While the Coronavirus pandemic saw many of us hunker down with an over-loaded internet connection, a comfortable pair of pyjamas and a perhaps laissez faire attitude to maintaining regular office hours while we waited for everything to blow over, the super rich were out buying yachts.

Let’s clarify that: this isn’t just the rich buying yachts. This is the 

Let’s clarify that further: this is the world’s richest man buying a $500 million, 417 foot yacht.

But the Amazon founder wasn’t alone in investing in maritime pursuits. Joining Bezos in purchasing floating palaces was a whole coterie of ocean-appreciating billionaires.

In fact, so busy was the pandemic that yacht world aggregators

 reports that the first three months of 2021 showed “a record number of vessels changing hands following a strong end to 2020”.

In total, yacht sales are up by 46 percent on the first quarter of 2020, with 133 sales between January and March of this year.

Brokerage experts consulted by Boat International point to a number of factors helping yacht ownership float to the top of the super rich’s priorities list: “Increase in new superyacht buyers; Interest in larger vessels on the up; Growth driven by travel frustrations; Boom likely to continue into H2 2021 and possibly beyond; Concerns over Q3 and Q4 stock availability.”

Jeff Bezos&#8217;s rumoured $500 million superyacht, the Flying Fox


“People have become even more committed to invest in yachting as it offers an escape from the pandemic,” said Paolo Casani, chief executive at luxury yacht purveyors Camper & Nicholsons. “The economy has also always been strong – apart from the first few months of the pandemic, 2020 was a fantastic year for the Stock Exchange. There was, and is, money available.”

Bob Denison, president of Denison Yachting, believes that restrictions on the traditional spending habits of the super rich have led to this uptick on nautical purchases.

“The first quarter of 2021 has been strong due to continued demand from 2020,” he told Boat Insider. “Yachting’s competitive industries, such as skiing and higher-end vacation experiences like cruises, are still being affected by extended lockdowns which have created a special opportunity for our industry.”

"In a superyacht, clients can enjoy life at sea for long periods of time without having to go mix with others..."

Speaking to Bloomberg, Aino Grapin, chief executive officer of superyacht-interiors studio Winch Design explained that a yacht’s ability to cruise for thousands of miles without needing to refuel has made it the perfect private escape for the super rich. “Clients can enjoy life at sea for long periods of time without having to go mix with others,” she said.

The report by Boat International shows asking prices jump from €763M in Q1 2020 to just under €1.2bn this year. As for what the rich are buying, most are plumping for a yacht between 24 and 40 metres with 50 sales in the 30-40 metre category and 24-30 in the 24-30 metre bracket.

However, while owning any sort of yacht is undoubtedly ‘super’, a yacht only officially becomes a superyacht at a length of 50-70 metres, sales of which have more than doubled with 11 units sold in Q1 2021 as opposed to just five in the same period in 2020. Plus 70 metre monster yachts, however saw four sales in Q1 2021.

At roughly 127 metres, Jeff Bezos’ yacht is a suitably excessive purchase for the richest man on the planet. But who are the other big players floating their boats on the high seas, and what are they sailing?

Abramovich&#8217;s newest superyacht, Solaris, is currently being completed


The details of Bezos’ yacht are supposed to be under wraps, but Forbes – which explains that the yacht is “

Forbes reports that the yacht has been under construction for “the last few years” and is being put together by Dutch custom yacht builders Oceano and that it will be the largest yacht ever constructed in the Netherlands.

And, because nothing screams incredible wealth like having a boat 

 a boat, Bezos is reportedly investing in “a whole fleet of yachts”, including a support vessel which will carry everything from a personal submarine to aircraft and cars.

 estimates the total cost at around half a billion dollars — roughly the GDP of Afghanistan. When completed, it is believed Bezos’ yacht will span several decks and utilise three huge masts, similar to a previous boat designed by Oceano, the paltry 70m Black Pearl.

"The total cost of Bezos's yacht could be around half a billion dollars — roughly the GDP of Afghanistan..."

Also on order is a new yacht for director Steven Spielberg, whose current yacht, Seven Seas, is reportedly listed for sale at $158 million.

Speaking to Bloomberg, Sam Tucker, head of superyacht research at London-based VesselsValue explained that as the market has boomed, demand has outpaced supply. “The market’s been roaring…It’s impossible to get a slot in a new-build yard. They’re totally booked.”

As for how Bezos’ yacht measures up to those of his fellow billionaires, it is comfortably eclipsed by that of Russian businessman Roman Abramovich, whose boat Eclipse is the world’s most expensive superyacht with a price tag of $1.5 billion. At 533 feet, it is, also, much longer than Bezos’.

On board Ambramovich’s floating home are two helipads, a mini submarine (naturally), 24 guest cabins, a dance hall and not one but two swimming pools. Oh, and it reportedly also features a missile system, armour plating and bulletproof windows. Which is all very 

. But even this isn’t quite enough — the Chelsea owner has just comissioned a brand new superyacht, the Solaris, which is currently being completed.

A proposed design for the Streets of Monaco superyacht


The honour of owning the largest privately-owned superyacht in the world, however, reportedly belongs to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan of Abu Dhabi’s royal family, whose vessel The Azzam measures 591 feet (180 metres) and cost $600 million when it was delivered in 2013. Alongside the usual features it boasts a room for the Sheikh to practice his golf swings.

However, it’s one thing to make your home on the high seas and quite another to recreate your home on the ocean, which is exactly what Yacht Island Design did with its floating city The Streets of Monaco, a $1 billion, 508-foot vessel designed to mimic the streets of the famously wealthy French city, complete with scaled down landmarks including the Hotel de Paris and Monaco Casino.

The Streets of Monaco, a $1 billion, 508-foot vessel, contains a scaled down Hotel de Paris and Monte Carlo race track...

With all of that, plus a racetrack, atrium and mini waterfall spread over four decks it is, in many ways, the world’s most expensive model village.

Naturally, not everyone is over the moon with happiness at the news of Bezos new purchase. ‘Yacht humility’ may be the very definition of an oxymoron, but Bezos would do well to practice it; earlier this year DreamWorks Animation co-founder David Geffen earned the ire of thousands after posting a sunset view of his superyacht Rising Sun with the caption “Isolated in the Grenadines avoiding the virus. I’m hoping everybody is staying safe.”

While the sentiment was sound, the delivery was misguided to say the least.

Perhaps Bezos will use the quiet reflection afforded by his new yacht to reflect on the reportedly dire working conditions endured by Amazon employees. It’s more than likely, however, that he’ll just be taking in the sunset, too.

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