By Diane M. Byrne

Skat (#33) Photo: Bill Muncke  More of this Feature • Top 100: Part 1 • 1-9 • 10-19 • 20-29 • 30-39 • 40-49 • 50-59 • 60-69 • 70-79 • 80-89 • 90-100 • Yacht Spotter
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30. CORAL ISLAND • L: 236'0"; Y: 1994
This is the second yacht on our list—and the second Lürssen—owned by the same Saudi billionaire (see no. 5). If the British tabloids are correct, then he’s Al Sheik Modhassan, since the paparazzi snapped photos of him practicing yoga with actress Salma Hayek aboard Coral Island off Sardinia three years ago. Varying reports that same summer placed the yacht’s value at $90 million to $100 million, but knowledgeable parties haven't confirmed (or denied) those figures.
B: Lürssen, Germany; N: Jon Bannenberg; H: Steel; E: 2/1,877-hp Caterpillars

31. TUEQ • L: 235'6"; Y: 2002
It’s rare that a large megayacht can be signed, constructed, and delivered with few yacht-watchers finding out about her while she’s under construction, but that’s exactly what happened with Tueq (pronounced “Tewk”). Perhaps it’s because she was built by a commercial yard, therefore outside of the circle of usual suspects. It could also be because the owner is reportedly the brother of Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd, Prince Salman. He and the rest of the royal family were spotted aboard the six-deck yacht at King Fahd’s Spanish compound by the French newspaper Le Monde last August. The newspaper also reported that Prince Salman, his guests, and the royals rented all of the PWCs from the local marina.
B: GNS Shipyard, Holland; N: Mike Leach; H: Steel; E: 2/3,600-hp Wartsillas

32. THE ONE • L: 233'0"; Y: 1973
Since launch this yacht has been known as Carinthia VI, owned by Heidi Horton. But we learned in mid-July that she sold the yacht to an as-yet-unidentified person. Interesting choice for a yacht name; we hope the positive vibe of the name also means that the yacht will be seen cruising more, as Horton hardly took the yacht out.
B: Lürssen, Germany; N: Jon Bannenberg/builder; H: Steel; E: 2/5,100-hp MTUs

33. SKAT • L: 233'0"; Y: 2002
Skat is simply unlike any other yacht you’ve ever seen, and that’s exactly what her owner, Charles Simonyi, wanted. Given his background as a senior programmer at Microsoft (he was a driving force behind the development of Microsoft Excel), it’s no wonder that Skat is innovative in design. If her grey exterior color scheme doesn’t immediately give it away, then the extraordinary number of angular surfaces and expanses of glass sure do. Some may mistake her for a military ship, given the large “9906” painted on the forward portion of her hull (it’s the project number she bore while under construction). In regards to the grey color scheme, Simonyi wanted his yacht to have the same neutral palate as his home. As for the expanses of glass, he essentially wanted to bring the outdoors inside while cruising. And he’s certainly enjoyed some interesting cruises thus far, with some equally interesting company: Domestic doyenne Martha Stewart joined him onboard near Malta to ring in the New Year, and in May the yacht was spotted in Barcelona, Spain.
B: Lürssen, Germany; N: Builder/Espen Øino Naval Architects; H: Steel; E: 2/2,680-hp MTUs

34. BOADICEA • L: 231'3"; Y: 1998
Folks in Juneau, Alaska, got quite an eyeful two summers ago when Australian media baron Reg Grundy had his yacht drop anchor in Gastineau Channel. He’s owned Boadicea for about three years now, and some reports say he forked over $90 to $100 million to acquire her. Either way, it would have been a mere drop in the bucket for him, considering he sold his television production company, Grundy Worldwide, for nearly $400 million a few years prior. When he’s not onboard, the 78-year-old lives a reclusive life in Bermuda and makes his yacht available for charter for $385,000 to $420,000 per week, depending on the season.
B: Amels, Holland; N: Builder; H: Steel; E: unknown

35. REVERIE • L: 229'7"; Y: 2000
Forty-four-year-old Kjell Inge Røkke, the Norwegian chairman of engineering and construction giant Aker Kvaerner Group and owner of the Class 1 offshore powerboat racing team Team Reverie, had this yacht for sale for $65 million in late January, but then she was quickly taken off the market. Why? No one who knows is saying. Maybe he couldn’t bear to give up bragging rights to owning one of the largest Benettis ever built. Or maybe he enjoyed the view from his master stateroom too much; it has floor-to-ceiling windows, given its location forward on one of her upper decks.
B: Benetti, Italy; N: Builder; H: Steel; E: 2/2,000-hp Caterpillars

36. AUSSIE RULES • L: 228'0"; Y: 2003
Golfer Greg Norman is just as serious about fishing as he is about the links: There are 200 fishing rods onboard Aussie Rules. And lest you think he’s wetting their lines off the aft deck, Norman has the yacht tote a 42-foot sportfisherman custom-built by Gamefisherman, which includes a tuna tower, four berths, and, of course, a galley in which the catch of the day can be cooked. There’s also a 30-foot SeaVee and two 18-foot Hewes flats boats for other fishing excursions. Should Norman ever tire of fishing, there’s diving equipment for him and 29 of his closest friends; a 22-foot Novurania is equipped for these trips.
B: Oceanfast, Australia; N: Builder/Sam Sorgiovanni; H: Aluminum; E: 2/2,374-hp Caterpillars

37. AMAZON EXPRESS • L: 220'11"; Y: 1966/1984
Extensive exterior styling changes gave this former deep-sea fishing vessel a more yacht-like look when she was refitted in 1984 and again in 1994. But she still retains a commercial, almost research-vessel-like appearance, primarily due to her bright-yellow masts and red communications dome. Perhaps her most intriguing—and recognizable—feature is the illustration of an eye on her bow.
B: Arsenale Venezia, Italy/Horten, Norway (conversion); N: Espen Øino Naval Architects (conversion); H: Steel; E: 1/1,710-hp Wickmann

38. TERAAKA • L: 220'0"; Y: 1961/2002
A few years ago we received word from a Nevada resident that he’d acquired one of the yachts of former Yugoslavian President Josip Broz Tito and was having her refitted for his personal use in Mexico. The only official Presidential yacht of Tito’s that we’ve ever been able to find is the 384-foot Galeb, which is currently undergoing a massive refit and restoration in Greece. (She’s not on our list because she’s not yet in navigable condition.) Nevertheless, we know Teraaka does exist, as she was spotted in Monaco in September.
B: Brodogradiliste Titovo, Yugoslavia; N: Builder; H: Steel; E: unknown

39. GOLDEN SHADOW • L: 219'0"; Y: 1995
Saudi Arabia’s Prince Khaled (see no. 18) also owns this rugged-looking, blue-hulled vessel, the middle sister in his Golden Fleet. She’s the logistical support yacht of the trio and has a specially designed elevator at the stern to launch Golden Eye, the ten-seat turboprop plane, as well as other craft, like a 38-foot, Fabio Buzzi-designed RIB. She’s also thoroughly outfitted for diving, complete with a decompression chamber; trained medical staff are always onhand for dives as well.
B: Campbell Shipyard, USA; N: Francis & Francis; H: Steel; E: 2/2,656-hp Deutz-MWMs

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