Ranking: The 10 craziest yachts in the world
1st place - A & A
This pair of yachts is - of course - one of the most unusual designs in the world. We don't need to say much more about the 143 metre long "Sailing Yacht A" or the 119 metre long "A". Both yachts by Russian owner Andrey Melnichenko are trend-setting in their appearance and polarise more than almost any other yacht of their kind. Star designer Philippe Starck drew the extravagant exterior designs.
2nd place - Predator
"Owner Iskander Makhmudov christened his 2008-launched Feadship "Predator", whose martial axe-bow design is based on naval formats. De Voogt Naval Architects designed the exterior of the 72.80 metre long "Predator", while the owner ordered the interior styling from Bannenberg & Rowell. Four MTU engines guarantee the seagoing three-decker a top speed of 28 knots.
3rd place - Venus
Apple founder Steve Jobs ordered the minimalist design of the 78.20 metre long Feadship displacer from Philippe Starck. The French super-creative designer, as he himself says, had a largely free hand in the design, which took five years. The result is astonishing thanks to huge window fronts in the main and upper decks and a ribbon of windows integrated into the hull in the foredeck area. In the interior, Apple products control the ambience and the choice of entertainment.
4th place - Saluzi
The "Saluzi", which was delivered by the Australian shipyard Austal in 2003, attracts attention above all due to the artistic paintwork on its aluminium hull. According to Chinese artist Li Jiwei, what at first glance appears to be graffiti is intended to represent the mystical war horse "Tia Moana", after which the displacer, which was initially launched as a mini cruiser, was originally named. The 69-metre five-decker was designed for 32 guests and just as many crew members. "Saluzi" is available to charter guests for 480,000 euros per week.
5th place - Silver Cloud
With the "Silver Cloud", delivered in 2009, US owner Alex Dreyfoos had the world's first SWATH yacht (Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull) realised. He was looking for a hull design for his seasick wife Renate that would hardly roll even in high waves. Abeking & Rasmussen realised the 41-metre yacht, whose 17.80-metre-wide superstructure floats on two underwater torpedoes. These undercut the swell even in very high waves.
6th place - Galaxy of Happiness
The "Galaxy of Happiness" launched by Latitude Yachts in Riga in 2016 looks like a floating spaceship. Yacht designer Jean-Jacques Coste has created one of the longest trimarans in the world with a sleek design that is particularly efficient when travelling. According to the shipyard, the 53-metre format with three hulls consumes around 40 percent less energy than a monohull of the same length. The 3870 kilowatt engines give the "Galaxy of Happiness" a top speed of 30 knots.
7th place - Ocean Emerald
British design icon Sir Norman Foster was inspired by a variety of curved shapes such as waves or seagull wings when designing the 41-metre triple-decker. The arches that connect the bow and stern of the aluminium semi-glider on both sides give it the appearance of a surfacing whale. Another special feature of the exterior is the 33-step staircase at the stern, which connects the sundeck with the bathing platform. Launched by Rodriquez Yachts in 2006, the charter format is mainly used in South East Asia.
8th place - Guilty
With the 35.30 metre long "Guilty", the Athens-based art collector Dakis Joannou had one of the most unusual yachts in the world built. The lines of the displacer were created by Italian designer Ivana Porfiri, who was also responsible for the interior design. The exterior was decorated by US star artist Jeff Koons in the colourful Dazzle ship camouflage style first used in the First World War. The exceptional yacht, delivered in 2008 by the Italian shipyard Cantieri Navali Rizzardi, is equipped with numerous works of modern art, around which the interior was planned.
9th place - Khalilah
The 48 metre long and martial-looking carbon construction "Khalilah" attracts attention thanks to its sharp-edged design and an unusual gold metallic finish. The hull shape of the 48-metre SuperSport model delivered by Palmer Johnson in 2014 follows its function. Lateral wave piercer floats cut the waves and reduce the rolling motion of the semi-skipper, which can reach speeds of up to 30 knots, when at anchor.
Place 10 - Asean Lady
Where another owner might have opted for a conventional catamaran, Brian Chang, shipyard chairman of Yantai Raffles in Singapore, chose a far more unusual variant. The design of the "Asean Lady" conceived by Raffles and Ian Mitchell consists of a main hull with an attached float on the starboard side. The 88.15 metre long and 21.27 metre wide yacht was modelled on traditional Pacific fishing boats in the so-called Proa style.
