'A' - What Yacht ?

With many of the yachts looking same, this was bound to happen!


While most of the Internet has not spared a moment to look at it positively...Super Yacht 'A' could just be at the right place, but not at the right time.

Baltic Sea Boaters this past spring spotted a strange ship slicing through the waters off Kiel, Germany.

The 390-foot vessel, sheathed in white, had a knifelike hull and a three-story, bulbous watchtower. Some guessed it was a radar-deflecting warship, given its smooth lines and wraparound tinted windows. Others speculated that it was submersible.

The boat's only identifying marker was a single letter emblazoned on the stern: 'A' !

Motor Yacht A, its official name, is actually a private yacht built for Andrey Melnichenko, the 36-year-old Russian billionaire industrialist. While Mr. Melnichenko has done his best to keep the boat a secret, A is already making waves in the yachting world and becoming a public symbol of Russian wealth gone wild.


While longer than a football field, A barely ranks among the 10 largest private yachts in the world, trailing just behind Octopus, the 416-footer owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. The cost -- at least $300 million -- is also not a record. Eclipse, the unfinished yacht of fellow Russian Roman Abramovich, is more than 500 feet long and cost at least $100 million more. Mr. Melnichenko's boat, at cruising speed, burns about 691 gallons of diesel fuel per hour.

The reason A is stirring up the boat world is its radical design. Created by Philippe Starck, the superstar French designer of lemon squeezers and luxury hotels, A is a deliberate slap in the face to an industry known for its classic conformity.

Instead of a fat hull, supporting many levels of open-air dining areas, wet bars and sun decks, A is streamlined and largely enclosed -- more like a space helmet than a floating palace. The bow slopes like a monster pontoon away from the boat instead of toward it. While common for warships of the early 20th century -- and allowing A to create little or no splash at 24 knots -- the design is unusual in modern megayachts.

"A is aggressive, like a giant finger pointing at you," says Donald Starkey, a leading British yacht designer. "It seems to have nothing to do with the whole idea of yachting, which is about cruising around at a leisurely pace, and enjoying your friends and the sea."

Adds Jonathan Beckett, CEO of the yacht-brokerage firm Burgess: "A boat like this has never been done before, and it will probably never be done again."

A's interior breaks even more rules. According to people who worked on the boat, A's rooms are outfitted with cream-colored leather walls and stainless-steel fixtures -- a departure from mahogany, gold and bronze. Its six guest suites can be transformed by movable walls to create four larger suites. Stainless-steel whirlpool baths are showcased at the center of several of the rooms.

Mr. Melnichenko's oversized bed, perched at the top of the tower, rotates on a giant turntable (with built-in entertainment systems) to give him better views out of the panoramic windows. Along with its two swimming pools -- one in the front and one in back -- A sports a helipad, a hovercraft and a garage for the owner's car. The ship, which has a crew of 35, has more than 100 audio speakers, and more than a dozen plasma TV screens, many of which are disguised as mirrors. Guests in any of the rooms can watch DVDs from a centralized library of more than 2,000 titles.


TIGHT SECURITY

Security is tight. Doors are unlocked by electronic finger pads and guests can't gain access to the owner's suite or control rooms. The hull is outfitted with spotlights and motion sensors.

With A, Mr. Melnichenko wanted to redefine yachting from the inside out. The Belarus-born math whiz founded MDM Bank, one of Russia's largest banks. He has also invested in coal, chemicals and steel companies, and has a fortune estimated at more than $4 billion, according to people close to him.

In 2005, Mr. Melnichenko married Aleksandra Nikolic, a former supermodel who sang with a Yugoslavian pop group called Models. Mrs. Melnichenko describes herself on her Web site as a "passionate aficionado of haute couture."

Since Mr. Melnichenko started building A when he was still a bachelor, the boat was planned to be an eye-catching party boat. A 480-square-yard disco was slated for the back of the boat, along with a bar made of Baccarat crystal and a water-resistant karaoke platform.

This is the second time we have spoken about A. We feel that 'A' deserves more than all the brickbats it has gotten...maybe it should be given a chance before being written-off completely!
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International Market Update - SuperYachts going STRONG !

US economy slow-down?...global recession??...inflation rising and markets down in India???...surely looks like a bad picture for the luxury industry, and even worse for guys selling hot yachts!


BUT surprise surprise...you wouldn't believe if we told you that there have been more superyachts ordered last year than ever...and the trend is rising at approx 20% per annum!

Rumours of a shake-out in the bullet-proof superyacht industry were mooted at the Global Superyacht Forum.

STATS

The latest Superyachting Index shows that the top end of the yachting market is still holding firm – not showing any signs of depletion currently.

The index, which is compiled by The Luxury Institute and Camper & Nicholsons International – the yacht broker and charter company – found that new orders for yachts over 130 feet are up 18% in 2008. There were 254 new orders for yachts longer than 130-feet last year, up from 134 in 2005.



The report also puts into perspective the astounding growth rate over the past decade for jumbo yachts. In 1997, there were just 241 yachts of 80-feet or more under construction around the world. Last year, there were 916 such boats being built.

The average price for motoryachts longer than 100 feet was US $10.3 million in 2007. The average price for sailing yachts of the same length was US $9 million (although, to the dismay of traditionalists, sailing yachts now make up a tiny fraction of the large yacht market).

STAFFING IS THE MAIN PROBLEM

Ironically, the biggest constraint to the industry’s growth isn’t the economy — it’s staffing. The report says that about 25,000 crewmembers are necessary for today’s fleet of superyachts, but only about 15,000 currently work aboard yachts. Shortages of captains and engineers, it notes, are especially acute.


All of this sounds encouraging. And the superyacht market likely won’t face the same crash it experienced in previous downturns, since it’s so global. Just a decade ago, the vast majority of big boats were being purchased by Americans and Europeans. Now, Russian, Indian and Middle Eastern buyers are fueling the market.

U.S. SLOWDOWN JUST AROUND THE CORNER

A brief review of with several yacht brokers would lead us to believe the market – at least in the U.S. – is poised for a slowdown. A year ago, buyers could order a new boat knowing that, in the worst case, they could flip it for a quick profit. Now they’re more hesitant.


“With the American market especially, people are waiting for more certainty in financial markets before make a big decision,” said Jonathen Beckett, CEO of Burgess.

INDIA...

Having a full-fledged superyacht market in India may not be a distant dream for some, but as per current socio-economic trends a safe estimated growth of 60% per annum is emminent.
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Wave-piercing With The World’s Most Extreme Super Yacht!

It may not be the fastest, but what could be classified as the world's most extreme superyacht has been developed. This wave-piercing luxury trimaran may look like something from a Star Trek movie, but it's no fantasy.

Craig Loomes is making a point. Three points to be exact. In his latest Buck-the-Trend, D A M N the Torpedoes hull design, he’s combined one part superyacht, one part submarine and one part angry hornet trumped-up on amphetamines into a stabilized monohull with wreckless disregard for waves. And just who is this Loomatic? Craig Loomes is yacht designer from down under whose motto appears to be the first rule in Italian driving… “remove the rearview mirror, because what’s behind you doesn’t matter any more.”

The 146-meter Trimaran concept is the warp-forward offspring to the “Earthrace Wavepiercer Trimaran”, a globetrotting, purpose-built boat targeting the world circumnavigation record by favoring consistency over speed. This futuristic, 24-meter wave slayer is producing better than anticipated efficiency while taming decelerations induced by wave impact. The result is a much smoother, albeit wildly wetter ride.

In just a few short years, Loomes has gained worldwide recognition for hulls designed to silhouette waves and they have certainly pierced the press, claiming such accolades as the International Superyacht Society award for “Best Power 32m to 43m” in 2004 for his 33 meter Wavepiercer.

While the design doesn’t offer the usual exterior walkways, it offers something very different… observation lounges contained within the highest point of the arches for a birds-eye view of the main hull submerging itself with frequency. The exaggerated arches serve another purpose, to place the air intake for the engines at the highest point possible on the vessel.

The yacht concept also benefits from the submariner approach, with consistent transatlantic speeds estimated at 40 knots, moving it into a realm few others can venture. Projected power plants are four MTU V-20 8000 diesels, pumping out 8,200 hp each, which is expected to produce a sprint speed of 50 knots!

Because the hull form is narrow, accommodations have been split into multi-level staterooms for up to 28 guests. The master, seen here, is a tri-level suite. Other facilities include a helicopter pad on the aft deck and quite possibly… a cave, because if Batman had a boat, Loomes designed it.

Preliminary specifications:LOA: 148 meters
Beam: No slip wide enough
Draft: 3.6 meters
Weight: 3000 tons
Power: 4 x MTU V-20 8000’s
Range: 3000 miles at 40 knots
Cruise speed (estimated): 40 knots
Top Speed (estimated): 50 knots

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Sunseeker gets a New Lift!

If you have been following recent market reports or even watching the most recent James Bond movie, you will no doubt be aware that Sunseeker are breaking new ground in their production of 30m+ superyachts. Hugely impressive vessels inside and out, Sunseeker have a strong plan ahead to meet the current and anticipated future demand..


As Sunseeker yachts get even larger so too is the machinery that moves them from place to place. Looming over the recently developed shipyards on Poole Quay is a new travel hoist capable of lifting and moving boats up to 260,000 kg (260 tonnes). The new hoist, supplied by Wise Handling Limited, has a height of almost 13 metres and is over 14 metres wide; it has been built to launch or retrieve boats up to 47 Metres.


Sunseeker’s new range of luxury yachts includes the 37 Metre, 34 Metre and Predator 108 and there are a number of even larger models in the design and development stage. Accompanying the new hoist at Poole will be a similar model for the company’s Osprey Quay Shipyards on Portland, Dorset. The 11 acre site is currently being used for the construction of various models and planned development for the near future will increase Sunseeker’s building capability.


Robert Braithwaite CBE, Sunseeker’s managing director commented, “This level of investment is very important to us if we are to maintain our position as one of the world’s major boat builders. Lifting and moving these large yachts around can take time and space. We currently operate a 100 Tonne hoist but this larger version will provide far more flexibility in launching and lifting the larger models”.. Read more...

The Bolici 136 Super-Yacht has arrived !

BOLICI - another of Italy's finest yacht-makers has launched the Bolici 136 super-yacht to add to its ever expanding profile.

Bolici 136, an ultra-luxury yacht equipped with the most advanced monitoring systems and integrated entertainment technology, used the Dubai International Boat Show as a platform for its world premiere.

The Italian made luxury yacht was showcased at Dubai International Boat Show and infact it was their first participation in an annual boat show.

Participating for the very first time at the annual boat show, Bolici Yacht CEO and President Mario Bolici said they opted for Dubai to launch the Bolici 136 because of the region’s growing market for leisure boats.

PASSION IS THE ART OF WHAT YOU DO AS A TEAM

...that's the commitment that Bolici has to its principles of team-work and acknowledge the fact that the entire boat-building process is a completely controlled and coordinated effort by the development team.

The first of the Bolici family's companies was founded by Paolo Bolici in the 1970s in Anzio, on the coastal side of Rome. Established primarily for producing customized interiors for the civil sector, Bolici quickly gained a solid reputation for manufacturing products of exceptional quality, reliability and attention to details.

In the mid 80s, Bolici experienced dramatic growth and pursued international expansion by establishing offices and showrooms in France, Canada, Greece and Romania, where the company received significant appreciation and consideration as a truly international player in the industry.
Bolici then started diversifying its business, extending its area of operations to design and production of turnkey interiors for large luxury hotels, and cruise ships becoming one of the leaders at the international level with high calibre customers such as Carnival, Royal Caribbean, P&O, Crystal Cruises and many others.

Bolici's diversification also included successful entry into the luxury private yachts, establishing solid business relationships with the most well-known brands worldwide such as Ferretti, Azimut, Benetti, Rizzardi, among others.

THE BOLICI 136

No words can truly describe the essence of Bolici’s 136, she aims at perfection why settle for less? Onehundredthirtysix feet of pure style on water, balanced design, outstanding building technology, thorough attention to each single detail and a handful of power to give her owner the sense of self fulfilment they have always tried to reach.


After many years of work for the most eminent players of the yachting industry Bolici Yacht has put together the know-how to make the ultimate statement in the world of large yachts and that is the magnificent 136.

Designed for those who can’t be satisfied with the average superyacht and want uniqueness that can only be found within the equilibrium of perfection reaching the next level of quality.

Quality expressed through the massive use of carbon fibre a limitless choice of materials ranging from the warmest woods to the most precious Italian marbles, leathers, that make your yacht strictly yours.

Equipped with the most advanced monitoring systems and integrated entertainment technology, Bolici 136 is committed to exceed your expectations turning your yachting experience into a dream.

ESTEEMED CLIENTELE

Operating in a vast array of the marine industry that caters to big yachts - Bolici has to its name clients such as Holland America Line, P&O, Royal Carribean, Ferretti, INRizzardi to name only a few.

Their boat-building yards undertake customization and restructuring/ refitting of yachts albeit in the ultra-luxury segment.

Watch this space for real images of the Bolici when we procure them.
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Super-Car to Super-Boat : The XSR48 - World's FIRST 'Super-Car on Water'

NO BOUNDARIES !

All things moving fast have almost all things common about them - fast engines, sleek shapes, the ear-deafening sounds, the flauntability amongst a lot of similar emotions and of course - the ADRENALINE RUSH !


Whether land, air or water - Speed Connoisseurs want to make sure that they are that little faster than their 'fastest enemy' !

Let's Welcome XSMG - a world class racing heritage in powerboats. Its founders and senior management have broken 12 world records and won two world championships and three European championships. With such credentials, who better than them to come up with this watered-down supercar.

THE XS MARINE GROUP

The company combines a passion for racing and winning pedigree with a unique blend of skills and experience including:

1) Marine manufacturing, marketing and retailing
2) Global sponsorship, sports marketing and IP development
3) Luxury superbrand marketing
4) Business and financial management


Such an array of services catering to a vast market help XSMG in knowng the exact pulse of the client it targets it's 1.2 million Sterling Pound 'Bugatti Veyron of the Sea'.

The Philosophy that goes into their designs is - 'Speed, performance,and the ultimate in design and technology are all fundamental to XSMG but what lies at the heart of its philosophy is the concept of the world's first true superboat.'

DIBS '08 LAUNCH

Launched at the recently concluded Dubai International Boat Show '08, the XSR48created waves worldwide through its launch. Commenting on why the DIBS '08 was the right platform for XSR48's launch, XSMG Marine CEO, Ian Sanderson commented "The Middle East is the world's primary emerging market and at last year's show we tested the water with brochures and models. This year we are back, and will exhibit, for the first time anywhere, the first finished production XSR48. Displaying a rare synergy of form and function, the XSR48's iconic, F1-style architecture exudes dynamism even when static and it is certain to make waves at marinas across the Middle East."

THE XSR48

Manufactured at the internationally renowned Berthon Shipyard in Lymington and developed by a number of world class design and construction partners including legendary hull designer Fabio Buzzi, award winning superyacht designers Redman Whiteley Dixon and High Modulus the world’s leading exponent in composite marine structures - the XSR48's main consideration was to never sacrifice style for speed.


The XSR48 is a supercar on water, a luxury powerboat with supercar looks. With a total of no less than 1600hp from two bi-turbo diesel engines, the XSR48 has supercar acceleration to match its stunning appearance.

DESIGN AND HERITAGE

XSMG Marine is committed to a design philosophy focused on stunning external aesthetics to match its exceptional performance - a mix of form and function.

Over 55,000 man hours have gone into the development of the XSR48, with designers, naval architects, craftsmen and engineers exploring every aspect of the hydrodynamics, aerodynamics, aesthetics, ergonomics, propulsion, power and performance.


The XSR48 is the result of the experience and proven success of Ian Sanderson and Peter Dredge, the founders of XSMG. Racing and winning defines Ian and Peter, who have together broken 11 world records, won the world's toughest powerboat racing championship (the 2001 European Endurance Championship) and have been awarded the prestigious RYA 'Yachtsman of the Year' award no less than three times.

TECH SPECS

DIMENSIONS -

Length - overall: 14.60m
Length - hull: 13.10m
Beam (max.): 3.13m
Beam (w/o stab inflated) 2.60m
Height above waterline: 2.20m
Height - overall (excl. props): 3.00m
Draft to keel (excl. props): 0.75m
Draft (incl. props): 1.10m
Draft at speed (incl. props): 0.40m
Displacement (@ half load): 8,750kg
Fuel capacity: 1000 litres
Fresh-water capacity: 150 litres

DRIVETRAIN (TRANSMISSION) -

Propulsion: ZF Trimax 2200 surface drives
Transmission: ZF 312 2-speed gearboxes
Propellers: Rolla 17/4/PH stainless steel
Trim Tabs: ZF-Trimax full race composite tabs
Rudders: Trimax twin rudders

DRIVETRAIN (ENGINE) -

All the below options use Diesel.

Standard (1600bhp): 2x 11.3L Isotta Fraschini L1306 - 588kW

Option 1 (2000bhp): 2x 11.3L Isotta Fraschini L1306 - Race Spec

Option 2 (1410bhp): 2x 12.0L CAT C12 - 526 kW

Maximum speed : from 70 knots up to 85 knots


WATCH THIS SPACE

XSMG, in a bid to prove the XSR48's speed and endurance is going all out Super-Car style...having a Le Mans of its own kind.

The ISLE OF WIGHT - and a 24 Hour Endurance Record consisting of many racing legs is in the pipeline.

Watch this space to know when and what happens, as it happens.
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Measuring the Wealth of Nations with Yachts !

The Golden Question - When are we going to have a yacht that is worth ONE BILLION US$s ??! With the way things are moving and the constant battle of the egos between the world's 'super-billionaires', it is just a matter of time that someone will be willing to dish out a precious billion for their sea-worthy 'toy'.

Blohm & Voss, Germany's favourite shipyard, birthplace to many-a-yacht prodigies - has its workers round the clock building a mammoth yacht called the Eclipse. Surely, the owner seems to be giving out a message through its name to other yacht-owners.


Measuring Wealth by the Foot Like many things in the secretive world of superyachts, its exact length is hard to pin down. So is the name of its owner, and the cost of building it.


WHAT"S THE SIZE?

But according to the Web site of The Yacht Report, one of several publications that track yachting with the same intensity that gossip magazines cover Hollywood hunks, the Eclipse is 531.5 feet long. Others like www.CruisingYatch.com go one step ahead and claim it to be a 550 feet mini-ship. It would not be surprising if it is like many super-structures (towers and skyscrapers) on land nowadays, where the height is flexible - so just incase your competitor claims a height, they go out and better it by a few metres.


Likewise, that’s six and a half feet longer than the Dubai, an 11,600-ton behemoth that now holds the record as the world’s largest yacht. Its owner is the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum (covered gloriously on this blog, click on Dubai in the Label Cloud).

The extra length on the Eclipse surely isn’t an accident. Supersized yachts are the latest examples of one-upmanship among billionaires, many of whom already own a private jet, a fleet of Rolls-Royces, and multiple mansions from one end of the world to another.

With the fear of a global economic recession and unrelenting job pressures among those who remain yachtless, there’s still a lot of money floating around the world and always will be. And as the superrich get richer, the size of yachts grows bigger and bigger, too.

Many feel that when a yacht is over 325 feet, it’s so big that you lose the intimacy that yachts carry. But considering the bragging rights you get it seems like a good pay-off.

Who will be the one to wrest bragging rights from the Sheikh? Blohm & Voss, isn’t saying. According to the grapevine, it is being built for Roman Abramovich, a Russian tycoon.


Mr. Abramovich already owns the 282-foot Ecstasea and the 377-foot Pelorus, and Web sites that track yachts speculate that he may be the owner of a new 394-foot yacht called Sigma that resembles a battleship. A spokesman for Mr. Abramovich declined to comment.

PAST DEVELOPMENTS AND FUTURE TRENDS

Just four years ago, when Lawrence J. Ellison, the chief executive of the Oracle Corporation, took possession of the 454-foot Rising Sun, he gained crowing rights over Paul Allen, the Microsoft co-founder. Mr. Allen’s yacht, the Octopus, is relatively minuscule at 417 feet. (Since then, David Geffen, the Hollywood mogul, has bought a 50 percent share of the Rising Sun from Mr. Ellison.)

Many yacht owners are entrepreneurs or industrialists, rather than royalty or bold-faced names from Silicon Valley, according to yacht designers and builders.

Like Mr. Abramovich, a growing number of yacht buyers are from emerging markets. There’s an incredible amount of disposable money in the world at the moment, and a lot of money is coming out of new markets like Russia and Ukraine, as well as India. These people have made a lot of money very quickly and have an appetite.

According to ShowBoats International, a luxury yacht magazine, 916 yachts measuring 80 feet or longer — the traditional definition of a superyacht — were on order or under construction as of last Sept. 1, four times the number in 1997. The biggest gains were among the biggest yachts: 47 yachts were 200 to 249 feet long, up 68 percent from a year earlier, while 23 were 250 feet or longer, an increase of 28 percent.

In the early 1970s, a 60-foot boat was considered pretty large. Infact a 150-foot boat was queen of the show in Monaco in 1982. In 2008, surely you wouldn’t be able to find that boat in the marina.

Some new megayachts are so big that they have to dock in commercial ports. The growth in the number and size of yachts is also making it hard to find qualified crew members.

Still, many yacht owners trade in their boats every few years for bigger models.

People want more toys to play with. Gyms were unusual 20 years ago, and no yacht is being built now without a gym. They’re buying two- to four-person submarines, have four Jet Skis and little sailboats stored on board, as well as helicopter landing pads.

It takes two to four years to build a yacht, and prices are rising so quickly that some owners are selling their boats before they’re even finished — for a tidy profit. Prices have risen 10 percent to 20 percent in the past two years alone. He estimates that a yacht 328 feet long would cost about $230 million today, with prices rising to $650 million for a 500-foot yacht.

RECOVERING COSTS

Some owners recoup part of their costs by chartering their yachts. Want to sail the Maltese Falcon, the innovative clipper ship built by Tom Perkins, the Silicon Valley venture capitalist? That will put you back around $539,000 to $555,000 a week, not counting expenses for fuel, food or crew. Or the Mirabella V, the elegant sloop owned by Joe Vittoria, the former chief executive of Avis Rent A Car System? That’s $325,000 to $375,000 a week, depending on the season.

There are no signs that demand will slacken. There are 2,000 superyachts in the world today over 120 feet long, and nearly 200,000 people who could afford to buy them.

"MINE'S BIGGER"

The arms race in yachts echoes the competition among business titans in the last century to build the world’s tallest skyscraper. In his book “Mine’s Bigger,” David A. Kaplan describes the battle between Mr. Perkins and Jim Clark, the co-founder of three Silicon Valley companies, including Netscape, as they competed to build the world’s biggest sailing megayacht.

By the time Mr. Perkins completed his Maltese Falcon, measuring 288 feet, in 2006, it was substantially longer than Mr. Clark’s Athena if measured at the water line.

Mr. Clark could console himself only with the fact that if you included his 33-foot stainless steel bowsprit as part of the length, then his was bigger than anybody else’s.

Mr. Vittoria holds a different record. His 247-foot Mirabella V has a 292-foot mast — so tall that it can’t fit under the Golden Gate Bridge (covered on our blog).

Surely, yachts are a good parameter to gauge the Wealth of Nations, since all developed and budding economies come hand-in-hand with new buyers and an increase in demand of yachts of all types and from all over the world.
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