When she was first launched in 2024, “King Benji” stood out for a variety of reasons. The 47-metre long-range yacht, built at the Dunya shipyard, is currently listed for 24,999,000 euros. ‘King Benji’ first came onto the market just over two years ago with an asking price of around 45 million euros. The brokerage firm FGI Yacht Group arranges virtual viewings or on-site tours in Croatia. We offer a sneak preview in written form.
In the world of charter yachts, it’s considered good form to maintain an Instagram account. ‘King Benji’s’ account really stands out. After the 47-metre explorer graced the cover of BOOTE EXCLUSIV 3/24, Josh, the owner, reached out personally via Instagram. He would like a copy of the magazine so he can frame the cover and hang it on board. Josh Golder has managed a large number of production yachts off Miami; his first custom-built yacht is something of a labour of love. He had his sights set on the 45-metre ‘Big Fish’, but his attempts to buy it were unsuccessful. However, he knew exactly who should design the exterior of his yacht: ‘Big Fish’ designer Gregory C. Marshall.
How ‘King Benji’ was created
The rest of the team was put together in much the same way. Golder was so taken with the ‘Pink Gin VI’ interior that he got in touch with the British studio Design Unlimited. He reserved a building site at Dunya Yachts in Istanbul because he was impressed by the charter success of the 72-metre-long ‘Axioma’.
During the MYBA Charter Show in Genoa, the captain is on board; the 43-year-old owner is in the US after spending a month on board. Grant Du Preez is 30 years old, comes from South Africa and joined the build team six months before completion: “That gave me time to familiarise myself with the systems and equipment, recruit every single crew member and familiarise them with the operational procedures ahead of the charter season.” The aft deck measures a good ten metres in length, yet a recess is required in the upper deck to accommodate the twelve-metre-long Nor-Tech on deck. Golder has an aversion to chase boats; the nine-tonne craft is moved by a ten-tonne crane that reaches up to the bridge deck and can be turned into a swing on request. The small crane on the starboard side swings out to the side to form a bar, or is raised to serve as a stand for a punching bag.
The seating area at the very stern either serves as a support for the centre console or is divided into two sofas. “We wanted the sun deck to be at the stern of the main deck,” says Du Preez. “The owner wanted the guests to be close together and for the whole entertainment programme to take place back here, rather than right at the bow.” Instead of from the sundeck at the very top, parents have a perfect view of their children whilst they’re e-foiling or diving. There’s also a basketball hoop above the saloon’s sliding door, a golf island on the swim platform, and e-bikes for shore excursions. Four Sea-Doo GTX 300s flank the Nor-Tech, powered by three Mercury 400R engines.
Design Unlimited favours natural materials
The path into the salon is blocked neither by a physical threshold at one’s feet nor by a mental one in one’s mind. It is as if the interior were calling out to you: ‘Don’t be shy, come in, welcome to life!’ Design Unlimited was given the brief to avoid using white and to incorporate plenty of natural materials. For the saloon, this means: bamboo canes on the ceiling, a teak tree stump serving as a table on a hand-knotted rug, a Turkish-made oak dining table and a mosaic of reused eucalyptus wood at the far end of the room. Dunya commissioned the furniture and interior fit-out from Ulutas, a company based less than ten kilometres away. As is the case throughout the yacht, the television in the saloon is, at the owner’s request, completely concealed behind the wall panelling rather than behind a mirror.
On the port side is the galley with an adjoining breakfast bar, which is bathed in light from one of the four large rectangular windows and which the crew enter from the outer deck so as not to have to go through the saloon. Through the serving hatch to the galley, 27-year-old chef Liam waves hello as he prepares ‘King Benji’ chocolates using melted chocolate and a 3D mould. Du Preez laughs: “Normally, this is a crew-only area. If guests fancy a coffee or something else, they just have a word with our chef.” It’s quite possible that meals are enjoyed here at other times of the day as well as in the morning.
A riot of colour on board the ‘King Benji’
Things get really colourful in the four twin cabins, two of which have single beds that can be joined together. From the main deck’s jungle, the journey continues to the underwater world of the lower deck. The walls are adorned with wallpaper featuring fish, coral, octopus or Atlantis motifs by Adam Ellis, Tecnografica and Pierre Frey. Mark Tucker puts this apparent explosion of colour into perspective: “The design language is quite consistent. In the cabins, the leather and cashmere throws echo the colour of the wallpaper.” Tactile appeal is provided by hand-woven natural hemp fibres on the wardrobe doors and leather handles, as well as the rustic, driftwood-style headboards of the beds. Design Unlimited estimates the fit-out costs for a single guest cabin at 350,000 euros.
Tucker, whose studio also fitted out the homes of the ‘King Benji’ owner, explains the delicate balance: “The client wanted a highly desirable charter yacht, but you have to be very careful not to go overboard with the details. Otherwise, you end up with a yacht that people like to look at but wouldn’t want to own. You also have to think about resale value.” The bathrooms have an organic, tranquil feel, with a touch of marble, glass mosaic tiles and minimally treated wood; however, Turkish yacht builders simply cannot do without stainless steel finishing touches. Captain Grant Du Preez insists: “I actually slept in every room to get a feel for what causes noise and what we should change.”
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The namesake
The entire upper deck is at the disposal of the owner or the charter guests. Consequently, the bridge is moved right to the top and the captain’s cabin to the bottom. This is a layout that shipyards are increasingly adopting for bespoke projects, but one that requires separate crew access routes. In the suite, botanical prints, shades of green and tropical wallpaper surrounding the California king-size bed evoke the biodiversity of the jungle. Hemp rope frames the mirror, leaving an area in the shape of a porthole open. The eponymous dog, Benji – a small, ten-year-old Beagle cross – also enjoys the 270-degree view. You’ll search in vain for a green space adjoining the aft lounge. Du Preez explains: “He’s very well-behaved and only does his business on land. We take him for walks; I plan our trips around that.”
The only swimming pool is situated in front of the owner’s quarters and features a unique design: an insulated pane separates a pool at four degrees from one at 40 degrees. This is intended to stimulate blood circulation and speed up recovery after numerous sporting activities. The operation of the slide and climbing wall – otherwise a nightmare for the crew – has also been designed to meet charter requirements. They run along rails on the port side of the bridge deck and are hoisted onto the swim platform by a crane after use.
Show cooking for the guests
The bridge deck once again brings the crew and guests close together. Aft, the chef puts on a show cooking demonstration at the teppanyaki grill, which is surrounded by black marble from Turkey. Behind this, a staircase leads up to the 16-metre-high crow’s nest, adorned with floral fabrics by Osborne & Little. The short superstructure at the bow is entirely taken up by the bridge, which is enveloped in a similar, albeit darker, organic aesthetic. The helm station is clad in both burnt and stained oak, whilst the deck dome is adorned with blue velvet. Captain Du Preez commands a pair of zero-speed stabilisers from Naiad Dynamics and two Caterpillar diesel engines, each with an output of 895 kilowatts. “The vessel is very economical. I also have three generators, each with a capacity of 99 kilowatts, which is unusual for a yacht under 500 gross tonnes. At the most economical speed of ten knots, our total fuel consumption is 84 litres per hour.” The fuel tanks ensure a high degree of self-sufficiency: they hold up to 69,000 litres of diesel, as well as up to 1,200 litres of petrol for the tender fleet.
As much fun as ‘King Benji’ owner Josh Golder – who features in the yacht’s own YouTube videos – has on board, he seems to be thoroughly enjoying the adventure of building the yacht. Golder is considering a vessel between 5,000 and 10,000 gross tonnes. That would be a 100 to 140-metre-long kingdom for his dog Benji and charter guests.
This article first appeared in BOOTE EXCLUSIV 6/2024 and has been updated for this online version.
Technical Specifications
- Overall length: 46.70 m
- Length at the waterline: 41.10 m
- Width: 8.88 m
- Draught: 2.95 m
- Displacement (full): 528 tonnes
- Gross tonnage: 499 gross tonnes
- Material: Steel, aluminium
- Engines: 2 x CAT C32
- Engine power: 2 × 895 kW
- Speed (max.): 14 knots
- Speed (cruising): 12 knots
- Range @ 10 kn: 4,000 sm
- Generators: 3 × 99 kW
- Fuel: 66,974 l
- Water: 12,388 litres
- Design: Gregory C. Marshall
- Exterior design: Gregory C. Marshall
- Interior design: Design Unlimited
- Class: ABS
- Shipyard: Dunya Yachts, 2024
- Charter: IYC, from 250,000 euros
Sören Gehlhaus
Stellvertretender Chefredakteur BOOTE EXCLUSIV