A
superyacht
or
megayacht
is a large and luxurious pleasure vessel. There are no official or agreed upon definitions for such
yachts
, but these terms are regularly used to describe professionally crewed motor or
sailing yachts
, ranging from 40 metres (130?ft) to more than 180 metres (590?ft) in length, and sometimes include yachts as small as 24 metres (79?ft).
[2]
Azzam
, at 180.6 metres (592.5?ft) the longest superyacht, as of 2020
A
, at 142.8 metres (468.5?ft) the largest "sail-assisted" motor yacht, as of 2018
[1]
Superyachts are often available for charter with a staff that caters to guests at a high standard of comfort. They may be designed to emphasize comfort, speed, or expedition capability. Depending on the season, superyachts may be most frequently found in the
Mediterranean
or the
Caribbean
. Many are available for charter at prices that exceed
€
100,000 per week. Larger examples may have more than one swimming pool; they may carry a variety of water toys, other boats, and some have helipads to receive guests from helicopters.
Characterized as symbols "of great wealth and excessive consumption",
[3]
superyachts have been controversial due to their adverse environmental impact. According to one estimate, a superyacht is the single most polluting object a person can own, more so than private jets.
[4]
[5]
A superyacht, large enough for a helicopter pad, submarine and a permanent crew, emits 1,500 times more carbon in a year than a typical family car.
[6]
Black Pearl
, at 106.7 metres (350.1?ft) the largest sailing yacht, as of 2018
[12]
The "Large Commercial Yacht Code (LY2)" of Great Britain and its dominions defines a "large yacht" as one that is 24 metres (79?ft) or more at the waterline and is in commercial use for sport or pleasure, while not carrying cargo or more than 12 passengers, and carrying a professional crew. The code regulates the equipping of such vessels, both at sea and in port?including such matters as crew duty times and the presence of a helicopter on board. The code has different levels of standard for vessels above and below 500
gross tons
.
[13]
Other countries have standards similar to LY2.
[14]
Whereas yachts of 24 metres and below may be constructed of
fiberglass
, larger yachts are more likely to be constructed of steel, aluminum or composite
fiber-reinforced plastic
.
[15]
Such yachts may be considered "superyachts" and are more commonly at 40 metres (130?ft) or more in length.
[2]
Whereas "commercial" large yachts may carry no more than 12 passengers, "private" yachts are solely for the pleasure of the owner and guests do not carry the passenger restriction. Yachts may be identified by flag?the country under which a yacht is registered.
[14]
An industry publication categorizes superyachts by size,
[1]
by speed,
[16]
as "explorer" yachts,
[17]
as sailing yachts,
[18]
and classic yachts.
[19]
As of 2016, there were about 10,000 superyachts over 24 metres in length, worldwide. Of these about 80% were power yachts. The annual production rate was reported to be around 150.
[2]
As of 2018, the 200 largest yachts ranged in length from 70 metres (230?ft) to 181 metres (594?ft)?the
Azzam
. The largest yacht by displacement was the 20,361 gross ton
Fulk Al Salamah
.
[20]
At 143 metres (469?ft), the largest sail-assisted motor yacht was
Sailing Yacht A
.
[1]
As of 2018, the top 50 sailing yachts ranged in size from 53 metres (174?ft) to 107 metres (351?ft)?the
Black Pearl
.
[12]
The 20 fastest superyachts ranged in speed from 50 knots (93?km/h) with 7,290-horsepower (5.44?MW) engines to 67 knots (124?km/h) with 20,600-horsepower (15.4?MW) engines for the motor yacht,
World is not Enough
.
[16]
As superyachts have increased in size, so have the informal terms that describe their size evolved to include "megayacht", "gigayacht"
[21]
[22]
and (speculatively) "terayacht".
[23]
Azimut
and subsidiary,
Benetti
, together had made over 800 superyachts, as of 2019
Between 1998 and 2008, European production of superyachts grew by 228%, ending the period with a total production of 916 units and $10 billion in orders.
[24]
In January 2020
,
Boat International
listed 4,621 professionals connected to the superyacht industry since 1856,
[25]
including 1,806 builders.
[26]
Superyacht builders and yacht charter companies are predominantly based in Western Europe and the United States but are also found in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and Eastern Europe.
[26]
[27]
Superyachts at the port of
Porto Cervo
,
Sardinia
Each superyacht has a
flag state
where it is
registered
, but may have never visited. Common flag state registrars for large yachts are
Cayman Islands
,
Marshall Islands
,
Isle of Man
, and the
British Virgin Islands
, among others.
[28]
Superyachts typically frequent the Mediterranean Sea in summer and the Caribbean Sea in winter. Typical destinations in Spain and the
French
,
Italian
and
Portuguese
Rivieras include
Cannes
,
Antibes
,
St. Tropez
,
Monte Carlo
,
Portofino
,
Porto Cervo
,
Cascais
,
Puerto Banus
, Puerto Portals, and
Palma, Mallorca
; explorer superyachts may cruise in remote areas worldwide.
[29]
Dining salon of yacht
Taransay
in 2015
Some yachts are used exclusively by their private owners, others are operated all year round as charter businesses, and a large number are privately owned but available for charter part-time. As of 2018, superyacht charter costs were
€
70?550 thousand per week.
[30]
Charter contracts usually include an
advance provisioning allowance
?a deposit to cover such operating expenses as food, fuel, and
berthing
. The unspent balance of the allowance is returned to the customer at the end of the charter.
[31]
[32]
The luxury yacht charter industry functions effectively because private yacht owners mitigate their running costs with charter income as well as keeping their yachts and crew in top running order. Conversely, private charterers charter yachts (rather than owning them) because it is generally considered to be less expensive, and less hassle, than owning a yacht and it also provides them with extra choice related to yacht type, location and crew.
[33]
The vessels may do short cruises with the owners and/or guests aboard. Antigua is one of the main ports in the Windward Islands of the Caribbean and hosts a Charter Show at the beginning of the winter season.
[34]
View of
Eclipse
showing its decks, including a stern boat garage, a swimming pool, and a helipad
Le Grand Bleu
carries a sailboat, a power boat and a helicopter on her afterdecks
The size and types of accommodations, amenities and number of water toys increases with boat size.
[35]
A 40-metre (130?ft) superyacht may have cabins for 10?12 guests and for a crew of a similar size. This type of yacht may be configured, as follows:
[35]
- Lower deck: exterior swimming platform at the stern; four (sometimes five) guest cabins with en-suite bath aft; engine room amidships; crew quarters forward.
- Main deck: sheltered exterior deck aft leading into the saloon; dining room and
galley
; entrance amidships; owner's suite forward, usually includes a study, and sometimes a second stateroom for a personal assistant/bodyguard.
- Upper deck: exterior deck aft, often used for outdoor dining; second saloon (often called the sky lounge); sixth stateroom will be amidships if it is not on the lower deck or part of the owner's suite; captain's cabin; bridge.
- Sun deck: the uppermost deck, often features a
hot tub
and sometimes a glass-enclosed gym (which can also be below decks or even part of the owner's suite).
A 50-metre (160?ft) yacht may have one or more
yacht tenders
for reaching shore and other water toys which may include a
speed boat
or sailing boat,
personal water craft
,
windsurfing
and
diving
equipment and a
banana boat
. Such yachts have multiple screen displays and satellite communications.
[35]
Yachts above 60 metres (200?ft) are typically built to individual specifications, cost tens of millions of dollars, and typically have four decks above the waterline and one or two below. There is likely to be a helicopter landing platform. Apart from additional guest cabins, which are likely to include one or more "VIP suites" besides the owner's suite, such a yacht will have some or all of the following amenities: indoor hot tubs, sauna and steam rooms, a beauty salon, massage and other treatment rooms, a medical centre, a disco (usually the same space as the sky lounge or saloon, transformed into a dance area when furnishings are moved aside and special lighting activated), a cinema, plunge pool (possibly with a wave-maker), a playroom, and additional living areas such as a separate bar, secondary dining room, private sitting rooms or a library.
[35]
A superyacht support vessel carries bulky items, including watercraft or a helicopter
[36]
Superyachts may be accompanied by a support (or shadow) vessel that carries such items as watercraft, helicopters or other large items that the yacht itself cannot readily accommodate. Such vessels range in length from 20 to 100 metres (66 to 328?ft). There are at least four manufacturers that specialize in building such vessels.
[37]
One 67-metre (220?ft) example included the following amenities: a helicopter deck, six guest rooms, two-story helicopter hangar with sound system, movie theater, freshwater pool, a landing craft, four each of:
jet skis
,
kayaks
,
sailboats
, diving and fishing gear, and
water skis
. For use ashore, there were reportedly a two-seater automobile, two motor scooters and two bicycles. The vessel also featured a 35-tonne (35,000?kg) crane.
[36]
Wheelhouse of yacht
Taransay
in 2015 with navigation and systems displays
The crew of a superyacht comprises five elements, each with its own staff: the captain, who has overall responsibility for the yacht; the chef, who is responsible for the cuisine; the interior staff, who create a hotel-like environment; the deck crew, which operates and maintains the vessel; and the engineers, who ensure the proper functioning of the vessel's many systems.
[38]
A superyacht may be maintained by its crew, which may be reduced in size during the periods that the owners are not on board and no charters are booked. Most crew members live on board and are paid a monthly salary, with most living expenses covered by the owner. Live-on-board crews do not pay rent, food, electricity or water bills.
[21]
All superyachts have crew areas below deck, which consist of a crew mess, crew cabins and laundry. While most crew cabins contain bunk beds, there are captains and chief engineers who, on the larger yachts, have their own cabins. There are no set hours that crew members work each week. The hours depend greatly on how often the owners are on board, how often it is chartered and on what hours the captain sets when there are no guests on board. Crew members may be hired through crew agencies or various websites.
[38]
[39]
Environmental impacts
edit
Superyachts have significant environmental impacts, primarily due to their substantial
greenhouse gas emissions
and other forms of pollution. A report by SuperYacht Times indicates that the global fleet of nearly 6,000 superyachts has expanded fourfold over the past three decades, reflecting a broader trend of wealth concentration. These vessels are predominantly powered by
diesel engines
. Notably, the annual
CO
2
emissions
from just the top 300 superyachts are estimated to be nearly 285,000 tons, which surpasses the total national emissions of countries like
Tonga
. Beyond carbon emissions, superyachts also contribute to
marine pollution
through the discharge of
wastewater
, and by generating considerable noise and light pollution. These activities have raised significant concerns regarding their
ecological footprint
. These yachts typically spend less than 20% of their year under way; when in port many continue to emit CO
2
from diesel-powered generators that support any guests or crew on board.
[40]
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