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71m Lurssen Superyacht ‘SKAT’ Sold

The Lurssen superyacht ‘SKAT’ has been sold for the first time since her delivery in 2002. The 71m vessel was sold by Fraser Yachts , with Stuart Larsen representing both the buyer and seller.

‘SKAT’ has been with the same owner since her 2002 delivery, spending almost two decades sailing worldwide. After many years of service, she has undergone a 2021 refit, ensuring she is in top condition for her new owner.

The iconic superyacht, whose name means “treasure” in Danish first turned heads due to her military-like exterior courtesy of naval architect Espen Oeino . The interior of the Lurssen ‘SKAT’ comes from the design mind of Marco Zanini.

Stuart Larsen of Fraser Yachts stated that “SKAT was one of the most exciting yachts on the market this year.” He further added, “she was extraordinarily well built, impeccably maintained, and her layout and design are innovative and elegant. Her enduring appeal was confirmed by the extraordinary interest shown by buyers during the Monaco Yacht Show.”

SKAT was asking €49,500,000.

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SKAT Yacht – Masterful $60M Superyacht

The Hungary native worked at Microsoft for over two decades, leaving in 2002 to start his own company.

The yacht was designed as a home away from home for Simonyi, with minimalist features penned by design house Espen Øino International.

The design house also contributed to the interior design and Marco Zanini. Lurssen built the ship in their Bremen shipyard, delivering her in 2002.

SKAT yacht interior

Marco Zanini and Espen Øino International penned the interior of the luxurious SKAT yacht.

Minimalism defines the interior, and although she forgoes the lavish luxury of the average superyacht, she has many beautiful features that make her a comfortable home away from home for the owner.

The impressive interior of SKAT features an elevator that serves all four decks, a leisure platform with a Jacuzzi, and a gymnasium that is located centrally on the yacht. A helipad serves a McDonnell Douglas 500N Helicopter on the upper aft deck.

The 70m yacht can accommodate 12 guests across one master suite, four doubles, and two twins.

There is accommodation for 18 crew members on board. She was built as a home and not as a charter yacht for the software engineer owner.

The interior design is focused on a clean and uncluttered look. The ship has a near-frameless bridge deck that is enclosed and offers panoramic views of the water.

The ‘capsule’ is protected as the boat spends a lot of time in Scandinavia and has to let in as much light as possible.

The beach club opens to allow guests to enjoy a swim platform and houses several water toys in the full-beam garage. The crew areas were designed with crew satisfaction in mind.

The owner uses SKAT as a home away from home, so crew satisfaction was influential in the design process.

Lurssen shipbuilders built the SKAT yacht at their Bremen shipyard in Germany. Espen Øino International executed the exterior design for the vessel.

The SKAT yacht was delivered in 2002, and she was last refitted in 2021.

Her exterior is undoubtedly striking with its grey color, imposing lines, and multiple windows. The owner is a software engineer, and the yacht was designed to reflect his vocation.

Specifications

The 70.7m yacht has a beam of 14.02m and a draft of 3.76m. The SKAT’s volume measures 1998 gross tons and is powered by 2 MTU engines.

SKAT has a cruising speed of 14.3 knots and a top speed of 18.1 knots. She has a range of 4600 nautical miles. SKAT has an annual running cost of $3 – $6 million.

SKAT yacht in Gibraltar

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Motor Yacht

Skat is a 70.70m (231.96ft) motor yacht, custom built in 2002 by Lurssen Yachts. The yacht's interior has been designed by Marco Zanini. She was last refitted in 2005.

Skat has a steel hull and aluminium superstructure with a beam of 13.50m (44.29ft) and a 3.75m (12.30ft) draft. This custom displacement yacht is equipped with an ultra-modern stabilization system which reduces roll motion effect and results in a smoother more enjoyable cruising experience. She also features bow thrusters making her more manoeuvrable at low speeds. Skat is built to comply to MCA and LR standards. Performance + Capabilities Skat has a cruising speed of 15 knots, max speed of 17 knots and a range of 3500 nm from her 218000-litre fuel tanks. Skat Accommodation Skat offers accommodation for up to 10 guests in five suites. She is also capable of carrying up to 20 crew members onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht experience.

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Skat , which length is 71m, has an ultra-modern stabilization system, reducing roll motion effect for a smoother cruising experience.

The interior configuration of the boat has been designed to accommodate up to 12 guests in 6 cabins, including a master suite,   2 twin cabins,  4 double cabins.

Aft of the bridge deck features an amazing  open-air dining area, which can offer nice dinner time for 12 guests at the al fresco table.

The use of reflective materials such as steel and aluminum creates a unique grey look. As the owners requested the windows create a bridge-deck to draw in even more light inside.

The private interior dining room is featured with split tables, which are conventing into a single long table.

The owner's suite is located forward with its bathroom which is equipped with shower, bathtub, and vanity stations. The main saloon which can be used as a cinema, the dining room, and the main deck aft with a swim platform and a beach club are all around the corner.

Latest News

The billionaire tech whiz who helped create Microsoft Word and Excel has taken delivery of a stunning $250 million superyacht – Made by Lurssen, the 295-feet long vessel looks like a warship. It has an open air cinema and a swimming pool that converts into a dance floor.

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The superyachts owned by tech moguls

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is set to join the exclusive club of yacht-owning tech tycoons as the rumoured owner of Oceanco's mighty 127m sailing yacht . Though it should come as no surprise - other big names in tech such as the late Steve Jobs, Larry Ellison and Paul Allen have been responsible for some of the biggest and most ground-breaking superyachts in the world...

The 127-metre Oceanco sailing yacht Koru, formerly Y721, was launched and reportedly delivered to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in April 2023. This three-masted schooner, meaning “new beginnings” in Maori, with an expected 33000 GT and a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, is the largest in the world and the longest built in the Netherlands at Oceanco. Knocking Lürssen's Eos , owned by Biller and Diane von Furstenburg, off the top spot, Koru harnesses design similarities with her black hull, white superstructure and classic lines. However, the intricate gold paintwork, scarlet bootstrap and elaborate figurehead on the bow particularly set her apart.

Larry Ellison

American business magnate Larry Ellison is the co-founder of the billion-dollar computer tech corporation Oracle. In 2004, he commissioned the 138-metre Lürssen superyacht Rising Sun (pictured), which stands today as the 15th largest yacht in the world. It was also the last yacht that ever came from the drawing boards of legendary designed Jon Bannenberg, sporting a military-esque profile with a lean destroyer-type hull and extensive use of structural glass . Rising Sun boasts 8,000m² of living space including a wine cellar and basketball court, with a crew of 45. One of her tenders, a catamaran, even carries the yacht’s 4x4 vehicle ashore. 

Ellison later sold the yacht to media mogul David Geffen and has since hosted a parade of Hollywood's glitterati on board including Leonardo DiCaprio, Steven Spielberg, Bruce Springsteen and Oprah Winfrey – to name a few. 

In 2011, Ellison appeared to downsize and took delivery of the 88-metre Feadship Musashi . Not unlike Rising Sun in its appearance, structural glass features heavily throughout with a central glass lift, surrounded by a stainless steel and glass staircase that passes through every deck.

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The late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen is responsible for two of the most iconic superyachts in the world. At 126-metres in length, Octopus is perhaps his most famous. Built by Lürssen in 2003, this ice-classed superyacht was designed for extended cruising to the most remote locations on earth with a range of 12,500 nautical miles. Home to a helicopter garage, drive-in tender garage, six tenders, and a submarine, she packs a serious punch within her 9,932GT – not to mention the cinema, swimming pool, recording studio, basketball court and spa. At the end of 2019, she joined the market for the very first time , having completed an eight-month refit at Blohm+Voss, and remains the benchmark for exploration yachting.

Tatoosh is another honourable mention and was built by German shipyard Nobiskrug in 2000, three years prior to the delivery of Octopus . At 92-metres, she's smaller than her successor, but to describe Tatoosh as "small" would be a severe understatement. Highlights include a six-foot-deep swimming pool, a pair of helipads, a crew of 30, and a custom 12-metre Hinckley powerboat that she carries on her top deck. Tatoosh is also listed for sale following a refit earlier this year. 

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The 78-metre Feadship Venus was built for the late Apple boss and founder Steve Jobs. Built under the codename Project Aqua, Venus was launched to international fanfare in 2012, heralded for its extensive use of glass and pared-back design courtesy of Philippe Starck . Innovative features include a false top deck that conceals the communication and television receivers from view and a passarelle that, when opened, looks like the charging port of an iPhone. Venus ’s interior details have been closely guarded since its launch. Sadly, Jobs died a year before the yacht was delivered.

Charles Simonyi

Charles Simonyi led the team that built the first edition of the Microsoft Office software suite and was rumoured to have previously owned Lürssen’s iconic 71-metre SKAT .  Nearly two decades after her launch in 2002, she joined the market for the first time and now Simonyi is thought to have upgraded to the 89-metre Lürssen Norn . Both yachts, penned by Espen Onion, share similar design features. Standout features include an alfresco cinema and adapted depth pool floor with dance floor. Norn was delivered in May 2023.

Sergey Brin

Google co-founder Sergey Brin reportedly owns the high-speed SilverYachts superyacht named Dragonfly , after Google’s once-secret project to launch a censored search engine in China. Delivered in 2009, the 73.3-metre Dragonfly was hailed as the fastest, most fuel-efficient long-range cruising superyacht on the water with a transatlantic range at 22 knots and a fuel consumption of only 360 litres per hour at 18 knots, extending her range to 4,500 nautical miles. Dragonfly is said to have a dance floor and open-air movie theatre on board. The vessel was applauded for its contribution to the disaster relief effort in Vanuatu after Hurricane Pam devastated the island in 2015. The crew reportedly moved 62 metric tons of freshwater ashore, treated over 250 patients, facilitated three medical evacuations, and built shelters in multiple villages and cleared numerous helicopter landing zones for ongoing support.

Google’s billionaire co-founder Larry Page purchased the 60-metre explorer yacht conversion Senses from a New Zealand businessman Sir Douglas Myers back in 2011. The globe-trotting superyacht features interiors by Philippe Starck and can accommodate a total of 12 guests on board, with primary guests reaping the benefits of the master suite's gyro-stabilised bed. Senses also houses an exceptional toy box with three high-speed tenders, six wave runners, a jet board and a JetLev. According to the New Zealand Herald, Senses is currently undergoing a refit in Whangārei, New Zealand, after being sold to an unknown buyer in 2020. 

Barry Diller

The world’s largest three-masted schooner – also the third largest sailing yacht in the world – is owned by fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg and her husband Barry Diller, chairman and senior executive of IAC/InterActiveCorp and Expedia Group. The 92.92-metre sailing yacht, named Eos , was built in Germany by Lürssen and delivered in 2006 with a trio of masts that stand 61-metres tall. The sailing yacht has hosted the couple's star-studded group of friends including Andy Cohen, Gayle King, Bradley Cooper, Harry Styles and Karlie Kloss. The interiors were designed by Francois Catroux, who Vanity Fair named as “the super-rich's favourite interior designer" in 2016.

Mark Zuckerburg

The 107-metre Kleven superyacht Andromeda was built for serial superyacht owner Graeme Hart and delivered under the name Ulysses . In 2017, a year after its launch, rumours began circulating that Facebook founder Mark Zuckerburg had purchased the rugged, six-deck explorer (although a Facebook spokesperson was quick to stamp out the rumours and released a statement denying the claims). Andromeda can carry 36 guests and is equipped with an impressive inventory of toys and tenders, including six motorbikes, two ATVs, a helicopter and an amphibious rib. Five years after her launch, Andromeda still ranks among the largest explorer yachts in the world . 

Eric Schmidt

The former Google ceo Eric Schmidt backed out of the purchase of the abandoned 81.3-metre Oceanco Alfa Nero but has been said to have moved onto become the new owner of a 95-metre Lürssen. Kismet was sold in September 2023 to the billionaire as part of one of the biggest brokerage deal of the year. With the details shrouded in secrecy the yacht is now aptly known as Whisper . Espen Onio was responsible for her iconic exterior while inside was thanks to  Reymond Langton , achieving the original brief from the previous commissioning owner Shahid Khan of “caviar and champagne.” Standout details include the hi-tech, art deco saloon, a private observation platform and the Persian-inspired spa area.

The co-founder and former ceo of WhatsApp, Jan Koum, has been rumoured to own the 99.9-metre Feadship , Moonrise. The yacht’s clean and strong lines, penned by Chris Bottoms from Studio de Voogt , won the highly competitive class of best displacement motor yachts above 3,000 GT in the World Superyacht Awards 2021. Features include the helicopter landing deck and modern interiors by Remi Tessier . Accommodation is for up to 16 guests, and there are 32 crew members onboard Moonrise to attend to the guests' every need. The Ukrainian-American mogul is also said to own the accompanying support vessel Nebula.

Evan Speigel

The Silicone Valley ceo, Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel has been reportedly said to own the 94.8-metre Feadship Bliss. Delivered in 2021 the motor yacht penned by Feadship's Studio De Voogt Naval Architects has most recently been spotted cruising Auckland in September 2023. Spiegel is rumoured to be Feadship's younger client. Bliss can accommodate up to 18 guests across nine staterooms; however little else is known about the 2983 GT yacht.

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Lürssen’s 90m expedition yacht NORN delivered

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By Steph Loseby   5 May 2023

Following her launch in February earlier this year, the highly secretive 90m (295 ft) superyacht NORN , formerly known as Project 1601, has been delivered by iconic German builder Lürssen  and has since left the facilities to embark on her maiden voyage. 

The specifications and amenities for superyacht NORN have been kept a closely guarded secret since her construction began in 2018. However, we know her distinct, geometrical exterior was helmed by Norwegian designer and naval architect Espen Oeino whilst her yet-to-be-revealed interiors are the works of Dölker+Voges Design and are expected to mirror the yacht’s exterior design.

The brief required a superyacht that excels in design and engineering whilst also catering to maximum comfort onboard. Described by the shipyard as a project with “striking design" and "extraordinary features”, superyacht NORN has a utilitarian character, with an oblique reverse bow, narrow rectangular windows, planar surfaces and angular corners. 

Built for a repeat owner, superyacht NORN is a replacement vessel for the iconic 70m (232ft) yacht SKAT , which was delivered in 2002. 

Sharing similar design cues, we can expect that brand new superyacht NORN may follow an alike minimalist interior approach with a variety of light, bright and airy social spaces onboard. There is also expected to be a signature panoramic sky lounge, an additional area onboard where guests can soak up the superyacht lifestyle.

The brief required a superyacht that excels in design and engineering to provide seagoing comfort for the family.

As a custom-built 3,600 GT explorer yacht , NORN is guaranteed to have a helipad, closing the bridge between land and sea for guests onboard. She also features zero-speed stabilizers, an exterior cinema and a liftable pool floor with dancefloor illumination to allow a unique and memorable cruising experience for her guests. Electronic anchoring in sensitive and remote areas is made easy thanks to the use of a dynamic positioning system, ensuring that the seabed is protected regardless of water depth.

Norn was one of two yachts launched by the German shipyard in February following the grand reveal of the 145m (475ft) Project Luminance , which is the eighth largest yacht to be built by Lürssen and has just successfully finished her sea trials  last week. 

With over 10 projects in-build currently, Lürssen is expected to deliver the 122m (400ft) superyacht PROJECT JAG later this year whilst the 114 (378ft) superyacht PROJECT COSMOS will be completed in 2024. 

It is not believed that superyacht NORN will be available to charter upon delivery. If you’re looking for a private yacht charter for your next vacation and you'd like to rent a superyacht of a similar calibre, you can view and compare all Lürssen superyachts for charter .

Featured Lürssen superyachts available for charter

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Who Owns Superyachts In 2023 —And What Does That Mean For You As Crew?

Where once oligarchs, oil tycoons, royals and old money ruled the roost in the yachting world, tech billionaires have increasingly dominated the superyacht market. Who are these people — and more importantly — what does their different style of ‘yachting’ mean for you as crew?

The list of tech billionaires (at least, the list we know of) is long and getting longer by the year. And as their wealth grows, so does the size of the boats they own!

Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison (Musashi), Charles Simonyi (SKAT), Sergey Brin (Dragonfly), and Larry Page (Senses) are just some of the tech billionaires known to own a superyacht. Mark Zuckerberg, meanwhile, is rumoured to own Andromeda.

While we can only speculate on how these exact individuals use their yachts or what they are like onboard, some general traits might set the tech billionaire yacht owner out as using their yachts differently than generations of yacht owners before them.

Overall, tech billionaires are often younger, more adventurous and less hidebound regarding old rules and service styles. Here are a few general trends we can assume.

They want to eat well, but less fussily, and with a greater premium on health.

Where silver service, ultra-decadent meals, and mountains of wasted food were — and often still are— preferred by old-money yacht owners and charterers, the modern tech billionaire is more likely to be health-conscious and eat food that is plated rather than buffet style or silver service. Yacht chefs now need to be more skilled in special diets, such as plant-based or keto, and offer a broader range of cuisines.

They want to WORK.

Superyachts used to be for holidays only. This was partly by necessity —the lack of connectivity meant that work went on the back burner for summer months as guests swanned around the Mediterranean. Now, the extraordinary technological strides on board allow yacht owners to have offices where they can work anywhere in the world.

They want to go far beyond the milk run.

While anchoring off St Tropez or Cap Ferrat for weeks in August will always be in style, there has been an explosion in remote cruising, often fuelled by this younger, more adventurous set of yacht owners who can work from anywhere- Antarctica to Alaska and beyond.

This has fed into the next point…

A desire for adventure and exploration has changed yacht design.

As younger, more adventurous owners like tech billionaires have joined the superyacht market, the design of yachts and the toys they carry have changed markedly. New types of vessels have been created to meet this desire for off-the-beaten-track cruising, from support yachts to water toys to the massive growth in explorer yachts. Gone are the days when one yacht layout was almost identical to another. Now, we have winter gardens, submarines, ice rooms, ski rooms, large onboard offices, and helicopter hangars.

Not all of these changes have been driven by tech billionaires, granted. Still, their vision of what is possible has dramatically changed what yachts look like and how they operate as machines, with new types of propulsion, greater ranges, and a considerable amount more tech onboard.

Some things never change.

One thing hasn’t changed, though—a wealthy person’s desire for privacy. Discretion remains perhaps the most essential trait in any crew member, which you must keep in mind when working on yachts —even in the day of constant social media and shows like Below Deck.

A wealthy person’s desire for privacy and discretion is a constant that crew forget at their peril. Are you ensuring that you are a trusted asset? You may have signed that NDA, but do you let stories slip now and then at the bar? Are you careful about not taking photos onboard that give away anything about the boat or the owners? Do you make sure you don’t share the yacht’s cruising plans?

In a world where stories about tech billionaires will fly around the globe at light speed, you must be the gatekeeper. Stories cannot leave the passerelle.

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Navigating Success: Superyacht Industry Unveils Career Roadmaps with ’Raising the Bar’

Raising the Bar, a distinguished think tank comprised of experts from across the superyacht industry, is thrilled to announce the official launch of Superyacht Industry Careers. This groundbreaking initiative, developed through voluntary collaboration and graciously hosted by the Superyacht Alliance for Professional Standards, aims to provide comprehensive career maps tailored for superyacht crew across all departments.

Interview with Sheila, Founder of Source Training: Elevating Standards in Luxury Cleaning and Laundry

We had the privilege of sitting down with Sheila, the visionary founder behind Source Training, a pioneering platform that offers specialised training for luxury cleaning and laundry personnel in the yachting, chalet, and hotel industries. With decades of experience in the yachting world and a passion for preserving nature, Sheila shared her journey and insights into the need for professional training in these essential roles.

Stripes on Yachts: What Do They Mean?

Whether you are new to the yachting industry or an experienced professional, we’ve all asked ourselves the same question at least once in our career, “what do those stripes mean?” This article breaks down the meanings behind these cryptic stripes.