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The 98.4m superyacht Aviva was built for British businessman Joe Lewis who owns Tottenham Hotspur Football Club

Aviva: Inside the 98.4m Abeking & Rasmussen flagship yacht

The owner of Aviva challenged his design team to build a yacht around a padel tennis court — and 98m, 4,966GT and a mere three years later, she was launched.

She’s big — let’s get that out of the way. At 98.4 metres, Aviva became the 46th longest yacht in the world when she was delivered by Abeking & Rasmussen in 2017, and there are very few boats of her length that can match her for volume.

Her 17.24 metre beam is so generous that the designers pulled in the bridge deck superstructure to add side decks — improving crew circulation and refining the profile — because “we just didn’t need that much beam”.

They were right: spaces on board are magnificently expansive, from guest suites the size of the master suite on a 50 metre to an owner’s wardrobe that is, designer Andrew Langton notes quite seriously, “bigger than my house in France”. The fact that scale sits fairly low down on the list of Aviva ’s extraordinary features speaks to the imagination and belief-beggaring ambition of this project.

Aviva is the third yacht of her name delivered to owner Joe Lewis, British businessman and major shareholder in Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. The first, a 62 metre Winch design, was built at Feadship in the Netherlands; the second, a 68 metre Reymond Langton design , at Abeking & Rasmussen on the banks of the Weser river in Lemwerder, near Bremen.

For his grandest project yet Lewis returned to Abeking. “They were, surprisingly, much less conservative than other people. Maybe it’s because of the military stuff they do,” says Toby Silverton, head of design on the project, working with Reymond Langton, and who was also involved in Lewis’s two previous projects.

The yard’s biggest project had been 82.48 metre Secret and to take on Aviva it extended its build shed to accommodate yachts of up to 125 metres — a bold move into a larger size category. And its courage didn’t end there.

“Build a big yacht around a padel tennis court was the main brief, I guess,” says the yard’s project manager Andreas Hering, with admirable understatement. “In three years.”

How 74.5m Abeking & Rasmussen Elandess sprang from a blank sheet of paper

A project of this size might easily take five years, even if the yard already had a shed big enough for the purpose. And this was a highly unusual project. Design was accelerated too: the complex interior was penned in six months, when they would have liked a year; and the exterior in just one month, when it might more comfortably have taken six.

Knowing that makes Aviva ’s elegant profile even more impressive. “There was a lot of work to [visually] break up the mass, using facets,” says Langton. “We also tried to keep the lines long, so the sheer line is very long and jumps up forward with a clean line.”

They also minimised the details that act as size references, to disguise the scale. Rub rails are eliminated, stanchions replaced with glass, crew quarters windows are grouped to create long lines of glazing and even the anchor pocket has been elongated and disguised, lest a little square of gleaming stainless gives the game away.

Some upright elements of the silver superstructure were also picked out in a darker shade. “They disappear a bit, which makes the slope of the boat more raked,” says Langton.

The long bow adds to the effect, but the aesthetic is the beneficiary of a practical decision: this boat will roam far and the long covered bow makes it likely to survive the kind of rogue waves that have battered a few cruise ships over the years.

“I talked to the captain of the QE2 who went through a wave, and what happens is all the wheelhouse windows smash, they had four foot of water, you then lose all your instruments and they had no ability to control the boat, communicate or navigate,” says Silverton.

To strengthen Aviva he added extra watertight doors and armoured the two forward VIP cabins and superyacht wheelhouse so that they could be sealed off to save the boat. “You can lose everything on the bridge and you can still navigate and control the boat from the engine room,” he says.

Apart from safety, the main aim of the naval architecture was stability. Before the build of Lewis’s second Aviva , Silverton had been frustrated by a lack of data on how rolling motion affects passengers, so he put 36 people in a motion simulator for three days.

“There’s two things: one is the period of roll and the second is the way it rolls,” he says. “The typical roll period of the 62 metre would be around 7.5-7.8 seconds, one of two roll periods people were particularly upset by. And we found that if it was a soft stop and then a soft movement away again, people were much more tolerant of it.”

The design of the second boat addressed those concerns and the new Aviva ’s hull — patent pending — is an evolution of that. It has a nipped in “waist” which bulges back out below the waterline. This both slows and softens the roll. Her near-vertical bow and narrow sailing boat-like stern (which helps reduce pitching) also aid efficiency.

So much so that they were able to go down two engine sizes from the original spec (she has two MTU 16V4000 M73Ls, which put out 2,880kW each) and still hit 20.3 knots in sea trials. Silverton notes that she runs most comfortably at a zippy 16.5 knots, despite an official cruising speed of 14 knots.

Supplementary electric motors offer smooth manoeuvring and silent 11 knot running at night, while extra solidity comes from MAGLift stabilisers aft and one pair of fin stabilisers forward.

But it is the padel tennis court that lies literally and metaphorically at the heart of this project. This high intensity squash-tennis hybrid is a daily routine for Lewis and his explorations with his previous yachts had been limited to destinations with courts.

“The original idea I had was to put it on the aft end main deck and have folding panels and sliding walls,” says Langton. “It never even entered my head to put it inside, because it’s so big.”

Not only would putting the court at the back have made for a profile that Langton likens to a pick-up truck, but Silverton notes that the court would not have been playable at main-deck level. “You’re way above the roll centre, so it’s moving sideways – humans can’t cope with sideways movement of the ground,” says Silverton. “So we looked at putting it as low down as possible.”

Achieving such a large area in that position was an engineering feat but the results are spectacular. Its dimensions short-circuit spatial understanding — it seems impossible that this towering 6.65 metre tall space could be accommodated in Aviva ’s profile.

But it is, and it functions beautifully. “We’re running along at 19 knots, white horses everywhere, and they’re downstairs playing padel having no idea that there’s any sea at all,” says Silverton.

This sort of intelligent ambition has transformed every space on board into something special. “The owner has been in many businesses – hospitality, hotels – so he really understands how spaces work,” says Silverton.

Apart from strategically placed pantries and concealed crew entrances, there are three massive dumb waiters, a lower deck entrance for loading supplies, a dedicated crew galley and much more. The final GA was version 57.

On the more glamorous side of this equation, the upper saloon is a highly functional family room that’s comfortable, bright and airy. The sofas are extra squashy, and there’s a games table as well as a sculptural Bogányi piano.

The head height is 2.6 metres and nine metres of openable full-height windows run along each side of the room – with balconies. Rather than the usual glass, doors to the aft deck are leather clad, making the room feel more private. In fine weather, with those doors open, glass panels slide out to surround the aft deck dining area, creating one long, protected inside/outside space.

Designing such a huge area without pillars for support was a challenge and the corners are, says Hering, packed with extra structure. “Also, in the ceiling, all the girders are very thick because the unsupported length is just enormous.”

In contrast to this space, the main saloon below is a glamorous introduction to Aviva , up the sweeping superyacht staircase from the swim platform and inside to take in starry pieces from the owner’s art collection from a round of sunken seating. Adding a dash of intrigue there’s a secret cinema forward of the space, behind a hidden door.

The master suite is in the nose of the main deck rather than higher up, for extra stability. It stretches from a full-beam cabin to a massive bathroom centred with a monolithic Corian bathtub (there’s a spa just aft of the cabin for even more serious pampering), to a wardrobe-cum-dressing room of spectacular scale and glamour, inspired by Chanel boutiques.

But while some spaces are grand in scale, others are decidedly intimate. Rather than a dining saloon, there are two art-filled “bistros” on board for cosy meals, and many other small dining areas elsewhere. The owner’s bridge deck office is also modestly proportioned, with a conference room next door for larger meetings.

In terms of interior style, the owner’s brief was for something revolutionary. “He didn’t want anything to be symmetrical, it had to be curvy or organic,” says Langton. “He wanted it to be very different. No wood, nothing traditional.”

From the furniture and fittings to walls and overheads, there is barely a straight line on this boat. That was no mean feat for Abeking & Rasmussen’s outfitter Rodiek, which, as well as building most of the yacht’s bespoke furniture in organic forms, produced undulating wall panels from high density CNC-milled foam. “Five or ten years ago this was only used to do models or moulds for the car industry. It is very expensive,” says Langton.

It is, however, perfect for creating curves. “For this boat we decided to use a lot of new materials, even for the base materials, because of the big curved ceiling spaces,” says Hilmar Westermeyer, COO of Rodiek, who had to buy a new CNC milling machine for the project. Rodiek works only for Abeking & Rasmussen (and vice versa) in a symbiotic relationship.

In terms of the interior styling, the ethos was love it or lose it — at least visually. “This door disappears when it is closed and becomes part of the wall,” says Langton in one of the forward VIPs, swinging it to the latch, where its undulations perfectly meet those on the wall. “You either make a door a feature, make it beautiful, or you make it disappear.” The same goes for handles: those on wardrobes are invisible, but ones used on cabin doors are gnarled and textural, incorporated into a cracked bronze plate “like desert clay”.

“Because we’ve not used any wood, basically the whole interior is a mixture of leather and lacquer, it’s really almost tailored.” Take the artfully stitched cream leather of window frames, or the iridescent shot silk that runs down the broad main deck corridor, printed with a bespoke cartographical motif.

A neutral palette is enriched with precious materials: sunset-toned onyx, vanilla marble, shagreen, shimmering leathers. There are glossy panels dripping with resin and acrylic by Alex Turco in the lobby, and panels of velvet mottled with gold, by Sabina Fay Braxton, above guest beds. Staircases are works of art; one with floating treads like turbine blades, another a leather and glass form that spirals up from the floor.

This interior — where, as Langton puts it, almost every surface has “richness and form” – melts into the deck spaces via visual tricks: organic patterns in the Esthec decking that continue in the interior carpets; or the bar that is half in the main saloon and half on the aft deck, a mirror image joining the two spaces.

The superyacht sundeck is the exterior equivalent of the upper saloon — a comfortable family lounge. This massive space, with sunshine yellow upholstery, runs from a shaded central area for dining, with a projector for movie nights, to an aft sunbathing area with sunpads (with a wedge shape to sit as well as lie) and another forward around a spa pool, set low against a glass windbreak for spectacular views.

This forward end is a cosy space like so many on board. It’s that understanding of usable, enjoyable spaces, of human scale, human comfort and passions that makes Aviva a truly grand design. Those 98 metres just help pack it all on board.

First published in the April 2018 edition of BOAT International. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.

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This 321-Foot Superyacht Was Allegedly Used as a Secret Venue for Insider Trading, According to a Lawsuit

The securities and exchange commission claims billionaire joe lewis shared insider information while aboard the outlandish vessel., tori latham, tori latham's most recent stories.

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British billionaire Joe Lewis—the owner of the Tottenham Hotspurs—has become embroiled in an insider trading case. But there’s a surprising side character in the saga: Lewis’s superyacht , Aviva .

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Joe Lewis’ $250 million superyacht, ranked among the world’s 25-most valuable, sets sail after he pays US fine

Tottenham Hotspur Football Club owner Joe Lewis

Joe Lewis’ superyacht is on the move again after spending most of the past year holed up in a Mediterranean port while the British billionaire faced insider-trading charges in the US.

His 322-foot (98-meter) Aviva — which he put up as collateral for bail — has traveled more than 400 nautical miles from Malta to cities along Albania’s coast as well as the Greek island of Zakynthos since he was sentenced April 4 to three years probation, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

After departing Zakynthos earlier this week, the Tavistock Group founder’s yacht was near Kalamata in southern Greece on Thursday morning local time, the data show. It’s the most the roughly $250 million vessel has traveled in about seven months, though it’s unclear if Lewis is on board.

Lewis, 87, pledged his yacht along with his private jet to secure his release following his arrest in July. A few months later, Aviva docked until April 5 in the Maltese capital of Valletta, where it can cost as much as €750 ($800) a night to moor vessels that exceed 75 meters.

Lewis, who was scheduled to have eye surgery in London recently, was prohibited from setting foot on the yacht that has long served as part-residence, part-office while awaiting trial. He was only allowed on board after paying a $5 million fine after sentencing, which he settled soon after the verdict in Manhattan.

A representative for Lewis, who has a net worth of about $7.3 billion according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, declined to comment.

Lewis, whose global empire includes five-star hotels, private lenders and enclaves for the wealthy, launched Aviva in 2017. It includes eight guest suites, a helipad, padel tennis court, spa and a cinema. It ranked among the world’s 25-most valuable superyachts shortly after its launch, alongside those owned by Middle Eastern royals.

The yacht has also displayed works from Lewis’ private art collection, which is valued at more than $1 billion and includes pieces by Picasso, Freud, Klimt and Degas.

Events that authorities say took place on the yacht were a key piece of evidence that prosecutors used against him.

At dinner one night in September 2019, the billionaire received favorable news about Mirati Therapeutics Inc., an oncology company where he was a major investor, leading him to pass along the tip to a host of people, including the pilots of his private jet, according to US regulators.

Those pilots — Bryan “Marty” Waugh and Patrick O’Connor — were also charged with trading on inside information. O’Connor pleaded guilty to securities fraud and conspiracy and is due to be sentenced in May, while Waugh is fighting the charges.

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The quaint Devon town where billionaire former Spurs owner has moored his £250m superyacht all summer

The superyacht is on the move around the uk after joe lewis’ sentencing for inisder trading in april, article bookmarked.

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The superyacht has been in Dartmouth since the beginning of August

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The former owner of Tottenham Hotspur FC has moored his £250 million superyacht in the middle of a town in Devon , leaving locals baffled.

Billionaire Joe Lewis, who was recently sentenced for insider trading charges in the US, has moored his giant blue superyacht in Dartmouth for weeks after arriving in the UK tourist destination at the beginning of August.

The 322-foot (98m) luxury vessel Aviva, which the 87-year-old uses partly as a residence and partly as an office, arrived from Troon, Scotland, to the Devonshire coast around 5 August.

The yacht has been pictured dominating the entire landscape of Dartmouth, overshadowing smaller yachts that are docked in the harbour next to the small seaside that lines the shore.

The scenic coastal town of Dartmouth, situated on the banks of the River Dart, has a rich maritime heritage and boasts independent locally-owned boutiques as well as beaches such as Castle Cove and Sugary Cove that attract hundreds of visitors to the small town.

The town holds an annual regatta, one of the oldest events of its kind in the country, that invites yachts, keelboats, sports boats and dinghies to the sporting event held in its port. This year’s event took place on 29 to 31 August while Lewis’ yacht was also moored in the area.

The luxury yacht Aviva , belonging to billionaire Joe Lewis, pictured here by Butler's Wharf in London

The giant yacht is hard to miss, leaving some residents perplexed as to why such a huge boat would want to be moored in a small English town that does not offer the same tropical weather that most superyachts are spotted in .

“I love this town and I wouldn’t want to do it down but why does a billionaire want to stay here for the whole of August instead of the Caribbean or the Med?” one lifelong resident told The Sun .

"It’s just a huge floating gin palace, miles bigger than anything else in the harbour. We’ve seen his crew come and go in a tender but I don’t know if he’s even onboard – nobody’s heard anything,” they added.

It is unclear if Lewis is present on the superyacht while it is being anchored in Devon .

Aviva was built in 2017, can host 16 guests, 25 crew members, and also features an indoor padel tennis court, according to SuperYachtFan .

The superyacht had not been spotted around British waters until recently, as Aviva, along with the owner’s private jet, was put up as collateral for bail after the British billionaire’s arrest in July 2023 for insider trading charges in the US.

Dartmouth, a popular tourist destination in the UK, usually only hosts smaller yachts in its harbour

Lewis was not allowed to set foot on the vessel until he paid a $5m fine after his sentencing in April for sharing business secrets with friends, which also includes three years of prison.

After leaving its base in Malta following the sentencing, Aviva set sail to cities along Albania’s coast as well as the Greek island Zakynthos and Kalamata in southern Greece, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Along with the padel tennis court, the yacht also includes a helipad, spa and a cinema, and was ranked among the world’s 25-most valuable superyachts shortly after its launch, the outlet added.

Aviva is also home to one of the most expensive art collections in the world, with original works by Picasso and Matisse aboard the yacht.

Lewis made his fortune primarily in foreign exchange and investment before buying Tottenham Hotspur in 1991. He is ranked 38th among the UK’s wealthiest people, according to the Sunday Times Rich List , with a net worth of £5.3bn.

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Superyacht Aviva: The award-winning flagship from Abeking & Rasmussen

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Written by Maria Korotaeva

The innovations in the superyacht industry are sometimes profound, oftentimes subtle and mega yacht AVIVA has examples of both: Winner of the Boat International Superyacht Design and Innovation Awards 2018 for Best Lifestyle Feature Design , she is the first superyacht to ever have an indoor padel tennis court, and the logistics behind this new feature have set the groundwork for future designs.

AVIVA. Aft view. Photo credit Guillaume Plisson

Built in 2017 for UK billionaire Joe Lewis, 98m/322ft superyacht AVIVA is the largest yacht ever produced by Abeking & Rasmussen and was built in 2017 for UK billionaire Joe Lewis, who has a fondness for naming his superyachts ‘AVIVA’, the first built by Feadship in 1998 and measured 62m/203ft in length. This is also not the first AVIVA Abeking & Rasmussen have delivered to the British billionaire, the first being 68m/223ft in length in 2007.

Step aboard superyacht AVIVA – tennise court. Photo credit Guillaume Plisson

Reymond Langton Design created the exterior and interior styling for the current AVIVA, and although there are plenty of outdoor areas, it is clear that the focus has been placed upon the voluminous interior of 5,000 GT. The padel tennis court is her most outstanding feature and measures 20m/66ft in length, 10m/33ft wide and almost 7m/22ft in height. This technical achievement involved over 2 tons of sand to recreate the bounce, and soundproofing also came into consideration. Ceiling lighting is plentiful and there is a small, net protected lounge that can be converted into a gym.

tep aboard superyacht AVIVA – tennis court lounge area. Photo credit Guillaume Plisson

“It is not only a lifestyle change for the owner but also for the crew as this is also the largest gym of any yacht,” said the designers at Raymond Langton Design. “The crew is encouraged to play with the owner and guests and when the court is not in use for padel, the net can be removed and the crew plays football and use other exercise equipment in the space. It is after all a sports hall.

AVIVA – exterior space

“The owner is adamant that this is the best padel tennis court in the world, period!”

As superyacht AVIVA is designed as a live-aboard vessel, the colour scheme is modern and practical. Warm and natural tones are used in the fabrics and leather and vibrant accents pop out from the furnishings, while glass and steel are used extensively to manipulate the light. As Joe Lewis uses AVIVA to ‘work from home’, she has excellent internet access and satellite communications, ensuring that he can keep in touch with financial developments anywhere in the world.

Aviva. Photo credit Lewis Yach

Motor yacht Aviva. Photo credit @patrickfranciscarr

The exterior has a large swim platform and beach club in the stern form a large guest area beside the water, and a number of shaded and sun-exposed aft lounging areas run from the main deck up to the sundeck, which are connected by under-lit glass staircases that enhance the atmosphere on board at night. The sundeck is the centre of outdoor activity and here guests have a choice of circular sunpads or secluded sunbathing spots close to the helm station.

Top view. Photo credit Guillaume Plisson

Her technical performance is exemplary as well: A hybrid propulsion system allows AVIVA to travel at 11 knots using electric motors, allowing her access to more sensitive natural areas due to zero emissions. At full speed, she is capable of 20 knots and research into the hull design has resulted in 20% less drag.

Yacht AVIVA. Photo credit Guillaume Plisson

You can view other yachts built by Abeking & Rasmussen here .

Please contact CharterWorld - the luxury yacht charter specialist - for more on superyacht news item "Superyacht Aviva: The award-winning flagship from Abeking & Rasmussen".

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The first yacht to house a full-sized

Padel tennis court.

98M SUPERYACHT- 'AVIVA'

Joe Lewis, the British billionaire, Chairman of Tavistock Group and the 5th richest man in the UK, commissioned this stunning superyacht which was launched in January 2017. She is believed to be valued at US$250 million! That’s £204,225,000.00 GBP!

When Joe’s not at his home in the Bahamas, where Tavistock Group is based, he will be enjoying the luxury on board this 98-metre (322 ft) vessel. He says it’s his ‘home away from home’ and spends much of the year on board, using it as a floating office, wherever in the world it might be.

At the time, Aviva was the largest creation designed by Reymond Langton. It was built by Abeking & Rasmussen who had to create a special system and pontoon in order to launch the super structure, 33 months after signing the contract.

Her hybrid drive system is a special feature whereby using just electric power, and not the main engines, she can cruise at 11 knots. With an eco-friendly system that requires less engine output and reduced fuel consumption, she can reach a max speed of 20 knots.

She sleeps 16 guests in 8 cabins and accommodates a crew of 25 over 12 cabins.

TENNIS COURT

Although you won’t see Aviva in the first half of the ‘top 100 largest yachts in the world’, she is the first yacht to house a full-sized padel tennis court. The indoor court stretches across a 10 metre width, 20 metre length, and 6.65 metre height. It’s hard to imagine a space like this inside any type of yacht, but with her 5000 gross tonnage of interior volume, the size of the court didn’t have to be compromised.

Joe plays the sport with his guests or his crew members, who are also encouraged to use the ‘sports hall’ for football and other exercise activities when the net is removed. Not only that, but there is a small lounging area for spectators, hidden behind a protective net.

Aviva’s tenders are launched through her side doors, and she also boasts a ‘beach club’ area created by a swimming platform that opens up onto the ocean.

This year Forbes valued Joe Lewis at £4.358 Billion

The 82-year-old owner has an impressive portfolio after starting his career at the age of 15, joining his father’s catering company in London. He made his initial wealth from the sale of that company in 1979, then switched his residency to the Bahamas and moved into currency trading. He now has investments in over 200 businesses and is a Tottenham Hotspur FC major shareholder.

FOURTH YACHT

Prior to his 98-meter flagship, Joe owned 3 other yachts. His first was a 62-meter Feadship in 1998, called Lady Aviva. However, this caught fire later, in the Red Sea, and was eventually salvaged by Dennis Washington, who transformed the yacht, renaming her Attessa III. Joe’s second yacht was the 60-meter Oceanco, named Alfa Four, which was built in 2004. She is now known as Sea Pearl. In 2007, Joe took delivery of a 68-meter Aviva, also built by Abeking & Rasmussen.

Joe must like his toys as we are also aware that he owns a private jet worth US$30 million (£24,504,600.00 GBP). The Embraer Legacy 600, which seats 12 passengers, has a registration that refers to Tottenham Hotspurs FC and reads; ‘G-THFC’.

Aviva was recently moored at Keppel Bay in Singapore, where we managed to get a few shots of her in all her glory!

The blue innovative steel hull design really stands out in the crowd.

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Superyachts

AVIVA Yacht – Unique $250 M Superyacht

Delivered in 2017, the AVIVA superyacht is a striking sight with its length of 98.4 meters (322.83 ft), ranking it high on the list of largest yachts worldwide .

Built by the renowned German shipyard Abeking & Rasmussen, AVIVA has been a standout in the world of luxury yachts since its inception, winning the Motor Yacht of the Year award at the World Superyacht Awards in 2018.

	Aviva
	98m (323 ft)
	16
	25
	Abeking & Rasmussen
	Reymond Langton
	Reymond Langton
	2017
	20 knots
	MTU
	4,966 ton
	1012957
	US $250 million
	US$ 15 – 25 million

AVIVA Yacht

Mr. Lewis started his early entrepreneurial life by currency trading, enabling him to have a more thorough insight into the business world.

Making him one of the wealthiest people on the earth with an accumulated net worth of over 4.5 billion pounds; enabled him to buy many luxury cars and Aviva yacht, the 250-million-dollar beast.

AVIVA was built by the boat building company Abeking & Rasmussen , situated in Lower Saxony. Abeking & Rasmussen is a company aimed at engineering yachts, naval vessels, and cruise ships.

They were also responsible for building AVIVA’s sisters Elandess , Cloudbreak, and Excellence.

Reymond Langton Design was responsible for designing this gorgeous yacht. They are an award-winning company that prides itself on its creativity and passion with well over a decade of experience in the superyacht designing industry.

They were also responsible for creating the Serene superyacht and Nobiskrug yacht Mogambo.

AVIVA Yacht Exterior

AVIVA’s exterior displays a sleek and modern all-blue design, distinctive among today’s superyachts. Notable outdoor facilities include a Jacuzzi, a large swimming pool, a helipad, and a spacious sundeck for relaxation and entertainment.

The yacht also boasts a collection of water toys, including jet skis, sea bobs, and inflatable slides for guests to enjoy.

AVIVA Yacht Interior

Designed by Reymond Langton Design in collaboration with Toby Silverton, AVIVA’s interior offers a contemporary and luxurious aesthetic. The yacht can accommodate up to 16 guests in eight state-of-the-art suites, complemented by a crew of 35.

The owner’s suite, located on the upper deck, features an office, private lounge, and a large en suite bathroom. The remaining guest cabins, consisting of two VIP suites and five double cabins, can be found on the main deck, each outfitted with en suite facilities.

AVIVA’s standout feature is a full-size padel tennis court, located in the lower deck. The yacht also features a beach club, a spa, a gym, a swimming pool, and an elevator connecting all the decks.

Similar to her sister yachts, she is also made of steel and has a solid superstructure made out of aluminum.

Powering this 98-meter-long superyacht are twin diesel-electric MTU engines capable of outputting 3,862 horsepower.

Along with her 364,705-litre fuel tanks, she can run comfortably at a speed of 14 knots and reach a max speed of 20 knots.

AVIVA can now comfortably accommodate 16 guests and carry up to 35 crew members after being refitted twice since its launch.

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AVIVA Yacht Price

The estimated cost of AVIVA was around US $150 million. The annual running costs are estimated to be between US $12 to 15 million, based on usage.

AVIVA is not currently for sale or available for charter.

AVIVA yacht in Gibraltar

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Abeking & Rasmussen
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Billionaire parked superyacht off Devon coast for nearly a month

B illionaire former Tottenham Hotspur owner Joe Lewis has 'taken over' a picturesque Devon town after parking his £250million superyacht off the coast for almost a month.

The superyacht acts as a floating home for the private businessman, who is worth approximately $6.4billion (£4.8billion), and features onyx and marble interiors, an office and even a padel tennis court.

The 322-foot custom-built yacht has been docked in Dartmouth since the beginning of August after arriving from Troon, Scotland around August 5.

But local residents have complained about the boats long-term presence, calling it 'an absolute eyesore' and saying it is 'totally out of place in beautiful Dartmouth'

Aviva had not been seen in British waters for some time as it was held as collateral by US courts for over a year whilst Lewis faced charges of insider trading conspiracy charges which he pleaded guilty to in January, admitting to sharing insider secrets about publicly traded companies with several individuals.

Under US sentencing guidelines, Lewis faced 18 months to two years behind bars but he escaped jail time because of his age and medical issues and was instead handed a sentence of three years probation and $5million (£3.8million) fine.

One lifelong local questioned why the billionaire would want to spend nearly a month in Dartmouth, where it has been raining a lot, instead of somewhere more tropical like the Caribbean or the Mediterranean

They told The Sun : 'I guess he’s here for the regatta that starts this week but who knows how long he’ll stay.

'It’s just a huge floating gin palace, miles bigger than anything else in the harbour. We’ve seen his crew come and go in a tender but I don’t know if he’s even onboard - nobody’s heard anything.'

Aviva was built in 2017, sleeps 16 people and has a top speed of 20 knots and an eco-friendly hybrid electric propulsion system.

Lewis was born and raised in the UK, and turned his father's catering business, Tavistock Banqueting, into a company that sold luxury goods to American tourists, before turning to currency trading in the 1970s.

He moved to the Bahamas to avoid paying UK tax rates, and made millions betting against the British pound and the Mexican peso in the 1990s.

He eventually bought Tottenham Hotspur, though was removed as a 'person of significant control' in 2022 after it was handed over to a family trust.

Billionaire parked superyacht off Devon coast for nearly a month

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Yacht Aviva on the Hudson River above the George Washington Bridge, New York. Photo by Acroterion via wikipedia.

Joe Lewis’ $250 Million Yacht Sets Sail After He Pays US Fine

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By Ben Stupples and Ava Benny-Morrison

(Bloomberg) –Joe Lewis’ superyacht is on the move again after spending most of the past year holed up in a Mediterranean port while the British billionaire faced insider-trading charges in the US.

A representative for Lewis, who has a net worth of about $7.3 billion according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, declined to comment.

The yacht has also displayed works from Lewis’ private art collection, which is valued at more than $1 billion and includes pieces by Picasso, Freud, Klimt and Degas.

Events that authorities say took place on the yacht were a key piece of evidence that prosecutors used against him.

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Billionaire ex-Premier League owner’s £250m superyacht has ‘taken over’ our town for WEEKS – it’s ‘totally out of place’

Stephen Moyes
Ryan Merrifield
Published : 9:17 ET, Sep 1 2024
Updated : 16:13 ET, Sep 1 2024

A SUPERYACHT owned by billionaire former Spurs owner Joe Lewis has been branded an eyesore by locals after it was moored in a Devon town for almost a month.

The £250 million, 322ft luxury yacht 'Aviva' - which acts as the reclusive billionaire’s floating home and office and features a full-size padel tennis court - has been moored in Dartmouth since the start of August.

Joe Lewis' £250m superyacht has been parked up in Dartmouth for weeks

It arrived from Troon, Scotland , around August 5 - one of the first times the floating palace has been in UK waters since it was held as collateral by US courts for over a year while British tycoon Lewis faced charges of “brazen” insider trading.

In April, the 87-year-old was spared jail due to his ailing health but was fined $5million (£3.8m) and sentenced to three years probation.

But the ongoing presence of the yacht has upset some in the town with Michael Rowland branding the boat “an absolute eyesore” and Geraldine Wood arguing it was “totally out of place in beautiful Dartmouth”.

Another lifelong resident told The Sun: “I love this town and I wouldn’t want to do it down but why does a billionaire want to stay here for the whole of August instead of the Caribbean or the Med?

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"The weather is crap, it's been raining constantly for the last few weeks.

"I guess he’s here for the regatta that starts this week but who knows how long he’ll stay.

"It’s just a huge floating gin palace, miles bigger than anything else in the harbour. We’ve seen his crew come and go in a tender but I don’t know if he’s even onboard - nobody’s heard anything."

Aviva was built in 2017 and has a capacity of 16 with a top speed of 20 knots and an eco-friendly hybrid electric propulsion system.

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Lewis started out working for his father’s catering business in London before selling up and moving to the Bahamas to live as a tax exile.

He started currency trading in the 1980s and made a fortune betting against the pound in the 1992 crash dubbed Black Wednesday.

According to the 2023 Sunday Times Rich List, the East End-born, twice-married tycoon has an estimated fortune of £5.1billion.

He reportedly has an art collection worth £1 billion.

He bought Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur in 1991, and the club was transferred to the Lewis Family Trust in 2022.

JOE LEWIS' LUXURY YACHT AVIVA

Joe Lewis rarely attended Tottenham Hotspur matches despite being owner for 30 years.

A tax exile since his days as a currency trader in the 1980s, he prefers life on his superyacht in the Caribbean.

Lewis' vessel - which measures 98 metres or 322ft - is the fourth yacht named Aviva built specifically for him.

It replaced the 68m Aviva III, with both designed by Reymond Langton and built by Lemwerder-based German builder Abeking & Rasmussen.

The hull was built at Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft and launched in 2015.

Aviva acts as Lewis' floating office and home, and features an indoor, full-sized padel tennis court.

In May 2013, Spurs went on a trip to the Bahamas and were welcomed on board the vessel by host Joe.

Michael Dawson, who was the club captain at the time, said: "I had never met him before, so it was nice to go over there and a great experience.

“What a really nice guy. And that yacht is unreal! But he’s just a normal guy.

"You could chat to him about anything. He tunes into all the games , he loves it.

"We just sat there chatting. He made us feel so welcome over there. It was relaxed. A lot of team bonding together.

"It helps to be able to put a face to the person investing so much in this club he wants to be successful.

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"He’s always watching. He knows what goes on. He would remember every game, every little thing."

The Sun has contacted Lewis' company Tavistock for comment.

The yacht was specially designed for Lewis and acts as his home and office

WHO IS JOE LEWIS?

Joe Lewis is a billionaire British businessman and investor, best known for being the majority owner of Premier League football club Tottenham Hotspur between 1991 and 2022.

He was born on February 5 1937 and lived above a pub with his family in Bow, East London.

Lewis left school at 15 to help run his father's West End catering firm, Tavistock Banqueting.

He went on to takeover the business and expand it before selling up in 1979 to make his initial wealth.

The entrepreneur moved into currency trading in the 1980s and 1990s, during which time he moved to the Bahamas as a tax exile.

In 1992, Lewis made a fortune betting against the pound prior to the Black Wednesday crash.

The previous year he had taken ownership of Spurs.

He remains the main investor of Tavistock Group, which owns more than 200 companies worldwide.

Lewis is also the largest shareholder in pub group Mitchells & Butlers via his investment vehicle Piedmont, and was previously majority owner of ENIC Group.

In July 2023 the US attorney for the Southern District of New York charged him with multiple counts of insider trading.

He pleaded guilty in January this year but in April was spared jail and instead sentenced to probation and fined $5 million (£3.8m).

According to the 2023 Sunday Times Rich List, he has an estimated fortune of a whopping £5.1billion.

Tottenham Hotspur