MARGAUX ROSE (NOW THE MERCY BOYS)
49.6M (46M ORIGINALLY), 1936, SCHWEERS
This incubator of the expedition yacht craze was built for Fiat chairman Gianni Agnelli. Daring and versatile exterior designer Gerhard Gilgenast chose the cab-aft style of a commercial ship for her lines, which allowed Agnelli to delight guests with hot air balloon launches from the raised fo'c'sle. John Munford's interior and de rigueur disco were refreshed by H2 in 2008.
In her wake: Turmoil, Andiamo, Pangaea, Big Roi
CEDAR SEA II
65.14M, 1986, FEADSHIP
No list of important yachts is complete without the 65-metre Cedar Sea II, launched in 1986 with an exterior and interior by Jon Bannenberg, She was built for a Lebanese-Canadian jeweller whose company made tiaras for European royals. Builder Dick van Lent recalls: “The owner had initially commissioned a smaller yacht, but when I told him how full the order books were, he said: ‘If I have to wait three years for a 40-metre yacht, I might as well have a 60-metrer It was worth the wait, with features including a 30-seat dining room, an underwater observation window set in a well, a medical centre, a computer room, and a swimming pool complete with waterfall and fountain.
HONOURABLE MENTION
Aquell II (now Philkade
37.4m, 19B6, Sensation
Ed Dubois’ superyacht debut. His radical innovation of the open “sugar scoop” stem and raised deckhouse sparked the boom in New Zealand's yacht-bullding reputation, Aquell II established the look and made captive winches de rigueur, especially after Alloy Yachts built one for Neville Crichton.
STEFAREN (NOW MARIDOME)
54M, 1989, BROOKE MARINE
In 1986 and riding high, wily New York investor Bennett LeBow ordered a yacht designed by Jon Bannenberg. While the boat was pretty flashy - the atrium staircase leading to the upper deck with flashing slot machines comes to mind - it had naval architecture by Diana Yacht Design and was noted for its hull being eight per cent more efficient than similar vessels due to its bulbous bow, Australian Solomon Lew purchased the yacht in 2006 and had her refitted at Nobiskrug with a Donald Starkey interior.
TENDER LOVE
G. Whiz was Stefaren's 33-metre tender. Designed by Bennenberg and speed merchant Sonny Levi, she is cepable of 49 knots via a pair of beefy MTUs end surfacepiercing propellers. When LeBow was criticised by angry sharaholders for spending $16 million of his company's money an Steferen and $3 million on a launch party for 150 of hie closest friends, he sold G. Whiz in 1992 to Greek shipping tycoon Loucas Hsji-ioannou who gifted it to his Bon Stelioo, founder of Easy Jet
OCTOPUSSY
43.59M, 1988, HEESEN
Hitting 53.17 knots with three MTUs and Kamewa waterjets, Octopussy was the fastest yacht in the world when delivered. Owner John Staluppi famously said he knew he couldn't have the biggest yacht in the world so he wanted the quickest. Naval architect Frank Mulder drew up the hull and tank, testing looked promising. There was only one builder, he said, who might accept such a challenge - or the penalty clause that Staluppi wouldn't owe a dime if the boat didn't go over 48 knots: Heesen. On the boat's Erst run, Octopussy hit over 40 knots. Next speed run: 50 knots! But Mulder and Staluppi thought a small stem modification could make her even faster. Heesen hauled the boat and nervously made cuts where directed. Final speed run: 52.I knots. Heesen was paid.
In her wake: El Corsario, Moonraker, Tbs World is Not Enough
LADY MOURA
104.B5M, 1990, BLOHM+VOSS
She's the genesis of all beach dubs and the first yacht with an indoor swimming pool - on the top deck no less. Diana Yacht Design and Blahm+Voss don't get enough credit for this truly ground-breaking yacht that still looks modem at 33 years of age. To sum up the work that went into her, just know the Luigi Sturdado interior ran $60 million, over budget, and included a crew hospital, a bakery and a beauty salon.
DON'T MISS OUR FEATURE ON EMILIO AZCARRAGA: BOATINT.COM/EMILIO
ECO (NOW ZEUS)
74.5M, 1991, BLOHM+VOSS
In the late 1980s, one-percenters were dropping wads of cash an lookalike yachts. But original owner Emilio Azcarraga tapped Martin Francis to draw a last 50- to 60-metre with “wow factor”. This turned out to be , “with bug-eyed windows inspired by Paris buses of the 1970s”, curved to minimise reflection. Twin diesds drove wing jets for cruising to 20 knots with the Lycoming LMI600 turbine, the largest built to date, dialling up, a small tanker, enabled “mid-fiighr refuelling on crossings - Azcarraga often along for the ride. None of the team of young designers and architects that was assembled to work on had previous yacht experience but many later made their mark in the industry: François Zuretti, Clifford Dean, Espen Øino, Jonny Horsfidd, Mark Smith and Dan Lenard all worked on the project at various times.
