We’ve all seen the photos of these marine beauties – enormous boats owned or chartered by the mega rich floating on turquoise waters all across the globe! It takes something special to take a simple boat to super yacht status, and these opulent floating dreams are one of the ultimate displays of wealth and luxury. Here are some fun facts about super yachts that might just fascinate you.
1. Yacht racing started as a sport of the royalty
The first organized regatta was planned as a 40-mile race on the Thames. It took place in 1661 between Katherine, Charles’s newly constructed yacht and Anne, the Duke of York’s new yacht with Charles himself at the helm Katherine won and a new sport was born.
2. The first sailing yacht "fighting" pirates
More than a thousand years ago, people already knew how to use a sail and catch the wind with it, but it is very difficult to call the sailing ships created at that time "yachts". The history of the sailing yacht begins in the 17th century, when the Dutch, tired of the constant pirate "influx", decided to build small maneuverable high-speed ships with a sail to patrol the coastline. Society immediately appreciated all the advantages of "fast" yachts, and they began to be used in different directions.
3. What’s the biggest super yacht in the world?
The world’s ‘most super’ yacht is the Azzam. It’s the biggest of them all when it comes to sheer number of guests, and it’s around 590 feet long. It also cost an impressive $600 million to bring to life, over the course of four years. It was owned by the late, former UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.
4. Charles II of England is regarded as the world’s first yachtsman
Charles II of England return to the throne was celebrated by the city of Amsterdam, presenting him with a luxurious 60’ yacht including a crew of 20. Her name was Mary. He took great pleasure in sailing her up and down the Thames. He studied navigation and even naval architecture and he built approximately 20 yachts during his lifetime. It can be said that he was the world’s first yachtsman. His enthusiasm for yachting was contagious and his brother James, Duke of York, joined him and also became an avid yachtsman as well.
5. These are more than just boats alone!
Super yachts are often regarded as being so ‘super’ thanks to the sheer variety of extras they come packed with. For example, did you know that some super yachts arrive with helipads, cinemas, gyms and pools? What’s wrong with just taking a cruise, honestly?
6. "Palace" on the water
The largest sailing yacht belongs to businessman Andrey Melnichenko. The length of the vessel is 142 meters, and the height of the masts is 100 meters! The" highlight " of this yacht is a place to observe the underwater world with touch control, located in the keel of the ship, and to swim and watch fish.
