Billionaires’ Bonkers Boats
A UK company has designed a concept craft billed as the first $1 billion yacht. It looks crazy, of course, but is it any more mad than the ridiculously opulent boats already afloat?
Mansions are so 2010. A UK company has designed a concept craft billed as the first $1 billion yacht. It looks crazy, of course, but is it any more mad than the ridiculously opulent boats already afloat?
Streets of Monaco
Cost: $1 billion (estimated)
Mad feature: you got eyes, right?
Designed by Yacht Island Design, this is pretty much a floating town. The yacht – currently only a concept – is modelled as a scaled-down version of some of Monaco’s most famous buildings. Features include a go-kart track, on-board beach and, surprisingly, room for just 16 guests. Co-designer Rob McPherson says it was designed mainly “as a showcase” and hasn’t yet been commissioned by anyone yet, so if you like it and have a spare billion, feel free to give him a call.
Indian Empress
Cost: ₹4.2b
Mad feature: coolest parties
Owned by liquor baron Vijay Mallya, the Indian Empress is 95m long and is one of the world’s biggest yachts. With 16 cabins at three levels, the boat is self-sufficient for long voyages from the south of France to the Caribbean. For links with land, it’s equipped with a helipad as well as space in the hold for two Mercedes cars for the leisure rides of occupants. We’re still trying to figure how they get the cars on the boat.
The Octopus
Cost: ₹9.1b
Mad feature: resident rock band
Even Microsoft CEOs can play at being rock stars. Paul Allen employs a band full-time so he can summon them to jam with him anywhere in the world within 24 hours. His 126m yacht has a state-of-the-art recording studio in case they want to “lay down some phat beats” as people say (in the ’90s).
Pelorus
Cost: ₹13b
Mad feature: SAS staff
Another of Abramovich’s – this one a rather compact 115 metres – the Pelorus is permanent home to 46 crew, whether or not Abramovich is actually on board. Best of all, though, some of those staff are apparently former SAS members. He has SAS soldiers hanging around just in case. Brilliant.
Amevi
Cost: ₹18.7b
Mad feature: accomodation-16
Owned by Indian steel titan Lakshmi Mittal, Amevi is chartered at a cool ₹43 million per week. So what do they get? A cinema, a spa, a gym, a hair salon, massage room, helipad and a pool table on stabilizers. It accommodates 16 guests in 8 suites comprising 1 owner cabin, 3 VIP cabins, 2 double cabins, 2 twin cabins...
Senses
Cost: ₹2b
Mad feature: pokey
₹2 billion? Pfft. Why even bother, Google-founder Larry Page? You’re worth ₹500 billion. And you buy a yacht that doesn’t even have a submarine. Or a disco. Or a place to keep your SAS soldiers. And you bought it second-hand? This is a dinghy next to the rest of the list, you povvo.
From the March 2011 issue of FHM India.
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