Owners of Double Haven Share Their Around-the-World Memories

Thirty years of living in one home doesn’t elicit a blink. But three decades of cruising aboard the same yacht, which the owners unquestionably consider a home, is so rare that most yacht builders can’t name a single client who fits the bill. That’s what makes the owners of Double Haven so extraordinary. Not only have they literally lived aboard for significant periods since 1993, but also they’ve cruised around the world multiple times. After a lifetime of making memories, they’re selling her to new owners who may be just as inspired.

the owners of Double Haven are selling her

Deriving her name from the stunning Double Haven harbor in Hong Kong, which holds special memories itself, the 167-footer (51-meter) is a Feadship well ahead of her time. In fact, the owners spend several years detailing a quite-specific list of requirements based on their cruising intentions. Non-negotiable necessities were Pacific Ocean cruising range and the associated deep-water anchoring capabilities. Similarly, the owners needed super-reliable systems and backups, particularly for visiting some of the most remote areas of the world. Vertical windows—not the popular raked windows of the 1980s and 1990s—were a must, too, for the wheelhouse. Furthermore, stringent sound deadening had to ensure no engine or mechanical sounds traveled through the living areas.

Lifestyle amenities were equally non-negotiable. For instance, the owners wanted oversize vertical windows in their suite, a significant departure from the era’s horizontal ports. Speaking of the suite, the owners of Double Haven specified an entire private apartment on the upper deck. No previous Feadship customers had ever requested a deck to themselves where they could relax and work as desired. Closer to the waterline, meanwhile, the cockpit-like watersports area adapts to fishing, diving, or boarding the custom tender, Double Happiness. Double Happiness is pretty unusual as well: a catamaran, traveling with Double Haven since day one.

Feadship became the choice for the husband-and-wife owners of Double Haven because the De Vries shipyard (now Royal De Vries) confirmed the requirements were possible. Saying it is one thing; following through, of course, is quite another. Three decades of constant cruising speaks volumes. “When you’re in these remote areas,” the husband says, “there’s always something that can happen. But Feadship has always been there for us.”

As for where “there” is, name a country. “Over the last 30 years, we did it all,” the wife says. “We’ve been diving, we’ve been fishing, we’ve been with friends, we’ve had parties. We’ve just used the boat a lot.” That includes diving in the Tuamotus in French Polynesia as well as in Indonesia. It additionally includes fishing, wildlife spotting, and glacier gazing in Alaska. Yet another special place: Japan, particularly for the cultural experiences. So many destinations presented so many memory-making opportunities that the owners have multiple favorites.

With an asking price of $27 million, Double Haven is more than simply a superyacht for sale. Her shipshape condition is a testament to the crew as well. Many of the crewmembers spent a decade or longer with these owners, including some currently serving. A different type of pride comes with that type of relationship.