Yacht DoubleYou Goes Up for Auction, With Famous Owner in Her Past

The late singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett was also a passionate boater. In fact, he owned about a dozen different fishing boats, sailing yachts, and motoryachts over more than three decades. Among them, the yacht Continental Drifter II was the second-largest, a 90 Cheoy Lee Explorer. Although he sold her years before he died, his ownership tie to her, now the yacht DoubleYou, remains a strong attraction. It might just be one of the reasons why the 90-footer (27.44-meter) sells at auction in September.

Yet another reason, the megayacht was one of many resulting from the collaboration between the late naval architect Tom Fexas and Cheoy Lee. The two first started working together around 1980. Completion of the 90 Cheoy Lee Explorer, a one-off, occurred in 1999, well before the current popularity of explorer yachts. Fexas earned renown for well-designed boats that held up to a variety of conditions when venturing distances. The crow’s nest on the foredeck aboard the yacht DoubleYou is a hint, not a superfluous decoration. So, too, is the Portuguese bridge. Another indicator is the 4,300-nautical-mile range.

Although the date that Buffett acquired the yacht is unclear, he was one of a handful of owners who took her on journeys. For example, while he often kept her at Lauderdale Marine Center in Fort Lauderdale, he further cruised to Sag Harbor, New York. Subsequent owners maintained her well, with one owner commissioning an extensive refit in Indonesia from 2019 to 2000.

The classic-meets-contemporary flair resulting from that refit remains in place. White wood soles and complementary overheads flow throughout the trideck. Leather accentuates a variety of furnishings as well, including the built-in settee in the dining area. Warm-stained wood lies underfoot below decks in the four staterooms, accommodating nine people. Notably, both the master suite and the VIP are full beam.

Reflecting her purpose-driven design, the yacht DoubleYou has a no-nonsense wheelhouse and galley. Three pedestal chairs put the captain or owner-operator within fingertip reach of the helm electronics, with a cozy observation settee just aft. The main-deck galley, meanwhile, is directly off the dining area and replete with stainless steel appliances. It also contains a mess for the crew—or a corner to chat with the chef.

Currently, the yacht DoubleYou is in Thailand, under the Singapore flag. The 24-hour auction begins September 4 at 11 a.m. Eastern time. Minimum bid is $1.2 million.

G3 Auctions g3auctions.com