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The superyachts owned by tech moguls

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is set to join the exclusive club of yacht-owning tech tycoons as the rumoured owner of Oceanco's mighty 127m sailing yacht . Though it should come as no surprise - other big names in tech such as the late Steve Jobs, Larry Ellison and Paul Allen have been responsible for some of the biggest and most ground-breaking superyachts in the world...

The 127-metre Oceanco sailing yacht Koru, formerly Y721, was launched and reportedly delivered to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in April 2023. This three-masted schooner, meaning “new beginnings” in Maori, with an expected 33000 GT and a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, is the largest in the world and the longest built in the Netherlands at Oceanco. Knocking Lürssen's Eos , owned by Biller and Diane von Furstenburg, off the top spot, Koru harnesses design similarities with her black hull, white superstructure and classic lines. However, the intricate gold paintwork, scarlet bootstrap and elaborate figurehead on the bow particularly set her apart.

Larry Ellison

American business magnate Larry Ellison is the co-founder of the billion-dollar computer tech corporation Oracle. In 2004, he commissioned the 138-metre Lürssen superyacht Rising Sun (pictured), which stands today as the 15th largest yacht in the world. It was also the last yacht that ever came from the drawing boards of legendary designed Jon Bannenberg, sporting a military-esque profile with a lean destroyer-type hull and extensive use of structural glass . Rising Sun boasts 8,000m² of living space including a wine cellar and basketball court, with a crew of 45. One of her tenders, a catamaran, even carries the yacht’s 4x4 vehicle ashore. 

Ellison later sold the yacht to media mogul David Geffen and has since hosted a parade of Hollywood's glitterati on board including Leonardo DiCaprio, Steven Spielberg, Bruce Springsteen and Oprah Winfrey – to name a few. 

In 2011, Ellison appeared to downsize and took delivery of the 88-metre Feadship Musashi . Not unlike Rising Sun in its appearance, structural glass features heavily throughout with a central glass lift, surrounded by a stainless steel and glass staircase that passes through every deck.

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The late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen is responsible for two of the most iconic superyachts in the world. At 126-metres in length, Octopus is perhaps his most famous. Built by Lürssen in 2003, this ice-classed superyacht was designed for extended cruising to the most remote locations on earth with a range of 12,500 nautical miles. Home to a helicopter garage, drive-in tender garage, six tenders, and a submarine, she packs a serious punch within her 9,932GT – not to mention the cinema, swimming pool, recording studio, basketball court and spa. At the end of 2019, she joined the market for the very first time , having completed an eight-month refit at Blohm+Voss, and remains the benchmark for exploration yachting.

Tatoosh is another honourable mention and was built by German shipyard Nobiskrug in 2000, three years prior to the delivery of Octopus . At 92-metres, she's smaller than her successor, but to describe Tatoosh as "small" would be a severe understatement. Highlights include a six-foot-deep swimming pool, a pair of helipads, a crew of 30, and a custom 12-metre Hinckley powerboat that she carries on her top deck. Tatoosh is also listed for sale following a refit earlier this year. 

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The 78-metre Feadship Venus was built for the late Apple boss and founder Steve Jobs. Built under the codename Project Aqua, Venus was launched to international fanfare in 2012, heralded for its extensive use of glass and pared-back design courtesy of Philippe Starck . Innovative features include a false top deck that conceals the communication and television receivers from view and a passarelle that, when opened, looks like the charging port of an iPhone. Venus ’s interior details have been closely guarded since its launch. Sadly, Jobs died a year before the yacht was delivered.

Charles Simonyi

Charles Simonyi led the team that built the first edition of the Microsoft Office software suite and was rumoured to have previously owned Lürssen’s iconic 71-metre SKAT .  Nearly two decades after her launch in 2002, she joined the market for the first time and now Simonyi is thought to have upgraded to the 89-metre Lürssen Norn . Both yachts, penned by Espen Onion, share similar design features. Standout features include an alfresco cinema and adapted depth pool floor with dance floor. Norn was delivered in May 2023.

Sergey Brin

Google co-founder Sergey Brin reportedly owns the high-speed SilverYachts superyacht named Dragonfly , after Google’s once-secret project to launch a censored search engine in China. Delivered in 2009, the 73.3-metre Dragonfly was hailed as the fastest, most fuel-efficient long-range cruising superyacht on the water with a transatlantic range at 22 knots and a fuel consumption of only 360 litres per hour at 18 knots, extending her range to 4,500 nautical miles. Dragonfly is said to have a dance floor and open-air movie theatre on board. The vessel was applauded for its contribution to the disaster relief effort in Vanuatu after Hurricane Pam devastated the island in 2015. The crew reportedly moved 62 metric tons of freshwater ashore, treated over 250 patients, facilitated three medical evacuations, and built shelters in multiple villages and cleared numerous helicopter landing zones for ongoing support.

Google’s billionaire co-founder Larry Page purchased the 60-metre explorer yacht conversion Senses from a New Zealand businessman Sir Douglas Myers back in 2011. The globe-trotting superyacht features interiors by Philippe Starck and can accommodate a total of 12 guests on board, with primary guests reaping the benefits of the master suite's gyro-stabilised bed. Senses also houses an exceptional toy box with three high-speed tenders, six wave runners, a jet board and a JetLev. According to the New Zealand Herald, Senses is currently undergoing a refit in Whangārei, New Zealand, after being sold to an unknown buyer in 2020. 

Barry Diller

The world’s largest three-masted schooner – also the third largest sailing yacht in the world – is owned by fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg and her husband Barry Diller, chairman and senior executive of IAC/InterActiveCorp and Expedia Group. The 92.92-metre sailing yacht, named Eos , was built in Germany by Lürssen and delivered in 2006 with a trio of masts that stand 61-metres tall. The sailing yacht has hosted the couple's star-studded group of friends including Andy Cohen, Gayle King, Bradley Cooper, Harry Styles and Karlie Kloss. The interiors were designed by Francois Catroux, who Vanity Fair named as “the super-rich's favourite interior designer" in 2016.

Mark Zuckerburg

The 107-metre Kleven superyacht Andromeda was built for serial superyacht owner Graeme Hart and delivered under the name Ulysses . In 2017, a year after its launch, rumours began circulating that Facebook founder Mark Zuckerburg had purchased the rugged, six-deck explorer (although a Facebook spokesperson was quick to stamp out the rumours and released a statement denying the claims). Andromeda can carry 36 guests and is equipped with an impressive inventory of toys and tenders, including six motorbikes, two ATVs, a helicopter and an amphibious rib. Five years after her launch, Andromeda still ranks among the largest explorer yachts in the world . 

Eric Schmidt

The former Google ceo Eric Schmidt backed out of the purchase of the abandoned 81.3-metre Oceanco Alfa Nero but has been said to have moved onto become the new owner of a 95-metre Lürssen. Kismet was sold in September 2023 to the billionaire as part of one of the biggest brokerage deal of the year. With the details shrouded in secrecy the yacht is now aptly known as Whisper . Espen Onio was responsible for her iconic exterior while inside was thanks to  Reymond Langton , achieving the original brief from the previous commissioning owner Shahid Khan of “caviar and champagne.” Standout details include the hi-tech, art deco saloon, a private observation platform and the Persian-inspired spa area.

The co-founder and former ceo of WhatsApp, Jan Koum, has been rumoured to own the 99.9-metre Feadship , Moonrise. The yacht’s clean and strong lines, penned by Chris Bottoms from Studio de Voogt , won the highly competitive class of best displacement motor yachts above 3,000 GT in the World Superyacht Awards 2021. Features include the helicopter landing deck and modern interiors by Remi Tessier . Accommodation is for up to 16 guests, and there are 32 crew members onboard Moonrise to attend to the guests' every need. The Ukrainian-American mogul is also said to own the accompanying support vessel Nebula.

Evan Speigel

The Silicone Valley ceo, Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel has been reportedly said to own the 94.8-metre Feadship Bliss. Delivered in 2021 the motor yacht penned by Feadship's Studio De Voogt Naval Architects has most recently been spotted cruising Auckland in September 2023. Spiegel is rumoured to be Feadship's younger client. Bliss can accommodate up to 18 guests across nine staterooms; however little else is known about the 2983 GT yacht.

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UK government tells Russian tycoons they aren’t getting their impounded yachts and private jets back

A billionaire ally of Roman Abramovich and a Russian owner of a brand new superyacht lost their appeals challenging the UK’s sanctions regime, bolstering the government’s pursuit of Russian assets.

Eugene Shvidler, who’s been described as Abramovich’s “right hand man,” lost his attempt to lift the asset freeze, in the first Court of Appeal decision on the strict measures imposed since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

He argued he’s faced “serious hardships” after he saw his private jets impounded by the UK, and pushed back at suggestions he was a close confidant of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Separately, Sergei Naumenko, a wealthy Russian property developer who isn’t sanctioned, lost his appeal over the detention of his superyacht in London’s Canary Wharf.

The rulings were handed down Tuesday against the backdrop of wider government discussions over the confiscation of around $300 billion of frozen assets held by the Russian central bank. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has  called  for Western nations to be more aggressive in seizing frozen Russian assets and passing the proceeds on to Ukraine to finance its defense.

“I would accept that these sanctions are both severe and open-ended,” Judge Rabinder Singh said in the ruling. “If sanctions are to be effective, a serious price has to be paid.”

In the UK, the government has so far won every court challenge made by sanctions targets. 

“I suspect there will be a few sighs of relief in Whitehall,” said David Savage, a lawyer at HFW. “The UK has cast a very wide net of sanctions and asset seizures, and the position of the courts has been that the importance of ending the turmoil in Ukraine outweighs any infringement of individual right.”

Shvidler had sought to argue that the-then Transport Secretary Grant Shapps pressured the Foreign Office to place restrictions on him. He’d said that the government rushed the sanctions out against him as Shapps’ officials worried that they would have to release his aircraft from a private airfield without the formal restrictions. 

The billionaire, who now lives in the US, plans to appeal the judges’ finding to the Supreme Court, according to his lawyers.

“The Court of Appeal has clearly given considerable deference to the government in matters of foreign policy. If it stands, it will make it virtually impossible for any person sanctioned by the UK Government to bring a successful legal challenge,” they said.

Meanwhile Shapps also faced criticism from the judge over his comments when the superyacht Phi was detained. He’d incorrectly accused Naumenko of being “connected with Putin,” a statement that “ought not to have been said,” the judge wrote.

“Today’s ruling, once again validates our decision to detain the Phi superyacht,” a spokesperson for the transport department said. “We’ll continue to act where necessary to crack down on those benefiting from Putin’s regime and their illegal war in Ukraine.”

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Russian tycoon suing UK government for return of £38m superyacht

Sergei Georgievich Naumenko, who is not on sanctions list, is also seeking damages in high court claim

A Russian tycoon is suing the UK government over the seizure of his £38m superyacht in London shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year.

Sergei Georgievich Naumenko, a property developer who is not on the UK’s Russia sanctions list, has filed a high court claim against the Department for Transport (DfT) demanding it free his 58.5-metre (192ft) superyacht Phi and pay damages.

The seizure of the vessel in March 2022 was announced by the then transport secretary, Grant Shapps, who said impounding it had “turned an icon of Russia’s power and wealth into a clear and stark warning to [Vladimir] Putin and his cronies”.

“Detaining the Phi proves, yet again, that we can and will take the strongest possible action against those seeking to benefit from connections to Putin’s regime,” Shapps added.

Officers from the National Crime Agency boarded the vessel in March 2022 in Canary Wharf, where it has remained detained ever since.

At the time, the government said the law used to detain the vessel did not require proof or suspicion that the owner was closely tied to the Putin regime, merely that they were a Russian national.

The vessel had been in London for a World Superyacht awards judging panel event , which was held at the five-star Bulgari hotel in Knightsbridge.

A judge has overseen a preliminary high court hearing and heard arguments from lawyers representing Naumenko and the transport secretary, Mark Harper.

In a preliminary hearing, Mr Justice Chamberlain said: “Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the National Crime Agency and Border Force maritime intelligence bureau investigated vessels with connections to Russia. The Phi was identified as a vessel of interest.

“On 28 March 2022, the then secretary of state, the Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP, exercised powers … to detain the Phi, on the grounds that it was owned, controlled or operated by a person connected with Russia.”

Chamberlain said a “substantive hearing” to decide the fate of the yacht would take place in July.

A spokesperson for the DfT said the department would not comment on active legal proceedings.

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The seizure of the yacht came as the UK government was under pressure to take more definitive action against wealthy Russians. The US and European governments have detained dozens of superyachts owned by high-profile Russian oligarchs who are under sanctions. The total value of seized superyachts is thought to now exceed $4bn (£3.2bn).

The Phi is the third biggest yacht built by the shipbuilders Royal Huisman and includes what the builders call an “infinite wine cellar” and patented fresh-water swimming pool.

Guy Booth, a New Zealander based in Brighton, is the captain of Phi and has posted several pictures of the vessel on his Instagram feed.

Booth, an experienced superyacht mariner, was appointed as “owner’s representative” and “build captain” to oversee the construction of the yacht in 2019, according to his LinkedIn profile. He did not respond to requests for comment on the identity of the owner.

Booth has previously said the owner proposed “thousands of crazy ideas” for what he wanted from the yacht, including a “penthouse” apartment on the upper deck.

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Russian tycoon’s superyacht sails into a $3.7 billion family feud

The world’s second-largest sailing superyacht worth hundreds of millions of dollars, a dead Russian billionaire accused of a sprawling fraud and his disputed wills fall at the heart of a bitter family feud playing out at a London court.

Late cement and oil tycoon Oleg Bourlakov’s widow Loudmila Bourlakova and their daughter are seeking about $1.2 billion from his sister and brother-in-law. Bourlakova alleges that a massive fraud using sham documents and fictitious loans deprived her from a fair share of her husband’s $3.7 billion fortune after their marriage broke down in 2018, according to London court filings.

Bourlakov died of COVID-19 in 2021 at age 71. He left behind a trail of disputes over his wealth in over half a dozen countries, including a divorce case in Monaco and a Russian paternity suit, the documents detail.

The details from the UK court offer a rare glimpse into how the super rich structure their wealth and the agreements they make with family members.

With Russian, Ukrainian and Canadian nationalities, a large chunk of Bourlakov’s $3.7 billion was held through a web of companies and trusts, many out of tax havens, and valuable portfolios managed by Swiss banks, according to details published in several court rulings.

The tycoon’s assets included over $100 million worth of artworks and antiques, valuable real estate in countries including an apartment in Monaco said to be worth around $100 million as well as the superyacht known as Black Pearl that’s worth more than $200 million.

The prized 350-foot superyacht was for several years billed as the world’s largest sailing yacht, according to publisher Boat International. Its interiors include a glass lift, spa pool, hot tub and a cinema on board, according to its Dutch maker Oceanco.

The High Court judge in London ruled this month Bourlakova’s daughter could join her mother as a claimant with the case set to proceed. As yet, no date has been fixed for a full trial. 

The judgment takes Bourlakova and her daughter closer to “holding accountable the perpetrators of the massive fraud against their family,” the duo’s lawyer James Libson said. 

Bourlakov’s sister and brother-in-law — Vera Kazakova and Nikolai Kazakov — are contesting the case. They argue the dispute should be heard in Panama or Florida 

“The Kazakovs are confident that there is no basis for the Bourlakovas’ claims,” their spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “The Kazakovs have themselves brought claims against the Bourlakovas in Florida and look forward to the court’s determination.”

At the center of the case are Bourlakov’s two disputed wills drawn up in 2004 and 2019. The first bestowed all his assets to his then wife Loudmila Bourlakova and the second “informal” will in Russian language bequeathed all assets to Vera and Nikolai Kazakov, according to the court rulings. 

The second testament also allegedly promises payments to the family of the woman involved in the paternity case. The tycoon spent “considerable periods of time” with the woman in Latvia, Bourlakova had earlier said to the court.

Bourlakova has alleged that her then husband pursued a strategy to devalue and misappropriate the ownership of the yacht holding companies, among other assets and had in 2018 said that “a longstanding oral partnership” with Kazakov reduced the share of wealth that can be distributed to her. 

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

©2023 Bloomberg L.P.

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A Russian Tycoon’s Sanctioned Yacht Has ‘Vanished’ From a Croatian Marina

It gets better. the 115-foot motoryacht disappeared three months ago and was replaced by a decoy yacht. authorities didn't notice until now., michael verdon, michael verdon's most recent stories.

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“We are still determining the circumstances of the yacht’s disappearance,” said Croatian Transport Minister Oleg Butković. “We all know it vanished under still unclear circumstances. We shall now determine how that happened and whether there were any failings of the system.”

Butković said the Croatian intelligence service and federal prosecutors are now investigating the odd disappearance. The replacement Sunseeker, according to a story in Sibenski, is called Katerina and was brought into the marina for a generator replacement.

The officials overseeing the investigation said there is no security at the marina and that standard protocols were not followed, including no signs or barriers indicating it was a sanctioned yacht.

Ukrainian officials immediately pointed fingers at each other. “It left Croatia at the Dubrovnik sea crossing without being stopped by the police or customs,” one official from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs which was responsible for impounding and overseeing the yacht.

Despite this yacht slipping away, nearly a dozen other superyachts belonging to Russian oligarchs have been seized and impounded by authorities across Europe and in far-flung destinations like Fiji . The 236-foot Axioma went to auction in August and sold for about half of its value.

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Megayacht tied to sanctioned Russian tycoon anchors in Hong Kong

Superyacht linked to Russian billionaire Alexey Mordashov is estimated to be worth $500m.

A superyacht linked to a Russian billionaire sanctioned over his alleged ties to Vladimir Putin has anchored in Hong Kong amid efforts by Western authorities to seize assets belonging to Moscow’s elite.

The Nord, a megayacht believed to be owned by steel magnate Alexey Mordashov, has been located in the Chinese city since its arrival from Russia’s Vladivostok on Wednesday.

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Mordashov, one of Russia’s richest men, was among a number of Kremlin-linked oligarchs sanctioned by the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine .

Mordashov, the chairman of Russia’s largest steel company Severstal, has challenged the sanctions in European courts and insisted he has “absolutely nothing to do with the current geopolitical tensions”.

US and European authorities have seized more than a dozen yachts worth $2.25bn over their reported links to sanctioned Russian tycoons such as Mordashov, whose wealth was estimated at $21.2bn by Bloomberg earlier this year.

Some luxury yachts have travelled to Turkey, which has refrained from joining sanctions against Moscow.

The 464-foot-long (141-metre) Nord, which has two helipads and a swimming pool and is worth an estimated $500m, previously travelled to the Maldives and Seychelles before arriving in Vladivostok in March.

Hong Kong, which is nominally autonomous from mainland China, requires visiting yachts to seek permission to enter its waters and limits stays to no more than 182 consecutive days.

China has declined to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and criticised Western-led sanctions against Moscow, although analysts say it has been hesitant to openly violate sanctions for fear of jeopardising access to the US dollar-dominated financial system.

Sanctioned Russian steel tycoon’s $100 million superyacht Titan comes back to Dubai after it left the City of Gold for the safe waters of Turkey

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Inside A $200 Million Entertainment Superyacht: The Tycoon Shahid Khan’s Kismet

Grand, magnificent, and luxurious, it's very easy to run out of superlatives for Shahid Khan’s $200 million superyacht.

This Kismet superyacht measuring 95.2 meters was built by Lurssen in 2014 and is owned by Shahid Khan, a Pakistani-American billionaire and business tycoon who also owns the Fulham Football Club and the Jacksonville Jaguars. Shahid Khan is one of those billionaires whose life story has the potential to become a successful film.

Khan's rags-to-riches story began in Pakistan, where he was born, and took a decisive turn when he immigrated to the United States as a teenager. According to Forbes, the business tycoon, who is now worth more than $8 billion, worked as a dishwasher while attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Years later, he would become the owner of auto parts distributor Flex-N-Gate. Although he is best known today for owning the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars and the Fulham football club in the United Kingdom, Khan first rose to prominence as an engineer who created a one-piece truck bumper. He now owns several companies in the entertainment industry and has come a long way since his humble beginnings.

Shahid "Shad" Khan, the self-made American bumper-parts billionaire, is nothing if not daring in his business dealings, which is why he has been able to leverage his NFL team, the Jacksonville Jaguars , into regular guest appearances at London's Wembley Stadium. This summer, he's in intense talks to buy Wembley Stadium from the Football Association of Great Britain, which owns it.

The German Lürssen shipyard began construction of a new superyacht for Khan in 2014, the same year Khan purchased Fulham from Mohamed Al-Fayed. The 312-foot-long (92-meter-long) Kismet combined a majestic exterior by Espen Oeino with the interior of a five-star hotel designed by Reymond Langton Design.

Related: Inside Jeff Bezos’ $400 Million Megayacht: The Flying Fox

A Breathtaking Overview: A $200 Million Entertainment Superyacht, The Tycoon Shahid Khan’s Kismet

Lürssen, based in Bremen, Germany, is one of those well-known shipyards with a long history. Lürssen is credited with designing the world's first motorboat , which was commissioned by none other than Gottlieb Daimler, who wanted to put his engine to the test. Returning to modern times, Lürssen is best known for delivering the famous Azzam, a 2015 superyacht that set new length and speed records.

The shipyard referred to Kismet as "the ultimate entertainment vessel." It can accommodate 18 guests in eight ultra-luxurious staterooms and 27 crew members. It has zero-speed anchor stabilizers for improved onboard comfort, as well as a top speed of more than 17 knots. "Some elements of the exterior, such as the stainless steel air inlets aft of the funnels, were inspired by the Chicago skyline," Espen told Superyacht World.

Beyoncé and Jay-Z famously chartered Khan's Kismet during the summer of 2018 for around $1.2 million per week. They've since moved on to the $4 million-per-week Flying Fox, while Kismet has continued its journey. Moran Yacht and Ship has it listed for nearly $200 million right now. Perhaps Shahid Khan is ready to upgrade to a larger superyacht, as he did with Kismet, which was a step up from his previous smaller yacht.

However, the Khan boat merits more scrutiny than just the list of its celebrity or near-celebrity passengers. The Kismet exudes a very specific type of built-in opulence, with an exterior designed by Espen Oeino and an interior designed by Reymond Langton – the Bath-based British designer who has realized several notable superyachts.

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The Interior Design Of The Tycoon Shahid Khan’s Kismet Is One That Exudes Incredible Grandiose

Kismet was built to be a charter yacht from the beginning, which meant it would be busy not only cruising with its owner, but also chartering for short periods of time or hosting large corporate parties. Its large spaces were created with entertainment in mind. The Kismet has five decks above the waterline and three outdoor lounging areas, the main one of which is located on the fourth deck's aft section and features a pool and hot tub complex.

A cinema, a full-service spa, an indoor/outdoor dining space for twelve that doubles as a bar, and a formal interior dining room with a stair leading to a ballroom space are all available on the premises. One of the dark, lush staterooms is adorned with an oil portrait of a pair of lounging jaguars — get it? The master stateroom's bath has the expected gilt fixtures. The sundeck (which includes a swimming pool and a built-in Jacuzzi) was built with the aft end of the pool serving as a skylight for the lift shaft. A spiral staircase leads to one of the yacht's unique features: a private observation platform with an outdoor bed, ideal for stargazing.

Kismet has two helipads, one of which is located beneath the sundeck and can be configured as an outdoor cinema or a nightclub area. The second can also be used as a mini-basketball court. The owner deck has a formal dining area as well as a private area with a Jacuzzi and sun-pads. The aft on the main deck is one of the most spectacular features, with surprising semicircular seating around a unique, retractable fireplace that doubles as a coffee table.

In terms of spectacular features, Khan's superyacht includes a six-foot (1.8-meter) removable jaguar statue honoring the Jacksonville Jaguars. According to Superyacht World, the jaguar motif can be found throughout the yacht, serving as the perfect accent to the opulent interior décor that showcases the finest materials. Aside from the "mandatory" luxurious spa and fully-equipped gym, Kismet includes an elegant piano bar and lounge – there's something for everyone and every occasion onboard this versatile yacht.

Sources: AutoEvolution, YachtHabour, Forbes

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Saudι automotιve tycoon’s secretιve superyacht makes a rare appearance

Superyacht Tιmes shared a recent ιmage of Kolaha, apparently anchored off the popular Ibιza. The 207-foot (63 meters) vessel ιs more than a decade old but stιll one of the most opulent. At the tιme of ιts buιld ιn 2010, ιt was the largest motor yacht delιvered by the Italιan ISA Yachts. It’s not surprιsιng that ιts owner was and stιll ιs one of the rιchest people ιn Saudι Arabιa.

Khaled Juffalι ιs the chaιrman of EA Juffalι and Brothers, one of the largest and most successful companιes ιn Saudι Arabιa. It’s enough to know that Al Juffalι Automotιve ιs the exclusιve dιstrιbutor for Mercedes-Benz ιn the Kιngdom to ιmagιne the kιnd of wealth we’re talkιng about. Last year, Khaled Al Juffalι was proud to wιtness the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1’s wιn at the fιrst-ever Saudι Arabιan Grand Prιx ιn Jeddah.

A bιllιonaιre’s luxury toy, Kolaha flaunts spectacular ιnterιors, desιgned by Patrιck Knowles, and top-notch performance – ιt can hιt 16.5 knots (19 mph/30.5 kph) and cover over 3,000 nautιcal mιles (3,452 mιles/5,556 km) ιn one trιp. The yacht’s sιx opulent staterooms can welcome up to 12 guests.

A connoιsseur of the fιnest luxury toys, the Saudι bιllιonaιre ιsn’t swιtchιng to a new superyacht at the moment, stιll showιng off the beautιful Kolaha, wιth an estιmated worth of $60 mιllιon.

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We’re used to bιllιonaιres addιng to theιr collectιons, whether ιt’s cars, boats or jets. But sometιmes ιt’s tιme to let go, for dιfferent reasons, and move on to somethιng else. Thιs mιght be the case for the famous Australιan busιnessman James Packer, &hellιp;

Thιs superyacht ιs a luxury refuge on water, enjoy the fιreplace, pιano and cιnema

One of the advantages of some modern yachts ιs that they combιne the capabιlιtιes of an explorer wιth the luxurιous accommodatιon of a superyacht. You get to enjoy the freedom of travelιng to remote locatιons, whιle relaxιng ιn a premιum spa, spendιng &hellιp;

BurgerFι founder John Rosattι parts wιth hιs db9 superyacht, a speedy eye magnet

BurgerFι and Plaza Auto Mall founder John Rosattι ιs renowned for a lot of thιngs, and one of them ιs hιs passιon for yachts. The Amerιcan magnate has owned quιte a few throughout hιs lιfetιme, around fιfteen to be more specιfιc. Now he’s ready to part &hellιp;

Kaos superyacht towers over all others wιth sιze and bιllιonaιre amenιtιes

Whenever you become a bιllιonaιre, you know that the fιrst thιng you’ve got to do ιs commιssιon a superyacht. But not just any vessel wιll do. No, you’ve got to get yourself somethιng lιke Kaos, a boat so bιg, ιt can make an entιre port look lιke ιts &hellιp;

Rocket-lιke 345-foot hybrιd superyacht concept ιs a bιllιonaιre adventurer’s fantasy

“ What ιf your mιssιon ιs to explore the world? ” – thιs ιs how Oceanco ιntroduces ιts mιnd-blowιng Esquel superyacht concept, meant to go from a lavιsh party at Cannes to a secluded area ιn Patagonιa, where an ιnsane onboard range of toys, from tenders &hellιp;

Screen 70 Superyacht Is How Mιllιonaιres Do Netflιx and Chιll at Sea

The one-percenters of the world stιll take pleasure ιn the small thιngs ιn lιfe, despιte the mιllιons they’ve amassed. A nιght out wιth frιends, a weekend-long bιnge of a favorιte TV show or some fιlm franchιse, the good ol’-fashιoned “Netflιx and chιll” &hellιp;

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Entertainment Systems

• By Jason Y. Wood
• Updated: August 24, 2010

Satellite TV

Marine electronics are a fine example of the trickle-down theory. As hardware, software and networking protocols advance at the top end, even recent developments are supplanted by the cutting edge. But those superseded technologies are still perfectly usable. After all, they were the best you could get not six months ago and on the largest superyachts. Such systems and components end up on smaller yachts, with owners embracing their capabilities at the resulting lower price point. Chart plotters, sounders and radar have all undergone this evolution. Features once available only at the top end find their way to larger markets at lower price points. Thirty-foot center consoles with multifunction displays showing 3-D plotting and dual-range digital radar are prime examples.

It’s the same with entertainment systems: The superyacht with multiple screens showing a satellite television feed with surround sound and iPod docking stations in every stateroom is something that the owner of a smaller boat would have seen in the pages of Yachting and drooled over not that long ago. Now entertainment systems have advanced at all levels and those articles are fodder for ideas rather than fantasy.

Speaking of fantasy, there are yachts out there that are decked out to make anyone drool: “Everything was probably about 1997 vintage when it was all purchased for the boat, so we went in and we took out all the tube TVs and put in flat-screens throughout the entire boat,” says Captain Roy Hodges, skipper of Atlantica , a 135-foot Christensen (for charter information, call International Yacht Collection, 954-522- 2323). We did a really extensive Kaleidescape system in the boat, which is a hard-drive movie system. And we have eight players, so each of the guest cabins and all of the common areas have their own players for the hard-drive system, so you can watch eight different movies on the boat at the same time, through the same hard-drive system. A lot of the boats have that system but there’s only one player so everybody has to watch the same movie.” Kaleidescape’s four-terabyte system ( kaleidescape.com ) will store upwards of 450 DVDs, so there’s plenty of entertainment (For information on Atlantica’s entertainment package call 866-483-6787). And that’s not counting the satellite programming the system can receive.

“The other thing we did that a lot of [charter guests] appreciate is that we put in a separate satellite receiver for every TV on the boat,” says Hodges. “And we have to use a different satellite system when we’re in the US and the Bahamas, and when we’re down in the Caribbean, so we actually have two satellite receivers for every TV on the boat. That tends to get used a lot, especially around sporting events. We have a total of 36 satellite receivers on the boat — we can have 18 different channels on at any one time.” Remote controls are how the users connect to the system, and fortunately those advancements have made it simpler to control a complex system.

“We have the Crestron control setups,” Hodges says. “In all the common areas, we have four-inch touchpads that they can carry around with them. And then in the guest cabins we have Crestron digital remotes.” The result is one remote for each area.

“For a charter guest that’s very important,” says Hodges of the simplified remote control. “When you bring people on who aren’t familiar with it and they’re only on the boat for a week they need to be able to use it on the first day and not need a big introduction to it.”

Flat-screen televisions are one technology — by virtue of their hang-on-the-bulkhead depth — that is a no-brainer for any boat owner. But it’s what the owner hooks up to it that creates that luxury entertainment-system experience. Those hard-drive movie systems come in scaled-down versions that make sense for smaller boats that don’t want to store DVDs aboard.

“We’ve been doing a lot of the Apple systems,” says Bobby Krell of Langer-Krell Marine Electronics in Miami ( langerkrell.com ). “That’s a relatively inexpensive system: We’re talking about a $500 hard-drive system. So it’s practical on the smaller boats now.” While the owner may not be able to bring his entire movie collection along, there’s space for something for everyone. The same goes for satellite television.

“We do a tremendous number of satellite TV systems,” Krell says. “And we’re putting them on boats 25 feet and up. All the manufacturers are making these satellite domes starting at about 13 inches, and it’s opened up a new market for us at the lower end, so we’re putting them on all kinds of boats.” And today, systems work in conditions that previously gave satellite systems — and their owners — fits.

“Since I always cruise with my two sons [the KVH TracVision M3ST] gives them endless entertainment options, whether we are underway or dockside, and is especially appreciated when in port during bad weather,” says Ray Batt of Canton, Michigan, of his Meridian 408, Batt Cave . “As avid sports fans, we are always able to watch our favorite teams wherever we are and whatever the season.”

Krell noted that high-definition satellite systems are becoming more reliable in the 24-inch dish size, which means that the unit will fit boats from about 40 feet and up. These systems start at around $10,000.

“When I took delivery of my boat, it had no electronics on it: No GPS, no radio, and all it had in terms of entertainment, [was] a 42-inch flat-screen — [it] had flat-screens throughout,” says Robin Braig, owner of a Ocean Alexander 42 who bought a boatshow demonstration model in 2008. “But other than to connect at a dock, it had no entertainment system. Which I enjoyed because I wanted to rig it the way I wanted it. And I knew just by following Yachting magazine and going to boat shows that I wanted to get some really fun equipment.” Braig’s research brought him to a satellite system from Intellian Technologies ( intelliantech.com ) that works for his specific needs.

“I live in Daytona Beach and I primarily run the Intracoastal from the Keys up to Jacksonville, and head to the Bahamas a couple of times a year,” says Braig. “I enjoy the Intracoastal and my family and guests like to watch sporting events while we cruise. The Intracoastal is winding and curving and the tracking on the Intellian system is excellent.”

As smaller boats take on superyacht-worthy systems, the same problems arise: Controlling the systems becomes an issue, as the number of remote controls on the salon cocktail table grows with every system. But that simplified technology is becoming accessible too.

“We have a touch-screen remote in the salon to handle all that equipment,” says Krell. “The touch-screens are making it so much easier to manage because, for lack of a better term, they speak English. Turn on the entire entertainment system with one button on the touch-screen, which people seem to have an affinity for using. They’re becoming more and more affordable for the smaller boat as well. We can put together a universal remote control touch-screen for about $1,000 programmed. Recently that was a $3,000 to $5,000 project.”

From enjoying the big screen experience to controlling it with an intuitive touchscreen remote, onboard entertainment systems take away the compromises. All that’s left is the fun.

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Insiders still have no idea what's going to happen to Russian oligarchs' seized superyachts

• It's been two years since Russia invaded Ukraine, leading to sanctions against Russian oligarchs.
• Many of their superyachts were seized or frozen , leading industry insiders to question their fate.
• The yachts, some of which are worth hundreds of millions of dollars, remain in a state of limbo.

More than two years after Russia invaded Ukraine, the boating world still doesn't have many answers about what's going on with the very large, expensive elephants in the sea: oligarchs' superyachts .

The war prompted many governments to enact sanctions against Russia's richest , including seizing their superyachts worth hundreds of millions of dollars. But it's unclear whether they can be sold or who'd buy them, leaving ports peppered with massive boats stuck in a floating limbo.

"The Russian problem, it's becoming a bigger and bigger and bigger problem," one luxury yacht broker told Business Insider at the Palm Beach International Boat Show last week. Like many others, he requested not to be named, given the sensitive nature of the matter at hand and the generally discreet nature of the industry.

Russia has been a massive player in the massive boat market for a long time. In August 2021 — about six months before Russia's Ukraine invasion — Russians owned the second-largest share of yachts over 40 meters in length, according to a report from the industry publication SuperYacht Times.

They were responsible for 16% of new build superyacht purchases in the decade preceding the report and are known for splashing out on extravagant interiors and unique features. (One builder BI spoke to recalled a mandate from an oligarch for a large safe in the owner's cabin in which he could keep his rifles. The builder later learned he'd use them to skeet shoot on deck.)

But those sales have now screeched to a halt as oligarchs get hit by international sanctions. At least a dozen superyachts — worth well over $1 billion combined — have been affected.

And no one is quite sure what will happen to them.

Russia's sanctioned superyachts are hard to buy and sell

The first problem is that many of the yachts are "frozen" — not seized. That means that although the Russian owners can't operate or collect them, they don't technically belong to an overseas government, so they can't be sold without special permission.

Earlier this month, federal prosecutors petitioned a judge asking for consent to sell the Amadea, the 106-meter superyacht that has been docked in San Diego and costs the US as much as $922,000 a month to maintain.

"I've had some inquiries, but all you can tell them is we don't know the outcome yet" of the case, another superyacht broker told BI at the yacht show.

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And despite the broker's claim of interest in yachts like Amadea , most ultrarich — or at least their brokers — don't want to go near the vessels with a ten-foot pole, even if the government does get legal permission to sell them.

"How does it look if you bought a Russian boat?" Julia Simpson, a broker at Thompson of Monaco, said. "Even if it's completely legal and normal, there are too many things on the line," she said, like how the original owner got their money and whether that could make the new buyer look bad.

There are also possible legal implications, as it's hard for the government to prove who actually owns the yachts.

"Oligarchs typically structure their ownership of these high-value assets through a web of offshore shell companies and trusts that is designed to conceal the true owner," Joshua Naftalis, a former federal prosecutor who now works for Pallas Partners, told BI.

And if the government does assume ownership, it's highly dependent on court orders. For example, a Russian whose yacht had been seized by the French government regained access to his boat after winning a legal battle in 2022.

"It's a very difficult process to buy them," Ralph Dazert, the head of intelligence at SuperYacht Times, told BI. "There is a high risk of the former (Russian) owner suing you to get the boat back."

He pointed to the Alfa Nero, the 82-meter yacht that Eric Schmidt planned to purchase for $67 million last year in an auction put on by Antigua and Barbuda. He backed out after various parties tried to block the sale, likely deeming it not worth the legal headache.

"When the reason for sanctioning goes away, which it may do," the Russian owners will try to get their boats back , Simpson said. After all, "the government's not going to pay them."'

That said, if sanctions are dropped, the yachts will be worth much less than when they were seized, as a boat not in use deteriorates much faster than one sailing the seas.

"Those yachts need to be used to be kept in shape, kept in condition," the second broker said. "​​Just having them sit at the dock with a temporary crew on board is not good for the boats."

And the sanctioned Russians who have managed to maintain control of their superyachts won't have an easy time offloading them in the future.

Americans who try to do business with sanctioned oligarchs would have a number of hoops to jump through — like finding a bank to process the purchase, which would be next to impossible. If somehow they did and the government caught wind, they'd face hefty penalties and the transaction would be void.

So Russia's richest have found themselves "stuck" sailing in a select few countries that will let them, like the Maldives, Montenegro, and Dubai.

Watch: Video of Russian naval ship explosion shows a much-needed win for Ukraine

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