big toy yacht

2001 Viking Convertible Reel Big Toy

Listing Agent

Preston Frieze

1-910-473-2628

Get More Info

Reel big toy, 50' viking 2001, little river, south carolina.

• Length Overall: 50'
• Beam: 16' 4"
• Maximum Draft: 4' 9"
• Dry Weight: 58,814 lbs

Tank Capacities

• Fuel: 805.00 gal
• Water: 208.00 gal

Engine Information

• Engine 1 : MAN - 1050hp
• Engine 2 : MAN - 1050hp

General Description

"Reel Big Toy" is a 2001 Viking 50 Convertible that is the perfect sportfish to combine three staterooms and two heads. She has been constantly upgraded, with a factory mezzanine and paint job, near perfect interior high gloss woodwork throughout. Some key features on this 50 Viking include a SeaKeeper 9 located in the engine room, Costa Clear enclosure, carpet, exterior soft goods, and a new black mask wrap. All services are up to date with meticulous service records.

Contact Preston Frieze with Bluewater Yacht Sales for more information/showings at

(910) 473-2628 or [email protected]

Accommodations

Sleeps six owners and guests in three Staterooms for a total of six berths. One Master Head with shower, one Guest Head with shower.

Three-Stateroom, Two-Head layout. Forward and port Staterooms have upper and lower berths. The Master Stateroom is midship and has a queen-size walk-around bed. The Salon, Galley and dinette share a large area as you enter from the spacious Cockpit that has a custom Viking Mezzanine.

Master Stateroom

• Night stand
• Queen berth
• Vanity w/ stool
• Hanging locker
• Telephone jack
• Stereo speakers
• Under bed drawer
• Under bed storage
• Carpeting (new 2020)
• Air conditioning / heater with controls
• Deck hatch w/ screen & black-out curtain
• Mirror on aft bulkhead behind upholstered headboard

Master Head

• Exhaust fan
• Wallpaper boarders
• Mirrored medicine cabinet
• Overboard, recirculating, electric head w/ holding tank

Guest Stateroom, Forward

• Access to Head
• upper & lower berths Carpeting (new 2020)
• Access to anchor locker
• Cedar-lined hanging locker
• Air conditioning J' heater with controls

Guest Stateroom, Amidship Port

• Upper & lower berths
•  Telephone jack
•  Teak cocktail table
•  Cable TV hookups
•  Carpeting (new 2020)
•  Teak Hi-Gloss Salon wood
•  Full canvas runner in Salon
•  L-shaped dinette w/ storage
•  Viking Home Theater System
•  Samsung LED Flat-screen TV
•  Gas piston on Salon sliding door
•  Teak dinette table w/ teak pedestal
•  Luxury Edition decor w/ accessories
•  Air conditioning / heater with controls
•  L-shaped ultra-leather sofa w/ storage
•  JVC Receiver, DVD / CD player & VCR
•  Canvas step covers & Companionway carpet runner

Galley, Main Deck, Forward Port

•  Insta hot
•  Water heater
• Garbage disposal
• Central vacuum system
• Amtico teak & holly flooring
• Sub-Zero under counter freezer
• Corian counter tops w/ Corian sink
• Sub-Zero under counter refrigerator
• Pressure, dockside fresh water system
• Sharp Microwave oven I Convection oven
• Princess Two-burner, electric, recessed stove

Helm / Electronics and Navigation

• SAT Weather
• 12v Outlet at Helm
• Icom M604 VHF Radio
• Flush-mounted transducers
• Northstar 952X GPS / Plotter
• Furuno RD30 Digital Depth / Speed I Sea Temp
• FLIR (Displays on all three Helm screens & Salon TV)
• (2) Furuno NAV NET 3D Radar / Sounder / GPS / Plotter Screens
• Fusion Stereo system w/ remote in Cockpit - Speakers on Flybridge & Cockpit

2019 Updates:

• Garmin Stand-alone backup

2018 Updates:

• Digital Radar

2016 Updates:

• Upgrade w/ TZTouch
• Additional VHF Radio & Antenna

Deck Exterior

• Spreader lights
• Anchor w/ lines
• Navigation lights
• Bow pulpit w/ rails
• Fiberglass Helm pod
• SIL Electric windlass
• Walk-thru transom door
• Viking Custom Low Profile Helm
• Three-Sided EZ2CY Bridge enclosure
• Coast Guard Approved Safety Package
• Tri-Color lights in hardtop & Cockpit overhang
• Bottom sanded, interprotect applied & painted
• (2) Custom International Pompanette Helm seats
• Recovered Helm & fighting chair cushions & arm rests
• Fresh water, salt water, pressure Deck wash down system
• Custom hardtop w/ overhead radio box - Underside painted to match Hull color
• Total paint job - Light Blue Hull w/ underside of hardtop to match white topsides

2020 Updates:

• New spreader lights
• New front facing lights
• Synthetic teak decking

2019 Updates:

• Costa Clear Helm enclosure replaced

Engine and Mechanical Equipment

• SeaKeeper SK9
• Bennett Trim tabs
• Racor Fuel filters
• (2) Bilge blowers
• Dripless shaft logs
• Oil pressure alarm
• Fire control system
• Oil transfer system
• Fresh water cooling
• Power assist steering
• Engine synchronizers
• Electric trolling valves
• Bridge engine controls
• Raw water sea strainer
• Awlgripped Engine Room
• Electric fuel prime pumps
• Engine fuel shut-off valve
• Side Power Bow thruster
• Hydraulic, wheel steering
• Engine temperature alarm
• ZF 1.97 to 1 Transmission
• Engine Room circulating fans
• Thermal, acoustical insulation
• Single lever electronic controls 
• Delta T Engine Room air boxes
• Engine gauges at Engine Room
• MAN Electric controls (back-up)
• (3) Automatic, manual bilge pumps
• (2) Y-valve emergency bilge pumps
• Engine start & stops in Engine Room
• Cruiseair Reverse cycle air conditioner
• Halon, automatic, manual fire extinguisher
• New oil transfer system w/ drain & fill connection in Cockpit
• Twin 1050 hp. Diesel 11B 2001 MAN 2840 LE403's with 3349
• Side Power Bow thruster w/ control buttons in single lever engine controls
• Bow thruster control buttons in single lever engine control handles & in recessed Helm electronics box

Current Updates:

• 50' of chain added to anchor rode
• Dual Racor System for both mains & generator
• 2016 SeaKeeper 9 (serviced annually by SeaKeeper)

        Engines: MAN services up to date and regularly maintained by Bass River Diesel/ Palm Beach Power    

2023 Updates:

• Seakeeper serviced
• Ice Chipper serviced

2022 Updates:

• A/C serviced
• New Battery charger
• Forward brow wrap (black)
• Props serviced and balanced
• Bottom paint 4/22 

2021 Updates:

• Fuel polished
• A/C raw water pump replaced
• New batteries
• New shower sumps
• (3) AIC Units rebuilt

2017 Updates:

• Shafts aligned
• Shaft seals replaced Sewer hoses replaced
• Rudder seals replaced
• Battery charger replaced
• Macerator pumps replaced
• Ghost Security System installed
• Engine raw water hoses replaced

Electrical System

• Dockside cables
• Battery parallel switch
• Glendinning cable master
• 220v AC Electrical system
• 110v Outlet in Engine Room
• 12v, 24v DC electrical system
• 12v & 24v Automatic battery charger
• Voltage stabilizer transformer (ISO Boost)
• Onan 17.0kW Generator w/ hush box

Cockpit / Fishing Equipment

• Bait freezer
• Center rigger
• (9) Rod holders Rupp outriggers
• Under water lights
• Cockpit Fly Cover
• (4) Cockpit wing rod holders
• Refrigerated Cockpit step box
• Rod storage in Flybridge bench seats
• 7-Rod Rocket launcher (aft Bridge rail)
• Dockside fresh water tank fill in Cockpit
• Eskimo ice chipper w/ discharge to fish box
• Dual action teaser reel mounted to underside of hardtop
• Pompanette Fighting chair w/ 4-rod rocket launcher & bait tray Cockpit Mezzanine w/ bait freezer, storage, Engine Room access
•  Spare "fishing" set of Mezzanine cushions
•  Costa Ultra-leather Mezzanine cushions replaced
•  Vessel Name
•  Owner's personal gear and items

Virtual Tour

Virtual Tour Link: https://seekbeak.com/v/p9z63gYNjQk 

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Inside the best superyacht toy garages

Superyacht toy garages can hold all types of water sports gear, from Jet Skis and submarines to motorbikes and off-roaders. We round up the best garages in the business, starting with explorer yacht Ragnar ...

Ice-breaking superyacht Ragnar has been designed to cruise the farthest reaches of the earth, and her fleet of toys and tenders are well suited to that job. Her garage is stocked with a BigBo amphibious ATV for exploring all types of terrain, as well as heli-skiing equipment and four ski scooters for snowy destinations. For warmer climes, Ragnar carries four Sea-Doos, jet boards , six Seabobs and a multipurpose island with a giant inflatable slide.

A cavernous garage on board Lürssen's Flying Fox holds five tenders and a treasure trove of toys, from flyboards and foiling sufboards to Seabobs and windsurfs. There's also a dedicated kite surf store and a dive centre that will make enthusiasts swoon. Here guests will find every bit of kit imaginable, from advanced nitrox mixing systems to full face masks and underwater scooters for those looking to explore the underwater world. Diving not your cup of tea? There's a submarine on board that can take you down to the depths instead.

More about this yacht

Yachts for charter.

Sitting on the top deck of the 66 metre shadow catamaran Hodor , you'll find a Nautique ski boat, a custom Metal Shark landing craft, and a 388 Skater powerboat with with a top speed of 165 knots. But that's not all - below there's a whole garage full of goodies. Hodor 's toy garage houses nine Jet Skis, two Yamaha ATVs, four Yamaha TW200 trail motorcycles and a three-person submarine.

The garage on the award-winning 83.5 metre Feadship Savannah opens up her smooth flank to reveal a wealth of toys. In addition to her four tenders, guests will find two Yamaha stand-up Jet Skis, two Seadoo Spark Jet Skis, two Jet Surfs, four seabobs, a Laser sailing dinghy, four mountain bikes, an inflatable slide, and the list goes on. The garage also creates a sweeping platform from which to launch them.

With a Snuba, Jet Surf, and inflatable slide among her many toys, it's easy to see why the 58 metre  Benetti superyacht  Illusion V  is a charter favourite. As well as an inflatable dock for all her toys, Illusion V also boasts a Jetovator and a Flyboard, for soaring out of the water and floating serenely above it, respectively.

The captain calls the toy garage of this 107.4 metre Kleven superyacht a man cave and it's no wonder why. This toy box is home to Harley-Davidsons, Ducatis, KTM off-roaders and all-terrain vehicles, ideal for on-shore exploration.

Silver Angel

The toy box on this 64.5 metre Benetti boasts a pick and mix selection of treats including Jet Skis, wakeboards and scuba kit. As if that wasn’t enough there’s also gear for kiteboarding, kneeboarding, deep sea fishing, an even golfing thanks to a Teeit Golf machine on sun deck.

Hate waiting for your turn on the Jet Ski? The 96 metre Blohm & Voss superyacht  Palladium solves this problem with a tender garage big enough to store eight personal watercraft - enough for every guest on board should they be willing to share. Luckily she also has quarters for 34 crew so getting them out on the water takes no time at all either.

Another popular charter yacht, 69 metre Saluzi packs all sorts of novelties, from Sea Bobs and waterskis for speedsters, to paddleboards, glass bottom kayaks, an on-water pool and a dive centre for guests looking for a more sedate experience.

Spend hours on the water with Titania 's inflatable climbing frame, Kawasaki stand up Jet Skis, flyboard and 12.7 metre inflatable slide. Plus, two qualified Jet Ski instructors are on hand to show you the ropes. Launched in 2006 with a refit in 2018, the 72 metre Titania is in shipshape for the coming charter season. She is currently offered for charter through Burgess .

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The Ultimate Yacht Toy Collection for 2021

The superyacht toy business is enjoying somewhat of a renaissance with new must-have water toys popping up every day. Never before have we had so many ways to enjoy the ocean, from gigantic inflatable paddleboards to zippy electric surfboards. Here's our pick of the latest and greatest water toys guaranteed to put a smile on your guests‘ faces.

Red Ride XL Paddleboard

Over five meters long and 1.5 meters wide, the Ride XL paddleboard can carry up to eight people. With an inbuilt “indestructible” iFin system, the board is highly resistant to damage and is the perfect vessel to explore quiet coves with friends — they do say adventures are meant for sharing. With several air valves, you can get your guests out on the water quicker than ever.

Manta5 Hydrofoiler XE-1

Designed and developed in New Zealand, the Hydrofoiler XE-1 is the world’s first waterproof E-bike, replicating the cycling experience on the water. Users stand up on the bike and pedal through the waves, though designer Guy Howard-Willis thinks the Manta5 is “more an airplane than a bike." Battery-powered propellers generate significant thrust at low speeds and then the rest is up to you, the peddler. A fine workout — plus, there’s no traffic out on the waves.

Orca Electric PWC

The Orca Electric PWC is the Jet Ski of the future. With no fuel, no engine maintenance, and an easy charging system, the Orca gives you two hours of riding without stress. Top speeds of 49 knots are possible, along with a range of 27 nautical miles. It takes just three hours to charge and then you’re off on a silent operation; the Orca Electric PWC makes no noise at all as it punches through the waves.

Series 2 Fliteboard

Race across the water at speeds in excess of 30 miles per hour aboard the Fliteboard. This electric foil board uses intuitive Bluetooth controls to deliver an agile, responsive, and fearless ride. The Flite App helps improve your experience on the water — users can measure performance statistics such as distance, speed, roll, pitch, power, and battery statistics. Plus, you can replay and share your ride using GPS Flite Track. Fliteboard also introduced True Glide this year, which is a free-spinning propeller with one-way bearing for powered offwave rides. Choose from several colors and finish options. Priced from $12,995.

• The Importance of Wearing a Helmet on a Jet Board

Seabob F5SR

Tipping the scales at approximately 35kg, the Seabob F5 SR is the featherweight champion of yacht toys. Its low weight combined with a hydrodynamic shape gives it outstanding agility in the water. SeaBob’s latest chrome design is propelled by an E-Jet power system which provides speeds of 22km/h on the surface and an impressive 20km/h underneath the waves.

Red Shark Bike Board 

Half paddleboard, half bicycle, the inflatable Red Shark Bike Board is perfect for every member of the family and comes in three different models, “Enjoy,” “Fitness,” and “Adventure.” Each one is custom-built for the task at hand and is a great tool for those looking to squeeze in a morning cycle when there is no land in sight. These bikes are eco-friendly, easily portable, and don’t need tools in order to work — ideal for a quick jaunt around the coastline.

Yamaha RDS 280 Seascooter

Lightweight and efficient, the Yamaha RDS 280 Seascooter has a run time of up to an hour and a half while cruising at speeds of 2.8 mph. Perfect for recreational diving and snorkeling adventures, it can plumb depths of up to 30 meters. There’s also a mount for a GoPro camera (not included); your post-holiday video presentations just got classy. Priced from $610.00

Triton 660/2

An entry-level submersible, the Triton 660/2 has the power of the Triton 3300/3 but in a new, sleek format and body. Perfect for a two-person exploration of the ocean, this compact submersible can easily integrate into tender garages and is ideal for either new builds or existing superyachts. With over a decade of being championed by the industry, the 660/2 rivals even flagship models.

• How Submarines Became the Coolest Piece of Kit on Board

SubBlue Navbow Underwater Sea Scooter

With its state-of-the-art design, the Navbow is the go-to underwater scooter. A powerful three-speed switch allows underwater travel up to two meters per second. A long deep dive is very possible with the Navbow’s waterproof batteries that will go the full 60 minutes. Plus, you can capture your underwater escapades by attaching an action camera to the SubBlue photography platform. Priced from $999.

SeaDoo WAKE

Sea Doo’s Wake has an inbuilt 100W Bluetooth audio-premium system so you can ride to the beat of your own drum (okay, other people’s drums). The new and improved swim platform at Wake’s rear is now more stable and flatter, meaning it’s now ideal for lounging and prepping for water sports. A Rotax 1630 ACE 170 HP engine also features, giving plenty of thrust through the waves.

This inflatable sailing boat is in its element in both quiet waters and manic waves. It sails well upwind thanks to a large centerboard and V-shaped hull, while also a real delight downwind with a wide-open transom. At only 50kg, the Tiwal can even plane, and with a sail of 5.2 sqm, you’ll be able to reach speeds of up to 15 knots. Priced from $6,010.

SeaDoo SPARK

The little sibling of WAKE, Sea Doo’s SPARK has seating for two to three people and sports a ROTAX 900 ACE 60 HP engine. Using just 2.4 gallons per hour, it’s the most fuel-efficient engine on the market. The polytec hull is robust and high-strength, while the color-in molding makes it more scratch-resistant than fiberglass.

Lift3 eFoil

Looking for a new toy to entice guests into the water? The LIFT eFoil, a surfboard propelled by an electric propeller, has a new offering this summer. The new LIFT3 and LIFT3 Elite eFoil, which launched just a few months ago, is greatly improved — it’s faster, lighter, more durable, and offers an improved battery for ride times of 120 minutes at 30 miles per hour. The new models have four available size options, with new shapes for better maneuverability, plus nine advanced hydrofoil wing options. Like all models, the eFoil has a lithium-ion battery and the electric motor is mounted on an all-carbon hydrofoil. These toys are the perfect combo for crew — fun for guests to ride and easy to store and maintain for the crew. Prices range from $10,900 to $14,000.

Funair Splash Island

For those guests who need to cool off without dunking themselves in the ocean, FunAir’s Splash Island will do the trick. The six bolsters are positioned for guests to recline and relax with great arm-and-back support. Crew can easily anchor the island in the water to their yacht or tender. The splash pool is a 15-cm deep circular pool in the center that’s made for dipping and cooling. “The Splash Island was built in partnership with our FunAir Ambassador Jessica Hansen from M/Y Alani who is a very hands-on yacht manager,” says John Courtney, MD of FunAir. “It was designed with crew in mind and can be deployed with just a couple of people in around ten minutes.” The first Splash Island was built in February and officially launched in March.

Deep Trekker Revolution NAV ROV

The carbon fiber, anodized aluminum, and stainless-steel Deep Trekker Revolution NAV ROV can dive to 1,300 meters, driven by six powerful thrusters (two vertical, four horizontal). Thanks to its quick-change batteries, it can be back at work in no time after its eight hours of operation time per charge has elapsed. A floating transducer means you can see the drone’s position on Google Maps, and it will leave a digital trail to show where it has been, as well as marking points of interest.

AquaBanas Pop3 Pool

It’s as easy as 1…2…3... The POP3 (Pop Out Pool — which comes in three parts) Pool became “a massive hit because it’s a fully functional yacht pool that breaks into three pieces and is much easier to handle and store on board a yacht,” says Mark Anastasia. The POP3 Pool also acts as a frame that allows any other AquaBanas components to easily connect in various locations, allowing the yacht to build exactly what they need. There are currently 16 standard AquaBanas pieces that can be fitted to each other with the built-in universal connection system. The pool, which the company says launched at FLIBS 2020, is a hit with charter yachts that love the POP3 Pools in particular. “We have now sold over 200 AquaBanas systems globally in the last 18 months and the products are super hot,” says Anastasia. All AquaBanas systems can be custom-made with various sizes, colors, and logos added.

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Our Dealership

The staff here at BigToy have been in the boating business since the 1980’s.  Whether it’s fishing, wake boarding, pleasure cruising or sunset cruises with loved ones,

boating is our passion. Here at BigToy we cater to all of your needs whether it’s a New  or Pre-Owned boat, service or simply just needing a place to store your boat. We take

care of it all!  We have two convenient locations with our waterfront main sales location, located on US 41 directly on the bay with direct access to Gulf of Mexico, our full marine service and storage facility, located in the historic city of Venice, FL. BigToy has been awarded top 5 dealership in the country with NauticStar Boats 5 years consecutively. We are very proud to have such an awarded achievement; we thank our customers for that!

BigToy is really involved with the marine communities throughout our local communities. The company enjoys helping with the local youth sporting academies, charities, and fund-raising events to help those in need.

Buying a boat from BigToy is a fun and enjoyable process. Our zero pressure sales allow customers to shop comfortably.

Our Boat Dealerships

Store Hours Monday 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM Tuesday 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM Wednesday 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM Thursday 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM Friday 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM Saturday 10:00 AM - 04:00 PM Sunday Closed BigToy Recreational Storage 100 Center Rd. Venice, FL 34285 941-445-4514 [email protected]

Brian Mc Murphy

I grew up in Michigan, boating on Higgins Lake as well as the Great Lakes. I decided to take boating to the next level. That was when my wife and I decided it was time to pack up and move to Florida. We ended up in Clearwater, FL in 1986 and then shortly after that moved to Venice, Fl in 1987. That is where our two daughters were born. Wow, what a great place Florida turned out to be. I can not be any happier than I am today about choosing the sunshine state to raise a family. I finally bought property here in Venice in 2009 and BigToy was created. I couldn't be any prouder to be a Nauticstar, Yamaha, Southbay, Suzuki and Honda dealership.

[email protected]

Hello, I'm Bill Brown!

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4x Razoo Beach Tug Boat Kids/Children Fun Play Toy Set 13x28cm Assorted 18m+

4 x Razoo Beach Tug Boat 28cm Assorted Play Toy Set 13x28cm The Razoo Beach Tug Boat is a delightful water toy designed for endless fun at the beach or pool, measuring 28 cm in length. This sturdy tug boat comes in two assorted designs, captivating young imaginations with vibrant colors and playful features. Perfect for promoting imaginative play, it encourages children to navigate their own aquatic adventures while enjoying the sunshine. Key Features

• Endless beach fun for kids!
• Vibrant designs spark imagination!
• Durable & perfect for adventures!

By SuperyachtNews 05 Apr 2013

Owner shares his One Big Toy

The superyacht owner caught up with us insurance executive gary markel, the owner of m/y one more toy, who is urging other others to follow in his philanthropic footsteps and get involved with a project close to his heart, operation cruise.….

The Superyacht Owner caught up with US insurance executive Gary Markel, the owner of M/Y One More Toy , who is urging other others to follow in his philanthropic footsteps and get involved with a project close to his heart, Operation Cruise.

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Hot on the trail of 56 superyachts owned by Russian oligarchs and subject to seizure

• Published: Mar. 06, 2022, 2:04 p.m.

French authorities have seized the yacht Amore Vero linked to Igor Sechin, a Putin ally who runs Russian oil giant Rosneft, as part of EU sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The boat arrived in La Ciotat on Jan. 3 for repairs and was slated to stay until April 1 and was seized to prevent an attempted departure. (AP Photo/Bishr Eltoni) AP

• The Associated Press

The massive superyacht Dilbar stretches one-and-a-half football fields in length, about as long as a World War I dreadnought. It boasts two helipads, berths for more than 130 people and a 25-meter swimming pool long enough to accommodate another whole superyacht.

Dilbar was launched in 2016 at a reported cost of more than $648 million. Five years on, its purported owner, the Kremlin-aligned Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov, was already dissatisfied and sent the vessel to a German shipyard last fall for a retrofit reportedly costing another couple hundred million dollars.

That’s where she lay in drydock on Thursday when the United States and European Union announced economic sanctions against Usmanov — a metals magnate and early investor in Facebook — over his ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin and in retaliation for the invasion of Ukraine.

“We are joining with our European allies to find and seize your yachts, your luxury apartments, your private jets,” President Joe Biden said during his State of the Union speech Tuesday night, addressing the oligarchs. “We are coming for your ill-begotten gains.”

But actually seizing the behemoth boats could prove challenging. Russian billionaires have had decades to shield their money and assets in the West from governments that might try to tax or seize them.

Several media outlets reported Wednesday that German authorities had impounded Dilbar. But a spokeswoman for Hamburg state’s economy ministry told The Associated Press no such action had yet been taken because it had been unable to establish ownership of the yacht, which is named for Usmanov’s mother.

Dilbar is flagged in the Cayman Islands and registered to a holding company in Malta, two secretive banking havens where the global ultra-rich often park their wealth.

Still, in the industry that caters to the exclusive club of billionaires and centimillionaires that can afford to buy, crew and maintain superyachts, it is often an open secret who owns what.

Working with the U.K.-based yacht valuation firm VesselsValue, the AP compiled a list of 56 superyachts — generally defined as luxury vessels exceeding 79 feet in length — believed to be owned by a few dozen Kremlin-aligned oligarchs, seaborne assets with a combined market value estimated at more than $5.4 billion.

The AP then used two online services — VesselFinder and MarineTraffic — to plot the last known locations of the yachts as relayed by their onboard tracking beacons.

While many are still anchored at or near sun-splashed playgrounds in the Mediterranean and Caribbean, more than a dozen were underway to or had already arrived in remote ports in small nations such as the Maldives and Montenegro, potentially beyond the reach of Western sanctions. Three are moored in Dubai, where many wealthy Russians have vacation homes.

Another three had gone dark, their transponders last pinging just outside the Bosporus in Turkey — gateway to the Black Sea and the southern Russian ports of Sochi and Novorossiysk.

Graceful, a German-built Russian-flagged superyacht believed to belong to Putin, left a repair yard in Hamburg on Feb. 7, two weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine. It is now moored in the Russian Baltic port of Kaliningrad, beyond the reach of Western sanctions imposed against him this past week.

Some Russian oligarchs appear to have not gotten the memo to move their superyachts, despite weeks of public warnings of Putin’s planned invasion.

French authorities seized the superyacht Amore Vero on Thursday in the Mediterranean resort town of La Ciotat. The boat is believed to belong to Igor Sechin, a Putin ally who runs Russian oil giant Rosneft, which has been on the U.S. sanctions list since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.

The French Finance Ministry said in a statement that customs authorities boarded the 289-foot Amore Vero and discovered its crew was preparing for an urgent departure, even though planned repair work wasn’t finished. The $120 million boat is registered to a company that lists Sechin as its primary shareholder.

On Saturday, Italian financial police in the port of San Remo seized the 132-foot superyacht Lena, which is flagged in the British Virgin Islands. Authorities said the boat belongs to Gennady Timchenko, an oligarch close to Putin and among those sanctioned by the European Union. With an estimated net worth of $16.2 billion, Timchenko is the founder of the Volga Group, which specializes in investments in energy, transport and infrastructure assets.

The 213-foot Lady M was also seized by the Italians while moored in the Riviera port town of Imperia. In a tweet announcing the seizure on Friday, a spokesman for Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said the comparatively modest $27 million vessel was the property of sanctioned steel baron Alexei Mordashov, listed as Russia’s wealthiest man with a fortune of about $30 billion.

But Mordashov’s upsized yacht, the 464-foot Nord, was safely at anchor on Friday in the Seychelles, a tropical island chain in the Indian Ocean not under the jurisdiction of U.S. or EU sanctions. Among the world’s biggest superyachts, Nord has a market value of $500 million.

Since Friday, Italy has seized $156 million in luxury yachts and villas in some of its most picturesque destinations, including Sardinia, the Ligurian coast and Lake Como.

Most of the Russians on the annual Forbes list of billionaires have not yet been sanctioned by the United States and its allies, and their superyachts are still cruising the world’s oceans.

The evolution of oligarch yachts goes back to the tumultuous decade after the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union, as state oil and metals industries were sold off at rock-bottom prices, often to politically connected Russian businessmen and bankers who had provided loans to the new Russian state in exchange for the shares.

Russia’s nouveau riche began buying luxury yachts similar in size and expense to those owned by Silicon Valley billionaires, heads of state and royalty. It’s a key marker of status in Moscow and St. Petersburg, and size matters.

“No self-respecting Russian oligarch would be without a superyacht,” said William Browder, a U.S.-born and now London-based financier who worked in Moscow for years before becoming one of the Putin regime’s most vocal foreign critics. “It’s part of the rite of passage to being an oligarch. It’s just a prerequisite.”

As their fortunes ballooned, there was something of an arms race among the oligarchs, with the richest among them accumulating personal fleets of ever more lavish boats.

For example, Russian metals and petroleum magnate Roman Abramovich is believed to have bought or built at least seven of the world’s largest yachts, some of which he has since sold off to other oligarchs.

In 2010, Abramovich launched the Bermuda-flagged Eclipse, which at 533 feet was at the time the world’s longest superyacht. Features include a wood-burning firepit and swimming pool that transforms into a dance floor. Eclipse also boasts its own helicopter hangar and an undersea bay that reportedly holds a mini-sub.

Dennis Cauiser, a superyacht analyst with VesselsFinder, said oligarch boats often include secret security measures worthy of a Bond villain, including underwater escape hatches, bulletproof windows and armored panic rooms.

“Eclipse is equipped with all sorts of special features, including missile launchers and self-defense systems on board,” Cauiser said. “It has a secret submarine evacuation area and things like that.”

Eclipse was soon eclipsed by Azzam, purportedly owned by the emir of Abu Dhabi, which claimed the title of longest yacht when it was launched in 2013. Three years after that, Usmanov launched Dilbar, which replaced another slightly smaller yacht by the same name. The new Dilbar is the world’s largest yacht by volume.

Abramovich, whose fortune is estimated at $12.4 billion, fired back last year by launching Solaris. While not as long as Eclipse or as big as Dilbar, the $600 million Bermuda-flagged boat is possibly even more luxurious. Eight stories tall, Solaris features a sleek palisade of broad teak-covered decks suitable for hosting a horde of well-heeled partygoers.

But no boat is top dog for long. At least 20 superyachts are reported to be under construction in various Northern European shipyards, including a $500 million superyacht being built for the American billionaire Jeff Bezos.

“It’s about ego,” Cauiser said. “They all want to have the best, the longest, the most valuable, the newest, the most luxurious.”

But, he added, the escalating U.S. and EU sanctions on Putin-aligned oligarchs and Russian banks have sent a chill through the industry, with boatbuilders and staff worried they won’t be paid. It can cost upwards of $50 million a year to crew, fuel and maintain a superyacht.

The crash of the ruble and the tanking of Moscow stock market have depleted the fortunes of Russia’s elite, with several people dropping off the list of Forbes billionaires last week. Cauiser said he expects some oligarch superyachts will soon quietly be listed by brokers at fire-sale prices.

The 237-foot Stella Maris, which was seen by an AP journalist docked this past week in Nice, France, was believed to be owned by Rashid Sardarov, a Russian billionaire oil and gas magnate. After publication of an earlier version of this story, AP was contacted Sunday by yacht broker Joan Plana Palao, who said his company represents a U.S. citizen from California who purchased the Stella Maris last month. He declined to disclose the name of the buyer or the person from whom the boat had been purchased.

On Thursday, the U.S. Treasury Department issued a new round of sanctions that included a press release touting Usmanov’s close ties to Putin and photos of Dilbar and the oligarch’s private jet, a custom-built 209-foot Airbus A340-300 passenger liner. Treasury said Usmanov’s aircraft is believed to have cost up to $500 million and is named Bourkhan, after his father.

Usmanov, whose fortune has recently shrunk to about $17 billion, criticized the sanctions.

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“I believe that such a decision is unfair and the reasons employed to justify the sanctions are a set of false and defamatory allegations damaging my honor, dignity and business reputation,” he said in a statement issued through the website of the International Fencing Federation, of which he has served as president since 2008.

Abramovich has not yet been sanctioned. Members of the British Parliament have criticized Prime Minister Boris Johnson for not going after Abramovich’s U.K.-based assets, which include the professional soccer club Chelsea. Under mounting pressure, the oligarch announced this past week he would sell the $2.5 billion team and give the net proceeds “for the benefit of all victims of the war in Ukraine.”

Meanwhile, location transponders showed Solaris moored in Barcelona, Spain, on Saturday. Eclipse set sail from St. Maarten late Thursday and is underway in the Caribbean Sea, destination undisclosed.

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