the early hours of Monday morning, near the port of Porticello, claiming at least five lives . Rescue operations are still ongoing, hampered by the difficulties of reaching the vessel, which is resting on the sea floor approximately 165 feet deep.

The incident has shocked many. The Mediterranean, prized for its crystal clear, tranquil waters, is a prime summer destination for the very wealthy and their superyachts.

But these waters can still be dangerous — one of the reasons thousands of people die every year trying to migrate across it — and experts say it’s only becoming more so as human-caused climate change warms the sea, whipping up stronger and more intense storms.

The reasons for the sinking of the Bayesian are still being investigated. “It was dark and no images are available,” said Luca Mercalli, president of the Italian Meteorological Society.

But many believe the yacht was struck by a waterspout — one of several types of tornadoes. The coast guard reported the yacht was struck by a tornado, and a waterspout was reported to the European Severe Weather Database around the same time. Storms that day resulted in at least two dozen waterspout reports across Italy.

Waterspouts are narrow spinning columns of air below a thunderstorm which happen over water, and thrive on heat and humidity.

Most waterspouts are fairly weak “with a few seconds of strong, gusty winds before they move on or dissipate,” said Peter Inness, a meteorologist at the University of Reading. “But some can be much stronger.”

There aren’t huge amounts of data about waterspouts as they often happen unobserved out at sea, but there is evidence ocean temperatures can affect them. A study by University of Barcelona scientists, which was focused on Spain’s Balearic Islands, found waterspouts are more likely when the ocean is very warm.

However, drawing a link between climate change and more frequent or more intense waterspouts “is a step too far at the moment,” Inness said. They require several different conditions to form in addition to heat, including winds and temperature differences between the air and sea.

What is clear however, is that climate change is leading to more intense storms, some of which are fueled by warm ocean water.

And the Mediterranean is currently very, very hot.

Water temperatures around Sicily are approximately 30 degrees, Mercalli said. That’s 3 degrees Celsius (5.4 Fahrenheit) warmer than average for this time of year — an “extreme” anomaly, he told CNN.

While ocean heat is affected by natural climate fluctuations, such as El Niño, scientists are clear that it is being supercharged by human-caused global warming driven by burning fossil fuels.

When oceans are hot, they are able to inject more energy into the atmosphere. This can be converted into strong winds or rapid updrafts of air in thunderstorms, Inness said. Warm air is also able to hold more moisture, so when storms produce rain, it can be heavier and more intense.

There has been an increase in heavy thunderstorms dumping large amounts of rain, as well as downbursts — strong winds that descend from thunderstorms — in Italy and worldwide over the past few decades, Mercalli said.

The storm that hit Sicily reached the Mediterranean from the west, where it gained energy from high ocean temperatures, said Justino Martínez, a researcher at the Institute of Marine Scientists in Spain.

Spain’s Balearic Islands were particularly affected. Torrential rain last week flooded roads, forced evacuations and flight cancellations and overturned yachts moored on the popular island of Formentera.

The storm then gained more energy before reaching Italy, Martínez told CNN. In addition to the waterspout, other strong storms across Sicily brought torrential rainfall late Sunday, dumping more than 100 mm of rainfall, or 4 inches, in Brolo in less than four hours.

The Mediterranean region is on the frontlines of the climate crisis. Dubbed a climate change hot spot , it’s warming around 20% faster than the global average. And the toll is clear in the extreme weather the region is experiencing, from brutal rolling heat waves to ferocious storms bringing catastrophic flooding .

“Global warming — and specifically warming of the Mediterranean Sea — is quite likely to lead to an intensification of a number of potentially dangerous weather systems in that region,” Inness said.

Italy, surrounded by the fast-warming waters of the Mediterranean, is particularly affected. Last year, a downburst hit a ship on Lake Maggiore in northern Italy, killing four people.

The country also grappled with “ once in a century” deadly floods that killed at least 14 people in May last year, while Sicily hit 48.8 degrees Celsius (119.8 Fahrenheit) last August, breaking Europe’s temperature record.

Outside Italy, last year’s Storm Daniel, fueled by unusually warm ocean waters , claimed lives in Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria. But by far the most devastation from the storm happened in Libya.

Flash flooding killed thousands of people following a so-called medicane — a rare, hurricane-like cyclone in the Mediterranean that gains energy from warm water.

“Global warming is intensifying all extreme weather events,” Mercalli said, “with huge costs for people and society.”

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