Latest news with #yachts
Forbes
15-07-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
Pershing Yachts Celebrates 40th Anniversary In Style
Capri was the sight of the Pershing Yachts 40th Anniversary celebration July 2025 After many years spent writing about yachts, I've learned that the members of the Ferretti Group know how to celebrate. And since the Ferretti Group is comprised of seven iconic Italian brands including Riva, Wally, Pershing and others they always have something to celebrate…in style. Pershing owners and guests were treated to 300-drone light show at the brand's 40th anniversary ... More event in Capri July 2025 So, when I heard that the Ferretti Group was planning to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Pershing Yachts, I had a feeling they'd pull out all the stops. But, the series of parties and events they organized for Pershing owners and guests on Capri—during the height of the summer season—took pulling out the stops to the next level. And that's one of the things that impresses me about the Ferretti Group. They strive to do more than just sell boats. They also work hard to provide their owners with experiences—like a series of cool events in Capri In July—that are quite special as well. The full Pershing line up was on display recently at the brand's 40th anniversary event in Capri And it's obvious that the Ferretti Group's commitment to consistently deliver cool owner's experiences comes from the top down. 'Celebrating Pershing's 40th anniversary in Capri – a unique island in the very heart of the Mediterranean – had a special meaning,' Galassi said. 'Capri is pure beauty, like our boats, and the ideal setting for an extraordinary event that brought together entertainment, innovation and passion. Against a breathtaking natural backdrop, we told the story of an adventure lived in the fast lane: 40 years of incomparable style, comfort and thrilling performance. Emotions that only owners at the helm of a Pershing can truly understand. This event will live forever in the eyes and memories of everyone who was there, and above all in the glorious history of our brand.' F1 driver and new Pershing 6x owner George Russell (blue jacket) with Ferretti Group CEO Alberto ... More Galassi Like all Ferretti Group events, owners and guests—including Formula 1 driver George Russell who spent the first night aboard his new Pershing 6X just before the event—were treated to lots of memorable events that started with the presentation of the new Pershing GTX70, announced by a spectacular light show featuring 300 drones after dinner at Capri's famous 'La Canzone del Mare' restaurant. Then guests danced like crazy at a private show from Capri legend Gianluigi Lembo of 'Anema e Core'. Pershing Yachts 40th Anniversary in Capri The following day guests were treated to lunch in Nerano, at Antonio Mellino's famous 'Quattro Passi', while in the evening there were two dinner venues, both in Capri and both booked entirely for the event: the historic 'Il Riccio' and chef Franco Pepe's signature pizzeria and seafront restaurant 'a-Ma-Re Capri'. Pershing owners also got to see new Pershing 6X, 7X and 8Xs, along with a Pershing GTX116 a Pershing GTX70 in action too. Bellissimo
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Reese Witherspoon and Her Finance Guy Boyfriend Were Spotted Making Out in Europe
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Truly thought we'd reached critical mass of celebrities on yachts this summer, but nope. A-listers simply cannot stop frolicking around Europe. And the latest additions? Reese Witherspoon and her boyfriend Oliver Haarmann. The pair were photographed kissing and cuddling while on a yacht off the coast of St. Tropez, and People published some particularly PDA-filled pics. They honestly look so in love! Side note: can't tell for sure, but it looks like Reese is wearing the Marysia Palm Springs Maillot in white, if you care to channel her vibes in the hopes of someone inviting you on a yacht:$369.00 at So, who is Oliver Haarmann? He's a German financier who co-owns the New York Islanders, and Reese has been dating him since at least September 2024 (though they were also spotted a few months earlier in July). Back in October, a source told People that "Reese is doing great and enjoys dating. She's having fun with Oliver. She often flies between Nashville and N.Y.C. to see him. He's spending time with her kids too." They added that "Reese loves that he's a businessman and not into Hollywood." Reese was previously in a relationship with Jim Toth, who she announced her divorce from in March 2023. Not much is known about Oliver, but he seems chill based You Might Also Like Here's What NOT to Wear to a Wedding Meet the Laziest, Easiest Acne Routine You'll Ever Try
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
In Lunenburg, N.S., boatbuilders carve out niche markets in challenging times
LUNENBURG — At a wharf where oceangoing yachts tie up for repairs, Paul Baskett — a boatbuilder and owner of Lunenburg's Old Town Boatworks — says his craft is showing signs of renewal amid challenging times. "Lunenburg in the boatbuilding repair world is bustling," he said, standing alongside a varnished wooden mast from a vintage sloop he's carefully restoring. Baskett, 53, came to the community to be part of what he called "the working waterfront" about 20 years ago, after becoming an avid sailor in his teenage years, and apprenticing as a shipwright in England. But survival in this industry hasn't been easy in recent years, as boatyards have had to shift to a creative mix of filling niche markets — ranging from rebuilding classic sailing yachts to fabricating uncrewed vessels with laser-cut sheets of aluminum. Twenty-three years ago, a 2002 study for the Nova Scotia Boatbuilders Association noted, "this sector has the potential to create significant benefits for rural Nova Scotia. From a strategic planning perspective ... the sector is a star performer." However, Transport Canada data compiled by the association shows new vessel registration in the province peaked around 2003 at about 200 boats and declined to less than 50 boats in 2023. Boatbuilders have moved increasingly to repairs and refits as new construction lagged. Jan Fullerton, executive director of the association, said in a recent email the hurdles have included rising costs during the pandemic, persistent labour shortages and increasing regulatory requirements. Lately, there's also been the rise of tariffs and trade barriers, which "impacts manufacturing costs (and) ... affects the affordability of custom and semi-custom boats," she adds. But part of the answer appears to lie in combining the town's favourable geography with its reputation as a hub for marine industry expertise. "Lunenburg is on the way to everywhere if you're on a boat," said Baskett. "This is where people stop in." Last week at his dock, the arrival of a seagoing yacht from the southern Caribbean drew a network of boatbuilding tradespeople, including riggers, sailmakers, diesel mechanics, marine electricians and shipwrights. The specialists will spend months refinishing teak wood decks, adjusting stays and upgrading sails. Baskett says each job varies in scope and revenues, with some bringing in $80,000 over a few months, while larger jobs may provide up to $2 million to the local tradespeople over two years. "The money all stays in (Lunenburg) county. It's quite amazing actually," he added. As he speaks, Doug Theobalds, a retiree who spent about 30 years in the marine paint and varnish industry in Maine, strolls into the yard where he has several wooden boats being meticulously restored. Theobolds said he expects repairs to his William Fife III double-ended sloop — named for the Scottish boat designer who conceived its elegant proportions in 1938 — will be true to the first version of the yacht. "I get it done here because of Paul (Baskett's) philosophy toward wooden boats ... restoring them as close to the original as possible," he said, pointing out the reworked mahogany doors that open into the main cabin. "Maine and Nova Scotia both have traditions of wooden boats, but Lunenburg is a little closer to the past than Maine. ... The focus in Lunenburg is its history and its association with the past," said Theobalds. A widening circle of boat owners are also noticing pricing in Nova Scotia is lower for retrofits than in the U.S., while quality is comparable, said Michael Moreland, the owner of Ironbound Rigging Co. — one of the subcontractors who often helps repair yachts tied to the Old Town Boatworks wharf. "It's the busiest June over the past six years. It's been on a steady climb ... Our dollar is good value compared to the U.S. or the euro," he said. Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the harbour, Colin Ross, the research director of ABCO Industries — which had built vessels for the Coast Guard and the Royal Canadian Navy — said he's aiming to marry the yard's historic knowledge of boats to modern manufacturing techniques. In one of the fabrication buildings, the 38-year-old physicist stands before a gleaming, all-aluminum, uncrewed service vessel, explaining how it will carry out hydrographic surveys of the ocean bottom. "Instead of sending out a large harvest vessel with a full crew and the fuel bill associated with it, you can send this and ... provide the harvest vessel all the information needed to target the species they're looking at," he said last week. "We are ramping up into a lot of new products," said Ross, gesturing to a nearby all-electric vessel. But returning boatbuilding to its heyday of the past century — when Nova Scotia designers were world famous and marine construction was a mainstay in rural towns — is still a long way off. Baskett said Lunenburg must build more, lower priced housing for workers on a lower middle-class salary, while ensuring that a gentrified town is more accepting of the noise and dust that a modern boatbuilding shop generates. "Some aspects of our community are still obsessed with the 1800s and I'm more interested in the 2030s and the 2040s because there are really skilled people here and they are skilled people who want to live and work here," said Baskett. Brad Boutilier, owner of the Lunenburg Shipyard, said in a recent interview he's struggled to take the yard towards profitability even as it provides the marine railways and lifts that allow the local industry to remove boats from the water. Still, Boutilier is optimistic prosperity is on the horizon for his industry. "My long-term goal is we're going to make a modern, innovative shipyard," he said, adding he may partner with other firms to build an indoor facility. Amid the diverse approaches to survival, Baskett said the key for the town will be nurturing and growing a network of specialists and experts, ready to take on a variety of jobs. "Boatbuilding here is very niche ... It's like guitars. Some want a new instrument and some want an antique Stratocaster," he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 14, 2025. Michael Tutton, The Canadian Press Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Personal submarines, prostitutes and simulated warfare: Inside the insanely luxurious world of billionaires' superyachts
They've got safe houses in New Zealand and private planes full of jet fuel, but cruise-ship-sized yachts are how the planet's richest people plan to escape a world gone to hell. That's why, for the yacht industry, bad times are often boom times. 'I expect 2025 to be a good year,' Anders Kurtén, the CEO of the brokerage Fraser Yachts Monaco office, told The Post. The pandemic led to a rise in yacht sales, and he sees the 'same type of psychological mechanisms at work' right now. 'It's the ultimate personal freedom,' he said. The growth in yacht sales has happened despite sanctions against Russian buyers, who had previously made up 25% of the top end of the market. 'That's really been backfilled by the Americans, who seem to have this new, hungry appetite for very large yachts,' said Jonathan Beckett, CEO of yacht brokerage Burgess, which has 17 offices across the globe, from New York to Hong Kong. 'I never thought I'd see Americans buying and building boats of this size . But they are.' The largest super-, mega- and giga- yachts can be more than 500 feet and cost half a billion. Jeff Bezos' $500 million Kuro stretches to 417 feet and it doesn't even crack the world's top 10 largest. The US's 902 billionaires are still finding fresh ways to enhance these floating mansions. Yachts like the 255-foot ENERGY— which Fraser is listing for €199 million, or roughly $230 million — have Steinway baby grand pianos in the music lounges, beauty salons and beach clubs as standard kit.. 'You'll have a full spa team with a beauty technician and a big boat will have a Botox specialist on board,' said Philippa Smith, the founder and managing director of Silver Swan Recruitment, which staffs the yachts, homes and chalets of the global 1% from their offices in London, Miami and Dubai. She said that the level of service available on today's yachts now greatly exceeds that of even the most luxurious mansions — because where a dozen or so domestic staffers can run a big house, a large yacht may have a crew of 100. At sea, where there's no one to judge, you can simply get away with more. 'I spoke to someone recently who was hiring a naturopath, which is someone that is on board all the time, offering natural treatments, detox plans and daily wellness. You wouldn't have that at home,' she said. 'Obviously you will have a chef, but you might have a specialty Japanese sushi chef for a particular voyage. You'll have a sommelier, a full water sports team, a DJ, a florist, a drone specialist, full security and for children a plethora of nannies, governesses and specialist educators like a marine biologist.' She recalled an incident where a client's 7-year-old didn't enjoy the yogurt on board. At the snap of a finger, the yacht's chief stewardess had the preferred yogurt sent from Russia by private plane, which met the yacht's helicopter in Corsica — and the choosy child's breakfast was saved. 'Even though these guests are very wealthy and very intelligent, they are dumb in some senses, because they'll be in the middle of the ocean and be requesting the most ridiculous things, bearing in mind you can't just go to a shop,' she said. 'The helicopters are used because they want a particular Champagne tonight.' A yacht is the ultimate catbird seat from which to watch the world burn, argues Evan Osnos in his new book 'The Haves and Have-Yachts: Dispatches on the Ultrarich' (Scribner, out now). His subjects range from the booming trade in palatial yachts and doomsday prepping in Silicon Valley, to con-artists like Guo Wengui and the shape-shifting politics of Mark Zuckerberg. But his juiciest reporting reveals how an ostensibly money-losing operation like yachting gels in a parsimonious billionaire's psyche. 'Gigayachts,' he writes, are 'the most expensive objects our species has ever owned — and, as a Silicon Valley CEO put it to me, the best way to 'absorb the most excess capital.' While a single yacht may cost more than a billionaire's entire real estate portfolio, produce as much greenhouse gas as 1500 passenger cars and depreciate like a ton of lead, not having a permanent address is priceless, he argues. 'Much of the time, superyachts dwell beyond the reach of ordinary law enforcement,' Osnos writes. 'They cruise in international waters, and, when they dock, local cops tend to give them a wide berth; the boats often have private security, and their owners may well be friends with the prime minister.' One use-case: moving art, jewels or other big ticket items duty-free. Another: taking clandestine business meetings. 'One deal secured on board will pay it all back many times over,' a yacht captain tells Onsnos, 'and it is pretty hard to say no after your kids have been hosted so well for a week.' Not only does the yachting class enjoy exotic deliveries — bagels from Zabar's, sex workers, a rare melon from the island of Hokkaido' and flamboyant finishes — eel leather seats, a personal submarine, a mini ski-slope — there are also over-the-top amusements. In the book, Andrew Grant Super, a cofounder of the 'experiential yachting' firm Berkeley Rand in Londons, discloses a few of the yachting experiences he creates for 'bored billionaires.' 'We can plot half of the Pacific Ocean with coordinates, to map out the Battle of Midway,' Super tells Oscnos. 'We re-create the full-blown battles of the giant ships from America and Japan. The kids have haptic guns and haptic vests. We put the smell of cordite and cannon fire on board, pumping around them… We fly 3-D-printed, architectural freestanding restaurants into the middle of the Maldives, on a sand shelf that can only last another eight hours before it disappears.' The world's biggest yacht, REV OCEAN is specifically designed to offer that type of boundary pushing adventure. When it's delivered in 2027, it will stretch 639.3 feet — only slightly shorter than Trump Tower — gliding guests to expedition sites in the Arctic Circle, the Galapagos and some of earth's least visited realms in seven-star comfort. Unlike mere pleasure craft, REV is decked out with a state-of-the-art research command center, where real scientists will polish their PhDs, while CEOs play gentleman explorer. It's the newest plaything for Norway's richest man, billionaire Kjell Inge Røkke. 'It's a bit like an SUV or a four-wheel drive vehicle,' says Beckett, who is exclusively chartering REV OCEAN. 'A lot of people want to go off the beaten track. We have a client at the moment, who is wanting to do something in the Amazon or in Antarctica. He's done, and he will continue to do, St Tropez, Mykonos and St. Barts, but he's looking to give his family some really interesting experiences. And there's a lot of people like that.' Life on board a top yacht has become so excessive that one owner tells Osnos, 'if you don't have some guilt about it, you're a rat.' But the venture capitalist yachtsman Bill Duker puts the situation in even more dramatic terms, telling Osnos, 'If the rest of the world learns what it's like to live on a yacht like this, they're gonna bring back the guillotine.'
