Kaos Superyacht: A Walmart Billionaire's $300 Million Floating Island

If Kaos is anything to go by, the bigger, the better. Kaos was delivered in 2017 as Jubilee, a fully turnkey commission that had to meet very specific requests, size being one of them. It broke several world records at the time it was delivered, including for the largest build in the Netherlands up to that point, both in length and volume. The fact that it was sold before the original owner could use it only added to its aura of mystery.

Today, Kaos remains one of the largest and most luxurious superyachts in the world. Often described as a floating island, it belongs now to Walmart billionaire heiress Nancy Walton Laurie, who bought it in 2019, right after putting up Secret for sale. She bought it as Jubilee and, according to online reports, planned to name it Secret III, with the joke being that no one knows which vessel was supposed to be Secret II. She eventually settled for Kaos, a name that matches the warship-like silhouette of the superyacht but bears no connection to the vibrant and outrageous interior.

The story of Kaos starts in 2008, when the then-Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Abdullah bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, began window-shopping for a new superyacht. The royal family had long-established ties with Oceanco, so he went directly to them to discuss the possibility of buying a project already in the works. The financial crisis put an end to negotiations, but they resumed in 2011 when the Emir had made up his mind: he wanted a new vessel, and it had to be turnkey, ready to go at the moment of delivery. It also had to have a garage for his Bentley, without which he wouldn't even consider traveling.

With a design by Igor Lobanov on an Oceanco platform and interiors by Sam Sorgiovanni, Kaos is a 110-meter (361-foot) monster of a yacht with an interior volume of 4,523 GT, built to the Passenger Yacht Code (PYC) with accommodation for 31 guests in 16 cabins, and an additional 45 crew in 24 cabins. Most superyachts offer maximum guest accommodation for 14 people because building to PYC entails a different process with a focus on extra safety measures, which, in turn, entails the use of different build materials and layouts.

The size of the yacht only made the process more challenging, as did the owner's request that it be turnkey. The hull is steel, and the superstructure is aluminum, but the underside of the floors isn't plywood like in regular superyachts. Instead, the marble floors sit on honeycombed aluminum panels on top of rubber foundations for noise dampening.

Kaos looks a bit like a warship and handles like one, too, the captain told one media outlet at the time of its delivery to the Monaco Yacht Show in 2017. The Emir had passed away just months before the scheduled delivery, and the family decided to sell it. Burgess listed it for $310 million, but it would be another two years before Walton Laurie came along. It was refitted in 2020 at Lurssen before she took it out for the first time.

The most distinctive feature of this superyacht is the metallic blue superstructure with its many decks. Many of those decks are actually "fake," as designer Lobanov came up with the idea of adding more volume on top to paradoxically create the impression that the vessel is sitting lower to the water and thus achieve more harmonious proportions. The optical illusion was achieved through curves and long lines, rows of smoked glass panels, teak decking that looks like walkways but is actually inaccessible to guests, and LED overhangs.

On top of the superstructure, where the flydeck would have normally been, is the owner's suite, with unparalleled views from its own private deck. The owner wanted a space where no one could bother him, even if the vessel was packed to maximum carrying capacity – a most understandable request when you're paying at least $300 million for your very own floating island.

Amenities onboard are up to par with that price tag. Kaos has a large helideck at the bow, and a spectacular beach club aft, including a wellness center with gym and spa, a pool, and vast lounge areas. There's even an oversize aquarium here, looking into the pool above, but it's never been shown to the public. Kaos also has a packed tender garage with a fold-down transom and every kind of watertoy imaginable, from matching tenders and rescue boats to inflatables and other fun stuff.

All of these, and items like crew training material, china, and hardware, came with the superyacht, as per the owner's request. The interiors are clad in the finest silk rugs and rare Italian marble, with gilded surfaces and ornate pieces that add a certain cosmopolitan vibe to the place. The spaces, be they the private theater or the smallest guest room, are beautiful in a somewhat visually overwhelming way and very luxurious, but they stop short of being "too much" in either direction.

Kaos is powered by two MTU diesel engines of 4,800 hp each, taking it to a maximum speed of 18.5 knots (21.2 mph/34.2 kph). This beautiful and very luxurious superyacht isn't just about looks, it delivers on the performance side, too.