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World’s Largest Yachts

27: Limitless

Lürssen built the John Bannenberg-designed Limitless in 1997 for Leslie Wexler, the American son of Russian Jewish immigrants, who founded a clothing empire in Arlington, Ohio in 1963. During a decade that witnessed the disappearance of the general store, Wexner opened a specialty store focused on young women’s clothing, which became The Limited.

26: Carinthia VII

When Carinthia VII emerged from the Lürssen shipyard in 2002, little was known about the newest born in a line of yachts by the same name. Designer Tim Heywood styled the yacht, and she bears some resemblance to Carinthia VI, designed by Jon Bannenberg nearly 30 years earlier.

25: Christina O

Christina O once was a Canadian River class frigate called HMCS Stormont. Commandeered to serve in World War II, the vessel witnessed the D-Day landings before languishing as a navy surplus vessel. Aristotle Onassis purchased the hull in 1954 for $34,000, and his $4-million refit initiated a popular trend in conversion.

24: Attessa IV

Taiwanese businessman Yung-Fa Chang was this yacht’s owner before Dennis Washington bought the vessel and brought it home to Vancouver to refit. The rebirth of one of the word’s largest yachts took a few years, but it was worth the wait. Re-launched in 2010 and photographed undergoing sea trials off the British Columbia coast, she looked nothing like her former self.

23: Loaloat al Behar

Al Said, launched at the Picchiotti shipyard in Viareggio in 1982, was until recently the private yacht of Oman’s Emir and was the largest yacht built in Italy to date (that changed with Serene). The steel yacht has a 53-foot-beam and is powered by twin 4,200-hp GM A420-6 diesel engines for an 18-knot top speed.

22: Lady Moura

Lady Moura was, at the time of her 1990 launch, one of—if not the most—expensive yachts ever built. She also has the distinct honor of keeping the same owner, Saudi billionaire Nasser Al-Rashid, since her launch. Her build required four years of collaboration between Italian designer and architect Luigi Sturchio and German shipyard Blohm + Voss.

21: Radiant

Radiant was the first yacht of 100 meters or more to launch in 2009. Identical in length to Dilbar, the yacht also features a Tim Heywood’s design, but that is the end of the similarities. The two yachts have very different styling.

20: Dilbar

The graceful Dilbar bears a striking resemblance, at least in terms of exterior styling, to Pelorus, and that’s no coincidence. Dilbar’s exterior designer Tim Heywood also styled Pelorus. Paris-based Alberto Pinto is credited with the interior.

19: Le Grand Bleu

Roman Abramovich, the self-made billionaire now worth an estimated 12.1 billion, acquired Le Grand Bleu from commissioning owner and US businessman John McCaw in 2003, but reportedly gifted the yacht to friend and Russian oil billionaire Eugene Shvidler in 2006.

18: Pelorus

Although he already owned several luxury yachts, Russian Tycoon Roman Abramovich was so impressed by Pelorus that he purchased her from her commissioning owner during her maiden voyage in 2003. Built by Lürssen at a parent shipyard, this impressive yacht draws inspiration from Carinthia VII and has an exterior design by Tim Heywood.

Limitless-GiovanniRomero-theyachtphoto

27: Limitless

Lürssen built the John Bannenberg-designed Limitless in 1997 for Leslie Wexler, the American son of Russian Jewish immigrants, who founded a clothing empire in Arlington, Ohio in 1963. During a decade that witnessed the disappearance of the general store, Wexner opened a specialty store focused on young women’s clothing, which became The Limited.

CarinthiaVII-Christo303-SuperYachtPhoto

26: Carinthia VII

When Carinthia VII emerged from the Lürssen shipyard in 2002, little was known about the newest born in a line of yachts by the same name. Designer Tim Heywood styled the yacht, and she bears some resemblance to Carinthia VI, designed by Jon Bannenberg nearly 30 years earlier.

ChristinaO-Benoit-Donne-SuperYachtPhoto

25: Christina O

Christina O once was a Canadian River class frigate called HMCS Stormont. Commandeered to serve in World War II, the vessel witnessed the D-Day landings before languishing as a navy surplus vessel. Aristotle Onassis purchased the hull in 1954 for $34,000, and his $4-million refit initiated a popular trend in conversion.

AttessaIV-NeilRabinowitz

24: Attessa IV

Taiwanese businessman Yung-Fa Chang was this yacht’s owner before Dennis Washington bought the vessel and brought it home to Vancouver to refit. The rebirth of one of the word’s largest yachts took a few years, but it was worth the wait. Re-launched in 2010 and photographed undergoing sea trials off the British Columbia coast, she looked nothing like her former self.

LoaloatAlBehar-Federico-Bolognini-SuperYachtPhoto

23: Loaloat al Behar

Al Said, launched at the Picchiotti shipyard in Viareggio in 1982, was until recently the private yacht of Oman’s Emir and was the largest yacht built in Italy to date (that changed with Serene). The steel yacht has a 53-foot-beam and is powered by twin 4,200-hp GM A420-6 diesel engines for an 18-knot top speed.

LadyMoura-Benoit-Donne-SuperYachtPhoto

22: Lady Moura

Lady Moura was, at the time of her 1990 launch, one of—if not the most—expensive yachts ever built. She also has the distinct honor of keeping the same owner, Saudi billionaire Nasser Al-Rashid, since her launch. Her build required four years of collaboration between Italian designer and architect Luigi Sturchio and German shipyard Blohm + Voss.

Radiant-KlausJordan

21: Radiant

Radiant was the first yacht of 100 meters or more to launch in 2009. Identical in length to Dilbar, the yacht also features a Tim Heywood’s design, but that is the end of the similarities. The two yachts have very different styling.

Dilbar

20: Dilbar

The graceful Dilbar bears a striking resemblance, at least in terms of exterior styling, to Pelorus, and that’s no coincidence. Dilbar’s exterior designer Tim Heywood also styled Pelorus. Paris-based Alberto Pinto is credited with the interior.

LeGrandBleu-Roy-Hulsbergen-SuperYachtPhoto

19: Le Grand Bleu

Roman Abramovich, the self-made billionaire now worth an estimated 12.1 billion, acquired Le Grand Bleu from commissioning owner and US businessman John McCaw in 2003, but reportedly gifted the yacht to friend and Russian oil billionaire Eugene Shvidler in 2006.

Pelorus-Darrell-Pace-SuperYachtPhoto

18: Pelorus

Although he already owned several luxury yachts, Russian Tycoon Roman Abramovich was so impressed by Pelorus that he purchased her from her commissioning owner during her maiden voyage in 2003. Built by Lürssen at a parent shipyard, this impressive yacht draws inspiration from Carinthia VII and has an exterior design by Tim Heywood.

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