This Seemingly Discrete American Superyacht Hides Shockingly Opulent Interiors

Liberty did not succeed in becoming the number one American-built superyacht of all time, but it's certainly one of the most fascinating. Custom-built for a visionary American couple back in 2012, this Trinity vessel flaunts an interior like no other. It's also one of the few to have an entire book dedicated to it. In 2013, a former reporter for The Wall Street Journal, G. Bruce Knecht, published "Grand Ambition: An Extraordinary Yacht, the People Who Built It, and the Millionaire Who Can't Really Afford It."

When a lavish 187-footer (57 meters) is a downgrading option, you know you're talking about millionaires and passionate yacht owners. Liberty, launched as Lady Linda, was a step down only in terms of size and for a very practical reason. Doug and Linda Von Allmen needed a pleasure craft that could fit better behind their Florida mansion and make its way smoothly to the Bahamas.

Their jaw-dropping 197-footer (60 meters) named Linda Lou had turned out to be impractical. The stunning Lurssen delivered to them in 2006 had an inconvenient 11.6-foot (3.5-meter) draft. As a result, the millionaire couple decided to go for a shallow-draft yacht that could easily be docked in Fort Lauderdale and cruise in the Bahamas while also keeping the grandiose style of the Lurssen behemoth.

That's how construction for the Trinity yacht Lady Linda began in 2006. Due to the 2008 economic crisis and other bumps in the road, it would take six long years to complete. At the time, Doug and Linda had owned five large yachts, three of which were built by Trinity. Even though it was their third Trinity, Lady Linda was only their second custom project in collaboration with the American shipyard, making it extra special.

Lady Linda was designed by Geoff Van Aller and styled by the UK-based Evan K Marshall. Connoisseurs might find it similar to prestigious European designs, and that's because the owners wanted it to resemble their Lurssen yacht, Linda Lou. Despite its considerable size, Lady Linda boasted a shallow draft of eight feet (2.4 meters) as per the owners' request. The generous 782 GT volume allowed luxurious accommodations for 12 guests and a huge 14-person crew.

Doug and Linda specifically wanted their future guests to enjoy equally luxurious accommodations, hence the yacht's atypical layout. Instead of smaller cabins of different sizes, Lady Linda boasted no less than four king-sized suites on the lower deck, in addition to the master suite on the main deck. Plus, a sixth smaller cabin was added on the bridge deck behind the pilothouse. It was set up as a gym but could easily convert to an extra suite.

While Lady Linda's all-white exterior didn't particularly stand out, its interior turned out to be outrageously sumptuous, especially when compared to today's ultra-minimalistic trend. It could be described as a classic style with Art Deco accents, but that would hardly be enough to capture its uniqueness.

The foyer is perhaps the most grandiose area on board, with a complex story behind it. A backlit Lalique panel reveals a majestic mural that follows along the entire staircase. It was hand-painted by a Florida artist, Karen Wagner, and it was meant to recreate one of the most famous Art Deco reliefs – the Chariot of Aurora, found onboard the iconic French liner SS Normandie. It was a real challenge to recreate this work of art in a vertical direction, and the result is truly a work of art in itself.

The upper salon is another jaw-dropping display of opulence. The unusual floors feature a wood floor inlay by Czar Floors. It was specifically designed to mimic the curvature of the seating area. The Art Deco-style panels with silver-leaf and gold-leaf accents were hand-carved by a Florida artist, Ken Salowe. Deep blue tapestry, leather furniture, and lacquered surfaces added a touch of glamour.

Although you could hardly tell judging by its palatial look, this is "just” a TV lounge, one where the screen rises from a cabinet that's designed to seem like it's made of mother-of-pearl. The same room can easily be transformed into a cozy cinema room.

Lady Linda also flaunts an abundance of bespoke stonework. In other words, there's marble everywhere, starting with all the en-suite bathrooms and continuing inside the upper salon, the foyer, and even the exterior deck area. The main salon feels more like a palace, boasting an enormous dining area, ultra-sumptuous seating, and a caramel-colored bar covered in precious onyx.

The Von Allmens wanted a superyacht that would be unlike any other. And that meant an outrageous use of precious materials such as burl wood for the walls, onyx for the floors, and different types of marble throughout. Plus, each piece of furniture was custom-made, and the owners added works of art that were specially commissioned for the yacht.

The sundeck is as stunning as you'd expect, complete with a large spa pool, a fully equipped bar, and a generous area for al-fresco dining. It doubles as a touch-and-go helipad and can also turn into a fabulous dancing floor with ample room and disco lights.

Due to the unusual cabin configuration with equally-sized staterooms, the yacht's main tenders had to be stowed on the sundeck. Usually, they're housed inside a dedicated tender garage, but there was no more room for one. Lady Linda originally came with a seven-meter (23 feet) Novurania and a 3.9-meter (12.7 feet) rescue tender launched by a small crane. At the same time, the yacht was equipped to easily move away all the water toys when it was time to use the sundeck as a party stage.

The Von Allmens did not hold on to their custom masterpiece forever. The 2012 Trinity vessel was purchased by another Florida millionaire, Steven M. Mariano, in 2015. That's when the yacht became Lady Sara. Unfortunately, it wasn't a good move for the American vessel. Mariano had to make a $32 million loan in order to afford Lady Sara and would end up losing the yacht just two years later because he wasn't able to repay the loan.

Lady Sara was arrested by the U.S. Marshall and eventually got auctioned off for much less than its original worth. Prior to this, the yacht had been listed for sale with an asking price of $36 million. After being put up for auction, Lady Sara was sold for just $15 million, according to court documents. It was sold to the same bank that had filed the lawsuit against Mariano. The bank then instructed Luke Brown Yachts to find a private owner.

After this dark phase in its history, Lady Sara was renamed Liberty and underwent a comprehensive refit in 2018. Today, it's once again a stunning superyacht asking for nearly $25 million. It also operates as a successful charter yacht with weekly rates starting at $350,000. Last year, Liberty completed its ten-year survey, and its twin Caterpillar engines are as ready as ever to propel it at 20 knots (37 kph).