soon to arrive, and the biggest and ... - mega yachts for sale

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TOP 100USED FOR NEWSUPERYACHT SALES

Compiling the annual Top 100 Superyachts of Asia-Pacific needs a flexible approach. We include spectacular new vessels that are soon to arrive, and the biggest and best of those already here, because that is what interests high net worth readers, owners,

agents and yards. The latest fleet is 140m to 46m.

WORDS BRUCE MAXWELL PHOTOS AS CREDITED

Exclusive first pictures of 84m White Rabbit G during sea trials off Echo Yachts south of Perth, Western

Australia. The vessel is for a very experienced Singapore family who

have owned two Feadships, and still have other White Rabbits at Marina at Keppel Bay. WRG is

built in aluminium, and the family has taken delivery of another 46m support vessel, Charley, which was at Singapore Yacht Show last year.

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COVER STORY Top 100 Superyachts 2018

Any Asia-Pacific owned superyacht qualifies, whether at its usual home port or cruising elsewhere. So do European and American owned superyachts that spend significant time in these waters. Some never leave.

Indian Ocean destinations such as the Seychelles, Mauritius, Maldives and Sri Lanka are part of the picture, as Southeast Asia is the usual next stop. But there are as yet few Indian owners, and the Middle East is excluded, despite all lands beyond Istanbul being once known as Asia Minor.

Conversely the West Coast of the Americas is lapped by the Pacific Ocean too. We mostly track vessels heading for French Polynesia and the South Seas, New Zealand and Australia, or for Hawaii, Micronesia, Japan and the China Coast.

Subjective at times? Sure. When I first wrote a Top 25 Superyachts of Asia-Pacific feature in the 1990s, the International Superyacht Society had only just been formed. Some vessels called superyachts back then would not pass muster today. We continue to filter out more elderly refits.

Phinisis, traditional wooden sailing craft of Indonesia, are moved to their own specialist section. No realistic comparison exists between these luxuriously-outfitted charter vessels and true superyacht construction costs and charters, except that phinisis are indeed proving popular for those seeking an ethnic experience at relatively lower rates.

Support Vessels, a fairly new concept, are kept in Top 100 because of the “in tandem” trend toward explorer-style superyachts. Some such vessels have separated from their original mother ships, and are being used in their own right, particularly in Asia-Pacific waters. Check out an extraordinary surge in Amels and Damen support vessels in the pages that follow.

Release of the list was previously timed for Cannes and Monaco, but has been put back to the Monaco-Ft Lauderdale period, to enable a better grasp of vessels voyaging through the Suez and Panama Canals into Asia-Pacific waters at the change of seasons.

Apart from the print edition, Top 100 now circulates in online, social media and PDF forms for most of the following year, and has become a widely used sales tool by agents and dealers wishing to spread knowledge of the superyacht scene in a region destined to drive the world’s economies.

PDFs attach easily to email pitches, and Top 100 cropped up regularly last year in relation to all manner of superyacht-related topics. Even private papers I was commissioned to write for Holland Yachting Industry members recently are somehow being made available, and cross-referenced in google searches.

Translations from English into assorted Asia-Pacific languages and characters are being introduced, which should further assist the spread of reasonably up-to-date superyacht information.The bottom line is that, as Feadship marketing director Farouk Nefzi said in an introduction

to Top 100 last year, “Asia-Pacific is already the next big thing for superyacht yards”, and it is only going to get bigger. Much bigger.

This leading Dutch yard has been active in the market for three decades, and deliveries continue with vessels like 73m Hasna and 69m Samaya making their marks. Australian-owned Hasna has been cruising in French Polynesia lately.

Amels also began with custom builds Boadicea, and Ilona for Frank Lowy, many moons hence, and their Limited Editions, which reduce an owner’s waiting time to two years, are definitely in vogue. Look at the 55m mark in following pages, and half a dozen Amels Limited Edition 180s appear, apart from parent yard Damen’s Support Vessels scattered throughout.

Heesen, another well-known Dutch yard, initially sold two superyachts to Malaysian owners, and has larger vessels in this year’s lists, while Royal Huisman’s super sailboat Twizzle is back and their 81m schooner for an Asian client is progressing.

Germany’s Lürssen, which builds the world’s largest superyachts, has 85m Pacific in Phuket and 76m Rocinante ex-TV crossing the North Pacific from Osaka to San Francisco.

This is the 60-90m range which Lürssen sales director Michael Breman says is their stock in trade, but when I was invited to their first exclusive media tour in a decade mid-year it was obvious that a lot of 100m+ vessels were also in progress, including the spectacular 135m Crescent, which is expected to cruise Asia-Pacific waters shortly.

Italy’s Benetti is another long-time Asia-Pacific player, stemming back to visits by Paulo Vitelli and Massimo Perotti in the 1980s, and they too are well represented in Top 100. The largest 100m+ vessel in Benetti’s history will be delivered to an Australian next year from their Livorno yard, closely followed by two more.

Perini Navi super sailboats are always represented. Last year we included two 50m+ Picchiotti motor yachts in-build by this subsidiary of Perini Navi - the names are now merged - but until these designated Hong Kong orders become a bit clearer, we decided to leave them out again until 2019, so that other worthy vessels can appear in the interim.

Otherwise the 140m Fincantieri Ocean Victory was in the Maldives heading east at our deadline, after lengthy Asia-Pacific sojourns in recent years, and another regular visitor, the Motor Yacht A, was cruising Korea and Japan. Both are Russian owned.

New Zealand billionaire Graeme Hart sold his Norwegian-built 107m last year, and she is now called Andromeda, lately on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. His follow-up 116m Ulysses appeared in the Med this year.

Delivery of the 84m White Rabbit G by Echo Yachts of Western Australia for a very experienced Singapore owner is expected before year’s end. White Rabbit E and others have based at Marina at Keppel Bay, where Motor Yacht A also stayed a few years back.

Biggest superyacht event on the horizon is the 2021 America’s Cup in Auckland, New Zealand, and it is no surprise that keen contestant Ernesto Bertarelli already has his 96m Brooke yacht Vava 11 back in Asia-Pacific waters. We are told that berths in Auckland are fully booked.

More big boat facilities appear to be urgently needed throughout the region, not least in Hong Kong and Singapore. Papeete in Tahiti has limited availability, and superyachts have to compete for cruise ship wharves.

Sadly Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft with Bill Gates, passed away late 2018. Based in Seattle, two of his superyachts, the 61m Feadship Meduse and 126m Octopus Lürssen, were regulars in past Top 100s as he cruised the Pacific, North Asia and especially the Philippines, contributing to explorations, wreck searches and many marine ecology ventures.

This 46m trimaran built at Australia’s McConaghy Yachts in Zhuhai, China, is designed by Mani Frers, and handled by Camper and Nicholsons Asia. She is due for delivery in 2020.

A second feature on 24m to 46m vessels that didn’t make Top 100 is to follow shortly.

The 74m Lürssen Rocinante, formerly called TV, sailed from Osaka to San Francisco across the North Pacific this year. The North Pacificfrom Hawaii to Micronesia and Japan has much to offer too.

Finally, our apologies to Asia-Pacific owners who have sizeable superyachts from 24m to 46m. The good news is that we have decided to make this really interesting sector a separate feature in an upcoming Yacht Style in and in our many online and social media outlets.

©2018 Bruce Maxwell, Asia-Pacific Voyages. We try our best to ensure accuracy. To comment on or update information above, please email [email protected] and copy Yacht Style publisher Gael Burlot, [email protected].

Royal Huisman’s 81m schooner in-build for a keen

East Asia yachtsman

126m Octopus

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Ocean Victory140m Fincantieri As the 2018 Med season drew to a close in October, an ever-increasing fleet of superyachts sailed south through the newly wider and deeper Suez Canal into Indian Ocean and Asia-Pacific waters, led by the globe-girding flagship Ocean Victory, which began exploring Asia and the South Seas several years ago. Her first coral atoll calls this passage were in the Maldives. Italy's Fincantieri builds cruise liners and warships as well as private yachts.

Motor Yacht A118m Blohm & VossBuilt a decade back by much-acclaimed B&V, whose yards were recently absorbed into burgeoning compatriot Lürssen, she is referred to as Motor Yacht A because her Russian owner also built Sailing Yacht A at Nobiskrug, another well-known German superyacht specialist. Motor Yacht A was cruising the Japanese coast with a side call at Pusan in South Korea at our deadline, heading south via Fukuoka. Styled by the avant garde Philippe Starck, she is no stranger to Asia-Pacific waters, including a long prior sojourn at Marina at Keppel Bay's largest "island" berth in Singapore.

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Crescent 135m Lürssen

Featured last issue when Yacht Style was invited on this leading German yard's first media tour in nearly a decade, Crescent has been kept under wraps apart from an intriguing statement that

her build name, Project Thunder, stemmed from the Taoist god Lei Gong, and that she would spend a considerable time voyaging in Asia. The non-yard photo here was taken during early sea trials, a year out from delivery. Designer is Espen Øino, who also shaped Ocean Victory.

4Ulysses116m KlevenNew Zealand financial entrepreneur Graeme Hart has owned superyachts called Ulysses from Holland's Feadship and America's Trinity, but in his latest venture he has built enormous 107m and 116m explorer-style vessels at Norwegian commercial yard Kleven. The 107m was sold late last year, and is now called Andromeda, while the 116m Ulysses made her debut in the Med this year, last noticed off Naples in the Ionian Sea.

Vava 1196m DevonportWith the 36th America's Cup scheduled to be held in Auckland, New Zealand, in March 2021, who should be voyaging back into Asia-Pacific waters but Swiss biotech billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli. His Alinghi syndicate won "the auld mug" in Auckland in 2003, and repeated the feat in Valencia, Spain, in 2007, before a losing tussle with fellow superyacht owner Larry Ellison. Wife Kirsty is a former Miss UK and songwriter, and Vava 11 was built at British yard Devonport, which was later bought by Pendennis of Falmouth. Refits are done at Amels.

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Equanimity91.5m Oceanco After an extended stay at Sihanoukville on the Cambodian Coast of the Gulf of Thailand, Equanimity was seized off Bali in 2018 under a US court order, then transferred to Port Klang under a Malaysian one. Burgess Yachts was appointed central agent for her sale by submission of sealed bids, in a process that it was hoped would be completed by December 2018.

Illusion Plus88 m Pride Mega Yachts Y.CO are agents for Illusion Plus, latest Chinese superyacht offered by Pride Mega Yachts, which replaced the already accomplished Yantai Raffles. Naval architecture is by Azure, an eminent Dutch firm, and interiors by Rainsford Saunders won a prestigious award at this year's Monaco Yacht Show. This is a great opportunity to step aboard a sail-ready superyacht. Asking US$145m.

Arctic P88m Schichau Unterwesser Australian gaming mogul James Packer’s sister Gretel has taken control of the family’s much-used luxury tug conversion Arctic P, which commutes between the Med and Sydney Harbour and late 2018 was in the Caribbean. James has a 100m+ Benetti being delivered in 2019, one of three such vessels at Livorno, which will appear in next year’s list, and has also been sailing an Amels 180 called EJI after his three children.

Lionheart90m BenettiBritish retail entrepreneur Sir Philip Green’s Lionheart is believed voyaging to Southeast Asia and beyond. A repeat Benetti client, his was the largest vessel built by the yard when she was launched in 2016, eclipsing the 1980s-built 86m Nabila, which later visited Hong Kong as Trump Princess. More records are about to be broken. See Arctic P entry below.

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Asean Lady88m Yantai RafflesA founder of superyachting in Asia, Brian Chang cruised his first Asean Lady to Malaysia’s holiday isles before Langkawi had an airport. He built his unusual two-hull proa in the early 2000s to achieve greater stability at sea. Kept at Raffles Marina in Singapore, Tan Sri Vincent Tan of Berjaya fame also uses Asean Lady these days, as does brother Julian Chang, a Fraser Yachts specialist and well-known figure at Monaco Yacht Show with society wife Sandra.


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Ace87m Lürssen Intelligence from Monaco Yacht Show is that Ace and her Damen-built 67m Sea Axe “tender” Garçon have an Asia-Pacific sojourn planned for 2019.

Seven Seas86m Oceanco

Another French Polynesia aficionado, this was a perfect

vessel to explore Les Isles Sous Le Vent, including Bora Bora, plus the Tuamotus and Marquesas, and she recently

reached La Paz on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. The

film director Steven Spielberg has been associated

with Seven Seas.

Aquijo86m Oceanco Vitters Sailing from French Polynesia to Fiji and Auckland, the fast cruising ketch Aquijo has startled many harbour-watchers. Designer Bill Tripp often works with Dutch performance sailing yard Vitters, which built Lachlan Murdoch’s Sarissa, but for a project this big they had to enlist the help of fellow Dutch builder Oceanco. Charter inquiries via Y.CO.

Silver Loft85m SilverYachts Luxury expedition vessel Silver Loft is latest off the slips since aluminium exporter China Zhongwang took a substantial interest in Western Australia-based SilverYachts late last year. Two 73m and 77m fuel-efficient and technically superb yachts, designed by Espen Øino, preceded Silver Loft, which has a 5,000 nm range at 18 knots.

Pacific85m Lürssen

Back in Phuket, this magnificent 2010 build has previously lived up to her name with Pacific

passages that continued into Asia-Pacific and globe-girding events. Her exterior styling is by

the Argentinian German Frers, with interiors from London-based Bannenberg and Rowell.

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White Rabbit G84m Echo Yachts Awaiting sea trials south of Perth at our deadline, this tri-hull stabilised vessel is the latest attempt by a

prominent Singapore family to achieve smoother passages in a seaway. She follows the same-concept but smaller 61m White Rabbit E based at Marina at Keppel Bay, and already has a 46m composite "tender for the toys", Charlie. Echo Yachts offers similar custom builds at attractive rates.

Hasna73m Feadship Almost holding her #21 ranking when she made her debut on the Top 100 list last year, Hasna was custom created for a well-known Australian property finance entrepreneur. Features include a substantial "beach club" and an 8 metre swimming pool. Exterior and interior styling are by Britain's RWD. The vessel cruised the South Seas to French Polynesia this year.

Felix70m Jade Yachts Recently ensconced at the Sydney Superyacht Marina, Felix has set off again into the South Seas on a Cairns-Santo-Apia heading. This vessel was constructed in Germany in 1969. Her hull was completely replaced at Jade Yachts in Kaohsiung, followed by a full interior refit in Europe.

Saluzi69m Oceanfast "Named after a mystical warhorse of the Tang Dynasty Emperor Taizong, an artwork by Li Jiwei adorns the yacht's hull as a modern interpretation of the ancient tale", says the Camper and Nicholsons website. A former boutique liner from French Polynesia, she offers accommodation for 36 guests, and is beautifully outfitted by Miami-based Luiz de Basto. Exotic charters are available in Asia-Pacific waters and elsewhere depending on the season.

Samaya69m Feadship Sold by Phuket-based Australian Joshua Lee, Samaya has a manta ray insignia, and her owner's love of diving is reflected in a very advanced dive centre aboard. The vessel was delivered late last year.

Game Changer70m Damen This is the fourth 70m Yacht Support Vessel built by Damen, parent of superyacht yard Amels. If one needs a 70m exploration-style ship simply to carry the toys and extra fuel for one's separate superyacht, the whole concept seems stupendous, and yet owners have warmly welcomed it. Damen has now built 12 YSVs for Amels and other clients, and both yards have a larger presence in the Top 100 list each year.

Titania71m Lürssen Returning for a second charter season, which has so far seen her plying between Phuket and Indian Ocean archipelagos, she is represented by Burgess. Originally one of three superyachts ordered by the same client, Lürssen lengthened her by 4 metres in 2012 to allow an aft “beach club”, a second master suite on the upper deck, and a well-equipped gym on the sun deck. The changes have led to her increasing popularity for charters in regional waters.

Not Yet Named81m Royal Huisman

A work-in-progress for a well-known Asian yachtsman and philanthropist at this picture-postcard

Dutch yard, she is under wraps until delivery.

Rocinante ex-TV76m Lürssen Bucking a trend that favours South Seas passages over North Pacific

ones, the former TV sailed from Osaka to San Francisco recently.

Ilona74m Amels Custom Westfield shopping centres patriarch Sir Frank Lowy, once a poor Hungarian émigré to Australia, bought a fully-custom Amels after a

compatriot, media mogul the late Reg Grundy, did the same with Boadicea. Ilona is kept lately in Barcelona, but Lowy and his sons have other smaller superyachts, including Shirley Ann named for Lowy's wife, often based at Sydney Superyacht Marina.

Cloud 974m CRN Owned by a Singapore-based businessman, the latest Cloud 9 was one of the leading displays for Italian yard CRN at Monaco Yacht Show last year.

Plvs Vltra74m Amels 242First of the Amels Limited Edition 242s delivered in 2017, Plvs Vltra is Latin for further beyond and is the motto of Spain. Owned by an experienced yachtsman and lately cruising from French Polynesia to Southeast Asia, she has a sophisticated custom interior by Winch Design which reflects a penchant for both Versace and the Hotel George V in Paris.

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Lady E69m Amels This exceptional custom Amels is offered for charter in Thailand, Malaysia and Myanmar by Burgess Yachts during the northern hemisphere "winter". She can accommodate 12 guests in seven cabins, and has a highly appraised crew led by Captain Charles Dugas-Standish.

Eternity65m Codecasa Called Family Day when she and another same-length but radically different "sister ship" were launched from this impressive

Italian yard, she appeared in many famous ports as well as exotic Asian locations like little visited islands in the Taiwan Straits. Based at Gold Coast Marina in Hong Kong, Eternity has a more modest cruise schedule nowadays.

Ambrosia65m Benetti Only marginally later on the superyacht scene, Kaohsiung and Hong Kong-based Ambrous Young was a substantial investor in Italy's leading superyacht yard and built three Benettis at their Viareggio premises before the new Livorno sheds, soon to disgorge three more 100m+ vessels, came on stream. Still active, Ambrous promotes Kaohsiung big boat facilities at the entranceto Love River, and sailed Ambrosia to Singapore Yacht Show last year.

Seanna65m Benetti

Showing up in French Polynesia, Seanna

continues Benetti's long dominance in

Asia-Pacific waters, which began when Mike Simpson was appointed

agent for Hong Kong and Japan in the 1980s. This

vessel is a 2011 build, with RWD and Susan

Young interiors.

Garçon67m Damen Another Yacht Support Vessel by Amels parent shipyard Damen, which is now a leading light of the international shipping industry, the name Garçon perfectly summarises her purpose. She sails with the 87m Lürssen Ace. See also #25 Game Changer.

Van Triumph65m Supercraft David Lieu's vessel, with Brian Chang's first Japanese-built Asean Lady in Singapore, were the true pioneers of super yachting in Asia. Van Triumph was quite a sight, steaming up Hong Kong Harbour on the stroke of 12.00 each Saturday as Jardine's noon day gun was fired, to pick up guests from Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club. David's voyages deep into the South China Sea in this and a smaller prior superyacht are the stuff of legends. Anyone for yellow fin tuna fishing or pig hunting?

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Ventum Maris65m Amels Back under her 2011 build name Ventum Maris or in English Sea Winds, after a period as Imagine, this Amels 212 by Tim Heywood and Andrew Winch is planning an Asia-Pacific cruise. A centrally-located glass elevator makes for easy and elegant access to all parts of the yacht, including the "wet feet" bar on the sun deck and large beach club at the stern.

White Rabbit E61m North WestBay Ships Based at Marina at Keppel Bay, Tasmanian-built White Rabbit E has made many Asian and Pacific voyages for a prominent Singaporean family who have owned other superyachts in the past, including two Feadships. WRE is in turn being superceded by the also-aluminium 84m White Rabbit G lately doing pre-delivery sea trials off builders Echo Yachts in Western Australia. See also #16.

Event61m Amels Also at Gold Coast Marina, this Amels 199 by Tim Heywood and Laura Sessa was originally built for a Russian owner and won prestigious superyacht awards at her launch, but in a deal handled by Burgess was then bought by a prominent Chinese property developer who, like some other Amels aficionados in Asia-Pacific, is particularly keen on soccer.

Calypso61m Amels

Yet another Amels full custom 199 is making

her way westbound across the South Pacific after a sojourn in

French Polynesia, and was in Fiji at our deadline. Underscoring

the custom options available in this range, however, Calypso's

exterior and interior stylingis by Michael Leach.

SuRi63m Halter Marine Last refitted in 2016, this unusual luxury expedition yacht charters between the South Pacific and Southeast Asia with occasional dips down to Antarctic waters made possible by her vast fuel reserves. Adventure is her theme, and she is well-equipped for exotic passages in remote locations.

Diamonds Are Forever61m Benetti Located at Gold Coast Marina in Hong Kong, this superyacht named after one of the James Bond movies takes advantage of the proximity of the world's two largest archipelagos, making a passage in the 7,000-isle Philippines recently.

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Paraffin60m Feadship A classic De Voogt Feadship presently located in Singapore, features include a jacuzzi and gym with a 360° view, an exceptional wine cellar, armada of toys and a home cinema. Six staterooms offset an opulent interior.

Formosa60m Benetti Chartering in the Maldives and then French Polynesia, Isla Formosa is the Portuguese name for Taiwan, meaning beautiful island, but for this owner, just beautiful will do. She has three sumptuous suites on the upper and principal decks, and superb amenities throughout. Fraser Yachts acted as central agents.

Senses 59m Frers Schweers Also in Fiji, but probably back in New Zealand during the short December-March cyclone season, Senses like SuRi has a more expedition-style than pretty profile, but interiors are by Philippe Starck, and she has had an illustrious guest list in the past, providing good vibes for potential charterers. Recently she was in exotic Goa on the Indian Coast, so it seems owner, captain, crew and agents conspire to suggest some interesting options.

Sea Wolf 59m J&K Scheepweren

Showing on AIS Marine Traffic at the former US naval base Subic Bay near capital

Manila in the Philippines, Sea Wolf was launched as a super-powerful, ocean-going

Dutch tug in 1957, towing US aircraft carriers when circumstances dictated, but like the larger

Arctic P she has been progressively converted into a

still solid but more luxuriously outfitted charter vessel.

Dream60m Abeking and Rasmussen Refitted by Bannenberg and Rowell in 2013, and again last year, Dream is among a steadily increasing number of superyachts cruising the lovely Fijian archipelago and giving French Polynesia a friendly run for its money, reports long-time agent David Jamieson. One can choose exclusive, totally private isles or sample the fare at any number of five-star plus establishments ashore.

Slipstream60m CMN Recently finished the Med season and resting in Palma, Slipstream is Australian-owned and continues an ever-larger succession of vessels of this name. The similarly-sized CMN-built Cloud 9, also Australian-owned, has lately been replaced by a 74m at CRN on the Adriatic Coast.

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Pangea58m Halter Marine Built like SuRi at Halter Marine, once Trinity Yachts' parent in the States, the vessel is named after our super continent before it began breaking up in the Triassic Age. She has undertaken assorted marine and birdlife ecological expeditions in the Indian Ocean, calling at Phuket or Langkawi for refuelling and R&R in between, and has spent most of the last year exploring the Australian coast, recently arriving in Fremantle from Broome.

Salila58m Daya Radar Utama Regularly listed in our annual Charter Focus, this unusual vessel was refitted in 2009 and 2012 in Jakarta, and she continues to offer custom cruises in Indonesia, the world's largest archipelago with 14,000 isles that stretch an equivalent distanceof San Francisco to New York.

Twizzle57m Royal Huisman

Lovely Royal Huisman ketch Twizzle was a centrepiece of Singapore Yacht Show a few years ago, and as successive owners have been keen on exploring further-flung parts of the Pacific, Asia and the Indian Ocean - one also sailed prior visitor Andromeda La Dea - it is no surprise that she is still cruising these waters, most recently in Tahiti and Fiji.

Loretta57m Aegean Yacht A three-masted schooner, Loretta was on the Queensland Coast late 2018, voyaging between Cairns and Brisbane, and is believed available for charter for selected periods.

Volpini 258m Amels Volpini was listed in earlier Top 100 Asia-Pacific lists, and this year the same owner took delivery of the Amels 188 Limited Edition Volpini 2, whose build was overseen again by Ben Young of SYM Superyacht Management. A well-known Melbourne billionaire, the owner continues a growing coterie Down Under of super yachtsmen upgrading or entering the league for the first time. A remarkable number of orders have been placed with Amels, stretching back to Reg Grundy and Frank Lowy.

Kokomo58m Alloy Yachts Australian property developer Lang Walker has had a series of motor yachts and sailboats called Kokomo, mostly the latter, and we recall arriving at Hamilton Island with the late Ed Dubois when he was to discuss the design of this latest one, to be built at now-defunct Alloy Yachts in New Zealand. Walker has recently launched his Kokomo resort on an exclusive island in Fijian waters. The super sailboat chartered in the Med this season, so visiting her namesake resort may be some time away.

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Lady Candy56m Benetti Hong Kong-based Lady Candy and Genesis owners took advantage of economies of scale in building superyachts at Italy's leading yard, and both were advised locally by Captain Paul Brackley of Central Design Studio, who has undertaken other substantial projects in the region, including refits and maintenance in Subic Bay in the Philippines.

La Familia55m Amels One of the first Amels 180s to arrive at Singapore Yacht Show three years back and making regular return appearances since, La Familia has a superb interior decor, and epitomises a successful concept that allows owners to take delivery of quite big yachts in only two years, based on timeless styling by Tim Heywood and interiors by Laura Sessa or a designer of the owner's choice.

Driftwood 55m Amels Damen Shipyards owns Amels, and Rose has become a regular visitor to Singapore and elsewhere in Asia-Pacific. "We are confident that the Amels 180 is the most successful 55m superyacht design ever, with more than 20 deliveries since 2007", she says. Driftwood, another example of the species, has been cruising in French Polynesia, and was in Honolulu in the Hawaiian Islands at our deadline, another highly recommended route.

Samax55m Feadship Constantly commuting between the Med and Southeast Asia, this vessel was originally

commissioned from Feadship's Royal Van Lent yard by Prince Jefri of Brunei, and she has been a denizen of Phuket and the Andaman Sea since. Her favourite Med hangouts are Turkey and Greece, although this year she turned up in Malta presumably for refits before returning.

Ocean Paradise55m Benetti Singaporean entrepreneur Adrian Lee's custom vessel features Zen gardens and a minimalist fitout always connected with the sea. She has cruised in the Med for the past two seasons and was at the Benetti base in Viareggio at the end of the last one.

Not Yet Named55m Amels Mark Woodmansey of Burgess Asia handled this sale announced as the Cannes and Monaco Yacht Shows got under way in September. Delivery is to be even faster, in the spring of 2019. "I am delighted with this milestone sale of the latest Amels 180", said Mark. "Following the sale of EJI earlier in the year, this latest purchase cements the successful, long-running partnership between Amels and Burgess. I would like to thank Rose Damen and her team.

Lili55m Amels Add Elixir at #57, and no less than five Amels Limited Editions 180s are lined up here, a distinct record since the list first appeared decades ago. Lili, also featured by Yacht Style this year, has been represented by Imperial for both build and charter as she headed to the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia, and this well-outfitted vessel remains available in Asia-Pacific waters.

Genesis56m BenettiSee also #52 above. The vessels are based at Gold Coast Marina on the western New Territories side of Hong Kong, and despite the similarities, they are actually custom outfitted in completely different ways. Venturesome Lady Candy cruised the Borneo and Philippines Coasts last year, and this season was back in the Med via Phuket and Cochin in India.

Halo55m FeadshipAnother visitor to Marina Taina in Papeete this year, Halo was inspired by Helix which cruised Asia-Pacific for a year on behalf of this leading Dutch yard. It was the last of a series, and could be delivered in a mere 33 months from Feadship's Van Lent facility. Bought by a lady, she is reported to be "following the sun".

Elixir55m AmelsFeatured as a cover story in Yacht Style for Singapore Yacht Show in 2017, Elixir is following some of her

sisters this year and heading for Phuket. Amels executive Victor Caminada thinks their Limited Edition 180 is ideal for Asia-Pacific waters. See entries that follow. Australian billionaire James Packer has also been using one called EJI after the first letter of his children's names, but is switching steeds next year.

Fidelis56m Perini NaviOne of a fleet of Perini Navis that constantly cruise Asia-Pacific waters, Fidelis has spent considerable time in the South Seas, and

when this was written was exploring the beautiful waters of New Caledonia, a French-Melanesian group less than 1000 nm off the Queensland Coast. It has the world's second largest barrier reef after the nearby Great Barrier Reef.

Rosehearty56m Perini NaviOriginally commissioned by ex-Australian newspaper baron and still keen sailor Rupert Murdoch, who has had other Perini Navis, Rosehearty first made our Top 100 list for that reason. Lately the vessel has been in French Polynesia, to which son Lachlan Murdoch also sailed his smaller Vitters Sarissa.

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Tiara55m Alloy Yachts Cruising between Tahiti and Fiji, after a sojourn in Southeast Asia in 2017, Tiara can be chartered. We fell in love with this yacht's split-level owner's suite while sailing her with the late Tony Hambrook, Alloy Yachts' former MD. Created by John Munford, another of the famous British interior designers, the suite uses Vavona burl and Honduran mahogany, and we would highly recommend it to any wealthy yachtie who feels like getting away from it all, with a crew to help run Alloy's custom-made push-button sailing system.

Elysium52m Benetti Formerly Quantum of Solace and part of the famous James Bond series ordered by dealer extraordinaire John Staluppi, she was purchased by the experienced Singapore and Malaysian property developer David Eng, who had earlier built two aluminium superyachts at Palmer Johnson on the shores of the Great Lakes. Often kept in Phuket but presently exploring the Gulf of Thailand and Bangkok.

Jade 95952m Jade Yachts A Juan Carlos Espinosa design and built in Kaohsiung when Jade Yachts was more active

there, Jade 959 has been chartering in the Med for the past two seasons. Jade VP Memphis Han has been focusing more on the family's five yards building commercial and fishing craft of late.

Double Haven51m Feadship Presently in Brisbane, Double Haven was a trend-setting superyacht of the mid-1990s, taking five years in her gestation for Hong Kong-based publisher Merle Hinrich of Asian Sources and later Forbes fame. A book was written about her, and sketches akin to this vessel soon appeared in nearly every designer's portfolio. Hinrich successfully used her as a floating office, and she was later to be found mostly in the Philippines archipelago or Micronesia.

Pursuit51m Damen Enough has been said about Damen's Support Vessels already, so suffice to say that Pursuit initially turned

up in tandem with another similarly-sized vessel last year, and now appears to be exploring the islands of eastern Papua New Guinea, well-known for their vibrant corals and big fish.

MySky51m Heesen New to the region and chartering out of Phuket as part of this year's Burgess offerings, MySky adds to the increasing Heesen presence. She carries 12 guests in three double cabins, two twins and some Pullmans, plus captain and ten crew, and has a wide range of tenders and toys. Sample rates are US$259,000 to US$280,000 a week depending on the season.

Sea Shaw52m Cheoy Lee Singapore steed of the late movie mogul Shaw Vee King, who passed away last year, this Frank Mulder-Dee Robinson design was completed at Cheoy Lee near Macau. Long kept at Republic of Singapore Yacht Club, and making fortnightly "long weekend" passages to nearby Indonesian and Malaysian waters, she too was further afield in Bangkok at our deadline.

Maridome54m Brooke Marine Longest-standing member of the Melbourne superyacht club, retailer Solomon Lew keeps this distinctively-designed vessel built at England's Brooke Marine in the Med lately, a little way along the coast from Barcelona, but equally he has waved from astern during past cruises in Phuket. One trucking mate has just taken delivery of #49 Volpini 2, so a matching upgrade may be in the wind, although Lew also has the 45m Texas which he uses for Australian cruises.

Drumbeat54m Alloy Yachts Part of a growing fleet of superyachts that call French Polynesia and Fiji home, with occasional refit and repair runs to

Auckland where Drumbeat was built. David Jamieson of Asia-Pacific Superyachts talks these days of 50-60 big boats in the extensive Fiji archipelago. Bart Kimman, Hong Kong-based leading agent for Camper and Nicholsons in the region, says that sales activity among the super sailboats is quite vibrant.

Luna52m Perini Navi A selection of Perini Navi super sailboats grace Asia-Pacific waters every year, and Luna, a ketch presently at Westhaven, the southern hemisphere's largest marina, in Auckland, is but one.She was in French Polynesia earlier in the year.

Keri Lee 11154m Trinity Another Australian-owned superyacht that charters far and wide, her interiors feature some interesting original artworks, and principal furnishings are French antique. The vessel was offered in Southeast Asia, and in recent seasons has tried the Med market, concluding again at La Ciotat for repairs and maintenance.

Ad-Vantage55m Damen Another of the Damen Sea Axe Support Vessels, Ad-Vantage was working with a smaller "mother" ship, Palmer Johnson's sporty 46m Vantage, in French Polynesia, but this orange-hulled vessel was bound for Ft Lauderdale late 2018, possibly to be offered during Ft Lauderdale Boat Show, so this may mark the end of her South Pacific sojourn.

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Umbra51m Damen Recently in Singapore and at Phuket Yacht Haven, Umbra like other Damens is included because apart from their original concept as Support Vessels, they are increasingly being used in their own right as explorer yachts. This one was refitted in Whangarei, New Zealand, a few years ago, and has been roaming the Pacific, including work for America's prestigious Woods Hole Institute.

Northern Sun50m HYS One of the most popular charter vessels in Southeast Asian waters in recent years, Northern Sun was originally built in Japan and refitted in Subic Bay. A knowledgeable captain and crew help introduce guests to unique getaways in otherwise well-known cruising spots such as the Andaman Sea.

Thalia49m Vitters In Auckland at our deadline, this immaculate Ron Holland design is now 25 years old, albeit has had a complete refit in the interim. She was cruising French Polynesia last season, where another Vitters, Sarissa, has lately been island-hoppping. Thalia has an ultra-specious main deck salon with panoramic windows and retractable blinds provide on-deck shade. Mahogany panelling and marble showers are interior features.

Lohengrin49m Trinity Bought during a Ft Lauderdale Boat Show by the Chairman of Hainan Airlines (HNA), and shown at Hainan Rendezvous with the likes of Billy Smith 111 aboard, the name of course derives from the opera. HNA has gone on to become a sizeable conglomerate, albeit recently selling off some assets to pay down debt, and Lohengrin moved on to Hong Kong, from whence she makes “local” cruises

Aurora A49m Admiral Anyone strolling Shanghai’s famous Bund today has a good chance of coming across Aurora A, an Admiral often berthed on the banks of the busy Huangpu River, which leads off the Yangtze Kiang and passes through the centre of modern-day Shanghai. Private yachts can indeed visit the city, and China Coast agents help in making arrangements. Voyaging further up the Yangtze toward Nanjing can be a little more complex.

Eileen50m Codecasa Listed last year because we heard of Asia-Pacific connections, and the involvement of Phuket Yacht Haven denizen Capt Ed Shiels, Eileen was in fact in Newport, Rhode Island at the time, but she has since lived up to predictions and appeared in the South Pacific on a westbound passage, calling most recently in Fiji, Honiara in the Solomons and Noumea.

Chirundos50m McMullenand Wing This vessel was built as the successor to much-acclaimed 45m Big Fish, which is still making impressive passages. Chirundos benefits from the many innovative ideas applied in these Greg Marshall designs, and is presently on the West Pacific Coast of Mexico.

Legacy50m Westport Keeps itinerary as private as high-exposure superyachts can conversely hope to achieve. Last noted in East Papua New Guinea waters and the Solomon Sea, after a South Pacific sojourn ending in New Zealand and Australia. Built in the States in 2011, both exterior and interior styling are by renowned Donald Starkey. Semi-displacement GRP vessel with a 20 knot cruise speed.

Sapphire50m Trinity Originally Red Sapphire when she arrived from the Gulf, this vessel was shown at the 4th Hainan Rendezvous where stablemate Lohengrin was then located before her move to Hong Kong. She was subsequently purchased by "a consortium of Bangkok-based businessmen" and engages in charters. Not to be confused with the 73m Nobiskrug superyacht of the same Sapphire name.

Kalizma50m Ramageand Ferguson Making regular appearances in exotic Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean ports, including East Africa ones, Kalizma is one of those delightfully classic, laid-back vessels that everybody should try once. Richard Burton bought her for Elizabeth Taylor in 1967, during one of their marriages, and she was named Kalizma after Burton’s children Kate, Liza and Maria.

Sky50m Heesen Burgess advises that another Heesen apart from #73 MySky chartering out of Phuket is simply Sky, available in the Maldives. This is a custom-built performance vessel with four deck levels and generous outside space. It has a 3,000 nm+ range, and should be an interesting way to explore these islands.

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Braveheart50m SwedeshipThe late Dutch designer Peter Beeldsnijder created some of the loveliest super sailboat interior decors ever seen, particularly for Royal Huisman, but for this motor yacht which cruises the China Coast with occasional sorties into Southeast Asia, he styled the exterior as well. Last year we mentioned related twin Picchiotti now Perini Navi motor yacht purchases in Hong Kong, and although not formally reincluding them until next year, see the introduction to this feature for an update.

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Michaela Rose49m Frers Schweers Presently at Hamilton Island in the Whitsunday Group, off the Queensland Coast, this is the second classic yacht built by Frers Schweers in the 2018 list after Senses, which is 10m longer. Michaela Rose was in Tahiti and Fiji before this latest Australian cruise. Another Diana Yacht Design, her top speed is 16 knots and she has a maximum range of 3,800 nm at 14 knots.

Rochade48m Delta In Phuket as this year’s list was put together, Rochade had previously been commuting between Brisbane and Fiji. Her interior fit-out is described as “beautiful and contemporary Asian style, with accommodation for 10 guests in five suites. A 3,500 nm range allows for easy Pacific island-hopping.

Ocean Dreamwalker 347m Sanlorenzo

New flagship of Sanlorenzo’s Asia-Pacific fleet is this 500EXP just being delivered, augmenting the Sanlorenzo Steel 46s Forwin and Achilles F which

retain their places in the final segment. Sanlorenzo is represented by Simpson Marine, the region’s

oldest and most successful agency.

No Comment48m Christensen Voyaging from Tahiti to Fiji, Noumea and Brisbane, No Comment under Capt Cy Wastell is the former Scott Free. She has a considerable MTU-powered 4,300 nm range, and can accommodate 12 guests. Interiors are by Kater Graziano.

Lady Orient48m Sterling Built at Nishi Zosen on the Ise Peninsula in 1983, the same year Australia won the America’s Cup

leading to a defence off Fremantle in Western Australia, the original Asean Lady was styled by Sterling Scott of Sterling Yachts. This led to a spate of superyacht builds for Japanese and Australians, but Asean Lady went on to become Southeast Asia’s first superyacht under owner Brian Chang, who often anchored off the lovely Langkawi isles before they had an airport.

Asteria49m Anastassiades An explorer-style yacht with a 6,000 nm range, recently arrived in Auckland from Fiji, this is one of Chinese entrepreneur Tony Fung’s offshore steeds. He has made various proposals for casinos and resorts on the Queensland Coast, and is understood to be going ahead with one new gaming project in Canberra, the Federal capital.

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Aquamarina47m ISA Regularly roaming Southeast Asian and Pacific ports, she was back in Singapore late 2018. Built in Ancona in 2006, her distinctive sleek exterior styling is by Walter Franchini. One of the superyachts that uses Sutera Harbour facilities on the Borneo Coast, a stop-over that we annually recommend.

Skade46m Holland Jachtbouw Making her debut last year in French Polynesia and Fiji, this Tripp-designed

sloop moved on to cruise lovely New Caledonian waters before the latter’s long-awaited independence referendum in November 2018, and was last reported in Rabaul on the north coast of Papua New Guinea.

Achilles F46m Sanlorenzo Although technically a sister ship to Forwin and also based on the China Coast, Achilles F is a somewhat different example of these very successful Paszkowski-designed vessels. She has a gold hull and a full-beam master suite, and at our deadline was in Keelung, the northern port for capital Taipei in Taiwan. Simpson Marine was once again the sales agent.

Princess Iolanthe46m Mondo Marine Both Princess Iolanthe and Aquamarina have spent time in Sutera Harbour, but the former has lately shown a penchant for the Philippines archipelago, and is presently ensconced in Subic Bay. Built in steel-aluminium in 2006, with exterior styling by Luca Dini and interiors by Jean-Pierre Fantini, she has previously been listed for sale.

Forwin46m Sanlorenzo Delivered to a Chinese

owner in 2017 by Simpson Marine, and often seen cruising between Hong Kong and Lamma Islands, this Sanlorenzo 46 Steel has five decks and a displacement, high tensile steel hull with aluminium topsides. She has a 3,500 nmrange at 11 knots, and a topspeed of 17 knots. Cabin layoutscan be customised to suitowner preferences.

Mutiara Laut46m L van

Oostenbrugge Built as a two-masted

schooner but with at least a nod to

Indonesia’s famous phinisis, such as her wooden construction

taking place in Kalimantan, Mutiara

Laut charters primarily in the Indonesian

archipelago. Please see a related feature on the large phinisis also available in the

following pages.

Perfect Persuasion47m Oceanfast Lately exploring the Langkawi Islands, this vessel known as “PP” for short has cruised extensively in the Southeast Asian archipelagos and explored the Australian Coast from whence she came, having been built in GRP by Oceanfast during its heyday south of Perth. Donald Starkey was responsible for both the exterior and interior, and naval architect was Phil Curran.

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Prana 55mLaunched only months ago, the luxury phinisi Prana takes her name from a Sanskrit word meaning breath or life force. We have not had the opportunity to inspect her yet, but photography indicates very high quality appointments and a philosophy that combines inner learning with travel. Planned routes will traverse the islands east of Bali, including Komodo and others off Flores, the Banda spice islands, and diving mecca Raja Ampat.

Lamima 65mLike Mutiara Laut included in Top 100 as #100 this year, Lamima is a hybrid between a phinisi and a more conventional sailing vessel too, having been designed in 2012 by the esteemed Marcelo Penna. She took three years to build at Aru in Sulawesi, and unusually is certified by the Italian agency RINA. In addition to Indonesian isles, she switches with the seasons to Thailand's Andaman Sea and the Mergui Archipelago in Myanmar, formerly Burma.

Silolona 50mPatti Seery has become a legend in the last decade or two for her pioneering efforts in promoting the Indonesian phinisi lifestyle, and Silolona is her first masterpiece. The vessel is hand-crafted from the finest tropical hardwoods to German Lloyds specifications by the Master Konjo boat builders of Sulawesi, formerly known as the Celebes. Tasteful decor, spacious decks, delightful Asian fusion cuisine. A second vessel, Si Datu Bua, has been added.

Dunia Baru 51mLast but definitely not least of the leading luxury phinisis, Dunia Baru meaning New World offers luxury escapes in the world's largest archipelago, Indonesia, and in surrounding seas. Owner Mark Robba, like Patti Seery, often engages in ocean ecology and village relief projects of which he is particularly proud, if charterers wish to offset more hedonistic pleasures with contributing to some very worthwhile causes. For all vessels, simply google the name for contacts.

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COVER STORY Phinisis

ASIA'S OTHER SUPERYACHTSINDONESIAN PHINISIS

Traditional Indonesian phinisis, like gulets in Turkey, compete with superyachts for charter bookings, but are in no way comparable in terms of construction costs or techniques, and their LOAs sometimes include a generous bowsprit to

carry the tacks of foresails. Yacht Style features these lovely vessels individually in other print and online editions, particularly in the annual Charter Focus,

but in Top 100 Superyachts we simply add them as an appendix.

soon to arrive, and the biggest and ... - mega yachts for sale

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