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Vava II: What makes the UK’s largest yacht an all-time great

• Superyachts

The largest yacht ever built at a British yard, Vava II features beautiful exterior styling that makes her look sleek and elegant despite her length...

Despite her status as the largest superyacht ever built at a British yard, Vava II’s owner-inspired exterior styling by Redman Whiteley Dixon is not only beautiful but makes the yacht look balanced and sleek.

She’s mainly a yacht of straight lines – the plumb bow, the angle of the superstructure and transom aft to the water, the vertical windows forward – but the sudden kinks of the top deck are a devilish touch.

The interior is by Rémi Tessier. The yacht, refitted at Amels in 2015, has been a regular in cruising hotspots around the world – and she spent the summer of 2016 cruising the Mediterranean.

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“Conceived as a ‘world travelling yacht’, Vava II has exceeded expectations in her extended travels to remote locations and such geographically diverse places as the Indian Ocean islands, Indonesia, Alaska, Polynesia, Patagonia and Antarctica, travelling more than 100,000 nautical miles in a little over four years since delivery,” says Captain Richard Bridge.

“The helicopter deck has been used extensively for the embarked Eurocopter AS350B3 for a mix of transfers, sightseeing, heli-skiing and fishing trips, as well as numerous scientific missions. It will shortly be strengthened to be able to operate the larger twin-engined EC 145 T2.

“The main-deck salon with its glass sliding wall opening to become a part of the main-deck aft pool area has proved extremely popular and gives an option of opening the whole indoor/outdoor area for events and parties.

“Another area that has been used extensively is the expansive beach club – adding a large additional deck space, as well as a platform from which to operate the selection of tenders on board.

“The tender garages themselves have doubled as logistics platforms when operating in remote areas such as the Antarctic peninsula and during scientific missions in the Indian Ocean.”

Where is she now? Cruising privately.

VAVA II specifications

Yard: Devonport/Pendennis Year: 2012 LOA: 96.0m Designer: Redman Whiteley Dixon

First published in 2016 as part of Super Yacht World’s Hall of Fame.

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VAVA II Yacht – Glamorous $150 Million Superyacht

Built in the United Kingdom and delivered in 2012, VAVA II yacht is an impressive creation by Devonport. She is one of only 34 yachts in her size range.

VAVA II yacht interior

The interior of the VAVA II was designed by Rémi Tessier, a designer who favours simplicity and functionality.

Inside the yacht you can find a beauty salon, a gym, a beach club, an elevator, and to top it all off – air conditioning.

Not much is known about her interior, having mostly been seen by those fortunate enough to visit VAVA II.

There are not many pictures available, but if it’s anything like the gorgeous exterior, it’s surely a sight to behold.

Specifications

VAVA II yacht is 96 meters long (315 ft), has a beam of 17,3 meters (56,9 ft), and a 4,8 meter (15,9 ft) draft. She can reach a top speed of 19 knots, and a cruising speed of 15 knots.

The twin diesel MTU (16V 4000 M70) 2,333hp engines that power her, make it possible for her to reach those 19 knots.

She has a reach of more than 4500 nautical miles, and anchor stabilizers make VAVA II comfortable to be on. She has the capacity to keep up to 36 guests, and up to 34 crew.

The Vava II yacht has a steel hull and aluminum superstructure, and the exterior is designed by Redman Whiteley Dixon. She has four large tender garage aft and a pool with varying depth levels.

There are a total of six decks and is built like a small ship. A helicopter landing pad is also one of the many features of this yacht.

Her mostly white exterior shows off all the details in her designs, along with the sleek lines and impressive size.

Inspired by naval design, she has smooth curves and decks stacked neatly, with an overall balanced look.

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Motor Yacht

Vava II (previously known as Project 55) is a beautifully designed 96m (314.96ft) motor yacht which was launched in 2011 by Devonport Yachts UK. The yacht's interior has been designed by Remi Tessier.

Currently under construction, this 96m fully SOLAS yacht is guaranteed to turn heads wherever she is seen thanks to the striking designs of Redman Whiteley Dixon. The yacht has an array of features including large tender garages aft and forward, fold-down beach club and variable depth swimming pool. Upon launch she will be the largest ever private motor yacht to be built in the UK. She is due to launch end of 2011.

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At the time of launch, Feadship's innovative engineering and development in the area of noise vibration reduction is very evident aboard Vava . This yacht with gentle, modern lines is constructed around a combination of salons, suites, lounges and accommodations for an owner who enjoys the luxury of long-distance cruising.

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Daily Nautica

Sighted in Barcelona: “Vava II” the superyacht owned by Ernesto Bertarelli

We saw the superyacht “vava ii” in the port of barcelona, the 96 metre vessel belongs to ernesto bertarelli.

Photo Gallery 12 images

Topics: Ernesto Bertarelli , Vava II

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First superyacht of 2023 arrives in Spain’s Malaga port

The luxurious 96-metre vessel, built in 2012 at the British shipyard Devonport Yachts, boasts an exterior design by the British firm Redman Whiteley Dixon.

A €160 million megayacht has arrived in Malaga port.

The megayacht ‘Vava II’, property of Ernesto Bertarelli, a Swiss-Italian billionaire has arrived at Malaga port and becomes the first Superyacht to berth in Malaga waters this year, 2023.

The luxurious 96-metre vessel, built in 2012 at the British shipyard Devonport Yachts, boasts an exterior design by the British firm Redman Whiteley Dixon, while its interiors are the work of French designer Remi Tessler, who specialises in large yacht interiors.

With a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, this 3,933-tonne yacht, which carries 34 crew, can accommodate a maximum of 22 passengers in 16 cabins and is one of only 34 yachts in her size range.

This vessel, flying the flag of the Cayman Islands, completes its second visit to Malaga after having made its debut to the Capital of the Costa del Sol in August 2016.

Hooked on sailing from a very young age, the owner of this luxurious Superyacht, Bertarelli, founded the yachting team Alinghi, and they won the America cup in 2013.

The Swiss-Italian entrepreneur, active in the fields of business, finance, sport, is also a philanthropist, having started foundations with his family to aid research in several different medical fields, such as both male and female infertility and reproduction.

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Vava II—More like va-va-voom !  Britain’s Largest Yacht Shocks and Awes

Constructed by Devonport, just prior to its acquisition by Pendennis, this superyacht quite literally made waves as she launched in 2012 as the last vessel by the British shipyard—and the largest. Vava II is full of surprising and impressive capabilities. Her owner is a skilled Swiss-Italian sailor and founder of a professional yacht racing team, winning America’s Cup in 2003.

Spotted in Keppel Bay, Singapore, the six-deck yacht shows off her exterior design, brought to life by RWD.  Vava II is as long as she is luxurious.  At 96 meters, her structure is reminiscent of naval design, with smooth exterior curves and neatly stacked decks, centered for an enthralling balance.

Vava II in NY

Her interior, crafted by French designer Rémi Tessier , is mysterious.  There are limited visuals available of the alluring interior design, making Vava II all the more enigmatic.  Whatever artistry Tessier implemented on the superyacht is really only known to those lucky enough to be invited on board.

What is known, however, is that Vava II does not short her guests on accommodations .  The superyacht is capable of supporting a crew of 34 members, four tenders, a massive swimming pool, and a helicopter pad.

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George Town Yacht Owner Among Elite Billionaire Seafarers: A 2023 Deep Dive

Key takeaways:

• The ownership of luxury yachts continues to be a symbol of wealth among global billionaires.
• George Town yacht owner holds a significant position among these affluent individuals.
• Yachts, apart from being symbols of luxury, are often equipped with cutting-edge technology and bespoke features reflecting the owners’ personal tastes.

Understanding the Billionaire Yacht Landscape

The world of yacht ownership is a pinnacle of luxury. Often reserved for the ultra-wealthy, owning a yacht is a testament to an individual’s financial success and taste for the finer things in life. From the George Town yacht owner to globally recognized billionaires, the allure of owning a private yacht remains unwavering.

The Influence of Wealth and Taste

While vast wealth makes the purchase of such grand vessels possible, the individual taste of the owners is reflected in the design, features, and functionalities of these yachts. From classical to contemporary designs, luxurious amenities, state-of-the-art technology, and personalized details, these floating residences exhibit the distinct persona of their owners.

The George Town Yacht Owner’s Mark in Luxury Yachting

Among these billionaire yacht owners, the George Town yacht owner’s influence cannot be overlooked. Known for their exquisite taste and an eye for detail, they stand as a significant player in the realm of luxury yachting. The level of comfort, sophistication, and technology in their yacht sets a benchmark for luxury sea travel.

The Most Luxurious Yachts and Their Owners

The list of luxury yachts owned by billionaires is impressive. These range from the Musashi owned by Larry Elisson, the Senses owned by Larry Page, the Dragonfly owned by Sergey Brin, to the Symphony owned by Bernard Arnault, among others. Each yacht, uniquely designed and equipped with incredible features, represents the peak of luxury and technology at sea.

The Irresistible Appeal of the Ocean

Owning a yacht goes beyond flaunting wealth; it represents a love for the ocean and the freedom it offers. The ability to explore the world’s waters in absolute luxury is an irresistible prospect for these billionaires. As the global billionaire list expands, so too does the list of opulent yachts.

The Ever-evolving World of Luxury Yachting

The world of luxury yachting continues to evolve, with new yacht designs, sustainable technologies, and bespoke amenities becoming increasingly common. The trend is moving towards eco-friendly designs without compromising on luxury, a trend that the George Town yacht owner and other influential figures are likely to embrace in the future.

Whether it’s the George Town yacht owner or other billionaires, yacht ownership continues to be a defining aspect of their wealth and influence. As they navigate through the high seas in their luxury vessels, they set new standards for what it means to travel in style and luxury. As we move forward, we can expect to see an increasing emphasis on sustainable practices in the creation of these oceanic wonders, merging ultimate luxury with responsibility towards our planet.

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Yacht Mark Twain being refurbished in bid to compete in Sydney to Hobart race once more

For the better part of five decades, one yacht returned to the starting line of the Sydney to Hobart race more than any other.

The timber and fibreglass hulled Mark Twain was built in 1971 and has competed in the race a record-breaking 26 times.

But since its last effort in 2018, it has languished at port.

The yacht's new owner, Rob Payne, who refers to himself as the boat's custodian, has grand plans to refurbish the vessel, a Sparkman and Stephens 39, and return the Mark Twain to its former glory.

Although he hopes to return the boat to the starting line of the Sydney to Hobart, he also believes the yacht can be used for a greater good.

Along with Beaconsfield mine disaster survivor Brant Webb , Mr Payne has plans to establish a group called Old Saltys, which will aim to use sailing as a vessel to empower youth through sharing knowledge.

"Sailing is a metaphor for life. You've got to trim your sails and set your course and you're gonna get buffeted around," he said.

The Old Salty's motto will be 'well-weathered wisdom', and the men believe they have a lot of life experience they can share with young people anywhere Mark Twain can sail.

Mine collapse survivor finds solace on the sea

Brant Webb, who was one of two miners rescued after spending 14 days trapped almost a kilometre underground when a Tasmanian mine collapsed in 2006, says sailing helped him after the ordeal.

"After Beaconsfield, if I was having a bad day I'd call up the GP and he'd say 'get the boat ready, we're going sailing'.

"I've been sailing since I was eight years old. All my life. That's the great thing about it, you can turn your phone off out there and no-one can find you."

Mr Webb said the Old Saltys group was intended for "sailors who are too old to race and too young to cruise".

"It gives us old folk a new lease on life. The whole thing is to connect people, to put the unity in community, which we lost during COVID."

Mr Payne, a recent transplant from New Zealand, said he was heartbroken by the condition of the Mark Twain when he first found it in 2020.

"When I saw it, it broke my heart," he said, adding that he had the opportunity to "do something about" refurbishing the "old girl".

"We're only ever the custodians of these extraordinary vessels."

Once a fine racing yacht, the Mark Twain had fallen into disrepair in port at George Town in recent years.

From its first entry in the Sydney to Hobart in 1971, the boat long held the steadily increasing record for the greatest number of entries in the iconic race, even managing to clinch podium finishes for its class on several occasions.

Throughout the latter half of the 20th century, it competed in more than 20 Sydney to Hobart races, and in 2002 became the first-ever boat to have sailed in 25.

"Thousands of men and women have sailed on this beautiful vessel," Mr Payne said.

It was bought and refurbished for its 26th entry by veteran Sydney to Hobart skipper Michael Spies in 2018, but that was the last time it took part.

Mr Payne spent several months last year refurbishing the boat's hull himself and on Wednesday, March 27, the mast and boom were removed to be restored by a Beauty Point shipwright.

Along with Mr Webb, he hopes to take the Mark Twain around Tasmania, Australia and New Zealand and share their knowledge of the seas.

"My encouragement to youth is to get into sailing and you know, become part of the community within those sailing clubs," Mr Payne said.

"You don't necessarily have to own a huge boat … you can be in a little sabot [dinghy] and have that experience on the water. It's life changing and transformational."

He is keen to share the refurbishment project with anyone who wants to be involved and hopes the Mark Twain will sail again in the next two to three years.

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Cruising the Moskva River: A short guide to boat trips in Russia’s capital

There’s hardly a better way to absorb Moscow’s atmosphere than on a ship sailing up and down the Moskva River. While complicated ticketing, loud music and chilling winds might dampen the anticipated fun, this checklist will help you to enjoy the scenic views and not fall into common tourist traps.

How to find the right boat?

There are plenty of boats and selecting the right one might be challenging. The size of the boat should be your main criteria.

Plenty of small boats cruise the Moskva River, and the most vivid one is this yellow Lay’s-branded boat. Everyone who has ever visited Moscow probably has seen it.

This option might leave a passenger disembarking partially deaf as the merciless Russian pop music blasts onboard. A free spirit, however, will find partying on such a vessel to be an unforgettable and authentic experience that’s almost a metaphor for life in modern Russia: too loud, and sometimes too welcoming. Tickets start at $13 (800 rubles) per person.

Bigger boats offer smoother sailing and tend to attract foreign visitors because of their distinct Soviet aura. Indeed, many of the older vessels must have seen better days. They are still afloat, however, and getting aboard is a unique ‘cultural’ experience. Sometimes the crew might offer lunch or dinner to passengers, but this option must be purchased with the ticket. Here is one such  option  offering dinner for $24 (1,490 rubles).

If you want to travel in style, consider Flotilla Radisson. These large, modern vessels are quite posh, with a cozy restaurant and an attentive crew at your service. Even though the selection of wines and food is modest, these vessels are still much better than other boats.

Surprisingly, the luxurious boats are priced rather modestly, and a single ticket goes for $17-$32 (1,100-2,000 rubles); also expect a reasonable restaurant bill on top.

How to buy tickets?

Women holding photos of ships promise huge discounts to “the young and beautiful,” and give personal invitations for river tours. They sound and look nice, but there’s a small catch: their ticket prices are usually more than those purchased online.

“We bought tickets from street hawkers for 900 rubles each, only to later discover that the other passengers bought their tickets twice as cheap!”  wrote  (in Russian) a disappointed Rostislav on a travel company website.

Nevertheless, buying from street hawkers has one considerable advantage: they personally escort you to the vessel so that you don’t waste time looking for the boat on your own.

Prices start at $13 (800 rubles) for one ride, and for an additional $6.5 (400 rubles) you can purchase an unlimited number of tours on the same boat on any given day.

Flotilla Radisson has official ticket offices at Gorky Park and Hotel Ukraine, but they’re often sold out.

Buying online is an option that might save some cash. Websites such as  this   offer considerable discounts for tickets sold online. On a busy Friday night an online purchase might be the only chance to get a ticket on a Flotilla Radisson boat.

This  website  (in Russian) offers multiple options for short river cruises in and around the city center, including offbeat options such as ‘disco cruises’ and ‘children cruises.’ This other  website  sells tickets online, but doesn’t have an English version. The interface is intuitive, however.

Buying tickets online has its bad points, however. The most common is confusing which pier you should go to and missing your river tour.

“I once bought tickets online to save with the discount that the website offered,” said Igor Shvarkin from Moscow. “The pier was initially marked as ‘Park Kultury,’ but when I arrived it wasn’t easy to find my boat because there were too many there. My guests had to walk a considerable distance before I finally found the vessel that accepted my tickets purchased online,” said the man.

There are two main boarding piers in the city center:  Hotel Ukraine  and  Park Kultury . Always take note of your particular berth when buying tickets online.

Where to sit onboard?

Even on a warm day, the headwind might be chilly for passengers on deck. Make sure you have warm clothes, or that the crew has blankets ready upon request.

The glass-encased hold makes the tour much more comfortable, but not at the expense of having an enjoyable experience.

Getting off the boat requires preparation as well. Ideally, you should be able to disembark on any pier along the way. In reality, passengers never know where the boat’s captain will make the next stop. Street hawkers often tell passengers in advance where they’ll be able to disembark. If you buy tickets online then you’ll have to research it yourself.

There’s a chance that the captain won’t make any stops at all and will take you back to where the tour began, which is the case with Flotilla Radisson. The safest option is to automatically expect that you’ll return to the pier where you started.

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• Guided tour

River Cruise on Luxurious Radisson Boat

• Description
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Equipped with ice-breaking technology, these huge fancy yachts are the only river cruisers running all year around. The round trip journey takes two and a half hours and floats past all the big sights like the White House, Novodevichy monastery and the Kremlin. There’s a large open air observation deck up top, while the main body of the ship houses a restaurant with a dance floor for a romantic post dinner dance. For a particularly romantic experience take one of the evening boats and admire the bright lights of the city skyline at night.

The most relaxing and picturesque tour that Moscow can offer: a great way to see the city center and its main attractions. This is a perfect alternative to exploring the city by car, if you only have time to do sightseeing during weekday rush hours.

Your English-speaking guide is eager to share every bit of their knowledge about the surrounding landscape, the architecture and historical details.

We conduct Moscow river tour on Radisson Flotilla boats all year around!  It’s warm inside during winter months, while there’s air conditioning during hot summer days. You may also treat yourself to drinks, lunch or dinner on board (drinks and food are not included in tour price).

The cost of an excursion with a personal guide for 1 person

Quay at Radisson Collection Hotel

Government Headquarters ("the White House")

Kievsky Railway Central

Novodevichy Convent

Luzhniki Stadium

Academy of Sciences

Monument to Peter I

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

Moscow Kremlin

St.Basil's Cathedral

Novospassky Monastery

U-turn and back to Quay at Radisson Royal Hotel

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Who's going.

• Excursion River Cruise on Luxurious Radisson Boat
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See photo of the meeting point