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Boat of the Week: Meet ‘Boardwalk,’ Houston Rockets Owner Tilman Fertitta’s Showstopping 252-Foot Superyacht

This vessel has a long, instantly recognizable profile. but it's the myriad interior details—and the interplay of light and crystal—that define her., michael verdon, michael verdon's most recent stories, new zealand’s thrilling win gets the america’s cup off to a rip-roaring start.

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At the end of February, Houston billionaire Tilman Fertitta and his family held an annual Mardi Gras celebration, which they call the San Luis Salute. The event, which included local officials and celebrities, was headlined by the band Maroon 5. But the most visible VIP guest at the gala was Fertitta’s majestic new superyacht, Boardwalk.  

The 252-foot Feadship is indeed a showstopper. It was the largest vessel at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, and hundreds of people walking the docks took selfies against Boardwalk ’s towering stern, with a H130 helicopter perched on the top deck. Fertitta and his family enjoyed the show from the comfort of the yacht—from the main-deck’s rear cockpit lounge to be precise.

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It’s Fertitta’s favorite spot on his new yacht, a sanctuary protected from the wind and sun, but still exposed to the ocean. It’s also a microcosm of Boardwalk ’s very intricate design. The stern has the requisite lounges, bar and large flat-screen television, but that’s where it differs from other yachts. The ceiling has delicate curves, there are many lights embedded into the area above the bar, and the trim on the columns supporting the stern’s overhang is highly stylized.

The abundance of crystal and lighting define Boardwalk ‘s formal dining area.  Courtesy Fertitta Entertainment

“I don’t think any other owner pays as much attention to the details,” Fertitta told Robb Report during a visit to the yacht. “If you look at the bigger yachts, they really don’t vary much with standard features like ceilings and lighting.”

“Tilman came in with all the important details—all the details that really make the difference in this boat,” adds Amy Halffman, who worked closely with Fertitta on the design. “He’s an extreme detail man, down to the quarter of an inch.”

The Houston entrepreneur has made a highly successful career out of paying attention to the details. Named by Forbes as the “World’s Wealthiest Restaurateur,” the chairman of Fertitta Entertainment and chairman of Landry’s has an empire that also includes the Houston Rockets NBA team, multiple restaurants, Bentley and Rolls-Royce dealerships, and five-star hotels.

The contrast of the black stairwell with the white floors is dramatic, nicely offset by the custom stainless-steel inlays along the railings.  Courtesy Fertitta Entertainment

Fertitta’s Post Oak Hotel in Houston, in fact, provided inspiration for Boardwalk . “We spent a lot of time meeting at the hotel,” says Halffman. “He had a lot of input into that design, which is classy and elegant, so we decided to reflect that style on the yacht.”

This Feadship is actually Halffman’s fifth yacht project with Fertitta, the other four Boardwalks being a succession of ever-larger Westports, the most recent being 165 feet in length. After owning it for 12 years, “it felt like time for a larger project,” says Fertitta. “One that was more complex and elaborate.”

While upsizing by almost 100 feet sounds like a simple hull stretch, the Feadship has 1,848 gross tonnes of interior volume, compared to 492 on the last Westport—in other words, the latest Boardwalk has nearly four times as much interior as the last one. That makes not only for a very complicated build—something which bespoke builder Feadship is used to—but also a new mindset for the interior design, which the design team needed to wrap their heads around.

A more relaxed vibe in the owner’s office.  Courtesy Fertitta Entertainment

Halffman and design partner Frank Woll came up with the concept about four years ago, and then worked closely with the owner on the yacht’s many features. There are hundreds of features, seen and unseen, that distinguish the interior.

The most noticeable—arresting, in fact—is a whimsical, fantasy-like sculpture of a bronze female form with a dress of flowing crystals, diamonds and pearls. The work by Estella Fransbergen is strategically placed in the main entry. “She’s like a guardian angel,” says the sculptor, noting it took nearly two years to complete. “She was originally going to be placed by the staircase, but we moved her so she greets everyone.”

“I’d seen Estella’s work years ago and admired it,” says Halffman. “The torso of the woman’s body appealed to everyone and proved to be a launchpad for me. It played off all the other features.” They include an enormous crystal in the main foyer, pendant chandeliers in the formal dining area beside a case with crystal wear, and bespoke crystal light fixtures on the nearby stairway—which also has a beautiful stainless railing that resembles a feature from the last Boardwalk , but on a much grander scale.

The main salon, with detailed lighting overhead. Notice the backlighting on the rear bar.  Courtesy Fertitta Entertainment

The designers looked for striking but elegant stones—a white opal for the salon and an onice grigio for the sky lounge—mixed with Sapele, mahogany and other dark-stained woods that show contrast with the light-colored fabrics and tiling. The wine cellar even has a custom stainless-steel design that gives it a distinctive look. In all, 55 stones, marbles and tiles were used across the yacht.

Of course, all these stunning details were made possible by the ubiquitous placement of lighting, both direct and indirect, something that Fertitta understands with almost a scientific precision. His previous Westport had four times more lights than the yard had ever put on the 164-foot series. This Feadship paid even more attention to the lighting. Even the beach club, with its lounge and dedicated dive and watersports locker, has a stylish, deliberate look. The bar has a light fixture comprised of Swarovski crystals.

The yacht, though immense, is easy to navigate. Fertitta and longtime captain Tristan Judson paid attention to the functional aspects, creating an open foredeck where the two Hogdon-built tenders are stored, adding the ability to use the massive area for social occasions. The sundeck has a mosaic-tiled swimming pool, and above that is an observation deck with a mast. On that level, one gets a sense of how large Boardwalk really is, surrounded by smaller superyachts at the Fort Lauderdale show.

The intricate details on the day head—typically a forgotten space—give a sense of the how the design team approached the interior.  Courtesy Fertitta Entertainment

Still, the owner and his designers managed to keep a sense of intimacy throughout, installing what they call a “country kitchen” as the owner’s galley, to allow more informal meals and socializing than the main dining room, while retaining the yacht’s professional galley for the staff on another deck. Fertitta, who often works on board, has an office dressed with light-colored fabrics, lounges and glass doors to access the exterior decks.

The Feadship may not be Fertitta’s last yacht. Rumor has it that he’s talking to European yards about an even larger Boardwalk . When asked about it, he says simply: “I love to build things.”

Some other angles.

Courtesy Fertitta Entertainment

Courtesy Boardwalk

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Vitamin seller turned richest restaurateur in the world, Tilman Fertitta’s $150 million superyacht, is a masterclass in how to go big or go home! The Houston Rockets owner’s 252-foot-long vessel has a custom wine cellar, mosaic-lined pool, massage room, and multiple bars.

American billionaire Tilman Fertitta owns the $150 million Boardwalk superyacht-

Worth $12.4 billion , Tilman Fertitta is the chairman and chief executive of Fertitta Entertainment, which owns the Golden Nugget Casinos and the restaurant chain Landry’s Seafood. Born into the seafood restaurant business, Fertitta started his career by peeling shrimp in his father’s restaurant after school. Over the years, he has acquired and expanded several prominent restaurant brands, including Bubba Gump Shrimp and Saltgrass Steak House.

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Take a look at the superyacht the Jefferies CEO just bought from the Houston Rockets' billionaire owner

• Jefferies CEO Rich Handler sold $65 million of stock — some of which he used to buy a superyacht.
• He purchased Boardwalk from billionaire friend and client Tilman Fertitta.
• Here's a look at the multimillion-dollar superyacht.

Earlier this week, Jefferies CEO Rich Handler sold $65 million worth of stock in the investment bank — enough to warrant a press release — partly to buy a yacht from his friend and client, hospitality billionaire and Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta .

"My sale of shares today was a gift to myself and my family," Handler said in the release.

It's a pretty good gift. The boat in question is a 50-meter superyacht named Boardwalk.

According to the yacht's shipyard, Westport Yachts, the off-market deal was pending as of last month. The sale price isn't public.

Boardwalk, which is currently moored in Fort Lauderdale, Florida , was originally delivered in 2010. She features a spa pool and helipad on her sun deck, as well as multiple bars and 15 bathrooms, of which at least one has a television. The master cabin has a dressing room and a private study, and there are scooters on board to make getting around easier — and more fun.

She can fit 12 guests and 12 crew members, according to industry source SuperYacht Times .

"It isn't cheap, I can tell you that. I just love it," Fertitta told a local ABC affiliate in 2017, referring to Boardwalk's $40 million price tag.

While Boardwalk is technically part of "a series" — one of a fleet of boats built by the shipyard of this size and general design — Fertitta made many custom adjustments, adding lights throughout and opening up spaces to create a less formal feel, he told Yachts International in 2011.

Handler has been a guest on the yacht before, landing on its deck via helicopter when it was moored in St. Barts , according to a video posted on Fertitta's Instagram account in 2018.

"It's a shame when you have to pick your friends up to come see you. This is @handlerrich roughin' it to the @boardwalk164," he wrote in the caption.

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View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tilman J. Fertitta (@tilmanfertitta)

"It's one of those things that I've always wanted and I'll always have," Fertitta said during the 2017 interview.

While he won't always have this exact boat, Fertitta, who is worth $9.3 billion, per Forbes, will likely always have a yacht and appears to have traded up.

He teased his new, fully custom vessel — a 77-meter giant built by Dutch shipyard Feadship — in 2019. It was delivered in 2021 and is also named Boardwalk.

The new Boardwalk has a more modern design. The gym has a Peloton and a Mirror ; there's a sauna and beauty salon; and there are six sit-down bars — appropriate for a hospitality billionaire.

"This takes it to a whole new level," his son, Michael, told Boat International .

Looks like Handler still has something to aspire to.

Watch: Inside the world's biggest cruise ship that just set sail

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• cool spaces

Cool Spaces: Step aboard Tilman Fertitta's luxury mega-yacht

At 164-feet long, 31-feet wide and almost 500 tons, this is no ordinary yacht. Welcome aboard "The Boardwalk", Houston businessman Tilman Fertitta's luxury ocean vessel and favorite toy.

The $40 million yacht has 12 bedrooms, 15 bathrooms, grand salons, and a true chef's kitchen with steamers, warming drawers, and walk-in fridge and freezer.

The master suite features an owner's office, opulent bedroom with space to spare, and a gorgeous bathroom.

No expense was spared on the outdoor space either. "The Boardwalk" boasts multiple decks, lounges, scooters for land excursions, and even a helicopter pad.

Fertitta, his family and crew travel the world on the yacht. Some of his favorite stops are the Bahamas and the Mediterranean.

"It's one of those things I always wanted and I'll always have. It isn't cheap, I can tell you that," Fertitta said with a smile. "But every time I walk on it, I tell myself, 'God, I love this boat.'"

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Westport 164: Boardwalk

• By Diane M. Byrne
• Updated: October 31, 2011

Westport 164

There are repeat yacht buyers, and then there’s Tilman Fertitta. Fertitta is chairman, president and CEO of Landry’s Restaurants, one of the largest privately owned restaurant, entertainment and gaming firms in the United States. Given that his company owns eateries ranging from the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. to the Chart House, as well as operating the Golden Nugget casinos, Fertitta knows a thing or two about hospitality. And in his role as a father of four, he understands how to keep kids entertained.

No wonder, then, that his 164-foot Westport Boardwalk reflects a mix of spaces meant for grown-up fun and family-friendly gatherings. Fertitta made Boardwalk fully his own, and different from the six deliveries in the Westport 164 series that came before her. He took full advantage of the customization that the Pacific Northwest builder offers, a level that other series builders rarely permit.

Prior to commissioning his 164, Fertitta owned a Westport 112 and then a 130, both christened Boardwalk . While each of the three models differs from the others they share some similarities. You’ll spy the first upon stepping inside from the main afterdeck doors. Directly to port, there’s a stone-top wet bar with leather-clad bar chairs. The setup worked well aboard the smaller Westports, without impinging on the rest of the salon’s space, so why not incorporate it aboard the 164, especially given the extra floor space afforded by the length overall and nearly 31-foot beam?

See the complete photo gallery here .

The other major similarity is also on the main deck. Boardwalk ‘s galley has a dining spot much like a country kitchen does. Fertitta’s 112- and 130-footers featured Westport’s standard country kitchen arrangement, and he preferred this to the stainless-steel commercial look that Westport offers as the standard galley design on the 164. Whether cruising stateside or in the Med, as Boardwalk did this summer, Fertitta wanted an open, warmer ambience where he and his family could feel welcome while the chef and stews were at work. As a result, the galley is rich with stone-top counters and wood-clad cabinetry. The welcoming feel is aided by bar stools that pull up to the island cooking area, ideal for observing the pros at work or for sneaking samples out of the pots when the chef isn’t looking.

Boardwalk incorporates a handful of other customized touches as well. There are loose furnishings on the afterdeck, easily moved when entertaining large groups or rearranged into intimate relaxation areas on private trips.

Normally an elevator rises through the trideck 164, but Fertitta specified a stairway instead, something that a few other 164 owners also chose.

Aboard Boardwalk , the stairway treads are floating affairs, with a sturdy yet elegantly curving stainless-steel handrail outboard, along the mahogany-lined walls.

To lessen the formality of the dining area, Fertitta requested a smooth flow-through from the salon, skipping the customary central buffet that acts as a room divider. The arrangement still avoids the “bowling alley” look, and it’s simultaneously family-friendly and suitable for big gatherings.

In the master, rather than have the standard separated his and her heads, Fertitta wanted one full-beam bath. In another change, the vista bar, a standard wet bar tucked forward to port off the skylounge, is more like an intimate wine-tasting area, since Fertitta has it equipped with glass-front bottle stowage. Plenty of extra televisions are aboard as well, from the main afterdeck bar to the full-beam master bath (the TV is camouflaged as artwork when off) to the galley’s dining spot. And to help set various moods day or night, plus highlight the colorful, specially commissioned artwork throughout Boardwalk , a great deal of attention was paid to lighting.

Of course, some areas aboard Boardwalk follow the standard Westport 164 layout, which has both typical and atypical features. A good example of the latter is the upper-deck VIP stateroom, which benefits from a private sun deck. There are four more guest staterooms, all on the lower deck. Fertitta can stay in touch with his various businesses while in the office within the main-deck master suite. The room doubles as a lounge, with comfortable seating opposite the desk. Doors connecting it to the owner’s foyer just aft and the sleeping area just forward can close for more privacy. And guests can watch the captain at work from a raised observation settee in the pilothouse.

The crew also benefit from keeping some things the same aboard Boardwalk . The crew’s quarters (accommodations for 10 in five cabins, in addition to the captain’s stateroom) have service access to the guest staterooms via a dedicated housekeeping area. An automatic door leads from the galley to the formal dining area, and a dumbwaiter makes serving hors d’oeuvres or full meals easier while dining abaft the skylounge. Also, when Fertitta, his family or guests want to explore an anchorage, the crew can retrieve fishing rods and dive gear and launch the tender from the garage.

The toys were put to good use this summer while Boardwalk was exploring the Mediterranean. She also put her own propulsion package to the test: twin MTU 16V 4000s, which permit a reported 20-knot cruising speed and 24-knot top end (each at half load). Range at cruising speed is reported to be 1,700 miles, though it naturally increases to 5,200 miles when speed is reduced to 12 knots.

As a repeat yacht owner, Fertitta knows what works well. Being a repeat Westport client, he also knows that a turnkey construction approach can still successfully offer tailor-made options. When a buyer and builder understand each other as well as these two do, the end result is a yacht as custom as you can get without compromising production principles.

LOA: 163’10” BEAM: 30’10” DRAFT: 7’3″ DISPL.: 690,000 lb. (half load) FUEL: 20,000 gal. WATER: 2,000 gal. HOLDING: 1,500 gal. black water CONSTRUCTION: Fiberglass DESIGN: William Garden and Taylor Olson (hull), Donald Starkey Designs (styling) INTERIOR DESIGN: Donald Starkey Designs GENERATORS: 2 x 99 kW and 1 x 65 kW Northern Lights BOW THRUSTER: American Bow Thruster WATERMAKER: Sea Recovery, 2 x 3,000 gpd ENGINES: 2 x 3,650 hp MTU 16V 4000 diesel inboards SPEED: 24 knots max, 20 knots cruise RANGE: 5,200 nautical miles at 12 knots PRICE: Upon request Westport, 954-316-6364; www.westportyachts.com

Click here to view a photo gallery of the Westport 164 Boardwalk.

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The billionaire-owned ‘Boardwalk’ superyacht is in Downtown Miami

Owned by restaurateur Tilman Fertitta

Tour more yachts featured on Curbed Miami

Measuring just over 163 feet long, ‘Boardwalk’ has taken her talents to Downtown Miami, with the superyacht owned by billionaire restaurateur Tilman Fertitta joining the 174-foot Mizu outside the Epic Hotel.

Fertitta, with an estimated net worth of $2.7 billion, according to Forbes , is the CEO of CEO of Landry’s Restaurants, which encompasses over 500 properties, like Chart House, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., Morton's, and Golden Nugget casinos.

The yacht’s value is estimated at $40 million, with six cabins and a max speed of up to 20 knots. Helicopter pad included, of course.

#everydayimhustling #boardwalkyacht A photo posted by Maks Dyeyev (@maksforeigner) on Jun 10, 2015 at 9:14pm PDT

The 163-foot Boardwalk #superyacht, owned by billionaire Tilman Fertitta, is docked by the #EpicHotel (photo via @yachtcharterfleet) A photo posted by Slice Miami (@slicemiami) on Sep 14, 2016 at 9:12am PDT

Watch a helicopter board Boardwalk below, with more photos of the vessel on Yacht Charter Fleet .

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We don't have any additional photos of this yacht. Do you?

Motor Yacht

Boardwalk is a custom motor yacht launched in 2021 by Feadship, in the Netherlands.

Based in the Netherlands and with roots dating back to 1849, Feadship is recognised as the world leader in the field of pure custom superyachts.

Boardwalk measures 76.50 metres in length.

Boardwalk also features naval architecture by De Voogt Naval Architects.

Other Specifications

Boardwalk has a hull NB of 707.

• Yacht Builder Feadship View profile
• Naval Architect De Voogt Naval Architects No profile available

Yacht Specs

Other feadship yachts, related news.

• The Woodlands

Billionaire Tilman Fertitta aboard his superyacht Boardwalk in the Bahamas during a Forbes 400 interview. (Photo by Jamel Toppin for Forbes)

Tilman Fertitta's 252-foot superyacht 'Boardwalk' with the H130 helicopter perched on top (Photo courtesy of Fertitta Entertainment)

The swirling grand staircase on Tilman Fertitta's superyacht 'Boardwalk' (Photo courtesy of Fertitta Entertainment)

The main salon on Tilman Fertitta's superyacht 'Boardwalk' (Photo courtesy of Fertitta Entertainment)

Tilman Fertitta's office on his superyacht 'Boardwalk' (Photo courtesy of Fertitta Entertainment)

The resplendent powder room on Tilman Fertitta's superyacht 'Boardwalk' (Photo courtesy of Fertitta Entertainment)

The dining room on the main deck of Tilman Fertitta's superyacht 'Boardwalk' (Photo courtesy of Fertitta Entertainment)

The sky lounge on Tilman Fertitta's superhyacht 'Boardwalk' (Photo courtesy of Fertitta Entertainment)

A primary suite aboard Tilman Fertitta's superyacht 'Boardwalk' (Photo courtesy of Fertitta Entertainment)

Sculpture by Estella Fransbergen in the dining room of Tilman Fertitta's superyacht 'Boardwalk' (Photo courtesy of Fertitta Entertainment)

Tilman Fertitta's 252-foot, $150 million superyacht Boardwalk courses through canals after departing Feadship's Aalsmeer shipyard in The Netherlands on its way to sea trials. (Photo courtesy of Feadship)

Tilman Fertitta's 164-foot yacht, Boardwalk, creates plenty of envy in ports around the world.

Tilman Fertitta's $150 million, 77-meter yacht 'Boardwalk' welcoming San Luis Salute Mardi Gras VIPs. (Photo by Dave Rossman)

Mardi Gras partying aboard Tilman Fertitta's yacht, 'The Boardwalk' at the San Luis Salute. (Photo by Dave Rossman)

Blayne Fertitta at the 2022 San Luis Salute to Galveston Mardi Gras, pictured here on The Boardwalk, her fatherTilman Fertitta's 77-meter superyacht. (Photo by Rhea Hemming)

Houston Billionaire Tilman Fertitta’s Superyacht Causes a Greek Stir — The Boardwalk Continues to Turn Heads

The houston rockets owner travels on an anything but ordinary boat and the stories behind it are becoming legendary.

W hile hiking through the woods lining Greece’s Corinth Canal, a local Greek television reporter took a video of billionaire Tilman Fertitta’s superyacht Boardwalk squeezing through the Corinth Canal. He documented a snippet of the four mile journey and posted it on the TV station’s website with the headline: “Who is its billionaire owner?”

It didn’t take long for the Greek news hounds to discover that entertainment and sports mogul Fertitta was the owner. The video posted on the website shows the 252 foot long, 40 foot wide yacht gliding through the canal, which at its most narrow point is 69 feet. The manmade canal is the watery path leads from the Aegean to the Ionian sea, which opens to the Mediterranean

Sailing on a superyacht from the Greek Isles to the enchanting coast of Italy is definitely the realm of the world’s richest.

Recent reporting in national publications are shedding more light on the superyacht ‘s mastery of luxe design. Among the numerous amenities in the Tilman yacht that sleeps 14 — including the VIP suite — are a 120 bottle wine cellar, a lavishly decorated beauty/massage room, a 19-foot-long swimming pool, a bronze sculpture of a female form by Estella Fransbergen with a dress of flowing crystals, diamonds and pearls, and the billionaire requisite — a helicopter pad.

“I don’t think any other owner pays as much attention to the details,” Fertitta told Robb Report during a visit to his yacht. “If you look at the bigger yachts, they really don’t vary much with standard features like ceilings and lighting.”

Robb Report first gushed over Fertitta’s superyacht in the luxury lifestyle magazine last year.

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In addition, the magazine quoted Seattle-based yacht interior designer Amy Halffmann. “Tilman came in with all the important details — all the details that really make the difference in this boat. He’s an extreme detail man, down to the quarter of an inch,” Halffmann told the magazine.

The luxe interiors of the Fertitta superyacht include 54 different types of stone, marble and tiles, including mother of pearl tiles, a light pendant by Charles Loomis , appliqués by Wired Custom Lighting and a glass sculpture from David Wright .

“I was going for classic elegance – beautiful spaces that could stand the test of time, and I think we achieved that,” Halffman tells Boat International .

A limited number of Houstonians and Galveston residents are privy to the superyacht as each year Fertitta transports this — his second Boardwalk — to Galveston during Mardi Gras. He entertains VIP guests at a cocktail reception aboard the superyacht before the billionaire and friends join a police escort caravan to the Galveston Convention Center for Fertitta’s San Luis Salute to Mardi Gras.

Now, the rest of the world is getting in on the fascination.

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BOARDWALK is a 76.5 m Motor Yacht, built in Netherlands by Feadship and delivered in 2021.

She has a gross tonnage of 1848.0 GT and a 12.3 m beam.

She was designed by Studio De Voogt , who has designed 11 other superyachts in the BOAT Pro database.

The naval architecture was developed by Feadship De Voogt Naval Architects , who has architected 104 other superyachts in the BOAT Pro database, and the interior of the yacht was designed by Halffman Designs , who has 9 other superyacht interiors designed in the BOAT Pro database - she is built with a Teak deck, a Steel hull, and Aluminium superstructure.

BOARDWALK is in the top 5% by LOA in the world. She is one of 117 motor yachts in the 70-80m size range, and, compared to similarly sized motor yachts, her volume is 66.59 GT above the average.

BOARDWALK is currently sailing under the Cayman Islands flag, the 2nd most popular flag state for superyachts with a total of 1414 yachts registered. She is currently located at the Thunderbolt Marine refit yard, in United States of America, where she has been located for 1 week. For more information regarding BOARDWALK's movements, find out more about BOATPro AIS .

Specifications

• Name: BOARDWALK
• Yacht Type: Motor Yacht
• Yacht Subtype: Displacement
• Builder: Feadship
• Naval Architect: Feadship De Voogt Naval Architects
• Exterior Designer: Studio De Voogt
• Interior Designer: Halffman Designs
• Refits: 2021,2022,2022,2023,2024

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Superyacht Boardwalk the 7th Westport 164 is Launched

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Written by Mike Smith

Superyacht BOARDWALK, the 7th hull in Westport Yacht’s 164 flagship yacht series, has been launched in the US. Motor yacht Boardwalk is a composite yacht of 49.98 metres in length (just under 164 ft) with hull design by Bill Garden, Taylor Olson along with the Westport in-house design team. The yacht has not as yet been officially launched or delivered to her yacht owner and she will be undergoing finishing and sea trial at present. She large enough to be in the top 30 largest yachts so far launched in America.

Another westport 164 yacht launch

Motor yacht Boardwalk is a tri-deck superyacht which can accommodate up to 12 guests in 6 cabins including the owner suite. The Westport 164 yacht series was developed using three dimensional modelling and structural software applications also used in the aviation industry. With yacht boardwalk, like the other seven 164 motor yachts, Westport design and engineering teams collaborated with the well regarded superyacht designer Donald Starkey as well as the prominent naval architect William Garden.

The result of the design team is a refined hull form which is capable of exceptional ocean going performance as well an innovative accommodation layout in her interior. This balances the yacht’s interior and on-deck spaces for maximum enjoyment and versatility, and a contemporary styling that ensures lasting appeal. Boardwalk was designed for entertaining and relaxed socializing and her saloon opens up onto her spacious large covered aft deck with lounge, conversation areas and a wet bar.

With M/Y Boardwalk’s six ensuite stateroom layout, there is an main deck full beam master suite for the yacht owner which provides a luxurious private retreat. The master suite integrates the finest fabrics, cabinetry, stone and leathers into a stylish design. The innovative interior layout arrangement also includes a top deck VIP suite which leads to its own sun deck. There is also a large formal dining room situated adjacent to the yacht’s commercial grade galley.   An aft water toy and tender garage clears away any equipment which is not in use.

A sistership of Superyacht Boardwalk another Westport 164 called motor yacht VANGO

Superyacht Boardwalk is powered by Twin MTU 16V4000 diesel engines which drive her to an impressive mid 20 knot top speed. The private luxury yacht is also able to deliver a transoceanic range when at cruising speed. She is ABS classed and MCA-compliant and is accordingly well suited to yacht charter service if need be.

Motor yacht Boardwalk’s Brief Specifications:

Length: 163′ 10″ (49.98m) Beam: 30’10″(9.3m) Draft: 7’3″(2.2m) Guests: 12 in 6 Staterooms Hull Design: Bill Garden, Taylor Olson

Cruise Speed: 20kts Max Speed: 24kts Range: 5,200 nm @ 12 knots 2,900 nm @ 16 knots Engines: (2) MTU16V4000 Generators: (2) 99 KW (1) 65KW Displacement: 690,000 lbs Crew: 13

More About Westport:

Westport yachts is a US yacht builder which produces 5 main models of composite superyachts:

1. The flagship Westport 164 Tri-Deck Motor yacht Westport’s flagship, the 164 Tri-Deck superyacht has an advanced hull design by renowned naval architect William Garden and styling by Donald Starkey, this sensational composite yacht elevates cruising luxury to a new level.   

Length  163′ 10″ / 49.98 m Beam  30’10” / 9.3 m Draft  7′ 3″ / 2.2 m, Sleeps Up To 12 Owner/Guests   2. The Westport 130 Tri-Deck With its contemporary profile and refined interior spaces, the Westport 130 foot Tri-Deck Motoryacht has been designed to offer the very best of the good life at sea.    Length  130′ / 39.6 m Beam  26′ / 7.9 m Draft  6′ 6″ / 1.9 m Sleeps Up To 10 in 5 Staterooms   3. The Westport 112 Raised Pilothouse Drawing on the latest achievements in hull design, construction technology and marine propulsion systems, Westport has created the memorable 112 Raised Pilothouse Motor yacht.

Length  112′ /34.1 m Beam  23′ 9″ / 7.3 m Draft  5′ 6″ / 1.6 m Sleeps Up To 8 in 4 Staterooms   4. The Westport 98 Raised Pilothouse Developed and styled by the Westport design team, the Westport 98 Motor yacht features a fresh, contemporary profile and inside, a decor whose palette, fabric selection and joinery showcase Westport’s style at its finest.   Length  98′ / 29.8 m Beam  23′ 9″ / 7.2 m Draft  5′ 6″ / 1.6 m Sleeps Up To 8 in 4 Staterooms    5. The Pacific Mariner 85 Raised Pilothouse The Pacific Mariner is widely acclaimed as a proven, quiet, low maintenance motor yacht with excellent sea keeping abilities. The new 85′ Pacific Mariner was designed using the same core principals and benefits.   Length  85′ / 25.9 m Beam  21′ 3″ / 6.3 m Draft  5′ 0″ / 1.5 m Sleeps Up To 8 in 4 Staterooms

Please contact CharterWorld - the luxury yacht charter specialist - for more on superyacht news item "Superyacht Boardwalk the 7th Westport 164 is Launched".

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Mike Lynch yacht: The Bayesian's owner was close to billionaire and cost an enormous sum

British entrepreneur Mike Lynch is still missing following the capsizing the yacht he was on near Sicily.

While the billionaire has yet to be found , at least one person is confirmed dead from the accident while six are reported missing. Fifteen have been rescued, including Lynch’s wife , Angela Bacares.

The luxury yacht “suddenly sank” from what’s thought to have been “terrible weather conditions”, according to NBC. Lynch, 59, is the co-creator of the software corporation Autonomy and established Invoke Capital.

• Mike Lynch yacht sinking survivors pictured for first time as search for billionaire intensifies
• Missing billionaire Mike Lynch cleared of fraud just months before superyacht sinking in Italy

How much is the yacht 'The Bayesian' worth?

The Sun reports the 56-meter sailing yacht, called Bayesian, is worth £14 million, about $18 million. The average cost to buy a super yacht, which is a yacht between 37 to 60 meters, starts at about $10 million, according to Galati Yacht Sales .

Forbes said the cost to charter the Bayesian is $215,000 for one week. The yacht was listed for sale earlier this year, though it is no longer, according to BOAT International.

Who owned the Bayesian?

The yacht is legally owned by Lynch’s wife Bacares, Forbes reported. It was built in Italy in 2008 by renowned boat builder Perini Navi.

BOAT International reports the yacht's naval architecture was developed by Ron Holland Design while the interior design is by Rémi Tessier. It was originally known as Salute until 2016 when it was retrofitted and renamed Bayesian.

When it comes to length, Bayesian is in the top 5 percent in the world. It can accommodate up to 12 guests in 6 staterooms, and it has room for 9 crew members.

It is also one of the world’s tallest, with a single mast reaching 75 meters.

What is known about the sinking of a luxury yacht off the coast of Sicily and those aboard

PORTICELLO, Sicily — Specialist cave divers working in 12-minute underwater shifts were searching Tuesday for six missing passengers and crew, including British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, believed to be in the submerged wreck of a luxury yacht that was slammed by a powerful storm and swiftly sank off Sicily.

The sleek yacht, named the Bayesian, was carrying a crew of 10 people and 12 passengers when it suddenly sank near the Mediterranean island that is part of Italy at about 4 a.m. on Monday. One body has been recovered and 15 people survived.

Fire rescue officials have said the six believed to remain in the sailboat's hull will be considered missing until they are located in the wreckage.

Here's what we know so far about the sinking and those who were on board.

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What happened?

Italian civil protection officials believe a sudden and fierce storm that battered the coast of Sicily in the early hours of Monday whipped up a waterspout in the exact spot where the 56-meter (184-foot) British-flagged Bayesian was moored.

Karsten Borner, the captain of another yacht moored nearby, said he saw the Bayesian during the storm but when the wild weather passed it was gone and he saw only a red flare lighting the night sky, the Italian news agency ANSA and the Giornale di Sicilia newspaper reported.

Borner and one of his crew boarded their tender and found a lifeboat carrying 15 people, some of them injured. They took them aboard their yacht and alerted the coast guard.

Rescue authorities said the wreck was resting at a depth of 50 meters (163 feet) about a half mile offshore of the picturesque fishing village of Porticello.

Who was on board?

Among the missing is 59-year-old tech tycoon Mike Lynch, sometimes described as the British Bill Gates. Lynch was acquitted in June of all charges in a US fraud trial linked to the $11 billion sale of his software company Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard in 2011.

Lynch still faced a potentially huge bill stemming from a civil case in London that HP mostly won during 2022. Damages haven’t been determined in that case, but HP is seeking $4 billion. Lynch made more than $800 million from the Autonomy sale.

A Cambridge-educated mathematician, Lynch made his name running Autonomy, which made a search engine that could pore through emails and other internal business documents to help companies find vital information more quickly.

Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter Hannah was reportedly among the missing. His wife, Angela Bacares, and 14 other people survived.

Among others still missing Tuesday, according to the civil protection agency, were one of Lynch’s US lawyers, Christopher Morvillo of Clifford Chance, and Morvillo’s wife, Neda. Morvillo was regarded as an elite defense lawyer and was also a federal prosecutor in New York after 9/11.

Also missing was Jonathan Bloomer, the non-executive chairman of Morgan Stanley International, and his wife, Judy. He is the former head of the Autonomy audit committee and testified for the defense at Lynch’s trial.

Bloomer was also chair of the Hiscox Group, an insurer that does business on the Lloyd’s of London market.

“We are deeply shocked and saddened by this tragic event,” Hiscox CEO Aki Hussain said in a statement.

Among the survivors was Charlotte Golunski, who said she momentarily lost hold of her 1-year-old daughter Sofia in the water, but then managed to grab her and hold her up over the waves until a lifeboat inflated and they were both pulled to safety, ANSA reported. The father, identified by ANSA as James Emslie, also survived.

The Dutch foreign ministry said a Dutch man survived. The ministry, citing privacy, did not release his identity.

One body was recovered on Monday, identified as the on-board chef.

What is the Bayesian?

The Bayesian was a luxury yacht built in 2008 by the Italian firm Perini Nav. It was known for its single 75-meter (246-feet) aluminum mast — one of the world’s tallest. Online charter sites listed it for rent for up to 195,000 euros (about $215,000) a week.

Its registered owner is listed as Revtom Ltd., based on the Isle of Man, according to online maritime database Equasis. Lynch’s wife is listed as Revtom’s sole owner, according to corporate registration documents from the Isle of Man.

The yacht's name is an apparent reference to “Bayesian inference,” one of the two main approaches to statistical machine learning and the one that was used by Autonomy.

What is a waterspout?

Waterspouts are tornadoes that form over water and can happen when a storm moves across warm water.

According to the US National Ocean Service, there are two types of waterspouts — fair-weather and tornadic.

Tornadic waterspouts “have the same characteristics as a land tornado. They are associated with severe thunderstorms, and are often accompanied by high winds and seas, large hail, and frequent dangerous lightning,” the service says on its website.

While scientists haven't attributed the specific event to climate change, average monthly surface temperatures have been at record highs for months. Hotter air can hold more moisture, making heavier storms more likely.

Sicily has been baking under intense heat this summer, and the United Nations’ panel of climate change experts notes the Mediterranean Sea is particularly vulnerable to climate change, with warming rates roughly 20 percent higher than the global average.

How rare is it for a huge sailboat like this to capsize?

Experts say it is extraordinarily rare for a luxury sailboat of this size to capsize due to weather events.

“This just doesn’t happen. You know, boats sink because things like keels fall off, or they run aground and breach the hull ... whereas just from a weather angle, a boat that big being pushed over on its side is absolutely extraordinary,” said Skip Novak, a lifelong sailor who has taken part in multiple round the world yacht races and written books about sailing.

Novak said he believed that strong gusts likely pushed the yacht over 90 degrees to its side, and the vessel did not recover because of the weight of the huge mast and because it was anchored. He suggested that internal doors were likely not closed, and water quickly poured in to sink the vessel.

“When you’re at anchor, even if it’s blowing with a storm in the Mediterranean, you rarely shut the whole boat down because nobody expects something like this to happen," Novak told The Associated Press. “So if the boat wasn’t completely watertight at the deck, you’d have flooding going in. It would take a couple minutes and that would be it."

What happens next?

As the search for the missing continues, authorities already have begun trying to piece together exactly what happened.

Prosecutors from the Sicilian town of Termini Imerese have opened an investigation, as is normal in such events even when no suspects are identified. To date, they have not commented publicly.

The British Marine Accident Investigation Branch said four of its inspectors were being deployed to Palermo.

Corder reported from The Hague, Netherlands. Associated Press writer Sylvia Hui in London contributed to this report.