• International edition
  • Australia edition
  • Europe edition

Yacht enthusiasts at the Superyacht Soiree at Jones Bay Wharf, Sydney on 11 March 2023

‘Yachts at the top’: power, privacy and privilege in the world of Australian superyachts

Superyachts are floating markers of power and luxury, and sales are booming. As Australia hopes to lure more of the vessels and their elite clientele, what do we know about this world?

  • NSW election 2023 live news and updates: polls, voting and results updates
  • Get our morning and afternoon news emails , free app or daily news podcast

Visible from the footpath at the water’s edge, the superyachts berthed at Melbourne City Marina bob gently up and down, their sleek and shiny exteriors reflecting the placid waters below.

For me, and most people on this planet, this is about as close as we are likely to get to a superyacht. In Australia, that’s a pleasurecraft longer than 24 metres. Internationally, the starting length is 30 metres. The City of Melbourne recently spent $1.97m upgrading Victoria Harbour, including its four superyacht berths, to fit vessels up to 67 metres long. But for the tiny portion of the world’s ultra wealthy for whom superyacht size is a matter of concern, 67 metres is fairly moderate. The longest privately owned superyacht in the world is the 180-metre Azzam, reportedly built for the former president of the United Arab Emirates , the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Superyachts are markers of power and extravagance. They are floating, transportable six-star hotels, capable of including everything from nail parlours to gyms, helipads and boardrooms, marble bathrooms and priceless art, as well as what the industry calls “toys” – from jet skis worth the equivalent of the average Australian worker’s salary to private submarines worth millions.

In a recent memoir, the longtime Australian seafarer and superyacht captain Brendan O’Shannassy writes: “Until space travel becomes a commercial reality, [superyachts] are the greatest display of wealth on the planet.”

Yacht enthusiasts at the Superyacht Soiree at Jones Bay Wharf, Sydney on 11 March 2023

For all their capacity to allow long-distance travel in extreme luxury, though, superyachts aren’t frequent visitors to Australian waters. The local industry has been lobbying to change that, and state and federal governments have made superyacht-friendly moves, hitching millions of dollars in public infrastructure upgrades and tax concessions to claims that these will bring millions in economic benefits to every port in which a vessel makes anchor.

But despite public money going towards establishing and upgrading infrastructure that is only accessible to the very privileged few, there’s been little public scrutiny of this elite industry.

S uperyachts are not super common, although their numbers are growing. Sales company Edmiston recently estimated that the global fleet comprised a total of 5,892 vessels – representing an increase of 44% over the last decade. Most of those yachts are between 30 and 50 metres (4,957); 13% are between 50 and 80 metres (753) and 3% are over 80 metres (182).

There are only about 120 superyachts owned by Australians, concentrated mostly around Sydney Harbour and south-east Queensland. About half of them are charter vessels. It’s likely all of them have, at some point, been through Captain Richard Morris’s hands.

Fresh off the plane from the Dubai Boat Show, Morris tells Guardian Australia that he got his start in the merchant navy at 17, before landing a job as a deckhand two years later on the 86-metre superyacht Nabila, owned by the influential and extravagant Saudi arms dealer, fixer and liaison of presidents and tycoons Adnan Khashoggi. Nabila was Khashoggi’s third yacht and the height of ostentatious luxury when it launched in 1980. Its 100 rooms included Italian hand-carved onyx bathrooms, a patisserie, a movie theatre, a hair salon, a hospital with an operating theatre, and 320 metres of Italian leather upholstery. When Khashoggi’s empire began to decay in the late 80s, he sold Nabila to Donald Trump for $29m – considered a bargain – with the businessman who would later become US president renaming the yacht the Trump Princess .

Morris, meanwhile, left Nabila after a year and began building his own career as a seafarer, becoming a captain at just 27 and a master mariner. He moved ashore in 1999 and was hired by NSW Maritime to build a new superyacht marina in Rozelle Bay.

Superyacht captain Richard Morris

“That was the beginning of superyachting in Australia,” Morris says. “Prior to that, only a few people here had superyachts, because there was the tall poppy syndrome – high net wealth Australians were reluctant to show their extreme wealth.”

The Sydney Olympics in 2000 changed that, Morris says. The marina development was partly to accommodate the super wealthy who were planning to bring their yachts down for the Games. Morris managed the marina for the next decade, before moving into local superyacht sales and charters.

The Sydney experience is one that the industry is keen to replicate for the forthcoming Brisbane Olympics. The mining magnate Gina Rinehart may have been lampooned by the public in 2021 when she complained that she had nowhere to moor her yacht in Brisbane , but the Queensland Labor government appears to agree it should invest in more superyacht infrastructure. It’s had a multiyear superyacht strategy since 2018, and in May last year it was updated and extended to take the Olympics into account.

Its listed achievements so far include $28m to upgrade the Cairns Marine Precinct, $2.87m for a 160-metre superyacht berth on the Gold Coast, and planning for 80-metre superyacht facilities and additional marinas in new developments on the Spit. Its stated goal is for Queensland to be “world recognised as the major superyacht hub in the Asia-Pacific region”. Economic modelling for industry lobby group Superyacht Australia argues the 2032 Games presents “an unparalleled opportunity to springboard the sector on to the global stage and demonstrate the prosperity the sector can support in Australia”. It hopes Australia will reach 8% of the global market – that’s 533 vessels – in the next three years, which it says will yield hundreds of millions of dollars in direct economic benefits.

Yacht enthusiasts at the Superyacht Soiree at Jones Bay Wharf, Sydney on 11 March 2023

Until just prior to the pandemic, superyachts could not come to Australia without the owner paying a hefty tax on the vessel, with the visiting multimillion-dollar vessels treated as though they were being imported permanently into the country. That changed with the passage of the Special Recreational Vessels Act 2019. The act, which relieves the owner of having to pay import duties including GST, was hitched as a rider to various unrelated bills by the Coalition government until it was passed as a standalone just before Christmas in 2019.

The legislation allows foreign vessels to be chartered while in Australian waters, with GST payable only on the charter itself.

Sign up for a weekly email featuring our best reads

The then member for the Queensland seat of Dawson, George Christensen, claimed it as a pet project. “I have been very, very pushy in getting this legislation to come forward,” Christensen said at the time.

Christensen claimed the bill was “just about ensuring that local communities can get some of the coin that these people drop”. Labor passed the bill with minor amendments.

Since then, six superyachts have applied for a temporary licence, with just four making the trip.

‘It’s your world’

The industry estimates that the local market for superyacht charter or purchase is 1% of the population. It sees it as a subset of the cruise market, which is estimated to capture about 5% of Australians.

It’s hard to ignore the symbolism of that figure, the 1%. Morris’s anecdotes help to illustrate just how that plays out in practice. In 2011, the manager of U2 called him, he recalls, hoping to find a suitable superyacht for the band who were dissatisfied with the crowds at the Park Hyatt. (He was unable to find one that met the band’s specific desires.) That same year, Morris put up the actor Kevin Spacey in the 37-metre Tango during Spacey’s run as Richard III in Sam Mendes’s production that toured Sydney’s Lyric theatre.

“Dinner was at 1am and [Spacey’s] guests would leave at 4am. Then the yacht would move to Rose Bay and he’d sleep till midday, and then come back and do it all again,” Morris says.

“It’s an option for these very high-profile people. They’re anchored in the middle of the harbour. The level of security and discretion that a superyacht provides is much better than any hotel. They can control their world. And that’s the essence of yachting – it’s your world.”

When Covid lockdowns hit, owners of superyachts raced to their vessels, escaping up to the Great Barrier Reef instead of staying at home, Morris says. The associated freedom saw a boom in superyacht sales in 2021 . Since the onset of the war in Ukraine, however, superyachts have also become associated with sanctioned Russian oligarchs. Not without reason: they represented 30% of the global market. Documents recently revealed, for example, that the former Chelsea FC boss Roman Abramovich owned 16 superyachts , a full eight of which were support vessels for the 162.5-metre A$649.5m Eclipse he’d had built in 2010.

Morris says there were Russians who had planned to come to Australia prior to the war – one of whom was going to contract him to manage his yacht. It would have put millions through his business. The sanctions, though, have “put the fear of God through the industry”, he says.

“If I was managing a Russian yacht I would have gotten rid of it. It’s so lucrative, though, that a lot of people didn’t. I’m glad that the Russian client didn’t come. Sure, I missed out on huge revenue, but that’s not the point.”

T he 2032 Olympics aren’t the local industry’s only goal. Another is to bring more vessels to Australia to make use of the shipyards – mainly in Queensland and Western Australia – for maintenance, retrofitting and building. Another still is to increase the number of Australians joining the superyacht workforce.

after newsletter promotion

On Facebook groups like Superyacht Crew , keen industry up-and-comers post pictures of themselves – snorkelling, in uniform, sipping a glass of wine in a party dress – alongside their formal qualifications and experience. The semi-casual CV comes with added notes about the seafarer’s personality, including whether or not they have tattoos (being tattoo-free appears to be a selling point).

Employment standards, however, can vary. Commercially registered yachts available for charter, which usually have permanent captain and crew despite the rotating guest list, are bound by the Maritime Labour Convention 2006, which lays out minimum standards of employment, including legally enforceable contracts, maximum working hours per week, shore leave and annual leave entitlements, and the right to return to your country of residence for free. Enforcement of those standards is the responsibility of the country under whose flag the ship sails, and yachts chartering out of Australia need to be registered here.

Private yachts are a different story. They are not automatically covered by the Maritime Labour Convention, and employment contracts are often managed by owners’ personal office staff. Non-disclosure agreements are common, and rumours abound that upsetting the wrong people on board can see you unceremoniously dumped at the nearest port.

Superyacht crew in Australia are not covered by any union-based collective bargaining agreements. The Maritime Union of Australia national secretary, Paddy Crumlin, tells Guardian Australia that the MUA doesn’t have a real presence among the superyacht labour force, but alleges exploitation and harassment are rife. Morris vehemently rejects this, saying the working conditions on superyachts are “exceptional”, better than cruising or commercial shipping, higher paid, and far exceeding the minimums set by the Maritime Labour Convention.

Guardian Australia was unable to speak to any junior superyacht crew directly, despite attempts, but a survey of 402 superyacht crew members conducted by the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network in 2018 described them as mainly well paid. More than 90% of survey respondents – male and female – said they felt safe on board, though 53% of female crew said they had experienced discrimination, harassment or bullying from owners, other crew or guests, compared with 30% of men, who most commonly experienced it from captains or other senior crew. The level of work-related stress was high, particularly among women.

No matter who ultimately owns them, private yachts are likely to be flying what the industry calls a “flag of convenience”, which can make standards harder to enforce, as the boat can spend very little, if any, time in its country of registration. Flags of convenience are a common maritime business practice, though, including in cruising and freight. And the results can be ironic: a cursory registry search of some high-profile private superyachts reveals, for example, that the mining magnate Andrew Forrest’s 58.2-metre Pangaea Ocean Explorer – which will shortly carry out environmental surveys on the DNA of ocean life, assisted by $3m in federal funding to Forrest’s Minderoo Foundation – sails under the Jamaican flag. Clive Palmer’s 56-metre $40m yacht, despite being patriotically named Australia , is registered in Malta.

Control, chameleons and seasick fish

What is it that draws the ultra rich to yachting?

“Control,” says David Good, the chief executive of industry peak body Superyachts Australia. “You can control the itinerary, who is on board and what food is going to be served. During the pandemic, when you were on board was probably the only time you could fully take control of who was going to be with you and your family. Covid was probably one of the best things that ever happened to boating in general.”

Superyachts Australia CEO David Good

Sam Sorgiovanni concurs. He’s used to catering to the whims of wealth: a sought-after designer based in Western Australia with about 35 years of experience, Sorgiovanni estimates he’s designed at least 20 superyachts. The biggest challenges usually relate to balancing functionality with the budget constraints of the commissioner. But some design requests are more complicated.

For the Nirvana, Sorgiovanni says his company designed two onboard terrariums for chameleons, water dragons, turtles and frogs, and a separate cricket facility to breed the reptiles’ food. The terrarium included curtains to shield the animals from the disco lights of an adjacent salon. On Anastasia and Barbara – owned by the same Russian billionaire as Nirvana – the designers were asked to include fish tanks. Unfortunately, they later discovered, fish kept in a tank on a boat die – from seasickness.

The origin of most of the super wealth that fuels superyacht ownership is natural resources, Sorgiovanni says. But criticism of the industry, he says, echoing Morris, is “tall poppy syndrome”.

“Yachting is the greatest redistribution of wealth around. Although it is for the privileged few, if you take a 100-metre yacht, there’s 50 crew on board, they’re all being paid, they’ve all got families, and wherever that yacht goes, especially if we’re allowing them to come into charter, as soon as it pulls into port … it would be millions generated every time the vessel comes in,” he says.

“It’s a pyramid. We’ve got the yachts at the top, and a pyramid of suppliers underneath it.”

Yacht enthusiasts at the Superyacht Soiree at Jones Bay Wharf, Sydney

S altwater and air is hard on boats, and superyachts require a lot of money for upkeep, and a lot of maintenance. So when an owner abandons ship, the vessels suddenly become very large and very unwieldy public burdens.

In February, the government of Antigua and Barbuda claimed and put up for auction the 82-metre Alfa Nero, which it said had been abandoned in Falmouth Harbour since early last year. The owner is rumoured to be the Russian oligarch Andrey Guryev; Guryev has denied owning the yacht, according to other reports.

That same month, the 29-metre superyacht Nakoa broke free of its moorings in Honolua Bay in north-west Maui, Hawaii, and drifted before running hard aground in shallow water, peppered by rocks and reef.

The US Coast Guard seized jurisdiction of the yacht after its owner, the charter mogul Jim Jones, informed authorities that he would not organise or pay for the boat’s salvage. Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources said in a series of statements that Jones would instead receive a bill of at least US$460,000 for the salvage effort, and may face further penalties and possible legal action.

Facing widespread criticism, Jones told Honolulu media that he was “taking responsibility” for the matter. “We’ve been talking to the DLNR to let them know we’re not leaving them with the bill,” Jones said. “We’re not running.”

Timely and safe salvage was important to the local community but also to the environment. The grounding occurred just outside a significant marine conservation zone, and the yacht struck and damaged at least 30 corals and live rocks, its hull leaking diesel into the reef. Footage of the wreck circulated on social media, where commenters raged about the fuel seeping into the pristine water and the damage to the reef.

It took contractors three salvage attempts over nearly two weeks to dislodge the 122-tonne Nakoa. On 5 March, three tugboats managed to drag it back into the water. As they set off to tow the yacht to Honolulu, a pod of humpback whales surfaced and escorted the boats out of the bay, away from the marine sanctuary.

The Nakoa never made it back to dock . Halfway to Honolulu, the yacht began listing heavily. Unable to be dragged any further, it was scuttled in the deep channel between the islands of Maui and Molokai, and left to sink to the ocean floor.

The whales swam on.

  • Inequality reporting

Most viewed

Boat logo

The global authority in superyachting

  • NEWSLETTERS
  • Yachts Home
  • The Superyacht Directory
  • Yacht Reports
  • Brokerage News
  • The largest yachts in the world
  • The Register
  • Yacht Advice
  • Yacht Design
  • 12m to 24m yachts
  • Monaco Yacht Show
  • Builder Directory
  • Designer Directory
  • Interior Design Directory
  • Naval Architect Directory
  • Yachts for sale home
  • Motor yachts
  • Sailing yachts
  • Explorer yachts
  • Classic yachts
  • Sale Broker Directory
  • Charter Home
  • Yachts for Charter
  • Charter Destinations
  • Charter Broker Directory
  • Destinations Home
  • Mediterranean
  • South Pacific
  • Rest of the World
  • Boat Life Home
  • Owners' Experiences
  • Interiors Suppliers
  • Owners' Club
  • Captains' Club
  • BOAT Showcase
  • Boat Presents
  • Events Home
  • World Superyacht Awards
  • Superyacht Design Festival
  • Design and Innovation Awards
  • Young Designer of the Year Award
  • Artistry and Craft Awards
  • Explorer Yachts Summit
  • Ocean Talks
  • The Ocean Awards
  • BOAT Connect
  • Between the bays
  • Golf Invitational
  • Boat Pro Home
  • Pricing Plan
  • Superyacht Insight
  • Product Features
  • Premium Content
  • Testimonials
  • Global Order Book
  • Tenders & Equipment

Yacht classification definitions

The merchant shipping sector is ruled by safety regulations developed since the beginning of the 20th century, and is familiar with international conventions such as SOLAS, MARPOL and Load Lines. But the application of common safety requirements to pleasure vessels is something relatively new – a continuous work in progress – and is very much dependant on the service and the flag of the yacht.

Defining the problems

Definitions do not help. How often have we read of large yachts, superyachts, megayachts, gigayachts or other bombastic adjectives? How many times have we mentioned MCA, RINA, and Lloyd’s, without having a clear idea of who’s doing what?

A good starting point for understanding the subject is to clarify the main definitions and the roles of the main players:

Large yacht

A large yacht is a pleasure vessel with a load line length equal to or over 24m. Almost all the flag administrations have adopted safety codes dedicated to large yachts and this is, therefore, the only definition having a universal meaning in the international regulatory framework of yachts.

Commercial yacht

A motor or sailing vessel in commercial use (i.e. charter) for sport and pleasure, carrying no cargo and not more than 12 passengers.

Private yacht

A pleasure vessel solely used for the recreational and leisure purpose of its owner and his guests.

Flag administration

The government of the state whose flag the yacht is entitled to fly . This administration sets the safety regulations, manning requirements and fiscal aspects relevant to the yacht registration.

Different flag administrations can inspect the safety aspects of yachts with their own inspectors (see MCA for example) or delegate this activity partially or totally to other recognised bodies such as the classification societies.

The main flag authorities in the yachting industry are: The UK-MCA, Cayman Islands, Isle of Man, Malta, the Marshall Islands, Italy and Luxembourg.

Classification societies

Organisations that establish and apply technical standards in relation to the design, construction and survey of ships.

Classification rules are developed to assess the structural strength and integrity of the essential parts of the hull, the reliability and function of the propulsion, steering systems, power generation and all the other features installed on board which contribute to guarantee the main essential services.

In addition to this ‘third party check’ function, class societies carry out statutory duties on behalf of the major flag administrations in accordance with specific delegation agreements signed with each government.

The main class societies involved in yachting are: American Bureau of Shipping, Bureau Veritas, Det Norske Veritas, Germanischer Lloyd, Lloyd’s Register, and RINA.

Large yachts: Applicable rules and certificates

Private yachts

The mandatory requirements for these boats are very light. For the majority of flag states, a registration survey and a tonnage measurement, carried out by an authorised surveyor, are sufficient.

The only mandatory international conventions are those relevant to the marine environment: MARPOL and the Anti-Fouling System Convention.

The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) is intended to eliminate the intentional pollution and to minimise the accidental pollution of the marine environment caused by harmful substances.

The Anti-Fouling System Convention’s purpose is to eliminate the presence of harmful substances for the marine environment contained in anti-fouling paints applied to ships.

Classification

While classification is not mandatory, building and maintaining a private yacht in class is the only evidence that the boat has been designed, constructed and operated in compliance with appropriate technical standards. It is therefore highly desirable, especially in relation to insurance and re-sale purposes.

Commercial yachts

All flag administrations require commercial yachts to be certified in accordance with a specific large yacht safety code.

The most popular of these safety codes, and the first that was developed, is the MCA Large Commercial Yacht Code (LY2) published in 2004. It replaced the Code of Practice for the Safety of Large Commercial Sailing and Motor Vessels (LY1) published in 1997.

LY2 is applied by the Red Ensign Group Flags (UK, Cayman Islands, Isle of Man, Bermuda, Gibraltar, British Virgin Islands, etc.) and is recognised as a reference standard for all the yachting industry.

Other flags have developed similar codes. Luxembourg, Italy, Marshall Islands, Malta, Belize and The Netherlands are some examples.

While introducing a stricter set of rules and regulations compared to private yachts, commercial registration offers yacht owners the possibility of making a profit from the chartering activity of their boats, and allows them to take advantage of all the other benefits of a commercial operation (in particular VAT exemption on the purchase, sale, bunkering, provisions, dry-docking, and others).

Mandatory certificates

The number and type of the mandatory certificates depends on the size of the vessel; the following is an indicative list:

  • International Tonnage Certificate : A measurement of the internal volumes of the yacht expressed in gross tons (GT). This measurement should not be confused with displacement tonnage, which quantifies the weight of a vessel.
  • Large Yacht Code Certificate : Covers life-saving appliances, fire protection and means of escape, navigational and signalling equipment, intact and damaged stability, manning and crew accommodation.
  • Class Certificate : This mainly deals with the yacht’s hull, machinery, electrical equipment and outfitting.
  • International Load Line Certificate : This certifies the weather-tightness of the yacht.
  • Safety Radio Certificate : This is applicable if gross tonnage exceeds 300GT This concerns the radio communication and distress installations.
  • MARPOL Annex I Certificate : This is applicable if gross tonnage exceeds 400GT This deals with the disposal of oil and bilge water from machinery spaces.
  • MARPOL Annex IV Certificate : This is applicable if gross tonnage exceeds 400 or the yacht is certified to carry over 15 persons. This deals with the disposal of sewage from ships.
  • MARPOL Annex V : This is applicable to all ships. It covers the disposal of rubbish.
  • MARPOL Annex VI : This is applicable if gross tonnage exceeds 400GT as well as to all main and auxiliary engines with a power exceeding 130kW. It concerns the emissions from main and auxiliary engines (NOx and SOx).
  • Safety Construction and Safety Equipment : These are additional prescriptions on machinery, electrical parts, life-saving and navigational equipment for yachts with a gross tonnage above 500GT.
  • International Safety Management Certificate : This is only applicable to yachts having a gross tonnage greater than 500GT. A certified management company is requested to carry out this service, preparing operational manuals, procedures for drills, and taking care of the maintenance of the yacht and its installations.
  • International Ship and Port Security Certificate : This is only applicable to yachts having a gross tonnage greater than 500GT and deals with the anti-piracy certification. A certified management company is requested to provide the ashore assistance and establish on-board procedures and operational manuals.

The GT Factor

The gross tonnage value (GT) is a key issue, not only as a reference for the registration fees applied by the different flag administrations, but also because it determines whether an international convention, rather than a particular safety standard, applies to a yacht.

The table below summarises how the conventions and relevant certificates come into force depending on the gross tonnage of the yacht. In particular, the following values may have a critical impact:

300GT: In many codes, when you reach this value the yacht must be certified in unrestricted service (stricter requirements regarding stability, load line and life-saving appliances).

400GT: This is the threshold for almost all the environmental conventions such as MARPOL and Anti-fouling System.

500GT: This is the threshold for the application of the SOLAS Convention, meaning stricter requirements on machinery, safety systems, materials of construction, fire protection, life-saving appliances and navigational equipment. Furthermore an external certified management company is requested for the ISM and ISPS certifications.

The tonnage issue could also arise on existing yachts when undertaking major refits or modifications, in that any change to the internal volumes of the boat – such as adding enclosed deckhouses or superstructures, or modifying the hull transom or bow – will modify the tonnage value with the risk of subjecting the yacht to stricter mandatory rules.

UPDATE: Since this article was originally published, LY2 has been superseded by Large Commercial Yacht Code Revision 3 (LY3) .

More stories

Most popular, from our partners, sponsored listings.

  • Dictionaries home
  • American English
  • Collocations
  • German-English
  • Grammar home
  • Practical English Usage
  • Learn & Practise Grammar (Beta)
  • Word Lists home
  • My Word Lists
  • Recent additions
  • Resources home
  • Text Checker

Definition of yacht noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

yacht australian definition

  • Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Meaning of yacht in English

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

  • They spent their annual holiday on a chartered yacht in the Caribbean .
  • He spent three days adrift on his yacht.
  • His eyes were fixed on the distant yacht.
  • If they can afford a yacht, they must be rolling in it.
  • She sailed around the world single-handed in her yacht.
  • cabin cruiser
  • dragon boat
  • rubber dinghy

yacht | American Dictionary

Examples of yacht, collocations with yacht.

These are words often used in combination with yacht .

Click on a collocation to see more examples of it.

Translations of yacht

Get a quick, free translation!

{{randomImageQuizHook.quizId}}

Word of the Day

peanut butter (= a soft food made from crushed peanuts) and jam (= a soft sweet food made from fruit and sugar), or a sandwich with these inside. PB&J is short for peanut butter and jelly.

Sitting on the fence (Newspaper idioms)

Sitting on the fence (Newspaper idioms)

yacht australian definition

Learn more with +Plus

  • Recent and Recommended {{#preferredDictionaries}} {{name}} {{/preferredDictionaries}}
  • Definitions Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English English Learner’s Dictionary Essential British English Essential American English
  • Grammar and thesaurus Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English Grammar Thesaurus
  • Pronunciation British and American pronunciations with audio English Pronunciation
  • English–Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Simplified)–English
  • English–Chinese (Traditional) Chinese (Traditional)–English
  • English–Dutch Dutch–English
  • English–French French–English
  • English–German German–English
  • English–Indonesian Indonesian–English
  • English–Italian Italian–English
  • English–Japanese Japanese–English
  • English–Norwegian Norwegian–English
  • English–Polish Polish–English
  • English–Portuguese Portuguese–English
  • English–Spanish Spanish–English
  • English–Swedish Swedish–English
  • Dictionary +Plus Word Lists
  • English    Noun
  • American    Noun
  • Collocations
  • Translations
  • All translations

Add yacht to one of your lists below, or create a new one.

{{message}}

Something went wrong.

There was a problem sending your report.

Website maintenance: Thursday 4 April, 5-6pm AEDT

The AMSA website, including forms and payment services, will be unavailable at this time. For urgent assistance, contact us . 

  • Search and rescue
  • Find a service
  • Find a form
  • Media Centre
  • Domestic qualifications
  • International qualifications
  • Equivalent qualifications and skill recognition
  • National Plan training
  • Online learning
  • Safety and navigation training
  • Sea service and task books
  • Seafarer certification guidance documents
  • Training organisations
  • Incident reporting
  • Seafarer welfare
  • Domestic commercial vessels
  • Ship registration
  • Cargoes and dangerous goods
  • Flag State administration
  • Port State control
  • National Standard for Commercial Vessels (NSCV)
  • Distress beacons
  • Navigation systems
  • Navigating coastal waters
  • Spatial data
  • Safety equipment
  • National Plan for Maritime Environmental Emergencies
  • Maritime casualty response
  • Incidents and exercises
  • Pollution response
  • Air pollution
  • Marine pollution
  • News and media releases
  • Newsletters
  • Consultations
  • Social media
  • Who we work with
  • Corporate publications
  • Fees, levies, and payments
  • Regulations and standards
  • Reporting and accountability
  • Surveyor of domestic vessels
  • Vessel owner and operator
  • Commercial fisher
  • Domestic seafarer or crew
  • International crew
  • Coastal pilot
  • Not you? See more ...
  • Sailing master
  • Training organisations for domestic qualifications
  • Completing your domestic application
  • Manage your domestic certificate
  • Basic safety training
  • Training organisations for international qualifications
  • Courses for international qualifications
  • Managing international certificates
  • Fishing and sailing vessels
  • Global maritime distress and safety systems
  • Yachting qualifications
  • Career pathways
  • Equivalent qualifications for domestic certificates
  • New Zealand domestic equivalence
  • Certificates of recognition and equivalence for international certificates
  • New Zealand international equivalence
  • Royal Australian Navy international equivalence
  • Training for responders
  • AMSA as a registered training organisation
  • Our courses
  • Cargoes and dangerous goods training
  • Coastal pilotage training
  • Proof of identity
  • Task books for domestic qualifications
  • Sea service for domestic qualifications
  • Sea service for international qualifications
  • Sea service books for international qualifications
  • Quick-reference guidance documents
  • Domestic certification training
  • International certification training
  • Reporting an incident
  • About marine incident reporting
  • Marine incident reports
  • Safety lessons from vessel incidents
  • Maritime Labour Convention guidance
  • Seafarer welfare guidance
  • Seafarer safety
  • Safety publications and guidance
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19)
  • Safety programs
  • What is a domestic commercial vessel?
  • Operational safety
  • Inspections
  • Marine surveyors manual
  • National system state transitions
  • Register, transfer, update or close a registration
  • Submit a notice of intention to register a vessel
  • Information about vessel registrations
  • Find out about a vessel
  • Pleasure craft and fishing boats
  • Brokers and agents
  • Regulations and standards for cargoes and dangerous goods
  • Transporting livestock
  • Container and cargo safety
  • Flag state administration in Australia
  • Regulated Australian vessels
  • About Port State control in Australia
  • Port State control inspections
  • Common port State control deficiencies
  • Port State control annual reports
  • Ship detentions
  • About the NSCV
  • Design and construction
  • Special vessels
  • Novel vessels
  • Non-survey vessels
  • Other information
  • Changes to EPIRB laws for domestic commercial vessels
  • Register your beacon and find out more
  • Maritime mobile service identity information
  • Preparing for a trip
  • Search and rescue in Australia
  • Our search and rescue equipment
  • International and regional search and rescue
  • Past search and rescue incidents
  • Aids to navigation
  • Lighthouses
  • Systems for maritime safety and distress
  • Electronic chart navigation
  • Ship tracking and reporting systems
  • Automatic identification system
  • Coastal pilots
  • Pilot advisory notes
  • Vessel traffic services
  • Particularly sensitive sea areas
  • Commercial fishing
  • Offshore activities
  • Maps and geographic data
  • Lifejackets
  • Rescue boats
  • About the National Plan
  • National Plan supporting documents
  • National Plan annual reports
  • Maritime casualty management
  • Complex maritime emergencies
  • Historical pollution and casualty incidents
  • Pollution investigation
  • Response resources
  • Response tools and capabilities
  • Pollution science technical references
  • Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) Emissions
  • Greenhouse gas emissions
  • Sydney Harbour cruise ship emissions
  • Low sulphur fuel regulations
  • Fuel oil suppliers
  • The polluting effect of containers
  • Pollution reporting
  • MARPOL discharges
  • MARPOL Convention
  • Vessel waste management
  • AMSA update
  • Maritime Safety Awareness Bulletins
  • Working Boats magazine
  • Survey Matters
  • National Plan—On Scene newsletters
  • Vessel traffic services newsletters
  • Open consultations
  • Closed consultations 2023/2024
  • Closed consultations (2016 to 2022)
  • AMSA on social media
  • Current and upcoming events
  • Past events
  • Industry awards
  • Marine Order 504—changes to operational safety requirements
  • Women in maritime
  • Watertight and weathertight integrity for ships visiting Australian ports
  • New Marine Order 505 - domestic certificates of competency
  • Construction barge safety
  • Tender safety
  • People in maritime
  • Dory safety campaign
  • Our priorities
  • Organisation structure
  • Legislation
  • Office locations
  • Committees and groups
  • International engagement
  • Building capacity in the maritime industry
  • Memoranda of understanding
  • Interagency agreements
  • Intergovernmental agreements
  • Annual reports
  • Annual regulatory plans
  • Corporate plans
  • Modern slavery statements
  • Publication order forms
  • Strategic documents
  • Regulator performance framework reports
  • Superseded compliance documents
  • Workforce publications
  • Domestic commercial vessel safety fees
  • Marine levies
  • Cost recovery implementation statements
  • The national law and regulations
  • Marine orders
  • National law exemptions
  • Standards and generic equivalent solutions
  • Marine notices
  • What are marine orders
  • Body worn cameras
  • Requesting information from us
  • File lists and mandatory reporting
  • Confidential reporting
  • Procurement
  • Vessels & operators

What is a large yacht?

A yacht is a vessel that:

  • does not carry cargo
  • does not carry > 12 passengers
  • has a commercial use that is related to the provisions of a sport or pleasure activity.

A large yacht:

  • is a yacht greater than or equal to  24m in length.

Yachts, including large yachts, may be used:

  • privately by the sole operator, friends or family
  • commercially hired for charter out to groups or individuals
  • commercially for sport
  • both private and commercial use.

Certain conventions may apply to yachts, including large yachts, whether they are being used privately or commercially.

The term ‘yacht' is implemented in Australia using  Marine Order 52 (Yachts and training vessels) 2022 .

Last updated: 

yacht australian definition

Please use a modern browser to view this website. Some elements might not work as expected when using Internet Explorer.

  • Why Charter Homepage
  • Luxury Yacht Vacation Types
  • Corporate Yacht Charter
  • Tailor Made Vacations
  • Luxury Exploration Vacations
  • ALL 3,576 Yachts For Charter
  • Motor Yachts
  • Sailing Yachts
  • Classic Yachts
  • Catamaran Yachts
  • Special Offers
  • by Destination
  • Yacht Reviews
  • Destination Guides
  • Inspiration & Features
  • Mediterranean Charter Yachts
  • France Charter Yachts
  • Italy Charter Yachts
  • Croatia Charter Yachts
  • Greece Charter Yachts
  • Turkey Charter Yachts
  • Bahamas Charter Yachts
  • Caribbean Charter Yachts
  • Australia Charter Yachts
  • Thailand Charter Yachts
  • Dubai Charter Yachts
  • Destination News
  • New To Fleet
  • Charter Fleet Updates
  • Industry News
  • Yacht Shows
  • Corporate Charter
  • Charter Advice
  • Why Use a Yacht Broker
  • Charter Costs Explained
  • Add my yacht
  • Yacht Charter Destinations
  • South Pacific

Australia guide

  • Ideas & Tips
  • Itineraries
  • See & Do
  • Eat & Drink

Guide to Australia

A spectacular canvas of nature’s finest work

Discover a place where proud Aboriginal heritage and rugged outback life meets modern metropolises and thriving underwater worlds. Australia’s vast open plains of arid desert contrast with lush forests and snow-cloaked mountains whilst its crowning glory, the magnificent Great Barrier Reef creates the perfect concoction for a hedonistic and unforgettable vacation.

With over 50,000 km of coastline linked by more than 10,000 beaches boasting world-class marinas and ports, choice and diversity is a strong theme of any luxury yacht charter adventure Down Under. Sydney ’s fantastic natural harbour offers a gateway into a melting pot of experiences within this dynamic city, from the Sydney Opera House to a myriad of chic bars and boutiques. Watching the kaleidoscopic fireworks dancing over the Harbour Bridge with family and friends from the comfort of your superyacht is a truly unbeatable way to see in the New Year.

Justifiably one of the world’s seven natural wonders, the Great Barrier Reef is unrivalled in oceanic phenomenon. An afternoon’s helicopter ride over the reef will leave you awe-struck by the breath-taking aerial views showcasing it in all its glory. Scuba-divers and snorkellers can take to the warm waters to experience the mesmerising coral formations teeming with marine life close-up.

Set off the coast of Queensland, the idyllic Whitsunday Islands lie within the Great Barrier Reef, shimmering with secluded retreats. Ancient granite peaks encompassed with water form eerie and exciting dive sites and safe swimming waters surrounding the mostly uninhabited archipelago. Flora and Fauna scatter the wild landscapes and the welcoming hospitality of the locals.

The largely uninhabited north-west coast of Western Australia is home to the remote, pristine Ningaloo Reef – one of the best places in the world to see whale sharks – who arrive in large numbers every year. The City of Light, Perth, attracts visitors to its boutique hotels. South Australia is renowned for its cultural diversity, winelands, fine wines, arts, world-class restaurants.

Watch turtles nesting on the Sunshine coast, sample fine wines amongst the tumbling winelands of the Mornington Peninsula and go in pursuit of the Tasmanian Tiger in the wild and rugged terrains of Tasmania. Proud native cultures and mythical ancestors, home to some of the world’s largest world heritage sites.

If you are interested in a luxury yachting vacation in crystal waters of the Australia view all Australia Charter Yachts which are available to rent.

Start Planning - Speak with a Charter Expert

Our yacht charter experts will:

  • Discuss your vacation plans
  • Check availability & shortlist suitable yachts
  • Negotiate booking & prepare your itinerary

Reasons to Visit

Need Advice?

Speak to a Charter Broker

Discover Areas within Australia

Sydney Guide

Guide to Sydney

Whitsundays Guide

Guide to Whitsundays

Great Barrier Reef Guide

Guide to Great Barrier Reef

The Kimberley Guide

Guide to The Kimberley

Melbourne Guide

Guide to Melbourne

Explore popular itineraries.

Not sure where to go? Let our itinerary suggestions inspire your own Australia bespoke charter.

 itinerary

Our Pick Top Things to See & Do

  • See & Do
  • Eat & Drink

Bondi Beach

One of the world's most iconic beaches

Challenger Bay

Explore magical marine life

Coogee Beach

Surfer's paradise

Curtin House

The heart of Melbourne

Featured Yachts in Australia

To help you in your search for your perfect luxury charter yacht for your next vacation, we’ve selected some of the finest and most exclusive superyachts and megayachts that are currently available for charter in Australia.

Asteria yacht charter in Australia

Book with Ease - Speak with a Charter Expert

Our charter experts will:

Enquire now for yacht availability & free consultation.

  • read more about:
  • Great Barrier Reef
  • Whitsunday Islands
  • whale sharks

As Featured In

The YachtCharterFleet Difference

YachtCharterFleet makes it easy to find the yacht charter vacation that is right for you. We combine thousands of yacht listings with local destination information, sample itineraries and experiences to deliver the world's most comprehensive yacht charter website.

San Francisco

  • Like us on Facebook
  • Follow us on X
  • Follow us on Instagram
  • Find us on LinkedIn
  • Affiliates & Partners

Popular Charter Regions

  • Greece Yacht Charter
  • Turkey Yacht Charter
  • Virgin Islands Yacht Charter
  • Caribbean Yacht Charter
  • Bahamas Yacht Charter
  • Croatia Yacht Charter
  • Seychelles Yacht Charter
  • Dubai Yacht Charter

Popular Charter Yachts

  • Nirvana Yacht Charter
  • Serene Yacht Charter
  • O' Mega Yacht Charter
  • Big Fish Yacht Charter
  • Serenity Yacht Charter
  • Kismet Yacht Charter
  • 'Alfa Nero' Yacht Charter
  • Maltese Falcon Charter
  • or try our Name Search Tool

Receive our latest offers, trends and stories direct to your inbox.

Please enter a valid e-mail.

Thanks for subscribing.

Search for Yachts, Destinations, Events, News... everything related to Luxury Yachts for Charter.

Yachts in your shortlist

IMAGES

  1. The Complete Guide to Luxury Yacht Charters in Australia

    yacht australian definition

  2. Super Yachts Perth

    yacht australian definition

  3. Superyacht Australia showcases unrivaled luxury in its fourth year

    yacht australian definition

  4. 3 Days In Sydney on Super Yacht OneWorld

    yacht australian definition

  5. Riviera 4600 Sport Yacht: Australian pride| Yachting News

    yacht australian definition

  6. Riviera celebrates the launch of the 20th Sports Motor Yacht

    yacht australian definition

VIDEO

  1. How to Pronounce Yacht

COMMENTS

  1. ‘Yachts at the top’: power, privacy and privilege in the ...

    Fresh off the plane from the Dubai Boat Show, Morris tells Guardian Australia that he got his start in the merchant navy at 17, before landing a job as a deckhand two years later on the 86-metre ...

  2. Yacht classification definitions - BOAT International

    Large yacht. A large yacht is a pleasure vessel with a load line length equal to or over 24m. Almost all the flag administrations have adopted safety codes dedicated to large yachts and this is, therefore, the only definition having a universal meaning in the international regulatory framework of yachts. Commercial yacht

  3. Yachts Vs. Boats: What's The Difference? - YachtWorld

    The maritime definition of a yacht is a private pleasure ship of at least 33 feet. At YachtWorld, we tend to consider anything in the 35-40-foot range (or larger) a yacht. Then again, different kinds of boats approach being that long, even some pontoon boats and walkarounds. However, an engine-powered watercraft under 30 feet is not usually ...

  4. Yacht | Luxury, Racing & Cruising Boats | Britannica

    yacht, a sail- or power-driven vessel, usually light and comparatively small, used for racing or for recreation. In recreation, the term applies to very large craft, originally powered by sail and later by steam or internal-combustion engines. It is in this sense that the generality of nonyachting (nonsailing) people usually think of the term ...

  5. Yacht - Wikipedia

    A yacht ( / jɒt /) is a sailing or power vessel used for pleasure, cruising, or racing. [2] [3] [4] There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a yacht, as opposed to a boat, such a pleasure vessel is likely to be at least 33 feet (10 m) in length and may ...

  6. yacht noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage ...

    a sailing boat, often also with an engine and a place to sleep on board, used for pleasure trips and racing. a 12-metre racing yacht; a yacht club/race; compare dinghy Topics Transport by water b2, Sports: water sports b2

  7. YACHT | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

    YACHT definition: 1. a boat with sails and sometimes an engine, used for either racing or travelling on for pleasure…. Learn more.

  8. AUSTRALIA Yacht • Clive Palmer $30M Superyacht

    The AUSTRALIA Yacht’s Market Value. Estimated to be worth a staggering $30 million, the AUSTRALIA Yacht truly is a symbol of luxury and opulence. Accounting for her annual running costs, the total outlay circles around $3 million. As with any luxury yacht, the price range can differ widely based on aspects such as size, age, degree of luxury ...

  9. What is a large yacht? - Australian Maritime Safety Authority

    A large yacht: is a yacht greater than or equal to 24m in length. Yachts, including large yachts, may be used: privately by the sole operator, friends or family. commercially hired for charter out to groups or individuals. commercially for sport. both private and commercial use. Certain conventions may apply to yachts, including large yachts ...

  10. Australia Yacht Charter Guide | YachtCharterFleet

    Australia’s vast open plains of arid desert contrast with lush forests and snow-cloaked mountains whilst its crowning glory, the magnificent Great Barrier Reef creates the perfect concoction for a hedonistic and unforgettable vacation. With over 50,000 km of coastline linked by more than 10,000 beaches boasting world-class marinas and ports ...