the aquarius superyacht

• Yachting World
• Digital Edition

Aquarius: Modern classic masterpiece makes for a surprisingly sensible superyacht

• August 27, 2020

Named for the sign of astrological quality, this stunning 186ft world-cruising ketch is the result of serious sailors challenging the best of the best to produce something elegant, fast and seaworthy. Rupert Holmes reports

A demanding brief for Aquarius from experienced sailors has produced a masterpiece from some of the most experienced and talented brains in the superyacht world. Within five months of handover she had already clocked up 11,000 miles.

It’s often tempting to sum up new yachts with a short phrase describing their key characteristics. The brief for Aquarius included that she should be, ‘an elegant, muscular sailing yacht with a classic profile for family enjoyment’. But that barely scratches the surface of the main requirements for this giant ketch.

The owners also wanted a yacht that would combine good seakeeping characteristics with performance, reliability and quality. Essential features included relative simplicity, robustness of systems and a contemporary interpretation of elegant, classic lines, with a clean and uncomplicated appearance.

Aquarius ’s graceful lines and timeless shape belie a rugged world cruiser configured to be self-sufficient for extended periods when voyaging well beyond the popular Med and Caribbean circuits. In addition, the yacht is welcoming for family and friends, while providing sufficient performance to compete in superyacht regattas .

Designed to perform

“The owner loves sailing, so top performance was important,” says Dykstra’s Erik Wassen, who led the design team. “Not to the level of a racing yacht, but having the feeling of sailing well and being responsive like a smaller yacht.” A further stipulation was that the boat should not be experimental. The result is a sensible superyacht interpretation of a performance yacht.

With a whopping 50ft of bow and stern overhangs, there’s far less internal volume than might be expected for a yacht of this length. Also maximum beam is less than one-sixth of the overall length. Even so, any temptation to spoil the lines by raising the black-painted freeboard to provide more space for systems was successfully resisted.

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Considerable work and talent was therefore needed to fit all the requirements into the slender hull. The design team repeatedly honed the arrangements until everything would fit, including adequate space for crew accommodation and servicing of systems.

A fixed 4.8m draught keel fits with the theme of simplicity, while also freeing up the internal space that a lifting or telescopic keel would otherwise occupy. Wassen says: “If it was for optimum performance, you go to seven, eight, nine, ten metres.” The problem is that quickly stops being practical, so his aim was to: “try to get her in the same sort of harbours as the J Class yachts – you can still enter St Barth’s Bucket , for instance.”

Computational Flow Dynamics (CFD) work informed the final hull shape. “In our first hull design we noticed the centre of effort shifted when going from close-hauled to a beam reach to running,” says Wassen. “By optimising the hull shape in the CFD we could minimise that effect, giving much more equal rudder pressure on different points of sail.”

A sense of scale as the seemingly tiny figures prepare the mizzen staysail

The response and feel of a smaller boat was achieved “through having an ample sail plan – the boat has lots of sail – and giving her lots of stability,” he adds.  “We kept her as light as possible, which is always difficult because of the weight of the systems and of the ballast needed to provide stability.”

Aquarius ’s skipper James Turner has been very impressed with the handling so far: “With the correct sail plan Aquarius is a delight on the helm, responsive with weight to the wheel,” he reports. “Contrary to what her length and volume might suggest, she feels lively yet forgiving, almost playful on the wheel.”

A clean and uncluttered deck layout was a key priority, but was rendered more difficult by the lack of bulwarks. The profiles of both deckhouses were kept as low as possible, while individual sails are sheeted to similar points, which concentrates deck gear in discrete locations.

Despite her significant sail area, push-button controls mean Aquarius can be sailed by three

Clustering several different items into a single feature also helped to achieve this goal. For example, the boxes for vents and skylights ahead of the main deckhouse also form the backrests for the cushions when this area is used for sun lounging. In addition they house discrete B&G units that provide headsail and spinnaker trimmers with the key data needed for racing.

Project manager Godfrey Cray was keen to use halyard locks to reduce the number of winches around the mast base – the final arrangement has just two winches here instead of the usual four. Attention to detail extends to the cowl vents that have a protection ring of black composite below the polished stainless steel caps so that there is no chance of lines snagging.

The large mizzen was a feature from the inception of the project and provides a powerful configuration for fast reaching and downwind sailing with the mizzen staysail set. A further advantage of this sail plan is that no compromises were needed to keep air draught below the Panamax limit.

Optimised hull shape and big sail area means Aquarius has the response and feel of a smaller yacht

Doyle Sails New Zealand was involved in the project from an early stage, which gave time to tweak the sail plan and for aerodynamic and finite element analysis work to optimise the deck layout and improve overall load predictions. Aquarius is a fast enough boat for the apparent wind to often be forward of the beam.

A 1,580m2 running asymmetric spinnaker is included in the inventory and is clearly important when racing. However, optimisation of the reaching sails was also a priority to enable Aquarius to realise her enormous potential. In addition to the main and mizzen a 460m2 mizzen staysail and 770m2 Code 0 boost the sail area to an impressive 2,200m2 when reaching.

Rondal performance furling booms are a key means of simplifying sail handling , without compromising performance. They allow control of the foot tension of the sail, while providing a very practical means of reefing and stowing the sails.

“Typically, these systems are getting more and more reliable,” says Wassen. “There are hardly any boats that are not specifying them, except for some that go all the way to more racy slab reefing systems to reduce weight aloft.”

Square-top sails were shunned because of the difficulties of handling the top batten. However, the large roach main and mizzen still require running backstays, which are handled by captive winches. “They take more space and are heavier,” says Wassen, “but the captive winches mean you always have the opportunity to ease the runners under load if you have to make an unexpected tack or gybe.”

The twin wheels are positioned far enough outboard to give good sight lines to the bow and the rig. Key sail controls are also located at each helm station to facilitate easy handling. A drawback to this, though, is that you can’t always see the function you’re adjusting.  “It’s something we don’t often do,” says Wassen, “and making it look inconspicuous and classic is difficult.”

The solution was a more modern style console with a lot of controls that are fully concealed by hinged teak covers when not in use. This enables the boat to be sailed with only three people on deck.

Key challenges

While the brief for Aquarius deliberately avoided pushing hard against the boundaries of engineering and materials technology, there were still many challenges to overcome before the owners’ vision and dream could be realised.

In particular, a huge effort was needed to fit the accommodation and systems into the low-volume hull. This involved an iterative process between four parties – naval architect, interior designer, the engineers at Royal Huisman, and the owners – to ensure systems and adequate crew quarters could be accommodated, while leaving enough space for the owner and guest accommodation to meet the brief.

There is plenty of relaxation space split across Aquarius’s three cockpits

Interior designer Mark Whiteley initially presented two concepts – one for a relatively dark panelled interior, the other with mahogany furniture and trim balanced by white wall spaces. After the two had been mocked up at full scale for a section of the boat, the owners chose the lighter option. Whiteley subsequently described his challenge as creating, “a light and contemporary classic feel, rather than a more sombre and historically referenced one”.

While this early decision informed the big picture, he says the finer details needed careful judgement to give the boat its unique feel. The final coat of white paint on the wall panels, for instance, was brushed by hand to provide additional character and interest. He says: “This added to the relaxed informality and chic, understated quality you might associate with a house in the Hamptons.”

The main cockpit is the primary social hub of the boat, so considerable effort was put into refining it. This extended to the folding arrangements for the tables and to the design of the additional fold-away seats that face the main U-shape seating areas.

Mahogany joinery is balanced by white trim

The owner wanted a single floor level in the deckhouse, without a higher level for the seating areas, while retaining a view through the windows when sitting down. The lower edge of the windows therefore needed to be brought down as far as possible, which in turn provides a lot of natural light. The skylights also help to flood the interior with natural light.

Two versions of the magnificent owner’s suite were mocked up full-size to ensure every aspect was optimised to the maximum extent possible. There’s ample natural light from the large oval fan light around the mizzen mast, plus four port lights.

The bed is positioned to give a view towards the stairs to the private aft deckhouse, which opens onto its own cockpit. Attention to detail extends to secure stowage for water carafes and personal items.

Natural light floods into the owner’s suite from large fanlights around masts

Guest accommodation includes two double suites, plus a further flexible cabin that’s primarily configured as a twin. Two extra berths can be provided here to accommodate a larger number of children, via a Pullman on the inboard side and a recessed bed that drops down from the deckhead on the outboard side. A great deal of effort was expended to ensure there is no evidence of these extra beds when the cabin is in its normal mode.

There’s also a fully equipped gym, plus a lower saloon, with a huge cinema screen and top end concealed sound system. Quarters for up to 10 crew are provided in five cabins forward. This area has its own access from the foredeck, while guest areas can also be reached from the galley.

What does Whitely like most about the accommodation? “The relaxed feel and the balance between the classic and the contemporary, it really works. I also like the owner’s suite a lot: it’s a fantastic living space.”

The owner’s suite includes private aft deckhouse

Aquarius is the latest addition to a very distinguished lineage of modern classics produced in the past decade by a collaboration between Dykstra and Royal Huisman, including Kamixitha , Meteor and Pumula .

It’s a stunningly successful partnership that, with Aquarius , has produced another beautiful new superyacht that combines the ultimate in elegance with superlative comfort, style and performance.

Specification

LOA: 56.18m (184ft 4in) LWL: 41.17m (135ft 1in) Beam: 9.51m (31ft 2in) Draught: 4.80m (15ft 9in) Displacement: 264 tonnes Mainsail: 520m2 (5,597ft2) Mizzen: 440m2 (4,736ft2) Blade: 430m2 (4,628ft2) Air draught: 58.50m (192ft 11in) Spars: Rondal carbon with Rondal/Carbo-Link continuous standing rigging

First published in the July 2019 issue of Supersail World.

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AQUARIUS Yacht – Awesome $200M Superyacht

AQUARIUS yacht was built in 2016 by Feadship shipyard in Aalsmeer, Netherlands.

With her length of 92 m (302 ft), AQUARIUS is ranked in 73rd place on the list of longest motor yachts in the world. Currently, she sails under the flag of the Cayman Islands .

AQUARIUS yacht interior

The interior of AQUARIUS was designed by Dutch design firm Sinot Exclusive Yacht Design based in Amsterdam.

The yacht offers a spacious living area, a cinema, a beautiful spa, a gym with incredible sea views, and a sizeable beach club.

The elevator allows guests to move more seamlessly from deck to deck. The master suite features a spacious dressing room as well as a his-and-hers bathroom.

The other six luxuriously designed VIP cabins can accommodate an additional twelve guests.

A crew of up to 30 members takes care of the guests’ well-being while they are on board the luxury yacht.

Specifications

With a beam of 13.50 meters (44.3 ft), a length of 92 meters (302 ft), and a draft of 4 meters (13.1 ft), AQUARIUS has a weight of almost 2,900 gross tons.

Her immense superstructure is made of aluminum, and her decks are constructed in classic teak.

The two MTU M63L diesel engines each produce 3,000 hp and allow her to reach top speeds of 17 knots.

Her fuel tank holds 275,800 liters of diesel and, at a cruising speed of 12 knots, her total reach lies close to 5,500 nautical miles. 

Like her interior, the exterior of the AQUARIUS yacht was also designed by the Dutch design firm Sinot Exclusive Yacht Design.

She has a helipad on the foredeck, a hot tub on the upper sundeck, and a large pool on the aft deck.

She also carries two tenders and plenty of water toys for guests to enjoy. In addition to a large swim platform, the crew can also set up various water slides if required.

Of course, the luxury yacht has a variety of jet skis, kayaks, snorkeling equipment, and water skis on board. 

The purchase price of the AQUARIUS yacht was US $200 million, and she is currently also available for charter for US $1.5 million per week.

In winter, she is mostly underway in the Caribbean, and in the summer months in the Mediterranean. 

Aquarius Yacht in Gibraltar

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The Aquarius

The Aquarius is a custom sailing yacht launched in 1990 by Perini Navi.

Credited with a combination of technical brilliance and first class design, Perini Navi has always been in a class of its own. In 1982, unable to find a yacht suited to his personal concepts and ideas, Fabio Perini designed and built the first prototype of what would prove to be the most successful series of large sailing yachts in the world.

The Aquarius measures 47.00 metres in length, with a max draft of 7.00 metres and a beam of 9.20 metres.

The Aquarius has a steel hull with an aluminium superstructure.

Her interior design is by Perini Navi.

The Aquarius also features naval architecture by Perini Navi.

Performance and Capabilities

The Aquarius has a top speed of 13.5 knots. She is powered by a twin screw propulsion system.

The Aquarius has a fuel capacity of 41,100 litres, and a water capacity of 10,100 litres.

She also has a range of 5,000 nautical miles.

Accommodation

The Aquarius accommodates up to 10 guests . She also houses room for up to 8 crew members.

Other Specifications

The Aquarius has a hull NB of 8806.

• Yacht Builder Perini Navi View profile
• Naval Architect Perini Navi View profile
• Interior Designer Perini Navi View profile

Yacht Specs

Other perini navi yachts, related news.

PROJECT 408 UNVEILED AS 65m AQUARIUS II

It is a great compliment when owners value the experience of their yacht so highly that the only material change they want is to build a larger version, with exactly the same team. Yet that is the story behind the decision of the experienced husband and wife owners of the world cruising ketch AQUARIUS (56m / 186ft, Royal Huisman, 2018) to create a stunning new 65m / 212ft ‘big sister’, AQUARIUS II.

The team (described by an independent commentator as “some of the most experienced and talented brains in the superyacht world”) comprises owners’ project manager Godfrey Cray, Dykstra Naval Architects, interior designer Mark Whiteley and superyacht builder Royal Huisman.

AQUARIUS at the St. Barths Bucket Regatta: ‘close to perfect’

The owners’ brief retains a strong emphasis on performance. AQUARIUS II will feature a state-of-the-art carbon rig and integrated sail handling from Rondal, structured luff sails, and a retractable keel for optimal stability under racing conditions. AQUARIUS was first in class at her St. Barths Regatta debut in 2019 and will be showing her pace once again this March. Hence the comment “After all, I want to keep winning Bucket races!” from her owner.

It is equally important for her owners to retain the elegance and family comfort of AQUARIUS, with her exquisite and timeless exterior styling, classic interior and harmonious layout – all to be enhanced in AQUARIUS II by significant additional space and volume to optimize a luxurious yet understated lifestyle.

“AQUARIUS has proved to be an exciting sailboat,” commented her owners, “and she sails gracefully and powerfully. Her layout has exceeded expectations, with ample opportunities for both privacy and socializing. She is a ship for everyone.”

Family enjoyment onboard AQUARIUS: one of many features that answer that role is the mid-deck lounge area with sun canopy, easily set up when at anchor.

AQUARIUS II will feature Royal Huisman’s industry-leading hybrid technologies for power generation and management. The benefits include ‘peak-shaving’ for optimum energy efficiency and flexible power generation.

The Royal Huisman team always takes it as high praise when clients – such as AQUARIUS’ owners – come to us for a repeat project or, equally, recommend us to friends, family or associates. We have been fortunate to receive this compliment on a regular basis over the years.

Design and engineering preparations for AQUARIUS II are now well advanced, with construction of the Alustar® aluminum hull and superstructures scheduled to commence this summer. Delivery is scheduled for 2024.

Royal Huisman CEO Jan Timmerman concludes: “We are very honored with the trust the owners of AQUARIUS have in Royal Huisman. The talented team is very motivated and delighted to be working on such a prestigious project.

Regular repeat orders and referrals are no coincidence. They show we must be doing something right. In truth, we need to get many things right to earn such confidence but that doesn’t mean we never get a thing wrong. The key factor is the effort we put into solving problems and learning from them. Clients give us different reasons for their repeat orders, but among the most regularly mentioned is client focus. This includes dedication to building what the client wants, with the greatest attention to the detail; high standards of customer service before, during and after the build experience; and a flexible, can-do approach to design, engineering and production, that drives innovation to resolve complex challenges and fulfil the owners’ dream.

As a result, we are able to consistently realize individually defined, highly regarded and reliable custom superyachts. And that translates into satisfied clients. None of this is easy. But it does give our team immense joy and satisfaction, especially when they have the privilege to realize a dream such as AQUARIUS II.”

Below: AQUARIUS truly defines what it means to be a ‘modern classic’: a stunning yacht of rare beauty, combining classic hull lines with a powerful modern rig and a clean, contemporary chic above and below decks. AQUARIUS is ‘close to perfect’: her owners simply want a larger yacht – and even more impressive performance.

Main specifications of AQUARIUS II

Shipyard project number: Project 408 | type: Performance Ketch | length: 65m / 212ft | owners’ project manager: Godfrey Cray | naval architecture + exterior styling: Dykstra Naval Architects | interior design: Mark Whiteley Design | construction: Alustar® aluminum | rig + handling: Rondal carbon rig + Integrated Sailing System | builder: Royal Huisman

The English press release with editor’s notes can be found via the following link  (opens in a new tab).

Various design mockups of AQUARIUS (I) months ahead of the start of the actual production: getting it right. Virtual reality can be very realistic as well, but ergonomics, interactions and a “physical live” experience cannot be 100% imitated with a Virtual Reality (VR) headset or a digital 3D-model. Curious to see and learn more? Please find the article “Design mockups” at this website: News > Inhuis stories & updates [ link ]

The core owners’ brief for AQUARIUS remains essentially intact for AQUARIUS II. The owners sought to create a stunning looking yacht, with a classic profile, for family enjoyment. The yacht should have favorable sea keeping characteristics that are ideal for world cruising as well as standing her in good stead for the occasional Bucket regatta. This should be:

“a modern classical yacht with a clean, uncomplicated look. Not a pirate ship but a modern, fashionable and chic looking yacht with performance, reliability and quality – a sailor’s yacht.”

The success of the project can be judged by these additional owners’ comments:

“We set out to build an elegant, muscular sailboat and the shipyard and the design team delivered a yacht that is both of those things and more. The build experience at Royal Huisman was a good one. The boat has exceeded our expectations and we are thrilled with what the shipyard built.”

“AQUARIUS is a joy to sail and a joy to live on and her collection of features makes her a perfect boat for our needs. It is a dream come true to own a boat like this, and to look at her and sail her with such a strong sense of accomplishment and appreciation.”

Curious to see and learn more of AQUARIUS? Please visit royalhuisman.com/aquarius [link]

St. Barths Bucket Regatta 2022

More and more superyacht owners have come to recognize that the thrill of the regatta circuit coupled with the relaxed social ambiance they can enjoy ashore with fellow owners, guests and crew at a regatta makes the perfect complement to their ocean cruising itineraries. The entry list for this year’s edition of the upcoming St. Barths Bucket Regatta – from 17 to 20 March – contains over thirty yachts of which seven are delivered by Royal Huisman including AQUARIUS. Curious to see and learn more? Please find the article “St. Barths Bucket Regattas: in pictures” at this website: news > inhuis [ link ]  

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AQUARIUS YACHT CHARTER

45.77m  /  150'2   mengi-yay   2016.

• Previous Yacht

Cabin Configuration

Special Features:

• Master cabin with study
• Multi-award winning
• Private beach club
• Sleeps 10 guests
• 7.47m/24'6" Axopar Tender

Aquarius is an outstanding candidate for a perfect yacht charter vacation

This sleek ultra modern 150'2 / 45.77m full-displacement motor yacht was custom built in 2016 by Mengi-Yay. The yacht's interior is designed by Mengi-Yay in collaboration with BTA Design and her exterior styling is by Oğuzhan Güler.

Interior Design

Her chic interior draws inspiration from the orient, featuring deep pile carpets, a medley of light and dark wood, along with elegant marble bathrooms. Beautiful furnishings and sumptuous seating feature throughout to create an elegant and comfortable atmosphere, perfect for yacht charters.

Guest Accommodation

AQUARIUS 's luxurious interior layout sleeps up to 10 guests in 5 cabins, including a master suite with two private balconies on either side offering panoramic views, with a further 3 double cabins and 1 twin cabin located on the lower deck. She is also capable of carrying up to 9 crew onboard to ensure a high-end luxury yacht charter experience. 

Onboard Comfort & Entertainment

Amenities include: Balcony, Barbeque, Beach Club, Bow Thruster, Exterior Bar, Foredeck Seating & Table, Stern Thruster, Sun Deck, Sunpads, Swimming Platform, Tender Garage, Air Conditioning, Deck Jacuzzi, Gym/exercise equipment, Stabilisers underway, Stabilizers at Anchor, WiFi connection on board

Her generous deck spaces play host to a wide range of amenities including a luxurious full-beam beach club with a 3-way opening, an outdoor bar, Jacuzzi and ample space for sun lounging and relaxing. AQUARIUS 's impressive leisure and entertainment facilities make her the ideal charter yacht for socialising and entertaining with family and friends.

Performance & Range

She is built with a wooden laminated epoxy hull and superstructure, engineered and expertly crafted in the Netherlands. AQUARIUS is capable of a top speed of 16 knots, with a cruising speed of 12 knots powered by twin CAT C32 1450hp engines.

Onboard Aquarius has a range of toys and accessories to keep you and your guests entertained on the water throughout your stay. Principle among these is a waterski that are hugely entertaining whether you are a beginner or a seasoned pro. Another excellent feature are two SEABOBs providing agile cruising and diving. Also there are two wakeboards so guests can show off at speed. If that isn't enough Aquarius also features paddleboards and snorkelling equipment. Aquarius features two tenders, but leading the pack is a 7.47m/24'6" Axopar Tender to transport you in style.

Based in the magical waters of the Mediterranean all year round Aquarius is ready for your next luxury yacht charter. Let Aquarius Discover the magical places, food and experiences of the the Mediterranean.

With its luxurious interiors, vast array of onboard facilities and a highly-trained and professional crew, a luxury yacht vacation onboard motor yacht Aquarius promises to be nothing short of spectacular.

TESTIMONIALS

There are currently no testimonials for Aquarius, please provide .

Aquarius Photos

Amenities & Entertainment

For your relaxation and entertainment Aquarius has the following facilities, for more details please speak to your yacht charter broker.

Aquarius is reported to be available to Charter with the following recreation facilities:

• 1 x 7.47m  /  24'6 Axopar 22 Spyder Tender Mercury Verado 200 HP engine
• 1 x Extender Evinrude Tender 75 HP engine

For a full list of all available amenities & entertainment facilities, or price to hire additional equipment please contact your broker.

Aquarius Awards & Nominations

• The International Yacht & Aviation Awards 2017 Power Yacht (over 40m) Winner
• The International Yacht & Aviation Awards 2017 Power Yacht Interior Design Winner
• International Superyacht Society Awards 2017 Best Power 40m - 65m Nomination
• + shortlist

For a full list of all available amenities & entertainment facilities, or price to hire additional equipment please contact your broker.

'Aquarius' Charter Rates & Destinations

Summer Season

May - September

€220,000 p/week + expenses Approx $239,000

High Season

€235,000 p/week + expenses Approx $255,500

Cruising Regions

Mediterranean Greece, Turkey

HOT SPOTS:   Mykonos

Winter Season

October - April

Charter Aquarius

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Delivered by Turkey’s Mengi Yay in 2016, the superyacht pairs a straight bow with a handsome wood hull and superstructure. She offers a generous interior with five lavish cabins for up to 10 guests. The main deck owner’s stateroom features a king-sized bed, two balconies, an office and an en suite. On the lower deck, you’ll find three double staterooms and a twin cabin. There will also be a crew of nine catering to your every whim as if you were an A-lister.

Outside, meanwhile, Aquarius sports a veritable beach club at the stern, a Jacuzzi on the foredeck, a sizable flybridge and several other spots for sunning. She also comes with a full fleet of toys and tenders in case you need to make a quick escape. The vessel even has a spot on the aft deck for a couple of roadsters.

As for grunt, Aquarius is powered by twin Caterpillar engines that give her a cruising speed of 12 knots and a top speed of 15 knots. Of course, the yacht’s also equipped with stabilizers that make cruising the Mediterranean a real treat.

Aquarius is available exclusively with Ocean Independence . You can book her for charter in Turkey for roughly $228,000 (€220,000) a week.

Rachel Cormack is a digital editor at Robb Report. She cut her teeth writing for HuffPost, Concrete Playground, and several other online publications in Australia, before moving to New York at the…

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AQUARIUS is a 56.0 m Sail Yacht, built in Netherlands by Royal Huisman and delivered in 2018.

Her power comes from a MTU diesel engine. She has a gross tonnage of 298.0 GT and a 9.5 m beam.

She was designed by Dykstra Naval Architects , who also completed the naval architecture. Dykstra Naval Architects has designed 21 yachts and created the naval architecture for 29 yachts for yachts above 24 metres.

Her interior was designed by Mark Whiteley , who has 6 other superyacht interiors designed in the BOAT Pro database - she is built with a Teak deck, a Aluminium hull, and Aluminium superstructure.

AQUARIUS is in the top 5% by LOA in the world. She is one of 31 sailing yachts in the 55-60m size range.

AQUARIUS is currently sailing under the Cayman Islands flag, the 2nd most popular flag state for superyachts with a total of 1363 yachts registered. She is known to be an active superyacht and has most recently been spotted cruising near Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba. For more information regarding AQUARIUS's movements, find out more about BOAT Pro AIS .

Specifications

• Name: AQUARIUS
• Yacht Type: Sail Yacht
• Builder: Royal Huisman
• Naval Architect: Dykstra Naval Architects
• Exterior Designer: Dykstra Naval Architects
• Interior Designer: Mark Whiteley

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Endorsements | Keeping up with the Bezoses: Mark Zuckerberg…

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Endorsements | keeping up with the bezoses: mark zuckerberg buys a super yacht, reports say, a report says that zuckerberg’s luxurious new $300 million vessel was originally was commissioned by a russian oligarch who was the target of sanctions imposed after that country’s invasion of ukraine.

Given that Mark Zuckerberg enjoys a respectable 16th place on a list of the world’s richest people, he probably figured it was time for him to acquire one of the ultimate status symbols for the mega-wealthy — a super yacht.

A new report from The Sun said that Zuckerberg is now the proud owner of a $300 million vessel that he has christened “Launchpad.” The 387-foot-long vessel, which comes with a helipad and a $30 million companion boat, was seen docked this week at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with its unique chrome finish reflecting in the sun.

This purchase shows, among other things, that the Facebook and Meta founder and CEO has branched out from buying islands and building an underground complex to help him survive the apocalypse. Perhaps, he wants to cruise the Mediterranean this summer and be among the moguls who can play host to Leonardo DiCaprio.

The yacht definitely grants him admission to the watery playgrounds of such multibillionaires as Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison, Bill Gates and any of the Russian oligarchs who haven’t been the target of sanctions imposed by the United States or its allies over Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

In fact, Zuckerberg reportedly came by Launchpad due to the misfortunes of one of those oligarchs. The yacht originally was commissioned to be built by Vladimir Potanin, one of Russia’s richest men who is on multiple sanctions list, according to a report by Autoevolution.com , a transportation industry site. The yacht was known as Project 1010, and the shipbuilder in the Netherlands was legally barred from delivering it to Potanin when it was completed in 2022, though Autoevolution also said that Potanin was not the yacht’s actual owner.

The Sun reported that the yacht recently received “special permission” to be imported. It has since arrived in the United States, a couple months ahead of Zuckerberg’s 40th birthday on May 14 — which raises the question of whether he meant Launchpad as a birthday gift to himself.

It’s quite a gift: Launchpad can comfortably fit 24 guests aboard. It also requires a crew of 48 and is said to cost $30 million a year for upkeep and usage, according to Superyachtfan.com . But shelling out $30 million for maintenance a year shouldn’t be a problem for Zuckerberg, who reportedly earns between $6 million and $12 million a day, The Sun said.

But as spectacular as Launchpad sounds, super yacht fans might say it’s not as spectacular as Jeff Bezos’s super yacht, Koru. The $500 million sailing vessel features very tall masts, a swimming pool, a helipad and room for a second, smaller yacht. The most noteworthy thing about Koru is that Bezos commissioned a special sculpture to decorate its prow. It’s a “curvaceous winged goddess” that is said to bear a striking resemblance to his fiancee Lauren Sanchez.

The Amazon founder, his wife-to-be and the goddess figurehead spent much of last summer sailing around the Mediterranean, cruising from Spain to Croatia and hosting such famous guests as Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom and Usher. The couple also threw a lavish engagement party off the coast of Positano on Italy’s Amalfi coast, attended by another pack of famous friends, including Kris Jenner, Wendi Murdoch and, yes, Leonardo DiCaprio.

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The superyacht world is speculating that Mark Zuckerberg just bought this 118-meter boat

• The 118-meter superyacht Launchpad made her maiden voyage last week.
• The yacht world is speculating that her owner is Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
• Here's what we know about the luxury vessel.

In the world of superyachts , privacy is the most valuable asset. It can be next to impossible to discern the details of a superyacht transaction — and that's particularly true if the vessel in question is worth nine figures.

Yet some in the boat blogging world are speculating that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is the new owner of Launchpad, a megayacht currently moored in Fort Lauderdale, Florida after she made her maiden voyage from Gibraltar to St Maarten last week. Launchpad clocks in at 118 meters long, about nine meters shorter than Jeff Bezos' superyacht Koru .

The transaction could not be confirmed, with yacht world insiders declining to share what they know and representatives for Zuckerberg not responding to a request for comment from Business Insider. In the past, reports about Zuckerberg owning superyacht Ulysses have proven false.

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"It is Feadship's standard policy to never divulge any information about our yachts with reference to ownership, costs, or delivery, etc," Feadship, the ship's builder, wrote to BI. "Whether it is an 18-meter Feadship from the 1960s or a 118-meter Feadship from the 21st century, we do not share private information."

But Zuckerberg's name has been connected to Launchpad for a few months now, beginning in December when reports swirled that he visited Feadship's shipyard in the Netherlands.

Then, earlier in March, yachting bloggers like eSysman SuperYachts and Autoevolution started speculating that he officially snagged the boat, originally built for a sanctioned Russian businessman, at a $300 million price tag. (While that's a seemingly huge amount, it's still less than 0.2% of Zuckerberg's $177 billion net worth.)

Another clue that might point to US ownership is that the yacht bears the flag of the Marshall Islands, a US territory and commonplace for American buyers to register their ships, according to public marine tracking.

If Zuckerberg were to have bought Launchpad, he would join a cohort of superyacht-owning tech billionaires . Along with Bezos, the likes of Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison and Google cofounders Sergey Brin and Larry Page have purchased impressive boats with even more impressive amenities.

SuperYacht Times , an industry publication and intelligence platform, has some of the best images of the yacht. Photos show a swimming pool on her main deck and a large helipad.

While less is known of the interior, a vessel of her size can likely sleep dozens of guests and crew and may have amenities like an expansive gym where Zuckerberg could practice his jiu-jitsu or a spa with a massage area. We suspect there's also space for plenty of toys — which could include his viral hydrofoil foil .

Do you have any details about Launchpad or any other superyachts? Email reporter Madeline Berg at [email protected].

Watch: Walmart heiress' superyacht vandalized by activists in Ibiza

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