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.

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.

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]

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]

Eurocopter has just unveiled a new nautical-themed helicopter concept designed specially for use on superyachts at the Monaco Yacht Show, in partnership with luxury yacht broker Edmiston. The exterior of the twin engine Eurocopter EC155 B1 Dauphin by Andrew Winch Designs (AWD) is meant to evoke the contours of ocean waves via curving raised polished stainless steel trim lines. Yacht-inspired interior teak flooring, leather wrap-around adjustable sport seats fitted with carbon fiber back shells, fold-down central armrests, and "floating" LCD screens with headphones combine to offer the ultimate in luxury transport, along with bespoke touches such as the yacht's name etched in the rear windows. "The key idea behind my concept is endless comfort, be it on land with a Range Rover, at sea with a yacht or in the air with a helicopter," Winch notes.

[via JamesList]

Water's Edge, the iconic eatery on New York's East River with incredible panoramic views of Manhattan, recently reopened after a $1 million renovation with a brand new menu. Established in 1981 in Long Island City, with the recent revamp the restaurant is entering its third decade in real style. For patrons from Manhattan the Water's Edge dining experience begins with a cruise across the East River on the restaurant's private ferry departing from the East 23rd Street Pier/Skyport Marina. In addition to the elegant main dining room and bar, the restaurant offers riverside outdoor seating, a plush lounge with a fireplace, floor-to-ceiling windows and a private balcony with breathtaking views of the Manhattan skyline and the Queensboro Bridge.

There's also a private event space as well as a 90-ft. luxury yacht docked in front of the restaurant available for cocktail parties and private functions. Highlights of the Eclectic American cuisine include Panko Crusted Oysters with Guacamole and a Red Pepper Reduction; Baby Artichoke Crusted Salmon with Baby Turnips, Spaghetti Squash and Saffron Broth; and Mushroom-Miso Crusted Rack of Lamb with Braised Bok Choy and Whipped Potatoes. The bar features signature drinks such as the Water's Edge Sunset Cocktail, made with Grey Goose vodka, Grand Marnier and fruit juice. In addition they host regular wine tastings and wine pairing dinners.

In addition to the military-grade missile defense system, armor plating and bullet-proof windows featured on Roman Abramovich's new 557-ft. Eclipse (above), the world's largest and most expensive privately owned yacht, the Russian oligarch has installed a high-tech anti-photo shield designed to keep the paparazzi at bay. The system relies on lasers to block any digital camera lenses nearby, the London Times reports. Infrared lasers will detect the cameras' electronic light sensors, known as charge-coupled devices (CCDs), and then fire a focused beam of light at the camera, disrupting its ability to record a digital image. The Times, which also claims the total cost of the Eclipse has now ballooned over the $1 billion mark, reports the yacht set off on a sea trial last week with 150 engineers and maritime experts aboard who will put it through its paces over 10 days. Abramovich, who just paid $89 million for a villa in St. Bart's, is due to take delivery of the yacht on December 22.

Alfa Nero, the 269-ft. Oceanco superyacht designed by Nuvolari & Lenard with interiors by Alberto Pinto, has been listed for sale via brokerage firm Edmiston & Co. for €129,750,000, or about $190 million. Launched in 2007, the ultra-luxe yacht features over 4,000 sq. ft. of living space, with suite accommodations for 12, two VIP staterooms and berths for 28 crew members. It also has three separate dining areas, a centered, leather-stepped staircase and glass-enclosed elevator, a grand piano, theater lounge, dance floor, gym, and beauty salon. Exotic Italian marbles, goat skin wall panels, sycamore and brushed stainless steel flooring, and tropical wood are featured throughout. A swimming pool on the main aft deck converts to a helipad.

We've written about Louis Vuitton's close involvement with world-class sailing before - the long-running Louis Vuitton Cup followed more recently by the LV Pacific Series. Now the famed French luxury goods house, linchpin of the LVMH group, is sponsoring a new World Series of sailing, destined to be second only to the America's Cup. The Louis Vuitton World Series, undertaken in association with a new professional sailing group called the World Sailing Team Association (WSTA), will kick off with a regatta in Nice in November. Eight racing teams, including K-Challenge (France), BMW Oracle Racing (USA), Emirates Team New Zealand, Mascalzone Latino (Italy), Team Artemis (Sweden), Team Synergy (Russia), Joe Fly Italia (Italy) and Team French Spirit (France) will compete for starters, with others expected to sign up shortly. A series of international regattas will determine the ultimate winner.

[via JustLuxe]

Monegasque yachtbuilder Wally, known for its avant-garde designs, will debut two new sailing superyachts at the Monaco Yacht Show later this month. The Wally 100 Indio (above) is a 30-meter (100-ft.) sloop combining all the amenities of a blue-water cruiser with the performance of a maxi-racer; the sleek 59-ton yacht can do 12 knots amd has a total of six cabins providing accommodation for 10 guests and four crew. The 40-meter Wally 130 has an innovative keel and steering system which makes the 130-footer maneuver like a racing 80-footer. Wally President and CEO Luca Bassani her to be the only cruising yacht in the world that can sail faster upwind than the record-breaking maxi racer Alfa Romeo.

[via Duncan Quinn]

The new owner of the 289-ft. Maltese Falcon, the world's largest, best designed, and most expensive sailing superyacht, must be pretty pleased with his purchase, a relative bargain at $100 million thanks to the recession; the yacht just won the Perini Navi Cup, the world's most stylish and exclusive regatta which we wrote about last month. 19 superyachts all from the Perini Navi shipyard, builders of the Maltese Falcon, competed in the race which took place in the billionaire's playground of Sardinia. The triple masted Falcon reached top speeds of an impressive 21 knots to capture the Cup as well as a Rolex wristwatch presented by the president of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, His Highness the Aga Khan, and master yachtbuilder Fabio Perini.

[via JamesList]

The 296-ft. Corsair Nero, built in homage to financier J.P. Morgan's famous yacht, is one of the most beautiful, elegant megayachts ever launched, made all the more striking by its vintage lines. The design is so successful it's hard to imagine this is a brand new boat. In fact, its owner, London-born entrepreneur Neil Taylor, initially set out to restore a motor yacht from Morgan's era, but could not find one that met his requirements. Morgan actually owned four Corsairs; the last, launched in 1930, was 343 feet, cost $2.5 million to build at the time and was later converted into a cruise ship.

Having decided to build the yacht of his dreams and unwilling to compromise, Taylor found that to get it done properly he actually had to create a whole new yachtbuilding facility. This he did within the Yantai Raffles shipyard on China's Shangdong Peninsula, where the Corsair Yachts brand was born. After Taylor spent two years designing the steel-hulled Nero and its furnishings, down to two 656-piece place settings, over 400 craftsmen worked for three-and-a-half years to complete the project, which was kept top secret.

Taylor is now quietly offering the Nero for sale at $105 million (asked once how much his Corsair cost, Morgan snapped, "Sir, if you have to ask you can't afford it"). The yacht, which just made the cover of ShowBoats International, is as stylish in its way as the supermodern sailing yacht Maltese Falcon which recently sold for $100 million. In the meantime, the Nero is also available for charter at a base rate of about $450,000 a week. The Nero accommodates 12 in total luxury. The technology of course is state-of-the-art; her eye-catching smokestack, designed to echo the ones on classic ocean liners, actually houses an emergency generator and electrical switchboards.

Gallery: Corsair Nero

Acres of Burmese teak decking, oak paneling, oil lamps replicated from the Orient Express, coffered ceilings, marble fireplaces, a library, swimming pool on the foredeck, and a skylight in the aft lounge modeled on the one on Errol Flynn's famous yacht Zaca are just some of the highlights. The Nero can do 17 knots with her twin 2,333 hp Caterpillar diesel engines. Noise reduction, stabilizer systems and watermakers are as modern as the most high tech megayacht. The elegant interior is classic of course but features plasma TVs, iPod docks, Wi-Fi, an indoor and outdoor cinema, and ocean-liner style promenade, boat, main and accommodations decks. Check it out in the gallery.

Mexican telecom Carlos Peralta is in a selling mood. The New York Observer reports that Peralta, who was listed on the Forbes' 2003 billionaires list, is unloading his Trump Tower condo on New York City's Fifth Avenue. The high-floor apartment has three bedrooms. You wouldn't want to drink a glass of red wine in this apartment, nearly everything is a shade of vanilla, a palette than ranges from antique white in the dining area to a buttery yellow in one of the bedrooms. The listing pictures show a very posh pad that includes a master bedroom with a large blond wood media center and a mirror above the bed. The home is listed at $13.5 million.

The listing broker told the Observer that the apartment was decorated in the late 1990s by François Zuretti, the yachting designer. Which brings us to Peralta's yacht, the incredible Princess Mariana, also on sale. The 257-foot yacht hit the market last year. It features interiors also designed by Zuretti. The yacht has six guest cabins including the owner's cabin with a private balcony.One of the most amazing amenities is the "beach club" which doubles as the tender garage. It can be flooded to create a swimming pool. A length of the starboard hull wall can be lowered to create a teak terrace for sunloungers, chairs and tables. The yacht has a helicopter landing pad which also serves as a golf driving range. A party deck includes two bars, seating areas, a dance floor and a spa pool. This yacht was listed at €125,000,000 last year according to Superyacht Times but is now listed at € 98,000,000.