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Perfect for a shale-oil tycoon – Inspired by Texas, this superyacht concept is longer than 3-Olympic sized swimming pools. It has a mechanical bull, a massive owner’s suite, and a secret ‘love crib.’

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Russian billionaire Andrey Molchanov is on top of the world as his beloved $120 million superyacht narrowly escaped seizure and is now rushing to the safe waters in Turkey. Known as ‘Project Gatsby’ the 243-foot vessel’s interiors are inspired by the 1920’s.

lonestar gigayacht

A monstrous 350 feet long floating toy box just docked in Seychelles, take a look at Russian billionaire Yuri Milner’s $250 million yacht. An open supporter of Ukraine, he was an early investor in Facebook and Twitter and is now working with Jeff Bezos to reverse the aging process.

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Take a look around the $150 million PJ World superyacht

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As long as 3 Olympic-sized swimming pools and costing more than $500 million, Lurssen’s Project Luminance will be the biggest yacht to be completed in 2023

lonestar gigayacht

German investigators have confiscated rare paintings worth $5 million from art-loving Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov’s seized $600 million megayacht Dilbar.

lonestar gigayacht

Italian shipyard Benetti has unveiled the breathtaking 217-foot Iryna superyacht. This six-deck marvel boasts the signature Oasis Deck, a serene main salon, a sprawling owner’s suite, and an array of luxurious wellness areas.

lonestar gigayacht

Vitamin seller turned richest restaurateur in the world, Tilman Fertitta’s $150 million superyacht, is a masterclass in how to go big or go home! The Houston Rockets owner’s 252-foot-long vessel has a custom wine cellar, mosaic-lined pool, massage room, and multiple bars.

lonestar gigayacht

Self proclaimed ‘environmentalist’ Leonardo DiCaprio ringed in the new year on a $150 million superyacht with a group of models – The vessel releases more greenhouse gases than 1,500 cars combined.

lonestar gigayacht

Lurssen has launched the 400-foot mammoth, $360 million Project Jag owned by Jacksonville Jaguars billionaire owner Shahid Khan. The superyacht will feature indoor and outdoor cinema, spa, gym, and a beautiful silver Jaguar mascot on her bow.

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lonestar yacht concept

Kurt Strand Design presents 171m concept Lonestar

US-based Norwegian designer Kurt Strand has presented a new 171 metre concept named Lonestar.

To be constructed with a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, the concept is defined by “elegant” lines with soft curves and an eye-catching powder blue hull.

The concept boasts a superyacht helicopter landing pad on the foredeck, complete with its own storage hangar.

At the bow, the owner has their own secret “love crib” which offers panoramic views and private access to a 500 square metre owner’s suite.

Elsewhere, Lonestar draws inspiration from traditionally Texan design elements - hence the name. Strand describes the use of “western style” with the “Texas star” featuring heavily alongside rustic wood, leather and artworks by Texas-based artisans.

Strand has made full use of the yacht’s 23 metre beam, with accommodation for up to 32 guests in 16 cabins. Amenities include a wine cellar, gym and spa, as well as space for a crew of 50.

Lonestar is also equipped with bars with space for musical entertainment and mechanical rodeos.

In terms of propulsion, Strand has envisioned the yacht with hybrid gas turbines that produce electricity for the 4-pod drives, totalling 38,000 horsepower and providing a maximum speed of 24 knots and cruising speed of 16 knots.

Lonestar is equipped with six custom tenders ranging from seven metres to 12 metres, which have been designed to match the mothership.

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Not all things big and flashy are necessarily ugly or lacking grace. Look no further than the latest Kurt Strand megayacht concept, Lonestar, for confirmation.

lonestar gigayacht

Kurt Strand, he of the Strand Craft Yachts, is an established designer in the naval industry, with countless projects to his name, both real and studies like Lonestar. Whether it’s a smaller watercraft or a gigantic megayacht, Strand’s designs always stand out, and this one is no different.

Lonestar is a 561-foot (171-meter) megayacht that would bring Texas design elements out on the open sea, the designer explains to us. Strand has been striving to  “design the yacht of the future”  with every one of his projects, and this one might be it: it has hybrid propulsion and incredible luxury amenities, all wrapped up in a visually striking package that will make any multi-millionaire proud to call his own. We can talk all we want about how what counts is on the inside, but we all know that appearance is also important.

lonestar gigayacht

On this account, Lonestar delivers: it’s sleek and elegant, looks fast even in renders, and promises plenty of luxe amenities, if only for its sheer size. Strand says both the exterior and the interior would feature western style elements, like the Texas star, leather, rustic wood, and works by Texas artists. The interior has not been detailed beyond this mention.

Amenities include a helideck on the foredeck, with a hangar to store the aircraft when not in use, and a “love crib” at the bow, just for the owner to take in the panoramic views. The same “love crib” offers access to the master suite, which is equally massive, at 500 square meters (5,382 square feet) – so basically a house within a mansion.

Accommodation would be for 32 guests across 16 cabins and 50 crew members to cater to all their whims and needs. A typical superyacht today can accommodate 12 to 14 guests, but Lonestar wants to stand out in all regards, albeit only on (virtual) paper at this point.

Inside Lonestar’s garages would be no less than six custom tenders of varying sizes, all of them designed to match the mothership. No sense in splashing gazillions of dollars on a megayacht if the tenders are mismatched.

lonestar gigayacht

Perhaps more important than all these are the eco-friendly credentials of such a yacht. Strand doesn’t imagine it as a fully-green vessel, but it’s friendlier than current alternatives, and that could be enough to soothe a multi-millionaire’s conscience. Propulsion on Lonestar is by means of hybrid gas turbines that power 4-pod drives of 38,000 hp in total, taking it to a top speed of 24 knots (27.6 mph / 44.5 kph).

lonestar gigayacht

Big, beautiful and highly capable – the only thing Lonestar needs right now is for the right multi-millionaire to come along.

  • superyachts

Douglas Hensman

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Kurt Strand Design debuts prototype for world’s second-largest superyacht

August 25, 2022

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By Luxury Daily News Service

Kurt Strand Design has unveiled a brand new 561-foot gigayacht concept with mind-boggling amenities inspired by Texan culture.

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The world’s biggest yachts – what’s behind the growth of the gigayacht

Helen Fretter

  • Helen Fretter
  • March 14, 2017

The last few years have seen launches of some of the world's largest yachts, truly gigayachts. Helen Fretter delves into the world of the gigayacht

lonestar gigayacht

Dwarfing not only any other yacht that happened to be on the River Eider, but even the buildings along the foreshore, the monolithic Sailing Yacht A made quite an impression when she was launched from the Nobriskrug yard in Hamburg in the autumn of 2016.

The 142m, eight-deck behemoth is the archetypal ‘gigayacht’, phenomenal not just in her dimensions but also in her radicalism.

The Philippe Starck-designed Sailing Yacht A , with her 20m freeboard, begs the question: is she even a sailing yacht? The last yacht to divide opinion, and attract the shock and awe of the non-sailing public in the same manner was Maltese Falcon , the glossy, experimental megayacht designed for Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tom Perkins.

But the Falcon was launched a decade ago, and Sailing Yacht A is just one of a crop of extraordinary gigayachts, or sailing superyachts of 80, 90 or 100m plus, to touch the water in 2016.

Besides the 142m Sailing Yacht A , another three-masted design was launched from OceanCo this autumn, the 106m  Black Pearl , which looks set to become the largest sailing yacht in the world – for a while at least. Black Pearl represents a modern evolution of the rotating Dynarig pioneered by Maltese Falcon . Meanwhile in the spring, the largest Bermudan rigged yacht ever launched, the 86m ketch Aquijo , powered through sail trials in preparation for a global adventure.

There are more in the pipeline also. Royal Huisman announced this autumn that they had been commissioned to design and build the 86m Project 400 , another three masted design, this one more conventionally rigged. A proposal for the 114m Endurance has just been unveiled, an explorer concept designed to be able to cruise unassisted for three months. There is also the 86m Komorebi , an experimental wingsail-assisted hybrid trimaran design from the French multihull experts VPLP.

Rise and rise of the gigayacht

Why the sudden flurry of these stratospherically ambitious projects? In truth, it is not that sudden – initial pitches for what ultimately became Sailing Yacht A were invited back in 2008, and pre-studies began in 2011. A decade between projects seems rather shorter when design and build takes at least five years – gigayacht owners may be exacting, but they also have to be extraordinarily patient.

The 141m four-masted Dream Symphony is currently in build out of wood in Turkey, and includes vast living accommodation, and a swimming pool that converts to become a helipad platform

The 141m four-masted Dream Symphony is currently in build out of wood in Turkey, and includes vast living accommodation, and a swimming pool that converts to become a helipad platform.

What is remarkable, though, is how rapidly the yachts have grown in size – raising the upper ceiling from 88 to over 140m in a decade. Dutch naval architecture firm Dykstra has been instrumental in many of the world’s most innovative megayachts, including Sailing Yacht A , Black Pearl , and Maltese Falcon .

Managing director Thys Nikkels comments, “Ten years ago a big boat was a very different size than a big boat is now. I can still remember when I started working in ’91 a 40-metre yacht in those days was a big boat. In the mid-90s we started to design the yacht Athena , which we thought was the biggest boat we were ever going to see in our lives, as a sailing yacht she was 80 metres on the water.”

The largest single sloop rigged yacht in the world remains Mirabella V , launched back in 2003 and since renamed (and slightly lengthened during a refit) M5 at just over 77m. Rob Doyle, who worked on the project led by Ron Holland, recalls:

“We started designing her 17 years ago now. We hit a very natural sweet spot with Mirabella and that’s why it has taken so long for other boats to suddenly go over her length and over her rig height.

“ Mirabella still has the highest ‘P’ measurement [distance from boom to top of mast] and the longest boom in the world, though there are taller masts now.

“She set a bar and we didn’t realise we’d actually set it. It came down to a ratio of the rig weight to the draught and the keel weights, and everything else to be able to carry that amount of sail and that ballast to satisfy the rules.

“We pushed technology a lot – about 16 companies went bust over Mirabella  because the jump was so massive. We were jumping from a 64m to a 75m [yacht] and that jump was like learning to fly, then going to the moon!”

Article continues below

lonestar gigayacht

Video of Sailing Yacht A, the world’s largest sail-assisted vessel, during early sea trials

This video footage of Sailing Yacht A shows her with her towering free-standing masts and illustrates the jaw-dropping scale of the world’s…

lonestar gigayacht

A look on board the extraordinary 86m Aquijo, the world’s largest ketch

The largest Bermudan rigged ketch ever launched, the 86m Aquijo was designed by Bill Tripp and launched last year. The build came…

Ken Freivokh, who was responsible for the radical styling of Maltese Falcon , also points out that after the much publicised launch of the Falcon many buyers did not want to be seen to be emulating Tom Perkins’s unique style, preferring to wait, or opt for a conservative design. After the Falcon , Freivokh’s next radical Dynarig yacht was Black Pearl , which he began work on six years ago. At 106m Black Pearl dwarfs Maltese Falcon , with a 2,700GT volume that puts her just under the key 3,000GT limit.

Surprisingly, Dykstra’s Thys Nikkels says that the Dynarigs being built today are not markedly different to the one developed for Maltese Falcon a decade ago. “In concept it is not very different. In detail there are a number of improvements that have been made.

But Maltese Falcon was – for her time – years far ahead and she proved to be very successful in sail handling and sailing, so there are not many improvements to be done. Nowadays you just have different materials you can use, or different electronics and software systems that you can use for control.”

Maltese Falcon, launched in 2006, pioneered the Dynarig concept utilised on many of the next generation of larger gigayachts

Maltese Falcon, launched in 2006, pioneered the Dynarig concept utilised on many of the next generation of larger gigayachts.

Sail handling

Meanwhile a decade of development in superyacht rigs and sail systems, means that Aquijo ’s owner could opt for a conventional ketch rig, which can deploy over 3,000m2 of sails in around six minutes.

Sail handling routines are necessarily different – the jib is furled when tacking. “Vitters organised a nice system that keeps just a nice amount of tension on the jib sheets furling in and out so that they are not flailing about,” explains Aquijo ’s designer, Bill Tripp. “So it’s not a dinghy tack, but it is safe and orderly.

“The spinnaker is on a fast furler and furls up in 30 seconds, making gybes less complex. There is the ketch choreography of bringing the main and mizzen in, but the steering is precise and there is no need to put too much sail up for the conditions.”

Aquijo master cabin

Aquijo master cabin

The forces generated on yachts such as Aquijo may be enormous – mast compression can reach around 580 tons – but are no longer beyond the realms of riggers’ experience. “When we started building boats like Saudade [the 2009 45m Wally], 14 tonnes was a very big load. Once we understood racing these boats, and understood they were controllable, you can take another step.

“We were delighted when sailing Aquijo upwind in a lot of breeze that the load on the mainsheet was showing around 12 tonnes. It’s 2:1 so that’s 24 tonnes. I’m not saying that’s not a massive load, but it’s similar to what we have on Saudade ’s big sheet 1:1, and we have years of experience with handling that.” Custom built 40 ton carbon and alloy winches help manage the sheet loads.

Tripp notes that a Dynarig was never considered as an option. “What you’re really asking is do you want the ease of sailing or do you want to be able to access something exciting? And we wanted both of them.

“Sailors tend to like the more fundamental experiences, and when the technology allows them to access those more fundamental experiences, well that’s a great joy.”

Aquijo is the world’s largest ketch, with a mainsail that can be furled or unfurled in around four seconds

Aquijo is the world’s largest ketch, with a mainsail that can be furled or unfurled in around four seconds

Finding the limit

Just how big can a sailing yacht go? Five years ago plans were unveiled for a 101m sloop, with a single 125m carbon mast, which raised a few eyebrows and discussions over whether it might be possible. Malcolm McKeon worked on the proposal and says that it was the cost, rather than technical limitations, which put the brakes on the project.

“It was an evolving process. The owner has a 50m-plus sailing superyacht, and he wanted a new yacht big enough that he could put a reasonably sized chase boat on board. He wanted an explorer type sailboat that he could go to the Pacific on, and carry all his toys with him, and not have to have a support boat.

“The design started at 65 or 70m and it just grew and grew and grew until it got to 100m, and then it basically just got too expensive.

Recent sail trials on Sailing Yacht A saw the 1,464m2 mainsail unfurled from the 27.5m carbon U-shaped boom. Incredibly she is designed to heel up to a maximum angle of 12 degrees under full sail

Recent sail trials on Sailing Yacht A saw the 1,464m2 mainsail unfurled from the 27.5m carbon U-shaped boom. Incredibly she is designed to heel up to a maximum angle of 12 degrees under full sail.

“The big problem with the large sail boats is the mast price goes up by a bigger proportion to everything else so the rig price becomes a much bigger percentage of the overall build. Technically it can all be done, it’s just the value of that part becomes a much more significant part and sometimes more difficult for an owner to accept.

“If somebody came to me and said they wanted to build a boat with a 200m mast I would think well, is that really possible? Certainly rigs up to 100m and a bit more I think are possible today, but where we’re going to go after that I don’t know.”

Rob Doyle points out that sailing superyacht owners pay around a 30 per cent premium over opting for a motoryacht, yet the boats lose around a third of the equivalent interior volume. However, for him the biggest limitations are the humans onboard.

“I think we are coming to a stage where we need a new type of rig, to be honest, to be able to safely deploy these sails without killing people. I think we are getting very close to where the metal meets the flesh at the deck level where the people and the guests are hanging around.”

With the ever-increasing winch and line speeds needed to handle the huge loads, serious hand and limb injuries can happen in the blink of an eye. “There is a moral hazard there that keeps playing on my mind,” says Doyle. “We are building very dangerous machines and we have to be very careful of people.”

The newly announced Endurance concept design is a 114m four-masted explorer design with a 6,000 mile range under power

The newly announced Endurance concept design is a 114m four-masted explorer design with a 6,000 mile range under power.

More prosaically, the bigger your gigayacht, the bigger the challenge of just getting on and off it. “Once you are getting to a stage where you can’t get into anchorages you are in constant fear of drifting – even putting down an anchor you need a huge amount of space around you.

“So then you anchor further out into the slop and the big waves, so the owners find it difficult to get on and off the boat, and suddenly other problems can overwhelm the project,” Doyle points out. One increasingly popular solution to that particular problem is a luxury landing craft.

Too big for the Panama Canal

It might seem counter-intuitive, but it is Aquijo ’s owner’s focus on the sailing experience that has enabled the designers of the 86m ketch to push the size limits of a traditionally rigged yacht.

“ Aquijo is a sophisticated machine and brings most aspects of a 1,600GT motor yacht with her,” comments designer Bill Tripp. “But she does not aspire to helicopters or submarines, the feeling of the boat is one of use. She is for getting out there, and for going out sailing. In Greece this summer, she would go out for an afternoon of sailing in 35 knot Meltemi because it is so much fun to sail at 20 knots, as if on rails.

“We have always done sailboats that can get under the Panama Canal bridge, and the biggest we were happy to do and put under the bridge was really 46m because after that we didn’t have big enough sails for the boat.

“Then five years ago we launched A Better Place , and the owner said ‘I’ll go around, I don’t want to limit my boat because of the bridges.’ With Aquijo they said, we want to go to these places anyway, so let’s get the best sailboat we can. So suddenly, instead of having this 63m limit on the rig, that all opened up and we could start doing a sailing boat that had a gross tonnage like some of the bigger motoryachts.

“I think we’re going to see more of that. You can look at the Strait of Magellan [an alternative route to rounding Cape Horn ], as a place that’s a really long way away or a place you really want to go.”

The three- masted Y712 design has an angular ‘Pacman’ bow with a wave-piercing reverse sheer lower section, and extended traditional foredeck above

The three-masted Black Pearl  has an angular ‘Pacman’ bow with a wave-piercing reverse sheer lower section, and extended traditional foredeck above

The wish list

Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko is keeping his Sailing Yacht A tightly wrapped under non-disclosure agreements, but a few intriguing details have been released, including magnifying windows which appear larger inside than outside, and a gimballed crow’s nest, accessible by lift, 60m high in the curved mast.

An observation pod embedded in the keel with foot-thick glass gives a mesmerising – and frankly terrifying-sounding – view of the propellers, and there’s a three-man submarine.

Gigayacht designers have come up with some imaginative solutions to meet owners’ foibles and demands. Drawings for the 101m sloop incorporated an entirely retractable hardtop to the flybridge to give the owner his requested uninterrupted view of the sails and sky.

Plans for the Japanese-influenced Komorebi design feature a live tree on the aft deck. Watersports toys are old news – now tender garages are specified to house motorbikes, amphibious quad bikes, even custom-built marinised supercars.

On Aquijo , the headline feature is the ‘beach club’ on the lower deck. “For a sailing boat it is a huge area, they have a sauna, hamman [Turkish Bath], a rainfall shower, a relaxing area, this huge whirlpool in the middle, a little pantry, and enough space for gym equipment around the pool,” explains interior designer Robert Voges.

Beach club on Aquijo

Beach club on Aquijo.

Voges says the trickiest element on the yacht was the flawless high shine steel mast claddings which run through the interior. “It is like a piece of art. The mast was going through the main saloon and guest corridor, and we didn’t want to hide it. So we decided to make a feature out of it with seamless stainless steel cladding with integrated LED strip lights from top to bottom over two decks.”

One of the most radical projects in progress is the 141m Dream Symphony , a four-masted design currently in build in Turkey. Originally slated for launch this year, the project is progressing slowly – in part due to the fact the yacht is constructed of wood. Her design includes a large aft deck swimming pool that transforms into a raised helipad area.

This is the type of concept which seemed fantastical just a few years ago, but is now reality in the motoryachts world where designs like the 81m Alfa Nero have deployed it successfully.

“It’s a good solution because you usually have to drop down all the stanchions and any elements that are higher than the helipad itself, whereas if you lift the helipad you don’t have to lower the other elements,” explains Dream Symphony designer Ken Freivokh.

The 141m four-masted Dream Symphony

The 141m four-masted Dream Symphony

“The brief did not call for a resident helicopter that would have its own hanger – it’s just a ‘touch and go’. You don’t want to set aside space for a helicopter permanently that’s almost never there, so if you have a reasonably sized swimming pool why not use the base of a pool to just receive the helicopter, and then once the helicopter flies away you can put it back to normal operations?” Why not indeed?

No matter how grandiose your ideas, however, not even the vast volumes of a gigayacht can be entirely filled with art galleries and Reiki studios. Robert Voges explains that, like any other ship, “We have to start with all the emergency exits, the corridors, staircases . . . and from there we can work with the other areas which are left over.”

Ken Freivokh estimates that at least 20 per cent of the interior space has to be allocated to the back-of-house systems required to maintain the equivalent of a small hotel – air conditioning, waste, media, and other unglamorous elements behind the touch-screen luxury.

Edge of reason

At 12,700 GT, Sailing Yacht A has the vastest volume of all. But can she be called a sailing yacht? She carries three of the world’s largest carbon rigs – curved, unstayed, capable of rotating a maximum of 70 degrees – featuring in-boom furling that can deploy 3,747 square metres of sail area (67 per cent more than Maltese Falcon ) from a finger tip command. And yet she cannot help but look implausible.

The hull has a maximum beam of 24.8m and includes 24 shell doors

The hull has a maximum beam of 24.8m and includes 24 shell doors.

No matter how innovative the technology on board, or how vast the expense, the elements will not bend to the will of man or millionaire. Various estimates have put her cost at $400-500million, or in the region of £320 to £400 million – to put those sort of figures in context, the bill for the London Olympics Aquatics centre came in at under £300m.

Sailing Yacht A will be ‘sail-assisted’, not wind-powered. Confounding, aggressive in her styling, she’s a yacht that has attracted scathing opinions as often as wide-eyed wonder. But what is the point of creating a gigayacht that doesn’t?

“It is a creative process with the owner,” comments Aquijo ’s designer Bill Tripp, “They have this idea that they can make something that speaks to them. They don’t write symphonies, and they’re not great painters or sculptors, but on the other hand money is vital energy, and they can create these things that wouldn’t exist otherwise.

“It’s great when someone says, ‘Life’s short, I’m just going to do this.’”

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This Insane 555-Foot Gigayacht Concept Has a Retractable Deck That Opens to a Giant Sunken Pool Oasis

The lazzarini concept also has two moveable helipads and a giant garage for your supercars., rachel cormack.

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This new 454-foot gigayacht concept comes with a bonkers underwater lounge, meet gx superyachts, a new shipyard creating custom hybrids ranging from 78 to 164 feet.

  • This New 111-Foot Hybrid Catamaran Is Topped With a Glass Hot Tub
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Sovrano

Lazzarini is a font of superyacht concepts—and yet, it still manages to keep things fresh.

The disruptive design studio, which has envisioned everything from a swan-shaped megayacht to a flying superyacht powered by blimps, has just unveiled an epic new gigayacht with a layout quite unlike anything currently on the water.

Christened Sovrano, or “sovereign” in Italian, the vessel measures an imposing 555 feet and is the king of the seas when it comes to size. In fact, Lazzarini claims Sovrano is the widest yacht in the world. The vessel is equipped with a platform on either side of the main deck that results in a beam of 108 feet.

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The two platforms can be turned into helipads, swimming pools or extra lounges, depending on what the owner desires. Each platform is also fitted with four electric winches that allow a section to be lowered to the waterline when required for seaside dining or lounging.

That’s not Sovrano’s only showstopping feature, either. The five-decker sports a covered atrium on the foredeck that opens to reveal a hidden oasis. The sunken space houses a verdant garden and swimming pool on the lower level that can be enjoyed by guests in any season on account of the cover. There are also two more pools aft.

Another highlight is the giant garage, which can store two 49-foot tenders and up to six supercars. It’s complemented by a lifting platform and two cranes at the stern that can support the loading and unloading of the various vehicles.

Sovrano

The atrium with pool and garden.  Lazzarini Design

Inside, meanwhile, Sovrano can sleep up to 50 seafarers across 20 private suites. It also offers space for up to 60 crew. That makes it more like a cruise ship than a private yacht. The living quarters can, of course, be fully customized to a client’s preferences.

As for performance, Lazzarini says the steel-hulled brute could be equipped with electric motors or a hybrid propulsion system for an estimated top speed of 18 knots or 31 knots, respectively.

The studio estimates the build will take four years to complete—at which point there’ll probably be another crazy Lazzarini design on the horizon.

Check out more photos below:

Sovrano

Lazzarini Design

Sovrano

Rachel Cormack is a digital editor at Robb Report. She cut her teeth writing for HuffPost, Concrete Playground, and several other online publications in Australia, before moving to New York at the…

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What is a Gigayacht? Yes, size DOES matter.

"A  Superyacht  or  Megayacht  is a large, luxurious, professionally crewed motor or sailing yacht, ranging from 24 metres (79 ft) to more than 180 metres (590 ft) in length."

So what is a Gigayacht?

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Gigayachts: The Pinnacle of Luxury Yachts

  • On August 29, 2023
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A gigayacht represents the peak of luxury yachts. These enormous vessels offer amenities and features far beyond typical yachts. Keep reading to learn what defines a gigayacht and what makes them so extravagant.

You might also be interested in reading Superyachts vs Mega Yachts (What’s The Difference?) .

Table of Contents

What is a gigayacht, size and space, customization, professional crew, comparing gigayacht sizes, crew onboard a gigayacht, the cost of mega luxury.

A gigayacht is the largest type of yacht, typically over 300 feet long. While there’s no official definition, gigayachts generally have the following features:

  • Length over 300 feet (over 90 meters)
  • Extensive amenities and entertainment options
  • Advanced technology and systems
  • Professional crew to operate the yacht
  • Custom or bespoke design and decor

Gigayachts are the ultimate status symbol for the ultra-wealthy, with price tags starting around $100 million. Their enormous size means they offer far more space and extravagance than smaller yachts.

Key Features of Gigayachts

Gigayachts provide a level of luxury that rivals five-star resorts. Here are some of the most amazing features they offer:

  • Length over 300 feet, some over 500 feet
  • Multiple decks and enormous interior volume
  • Spacious suites and entertainment areas
  • Swimming pools, hot tubs, waterslides
  • Movie theaters, spas, gyms
  • Bars, dance floors, casinos
  • Beauty salons and massage rooms
  • Advanced navigation, communication, and automation systems
  • State-of-the-art entertainment technology like cinemas and gaming
  • Climate control and electrical systems to power small cities
  • One-of-a-kind exterior shaping and materials
  • Bespoke interior design with luxury furnishings and finishes
  • Artwork and amenities tailored to the owner
  • Up to 60 crew members including captain, engineers, chefs, waitstaff, and more
  • Crew handles all operation, maintenance, service, and needs of guests

To appreciate the enormous size of gigayachts, here’s a comparison with other vessel types:

Vessel TypeTypical Length
Rowboat10-30 feet
Sailing Yacht35-70 feet
Motor Yacht40-100 feet
Superyacht80-230 feet
Megayacht200-300 feet

While a typical yacht may be 40-70 feet long, gigayachts start at over 300 feet – longer than a football field! Their immense size is what enables the lavish spaces and amenities on board.

Operating a gigayacht requires a crew equivalent to that of a cruise ship. A typical gigayacht may have 40-60 crew members, including:

  • Captain  – In charge of the vessel and crew
  • Engineers  – Maintain mechanical, electrical, and propulsion systems
  • Deckhands  – Handle mooring, cleaning, and guest activities
  • Interior stewards  – Clean and prepare cabins and amenities
  • Chefs & cooks  – Prepare gourmet cuisine for guests
  • Servers & bartenders  – Cater to guests’ needs
  • Entertainers  – Provide music, comedy, or other entertainment
  • Beauticians  – Offer hair, makeup, massages, and spa services
  • Instructors  – Teach water sports, fitness, art classes, etc.
  • Management & administration  – Manage staff, supplies, and handle business matters

The crew works around the clock to ensure seamless service and absolute luxury for guests. With so many staff, gigayachts feel like your own private five-star hotel.

Owning and operating a gigayacht requires an enormous amount of wealth. Costs include:

  • Purchase price  – New build gigayachts start around $100 million. Larger or more advanced yachts can cost over $500 million.
  • Annual operating costs  – At least 10% of the purchase cost per year. That’s $10-50+ million to cover fuel, crew, maintenance, insurance, berthing, etc.
  • Customization  – Owners may spend millions extra on specialized amenities, designer furnishings, audio/visual systems, and custom artwork.
  • Toys  – Many gigayachts carry smaller boats, jet skis, helicopters, submarines, and other recreational vehicles costing millions more.

Gigayachts represent the pinnacle of luxury and wealth. For the ultra-rich looking to make a statement, these over-the-top vessels offer virtually anything money can buy. Despite their steep costs, the number of gigayachts continues to grow as yacht builders push the limits of size and luxury. For those that can afford them, gigayachts create unparalleled opportunities for opulence.

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Steve is an accomplished professional photographer and marketer who specializes in the Fishing, Yacht, and Boating industry. With a strong presence as an influencer and marketing expert in the Marine Industry, he has made a significant impact in the field. Additionally, Steve is the original creator and co-founder of Sportfishtrader. Prior to his career as a marine photographer, he gained extensive experience as a licensed boat and car dealer in South Florida.

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What is a Gigayacht?

A Gigayacht is a type of vessel that is larger and more luxurious than a traditional Super or Megayacht. Gigayachts are some of the biggest private yachts in the world. They are typically more than 300 feet long and may have more than one engine, allowing them to handle larger waves and travel further for more extended periods of time. Gigayachts provide the amenities of a luxury cruise liner in an exclusive setting, often featuring several decks with designer furnishings, large luxury suites or cabins, gourmet dining, hot tubs, and much more. Depending on the size and type, a Gigayacht may offer increased safety features and better stability when travelling on the open water.

Which manufacturers build gigayacht power boats?

Manufacturers that produce gigayacht power boats include Sunreef , Sanlorenzo , Majesty Yachts and Benetti .

How much does a gigayacht power boat cost?

A used gigayacht power boat on TheYachtMarket.com ranges in price from £3,630,000 GBP to £26,700,000 GBP with an average price of £15,200,000 GBP . Factors including the condition, age, model and specification will affect the price of a gigayacht.

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  4. Kurt Strand Design presents 171m concept Lonestar

    23 August 2022 • Written by Katia Damborsky. US-based Norwegian designer Kurt Strand has presented a new 171 metre concept named Lonestar. To be constructed with a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, the concept is defined by "elegant" lines with soft curves and an eye-catching powder blue hull. The interior draws inspiration from ...

  5. Lonestar Is a Very Elegant Proposition for a Clean Megayacht With Texas

    Not all things big and flashy are necessarily ugly or lacking grace. Look no further than the latest Kurt Strand megayacht concept, Lonestar, for confirmation.

  6. Lonestar Is a Very Elegant Proposition for a Clean ...

    Propulsion on Lonestar is by means of hybrid gas turbines that power 4-pod drives of 38,000 hp in total, taking it to a top speed of 24 knots (27.6 mph / 44.5 kph).

  7. This 561-Foot Texas-Inspired Gigayacht Concept Has a Mechanical ...

    Spanning 561 feet, Lonestar is "large and in charge"—just like the state it's named after. This 561-Foot Texas-Inspired Gigayacht Concept Has a Mechanical Bull in Its Onboard Bar Skip to main ...

  8. Luxury Daily

    The Lone Star gigayacht from Kurt Strand Design. Image credit: Kurt Strand Design . By Luxury Daily News Service. Kurt Strand Design has unveiled a brand new 561-foot gigayacht concept with mind-boggling amenities inspired by Texan culture. To read the entire article, please subscribe or sign in

  9. what's behind the growth of the gigayacht

    The largest single sloop rigged yacht in the world remains Mirabella V, launched back in 2003 and since renamed (and slightly lengthened during a refit) M5 at just over 77m. Rob Doyle, who worked ...

  10. Rodeos, bars and a helipad: The 171m superyacht concept Lonestar

    The 171m Texas inspired superyacht concept Lonestar has been unveiled by designer Kurt Strand. New Designs Rodeos, bars and a helipad: The 171m superyacht concept Lonestar inspired by Texas. Written by Sophie Spicknell. Wed, 24 Aug 2022 | 09:45.

  11. What Is A Superyacht? Is A Megayacht Bigger?

    The answer is quite straightforward. The terms superyacht, megayacht, and gigayacht are used by boat builders and yacht brokers to classify luxury vessels by their length. Although often used interchangeably, each term typically applies to a certain size range. Below is a rough guideline of the generally accepted industry standards for these terms.

  12. Lazzarini's New 555-Foot Gigayacht Concept Has a Hidden Foredeck Oasis

    Christened Sovrano, or "sovereign" in Italian, the vessel measures an imposing 555 feet and is the king of the seas when it comes to size. In fact, Lazzarini claims Sovrano is the widest yacht ...

  13. 10 of the world's biggest superyachts

    The current world's biggest yacht measures 180 meters, and a 183-meter vessel is due for delivery in 2024, but a number of gigayacht concepts have been floated about over the years, with some in ...

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    Roman Abramovich's gigayacht Eclipse. The largest private yacht in the world at 163 meters, "Eclipse" is believed to feature around 24 guest cabins, two swimming pools, and a mini-submarine.

  15. Gigayachts: Ultimate 2024 Guide to the World's Largest Superyachts

    Catering to the World's Wealthiest: How Gigayachts Unlock Enterprise Growth. The gigayacht segment now constitutes a $5.47 billion industry annually and continues rapid expansion catering to ultra high net worth individuals, according to research firm The Superyacht Group. As the number of 100 meter-plus vessels delivered grows exponentially - now 30 since just 2008 - short term rental ...

  16. What is a Gigayacht? Yes, size DOES matter.

    In a 2011 report, CNN headlined the "Rise of the Gigayacht," advising that while there was not an official definition of the term, Gigayacht generally referred to "anything that is over 220 feet (67 meters) where the majority of the yacht is customized and bespoke." And so, here we are late in the 2019 Med season, and the Gigayacht is indeed ...

  17. Gigayachts: The Pinnacle of Luxury Yachts

    Customization - Owners may spend millions extra on specialized amenities, designer furnishings, audio/visual systems, and custom artwork.; Toys - Many gigayachts carry smaller boats, jet skis, helicopters, submarines, and other recreational vehicles costing millions more.; Summary. Gigayachts represent the pinnacle of luxury and wealth. For the ultra-rich looking to make a statement, these ...

  18. Gigayacht for sale (power)

    A used gigayacht power boat on TheYachtMarket.com ranges in price from £3,620,000 GBP to £26,600,000 GBP with an average price of £15,100,000 GBP. Factors including the condition, age, model and specification will affect the price of a gigayacht. Used Power Gigayacht for sale from around the world. Search our full range of used Gigayacht on ...

  19. Clayton J. Lonetree

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