We've seen a lot of futuristic superyacht designs that look extremely cool and avant garde, and have no chance at all of ever being built. The 315-ft. Project Orca (above) by UK-based designer Michael Leach is an exception; it's currently under construction at the famed Blohm + Voss shipyard, scheduled for delivery in spring 2010. Leach's 220-ft. Anna for Feadship, one of their largest ever, won a World Superyacht Award for best displacement motor yacht. The Orca features a futuristic exoskeletal curving superstructure, aggressive lines and innovative glazing. Its enormous entertaining and private spaces will feature bespoke furniture from British firm Silverlining, with each piece handmade by a single craftsman and stamped with their signature silver hallmark. Metrica will handle the interior execution, and Cougar Marine will provide two custom limousine tenders stored on the yacht's sports deck.

Looking for a really unforgettable Christmas present for that special someone this year? That glossy chronicle of the filthy rich Robb Report has just the thing - a matching custom private jet and megayacht set costing $500 million. The eye-popping present, the world's most expensive, is part of the profligate publication's Ultimate Gift Guide, a seasonal offering of over-the-top exclusives. The recipient will receive an Airbus A380 (above), the world's largest jumbo jet, and a bespoke megayacht, both customized by renowned designer Patrick Knowles. The interiors will complement each other creating what Knowles calls a "custom personal brand" for the lucky owner. There's one catch - considering the backlog on A380 deliveries and the time required to design and build a custom megayacht, the giftee will have to wait at least six years to get their hands on the toys.

Dutch yachtbuilder Oceanco's newest superyacht creation, dubbed the Y708 and its most advanced and largest ever at 283 ft., will be completed in 2012 at an estimated cost of $150 million. The floating luxury palace, designed by Russian Igor Lobanov in a style calculated to appeal to the oligarch set, features a library, sushi bar and cigar bar among the many luxe amenities on its four decks. Based on three guiding principles - motion, elegance, and privacy - Lobanov used dramatically sculpted surfaces to convey motion, a dynamic silhouette to impart elegance, and a compartmentalized interior layout and hidden crew passages to ensure privacy. The yacht has four guest cabins, two VIP suites and a master suite on its own deck with a salon, study, turbo jet whirlpool and wraparound balconies, while the aft deck features a swimming pool that converts to a helipad. The Y708 will be powered by 2 MTU 20V 4000 M73L diesels, each producing 4,830 hp and enabling her to cruise at a speed of 20 knots.

[via JamesList]

When a book is called Outrageous Yachts it has a lot to live up to. The latest publication from Vendome Press celebrates some of the world's most lavishly decadent floating palaces. The book features luxury yachts that are special for one reason or another, for beauty, speed, technological advancement and more. The book includes the classically extravagant Christina O which was owned by Aristotle Onassis as well as more modern beauties like the Maltese Falcon and the 118 WallyPower. The book profiles 21 yachts in detail with gorgeous color photographs of the exterior and interior of each yacht both close up and from a distance. Outrageous Yachts provides information about the yachts' builders and designers. The book's stunning shots of teak decks and graceful bows slicing through the water bring the world of yachting up close. We are giving away one copy of this book to a reader chosen at random.

Some other important details:

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* The comment must be left and confirmed before November 13, 2009 at 5:00PM Eastern Time.
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Knoxville, Tennessee-based Sea Ray's new $1.6 million 540DA Sundancer features a state-of-the-art joystick-controlled drive system allowing it to turn on a dime and literally maneuver sideways. The 54-ft. yacht has two 600 hp Cummins MerCruiser Diesel motors; the Zeus pod drive system employs propellers that work independently of each other and rotate 360 degrees on their axes to allow feats of steering impossible with traditional propulsion systems. Coupled with a sleek, aggressive exterior and luxe interior he yacht is designed to compete with European models which are usually far more stylish. A GPS-controlled Skyhook system automatically keeps the craft stationary even in strong currents or heavy winds, while both the forward VIP and master staterooms have a queen bed, Bose sound system and full bath; the latter also has a flat-screen TV.

FDIC auctions of bank assets are generally pretty nondescript offering office chairs, computer equipment, banged-up file cabinets and other office supplies. But the assets of the bankrupt Community Bank of Nevada includes a 41-foot yacht. The 2005 41' Carver Cockpit motor yacht has cherry wood bulkheads and cabinetry, a wet bar with an ice maker on the deck and twin Volvo 375-horsepower gasoline-powered engines. The yacht is currently located in Newport Beach, California and bids are currently over $56,000. The named of the yacht? Happy Ending. Several cars are also part of the bank's assets. Also up for sale are a couple of of 2005 Chrysler PT Cruisers and a 2009 Scion XB decorated with bank decals. There is also a 2007 Mercedes-Benz S550 up for sale. No decals on that one.

[via Las Vegas Review-Journal]

The mystery buyer of the 289-ft. Maltese Falcon, the world's largest, best designed, and most expensive sailing superyacht, has been revealed as Elena Ambrosiadou, Greek-born founder of hedge fund Ikos Partners. The UK's highest-paid woman and its wealthiest female entrepreneur, Ambrosiadou, pictured above after winning the Perini Navi Cup with her new toy (and collecting the Rolex prize), is said to have paid $120 million for the megayacht. Built by Perini Navi for venture capitalist Tom Perkins in 2006, it remains the ne plus ultra of sailing superyachts, a masterpiece of technology and design, and was recently featured on the cover of Luxury Toys: Top of the World. Her revolutionary sailing system - the DynaRig - set a new milestone in yachting history: three self-standing and rotating masts hosting 15 sails for a total sail area of 25,791 square feet for unrivaled, performance maneuverability and record-shattering speed; she can complete Atlantic crossings in ten days.

[via JamesList]

Italian shipyard Tecnomar has built the 141-ft. Nadara (above), the world's largest tri-deck superyacht with a planing hull. In a nutshell that means the yacht is incredibly fast, with an astounding top speed of 30 knots, about double that of a comparable displacement or semi-displacement yacht. The incredible performance is reflected in the styling of the Nadara, with its aggressively pointed bow and unbroken black curving lines of windows on all three levels. The interior features light-colored tropical woods like African wenge and Tanganyika walnut, while picture windows in the salon offer 360-degree ocean views. An adjoining dining area seats up to 14, and the full beam master suite positioned on the upper deck for an exceptional view features a private terrace with its own dining area. There are also six guest cabins and four cabins in the bow for the crew.

MasterCraft is known for its recreational boats -- the company leads the market in inboard skiing, wakeboarding, and sport craft. With the 30-foot, 4-inch MasterCraft 300 twin inboard (the platform adds another 3.5 feet) the company moves into the big boat business, and with its first offering wants to reset a boat buyer's expectations about how a day-tripper should make its owner feel.

The cockpit features big-boat electric equipment standard, but you can opt up for items like the Raymarine E80 and get a systems monitor with maps, radar and a 3-D terrain view of the ocean floor. And you'll be able to see it, and to stay cool behind the wheel, under the boat's tinted glass hardtop that is lined with a misting system. However, the folks lounging on the transom's adjustable seating will probably be having more fun than the pilot, with custom wetbars on either side and space for an electric grill or, even better, a waterproof flat screen TV.

The 300 is the first boat in the segment with a twin-tipped monohull, which opens up space in the interior cabin. Head below decks with your head up and your chest out, and you'll find customized hardwood cabinets and hardwood floors, ultra-leather fabrics, a galley with all the mod-cons, and a stand-up shower with a full-sized door. When it's time to get off your sea legs, the room in that twin hull provides you a bed big enough stretch out in, meaning that unless you're a Grizzlies center you don't have to sleep in the shape of a 'V.'

And once you're in bed, if you realize you forgot to turn off that "Songs of the Humpback" CD, don't bother getting up. Just grab the Contour Zone remote (or C-Zone to you, Commodore), which puts you in pushbutton control of all the boat's electrical systems. That way you can let the real humpbacks sing you to sleep.



[Source: MasterCraft]

Ever since that youthful Christmas when we drove our remote-controlled car into the pool, we've been focused on keeping battery-powered objects away from water. Today, though, Sweden's Nimbus Boats gave us hope that one day big, battery-powered craft can live in harmony with "H" and its two "O" friends.

The 27-foot Nimbus E-power is the first commercially available electric boat. A full recharge only takes four hours, a span of time could provide the perfect interlude for a siesta and a frolic in the lagoon at that little atoll just over the horizon. Or at least, it would when they equip the lagoon with a 400V electrical supply. If you're using the standard euro-version 220V outlet, you'll need 28 hours to see the gauge back at "Full."

Lacking that crucial step, you'll need to within the E-power's range of 20 nautical miles (37 kilometers), and probably go easy on the craft's top speed of 27 knots if you want a full day of fun (cruising speed is 22 knots). A tank of juice costs €5, so your wallet will love you, and the boat creates no emissions so the fish will love you -- at least the ones you aren't busy catching now that you spend so much more time on the water...

Italian shipyard Tankoa is offering its new 213-ft. S65-12 superyacht (above) for December delivery at €55 Million, or about $82 million. The commercial displacement twin engine yacht in dual class (RINA/Lloyd's), with Atlantic autonomy, a high tensile steel hull and lightweight alloy superstructures is sleek and stunning. The hull is the work of Prof. Vincenzo Ruggiero with exterior lines by Francesco Paszkowski, while the S65-12's interiors were designed by Giugiaro architecture with a chic Milanese feel. Polished wood floors and white upholstery are in marked contrast to the usual garish superyacht decor, and complement the clean look of the alloy superstructure well. The S65-12 has stylish accommodations for 12, a cruising speed of 12.5 knots, a range of 5,000 nautical miles at cruising speed and a maximum speed of 16.5 knots.

[via JamesList]

I've been known to rant a bit about the experience of traveling on a large cruise ship -- basically, they strike me as floating shopping malls/theme parks, neither of which I'd ever choose to spend time on.

Even if I'm surrounded by open ocean, which I happen to adore.

But I put smaller ships in a different category, more like a communal yacht, so I was pleased to learn that Silversea, the small ship cruise ship line, plans to launch a new vessel on December 23rd. I was even more pleased when I found out that the new ship, the Silver Spirit, sports a fabulous Art Deco design, and, among its six restaurants, includes one that offers a slow food concept. Check out the gallery for some interior views.

The boat is all-suite, the suites are larger than any the line has offered to date, including two flatscreen televisions, a pillow menu, Carrera marble bathrooms, and a butler assigned to each suite. The maiden crossing from Lisbon to Fort Lauderdale is sold out, but consider signing on for the 91-day inaugural cruise around the Americas departing January 21, 2010, which includes the Christening party and VIP tickets to Rio's Carnival.

A 137-ft. racing schooner dubbed the Elena, built in 1910 for financier Morton F. Plant and one of the most coveted superyachts of its day, has been rebuilt and relaunched in all its original splendor. Plant, who is best remembered these days as the man who traded his Fifth Avenue mansion to Cartier in 1917 for $100 and a pearl necklace, later sold the yacht to Cornelius Vanderbilt, and it won several of the major regattas of its day. Elena's crowning triumph came in 1928 when it won the 3,400 mile 1928 King's Cup Trans-Atlantic Race from New York to Santander, Spain. Now the Elena (above) has been completely rebuilt by Spain's Factoria Naval de Marin with help from the original hand-drawn plans donated by MIT. Historic images of the yacht were painstakingly studied to ensure that every detail was restored to perfection, from her towering masts and nearly 1,200 square meter sail plan to the wide teak deck and luxurious appointments. The Elena can accommodate 10 guests in Gilded Age luxury, with mahogany paneling throughout and elegant, period correct fittings discreetly updated with modern technology.

[via Duncan Quinn]

It's hard not to be intrigued by a craft that is billed as being "perfect for those 007 moments." Certainly the Scubacraft, a small boat that can happily float on the water or with a few alterations, dive beneath it, would be James Bond worthy. The Scubacraft recently went through underwater testing at the Pinewood Studios, a place where many Bond films have been shot. The Scubacraft can zip along above the water at speed of up to 50 miles per hour and can dive to a depth of 30 meters (nearly 100 feet). It's not a submarine so you will need to wear diving apparatus, something that James Bond probably has built into his special diving tuxedo. The engine produces 160 hp propelling the twin-hulled craft forward at a rapid rate. Underwater electric thrusters give the driver the experience of flying underwater.

The developers of Scubacraft are currently taking orders and expect the first customers to take delivery at the end of 2010. Scubacraft is priced from £100,000 with the final price being largely dependent on specification. Check out video after the jump!

One of New Zealand's richest men, John Spencer, has put his yacht up for sale. The 49-meter (160-foot) superyacht T6 took nearly eight years to build and the interior was only finished a couple of years ago. Spencer made his money from Caxton paper mills and was worth an estimated $265 million when he commissioned the yacht. It was designed by Pieter Beeldsnijder and built by Flyghtship in New Zealand. It is said to be New Zealand's only non-military vessel that can refuel a helicopter at sea. It has five cabins and room for ten crew. The asking price is 39.5 million euros.