The world of Formula 1 has many great names attached to it, but also some very controversial ones, and that of Flavio Briatore is right up there on the latter list. The controversial Italian businessman, now 72, managed to climb from the status of convicted fraudster to that of leader of the Benetton Formula and Renault F1 teams, got banned from the series as a result of the Crashgate scandal in 2008 and, as of this year, is back as ambassador to Formula 1.
Yet, today’s we’re not interested in his motorsport exploits, but we’re here to talk about a superyacht that was once his, but no longer: the Force Blue.
The 2002-built Royal Denship creation is one of the most famous ones out there, because not only was it owned by Briatore, but was taken from him by Italian authorities on… fraud charges. Allegedly, back in the 2010s the businessmen was using the yacht as his private residence, despite having it listed as a charter, in a bid to avoid paying sales tax when anchoring in European harbors.
The boat was taken off the man’s hands in 2010, and at the moment it’s unclear who owns it (some say it now belongs to Bernie Ecclestone). It is still out there, roaming the seas of the Mediterranean during the summer and off the shores of Abu Dhabi, Doha and the Maldives during the winter. It does so, this time, as a real charter, to be rented by those in need of a respite in exchange for 330,000 euros ($340,000) a week.
Originally designed by Tom Fexas Yacht Design and Ole Steen Knudsen, the Force Blue underwent a major refit this year, allowing it to offer some of the best experiences sea goers can buy.
Booking a week (or more) on this thing will land you not only the ship, but also things like a professional DJ station and disco-lighting on the bridge deck, a 7-person cinema/video game room, open lounging and sunbathing area, and an extended swim platform.
Photo: Fraser Yachts
The Force Blue comes, according to Fraser Yachts, where it’s now listed for charter, with the “largest spas on the water, including a steam shower, Hammam, mud bath, sauna, and hydro massage hot tub.”
All those dollars spent on this thing gets one a crew of up to 21 people, including dedicated onboard masseuse and beautician. They also allow access to a number of water toys, including flyboards, hoverboards, wave runners, jet-skis, water skis, seabobs, and paddle boards.
The crew usually serves the needs of up to 12 permanent guests, sleeping in one of six staterooms, but the number of people that can be invited on board is a lot greater: up to 60 for a dinner party, for instance, or as much as 350 when the ship is holding some quayside event.
That’s possible because this is no small yacht. In comes in at 70 meters (230 feet) long, and has a beam of 11.38 meters (37.3 feet). The thing has a GT of 1,325, and it moves above the water thanks to a pair of Caterpillar engines that give it a top speed of 16 knots (18 mph/29 kph).
Quite the speedy luxury resort on the waves, for sure, and a perfect fit in our Sea Month coverage this August.
Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News