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Five classic superyachts brought back to life from the brink

Related articles, superyacht directory.

Not every owner relishes the prospect of a shiny new-build when they have the option to restore a beloved classic. Read on to discover some of the world’s most fascinating and valuable classic superyachts, which were brought back from the brink by their patient owners...

There is something intensely magical about the act of restoration: the feat of rescuing something that has fallen into a state of disrepair and returning it to its original condition. For owners, there is a process of falling completely for the yacht – something which compels them. British sailor Tracey Edwards recalls how restoring the yacht that became Maiden ceased to be purely about practicalities. “I fell in love with her,” she remembers simply. It is something to which many owners could relate.

 The recovery of something that was once great is a venture infused with nostalgia and romance. Particularly, perhaps, when its heyday is recorded in writing or in photographs that survive. And while this could apply to lots of things, the very word “wreck” is strongly redolent of boats. 

A wreck that has been restored, of course, is no longer a wreck. But henceforth she will always have once been one – and this fact will remain an element in the boat’s story, a source of pride and interest for those who continue to sail her.

Built in 1930, Atlantide (as she is now known) is now in her 90s – a venerable old lady, sprightlier than most nonagenarians after judicious refits. She is a beautiful boat with an illustrious past.

Designed by Alfred Mylne , Atlantide served as a tender for a J Class America’s Cup challenger. Then, in 1940, she was one of the “Little Ships” that evacuated more than 330,000 Allied troops from the Dunkirk beaches, entitling her, unusually, to fly the St George’s Cross.

After a post-war refit, she spent 50 years in the Mediterranean and was given her current name in the 1980s. Then, shortly before 2000, she was bought by yachtsman and technologist Tom Perkins, who devoted time and money to the further refit that Atlantide desperately needed.

Yacht designer Ken Freivokh remembers the project with great fondness, travelling to Malta with Perkins to view the boat. When he did so he was horrified. Her condition, he recalls, was “very, very poor, half-abandoned”. She was being used as a dive-boat, and an out-of-keeping superstructure had been put on top, destroying the boat’s elegant sheer line and making her look “very strange”.

What he could see immediately, however, was her underlying beauty and potential. But she needed a major restoration, and about 90 per cent of the plating along her spine had to be either restored or replaced. Freivokh contacted an aluminium worker who built an entirely new and more appropriate superstructure.

Freivokh and his team were given exceptional input, the licence (and the money) to do whatever they felt necessary. In addition to the standard requirements of yacht renovation, they had extraordinary paintings and antiques at their disposal. They were able to commission further art deco artworks too – of a style that complemented the yacht and her era. The boat and her contents might have ended up, he reckons now, as “inch-for-inch the most extraordinary yacht afloat”: a big claim, but one that’s hard to deny.

After Perkins’ passing in June 2016, Atlantide was sent to Royal Huisman in the Netherlands by another owner and American technologist – Jim Clark, who also built J Class boat Hanuman as well as Hyperion . It is fair to say that, for all the ups and downs of her past, Atlantide ’s future looks rosy, well beyond her centenary in 2030.

Western Flyer

We might think 2021 a bad year, but in 1940, as Nazi Germany invaded Norway, the world truly “went to hell”, wrote the future Nobel-laureate John Steinbeck. Far from these hostilities, having published The Grapes of Wrath to both acclaim and notoriety the previous year, Steinbeck motored along the coast of Mexico and California, into the Gulf of California. There, as he had hoped, “the great world dropped away”.

In an out-of-season sardine-fishing “purse-seiner”, then named Western Flyer , he and a small crew examined and collected marine animals, negotiating “wrecks and wayward currents”. Though they marvelled at “the incredible beauty of the tide pools” and “the swarming species”, it was no idyll. Things seemed “to sting and pinch and bite” worse than in other places. The region was “fierce and hostile and sullen”. Written up as The Log from The Sea of Cortez , largely as a result of Steinbeck’s enduring fame, the venture has entered literary folklore – and attached added renown to the boat.

During the decades since, the Western Flyer has – like all fishing boats – pursued catches (different species, caught often in quite different areas) as marine populations have shifted and declined: perch; king crab; salmon – far to the north or further south. The story of Western Flyer is the story of the Pacific west-coast fishery, and the story of humanity more broadly.

Rechristened Gemini , at times her ownership was hazy. Located by her unchanging call sign WB4044, she had come to resemble a ghost ship: paint peeling, mud-spattered, strangled by weed and timbers rotting. She has sunk at least twice, become completely unseaworthy, and all the time the price of restoration has grown.

She is owned now by a marine geologist called John Gregg who is restoring her with the help of Tim Lee, a shipwright from the west coast. Whereas the wheelhouse, Lee remarks, could remain remarkably intact and original – around 90 per cent of it – the hull was in a shocking condition. The starboard side, in particular, he remembers, was “completely rotten”. “If the boat had rolled over” she would probably, he remarks, “not have been salvageable.”

While some backbone timbers are original, it has been necessary to basically build a new hull. Time cannot be denied. But she – and the wider world – are lucky indeed that she has found people enthusiastic and committed enough to restore her, and to ensure that this piece of literary history can continue to “fly” along the western coast.

Shenandoah of Sark

More than once the famous yacht Shenandoah of Sark has been pulled back from the brink. As others have observed, she has really lived. She has seen all sides of life and come, in the process, perilously close to extinction.

First built for an American financier in 1902, she was in Germany before the First World War and then confiscated by the British Navy. She was given the name Shenandoah after the war, then rechristened again, this time by an Italian prince – another boat to be called Atlantide . She spent the Second World War concealed in a Danish shipyard, her masts and one of her engines removed to make her unseaworthy (and less appealing to thieves). Her post-war history included an almost year-long zoological and oceanographic expedition along the African west coast, as well as time spent smuggling in Central America – her precise location is unknown. Seized by French customs in 1962, she was tied up and left to rot before being bought and restored by a French industrialist.

Working as a charter yacht, she was sold in 1986 to a Swiss businessman who ordered a complete restoration at New Zealand shipyard  McMullen & Wing . The majority of the riveted hull was replaced, and the result was impressive: in 1996 she won the ShowBoats International award for Best Classic Yacht Restoration.

Together the owner and the yard have lavished attention upon every detail: from polished teak or redwood planking, to art deco lights and a unique, detachable deck cockpit. Further attention since to her rig and her mechanics has ensured that this is one yacht in a very fine position to advance far into – and perhaps complete – her second century.

Well past her centenary (having been built in 1913, on the eve of the First World War) Vagrant is one of the oldest yachts still afloat. There are a small number of older human beings living – but not many. And the comprehensively refitted Vagrant will almost certainly outlast them all. In 2017 she had a major refit – for almost two years – in Dutch restoration yard Royal Huisman. Her owner’s instructions were that “ Vagrant should be ready to last for another one hundred years.” Well, who can say? It certainly isn’t impossible.

Back in the distant past, Vagrant ’s designer, Nathanael Greene Herreshoff , dominated the America’s Cup between the late 19th century and the early 1930s. A boatbuilder, he was also a proficient sailor, placed in the National Sailing Hall of Fame, and helming in the America’s Cup at least once.

Vagrant was built for Harold Vanderbilt, of the famous dynasty. Herreshoff built boats for the financial big guns – William Randolph Hearst, John Pierpont (JP) Morgan, Jay Gould. Yachts, like houses, were (and are) a symbol of wealth and success, and Herreshoff’s were the finest.

Now, under relatively new ownership, Vagrant – one of the most revered classic yachts afloat – is being restored to her former greatness. Her steel hull needed substantial work (sandblasting areas of corrosion left some plates too thin and in need of replacement). But her teak interior has justified the wood’s reputation as the best natural material for a marine environment: beautiful, hard, rich in protective oil, resistant to rot and little prone to warping.

Sure enough, when removed and examined, much of the wood in the cabins could be treated and reused, even after so long (with the redesign to accommodate things such as electric lighting, plugs, heating and air conditioning, which were absent from the original boat). This clear link with the past serves to emphasise that this is very much the same boat.

Other departures from the original – aluminium masts, for instance, with internal furling for the mainsail and fisherman’s sail – seem an update rather than any kind of insult to the original maker. She might still sail under her old name of Vagrant but she has, very clearly, a loving home.

Having been built in the late 1920s, the sailing yacht Cambria was assumed, like so many, to have been destroyed during the Second World War. In fact, she had fallen into complete oblivion: vanishing not only from the present, but also from the historical record. One authoritative book on the yachts of William Fife , the renowned Scottish boatbuilder responsible for Cambria , omitted her completely. Only subsequently has she been rediscovered in every sense – restored to history and restored in the present.

Cambria was built originally for a newspaper magnate – Sir William Berry – who rose from complete obscurity (having left school in South Wales at 13) to become owner of the largest media empire of the day: publisher of titles still active and well-known, like The Sunday Times , Financial Times and The Daily Telegraph . Berry’s publications happened to include Yachting World , giving him a route to its editor. 

Soon after its construction, Cambria won an early race, then for a few years raced some 50 times a year. Her beauty was much admired, and fame seemed assured. (Berry asked his wife whether she might like a matching yacht, an offer she sadly declined.) Rules of the time hindered Cambria , however, and not long afterwards she changed hands. Her name was changed and she retreated, during the 1930s, into obscurity – and then into oblivion.

Her sketchy post-war history includes an ill-fated circumnavigation during the 1970s, before being bought, and mothballed, in Australia, until finally she was rediscovered near the Great Barrier Reef. Her basic structure, mahogany planking on a steel frame, remained intact and was remediable with careful repair work. Only in the 21st century did she return to British waters, after more than half a century. With a new mast, of spruce pine, and a thorough refit in Southampton in 2006 which saw Cambria stripped back and the boat’s stem reworked. There is no doubt now that Cambria does once again fulfil Fife’s basic requirement of a yacht – that she be both “fast and bonnie”.

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The 25 Largest Yachts in the World

The list runs from lürssen's 592-foot 'azzam' to fincantieri 439-foot 'serene,' with a fascinating group of bespoke vessels in between..

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The new arrivals in 2024 knock the mighty 436.4-foot  Al Mirqab   and  Koru , Jeff Bezos’s sailing yacht, off the list. The “smallest” yacht— Serene —measures a whopping 439.3 feet. A raft of behemoths didn’t make it, including Feadship’s 290-foot Project 821 that is launching this year, the largest build from the Dutch shipyard to date.

Two of Lürssen’s 2024 deliveries also fell short, including Project Deep Blue and Project JassJ. That said, the German yard remains top of the leader board with the immoveable 592.6-foot  Azzam . It also claims 13 of the 25 world’s largest yachts, two of which are new entries.

The list is interesting because most were built in the last 15 years, but there are several historical yachts, including  Savarona , launched in 1931, and  El Mahrousa , launched in 1865, that withstand the test of time. Others like  Yas  and  OK are conversions from other types of vessels. The inimitable  A  is a one-of-a-kind, never-to-be-repeated sailing superyacht.

Here are the world’s top 25 yachts by length.

Azzam | 592 feet, 6 inches

Lürssen could never really boast about Azzam after its launch in 2013 because of the owner’s penchant for privacy, though it did describe the interior by Christophe Leoni, which features a 95-foot-long main salon, as “inspired by the Empire style of the early 19th century.” Owner Mubarak Saad al Ahbabi directed a team of designers and engineers who started with the bare concept, worked through the technical challenges of what might be the most complex superyacht ever, and finished with an unusually large vessel that can top the 30-knot mark when operating in “sprint mode”. Its gas turbines, connected to water jets, also give it the ability to operate at high speed in shallow waters. Nauta Yacht’s exterior features a long, sleek forward area, with well-proportioned tiers moving up to the skydeck. It took an impressive six million man-hours—or four years including engineering—to build.  Azzam  accommodates up to 36 guests, and a crew of 80.

Fulk Al Salamah | 538 feet, 1 inch

Little information has been released about the world’s second-longest superyacht, the custom-built Fulk Al Salamah , and it has been shrouded in mystery since it was first announced in 2014. Even the overall length of 538.1 feet has been estimated from AIS data. However, the imposing vessel, built and delivered by Italian builder Mariotti Yachts in their Genoa shipyard in 2016, is believed to be owned by Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman. Last refit in 2021, the yacht has an exterior design by Studio de Jorio, and it is considered by some to resemble more of a support vessel than a superyacht. Nonetheless, aerial photography shows an impressively large helideck, raked masts, and a bathing platform.

Eclipse | 533 feet, 1 inch

The 533.1-foot stately  Eclipse , one of two yachts on this list owned by sanctioned billionaire Roman Abramovich, took five years to design and build. When it left the Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg in 2010, it was the world’s largest yacht. The interior has 17 staterooms and a palatial primary suite, with the capacity to carry 85 crew. Both the interior and exterior are designed by Terence Disdale. A proportional profile is defined by tiered decks that sweep upward and bend ever so slightly at the aft ends. Eclipse  has a 185-foot-long owner’s deck, the capacity to hold three helicopters, a sophisticated stabilization system, six tenders, and an enormous spa, gym and beach club, not to mention one of the largest swimming pools on any superyacht. Hybrid diesel-electric engines are connected to Azipod drives that give Eclipse a top-end speed of 21 knots, with a range of 6,000 nautical miles.

Dubai | 531 feet, 5 inches

Even at 531.5 feet, Dubai ’s all-white Winch-designed exterior belies the dramatic and vibrant interior within. Colorful mosaic floors, a spiraling glass staircase, 70-foot-wide atrium, and bursts of red, blue, and green create a carnival of scene. Originally commissioned for Prince Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei as a joint project between Blohm+Voss and Lürssen . Known as “Panhandle,” the project was halted in 1998 with just a bare hull and skeletal superstructure. The hull was sold to the government of Dubai, and, under the direction of the country’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, work on the 531.5-footer began again, though this time by Platinum Yachts. Dubai delivered in 2006 and is now the sheikh’s royal yacht, with accommodations for 24 guests and quarters for 88 crew. The SOLAS-certified seven-decked yacht has a landing pad for a Black Hawk helicopter, submarine garage, disco and cinema, and can reach a top speed of 26 knots. There’s also a waterfall that cascades from the yacht’s pool, located aft of the main deck. The yacht’s range of 8,500 nm at 25 knots gives it the potential to cruise around the world in record time.

Blue | 518 feet, 3 inches

Lürssen’s newest entry on the list, Blue , which delivered to its Middle Eastern owner in July 2022, may rank at number five out of the world’s largest yachts, but its diesel-electric hybrid propulsion system goes a long way to minimize emissions. The yacht also features an electric Azimuth pod drive that can be used independently or in conjunction with the twin propeller shafts. There is a waste-water treatment system and an advanced exhaust treatment system to help reduce NOx levels, as well as cut down on vibration and noise pollution. Interior and exterior design is by Terence Disdale, Blue is defined in profile by a raked bow with a helipad, an aft deck pool, and twin balconies forward either side of the owner’s full-beam suite. There is a second, smaller helipad aft. The British designer has reportedly penned a feminine and elegant interior, though no images have yet been released.

Dilbar | 511 feet, 8 inches

The 2016 launch of Dilbar gave Lürssen the distinction of not only building the longest yacht ever ( Azzam ), but also the largest in terms of volume. Espen Øino designed the exterior, creating a full-bodied superstructure of long, flowing decks, along with two helicopter pads,two helicopter pads, one of which has a hangar with an H175 helicopter always on standby.  Dilbar  also has an oversized garden and an 82-foot swimming pool that can hold an incredible 6,357-cubic-feet of water and according to Lürssen, is the world’s longest on a yacht. The interior by  Winch Design  is defined by its “rare and exclusive luxury materials,” says the builder, declining to go into detail. Despite  Dilbar ’s volume, the designers did a masterful job making the yacht look relatively svelte. In June 2020, Dilbar returned to Lürssen for a significant refit, where the yacht remains following U.S. sanctions placed on the owner, Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, in 2022. The yacht’s value is estimated to be $600 million.

Al Saïd | 508 feet, 5 inches

Another 500-plus-foot yacht from Lürssen, the original Project Sunflower gained its official name of Al Saïd following its launch in 2016. Espen Øino’s exterior is akin to a classic cruise liner, complete with the twin-exhaust stacks in the center of the superstructure. Owned by the Sultan of Oman, the yacht was listed for the sale for the first time in April 2022 for an undisclosed sum, but a buyer has yet to be confirmed. The six-decked  Al Saïd  can carry 154 crew and an estimated 70 guests across 26 suites. Lürssen reports a top speed of 22 knots. The London-based Redman Whiteley Dixon studio designed the interior, which includes a concert hall that can hold a 50-piece orchestra, a private cinema for 50 people; you’ll also find a medical room and dental care on board.

A+ | 483 feet, 1 inch

Very little is known about A+ (formerly Topaz) , which was launched by Lürssen in 2012. Tim Heywood Designs did the exterior, which features helipads on the foredeck and amidships on an upper deck. A lower aft deck includes a swimming pool. The German yard has not released any images of the Terence Disdale interior. Reported to be owned by Manchester City Football Club owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan—Emirati royalty and deputy prime minister of the UAE— A+  is equipped with a 40-foot Vikal catamaran beachlander and is powered by six Wärtsilä engines to reach a top speed of 22 knots. It can carry 62 guests and up to 79 crew and was last refit in 2022.

Prince Abdulaziz | 482 feet, 3 inches

The 5,200-tonne Prince Abdulaziz is one of the Saudi Royal family’s yachts, its first owner being King Fahd. Designed by Maierform, the yacht was the longest and tallest in the world at the time of its launch, a title the 482.3-foot  Prince Abdulaziz  held for 22 years until  Dubai  launched in 2006. The late David Nightingale Hicks, known for his use of bright colors, was the interior designer. The lobby is said to be a replica of the Titanic . The yacht is also rumored to be carrying surface-to-air missiles, though that may be an urban legend. Launched by Helsingør Værft in Denmark in 1984, it was last refit in 2023.

OK | 479 feet

Originally built by Japan’s Oshima Shipbuilding in 1982, the semisubmersible heavy lift ship was used for decades by DYT Yacht Transport as float-on yacht carrier. In 2022, the vessel underwent a private conversion at Karmarine shipyard in Turkey, turning it into a luxury, though highly unusual, yacht named OK . Modifications include a matte-black paint job, gold-tinted glazing, and teak decking. The vessel’s 328-foot submersible aft deck—a feature that first attracted her new owner, who uses OK to transport their 150-foot ketch—is now covered in a carpet of artificial grass. A 40-tonne crane allows for the safe and easy launch and retrieval of a vast range of toys, including a seaplane. The interior by Bozca Design is reported to include accommodation for 20 guests, a botanical garden, and a crazy Willy Wonka–inspired glass elevator that operates outside of the yacht’s superstructure.

Opera | 479 feet

Very little is known about Lürssen’s mysterious superyacht Opera , though it’s thought to be a rebuild of Project Sassi, which was destroyed in a fire in 2018 at the German shipyard. Now four feet longer than the first iteration, the superyacht became the 11th largest yacht in the world when it delivered to its patient owner in 2023. Exterior and interior designed by Terence Disdale, Opera has a whopping 66-foot beam and an interior volume exceeding 10,000GT. No interior images have been released yet, though judging by its two swimming pools, one with a lifting floor, and two helipads—one on the bow and one on the upper aft deck—it seems no expense has been spared.

El Mahrousa | 478 feet, 1 inch

El Mahrousa , which means “The Protected” in Arabic, is currently Egypt’s presidential yacht, though the 478.1-footer has a separate history as that country’s royal yacht. The London-based Samuda Brothers began the build in 1863, and it was launched in 1865. The world’s oldest superyacht—and formerly the world’s biggest—was originally built for the Ottoman governor of Egypt, Khedive Ismail, and later carried three Egyptian kings into exile. The yacht was also at the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. It features external design by the British naval architect Sir Oliver Lang and has had multiple modifications over the years, including a lengthening by 40 feet in 1872 and another 17 feet in 1905. During the second refit, the owners replaced its paddle-wheel engines with turbine-driven propellers. The yacht, in care of the Egyptian Navy, occasionally goes to sea for a day or two. In 2015, it was used to inaugurate the new Suez Canal.

Project Luminance | 475 feet, 7 inches

Delivered in 2024, Project Luminance (the real name is yet to be confirmed) is Lürssen’s newest entry on the list. Exterior designed by Espen Øino, the yacht has a raked bow, a contrasting paint job in a dark blue hull and silver superstructure and a whopping 8,999 gross tons of interior volume. Few details are yet known about the gigayacht owned by Ukrainian mining and financial services mogul Rinat Akhmetov, including the interior by Francois Zuretti, but aerial shots reveal twin helicopter pads—one on the foredeck and another high up aft—a large beach club, and an infinity pool, with a private spa pool area on the foredeck.

A | 468 feet, 5 inches

Undoubtedly one of the most visionary projects ever delivered by German shipyard Nobiskrug, the Philippe Starck-designed A is a wild fantasy of the future. Delivered in 2017, the futuristic look of  sailing yacht  A includes smooth, silver-metallic surfaces and windows that look nearly invisible, a 26-foot draft, three composite masts that bend slightly, and a deck hidden by high bulwarks. The Philippe Starck–design is a wild fantasy yacht of the future. The 468-foot sailing yacht is a technical victory for Nobiskrug , which developed composite fashion plates to create the unusual shapes without compromising any strength or fluidity. It has the tallest freestanding composite masts on any sailing vessel, a diesel-electric propulsion system, and state-of-the-art navigation systems. The boat also reportedly has an underwater viewing platform in the keel. Starck’s traditional interior features dark wood, copper accents, and cozy patterned carpets. The split-deck main salon is divided into zoned seating areas with integrated bookshelves. A remains today the world’s largest sailing yacht six years after its launch, though many argue it is better defined as a sail-assisted yacht.

Nord | 466 feet

Nord was announced in 2015 but didn’t hit the water until its 2020 sea trials in the Baltic Sea. The 466-foot yacht features interior design by Italian studio Nuvolari Lenard and was Lürssen’s first yacht launched from its floating shed at its facility in Vegasack. Boasting top-tier amenities, the yacht includes a sports and diving center on the lower deck, multiple tenders ranging in size up to 50 feet and a large swimming pool. The two helipads support the yacht’s long-range cruising capabilities for autonomous exploration, and a retractable hangar means a helicopter can slide neatly into the superstructure for storage when not in use. A generous 20 staterooms accommodate 36 guests across six decks, while a sleek aft-sloping superstructure gives Nord an individual profile on the water.

Yas | 462 feet, 6 inches

As a converted yacht, Yas is one of the most interesting vessels on this list. The dolphin-like exterior was originally a former Dutch Navy frigate that launched in 1978 and eventually sold to the navy of the United Arab Emirates, where it was renamed Al Emirat . The yacht underwent its dramatic conversion in a facility in Abu Dhabi’s main port, emerging as a gleaming superyacht in 2011, with one of the most interesting profiles on the water. It was eventually delivered four years later. Reportedly owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed al Nahyan, half-brother of the president of the UAE, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the design by Paris-based Pierrejean Vision is defined by massive glass surfaces. Yas can accommodate 60 guests and 58 crew members. Mated to a steel hull, the superstructure is the largest composite edifice ever built.

Solaris | 459 feet, 3 inches

Owned by Russian businessman Roman Abramovich, the 476-foot  Solaris  was one of the largest yachts to deliver in 2021. Last refit in 2022 at MB92 in Barcelona, the vast, highly private explorer is built by German shipyard Lloyd Werft and features a displacement steel hull with bulbous bow and steel superstructure with teak decks. The eight-deck exterior by Australian designer Marc Newson houses a large helipad, sundeck, spacious beach club aft and 21,527 square feet of glass, the largest panes to ever be built into a yacht. Lloyd Werft also built the Russian billionaire’s previous explorer yacht Luna , which he reportedly sold for $360 million to his close friend Farkhad Akhmedov in 2014.

Ocean Victory | 459 feet, 3 inches

The largest motoryacht ever built in Italy, Fincantieri’s Ocean Victory is owned by Russian billionaire Viktor Rashnikov, who was sanctioned in 2022. The seven-deck exterior by Espen Øino includes two helideck platforms and a hangar belowdecks, as well as exceptional outdoor social areas and a floodable tender dock. Ocean Victory has accommodations for 28 guests as well as quarters for 56 crew. The interior by Alberto Pinto remains a secret, aside from the yacht’s six pools, a 3,300-square-foot spa, and an underwater observation room.

Scheherazade | 459 feet, 3 inches

The 459.3-foot, Lürssen-built Scheherazade (formerly known as Project Lightning) was delivered in June 2020, with exterior design by Espen Øino and interior design by Francois Zuretti. Two helipads, forward and aft, and a large beach club aft are visible from aerial photographs, but aside from the yacht’s reported seven-foot beam, 40 crew and unique drone-crashing system for privacy, further details have not yet been released. The reason may lie with the yacht’s unofficial owner, believed to be Russian president Vladimir Putin. In May 2022, Italian authorities froze Scheherazade in the port of Marina di Carrara following an investigation conducted by Italian financial police who found the ship’s beneficial owner had “significant economic and business ties” to high-ranking Russian government officials, though the results of the investigation to date remain inconclusive.

Al Salamah | 456 feet

When Lürssen launched Al Salamah in 1999, it was the third-largest yacht in the world. Its number 20 ranking shows how much has changed in the last 20 years. Code-named MIPOS, or Mission Possible, the yacht was designed by Terence Disdale . Originally owned by Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz, the yacht was put up for sale for $280 million in in 2013 before it was reportedly given to Bahraini Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa as a gift. The large imposing exterior is primarily protected space, with an upper deck exposed to the elements. Al Salamah has staterooms for 40 guests, including two owner suites, 11 VIP staterooms, and eight twin cabins. The yacht can carry up to 96 crew and has a top speed of 22 knots. Al Salamah was last refitted in 2009.

Rising Sun | 454 feet, 1 inch

Designed by the original guru of yacht designers, Jon Bannenberg, Rising Sun was built by Lürssen for Oracle CEO Larry Ellison and is currently owned by billionaire David Geffen, who reportedly paid $590 million for the yacht. The yacht comes with a gym, a grand piano, multiple swimming pools, a beauty salon, and a spa with a sauna. Delivered in 2004 and last refit in 2022, the yacht’s exterior is defined by banks of windows across the superstructure. Rising Sun has 86,000 square feet of living space in 82 rooms. It can accommodate 18 guests in nine cabins, with the capacity to carry up to 46 crew. The interior by Seccombe Design includes a gym, cinema, and wine cellar, and the rear cockpit deck was designed as a basketball court. Geffen received global media backlash in 2020 for his “tone deaf” social-media posts that pictured himself on board his yacht during Covid-19 lockdown.

Flying Fox | 446 feet, 2 inches

The 446.2-foot  Flying Fox is arguably the most high-profile yacht on this list, primarily for being the largest yacht available on the charter market. In 2022, it was also singled out as “blocked property” by U.S. authorities in 2022 due to its previous management Imperials Yachts, which was on the US sanctions list. The yacht’s owner, however, Russian billionaire Dmitry Kamenshchik, is not sanctioned, so the yacht was turned over to him and returned to charter in 2024. Key features of the Espen Øino-designed exterior are a curvaceous dove-gray hull and a 3.7-foot swimming pool that runs athwartship on the main aft deck, the largest ever found on board a yacht. A two-decked spa also gives guests access to a cryosauna, hammam, and relaxation room with a fold-down balcony at sea level. Packed to the rafters with the latest amenities, the yacht holds a diving center, a decompression chamber, and two helipads. Flying Fox is PYC compliant and can accommodate 25 guests.

Savarona | 446 feet, 2 inches

Launched in 1931, and by far the largest and fastest private yacht of her day, Savarona was built for American heiress Emily Roebling Cadwalader and is easily identified by its two mustard-colored funnels. The yacht was eventually acquired by Turkey to be the presidential yacht of Kemal Atatürk, founder of modern Turkey. Jane’s Fighting Ships described the yacht in 1949 as “probably the most sumptuously fitted yacht afloat.”  Savarona was later converted to a training ship for the Turkish Navy and, in 1978, destroyed by fire. The yacht laid in tatters for 10 years. A Turkish businessman spent around $45 million refurbishing Savarona , commissioning Donald Starkey for the interior and replacing the original steam-turbine engines with modern Caterpillar diesels. Savarona became Turkey’s official presidential yacht again in 2014, accommodating up to 34 guests in 17 suites and carrying up to 48 crew. Amenities include a swimming pool, a Turkish bath, a 280-foot grand staircase, a movie theater and a library dedicated to Atatürk.

Crescent | 443 feet

Last refit in 2021, Espen Øino’s dark hull and tiered superstructure was one of the most exciting launches of 2018. Called Project Thunder internally at Lürssen, the custom-built yacht features cutouts along the hull sides that allow full ocean views from the saloon on the primary deck, as part of Crescent ’s distinctive curved superstructure. Its most noteworthy feature is the jaw-dropping bank of three-deck-high windows in the center of the yacht. This architectural feature serves as the centerpiece of a very compelling design. The yacht has accommodations for 18 guests in nine staterooms. Little is known about the François Zuretti-designed interior, other than Lürssen describing it as being “traditionally styled.” If it lives up to Crescent ’s brash exterior, the complete yacht promises to be an entirely groundbreaking design. In March 2022, Crescent was detained by Spain as property of Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin, who is sanctioned in connection with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Serene | 439 feet, 3 inches

Serene  is the yacht that launched Fincantieri into the superyacht segment, and what a debut it was. The largest yacht ever launched in Italy when it was delivered in 2011 (surpassed three years later by Ocean Victory ), the Espen Øino seven-deck design features a long, sleek blue hull crowned by a white superstructure. Pascale Reymond of Reymond Langton Design created the 43,056-square-foot interior for a Russian owner, which includes a double height atrium with a piano lounge at the top and a vast open-plan main salon below. Sunken LEDs and bright pink and purple neon lights create a modern party vibe in the social areas, which contrast with the elaborate yet more traditional guest suites. A spiral staircase with intricate metal banisters soars through the heart of the yacht. The open stern area has a winter garden (enclosed glasshouse) that allows dining in all seasons. Serene also has two helipads and a hangar, a big swimming pool, and a tender garage large enough for a submarine.

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Published on January 24th, 2024 | by Editor

Progress for world’s oldest yacht club

Published on January 24th, 2024 by Editor -->

by Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt Sailing News It was in 2012 when I wrote how my wife’s yacht club did not have spousal membership, which I assumed I had, with this report prompting some ‘ shock and awe ’ by people who assumed the same.

Changing gender policy can be contentious, as it was for one club established in 1928 . My wife’s club eventually updated its by-laws to recognize spouses, but it appeared this situation was more common for old clubs than newer clubs.

Given that, progress has occurred with the world’s oldest yacht club now having its first female commodore. Founded in 1720, the Royal Cork Yacht Club made history with the election of Annamarie Fegan .

Commenting on her election, Fegan said she stands “on the shoulders of outstanding female members who worked tirelessly for the club but were not given this opportunity.”

Tags: Craig Leweck , female membership , Royal Cork Yacht Club , Women in sailing

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Home » lists » World’s oldest yacht clubs

• World’s oldest yacht clubs

The oldest yacht clubs in the world still in operation today.

1. Royal Cork Yacht Club, Cork, Ireland* – 1720

2. Lough Ree Yacht Club, Athlone, Ireland – 1770

3. Starcross Yacth Club, Powderham, UK – 1772

4. Royal Thames Yacht Club, London, UK – 1775

5. Royal Yact Squadron, London, UK – 1815

6. Singapre Yacht Club, Singapore – 1826

7. Royal Western Yacht Club, Plymouth, UK – 1827

8. Royal Gibraltar Yact Club, Gibraltar – 1829

9. Royal Swedish Yacht Club, Stockholm, Sweden – 1830

10. Royal Irish Yacht Club, Dun Laoghaire, Ireland – 1831

11. Lough Derg Yacht Club, Tipperary, Ireland – 1835

12. Royal Forth Yacht Club, Edinburgh, Scotland – 1835

13. Royal Malta Yacht Club, Ta’Xbeix, Malta – 1835

14. Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron, Halifax, Canada – 1837

15. Tamar Yacht Club, Tasmania, Australia – 1837

16. Royal St George Yacht Club, Dun Laoghaire, Ireland – 1838

17. Royal Southern Yacht Club, Hamble, UK – 1838

18. Deben Yacht Club, UK, Woodbridge, UK – 1838

19. Royal St George Yacht Club, Ireland – 1838

20. Narragansett Boat Club, Rhode Island – 1838

21. Detroit Boat Club, Detroit, Michigan, USA – 1839

22. Societe des Regates du Havre, Le Havre, France – 1840

23. Royal Perth Yacht Club, Perth, Australia- 1841

24. Royal Harwich Yacht Club, Harwich, UK – 1843

25. Royal Mersey Yacht Club, Birkenhead, UK – 1844

26. Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, Hamilton, Bermuda – 1844

27. New York Yacht Club, Newport, Rhode Island, USA* – 1844

28. Royal Bombay Yacht Club, Bombay, India – 1846

* Founded at Hoboken, New Jersey *Note: Flotilla of the Neva club, St Peterburg, Russia was established in 1718 but is hardly in operation today.

HT: Yachting World & Classic Yacht Magazine

02/05/2010. Category: lists . Tags: yachtclubs .

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The Royal Cork Yacht Club in Crosshaven, the world’s oldest yacht club dating back to 1720, announced an historic milestone yesterday evening with the appointment of its first female Admiral, Annamarie Fegan.

In addition, the new executive will include three females for the first time, bringing fresh perspectives and direction to the club’s leadership.

Over its remarkable 303-year history, the Royal Cork Yacht Club has evolved from being a gentlemen’s sailing club to a family-oriented institution. This latest achievement, with a female taking up the highest ranking position of the club, represents another progressive step forward in promoting diversity and inclusivity within the sailing community.

Annamarie Fegan, an ardent sailor and a devoted member of the club for many years, brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to her new role. Her appointment highlights the club’s commitment to empowering women in the sport and fostering an environment where all members can thrive. Over the last 25 years, Annamarie has held a number of voluntary positions within the club. She was instrumental in hosting some of the club’s biggest events, including the Volvo Cork Week. She has achieved much both on and off the water. Former owner of catering business An Excellent Choice, Annamarie re-trained as a co-creational psychotherapist and recently completed a masters in the psychotherapy of relationship mentoring. On the water, she has enjoyed many sailing triumphs, her proudest being with her daughters Molly and Mia, her husband Denis and the Nieulargo Crew as they won the best Irish boat in the iconic Fastnet Race last year.

Annamarie’s ambition is to get more people on the water. Commenting, she said, “I’m really passionate about giving opportunities to get more young people on the water. We have pathways for all ages into sailing from young kids to teens and adults. Not everyone can afford to own a boat but every boat needs a crew and we are always looking for crew. Anyone can get involved these days and it’s a really great sport. You learn fantastic skills from basic boat-handling to decision-making. Most of all it’s fun and challenging! We here at the Royal Cork are working really hard to break through the social and financial barriers that may have prevented people from trying out sailing up to now. We want to make it accessible for all who wish to give it a try. For instance, every 6th class child in Crosshaven gets the chance to do a one-week sailing course and people of all ages can sign up for our Try Sailing courses. While some people enjoy the competitive side, some just want to enjoy being part of a club and having fun on the water. For instance, the mixed dinghies with kids are huge now – they really enjoy it.”

Commenting on being the first female to hold the highest position in the club, Admiral Annamarie said “As the club’s first female Admiral, I stand on the shoulders of outstanding female members who worked tirelessly for the club but were not given this opportunity. I am confident that we have amazing girls rising up through the ranks who will be well suited to take on this post in the future. I’m very excited about working with the new leadership team as the volunteers are the backbone of the club.”

Speaking about the family benefits of sailing, she said. It’s great for mental health, getting out in the fresh air, and it opens up fantastic opportunities. My children (both in their early 20’s) have travelled teaching sailing. Nothing beats the feeling of being on the water – it clears my head. We are lucky here in Cork to have such great facilities for sailing.”

Annamarie Fegan takes to the helm in a year that the club is hosting two prestigious events – the Irish Sailing Youth Nationals in April, and the bi-annual Volvo Cork Week from 15-19th July.

Commenting, Minister Simon Coveney said “The Royal Cork Yacht Club has always been a pioneer for sailing, both in Cork and internationally. As the oldest sailing club in the world it has led the way in the growth of sailing. Annamarie’s leadership will inspire a new generation of sailing families. I am confident that under her leadership the Royal Cork Yacht Club will remain at the cutting edge of sailing in the coming decades.”

The Royal Cork Yacht Club also expressed its gratitude to outgoing Admiral Kieran O Connell for his dedicated service. Commenting Gavin Deane, General Manager at Royal Cork Yacht Club said, “We are indebted to Kieran for his great leadership and direction over the last number of years. His vision and dedication has been instrumental in the great development and growth of the club. We look forward to the innovative and inclusive direction that Annamarie will undoubtedly bring to the role”.

Founded in 1720, the Royal Cork Yacht Club is the oldest yacht club in the world. With a rich history and a commitment to promoting sailing excellence, the club has played a vital role in shaping the maritime heritage of the Cork region. The club offers a range of courses and training opportunities for people of all ages from Junior Try sailing, cadets, optimist, Keelboats, topper and laser fleets, adult beginner and advanced sailing courses and the recently revived mixed dingy fleet which feeds into the junior academy.

www.royalcork.com

• Annamarie Fegan

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A Look at the World’s Oldest Yachting Clubs

Michael Castorino Uncategorized

As a premier yacht club in Lighthouse Point Florida, LHYPC is fascinated by the rich history of yacht clubs around the world. Some of the oldest yacht clubs out there include the Royal Cork Yacht Club in Ireland, and the Neva Yacht Club in Russia.

The History of the Two Oldest Yachting Clubs in the World

The royal cork yacht club.

Founded in 1720, the Royal Cork holds the title of the oldest yacht club in the world. Although, some people argue the Neva Yacht Club is older by two years – but we’ll get to that later.

Before it was known as the Royal Cork, it was called the Water Club of the Harbour of Cork. William O’Brien established the yacht club in 1720, he was the great-grandson of the 1 st Earl of Inchiquin, the courtier of King Charles II.

After returning from exile in England, King Charles formed a passion for sailing along the Thames. His interest in sailing quickly spread to his family and friends. Therefore, it was only natural that his great-grandson alongside five of his friends decided to create the first ever yacht club.

The club became inactive between 1765 and 1802. When it reopened, it continued to change names over the years. In 1872 it was known as the Munster Model Yacht Club and served as a homesite for amateur racing. Later, it become the Cork Harbour Yacht Club, and then just the Cork Yacht Club.

In 1831, it adopted the “Royal” title after receiving the privilege from King William IV.

Originally located on Haulbowline Island in Cork Barbour, it was transferred to Cove, now known as Cobh, in the early part of the nineteenth century. Today, it is located in Crosshaven, which is close to Cork City.

By the mid-nineteen-hundreds it was rather difficult to gain membership to the club – with many prosperous figures striving to become members. Members included famous historical figures like Prince Ferdinand Maximillian of Austria and the Prince of Wales.

The Neva Yacht Club

Some believe the Neva Yacht Club to be older by a couple of years; it too was developed long ago in history. This sailing club is located in Saint Petersburg, Russia, near the Neva River. Founded in 1718 and re-established as a club in 1958, it is certainly the oldest yacht club in Russia, and perhaps the entire world. The reason for the dispute is that it was established as a decree of the emperor, which means it does not qualify as a club – which is defined as a ‘voluntary association of members.’ So, even though it was established two years prior to the Royal Cork Yacht Club, it is technically discounted as the first yacht club in the world.

The prestigious yacht club was founded by Tsar Peter the Great who was a naval enthusiast. He purchased 141 small ships for the members of his aristocracy. The tsar himself designed the club’s flag, which resembles the Russian Navy Ensign. After the tsar’s death, club activities ceased because it no longer had his funding to back it.

Just like the Royal Yacht Club, the Neva Yacht Club underwent many name changes, as well as periods of dormancy. In 1892, the yacht club re-opened in memory of Peter the Great’s Nevsky Flot . It started off operating sailing competitions for large cruising yachts. Following the Russian Revolution, the Imperial Neva Yacht Club was dispersed.

In 1958, the modern-day Neva Yacht Club was re-opened for business. Its members must be ship owners and the club only serves members of the “Public Association of Amateurs of Aquatic Recreation.”

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The Royal Cork Yacht Club is based in Crosshaven, Cork, Ireland and is the world's oldest yacht club founded in 1720.

It is the organiser of the biennial Cork Week, widely regarded as Europe’s premier sailing event.

The club encompasses a wide variety of sailing activities from Optimist dinghies to racing National 18s and 1720s, Toppers, Lasers, RS Fevas and more ...read more

Upcoming Events

June bank holiday.

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Crosshaven, Co. Cork, P43 HD40, Ireland. T: +353 (0)21 4831023 E: [email protected]

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Oldest Yacht Club in the World announces Annamarie Fegan as new Admiral

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World's oldest truck driver still hitting the road at 90 and has no plans to retire

The world’s oldest truck driver has no plans to retire – even after celebrating his 90th birthday.

Doyle Archer (USA) was officially recognized as the oldest truck / lorry / HGV driver (male) at 90 years 55 days old, as verified on 2 February.

He’s been driving trucks for over 60 years and has travelled approximately 5.5 million miles.

“I do not plan to retire any time soon,” he told us. “As long as my health holds, I will keep driving. I do not have the word retire in my vocabulary.

I enjoy my job very much.

The last 20 years of Doyle’s career have been at Coomes Inc. in Phillipsburg, Kansas, where he was just named a “Million Mile Safe Driver” after travelling 1 million miles without any incident.

It’s clear that whatever Doyle is transporting is in very safe hands… and that could be just about anything.

“Anything you can haul in a truck, I have hauled it,” he said.

And he really means anything, as he’s transported everything from livestock to canned goods and furniture to petroleum across the country.

It’s all that travelling that has been the biggest perk of the job for Doyle.

He said: “It has provided the opportunity to see many things that I wouldn’t have otherwise got to see. I’ve got to meet a lot of people from many different parts of the world.”

Doyle has driven across 48 US states and through all five provinces in Canada.

He’s driven the famous Route 66 all the way from Chicago to Los Angeles (around 2,000 mi) and has seen history along the way, including driving on the first 8-mile section of the Eisenhower Interstate System in Kansas shortly after it was built.

Doyle said: “My favourite views I’ve been able to witness are the mountain views, scenic prairies, and the timbered forest of this great country. 

“I’ve been given the opportunity to see the Kennedy Space Center and Johnson Space Center of Houston, TX. Many decks and harbours of ports in many states dealing with international shipping. I have witnessed many sunrises and sunsets from behind the windshield. Deserts of the southwest, historic settlements, the bright lights of Las Vegas and the western life style of the Cheyenne rodeo, the music of Nashville, TN, and the great steel mills of Chicago.

“But my favourite will always be the wheat fields of the High Plains in June and July.”

He grew up on his family’s farm in Kansas and went on to earn a degree in agriculture.

Doyle became a partner in a lumber and grain company before getting into the trucking industry in 1961.

Asthma forced him to leave the farm and grain trucking business behind, but he stuck with hauling.

Doyle’s life on the road has come with challenges from severe weather to heavy traffic and rising fuel prices, but plenty of fun moments too.

Looking back, he told us: “There once was two men at a place I was waiting to unload that were walking down beside parked trucks looking for one that was unlocked. 

“They found one and opened the door and proceeded to make entry. When they climbed up in there, much to their surprise, were two Dobermanns to greet them. That was enough to scare one of them and he fell off the truck and landed on his back in the street. 

“They were in a real hurry to run away. I imagine they thought twice about doing that again. I still chuckle from time to time when I see another driver with a dog, thinking of that story.”

And although he admits it never crossed his mind that he’d still be doing this job at 90 years old, he says he’s honoured and proud to be recognized as the world’s oldest truck driver.

As much as he loves his life on the road, Doyle has plenty to go home for.

He’s been married to his high school sweetheart Lois for 70 years, and together they have nine children, 25 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren.

In his spare time, Doyle takes a big interest in antique cars and he loves watching John Wayne movies.

If he ever does retire, it sounds like he’ll have plenty to keep him busy.

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