13 images

The biggest yacht sales of 2023 so far

15 September 2023 • Written by Gemma Harris

According to BOATPro, more than €3 billion in sales has been secured so far, including the biggest known brokerage deal in history. We take a look at the most expensive sales of the year.

Ahpo (now Lady Jorgia)

Length: 115m Builder: Lurssen

The 115-metre Lürssen Ahpo was sold in-house by Moran Yacht & Ship just three months after joining the brokerage market, in what is believed to be the biggest brokerage deal in history. Now been renamed Lady Jorgia, her striking design is the work of Nuvolari Lenard and features her trademark half-moon windows with wide tapered decks. Nature is a dominant theme throughout the yacht and is seen in the central staircase, which depicts an olive tree, and her water lily-themed dining room. A vast beach club and wellness centre is home to a nature-themed spa complete with a massage room, Himalayan salt sauna and a Turkish-style hammam, while a 12-seater cinema with a starlit ceiling offers a different kind of R&R on board.

Ahpo was asking €330,000,000.

Madsummer

Length: 95m
Builder: Lürssen

Not every yacht story begins with an owner in the market for a new plane and a boat at the same time, but Madsummer was commissioned in response to this very brief. As a consequence, the 95-metre yacht boasts a dedicated deck for the owner's seaplane, which can be hoisted to and from the water via a crane, hidden in the bulwark. When the aircraft is not present, the space transforms into a dance floor and party space. The yacht – efficient and subtly masculine on the outside with a riot of colour inside thanks to Laura Sessa – was delivered in 2019 and went on to win a Judges’ Commendation at the 2020 World Superyacht Awards. She marks the second 90-metre-plus sale of the year for Moran Yacht & Ship.

Madsummer was asking €227,500,000.

Here Comes the Sun

Length: 89m Builder: Amels

Here Comes the Sun was sold after just four months on the market, with Fraser representing both seller and buyer. She was jointly listed with Burgess at the time of the sale. Delivered in 2017 as Amels' flagship (a title held to this day), a full rebuild in 2021 saw a six-metre stern extension courtesy of Azure Naval Architects, the addition of a second helipad, an interior revamp and a repaint. She emerged from the shipyard with a new look, sporting a navy blue hull and ice-white superstructure, and was later awarded a Neptune for Best Rebuilt Yacht at the World Superyacht Awards 2022.

Here Comes the Sun was asking $195,000,000.

Kismet

Length: 95.2m Builder: Lürssen

The big brokerage news ahead of Monaco Yacht Show 2023 was that Kismet had sold after five years on the market. She was commissioned by serial superyacht and sports club owner Shahid Khan as a successor to his 68-metre Lürssen. Designed by Espen Øino and easy to spot in a crowded anchorage, she has a champagne hull with a jet-black mast and a pointed bow, graced by a silver jaguar – a nod to Khan's NFL team. Her interior was masterminded by Reymond Langton Design. Highlights include a helipad, firepit, and a grand atrium with an ornate staircase, 350kg Art Deco chandelier and a two-storey video wall. Kismet can sleep up to 16 guests but is said to be able to host up to 270 guests quayside. Kismet was listed for sale Cecil Wright & Partners, with Christie Yachts introducing the buyer.

Kismet was asking €149,900,000.

Arrow

Length: 75m Builder: Feadship

The 75-metre Feadship Arrow sold within 10 weeks of hitting the brokerage market, with Fraser representing the seller and Kitson Yachts acting on behalf of the buyer. H2 Yacht Design was responsible for her sharp exterior with glass bulwarks enabling sea views. Standout features include her al fresco dining set up on the sundeck, where she hosts a pizza oven and barbecue alongside her fully equipped gym and Jacuzzi. An elevator connects the decks down to the beach club, where a full-service bar, dive store and massage and sauna area are found. Meanwhile, inside, other features include a large-screen cinema. The 1,890 GT yacht can reach up to 17.5 knots, where she benefits from increased efficiency thanks to Feadship’s hybrid technology.

Arrow was asking €139,900,000.

Soaring (now Starlust)

Length: 68.2m Builder: Abeking & Rasmussen

Abeking & Rasmussen's Soaring changed hands in March 2023 and has since been renamed Stardust. The original owner wanted an exterior that wouldn’t be mistaken for any other yacht on the horizon, which was achieved through her distinctive pale grey hull and vivid orange boot stripe, a boomerang-like curve of glazing from the wheelhouse windows down to the upper deck, and scalloped windows that punctuate the bow. Accommodation is for 12 guests spanning six cabins with a rear-facing owner's cabin that looks out over a private aft deck, and its own observation lounge forward. The sale was secured by Ocean Independence.

Soaring was asking €88,000,000.

Lusine

Length: 60m Builder: Heesen

Heesen’s largest steel superyacht to date, the 60-metre Lusine, was newly delivered in 2022. At this year’s World Superyacht Awards, she picked up a Judges Commendation in the Displacement Motor Yacht category. Lusine accommodates up to 16 guests through her lunar-inspired interior from Sinot Design & Architecture. The private owner's suite sits on the upper deck for ultimate privacy. Further up on the aft sundeck, guests can benefit from a touch-and-go helipad, while a grand staircase and lift connect all her decks. The sale was secured in a combined deal with Fraser introducing the buyer and Burgess and KAYZ Marine acting on behalf of the seller.

Lusine was asking $82,000,000.

Lady Jorgia (now Andrea)

Length: 74m Builder: CRN

The biggest known off-market deal closed this year was sealed by Edmiston for the 74-metre Lady Jorgia. While the asking price was not disclosed, she was sold as Odyessy in 2020 and was, at the time, asking €84,000,000. The CRN superyacht was built under the name Cloud 9 and delivered in 2017 with an exterior by Zuccon International Project and an interior by British studio Winch Design. Across her five decks, open-air spaces include a private deck forward of the owner's suite, a main deck pool lounge with a glass-bottomed, 10,000-litre swimming pool, and a large beach club with an espresso bar. Ideal for hosting at-anchor parties, the foredeck can be transformed into a dancefloor when the helipad is not in use, or set up as a cabana with loungers placed beneath an awning.

Lady Jorgia's sale price was not disclosed.

Ragnar (now Q)

Length: 68m Builder: Royal Niestern Sander

The 68.2-metre explorer yacht Ragnar was sold by Arcon Yachts, with FGI Yacht Group representing the buyer. Originally built as an ice-breaking multipurpose supply vessel in 2012, Ragnar was transformed into a world-girdling expedition yacht by Icon Yachts in Holland to a design by RWD and delivered in 2020. Her exterior is said to have been inspired by a medieval Viking helmet, while her interior takes cues from cosy ski chalets, Scottish castles and classic British pubs. Leisure highlights include a spa, wine cellar, and an open-air top deck with a barbecue and seating area.

Ragnar was asking €69,500,000.

Solo (now Quantum of Solace)

Length: 72m Builder: Tankoa Yachts

The sale of Tankoa's flagship superyacht Solo was closed in May with Edmiston representing both buying and selling parties. Solo is based on the same platform as Tankoa's Suerte but her three metres of extra length allowed her to gain volume on every deck with the help of designer Francesco Paszkowski. On board, she features every conceivable luxury – six cabins, a beach club, saltwater pool, two spa pools, 18 crew and a tropical fish aquarium designed to keep the water still even as the yacht moves. Yet Italian classification society RINA has bestowed Solo with its Green Plus Platinum notation, the highest level of its environmental certification.

Solo was asking €66,000,000.

Sarafsa (now Pure)

Length: 82m Builder: Devonport Yachts

After less than a year on the brokerage market, the 82-metre Sarafsa was sold with Burgess and renamed Pure. Sarafsa was built for a member of the Saudi Arabian royal family and is the second-largest yacht built by British shipyard Devonport Yachts. The 3,200GT superyacht was delivered in 2008 but her interior remained a mystery until she publically joined the brokerage market in 2021, when her rich furnishings and brocades were revealed to the world. Standout features include an explosion-proof garage large enough to house six Jet Skis, tenders and a Mini Moke cark and a two-storey owner's apartment. Pure is now undergoing a major refit with her new owner managed by JMS Yachting.

Sarafsa was asking €65,000,000.

Callisto

Length: 65m Builder: Feadship

First launched in 2006, the 65-metre Feadship joined the market for the first time after a multi-million euro refit that spanned almost a year. Callisto benefitted from major technical improvements as well as a fresh coat of paint. With an interior from Terence Disdale, the upgrades instilled her classic elegance. The 1,306GT yacht can accommodate 12 guests across six cabins with a full beam owners suite including a large office, his and her bathrooms and a walk-in dressing room. Other standout features include a gym and a sundeck with a dip pool.

Callisto was asking €46,000,000.