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Luxury Yachts

Luxury brands can symbolize nothing for some people, but for others, it is believed they can improve social status and define one’s personality. Over time, lots of people feel the desire to share their luxury purchase with other people. All of us have done it at least once. The question is: Do you buy a yacht because you love sailing and can afford it, or do you buy it to show it on your Instagram profile, or to prove your worth? In an attempt to answer this question, this article analyzes the yacht market, which is surely one of the more prosperous markets. Kurt Vonnegut (US writer and scholar) once said: “Having a yacht is a reason for being more cheerful than most.”

The global yacht market size was valued at $6.2 billion in 2019 and is expected to reach $6.5 billion in 2020. It is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.6% from 2019 to 2025 to reach USD 9.0 billion by 2025. Europe dominated the yacht market, with a share of 35.3% of sales in 2019. The demand for yachts has gradually increased over the last few years due to the increase in individuals’ disposable income and their inclination toward leisure or recreational activities (growing popularity of water sports & fishing activities). The growing preference of travellers for luxury tourism, personalized service, and exclusive travelling are the primary factors propelling yachts’ sales.

Some key players operating in the yacht market include Brunswick Corporation; Azimut Benetti S.p.A.; Damen Shipyards Group; Heesen Group; The San Lorenzo S.p.a; Sunseeker International; Ferretti S.p.A.; Alexander Marine International Co., Ltd. (AMI); and Princess Yachts Limited. The Yacht lengths can go from 20 ft upwards, and they are divided into Superyachts, Flybridge yachts, Sport yachts, Long-range yachts and others.


Wally

Regardless of what kind of boat you own or use, you are bound to draw attention in the yacht industry there a multitude of firms, each with their own unique characteristics. One of these is Wally, a young brand that has managed to make a name for itself. Founded in 1994 by Luca Bassani, and currently, a part of the Ferretti Group, Wally is known for its use of carbon fibre as a production element in their boats. They maintain a large offering, from small boats and yachts all the way to sailing boats and even racing ships. They pride themselves on a sleek yet elegant look, with high-quality materials all around. Additionally, they steadily develop new designs that are innovative and often haven’t been attempted before. Ships built by Wally are no doubt in the higher price range; however, there are many other firms, such as Azimut Yachts, that compete in this niche market.


Azimut

Azimut Yachts is an Italian yacht-manufacturing company based in Viareggio, Italy. The company was established in 1969 by Paolo Vitelli. Vitelli founded Azimut whilst still a student in Italy, later acquiring the venerable Benetti brand. The company started with sailboat chartering, later developing into a large luxury yacht building industry. The first major work started with a contract at the shipyard of Amerglass, a modern, Dutch, shipyard producing boats out of fibreglass. The business developed quickly, adding the distribution of sailboats, motor cruisers, and finally motor yachts from different makers: British Powles, Westerly, and others.

The headquarters site is a 100,000 square meter facility of offices and the factory, which can build 300 boats, -up to 21 meters long – per year. Larger yachts are ordered from other, larger shipyards in the world.

The Azimut Yachts collection boasts the widest product range in the world, with models measuring from 42 to 88 feet. The yachts offer a unique wind and light experience, lulled by the comfort of welcoming environments and the finest Italian materials. The company offers 6 different yacht collections. The Grande collection offers yachts from 25 to 35 feet. Then, the Flybridge collection breaks down all visual barriers, allowing one to truly contemplate the sea right before one’s eyes. The Flybridge collection yachts vary from 50 to 80 feet. The S Collection blends a sporty look with elegance thanks to innovative high-tech solutions and high-performance materials for desirable, technological yachts. The other collections include the Magellano, Atlantis, and Verve collections.

Owning a beautiful Azimut Yacht sets you apart from nearly 99.9%  of the world. It is one of the most iconic yacht brands and has the widest product range in the world. But owning a yacht makes you an exception, even if it isn’t an Azimut. With their top-deck swimming pools, private screening rooms, state-of-the-art kitchens, and saloons, and onboard beach toys like jet skis and motorboats, superyachts represent the very top of luxury living. Owning a yacht means owning something exclusive. Most of the time, the yacht is a unique masterpiece built to satisfy the owner’s wish to own something truly customized. As a result, a yacht is probably one of the most expensive hobbies one can have, but it’s for sure one that will create unforgettable moments.


Faith

Anyone with a yacht (boats above 10 meters long) or even a superyacht, (any boat larger

than 24 meters ), is universally recognized as someone very successful financially. However, these yacht owners pale in comparison to the owners of megayachts – starting at 80 meters.

One example of such an owner is Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll ($2.6B net worth). He owns the 96.5m Faith, costing roughly $200M, built by the Dutch shipyard Feadship in 2017. From the outside, one might think that it just looks like a normal white megayacht. However, it has some exceptional features, including a flexible and strengthened helipad which can turn into a half-court basketball court, a spacious beach club and an infinity pool with shallow and deep ends. It was also the winner of several awards in 2017 and 2018. As Mr Stroll is the father of current F1 driver Lance Stroll, Faith always garners a lot of attention during the Monaco Grand Prix, where the track winds itself through the tight streets of the tiny principality on the French Riviera. Known throughout Formula 1 as a hungry investor always looking for new opportunities for investments, a yacht as forward-thinking as Faith is a perfect illustration of Stroll’s personality.


Christina O

Megayachts maybe some of the most luxurious and flashy things money can buy. However, some yachts ooze nothing but pure class and elegance. One of them is the 99m Christina O. Originally built-in 1943 by Canadian Vickers, it served as the HMCS Stormont during the Battle of the Atlantic and was present at the Normandy Landings in 1944. After World War II, Aristotle Onassis bought the warship and converted it into a luxurious mega yacht. In 1998, the decaying ship was bought by fellow Greek John Paul Papanicolaou who spent $50 million to retrofit it into its state during Onassis’ ownership.

During Onassis’ ownership, several famous guests mingled on board, including Winston Churchill, Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra and John F. Kennedy.
Due to its age Christina O, does not have the same large rooms as modern yachts but has other special features like a beautiful mahogany tender and a minotaur-themed mosaic pool, the floor of which can fully automatically rise and turn into a dance floor.

There is no doubt that owning a yacht with such a vivid and interesting history as the Christina O gives the owner an aura of almost Gatsbyesque mystique, of elegant and classy wealth, flamboyant yet humble.


A

Sailing yacht A represents a different way to stand out. It is the largest sailing yacht in history (142.8m) with the highest masts of any sailing yacht at 100m. Launched in 2015, this yacht was built by German shipyard Nobiskrug for Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko.

The yacht has traditional features associated with mega-yachts such as helipads, multiple elevators, and water-sport facilities and unconventional and unprecedented technologies. One example is the underwater observation pod, which includes the longest piece of curved glass (15m) in any mega-yacht and has glass railings to create a «borderless» atmosphere.

Another unique feature of sailing yacht A is a diesel-electric system, which allows the yacht to achieve a top speed of 21 knots (39 km/h) and sail silently. Moreover, it creates the ability to use a variety of propulsion modes.

According to the managing director of Nobiskrug, H. Kahl, sailing yacht A was “born from the owner’s desire to push the boundaries of engineering and challenge the status quo of the industry”. The unorthodox design created by Philippe Starck makes a statement and expresses the owner’s creativity. Sailing yacht A amazes everyone from both the sailing and mega-yacht worlds as it is truly unique from all angles.


All in all, owning a yacht, especially from the aforementioned brands, will always provide a sense of higher social hierarchy; however, it is clear that yachts, such as sailing yacht A, bring a much higher power when proving your affluence in the world of “the rich”. It can be compared to buying a house in a well-established complex versus contracting a mansion from zero; both provide a high standard of living quality. However, the latter is more powerful in flaunting your wealth and establishing yourself in high society.

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