“Year in Review” synopses are popular with traditional media and those of us in the yachting media. Several megayachts made headlines throughout this year. Here’s a look back at the top five articles on MegayachtNews.com that captured your attention in 2013.
Probably to no one’s surprise, our coverage of Lürssen’s Azzam garnered the most hits. Specifically, “Azzam, World’s Largest Yacht, Reappears at Lürssen” was the most popular post, with more than 6,300 hits. A 590’6” (180-meter) megayacht is sure to attract attention, after all. As fascinating as Azzam (pictured above) was to see in the water in April, it was even more fascinating that Lürssen was permitted to reveal details. The shipyard put her massiveness into more perspective, stating that the beam was 68’4” (20.8 meters) and draft was 14’1” (4.3 meters). Lürssen also said the total 94,000-hp propulsion package would allow Azzam to exceed 30 knots. As you may recall, Azzam was handed over just a few weeks ago, less than three years after construction started.
Nearly as popular was “Megayacht News Onboard: Heesen Yachts’ Galactica Star.” Anytime we feature Heesen, whether a new design or delivery, traffic is pretty high. Galactica Star was of heightened interest for two reasons. First, the megayacht is Heesen’s largest delivery, at 213 feet (65 meters) LOA. Second, Galactica Star employs the Fast Displacement Hull Form developed by Van Oossanen Naval Architects. That allows the megayacht a reported top end exceeding 28 knots and a 20-percent lower fuel burn than comparably performing other yachts.
Throughout the global economic recession, long-range cruisers remained the only yacht type that continuously attracted buyers. Bluewater cruisers are arguably the most passionate boat owners. That explains why “Nordhavn 120, Largest Megayacht From Builder, Nearing Delivery” was the third most-popular Megayacht News story of 2013. More than 4,500 readers learned how the Nordhavn 120 (above) was five years in the making, and how hull #1 would undertake her delivery trip from Asia to America on her own bottom. That first Nordhavn 120, christened Aurora, is based on the U.S. West Coast.
“Odessa II Revealed at Nobiskrug” attracted attention from April through the fall. The first look at the 239’10” (73.15 meters) yacht in the water last spring was big news. Odessa II was part of a five-megayacht order commissioned before the global economic crisis but one of just two that ended up being built. She’s still pretty secretive but turns plenty of heads wherever she goes.
Big megayachts turn plenty of heads in general, which underscores the popularity of “Project Dream, Largest-Ever Feadship Megayacht.” The 324’8” (99-meter) Project Dream turned out to be Madame Gu,a megayacht whose blue hull makes her unmistakable. Completed at Feadship’s De Vries Makkum facility, Project Dream/Madame Gu is not just Feadship’s biggest yacht, but also the largest Dutch-built yacht. She has an impressive quadruple MTU engine package permitting a reported 24 knots of speed. Draft is 15’1” (4.6 meters),
Just missing our top five, but a story that was—and still is—talked about, is the Yogi sinking report. The conclusions reached by the French authorities reveal little that wasn’t already known. It leaves further questions unanswered, like what happened to the log book, and whether crew fatigue was an issue. In addition, it seems to contradict evidence reportedly given by the crew of Yogi to the Greek authorities just hours after the sinking. The latter is one reason why the Greek Coast Guard launched its own investigation a few weeks after the release of the report. That investigation is ongoing.
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