The superyacht is a giant opulent vessel that will impress anyone who sees it in person. The size of a superyacht ranges from 24 meters (79 feet) to more than 180 meters (590 feet). Plenty of billionaires own a superyacht –or more– as their private asset and use it for privacy. Though some superyachts are available for charter.
As of 2016, there are about 10,000 superyachts over 24 meters in length. About 80% of these are power yachts. There are still many facts about superyachts that you might have never heard of before. So check out these 15 exciting superyacht fun facts that will leave you awe-struck!
Table of Contents
- 1. There Is No Law to Determine Whether a Yacht Is Considered as a Superyacht or Not
- 2. The World’s Largest Privately Owned Superyacht Is Owned by The Person Behind The Name of Burj Khalifa
- 3. The Most Expensive Superyacht Was Once the World’s Largest Privately Owned Superyacht
- 4. The World’s Fastest Superyacht Speed Is Almost Thrice as Fast as Usain Bolt
- 5. You Cannot Stay in a Superyacht for Over Than 200 Days
- 6. People Must Go Barefoot on Superyachts
- 7. Many Superyacht Owners Keep Onboard Artworks That Are Often Worth More Than the Superyacht Itself
- 8. Superyachts Can Only Carry 12 Passengers at a Time.
- 9. No Superyacht Is Designed to Withstand Hurricanes
- 10. There Is No Submarine Superyacht Yet in This World
- 11. Your Doggy Can Join The Fun On Superyachts
- 12. J. K. Rowling Bought a Superyacht Once Owned by Johnny Depp in 2016
- 13. There Will Be an Exclusive Superyacht That Is Only for Women in the Future
- 14. You Need £3 Million a Week to Rent the World’s Largest Charter Superyacht
- 15. The Biggest Superyacht in the World Provides a Special Room for Playing Golf
1. There Is No Law to Determine Whether a Yacht Is Considered as a Superyacht or Not
Have you ever wondered what makes a superyacht a superyacht? Unfortunately, we do not have a concrete answer for that. After all, there is no official classification for a superyacht. However, according to Forbes, all superyachts are opulent enough to be equipped with an object that represents luxury. Take the Onda 321L, for example. The lavish design is borderline obscene!
A superyacht usually comprises three distinctive zones. First, The front section for the helm, which is separated from the guest area. Then, it has the back section that consists of a large teak swim and boarding platform. And last, there is the middle section, designed to be as luxurious as possible. Besides, it should have some high-end entertainment systems and dining areas.
2. The World’s Largest Privately Owned Superyacht Is Owned by The Person Behind The Name of Burj Khalifa
The world’s largest privately-owned superyacht is named Azzam, with a length of 180 meters (590 feet). It is 16.5 meters (54 feet) longer than the previous record-holder, Eclipse. Azzam is owned by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan. He is the president of the United Arab Emirates and Emir of Abu Dhabi, whose name is used for the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa.
Even though Azzam is the world’s largest superyacht, it does not necessarily make it the most expensive superyacht because it only costs £390 million. Azzam has held the world’s record for the largest privately owned superyacht since 2013 and was initially meant to be 35 meters shorter.
3. The Most Expensive Superyacht Was Once the World’s Largest Privately Owned Superyacht
The bigger the boat, the higher the price. It is like an unwritten rule in this world, and it is no different from superyachts. In fact, the most expensive superyacht is Eclipse, which costs about £740 million to construct. With 163.5 meters (536 feet) long, it immediately became the world’s largest privately-owned superyacht when it was completed in 2010. Imagine how fun it would be to ride in that massive luxurious ship.
But Eclipse’s record only lasted for about 3 years before Azzam, the current biggest yacht, was commissioned in 2013. The owner of this extravagant superyacht is Roman Abramovich, a Russian businessman and the owner of an English Football Club, Chelsea FC.
4. The World’s Fastest Superyacht Speed Is Almost Thrice as Fast as Usain Bolt
Here is a super fun fact about superyacht that will make you want to ride it even more! We must not forget to bring speed into the conversation when we talk about vehicles. So, let’s get to know more about Foners, the world’s fastest superyacht. Foners was built in Spain by IZAR, a Spain shipbuilding company, with a length of 41.5 meters.
It is a motor yacht that can accommodate 8 guests and 6 crew on board. As the world’s fastest superyacht, Foners can race at a speed of 70.1 knots (about 130 km/h), almost thrice faster than the fastest human alive, Usain Bolt. Foners has been maintaining this prestigious record since 2000 because no superyacht can surpass its speed.
5. You Cannot Stay in a Superyacht for Over Than 200 Days
You might be dreaming of living the rest of your life on the open ocean once you become a billionaire. But sadly, we need to tell you that your dream will always remain a dream. After all, even the most expensive superyacht cannot be able to fulfill your wish.
It is not because superyachts need to rest on land; it’s a yacht anyway. Its home is water. The reason is that some superyachts only allow a sailor to be out at sea for close to two hundred days. Others might have a shorter period, say a month or even just a couple of weeks. You can’t live on a yacht without a sailor, can you?
6. People Must Go Barefoot on Superyachts
Some of you may have noticed that people on superyachts don’t wear shoes, let alone wear high heels for women. But do you know why they do this? It is not merely to make them feel at home, but the main reason is to avoid damaging the superyachts.
Heels can dent the teak decks, and dirty soles can leave scuff marks. Hence, many superyachts have a barefoot rule that asks no shoes to be worn on deck, although some allow the use of soft-soled shoes. So, do not ever pull a long face when you see the passengers’ dirty feet because it is one of the etiquettes you should follow on superyachts.
7. Many Superyacht Owners Keep Onboard Artworks That Are Often Worth More Than the Superyacht Itself
It is no longer a secret that many expensive artworks are stored in superyachts. Thus superyachts are often called floating galleries. In fact, a superyacht is like a floating private museum that carries all kinds of fun stuff the owner can enjoy.
Besides, it is one of the owners’ ways to show off their priceless collections or reflect their identity to the guests. Moreover, it is pretty easy to fully control the temperature and humidity in a superyacht, providing ideal conditions for storing artworks on board.
And it doesn’t stop there. Storing blue-chip artworks in superyachts also becomes a modus to prevent them from paying taxes. Unfortunately, this is a legal action, so we cannot do anything about it until there is a better international tax policy that regulates this issue.
8. Superyachts Can Only Carry 12 Passengers at a Time.
Have you ever wondered how many passengers a superyacht can carry? Then we will tell you that superyachts can only take 12 passengers at a time, no matter how big their size is. This is due to the SOLAS Convention (Safety of Life at Sea) set forth by the IMO (International Maritime Organization).
When a yacht carries more than 12 passengers, the regulation will classify it as a passenger ship even if it is being used as a private yacht. If a superyacht licensed for up to 12 passengers violates this regulation, it might get fined.
9. No Superyacht Is Designed to Withstand Hurricanes
We won’t run into traffic jams if we are on a superyacht. In fact, we might run into bad weather. And as of today, there are still no superyachts designed to withstand hurricanes, though some superyachts are built to withstand rough weather and high seas.
This fact is not so fun, yet you need to know that a superyacht is not invincible, no matter how expensive it is. Remember the Titanic!
They may survive light hurricanes while out at sea, but they aren’t intended to do so. Therefore, both the sailors and the passengers need to stay updated on the marine forecast in an attempt to survive rough weather and hurricanes.
10. There Is No Submarine Superyacht Yet in This World
Imagine if there was a superyacht that could take you to enjoy the underwater scenery instead of just seeing the vastness of the sea from the surface. It’s beyond our dream, isn’t it? Alas, we need to wait a bit longer to experience this amazing thing as no superyacht can go underwater, at least for now.
But don’t be too sad! In fact, Elena Nappi, an Italian-based naval architect, has already developed a new design of a hybrid luxury fun superyacht! Supposedly, the plan will allow the ship to travel on both the sea’s surface and underwater.
It is Carapace, the 256-feet long superyacht which can metamorph into a submarine and dive to almost 1,000 feet for up to 10 days. Guess we can finally live our dream once the construction of this superyacht is finished, eh?
11. Your Doggy Can Join The Fun On Superyachts
Most of us will agree that dogs are the best companion for humans. That is why many people question whether it is okay to bring along their dog on board or not. We are here to give you good news since the answer is, yes, you can! Not all superyachts allow this, but the majority do.
Still, you need to consider all the things that may affect your beloved dog onboard. Please prioritize its safety over your personal preference because you surely don’t want to put it into a dangerous situation.
And oh, if you prefer a cat, you can let it join the fun too!
12. J. K. Rowling Bought a Superyacht Once Owned by Johnny Depp in 2016
Somehow it is like a trend for celebrities to own a superyacht. But this time, it is phenomenal because one particular superyacht was owned by two stars in two different periods. It was Amphitrite, the superyacht J. K. Rowling bought in January 2016.
Amphitrite was once owned by the famous actor Johnny Depp with the name of Vajoliroja. However, less than a year after purchasing that superyacht, the woman who is the author of Harry Potter sold it again for $19.2 million, about 8 million less than she paid just months before.
The fact that celebrities can own such an obscenely expensive superyacht for fun can be uncomfortable sometimes. Yet that’s how it is when you live in a high-class society. You can sell your yacht at a discounted price without batting an eye.
13. There Will Be an Exclusive Superyacht That Is Only for Women in the Future
The 10 biggest superyachts in the world are all owned by men. Consequently, it is a fact if we say that the superyacht industry is a world made for men. This makes Lidia Bersani compelled to create La Belle, a superyacht whose design is aimed solely at women.
This superyacht is planned to be 80 meters long and designed for 12 people. Moreover, Bersani will bring up a concept design for an “elegant and feminine superyacht” and a beauty center, well-equipped spa, and some other “toys” that suit women’s taste.
14. You Need £3 Million a Week to Rent the World’s Largest Charter Superyacht
If you want to feel the same thrill that JayZ and Beyonce have when they are on vacation, you could try to charter this one superyacht. Flying Fox, the most expensive and the biggest charter superyacht, offers you unforgettable memories by spending your holiday with all its luxurious features.
You need to prepare at least £3 million for an entire week of pleasure. But if money is not your concern anymore, just book your ticket now and experience the sensation that may only happen once in a lifetime!
15. The Biggest Superyacht in the World Provides a Special Room for Playing Golf
There are so many things that you can do on a superyacht, but have you ever thought about playing golf onboard? Azzam, the biggest privately owned superyacht, makes golfing on the high seas possible.
This spacious superyacht can accommodate up to 36 guests and 80 crew members and is equipped with many features, such as a gym, pool, and even a golf training room! Aren’t you curious about the sensation of playing golf on this superyacht?