vava georgetown yacht owner

$160M superyacht sails into Lake Union

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A superyacht measuring 314 feet long and owned by billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli and his wife, a former Miss U.K., docked in Lake Union Friday.

The VAVA II, reportedly in Seattle to refuel, is the 34th-largest yacht in the world, according to Boat International, a media group that serves the superyacht industry.

VAVA II, the largest privately owned yacht to be built in the United Kingdom, cost $160 million, features a helicopter landing pad, a swimming pool and six decks. It can accommodate 36 guests.

A Washington comparison: The yacht is longer than seven of the 23 Washington State Ferries.

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Bertarelli, 48, is a Swiss/Italian pharmaceutical entrepreneur who inherited the biotech company Serono after his father’s death in 1998.

His net worth is $12.2 billion, according to Forbes. His wife, Kirsty Bertarelli, 42, was crowned Miss U.K. in 1988 and is one of Britain’s richest women, according to the Daily Mail.

VAVA II’s recent ports of call were Honolulu and Port Townsend, according to Marine Traffic, a website that tracks maritime vessels’ locations and travels.

The VAVA II went through the Ballard Locks Friday afternoon without any issues, a Locks official said, though onlookers said it did almost hit the side of the chamber a few times.

Though it dwarfs the sailboats and dinghies often seen on Lake Union, the VAVA II isn’t the largest yacht to dock in Seattle waters. That prize likely goes to The Serene, a $330 million yacht owned by Russian vodka distributor Yuri Scheffler, which was moored in Elliott Bay in August 2013. The Serene is about 124 feet longer than the VAVA II.

It’s unclear how long the VAVA II will be in Seattle.

The yacht has a fuel capacity of 115,043 gallons, which provides a maximum range of 5,000 nautical miles at 14 knots.

According to the Daily Mail, refueling costs the billionaires $400,000.

Pocket change, really.

Paige Cornwell: 206-464-2530 or [email protected]

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Vava II: What makes the UK’s largest yacht an all-time great

• Superyachts

The largest yacht ever built at a British yard, Vava II features beautiful exterior styling that makes her look sleek and elegant despite her length...

Despite her status as the largest superyacht ever built at a British yard, Vava II’s owner-inspired exterior styling by Redman Whiteley Dixon is not only beautiful but makes the yacht look balanced and sleek.

She’s mainly a yacht of straight lines – the plumb bow, the angle of the superstructure and transom aft to the water, the vertical windows forward – but the sudden kinks of the top deck are a devilish touch.

The interior is by Rémi Tessier. The yacht, refitted at Amels in 2015, has been a regular in cruising hotspots around the world – and she spent the summer of 2016 cruising the Mediterranean.

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“Conceived as a ‘world travelling yacht’, Vava II has exceeded expectations in her extended travels to remote locations and such geographically diverse places as the Indian Ocean islands, Indonesia, Alaska, Polynesia, Patagonia and Antarctica, travelling more than 100,000 nautical miles in a little over four years since delivery,” says Captain Richard Bridge.

“The helicopter deck has been used extensively for the embarked Eurocopter AS350B3 for a mix of transfers, sightseeing, heli-skiing and fishing trips, as well as numerous scientific missions. It will shortly be strengthened to be able to operate the larger twin-engined EC 145 T2.

“The main-deck salon with its glass sliding wall opening to become a part of the main-deck aft pool area has proved extremely popular and gives an option of opening the whole indoor/outdoor area for events and parties.

“Another area that has been used extensively is the expansive beach club – adding a large additional deck space, as well as a platform from which to operate the selection of tenders on board.

“The tender garages themselves have doubled as logistics platforms when operating in remote areas such as the Antarctic peninsula and during scientific missions in the Indian Ocean.”

Where is she now? Cruising privately.

VAVA II specifications

Yard: Devonport/Pendennis Year: 2012 LOA: 96.0m Designer: Redman Whiteley Dixon

First published in 2016 as part of Super Yacht World’s Hall of Fame.

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VAVA II Yacht – Glamorous $150 Million Superyacht

Built in the United Kingdom and delivered in 2012, VAVA II yacht is an impressive creation by Devonport. She is one of only 34 yachts in her size range.

VAVA II yacht interior

The interior of the VAVA II was designed by Rémi Tessier, a designer who favours simplicity and functionality.

Inside the yacht you can find a beauty salon, a gym, a beach club, an elevator, and to top it all off – air conditioning.

Not much is known about her interior, having mostly been seen by those fortunate enough to visit VAVA II.

There are not many pictures available, but if it’s anything like the gorgeous exterior, it’s surely a sight to behold.

Specifications

VAVA II yacht is 96 meters long (315 ft), has a beam of 17,3 meters (56,9 ft), and a 4,8 meter (15,9 ft) draft. She can reach a top speed of 19 knots, and a cruising speed of 15 knots.

The twin diesel MTU (16V 4000 M70) 2,333hp engines that power her, make it possible for her to reach those 19 knots.

She has a reach of more than 4500 nautical miles, and anchor stabilizers make VAVA II comfortable to be on. She has the capacity to keep up to 36 guests, and up to 34 crew.

The Vava II yacht has a steel hull and aluminum superstructure, and the exterior is designed by Redman Whiteley Dixon. She has four large tender garage aft and a pool with varying depth levels.

There are a total of six decks and is built like a small ship. A helicopter landing pad is also one of the many features of this yacht.

Her mostly white exterior shows off all the details in her designs, along with the sleek lines and impressive size.

Inspired by naval design, she has smooth curves and decks stacked neatly, with an overall balanced look.

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VAVA II, a 96.0 m Motor Yacht built in the United Kingdom and delivered in 2012, is the flagship of Devonport .

Her top speed is 20.0 kn and her cruising speed is 16.0 kn and her power comes from four MTU diesel engines. She can accommodate up to 36 guests, with 34 crew members. She has a gross tonnage of 3930.0 GT and a 17.3 m beam.

She was designed by RWD , who has designed 53 other superyachts in the BOAT Pro database.

The naval architecture was developed by Devonport , and the interior of the yacht was designed by Rémi Tessier , who has 26 other superyacht interiors designed in the BOAT Pro database - she is built with a Teak deck, a Steel hull, and Aluminium superstructure.

VAVA II is in the top 5% by LOA in the world. She is one of 35 motor yachts in the 90-100m size range, and, compared to similarly sized motor yachts, her cruising speed is 0.95 kn above the average, her top speed 1.17 kn above the average, and her volume 914.34 GT above the average.

VAVA II is currently sailing under the Cayman Islands flag, the 2nd most popular flag state for superyachts with a total of 1408 yachts registered. She is currently located at the superyacht marina Marina Port Vell, in Spain, where she has been located for 4 days. For more information regarding VAVA II's movements, find out more about BOATPro AIS .

Specifications

• Name: VAVA II
• Yacht Type: Motor Yacht
• Builder: Devonport
• Naval Architect: Devonport
• Exterior Designer: RWD
• Interior Designer: Rémi Tessier

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