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32  Crewed Luxury Yachts for Charter in New Zealand

New Zealand Yacht Charters

Charter vacations in the South Pacific cruising grounds of New Zealand benefit from an abundance of activities and itinerary choices offered by the combination of the North and South Islands. With the Tasman Sea to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east, the sailing conditions are excellent and each year play host to the prestigious superyacht regatta, the New Zealand Millennium Cup.

New Zealand Luxury Yacht Charter Guide

Both the North Island and South Island of New Zealand feature coastlines peppered with a canvas of bays, harbours, fjords and stunning beaches. Renting a private crewed motor yacht, sailing boat or expedition yacht here is a fantastic way to explore the breath taking scenery any time of year, from the glaciers and snow-capped mountains in winter to the winding vineyards and semi-tropical beaches in the summer.

New Zealand is the perfect destination for active charterers looking to partake in adrenaline fuelled activities on water and land as well as try out all of the toys carried on board your charter yacht. Known as the ‘white knuckle capital of the world’, there are endless opportunities to create an experience of a lifetime as well as enjoy cruising conditions and sheltered anchorages that have attracted sailing enthusiasts for hundreds of years.

Luxury Yacht Charter Itineraries in New Zealand

New Zealand’s South Island is the less populated, more rugged of the two and is ideal for more relaxed exploration of the spectacular Marlborough Wine Country and a varied landscape. In contrast, the North Island is home to some of the world’s most vibrant modern cities such as Auckland which offers a great selection of shops, bars, restaurants and busy harbours. Auckland is also the gateway to 144 islands and bays of the Bay of Islands which can create a comprehensive and varied itinerary all of their own.

Charter Yachts Available in New Zealand

For more information about chartering a private yacht in New Zealand, please contact your preferred Yacht Charter Broker.

Crewed Charter Yachts in New Zealand

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37m   Sunseeker

from $125,000 p/week

86m Oceanco

from $550,000 p/w eek ♦︎

Sea Eagle 11

81m Royal Huisman

81m   2020/2022

from $599,000 p/w eek ♦︎

Wayfinder 12

68m Astilleros Armon

from $375,000 p/w eek

Perseus^3 12

59m Perini Navi

59m   2015/2022

from $350,000 p/w eek

57m Royal Huisman

57m   2010/2021

from $250,000 p/w eek

52m   2010/2020

from $285,000 p/w eek

Red Dragon 12

52m Alloy Yachts

52m   2008/2010

from $267,000 p/w eek ♦︎

48m Oceanfast

48m   2010/2023

from $177,000 p/w eek ♦︎

The Beast 12

39m Profab Central Engineering Ltd

from $205,000 p/w eek

Nancy-Jean 12

37m Sunseeker

from $125,000 p/w eek

37m   2010/2022

from $89,500 p/w eek

37m Camper & Nicholsons

37m   1999/2017

from $93,000 p/w eek ♦︎ *

Relentless 9

34m Kingship

34m   2006/2020

from $75,000 p/w eek

Pacific Mermaid 8

32m Winter Yachts

32m   1996/2005

from $80,000 p/w eek

Sea Breeze III 6

32m Millkraft

32m   1976/2021

from $65,000 p/w eek

32m Southern Wind

from $70,000 p/w eek

Black Pearl 10

32m Diverse Projects

32m   2011/2015

from $69,000 p/w eek

Pacific Eagle 6

31m Alloy Yachts

31m   1990/2002

from $35,000 p/w eek

30m Horizon

30m   2011/2017

from $60,000 p/w eek

VivieRae II 10

30m Nordhavn

from $90,000 p/w eek *

Rua Moana 8

27m Pachoud

from $110,000 p/w eek

26m Alloy Yachts

26m   1993/2017

from $46,000 p/w eek

Ata Rangi 6

25m Viking Yachts

24m Sunreef Yachts

from $85,000 p/w eek

23m Sunreef Yachts

23m   2017/2024

from $58,000 p/w eek

Haparanda 10

23m   1960/2008

from $20,000 p/w eek

Cattitude 8

23m Alliaura Marine Group

23m   2012/2013

from $45,000 p/w eek

Crazy Horse 6

23m Oyster Yachts

23m   2005/2016

from $25,000 p/w eek

23m Northport Engineering

from $30,000 p/w eek

from $55,000 p/w eek

Graycious 6

22m Oyster Yachts

from $26,000 p/w eek

Mission Hills 7

22m   1982/2000

from $32,000 p/w eek

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Crewed Luxury Yachts in New Zealand

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Public complaints rise over marine mammal disturbances by boats and jet skis, auckland’s wooden boat festival to showcase 160+ vessels.

Mercury Racing introduces new 60 APX competition outboard

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We offer a free boat selection service to help match you to your ideal yacht. Our sailing expert will consider your budget, experience, family and motivations to find the perfect solution for you.

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Zen, our Dufour 520 Grand Large encompasses the very best in large cruising yachts. Spacious living, fantastic entertainment size cockpit and the stability and comfort to please. Cruising in this way defines luxury.

Monthly Cost From

Overall length.

The Leopard 45 the perfect entertainment package with increased aft area with new layout, ergonomically designed open plan saloon and galley, larger forward cockpit, and more onboard area.

Beneteau Oceanis 41

The Beneteau Oceanis 41 is a hugely popular modern design that does it all! Fast and fun to sail with twin wheels and a performance rig. Gorgeous timber interior and 3 luxury cabins.

Dufour has produced a spectacular yacht with a roomy interior that is smart, sporty and very comfortable. The interior is a masterpiece of design with the navigation table easily converting into a sofa adding to already large saloon

J Boat J112e

The J112e is a wonderful addition to J Boats “E” Series of versatile sport cruising yachts. The “E” is for elegance and evolution in performance cruising design. A great cruising experience for sailing in comfort, style and speed.

Bavaria 32 Cruiser

Island Breeze

Island Breeze offers unexpectedly generous space in the cockpit and more importantly below deck. Here the crew will find a saloon so comfortable and spacious that they would be forgiven for thinking they were sailing a much larger yacht.

Beneteau Oceanis 331

Ocean Breeze

This popular yacht designed for performance cruising has an expansive cockpit and easy access transom, 3 large double cabins combined with the superior Beneteau interior fit-out ensure your journey is comfortable and luxurious.

Beneteau Oceanis 323

Thin Air is a stylish 2 cabin Beneteau 323 with a performance hull. Coupled with Beneteau’s high quality fitout and comfort, she is designed for easy and safe family cruising. A great yacht for fun times on water

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New Zealand

Possessing an intense beauty mirrored in tranquil mountains and raging rivers, New Zealand is one of the most breathtakingly scenic yachting destinations in the southern hemisphere. Mesmerizing glaciers, bubbling mud pools and soft golden beaches are all there to be discovered alongside one of the world’s premier wine and food scenes.

The cruising grounds of New Zealand are split into the North and South Islands; varying in landscape and atmosphere but united in a pure sense of natural wonderment. The south is the most scenic and mountainous of the two, with a breathtaking range of jagged Alps running the length of the island. The north is somewhat of a quieter and more relaxed holiday destination with a strong yachting history.

Auckland The picturesque city of Auckland is famous for its exceptional international sailing connections, hosting a collection of first class regattas and superb marinas. The ‘City of Sails’ is the enchanting base for sailing the Hauraki Gulf and the Coromandel Peninsula, two equally captivating cruising grounds in their own right.

Hauraki Gulf and The Coromandel The Hauraki Gulf is an island-sprinkled, smooth-water paradise boasting gorgeous landscapes swathed in scarlet flowers, glowing beaches, sprawling vineyards and seaside villages that are a delight to explore. The Coromandel is dotted with sublime beaches and hidden bays that make for perfect anchorage points.

The Bay of Islands Further north, The Bay of Islands is traditionally New Zealand’s yachting centre, boasting an extraordinary protected bay and hundreds of secluded islands offering the perfect secluded escape. Characterised by unbelievably green hills rolling down onto silky soft sands, the cool waters are simply bursting with incredible marine life, where marlin, dolphins and seals can be seen right from the deck.

Marlborough Sounds For a more peaceful and secluded twist, head to one of New Zealand’s most internationally renowned areas in Marlborough Sounds. An absolute yachting heaven, the exquisite waters of Marlborough are equally matched by their onshore delights, boasting sheltered bays, glistening beaches, hidden caves and exhilarating bushwalks. World-renowned for its exquisite wines, the region is the perfect place to sample some of the world’s best Sauvignon Blanc.

Fiordland Words can not do justice to the natural wonder that awaits in the Fiordland on New Zealand’s remote south-west coast. Nothing short of spectacular, ethereal landscapes rise up majestically from the strikingly calm waters; a flowing combination of snow-capped mountains, rolling hills, tumbling waterfalls and fascinating wildlife.

Queenstown Onshore, there are endless outdoor pursuits on offer, from cycling and canoeing to walking and four-wheel driving. Inland on the South Island is the famous adventure capital of Queenstown, offering a dizzying range of unique and off-beat activities to satisfy even the most hardened thrill-seeker.

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An abandoned, burned boat and 2 missing men: South African authorities investigate maritime mystery

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — South African authorities searching for a missing charter boat captain are concerned about possible foul play after they discovered his vessel burned and abandoned on a beach in neighboring Mozambique, but no sign of him or the unknown man who hired him.

The National Sea Rescue Institute raised the alarm over captain John Matambu and his passenger after they didn't return to Sodwana Bay on South Africa's northeastern coast on Saturday evening having gone out early that morning.

The charred wreck of Matambu's speed boat, Magnum Too, was discovered by a search plane on Sunday in the Dobela area of Mozambique, some 170 kilometers (105 miles) up the coast.

“Both men remain missing in unknown circumstances,” the National Sea Rescue Institute said.

Matambu's cousin told local media that a petrol canister and a medical kit were found near the boat.

The NSRI said some of the circumstances “appear to indicate that foul play may be involved.”

The man who hired Matambu to take him out on the 21-foot (6.4-meter) boat apparently gave false contact details, NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said. The booking was made for a man, his wife and a child, but only the man boarded the boat, Lambinon said.

"Hopes are that this has all been a misunderstanding, and foul play was not involved, but at this stage all possibilities are being examined," Lambinon told national broadcaster SABC. “The fact that the boat has been found across the border is obviously the difficulty now.”

The NSRI received a report that the boat was spotted at 10 p.m. Saturday night heading north toward Mozambican waters, it said, the last sighting before its charred hull was discovered the following day.

The Police Sea Borderline Control agency and the Police Search and Rescue unit are also involved in the search. Authorities described Matambu as a well-known, experienced and respected boat captain in Sodwana Bay.

AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa

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Dolphin expert questions independence of new SailGP decision-maker

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SailGP’s races feature in-your-face action, with agile, hydro-foiling catamarans tacking and jibing for the title over several days.

However, public comments ahead of the global series’ return to New Zealand have left this past year’s controversy in the shadows, as a key appointment attracts criticism from dolphin advocates.

A year ago, SailGP’s inaugural New Zealand race, in Whakaraupō/Lyttelton Harbour, over the hill from Ōtautahi/Christchurch, was hailed as a commercial and sporting success, attracting thousands of spectators and pumping millions of dollars into the local economy. (For the record, the title was won by Canada, skippered by Kiwi Phil Robertson.)

SailGP yachts killing rare dolphins ‘not ideal’ for tourism image, minister told

Doc dropped second probe into sailgp race.

Beneath the surface, all wasn’t well, however.

During the final, on March 19, the race controller ignored instructions to stop the race after observers determined two nationally vulnerable Upokohue/Hector’s dolphins were too close to the boats.

No dolphins were harmed during the race, which was held in a marine mammal sanctuary. But experts say vessel strikes are likely to kill dolphins.

The Department of Conservation started investigating. However, SailGP didn’t provide GPS data , despite a request, and department officials were unable to establish whether an offence took place.

A second probe , into whether “spotter” boats herded dolphins away from the super-fast catamarans, was dropped after the department decided a full investigation wasn’t in the public interest.

Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke, which exercises rangatiratanga (right to exercise authority) and kaitiakitanga (guardianship) over Whakaraupō, said its continued support for SailGP depended on a review of the marine mammal management plan, and it wanted “genuine improvement”.

A return to Lyttelton Harbour wasn’t meant to happen until 2025, but when the pin was pulled on Auckland for 2024, it was seen as the only viable option.

In December, details dribbled out about agreed changes to the plan (MMMP) for Whakaraupō, but the full version wasn’t released publicly until this past week – nine days before racing starts.

“This year’s plan builds on robust measures which worked well in season three, as well as what we now know about delivering events in this unique marine environment,” SailGP managing director Andrew Thompson said in an accompanying statement.

ChristchurchNZ general manager of destination and attraction Loren Aberhart said: “As was shown by last year’s 45-minute delay to the racing to wait for Hector’s dolphins to leave the course during the broadcast window, the MMMP prioritises marine mammal safety over racing.”

(We asked how ChristchurchNZ – the city’s economic development agency, which is paying millions of dollars to host SailGP – could omit from that statement any reference to the conservation department’s investigations, including the race controller ignoring instructions to halt racing to protect dolphins. An anonymised statement, provided by senior communications manager Alastair Paulin, said: “We have nothing further to add.”)

In the March 14 statement, Mishele Radford, chair of Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke, Rāpaki, said: “The successful implementation of the revised MMMP is critical for the protection of our taonga, the safety of all marine mammals, and ultimately the success of SailGP 2024.”

“Asking Jared Pettersson about dolphins is like asking me about fashion.” University of Otago Emeritus Professor Steve Dawson

A new role created this year is an “independent decision-maker”, with the power to delay or pause racing in line with agreed protocols. The person appointed to that role is Jared Pettersson, a director of environmental consultancy Enviser Ltd.

“Pettersson is the lead author of the MMMP and his role is to oversee its implementation,” said the March 14 statement, issued jointly by SailGP, ChristchurchNZ, and Ngāti Wheke.

Marine scientist Steve Dawson, Professor Emeritus at the University of Otago, questions the appointment.

Dawson, who gave expert advice for SailGP’s original MMMP, says in his opinion Pettersson can’t be independent when he “actively facilitated” SailGP’s project. Petterson’s expertise is in engineering, not dolphin behaviour or ecology. 

“Asking Jared Pettersson about dolphins is like asking me about fashion,” Dawson says. “It is a farce.”

(Dawson is also disappointed SailGP has dropped real-time acoustic sensors from Lyttelton. “The development of a fully functioning acoustic detection system could have been a way that SailGP could have contributed something with a positive environmental benefit.”) 

In the lead-up to the 2023 race, SailGP referred to Enviser as “our consultants”. Indeed, Enviser helped with SailGP’s application to DoC to use an acoustic deterrent device – an application that was eventually dropped – and Pettersson himself provided the department with additional information.

(According to an email from Ngāti Wheke’s Nuk Korako, on March 20 this past year, Pettersson was in the control room during the previous event’s final race, and “confirmed to SailGP that they were in breach of the MMMPlan”.)

Newsroom asked SailGP, ChristchurchNZ, and Ngāti Wheke how Pettersson could be considered independent given the firm had been in SailGP’s employ, and why they appointed an engineer to the role.

Nat Fortier, NZ SailGP team’s senior manager of marketing and communications, chose not to directly answer the conflict of appointing a paid adviser. She says ChristchurchNZ will pay Enviser for the decision-maker role.

“Given the televised event has more than 50 million world-wide viewers, a collision leading to dead or injured dolphins is not ideal for New Zealand’s tourism image.” Briefing to Conservation Minister Tama Potaka

“The role of the independent decision-maker is to oversee the delivery of the MMMP, ensuring the integrity of the plan in all training and racing scenarios. That includes the power to delay or pause racing if there is a risk of harm to dolphins.”

Highly skilled marine mammal experts are employed to implement the plan, Fortier says, including the Hector’s dolphin observer manager who coordinates land-based and on-water observers, and passes information to the event’s control room.

“This [decision-maker] role draws on extensive expertise and experience – both of environmental management and SailGP racing. As such, it is a paid function like any other consultant.”

The appointment of Pettersson – the author of original and amended plans – was “unanimously supported” by Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke, DoC and ChristchurchNZ. 

Radford, chair of Ngāti Wheke, Rāpaki, confirms the hapū’s support for Pettersson.

“We believe that appointing an independent decision-maker who is knowledgeable of the MMMP, and the environment of Whakaraupō, is crucial for ensuring the integrity and effectiveness of the MMMP.”

Initially, ChristchurchNZ said it thought Newsroom was asking for a collective response, and SailGP would answer on its behalf. We gave the public agency, funded by the city’s ratepayers, an extra day to comment but comms manager Paulin confirmed SailGP’s response on its behalf stood.

In February, Aberhart, ChristchurchNZ’s general manager of destination and attraction confirmed SailGP’s marine mammal management plan “does not have the force of law”.

“However, the plan is designed to keep marine mammals safe and as such it is underpinned by the Marine Mammals Protection Act 1978. Under that Act, it is an offence to harass, disturb, injure or kill marine mammals.”

Since November 2021, 47 Upokohue have been reported dead – 17 of those since November this past year. Most of the reported deaths have been in Canterbury, says Māui and Hector’s Dolphin Defenders chair Christine Rose.

“Yet race organisers are putting dollars before dolphins with this high-speed boat race in the heart of Hector’s home.”

Already, the Department of Conservation has briefed skippers, and other event staff, about their obligations under marine mammal legislation, including the expected behaviour of observer vessels, and the significance of Upokohue/Hector’s dolphins.

The department will brief marine mammal observer staff before the race.

Newsroom quizzed the department’s Mahaanui operations manager Andy Thompson about the difference between SailGP’s original and updated MMMP, given the original also had a requirement to halt racing if dolphins were present – which wasn’t followed, with no consequence.

Thompson, who was in the control room during the previous event’s final and issued an instruction to stop racing, says the amended plan belongs to SailGP, at which this question should be directed.

“In our feedback on this year’s plan, we supported the idea of a person in the control room who is independent of SailGP, and able to make the decision to halt racing, rather than having that decision sit with the race director.” 

An objective of the plan is to ensure the event complies with the Marine Mammals Protection Act and regulations, Thompson says. “Therefore, some breaches of the plan may also result in breaches of the legislation.” 

A big question is: What has been learned in 12 months?

We asked Thompson if the exact circumstances of the inaugural race occurred again this time, would the result be the same result (ie. instructions not followed, and no prosecution)? 

Thompson won’t speculate on hypotheticals, but says any potential breach, and decision to prosecute or otherwise, would be based on an investigation.  

“One change this year is that DoC will have a compliance officer in the control room. They have a range of powers under the Conservation Act and marine mammals legislation, including the power to intervene if it’s thought offending is occurring or is about to occur.”

A briefing to Conservation Minister Tama Potaka, in December, said the main risk to avoid during the SailGP race is Hector’s dolphins colliding with the boats’ sharp foils.

“Given the televised event has more than 50 million world-wide viewers, a collision leading to dead or injured dolphins is not ideal for New Zealand’s tourism image.”

Join the Conversation

Unacceptably in an already stressed dolphin sanctuary. Have any journalists done an assessment of the emissions created in staging such an event – including the manufacture and transport of yachts around the world, the travel involved in crew and viewers getting to the event, and the creation of the infrastructure required to host it?

Join the Conversation Subscribe to Newsroom Pro to unlock commenting on articles. Start your 14-day free trial now or sign in . Please note: All commenters must display their full name to have comments approved. Click here for our full community rules.

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California yacht owner threatens to kill dock worker in vicious showdown, cali yacht owner threatens to kill dock worker drops pants for rude salute, 95 3/13/2024 8:09 am pt.

A California yacht owner's vicious beef with a dock worker has reached death-threat levels -- and their exchange was caught on camera and included a nude, and very rude, gesture!

Check out the clip ... it all unfolds when San Diego entrepreneur Ajay Thakore swings by the swanky Marriott Marquis Marina in his rare $4.5M Tecnomar for Lamborghini 63 yacht to pick up one of his employees -- but things boil over when dock worker Joseph Holt tells him he can't be there.

Thakore, the CEO of medical advertising firm Doctor Multimedia, flips out on Holt big time ... and starts spewing threats like, "I will kill you, you know I will kill you, I will kill."

And it doesn't stop there -- as Thakore's pulling out of the harbor, he drops trou to make a full frontal salute in Holt's direction. Stay classy, San Diego!

Holt's only retaliation was flipping the bird, and he later told CBS8 that was all he could do to keep his cool and avoid escalating the situation.

Holt says parts of the altercation were not captured on camera, and he adds ... Thakore not only threatened to kill him, but also claimed to have connections who could totally mess up his life.

Holt also says Thakore pulled out $100 bills and tossed them at him, even chucking some in the water.

BTW, Thakore's done some backpedaling since the ugly exchange -- he now says, "The interaction that occurred yesterday was regrettable. What started as a minor misunderstanding escalated into an argument, and I apologize for my actions and to those who witnessed the unfortunate exchange."

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

FWIW ... One of Thakore’s employees claims the whole thing began because other dock workers blocked him from boarding the yacht.

Oh, and if that fancy Lambo yacht looks familiar -- it's the same one Chuck Liddell recently tumbled off just last month. Now it's famous AND infamous!

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People hit the roof on Boeing plane, passenger says as New Zealand probes sudden drop during flight

A passenger has told NBC News about the dramatic incident in which people aboard a Boeing flight were thrown into the ceiling, as authorities probed what caused the plane's sudden mid-air plunge.

More than a dozen people were rushed to the hospital Monday and at least 50 were injured when a LATAM Airlines flight traveling from Sydney to Auckland, New Zealand, experienced a “strong shake,” officials said.

Authorities in New Zealand said Tuesday they were seizing the black boxes from the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which had been due to continue on to Santiago, Chile.

"Everything was going well," said passenger Brian Jokat, who was sitting in a window seat as the flight headed toward New Zealand. “Then, all of a sudden, the plane took a nosedive down.” 

“People were flying out of their seats, hitting the roof, being thrown back four or five aisles back,” Jokat, 61, said in a telephone interview.

Jokat said that while he had his seat belt on, the passenger in the aisle seat of his row didn’t.

“I saw him lying on the ceiling looking down at me,” he said. “He was fully out-stretched,” Jokat said. “And then, bang, I looked behind and everyone was falling off the ceilings.”

Jokat said the seat belt, which he rarely wears at cruising altitude, saved him from the injuries.

“But those days are over. I will always keep my seat belt on,” he said. “Because what I saw in that plane was people flying like rag dolls.”

LATAM Airlines Flight LA800 was carrying 263 passengers and nine crew members, the Santiago-based airline said in a statement Tuesday. The flight landed at its scheduled time of 4:26 p.m. Monday (11:26 p.m. Sunday ET) in Auckland after its 2-hour, 42-minute flight.

The plane "experienced a strong shake whose causes are being investigated," the airline said.

Emergency services treated about 50 patients, 12 of whom were taken to the hospital, New Zealand’s emergency medical service provider, Hato Hone St John Ambulance, said in a statement Monday.

The airline said that most of those were discharged shortly after and that only two people needed medical attention, “but without any life-threatening risks.”

The pilot told the passengers the plane had suffered equipment failure for a few seconds, causing it to drop for almost 500 feet in the air, Jokat said. “He said, ‘My gauges went down; everything went down for one or two seconds, and they just lit up again and continued to function,’” Jokat added.

“Some people broke right through the ceiling. So you can see all the wires inside,” Jokat said.

New Zealand’s Transport Accident Investigation Commission, which is investigating, said in a statement Tuesday that it was “seizing the cockpit voice and flight data recorders.”

Chile has appointed a representative to participate in the investigation, the Chilean aviation authority said Monday on X .

"We are thinking of the passengers and crew from LATAM Airlines Flight 800, and we commend everyone involved in the response effort," Boeing said in a statement Tuesday, adding that it was in "contact with our customer" and will support "investigation-related activities."

The plane manufacturer has been under fire for multiple safety incidents and technical snags in recent months.

Most notably, the door panel of an Alaska Airlines flight blew out midair over Portland, Oregon, on Jan. 5, prompting a criminal investigation by the Justice Department.

Last week, a tire came off a United Airlines flight shortly after it took off from San Francisco, hitting cars parked near the airport.

A Boeing 737-900 plane flown by United Airlines made an emergency landing in Texas after bright orange flames were seen shooting out of its engine.

And an investigation is underway after another Boeing-made plane flown by United suffered “stuck” rudder pedals at Newark Airport in New Jersey last month.

Mithil Aggarwal is a Hong Kong-based reporter/producer for NBC News.

Peter Guo is an intern on NBC News’s Asia Desk.

Matteo Moschella is a London-based reporter for NBC News' Social Newsgathering team.

Victorian law reforms - criminals face losing their ill-gotten flashy cars and yachts

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Police will be better able to seize unexplained wealth from criminals under proposed legislation. Photo / Getty Images

Organised crime bosses and career criminals face losing their ill-gotten flashy cars and yachts under Victorian law reforms .

The Victorian state Government in Australia will introduce legislation into its parliament to make it harder for criminals to use and enjoy their unexplained wealth .

Authorities can already confiscate wealth when police and prosecutors believe it has been illegally acquired, but it must be in the criminal’s name.

The legislation would create another pathway called an “unexplained wealth order”, allowing authorities to seize an asset bought in someone else’s name if they believed it was the proceeds of crime.

Consumable wealth, and wealth that has been gifted, disposed of or spent, would also be captured, the Victorian Government said.

Under the reforms, prosecutors could apply to a court for an unexplained wealth order if there were “reasonable grounds” to suspect a person’s total wealth exceeded their lawfully acquired wealth by at least A$200,000 ($215,000).

Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes said Victoria Police had complained about barriers to demonstrating a known crook’s wealth was connected to criminal activity.

“The onus will be flipped under this legislation. You will have to demonstrate that you obtained it by legal means,” she said.

“It’s very likely, unless they won Tattslotto and they can show their winning ticket, they probably were doing illegal activities to obtain their wealth to spend on things.”

If a person cannot satisfy a court they legally obtained their fortune, they could be ordered to pay the state the value of anything they cannot prove was lawfully acquired.

“Organised crime bosses think they can have the fancy cars, flash yachts, spend their money on hotels and strippers,” Victoria’s Police Minister Anthony Carbines said.

“If you draw attention to yourself, Victoria Police will be after to you and will be able to use their laws to crackdown and reclaim those ... ill-gotten gains.”

The superyacht world is speculating that Mark Zuckerberg just bought this 118-meter boat

• The 118-meter superyacht Launchpad made her maiden voyage last week.
• The yacht world is speculating that her owner is Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
• Here's what we know about the luxury vessel.

In the world of superyachts , privacy is the most valuable asset. It can be next to impossible to discern the details of a superyacht transaction — and that's particularly true if the vessel in question is worth nine figures.

Yet some in the boat blogging world are speculating that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is the new owner of Launchpad, a megayacht currently moored in Fort Lauderdale, Florida after she made her maiden voyage from Gibraltar to St Maarten last week. Launchpad clocks in at 118 meters long, about nine meters shorter than Jeff Bezos' superyacht Koru .

The transaction could not be confirmed, with yacht world insiders declining to share what they know and representatives for Zuckerberg not responding to a request for comment from Business Insider. In the past, reports about Zuckerberg owning superyacht Ulysses have proven false.

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"It is Feadship's standard policy to never divulge any information about our yachts with reference to ownership, costs, or delivery, etc," Feadship, the ship's builder, wrote to BI. "Whether it is an 18-meter Feadship from the 1960s or a 118-meter Feadship from the 21st century, we do not share private information."

But Zuckerberg's name has been connected to Launchpad for a few months now, beginning in December when reports swirled that he visited Feadship's shipyard in the Netherlands.

Then, earlier in March, yachting bloggers like eSysman SuperYachts and Autoevolution started speculating that he officially snagged the boat, originally built for a sanctioned Russian businessman, at a $300 million price tag. (While that's a seemingly huge amount, it's still less than 0.2% of Zuckerberg's $177 billion net worth.)

Another clue that might point to US ownership is that the yacht bears the flag of the Marshall Islands, a US territory and commonplace for American buyers to register their ships, according to public marine tracking.

If Zuckerberg were to have bought Launchpad, he would join a cohort of superyacht-owning tech billionaires . Along with Bezos, the likes of Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison and Google cofounders Sergey Brin and Larry Page have purchased impressive boats with even more impressive amenities.

SuperYacht Times , an industry publication and intelligence platform, has some of the best images of the yacht. Photos show a swimming pool on her main deck and a large helipad.

While less is known of the interior, a vessel of her size can likely sleep dozens of guests and crew and may have amenities like an expansive gym where Zuckerberg could practice his jiu-jitsu or a spa with a massage area. We suspect there's also space for plenty of toys — which could include his viral hydrofoil foil .

Do you have any details about Launchpad or any other superyachts? Email reporter Madeline Berg at [email protected].

Watch: Walmart heiress' superyacht vandalized by activists in Ibiza

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I would like to arrange a zoom meeting or live video tour.