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Here’s who owns the 62-meter superyacht docked in Victoria’s Inner Harbour

Have you spotted the massive superyacht in Victoria’s Inner Harbour?

What you’re looking at is the $100 million beauty, the Anawa.

This beast is not only 62-meters long, it also has a helicopter landing pad, a dive shop, a garage for a smaller power boat, and can accommodate a total of 20 crew members and 12 guests across six staterooms.

And if you’re wondering how much it must be to run, we have the answer to that too. According to superyachtfans.com , the Anawa has an annual operating cost of about $10 million!

It belongs to the Brazilian billionaire Jorge Paulo Lemann — an 83-year-old investment banker and a controlling shareholder of Anheuser-Busch InBev. This is a brewing company that makes more than 500 brands, including Budweiser, Stella Artois and Modelo.

Lemann and his partners also own stakes in Restaurant Brands International, parent of Burger King and Canadian coffee chain Tim Hortons.

According to Forbes Magazine’s list of the world’s richest billionaires in 2023, he’s worth an estimated net worth of 15.2 billion USD!

Go and take a look before it departs — we definitely will be!

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Brazilian billionaire's superyacht pays a visit to Victoria's Inner Harbour

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The visiting Anawa certainly puts the “super” in superyacht.

The 203-foot-long vessel dwarfed most of the other vessels in Victoria Harbour on Tuesday. The MV Coho is larger at 341 feet, but it doesn’t have the same swag — the Anawa carries its own helicopter on deck.

Anawa was custom-designed and built in 2020 by Damen Yachting. It’s one of the company’s SeaXplorer class of vessels, billed as “long-range, luxury expedition” yachts.

It can carry 12 guests and 15 crew plus a captain, Damen said.

It’s owned by Brazilian billionaire Jorge Paulo Lemann, according to superfanyacht.com. Forbes.com says the investor-philanthropist lives in Switzerland and is worth $14.8 billion.

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Superyacht with 66-metre support yacht spotted off Victoria

A pair of multimillion-dollar yachts sailed past Victoria on Monday, both owned by billionaire brothers who made the bulk of their fortunes as owners of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

The 87-metre yacht Lonian was trailed by its 66-metre support yacht Hodor, described by Boat International magazine as "the world's largest floating toy box."

While the Lonian can accommodate 12 guests, 27 crew and a helicopter of its own, the catamaran-style support ship acts as a kind of floating garage, carrying speedboats, jet skis, motorcycles and ATVs.

"The idea was to get all the clutter off the mothership and on board a dedicated vessel," the Hodor's first officer told the magazine last year.

"There was no need to restrict the quantity of toys we put on board. The owner just let us go ahead and fill it with cool stuff."

The Hodor's designer, Incat Crowther, says the support ship "accommodates an astounding number of toys, facilities and personnel," which includes a submarine garage and a scuba-diving platform complete with onboard air compressors and "a hospital with decompression chamber."

According to financial transparency website OpenCorporates , the vessels are owned by a pair of holding companies controlled by Fertitta Enterprises, the family company of Lorenzo Fertitta and brother Frank Fertitta III.

According to Forbes magazine, the casino-magnate brothers bought the UFC for US$2 million in 2001 and sold it in 2016 for US$4 billion, while retaining stakes in the company which sold in 2017 at a US$5-billion valuation.

Vessel-tracking website marinetraffic.com indicates the yachts were en route to Vancouver from Seattle.

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B.C. welcomes high rollers: A peek into the world of superyacht tourism

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Greg Norris walks along the docks at Victoria International Marina on a sunny Friday afternoon, fielding phone calls and making sure everything is flowing well. 

On any given day, the marina welcomes many yachts that choose to stop in B.C.’s capital. Most recently, a US$35-million sailing yacht by the name of Athos docked. On July 14, crew members could be seen getting the 62-metre long vessel ready for its next sailing. 

Athos isn’t the only superyacht to enter B.C. waters; not far away off Cattle Point is a $100-million superyacht called Anawa. The Anawa is owned by a Brazilian billionaire and has been near Victoria since May 2023. 

Over on the mainland, a $200-million vessel called Attessa V (AV) has been  drawing attention in North Vancouver . Dennis Washington is listed as owning AV and his network of companies includes Washington Marine Group and Seaspan Shipyards in North Vancouver, where Kyle Washington, Dennis Washington’s son, is executive chairman.

For Norris, the CEO of Victoria International Marine, B.C. is starting to put itself on the map when it comes to attracting superyachts. For a long time, many international travellers would bypass the province altogether and head for Alaska, he says.

“Those yachts down in San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle and Tacoma that used to come up and just bypass us because they didn't know there was anything to do and now they're turning in and stopping and spending some time,” says Norris.

Superyacht owners are spending locally 

As part of his job, Norris spends time arranging for superyacht owners to visit Victoria businesses. That includes connecting them with local jewellers. 

“When they are visiting here, they're looking to spend money on art, and in the community, on all kinds of things: food and real estate and buying from retailers,” explains Norris. “They're just like any one of us: they go into a store, they like something, they buy it. It's just that they might buy a lot more.”

Sometimes superyacht owners will fly their friends in, and will put them up in nearby hotels, he adds. Crew members will often stay in hotels, too.

"They're all spending [money] locally.”

Unfriendly Canadians? 

However, Canadians’ friendly demeanour and politeness appear to not have transferred to the superyacht community, Norris tells Glacier Media.

During his time marketing B.C. internationally, he says that specific boating community has been ‘grumpy’ towards him after learning he’s from Victoria. 

"They basically said B.C. and Victoria, in particular, is one of the most unfriendly boating places in the world that they've seen,” said Norris. "I would say barring pirates."

He questions if the animosity is because the public does not get to interact or be ‘welcomed into the community’ of superyachting. 

“They don't get a chance to meet these people and see them so they don't know who they are,” he says. "It’s this mystery."

The public can come down to the dock and walk around to see the boats, something Norris welcomes. 

‘Exciting way to see the world’

According to Norris, the superyacht industry creates job opportunities for young people.

He tells Glacier Media that the marina has a high staff turnover as employees end up working on the bigger yachts.

“We're open to it. We don't think that that's a bad thing if they come on, and that's their career,” he says. “If they're hard-working, the yachts pick them up. There’s not a lot of them being trained in the region purposefully for that."

Norris adds yachting is an exciting way to see the world.

“You come down, you work here for a little bit and you have a really good chance of getting on one of those boats and just seeing stuff you would never see.”

The marina, he says, is actively hiring and looking for people interested in the marine industry. 

Superyacht repairs being done in B.C. shipyards 

Superyachts need an incredible amount of work to keep them running, and much of that work is being done locally when they arrive, says the CEO. 

"There are well over 100 industries that it touches: everything from fuel, to ship repair to almost anything you would have in a house you would have in a yacht,” says Norris. 

He believes more yachts will start coming to Victoria and having their work done in the shipyard.

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19 Jan Superyacht Zenith Docks In Victoria

Zenith by sabre catamarans.

I had the pleasure of snapping photos and video of the Invictus superyacht that rolled into Victoria’s harbour last summer, and now Zenith. We don’t have a lot of room for many superyachts at once here in Victoria but Zenith has been happily sitting docked right in our best spot.

While we do have plans for a bigger port just a couple minutes away, our inner harbour does a damn fine job. The Fairmont Empress looks lovely in the background and manages to make this superyacht look a tad bit small.

This boat was built by Sabre Catamarans in Western Australia in 2012 and has come a long way to reach our little corner of the globe. This vessel features some of the latest technology which makes crossing the planet on this baby a breeze.

Incat Crowther performed naval architecture and engineering work on the vessel, with exterior design by Waterline Design who also designed the luxurious interior. I didn’t go inside her obviously but I can only image what it would be like to take a trip on this yacht.

Zenith can get up to its top speeds of 25 knots thanks to the twin MTU 12V 4000 M90 diesel engine and an impressive range of up to 3500 nautical miles. For all the cruising she’s done in the past couple of years she looked brand new still.

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B.C. welcomes high rollers: A peek into the world of superyacht tourism

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Craig Norris walks along the docks at Victoria International Marina on a sunny Friday afternoon, fielding phone calls and making sure everything is flowing well. 

On any given day, the marina welcomes many yachts that choose to stop in B.C.’s capital. Most recently, a US$35-million sailing yacht by the name of Athos docked. On July 14, crew members could be seen getting the 62-metre long vessel ready for its next sailing. 

Athos isn’t the only superyacht to enter B.C. waters; not far away off Cattle Point is a $100-million superyacht called Anawa. The Anawa is owned by a Brazilian billionaire and has been near Victoria since May 2023. 

Over on the mainland, a $200-million vessel called Attessa V (AV) has been drawing attention in North Vancouver . Then there's a 32-metre vessel called the  Snowbored . Its final destination is Galiano Island. 

In a statement to Glacier Media, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority said anyone wishing to view the Attessa V in Vancouver's inner harbour area by boat "is urged to ensure they do so from a safe distance." "We love seeing boaters and paddlers out enjoying the waters that make up the Port of Vancouver," says Jason Krott, manager of marine operations and fleet. "Our focus is working with all users to build the awareness and understanding needed to support a safe shared space for recreational and commercial traffic."

The Snowbored, built by Westport in 2003, has a satin cherry wood interior, and a sundeck sporting a hot tub, wet bar, and lounge pads. It also has a fighting chair and rocket launcher for sport fishing, and can launch a Novurania tender and Yamaha waverunners.

For Norris, the CEO of Victoria International Marina, B.C. is starting to put itself on the map when it comes to attracting superyachts. For a long time, many international travellers would bypass the province altogether and head for Alaska, he says.

“Those yachts down in San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle and Tacoma that used to come up and just bypass us because they didn't know there was anything to do and now they're turning in and stopping and spending some time,” says Norris.

Superyacht owners are spending locally 

As part of his job, Norris spends time arranging for superyacht owners to visit Victoria businesses. That includes connecting them with local jewellers. 

“When they are visiting here, they're looking to spend money on art, and in the community, on all kinds of things: food and real estate and buying from retailers,” explains Norris. “They're just like any one of us: they go into a store, they like something, they buy it. It's just that they might buy a lot more.”

Sometimes superyacht owners will fly their friends in, and will put them up in nearby hotels, he adds. Crew members will often stay in hotels, too.

"They're all spending [money] locally.”

Unfriendly Canadians? 

However, Canadians’ friendly demeanour and politeness appear to not have transferred to the superyacht community, Norris tells Glacier Media.

During his time marketing B.C. internationally, he says that specific boating community has been ‘grumpy’ towards him after learning he’s from Victoria. 

"They basically said B.C. and Victoria, in particular, is one of the most unfriendly boating places in the world that they've seen,” said Norris. "I would say barring pirates."

He questions if the animosity is because the public does not get to interact or be ‘welcomed into the community’ of superyachting. 

“They don't get a chance to meet these people and see them so they don't know who they are,” he says. "It’s this mystery."

The public can come down to the dock and walk around to see the boats, something Norris welcomes. 

‘Exciting way to see the world’

According to Norris, the superyacht industry creates job opportunities for young people.

He tells Glacier Media that the marina has a high staff turnover as employees end up working on the bigger yachts.

“We're open to it. We don't think that that's a bad thing if they come on, and that's their career,” he says. “If they're hard-working, the yachts pick them up. There’s not a lot of them being trained in the region purposefully for that."

Norris adds yachting is an exciting way to see the world.

“You come down, you work here for a little bit and you have a really good chance of getting on one of those boats and just seeing stuff you would never see.”

The marina, he says, is actively hiring and looking for people interested in the marine industry. 

Superyacht repairs being done in B.C. shipyards 

Superyachts need an incredible amount of work to keep them running, and much of that work is being done locally when they arrive, says the CEO. 

"There are well over 100 industries that it touches: everything from fuel, to ship repair to almost anything you would have in a house you would have in a yacht,” says Norris. 

He believes more yachts will start coming to Victoria and having their work done in the shipyard.

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Superyacht worth $100M spotted in Vancouver

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An expensive superyacht has been anchored in Vancouver waters over the past several days. 

Owned by Brazilian billionaire Jorge Paulo Lemann, the 203-foot-long Anawa yacht is worth $100 million US dollars, with annual running costs of approximately $10 million, and is currently sitting in English Bay -- its final destination -- arriving on July 25 from Garden Bay on the Sunshine Coast. 

The massive yacht was custom-designed and built in 2020 by Damen Yachting and is one of the company's "long-range, luxury expedition" SeaXplorer class crafts. 

It can carry 12 guests and 20 crew and has a helideck and helicopter hangar that houses a Helibras 350 helicopter. 

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Victoria International Marina is a world-class luxury yacht center, located in the beautiful Victoria Harbour, the gateway to North America’s most spectacular cruising waters.

The victoria international marina offers world-class, custom-built moorage for yachts over 20m (65′) loa. located in the heart of victoria, british columbia, canada, our full-service 28-slip marina sets the standard in upscale security and safety, amenities, concierge services and crew facilities. oceans apart, the victoria international marina is a sanctuary at the gateway to british columbia’s pacific northwest and inside passage., the victoria international marina offers world-class, custom-built moorage for yachts over 20m (65′) loa . located in the heart of victoria, british columbia, canada, our full-service 28-slip marina sets the standard in upscale security and safety, amenities, concierge services and crew facilities. oceans apart, the victoria international marina is a sanctuary at the gateway to british columbia’s pacific northwest and inside passage., destination.

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By all accounts, the World Superyacht Awards were presented at the kind of formal gala one might expect would be held to celebrate the best that money, lots and lots of money, can buy. Superyacht owners belong to an informal club to which mere millionaires need not apply.

The event, held in London in May, didn’t get much attention here, which, as it turns out, was an oversight. Among the winners was a Canadian footballfield-sized entry built here, a yacht that showcased a capacity for producing floating opulence on a grand scale that I suspect few in Vancouver realize we can muster in our local shipyards.

The winner in the category of Best Rebuilt Yacht was the Attessa IV, a 100-metre long floating palace with a swimming pool and two helipads on deck and untold luxury down below, all serviced by an onboard crew of 20 to 30.

The Attessa IV is registered in the Cayman Islands and owned by Arron Point Charters, a company that is part of Montana-based billionaire Dennis Washington’s empire that includes British Columbiabased Seaspan Marine, which is bidding for a lucrative federal government shipbuilding contract. The 26th largest privately owned yacht in the world was recreated in the North Vancouver shipyards that are part of the Washington Companies.

It was launched last fall after a three-and-a-half-year renovation that its skipper says was the largest yacht refit in the world. At its peak, 250 local skilled workers were employed on the project, collectively logging a staggering million hours of labour.

“We tried real hard to keep the project as quiet as possible, but of course now that it’s out it’s going to be everywhere,” Ted McCumber said in an interview from the bridge of the Attessa IV, which was anchored Tuesday off James Island, the private retreat near Sidney of Seattle billionaire Craig McCaw.

The deep blue, white and silver yacht that usually has a helicopter perched on the aft deck, was to return to Vancouver today or Friday and will be cruising local waters until the fall before heading off to the Caribbean and then the Mediterranean, the winter and summer cruising grounds for the money-is-no-object set.

The Attessa IV is the third mega-yacht to be refitted for Washington in the Vancouver shipyards by a company created to specialize in the luxury market, Washington Yachting Group, but which McCumber said has primarily worked on his boss’s own boats.

Attessa III, a mere 68 metres, had been damaged in a fire and was rebuilt in the shed that was home for the construction of the Pacificats, the ill-fated fast ferries that were supposed to revitalize the BC Ferries fleet and relaunch the shipbuilding industry in B.C. Instead, the fast ferries helped sink the NDP government and have since served as a poster boy for the folly of government intervention in private business.

In the decade that followed, the Liberal government reformed BC Ferries as a quasiprivate company and allowed it to order new ships from Germany to save money rather than supporting the local shipbuilding industry.

This week, Premier Christy Clark’s Liberal government revealed that it is prepared to invest $40 million to support Seaspan Marine’s bid for a piece of the federal government’s $35-billion shipbuilding program. It also announced that BC Ferries would chip in $20 million for the effort.

The money would be in the form of up to $35 million in training and labour credits over the 30-year span of the project, should Seaspan get one of the contracts, and another $5 million to increase productivity in the marine industry. The $20 million from BC Ferries is also aimed at increasing the capacity of the broader industry.

The province argues that the credits would be similar to the incentives given to the film industry and the oil and gas sector, subsidies that pay off through investments that would otherwise not be made, jobs that would move elsewhere.

In this case, it’s tax dollars chasing tax dollars. We prime the pump with taxes we pay to the province so that the taxes we pay to the federal government can be funnelled back here rather than to Quebec or Atlantic Canada. They are playing the same game back east, with government aid for Nova Scotia’s Irving Shipbuilding Inc. and the Davie Yards in Quebec. Two out of three are expected to get part of the business when the contracts are announced.

Maybe if we lose out, there will at least be an Attessa V.

Photo by Neil Rabinowitz

This was my column in The Vancouver Sun, July 28, 2011

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126-year-old B.C.-built sailboat ready to take to the sea once again

Dorothy, built in 1897, is one of the oldest sailing yachts in the pacific northwest.

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A sailboat that first launched 126 years ago in Victoria, B.C., is set to take to the sea once again.

Dorothy is a 30-foot (7.41-metre) sailboat built between 1896 and 1897 by John J. Robinson in what was then the James Bay boatyard on Vancouver Island, currently marked by the Laurel Point Inn.

The Maritime Museum of B.C. says Dorothy is considered the oldest sailing yacht in the Pacific Northwest. It went through nearly a dozen owners before being donated to the Victoria-based museum in 1995.

After a decade of restoration work, Dorothy will be launched into the ocean from Ladysmith on Saturday, making it the oldest B.C.-built registered sailboat in use, according to Angus Matthews, one of Dorothy's previous owners and board chair of the museum.

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"She's absolutely gorgeous," Matthews told CBC  All Points West  host Jason D'Souza, crediting red cedar harvested from B.C., along with oak and mahogany touches, with keeping Dorothy seaworthy for so long.

Matthews explained that Dorothy was one of roughly two dozen sailing yachts built in the 1890s to help launch the European-style sailing scene in British Columbia.

Over the years, it participated in many races, and the museum houses multiple trophies won in regattas held in the first half of the 20th century.

The museum also has logs of its travels around Vancouver Island and B.C.'s south coast, including a sworn testimony from a previous captain that he had witnessed  Cadborosaurus , a sea serpent that was rumoured to have lived in the waters of Victoria's Cadboro Bay.

"It was an amazing career," Matthews said.

Decade-long restoration

The refit of Dorothy was a joint project between the Maritime Museum of B.C. and the Ladysmith Maritime Society.

Volunteer boatwright Robert Lawson used early photos to help him restore the boat back to its original design.

Roughly 80 per cent of the original hull is still in place, with Lawson repairing seams and caulking and stripping layers of paint away before refinishing the exterior.

WATCH | Tony Grove explains the refitting process:

Volunteers took part in restoring the deck and other aspects of the boat, said Maritime Museum of B.C. president Jamie Webb in a statement, adding that "without them, we would not have come to this happy day so soon."

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Dorothy will be launched into the Ladysmith Harbour on Saturday at 1 p.m. After that it will stay on display in the Ladysmith Community Marina. It will eventually be moved into Victoria's Inner Harbour once a berth can be found.

With files from Jean Paetkau and All Points West

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