As the ultimate symbol of material success, the superyacht has long been the play-toy of the mega rich. Over the years every aspect of the mega yacht has vastly improved, from sheer size to interior design and technological capabilities.
Synonymous with wealth, success and luxury, the realm of superyachts and the luxury marina lifestyle is confined to a select few, including Donald Trump, Roman Abramovich, and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.
The Russian billionaire Abramovich in fact owns the largest private yacht in the world, the Eclipse. The vessel is 557 feet long and was built by German company Blohm & Voss in 2009. It is the largest of the three yachts in the top which are in excess of 500 feet.
Power & Motoryacht magazine have been documenting the biggest superyachts since 1985. They track the developments of the industry, and note that when the project began in the mid 80's, there were only around 300 yachts in existence which boasted a length greater than 100 feet. Such a meagre size would never make it into today's top 100 list, whose smallest entry is some 225 feet; the Lady Anne built by Amels in 2006.
A more comprehensive ranking list can be found on Wikipedia, where one can see the prominence of the Middle East in the consumption of such extravagant vessels. Half of the top ten are owned by governments in the region or by individual members of royalty. For example, Sheikh Mohammed, the PM of UAE, owns the 2nd largest yacht, whilst Sultan Qaboos of Oman possesses the Al Said: number 3 in the superyacht rankings.
With the dominance of the Middle and Far East in the Superyacht industry, it is not then surprising to find some of the most luxurious marinas throughout this region. Marinas in Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE are fast becoming some of the most attractive on the yachting circuit.
Harvey McEwan writes to offer information and advice on a variety of areas, from technology to holiday destinations. Read through Harvey's other articles here to find out more.
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