
In the rarefied world of mega
yachts, the ultimate achievement is to have one designed by a certain Norwegian genius named
Espen Oeino. The world's top star in naval architecture, Oeino's megabucks creations "combine the precision of fine machinery with indulgent finishes and the high-end amenities of a palace." When German luxury publisher teNeues opted to focus a volume in its amazing
Luxury Toys series to the world's greatest yachts, it was quickly decided to dedicated the entire book to Oeino.
Luxury Toys: Mega Yachts showcases 20 of the
Monaco-based Oeino's stellar creations accompanied by text from top yachting author Nick Jeffery, the most respected authority on luxury watercraft. Among the megayachts featured is Microsoft co-founder
Paul Allen's 413-ft.
Octopus, the 8th largest yacht in the world and the second largest superyacht that is not owned by a head of state. The nine deck ship cost $200 million to build and has an annual operating budget estimated at $20 million.
Designed for self-sufficient long range cruising, the
Octopus contains a wet dock for a 59-ft. tender and an equally large remotely-operated submarine that can descend to 2500 meters, a twin helicopter hangar and two helipads, countless giant antennae and a telescopic sonar, a cinema and music studio. Another Oeino creation featured in the book is the military-looking 233-ft.
SKAT, pictured above, built by
Lürssen of Bremen, Germany for
Charles Simonyi, a former
Microsoft software engineer and pioneering space tourist. The yacht features an elevator serving all four decks, a gymnasium, matching helicopter, and motorcycles with a special lift.