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96m Superyacht VAVA II delivered – Largest UK built motor yacht sets sail for Caribbean on maiden Voyage

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Written by Chelsea Smith

Motor yacht VAVA II , the 96m (314.96ft) superyacht built by Devonport Yachts (rebranded as Pendennis Plus in 2011) has been delivered and set sail on her maiden voyage on Friday the 2nd of March 2012 from Plymouth Sound to the Caribbean .

Yacht VAVA II by Pendennis Plus

The mega yacht VAVA II by Pendennis Plus reportedly cost USD 160 million (£100 million) to build and took 200 craftsmen more than two years to complete. The new VAVA II motor yacht is owned by Swiss/Italian pharmaceutical tycoon and billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli and his wife, songwriter and former Miss UK Kirsty Roper. (Kirsty Bertarelli). The 96 meter yacht Vava II reportedly replaces the Bertarelli’s old 47-meter Feadship motor yacht called launched in 1996 called Vava. Ernesto Bertarelli is owner of the ex-America’s Cup team Alinghi, which held the Americas Cup for 3 events.

Pendennis Plus 96 m Yacht VAVA II underway

Measuring 96m (314.96ft) yacht VAVA II is the largest privately owned yacht ever to be built in the UK and is 33rd largest yacht in the world. She is also one of the most technologically advanced and stylish yachts in the world with exterior styling by Redman Whitely Dixon and interior design by Remi Tessier . Some of the yachts special features include a helicopter landing pad, a large fold-down beach club, a variable depth swimming pool, beautifully appointed guest cabins and large tenders stored in large tender garages aft and forward, able to carry guests to shore.

Captain Brendan O’Shannassy commented during the build that: “It is so pleasing to see a yacht that retains the vision of the designers without compromise”.

96m Superyacht VAVA II delivered – the Largest motor yacht built in the UK sets sail for Caribbean on maiden Voyage

The VAVA II luxury superyacht is the largest ever private motor yacht to be built in the UK, England and Britain. She has been built from steel with an aluminium superstructure and complies with SOLAS codes, able to accommodate 36 guests. She would make a magnificent charter yacht if she was ever put on the charter market.

The VAVA II superyacht (previously known as P55, or project 55) was christened on the 10th September 2011 in Plymouth and she underwent her sea trails in October 2011. She is now travelling via the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean on her maiden voyage.

Please enjoy these photographs of M/Y Vava II by Paul.

Features of superyacht VAVA II (ex Project 55) by Devonport Yachts (rebranded as Pendennis Plus in 2011)

LOA: 96m (314.96ft)

Naval Architects: Devonport Yachts

Exterior Design: Redman Whiteley Dixon

Interior Design: Rémi Tessier

Please contact CharterWorld - the luxury yacht charter specialist - for more on superyacht news item "96m Superyacht VAVA II delivered – Largest UK built motor yacht sets sail for Caribbean on maiden Voyage".

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The Caribbean

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96m Motor yacht VAVA II (ex P55) Christened by Devonport Yachts

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$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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Kirsty Bertarelli’s new Megayacht

Kirsty Bertarelli, the richest woman in Britain and her husband Ernesto have bought the biggest motor yacht ever built in the UK, the 315-ft. foot Vava II. The $160 million megayacht, which now ranks as the 33rd largest in the world, was built by Devonport Yachts in Plymouth and boasts luxury interiors, a helicopter landing […]

Kirsty Bertarelli, the richest woman in Britain and her husband Ernesto have bought the biggest motor yacht ever built in the UK, the 315-ft. foot Vava II.

The $160 million megayacht , which now ranks as the 33rd largest in the world, was built by Devonport Yachts in Plymouth and boasts luxury interiors , a helicopter landing pad, lavish guest cabins and four tenders.

With styling is by Redman Whiteley Dixon and interior design is by Remi Tessier, the vessel can accommodate more than 36 passengers.

The yacht features a fold-down beach club and a pool which can be varied in depth according to guest preferences. They plan to offer it for charter part of the year.

Via JamesList – Photos: Daily Mail

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Britain’s richest woman has taken delivery of Vava II – one of the largest superyachts ever built in the UK

Kirsty Bertarelli , Britain’s richest woman, has taken delivery of £100m superyacht. The Vava II superyacht is the biggest ever built in the UK at 96 metres. Wealthy couple Ernesto and Kirsty Bertarelli commissioned the luxurious vessel two years ago. The super yacht Vava II was intended to replace the couple’s old boat, which measured up at a mere 154ft.

Kirsty Bertarelli won Miss UK in 1988 when she was 17. Her husband is a Swiss pharmaceutical tycoon – the 81st richest man in the world and the fifth richest in the UK.

The 314ft long Vava II has six decks, four boats to take passengers to shore, a fold-down beach club, a pool with variable depth, a helipad, luxury guest bedrooms and the interiors styled by Remi Tessier. All this features come at a price tag of £100million. According to dailymail , the superyacht could be made available for private charter at a cost of tens of thousands of pounds a week.

Keen sailor Mr Bertarelli triumphed in the America’s Cup when crewing his Team Alinghi boat in 2003 and 2007. The billionaire Mr Bertarelli does not lavish all his money on extravagant yachts though.

Established in 1998, the Bertarelli Foundation focused initially on healthcare and expanded in 2008 to bring together the family’s philanthropic initiatives in many other fields, such as life sciences, environment, culture, education and sport.

The Bertarelli Foundation has entered into a partnership with the British government in order to sponsor the safeguard of the world’s largest marine reserve in the Chagos Islands , a British territory in the Indian Ocean.

The Bertarelli Program in Translational Neuroscience and Neuroengineering is a joint research and education program between Harvard Medical School and Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne. It aims to combine advances in basic neuroscience with engineering strategies and technologies, to improve the quality of life for people with neurological disabilities. The Program provides grants to support three-year collaborative research projects in neuroengineering, scholarships for students from both institutions and a Harvard professorship.

Privacy Overview

UK's richest woman receives largest yacht ever built in Britain - for a cool £100m

Swiss pharmaceutical boss Ernesto Bertarelli commissioned the £100million 314ft Vava II especially for wife Kirsty

• 00:00, 5 Mar 2012
• Updated 08:14, 6 Mar 2012

Britain's richest woman has taken charge of the largest private motor yacht ever built in the UK.

Swiss pharmaceutical boss Ernesto Bertarelli commissioned the £100million 314ft Vava II especially for wife Kirsty, a former Miss UK.

Filling the fuel tanks alone costs more than £250,000.

Click on the video above to see a clip of the Bertarelli's 'old' luxury yacht

Intended to replace the couple’s previous boat, coming in at a relatively small 154ft, it could be made available for private hire, no doubt costing tens of thousands of pounds a week.

The yacht – which has six decks and a helicopter pad – set off on its maiden voyage on Friday.

It also features a fold-down beach club and a pool which can be varied in depth, according to preference.

Some 200 people helped build the vessel in Plymouth, where crowds cheered as it left for the island of Saint Martin in the Caribbean.

Captain Brendan O'Shannassy is reported to have said: “To have such a ground breaking construction unveiled in Plymouth should make the region justly proud.”

A source added: “All the guys working on it are emotional.”

Tycoon Ernesto is reported to be worth £6.8billion, making him the fifth richest man in the UK.

A keen sailor, his Team Alinghi triumphed in the America's Cup in 2003 and 2007.

The most exclusive ways to sail the seven seas: World's most expensive superyachts

Roman Abramovich’s lavish cruiser is said to feature a missile-detection system, two helicopter landing pads, swimming pool, a submarine that doubles as an escape pod and an armour-plated master suite. Thought to be 525 feet long, it is a smidgen longer than the Sheikh of Dubai's mega-boat, below.

2. The Dubai

Originally built for Prince Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei, the Sheikh of Dubai is thought to have paid around $300 million to take it off his hands. It is said to boast five VIP apartments, six luxury apartments, a helicopter pad, a small submarine, a squash room and a spa.

Fitted with its own concert hall, the Sultan Qaboos of Oman’s opulent boat can accommodate 70 guests and 150 crew.

4. Prince Abdulaziz

Reportedly designed with the Titanic in mind for its with large spaces and classical furniture, 22 guests can be housed within its 12 cruise staterooms.

5. El Horriya

Built in 1865 at the Samuda Brothers shipyard in London, this 475 feet sumptuous cruiser belongs to the King of Egypt and is moored in Alexandria.

MORE ON Big spenders Ernesto Bertarelli Kirsty Bertarelli

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Britain’s biggest YACHT worth £140MILLION has fold-down beach club and helipad – full tank of petrol costs £250k

• Ethan Singh
• Published : 14:56, 13 Mar 2024
• Published : Invalid Date,

BRITAIN'S biggest Yacht worth £140million boasts a fold-down beach club and a helipad.

Swiss pharmaceutical baron Ernesto Bertarelli had the boat built in secret by Plymouth boat-maker Devonport Yachts under the codename Project 55.

Ernesto is said to have bought the £100million British-built superyacht Vava II for his former wife's 40th birthday.

Former Miss UK and songwriter Kirsty Bertarelli was named Britain's richest woman in 2017 and was married to Ernesto.

But they divorced in October 2021 after their 21-year marriage hit the rocks.

The mammoth vessel boasts six decks, four boats to take passengers to shore, a fold-down beach club, a pool with variable depth and a helipad.

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 it even gives an option of opening the whole indoor and outdoor area for events and parties.

Staggeringly, it reportedly costs £250,000 just to fill the fuel tanks.

The yacht, which was refitted at Amels in 2015, has been a regular in cruising hotspots around the world.

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Vava II 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.

The helicopter deck has been used extensively for the embarked Eurocopter AS350B3 for a mix of transfers, sightseeing, heli-skiing and fishing trips.

Ernesto and Kirsty had previously been spotted on the deck of the opulent boat in Boston Harbour in the US.

The pair, who met at a dinner party in Sardinia, flitted between an £8million estate in Swiss ski resort Gstaad, a £10million Geneva pad and a £10million pile in London’s Belgravia.

After their discreet divorce, Kirsty has been reportedly living alone in a stunning £350 million mansion on the shores of Lake Geneva.

Kirsty was touted as being worth more than pop superstar Adele and  Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling  combined, according to the Sunday Times Rich List.

The singer was the horsey, tennis-loving English rose who became worth a very, very pretty penny after marrying Swiss bio-tech tycoon Ernesto

Musician Kirsty began writing songs in the mid-1990s after moving to London.

She has released six albums and a Christmas EP, but her biggest hit to date was for someone else.

Girl group All Saints’ fifth and final No1 single in the UK, 2000 release Black Coffee, was reworked from a song Kirsty wrote — I Wouldn’t Want To Be, about her fledgling relationship with Ernesto.

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Her debut album, Elusive, entered the Swiss charts at No20 and in 2010 her song Green was chosen as the anthem of the Worldwide Fund For Nature.

She has a private jet at her disposal, as well as a fleet of limos, while her wardrobe is bursting with Dior, Chanel and Armani.

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Making a splash! £100m superyacht owned by Britain's richest woman takes to the waves for the first time

By Emma Reynolds Updated: 02:40 EDT, 22 November 2011

View comments

A £100million superyacht commissioned by Britain's richest woman has taken to the seas for the first time .

The luxury vessel - the biggest this country has ever seen - was constructed for former Miss UK Kirsty Bertarelli over two years in Plymouth, Devon, and boasts a helipad and six decks.

Mrs Bertarelli and her Swiss husband Ernesto had the 96-metre Vava II built to replace their previous 47m ship.

Luxurious: The Vava II superyacht is the biggest ever built in the UK at 96 metres

Expensive tastes: Wealthy couple Ernesto and Kirsty Bertarelli commissioned the extravagant vessel two years ago

Pharmaceuticals tycoon Mr Bertarelli, 45, has twice won the prestigious America's Cup yacht race and is worth a reputed £6.8billion, making him the 81st richest man in the world and the fifth richest in the UK.

The couple's lavish craft was put through its sea trials at the weekend, as onlookers crowded the harbour to take photos.

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The remarkable feat of engineering features a fold-down beach club and a pool which can be varied in depth to cater for guest preferences.

The yacht, which was built by 200 craftsmen at the Devonport Dockyard in Plymouth, also has opulent guest cabins and four boats to ferry passengers to shore.

Vava II: The incredible £100m superyacht has been built for Britain's richest woman Kirsty Bertarelli and her billionaire husband Ernesto at Devonport Dockyard in Plymouth

Super-sized: The impressive, six-deck craft was built over two years in the utmost secrecy

Stunning: Kirsty Bertarelli when she won Miss UK in 1988 when she was 17 (right), she now lives in Switzerland

It will be delivered to the couple in February, when it could be made available for private charter at a cost of tens of thousands of pounds a week. 

The exteriors of the Vava II were designed by Hampshire-based specialists Redman Whiteley Dixon while the interiors were styled by Remi Tessier.

VAVA II'S SUPER SPEC

96m long with six decks

Four boats to take passengers to shore

Fold-down beach club

Pool with variable depth

Luxury guest bedrooms

Cost: £100million

Its hull was built in Appledore, Devon, before Devonport Yachts took on the project. The luxury yacht company was bought from dockyard owners Babcock last year by Falmouth-based Pendennis shipyard.

Keen sailor Mr Bertarelli triumphed in the America's Cup when crewing his Team Alinghi boat in 2003 and 2007.

But the team was roundly beaten twice by San Francisco-based BMW Oracle Racing in 2010.

The races followed a bitter two-and-a-half year legal battle between Mr Bertarelli, and Oracle's backer, American software boss Larry Ellison.

Managing Director Stephen Hills said the Vava II was 'an absolute credit to the capacity of the South West as a superyacht building location'.

He added: 'We are looking to continue this industry in the South West.'

Captain Brendan O'Shannassy said of the yacht: 'To have such a ground breaking construction unveiled in Plymouth should make the region justly proud.

Share or comment on this article: £100m superyacht owned by Britain's richest woman Kirsty Bertarelli takes to the waves

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Travel / January 25, 2024

Kirsty Bertarelli's Personal Beauty Queen - All Aboard: Yachts Owned by Super-Rich Celebrities Part 2

Kirsty was crowned as miss UK in 1988. The former beauty queen is now married to Ernesto Bertarelli, an Italian-born Swiss billionaire and philanthropist. Her husband is one of the wealthiest people in the UK, which makes Kirsty Britain’s quite wealthy herself.

Kirsty can hold her own though. She is a singer, songwriter, and philanthropist. For downtime, the couple enjoys sailing in their private yacht Vava II which is worth around $130 million. It is also the 33rd largest in the world.

Kris Jenner Keeps Up With Her O’Ceanos

The world knows that the Kardashians like to live big. Anybody who’s watched their "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" has seen that the family lives in an extravagant home and takes five-star vacations.

And they learned it all from their queen and mother of the clan, Kris Jenner. She chartered this 162-foot Superyacht during a vacation in Greece, which apparently costs a whopping $185,000 per single week.

Diane von Fürstenberg's Stylish Sailing

This elegant three-masted lavish sailing vessel is called the Eos, and it is estimated at $100 Million. Very fitting for its fashionista owner, fashion designer Diane Von Furstenburg.

It is beautiful, expensive, and grandiose, much like Diane’s first husband, billionaire Barry Diller. The ship has room for 16 guests and a crew of 21 members ready to serve them. I wonder who she chooses to take along.

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Award-winner Tom Hanks has starred in some iconic films in very memorable roles. He played Jimmy Dugan in the 1992 comedy movie A League of Their Own, Forrest Gump and Philadelphia. He is definitely a fan favorite. And how do big stars celebrate wedding anniversaries? They rent a yacht for a romantic getaway.

Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson celebrated their wedding anniversary luxuriously while sailing on a rental yacht named ENIGMA. Lucky for the couple, they can afford to shell out the $275K per week that it cost.

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An unconventional yacht for unconventional fashion designer Roberto Cavalli. Sounds about right. So does its estimated cost of $40 million.

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Two new vessels — a luxury yacht and a tall ship — hope to get noticed along St. Petersburg's waterfront

• Waveney Ann Moore Former Times Reporter

ST. PETERSBURG — Sweeping vistas of waterways edged with miles of public parkland and bustling sidewalks helped entice the owner of a charter yacht company to set course for St. Petersburg.

"St. Pete has grown so much and is so vibrant compared to 25 years ago," said Capt. Steven Siegel, who steers the 128-foot luxury yacht Sir Winston and is a graduate of Lakewood High School.

That's why he convinced his boss to make port in St. Petersburg.

"We see an opportunity to both serve the area and have a nice big yacht here," Siegel said.

So far, the benefits haven't been quite what had been hoped for. Neither the Sir Winston nor the tall ship Lynx is as visible along the city's waterfront as the vessels' owners would like.

Tucked away at the city's downtown port, the Sir Winston sits largely out of sight to the clientele the company seeks for its excursions into Tampa Bay, $100-a-head weddings and corporate events.

Last week, the four-deck, 128-foot yacht ferried dozens of the nation's mayors on a breakfast sightseeing cruise. That's just one of several events the vessel has hosted since arriving in April, but Siegel wants more.

He wants better visibility for his yacht and for him that requires a berth on prime downtown waterfront, near the site of the new Pier, the Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort, restaurants and museums.

Like the Sir Winston , the Lynx also seeks more exposure and would like to move from the Harborage Marina. The tall ship from Nantucket is a replica of an 1812 Baltimore Clipper schooner that took part in the War of 1812. Built in 2001, it's now a floating museum that offers educational programs and hosts events.

The Lynx and its supporters are asking for $65,000 in city funds so it can dock in the North Yacht Basin next to the recently launched Cross Bay Ferry. The city money, which would be used for permits, a gangway, sidewalks and fencing, would be matched by local businesses. A floating dock from Harborage Marina will be refurbished by Marinetek and a power pedestal from E&P Industries will provide power to the tall ship.

St. Petersburg City Council member Ed Montanari took the request for funds to his colleagues last week. If approved, it could also mean good news for the Sir Winston . Siegel hopes to get to share the tall ship's floating dock. For now, the yacht sails into the North Yacht Basin to pick up passengers.

A recent trial run that had it dock beside the St. Petersburg Museum of History displeased a descendant of W. L. Straub, who bought the Tampa Bay Times back when it was called the St. Petersburg Times in 1901 and pushed to preserve the city's waterfront for public use. Now North and South Straub Park are named for him.

"I was shocked to learn that the Sir Winston dinner cruise ship (a for-profit dinner cruise ship) had a 'test' dock this past week right in front of our museum …," Lucas DeVicente wrote in a letter to Mayor Rick Kriesman and the City Council.

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"As you can see in the attached photos, it is essentially a wall that blocks our magnificent views of the waterfront and downtown. My great-great grandfather Straub fought to protect the waterfront and its views accessible to all, and to have a dedicated port for ships like this. It would be much better off at the Port of St. Petersburg," wrote DeVicente, who also is vice president of the museum's executive committee.

Siegel said the Sir Winston is just looking for a good port to call home.

"We were over there at the request of the city to stop at different locations to see where would be a viable location …where the vessel would fit," Siegel said. "We want nothing but to be a good partner with the city."

Besides a lack of visibility at the city's port, Siegel also said it's difficult for passengers to get on and off at that point. On Monday, Siegel had to help a Times reporter to step down into the 370-passenger yacht and climb up to disembark.

It's unclear how the Lynx , the Cross Bay Ferry — a pilot project connecting downtown St. Petersburg to downtown Tampa — and the Sir Winston will fit into the city's new Pier District plans.

"We are very excited with the interest and the activities that these vessels bring to downtown St. Pete," said Alan DeLisle, the city's development administrator.

"We have not figured it out yet. We are exploring all the options with how this will work with all the vessels. At the same time, the decision about locating the vessels will require Council approval and Army Corps of Engineers approval."

Meanwhile, the city is asking for input from residents about what they want at the municipal marina, which encompasses the North, Central and South yacht basins. A draft of a master plan is expected to be finished in early in 2017. The multimillion-dollar renovation will begin in the Central Basin — its facilities were built in 1963 and are the oldest — and will allow the marina to accommodate larger, more modern boats, said marina and port manager Walter Miller.

The goal is to begin construction in the summer of 2019, he said. The Pier District is expected to be complete by late 2018. Whether the Central Yacht Basin will be a viable place for vessels like the Lynx and the Sir Winston is not yet known. But the Sir Winston, which relocated from Fort Lauderdale, definitely wants a permanent home.

"We are exploring a lot of different ideas," DeLisle said. "We had to get the ferry in place and we did. We're working on the Lynx now."

Contact Waveney Ann Moore at [email protected] or (727) 892-2283. Follow @wmooretimes.

Former Times Reporter

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