who owns motor yacht lady michelle

Lady Michelle Yacht: Who Owns This Luxurious Boat?

Last updated Sep 20, 2024
Difficulty Intemediate

Category Boating, Pedalos and Punts

The Lady Michelle, a 55-metre luxury superyacht, was previously owned by Mike Fernandez, a Cuban-American healthcare entrepreneur and philanthropist. The yacht was built by Italian shipyard Benetti in 2003 and was featured in season six of the reality TV show Below Deck Mediterranean. It was sold in April 2022 for an asking price of $18,500,000 to $18,950,000.

What You'll Learn

Lady michelle is a luxury yacht, it was built by benetti in 2003, the yacht was sold in 2022, it was featured on below deck mediterranean, lady michelle is owned by mike fernandez.

The yacht's exterior was designed by Stefano Natucci, bearing his signature style of seamlessly blending modern aesthetics and classic luxury. The interior, spanning four decks, was also designed by Natucci and features warm cherry and burr walnut woods throughout. Lady Michelle is a true emblem of elegance and state-of-the-art technology.

Powered by strong Caterpillar engines, Lady Michelle can reach a maximum speed of 16 knots and has a cruising speed of 14 knots. It has an impressive range of over 3,000 nautical miles, with some sources claiming up to 7,000 nautical miles, allowing for extended journeys across the ocean.

The yacht offers deluxe accommodation for 12 guests in six cabins, each with its own en-suite facilities. The vast split-level owner's suite boasts his-and-hers white marble bathrooms, a separate study, and a private raised observation lounge with stunning forward views. Lady Michelle also has three spacious aft decks that provide ample opportunities for al fresco living, with open seating, lounging, and dining areas located across the decks.

Lady Michelle was previously owned by Mike Fernandez, a Cuban-American healthcare entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder and chairman of MBF Healthcare Partners, a private equity firm specialising in healthcare investments. The yacht was sold in April 2022 for $18,950,000, with a value of $25 million at the time.

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The Lady Michelle yacht was built by Benetti, the world's leading manufacturer of megayachts and the shipyard with the widest range of models on the market. Benetti is based in Viareggio, Italy, and was founded in 1873, making it one of the oldest yacht builders in the world. The company is known for its custom-made motor yachts, which range in size from 34 to over 100 meters in length. They have a reputation for high-quality craftsmanship, attention to detail, and the use of advanced technology.

Lady Michelle, crafted in 2003, exemplifies Benetti's commitment to elegance and state-of-the-art technology. This luxury vessel is a testament to Benetti's expertise in the maritime industry. With a length of 55 meters and a gross tonnage of 909 tons, Lady Michelle is a formidable presence on the water. Her steel hull and aluminium superstructure contribute to her sturdy and sleek design.

The yacht's powerful Caterpillar engines enable her to reach impressive speeds. With a maximum speed of 16 knots and a cruising speed of 12-14 knots, she offers both swiftness and comfort during extended journeys. Lady Michelle's remarkable range of over 3,000 nautical miles (or 5,500 according to some sources) underscores her capability for long-distance ocean adventures.

The interior of Lady Michelle is a showcase of luxury and comfort. The yacht can accommodate up to 12 guests in 6 well-appointed cabins. Additionally, a crew of 14 professionals is on hand to ensure an exceptional sailing experience for all on board. The vessel's interior design, bearing the signature style of renowned designer Stefano Natucci, seamlessly blends modern aesthetics with classic luxury.

Lady Michelle, built by Benetti in 2003, exemplifies the marriage of sophisticated design, performance, and opulence that has come to define Benetti's reputation in the yachting world.

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The Lady Michelle yacht was sold in 2022 for $18,950,000, although its value was estimated at $25 million. The 55-metre luxury vessel was crafted by Benetti, a luxury yacht builder based in Viareggio, Italy, and delivered in 2003. It features an exclusive design by Stefano Natucci, offering a blend of modern aesthetics and classic luxury.

Lady Michelle was sold by Rob Newton at IYC and Jose Arana Jr. at 1 Ocean Yachts, with Caleb Semtner of Semtner Brother Maritime Group, Inc. assisting in the sale. The yacht accommodates 12 guests and a crew of 14 and is equipped with Caterpillar engines, delivering a maximum speed of 16 knots and a cruising range of over 3,000 nautical miles.

Prior to its sale, Lady Michelle was owned by healthcare entrepreneur Mike Fernandez, founder and chairman of MBF Healthcare Partners, a private equity firm specialising in healthcare investments. Fernandez is also a philanthropist, championing charitable causes in healthcare, education, and community development through the MBF Family Foundation.

The sale of Lady Michelle represents a significant transaction in the superyacht industry, with the vessel's luxurious accommodations, spacious layout, and extensive deck areas contributing to its appeal.

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The Lady Michelle yacht was featured on Below Deck Mediterranean season six. The 55-metre Benetti superyacht is the second-biggest yacht to star on the show. It was built in steel and aluminium by the Italian shipyard Benetti and delivered in 2003.

Lady Michelle can accommodate 12 guests on board in six cabins, with a crew of 14 catering to their every need. The yacht's interior, designed by Stefano Natucci, spans four decks and features traditional interior styling with glossy wood finishes and a nautical blue and white colour scheme for the soft furnishings.

The exterior of the yacht is defined by classic lines with a raked bow and a distinctive navy blue hull. It is powered by twin 1,850hp Caterpillar engines and can reach a top speed of 16 knots.

The highlight of the yacht is the split-level owner's suite, which is situated on the main deck and features separate bathrooms for him and her, a panoramic observation lounge, and a private study. Lady Michelle also has a gym, a saloon for guests to gather, and a dedicated dining space.

Moving outside, the yacht boasts an expansive sun deck with a swimming pool, a drinks bar, sun loungers, and an al fresco dining area. Lady Michelle also has a toy garage stocked with two tenders, jet skis, fishing, waterskiing, and wakeboarding gear, towable toys, kayaks, paddleboards, seabobs, a waterslide, and more.

The yacht usually explores the warm waters of Miami and The Bahamas but cruised the Croatian coastline for its Below Deck Mediterranean appearance.

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Lady Michelle is a 55-metre luxury motor yacht built by Benetti in 2003. It is owned by Mike Fernandez, a Cuban-American businessman and philanthropist, who is the founder and chairman of MBF Healthcare Partners, a private equity firm specialising in healthcare investments. The yacht was featured in season six of the reality TV show Below Deck Mediterranean, where it toured Croatia, although it usually tours the Caribbean and Bahamas.

The yacht was designed by Stefano Natucci and is valued at $25 million, with annual maintenance costs of around $2 million. It can accommodate 12 guests and a crew of 14. The interior spans four decks and includes a dining area, sun deck with a swimming pool, a top deck, a master suite, an owner's suite, a gym, lounge, study and saloon.

Lady Michelle is powered by strong Caterpillar engines, which allow it to reach a maximum speed of 16 knots and a cruising speed of 12 knots. It has a remarkable range of more than 3000 nautical miles, offering extended journeys across the ocean. The yacht was previously sold in April 2022 by Rob Newton at IYC and Jose Arana Jr at 1 Ocean Yachts, with an asking price of $18,950,000.

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Frequently asked questions.

The Lady Michelle yacht is owned by healthcare entrepreneur Mike Fernandez.

The yacht is valued at $25 million, with annual maintenance costs of around $2 million.

The Lady Michelle yacht is a luxury vessel built by Benetti in 2003, with an exclusive design by Stefano Natucci. It is powered by Caterpillar engines, reaching a maximum speed of 16 knots and offering a cruising range of over 3,000 nautical miles. It can accommodate 12 guests and a crew of 14.

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Lady Michelle: Inside the star yacht of Below Deck Mediterranean Season 6

The 55 metre Benetti superyacht Lady Michelle is the new star of Below Deck Mediterranean and will be cruising the Croatian coastline for season six of the Below Deck spin-off series. Ahead of the first episode, which premieres on Monday, June 28, here's a sneak peek inside at this season's charter yacht...

Lady Michelle is the second biggest yacht to star on the show, following in the footsteps of the 56.2 metre Oceanco motor yacht The Wellington , which was used to film season five. First delivered in 2003 by Italian shipyard Benetti, she can accommodate 12 guests on board in six cabins, with a crew of 14 catering to every whim.

Season six of Below Deck Mediterranean will see the return of Captain Sandy Yawn as well as bosun Malia White. They will be joined by a brand new crew on board Lady Michelle , including chief stewardess Katie Flood, stewardesses Lexi Wilson and Courtney Veale, deckhands David Pascoe, Lloyd Spencer, and Mzi "Zee" Dempers, and chef Mathew Shea.

The exterior of Lady Michelle is defined by classic lines with a raked bow and a distinctive navy blue hull. She is powered by twin 1,850hp Caterpillar engines and can reach a top speed of 16 knots.

Her interiors, meanwhile, which span across four decks, feature traditional interior styling with glossy wood finishes and a nautical blue and white colour scheme for the soft furnishings.

The superyacht belongs to an American owner and was designed inside and out by Stefano Natucci .

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A highlight below deck is the split-level owner’s suite, which is situated on the main deck and features separate his and hers bathrooms, its own panoramic observation lounge to enjoy views and a private study. There’s also a gym room with full workout equipment, a saloon for guests to gather and a dedicated dining space for meals inside.

Moving outside, Lady Michelle boasts an expansive sun deck complete with a swimming pool, a drinks bar, sun loungers and an al fresco dining area. Further al fresco dining areas and lounges are found throughout the shaded deck areas.

No luxury superyacht would be complete without a toy garage, and Lady Michelle ’s is certainly well stocked. Alongside two tenders Lady Michelle carries a pair of jet skis, fishing, waterskiing and wakeboarding gear, towable toys, kayaks, paddleboards seabobs, a waterslide and more.

Season six will see Lady Michelle and her crew cruising around the coast of historic Croatian town Sibeni, though she normally spends her time exploring the warm waters of Miami and The Bahamas.

The Bravo TV Show can be streamed via peacock.com from June 28, 2021. For those who fancy a slice of the Below Deck action, Lady Michelle is available to charter with Burgess with a weekly charter rate starting $275,000.

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Lady Michelle Yacht: Behind The Scenes

The Lady Michelle yacht became famous on the show Below Deck: Mediterranean season 6 where it was featured prominently. It’s worth noting that the Lady Michelle has since been renamed and is actually called the Next Chapter now. However, most people still know her as the Lady Michelle because of her time on the TV show.

The yacht features naval architecture and was built by Italian yacht maker Benetti with design work done by Stefano Natucci and delivered back in 2003. She features a steel hull over an aluminum superstructure. It was refitted in 2022 and that was when the name was changed as well.

Who Owns The Lady Michelle Yacht?

In 2003 the Lady Michelle was purchased by entrepreneur Mike Fernandez. He maintained ownership of the yacht even during its time on the show Below Deck. However, in 2022 the yacht was sold to a company called 1 Ocean Yachts. They are a yacht brokerage firm that also does yacht charter management and the Lady Michelle was renamed to the Next Chapter and added to their charter fleet.

How Big is the Lady Michelle/Next Chapter Yacht?

The Lady Michelle is by no means the biggest yacht in the world but it’s still a good sized vessel at 180.5 feet in length. According to the yacht specifications she features a 34 foot beam and her gross tonnage is 909 GT.

How Much Did the Lady Michelle Yacht Cost?

It’s believed that when the Lady Michelle sold in 2022 and was renamed the Next Chapter she sold for $18,950,000. That was the last published asking price for the yacht . Some sources claim that her initial price in 2003 was about $25 million. The annual cost to keep the yacht running is around $2 million.

Can You Charter the Lady Michelle Yacht?

The Next Chapter/Lady Michelle is available for charter. The current price for a Lady Michelle yacht charter is about $325,000 per week. This number can change based on time of year and demand, however. Because the yacht is one of the more well known in the world thanks to its appearance on the show, it does tend to be popular.

How Fast is the Lady Michelle Yacht and What Engines Does She Have?

The Next Chapter uses a set of Caterpillar 3512 Diesel engines. Her cruising speed is about 14 knots with a top speed of 16 knots. She has a range of about 3,000 nautical miles at cruising speed.

What’s the Interior of the Motor Yacht Lady Michelle Like?

While the yacht was featured on Below Deck as we said and there was plenty of time for people to get a look at the interior and exterior, not all of that is applicable anymore. The refit of 2022 and subsequent sale to make it a charter yacht included a lot of changes to the overall look of the yacht. So if you think you know the Lady Michelle you may not, and the fact it’s called the Next Chapter now is symbolic of that. But, fortunately, the fact it is a charter now means the company wants you to know all of the features and amenities it has to offer, so we have a pretty good idea of the interior and how everything looks.

As we said before, the interior and exterior were managed by Italian designer Stefano Natucci. As a charter vessel she has six cabins that can offer room for up to 12 guests. This includes 1 Master suite, 1 VIP cabin, 2 Double cabins, and 2 Twin cabins. There are also 14 crew on board to help make everyone’s time more enjoyable.

The owner’s suite is also a split level to offer more space and views of the ocean. It features his and hers ensuite washroom facilities and offers a panoramic view of the ocean from the observation lounge. There’s also a private study

When it comes to sleeping, guests enjoy a range of accommodations from the most luxurious with a king sized bed in the Master suite, to 3 queen sized in the VIP and doubles and then 4 singles and 1 pullman for those who are more inclined to rough it a little on a luxury yacht.

The interior was given traditional styling. This includes a lot of glossy wood finishes for a clean, shiny appearance. The color scheme is old school nautical blue and white for all the soft finishes like upholstery and pillows and so on. This, of course, matches the exterior paint on the hull.

Being a charter, the company in charge has packed the Next Chapter to the brim with all kinds of great features. Let’s take a look at some of the standouts.

Features and Amenities

Like any good luxury yacht, the Next Chapter has a wide range of activities, comforts and indulgences available for those who charter her. She also features a range of water toys that is a little more extensive than you may find on similar yachts. These include:

A full gym with the latest equipment that is enclosed on the sundeck
Deck Jacuzzi
An open air cinema on deck for movie nights
A saloon for socializing and enjoying drinks
An elevator to move between the yacht’s four decks
Two SeaDoo Spark Trixx WaveRunners
The deck has an al fresco dining area
Two seabobs
Two Kayaks,
Fishing equipment
Snorkeling gear
Waterslides
Two stand-up paddle boards
Three tenders including a 45 foot Yamaha Seahunter Tournament Tender
There’s an exterior bar on deck as well as a BBQ for drinks and entertaining under the sun or stars
A swim platform

What Happened with the Lady Michelle Yacht Drug Bust?

Being on the show Below Deck was not the Lady Michelle’s only brush with fame. Back in 2017 a boat of the same name also made international headlines after it was involved in a sizable drug deal. The boat, flagged as a fishing vessel , was discovered off the coast of South America with a remarkable 4.2 tonnes of cocaine on board. The street value at the time was pegged at about $125 million.

While this boat was seized by both the US and the National Crime Agency, it was an unfortunate mix up with names that got the Lady Michelle yacht involved. This may also be part of the reason the newest owners changed the name, so as to distance themselves from what was, at the time, the largest drug seizure since 1999. You can imagine people who own the boat not wanting anyone to Google a potential charter and discover it was used as a boat to smuggle drugs, even though it was just a case of mistaken identity because they had the same name.

The Lady Michelle that had possession of the drugs was a 70 foot fishing vessel based out of St. Vincent and Grenadines.

The Bottom Line

The Lady Michelle was built in the year 2003 for entrepreneur and philanthropist Mike Fernandez. It was featured on the sixth season of the show Below Deck: Mediterranean which gave the vessel some international attention. However, after it was sold in 2022 for about $18, 950,000 the vessel was retrofitted and also renamed the Next Chapter.

The Next Chapter is just about 180 feet in length and has a top speed of 16 knots. It’s available for charter at a cost of around $325,000 per week and has accommodations for a total of 12 guests. It features a number of luxury amenities and a lot of toys for those on board.

My grandfather first took me fishing when I was too young to actually hold up a rod on my own. As an avid camper, hiker, and nature enthusiast I'm always looking for a new adventure.

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