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LIONHEART Yacht – Enchanting $150M Superyacht

LIONHEART yacht is a 90-metre (295 ft) motor yacht built by Benetti in Italy. She was delivered in July of 2016 to the current owner who recently sold his brands Topshop and Selfridges, gaining him a net worth of US $2.4 billion.

LIONHEART features a sleek and modern design with space for up to 12 guests and 30 crew members. Her home berth lies in Monaco, which is where Green and his family spend most of their time.

LIONHEART yacht interior

The LIONHEART yacht features a lot of intricate details in its design that make her stand out from other comparable vessels on the market.

The interior of this yacht had exceptionally high-quality materials used in her construction, which gives her an elegant look and feel throughout all the different spaces on board. 

The design house Green & Mingarelli is responsible for the luxurious interior design of LIONHEART.

The LIONHEART yacht can welcome 12 guests in her six cabins as well as a crew of 30 members of staff. 

The interior of the yacht features a beach club, a beauty salon as well as expansive health and wellness facilities that include a spa, a hairdressing salon, a gym with a personal trainer, and a massage room with a masseur available at all hours.

The different floors of the yacht are connected by an elevator, and of course, the yacht has several pools, two of which are located on the upper decks. 

A grand staircase is situated in the center of the yacht, which gives the vessel the likeness of a luxury hotel. The interior is furnished with exclusive furniture with dark wood and cream upholstery.

The yacht features several sizable chandeliers and other extravagant lighting fixtures. Everything about the interior of LIONHEART is lavish and luxurious, flaunting the US $150 Million price tag that this incredible vessel bears.

Specifications

The LIONHEART yacht is 90 meters (296 ft) long with a beam of 14.4 meters (47.3 ft) and a draft of 7.5 meters (24.9 ft). She was built by Benetti Yachts in Livorno, Italy, and launched in 2016.

At the time, LIONHEART was Benetti’s flagship and the largest yacht they had ever produced, overtaking NABILA (later TRUMP PRINCESS owned by Donald Trump).

Her gross tonnage lies at 2,990 GT, reaching cruising speeds of 15 knots and maximum speeds of 16 knots.

She is definitely not the fastest yacht in her size category, but her caterpillar engines are reliable and robust.

LIONHEART has an immense aluminum superstructure, and her hull was constructed from premium steel. Her traditional teak decks nicely contrast her white exterior.

The LIONHEART yacht is values at US $150 million and has annual running costs of US $10-$15 Million. She is not currently available for charter or for sale, although Green’s other yachts are.

The exterior of the LIONHEART yacht was designed by Stefano Natucci, who was also responsible for LIONESS V, Green’s previous yacht by Benetti.

Natucci has designed a total of 45 yachts, the LIONHEART yacht being the largest of his past projects.

The yacht is fitted with a sophisticated stabilizer system that ensures a comfortable experience for guests when at anchor or underway. She has a total of four decks featuring generous outdoor spaces. 

The front of the bow has room for a small helipad where aircraft can land to pick up or drop off guests.

The top deck has an outdoor bar and jacuzzi, and behind the flybridge, there is a large pool.

All decks have luxurious outdoor seating with cream upholstery which is also the color of the crew uniforms aboard the LIONHEART yacht. 

At the aft, the yacht has a sizable beach club and extendable swimming platform where water toys can be launched.

She also has several smaller, shaded decks with ample space for dining or parties. On both her port and starboard sides, Lionheart has small balcony decks which are attached to two of the suites.

Toys and equipment

The LIONHEART yacht carries several tenders, although her most memorable is a VanDutch 55 named Lioncub.

This tender has a black and white photograph of a lion painted on its side, making it stand out from traditional tenders and attracting yacht spotters.

LIONHEART also has a Pascoe Limousine, a Pascoe Beachlande, and a Pascoe Outboard Shuttle giving her passengers a wide selection of transportation options for shore leave or excursions.

Although exact details aren’t known, the yacht carries a large number of water toys, including jet skis and water bobs.

With a large swimming platform at the back of the vessel and an attached beach club with a lounge area, a luxury that might be desired is available to her guests.

Additional information

Construction for LIONHEART began in 2012 after the owner Green commissioned his third yacht from Benetti .

The two previous vessels were also named LIONHEART but have since been renamed LUMIERE and LIONESS V. 

LUMIERE was built in 1999 and has a length of 49.9 meters (164 ft). Green sold her when he obtained LIONHEART V in 2006, and she is now available for charter.

LIONESS V has a length of 63.5 meters (208 ft) and was replaced by LIONHEART in 2016, 10 years after her launch. 

Interestingly all three vessels can welcome the same number of guests, and only their amenities and length changed over the years.

LIONESS V is still owned by the Green family, more specifically Tina Green. This yacht is available for charter.

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Lionheart was actually based on a project called F-77, which was commissioned by Harold Vanderbilt, but never built. Instead, Vanderbilt won the 1930s America’s Cup with another boat called Enterprise. By reaching back into the annals of yachting history, Lionheart’s designers determined that F-77 was the fastest of the original group that Vanderbilt had commissioned. […]

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Lionheart was actually based on a project called F-77, which was commissioned by Harold Vanderbilt, but never built. Instead, Vanderbilt won the 1930s America’s Cup with another boat called Enterprise . By reaching back into the annals of yachting history, Lionheart ’s designers determined that F-77 was the fastest of the original group that Vanderbilt had commissioned. When launched in 2010, Lionheart won its first race, the Kings 100 Guineas Cup in Cowes. The yacht then won three regattas in 2014, and several UK events in 2015. At 142 feet 5 inches, the boat was the largest of the J Class (until Svea was launched last year) and certainly one of the most beautiful, with its jet-black hull and low-riding profile. Some say Lionheart looks like a cross between a superyacht and a J Class yacht. It has the saloon and staterooms to put it in the superyacht category. Either way, the vessel is a fitting tribute to the Vanderbilt yacht that never was.

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Superyacht Lionheart - Worlds Largest J-Class Launched

By B. Roberts

The stunning super J-Class yacht Lionheart, recently launched by Dutch shipyard Claasen Jachtbouw, has been announced for sale with joint agents YPI Brokerage and Hoek.

Standing at 44m long with an astonishing overhang of 17m, Lionheart is the largest J-Class in the world. YPI Brokerage, the sales and new construction division of the Monaco based Yachting Partners International, have signed Lionheart for sale alongside Hoek Brokerage.

William Bishop, YPI broker and head of the YPI sailing division, said “This is an amazing moment … Lionheart is quite simply stunning. Anyone who loves sailing is already aware of the philosophy, the history, the technology and the passion that has gone into the construction of Lionheart. That’s what makes this the beginning of a whole new era of J-Class yachting.”

Built to compete at the highest level, Lionheart was originally designed for the Ranger Syndicate by Starling Burgess and Olin Stephens in 1936. Her design was then extensively evaluated and optimised by the Hoek Naval Architects to ensure the highest quality of racing.

“And she is just as much designed for cruising as she is racing,” Will points out. “She has been built to MCA Classification and incorporates two small deckhouses and two small cockpits for the owner and his/her guests – that gives extra versatility on how the yacht can be used whether racing or cruising.”

Alongside her expert construction, her racing capabilities benefitted from the wealth of experience added to the project by Hall Spars in the building of her spars as well as utilising Harkens proven Carbon winches.

William Bishop added “Lionheart is very competitively price … She represents a unique opportunity today for an owner looking for performance but with the added versatility of an intelligent cruising configuration. Lionheart is a new breed of J-Class and we are very proud to be representing her for sale alongside Hoek Brokerage.”

Lionheart is for sale through YPI Brokerage at an Asking Price of €14,900,000.

"She represents a unique opportunity today for an owner looking for performance but with the added versatility of an intelligent cruising configuration." William Bishop, YPI Broker

"She represents a unique opportunity today for an owner looking for performance but with the added versatility of an intelligent cruising configuration."

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Companies linked to this story, more news from ..., new launches.

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The new J Class sailing yacht Lionheart

Lionheart was the third new J Class to be launched since Harold S Vanderbilt's successful America's Cup Defender, Ranger , took to the water in 1937. In 2003, a replica of Vanderbilt's Super J Ranger left the Danish Yacht boat yard and immediately began racing, followed six years later by the J Class replica of Endeavour II , renamed Hanuman , leaving the Royal Huisman Shipyard and competing successfully against Ranger just four months after launching. With the launch of the Hoek Design_ Lionheart_ from Claasen Jachtbouw the stakes have been raised again.

The meeting between the replicas of Ranger and Endeavour II was significant when the duo met in 1930s, Ra nger _was victorious, but the more recent _Endeavour II-r eplica, Ha numan, triumphed on the water 90 years later.

For Andre Hoek, a detailed research program focused on testing the various, original J Class designs revealed that Lionheart was one of the best set of designs available for an all-round, high-performance J.

When an existing client came to us for a third yacht, his main interest was a new J Class yacht,' says Hoek. 'He asked us what we would do if we were to build a new J and that led to a proposal to first do a dedicated research project to determine what would possibly be the best performing J Class yacht.

'We proposed to analyse the theoretical performance of all existing J Class lines and to develop a dedicated Velocity Prediction Program specifically geared to J Class hulls with long keels,' the marine architect explains, 'as the existing VPP software is all for round-bilged hulls with fin keels and spade rudders, which are totally different hydrodynamically to a long keel hull with a rudder that forms a flap on a long keel.'

The proposal was accepted and a new Velocity Prediction Program for typical J Class hulls was developed together with Peter van Oossanen (of wing keel and FDHF fame).

Tank test data of a 20 foot long model of the J Class _Rainbow _was used to calibrate the mathematical formula of the VPP program. With this new software, initially all possible Super Js (with a maximum waterline length of 26.51m) were analysed for performance both on line honours and handicap.

The five best-performing hulls from this research were then analysed using computational fluid dynamics software (CFD). The CFD analysis confirmed the VPP findings and the search was narrowed to three hull designs:

One of the eight tank-tested designs commissioned by Vanderbilt from W Starling Burgess and Olin Stephens for the Ranger 77-F project;

Svea , designed by Sweden's Tore Holm in 1938 but never built; and A Frank C Paine design that didn't progress beyond the drawing board.'Of the final three, Lionheart showed the best overall performance,' Hoek reveals. 'The Paine-designed Atlantis is a very good light wind and downwind boat and Svea is the best upwind boat.'

Furthermore, the research proves that the_ Lionheart_ design is faster than the lines chosen for the original Ranger a choice that was not due to flaws in the combined wisdom of Vanderbilt, Burgess and Stephens, but purely that tank testing with models of just under a metre in length is now known to supply inconclusive and misleading data.

Once the optimum design podium was full, the client purchased the intellectual property rights for the Burgess/Stephens Ranger 77-F designs from Sparkman and Stephens and optimisation began on the_ Lionheart_ hull, rig and sail plan. The process started with recreating the 1937 lines to ensure that both port and starboard matched a common error in early, hand-drawn, pre-digital designs.

Continuing research soon showed that the designs with the buoyancy further forward were more effective; wind tunnel testing produced the sail plan geometry, and rudder angle calculations with the new VPP dictated the mast position.

The next phase in the design process was hull strength and construction. While the original J Class yachts were built in steel, the J Class Association (JCA) allows the modern, replica yachts to use aluminium a farsighted decision by the JCA, but one that raises issues of longitudinal stiffness in yachts possessing the enormous overhangs synonymous with the classic J Class profile.

To prevent the characteristic hogging, sagging and alarmingly slack standing rigging associated with an elastic, aluminium hull, Hoek and his team used a 3D finite element model (FEM) to explore load levels throughout the yacht, resulting in an exquisite, internal lattice of aluminium supports to keep Lionheart stiff, and hull panels of multiple thicknesses dependant on specific load stress areas.

While the overall hull design remained faithful to the original, 1930s J Class remit, one aspect of the replica hulls had to change. 'We are allowed to raise the freeboard by 10cm and make a bulwark of an extra 10cm above the level of the deck,' confirms Hoek. 'These are the only two changes you are allowed to make to the original lines.'

The reason the JCA introduced the rule change is simple: 'It has everything to do with the fact that the boats were never built to be equipped with vast interiors, generators, powered winches, galleys and electronics,' Hoek explains. 'There were hardly any interiors in these boats and they were purely built for racing.'

However, J Class purists who fear that the sanctity of the original class rule has been compromised with modern tampering should realise that the truth is somewhat different.

'Most people think that a J Class has an extremely low freeboard with long overhangs,' continues Hoek. 'Especially when you look at the original, surviving boats Ve lsheda, Shamrock V _and _Endeavour.'

In reality, the modern equipment on Velsheda and _Endeavour _has sunk both yachts by around 30cm below their 1930s waterline.

'None of the surviving Js fit the original Universal Rule now,' he adds.

The Universal Rule ensured that waterline length was no longer than 87 feet (26.51m). 'In some of them, the waterline length is now about 95 feet as they are so much lower in the water,' states Hoek.

Historically, the 26.51m waterline achieved by the Super J yachts was a fundamental advantage an area researched heavily by Vanderbilt.

'In 1936, they did a test with Rainbow and ballasted her down to precisely 26.51m,' recalls Hoek. Sinking the yacht below her natural 24.99m waterline delivered immediate results.

'She was faster than she was before due to the improved righting moment, but still did well in light airs,' he adds. 'The conclusion that a Rainbow -type boat at 26.51m waterline length would be high performance led to all the subsequent Ranger designs.'

The implications of this issue are twofold in terms of performance and aesthetics, for although modern photographs of the surviving yachts suggest that reduced freeboard is more in keeping with tradition, the replica Js with their stretched overall length in the overhangs to compensate for the increased freeboard, share an identical design DNA.

'So, technically, the freeboard of the new boats is higher,' explains Hoek, 'but they are actually closer to the original.'

Lionheart's immaculate hull has been built at the Bloemsma yard, a key player in the current J Class revival, which has also been responsible for the hulls of Atlantis and Rainbow . Lionheart's fitting out was done at Claasen Jachtbouw with a team of 20 craftsmen and specialist contractors working with extraordinary co-ordination in the yacht's slender hull.

Deeper into the boat at the turn of the bilge in an area that charter guests are unlikely to visit the engine room is a masterpiece of space management. Despite the sheer volume of engineering squeezed into such a confined space, it is possible to stand upright and move around without skinning elbows or slipping discs.

And while Claasen Jachtbouw is famous for its exquisite joinery work and attention to detail, technical installations are to very high quality levels as well. MCM from Newport, USA, acted as the owner's representative a team of specialists that have added considerable experience to the build team. Their vast technical and big boat racing experience has also contributed to the end result on board.

For Victor Weerens, the yacht's project manager at Claasen Jachtbouw, Lionheart has been an exceptional experience.

'It has been a great project for us with many challenges,' he admits. 'But the team here and our sub-contractors have met all the demands of building a modern J.'

After launching she was taken up river to Zaandam for the stepping of the clear-coat carbon mast and boom from Hall Spars with Future Fibres PBO rigging.

Bugsy Gedlek; Claasen Jachtbuow; Freddie Bloemsma Aluminiumbuow; and courtesy of Hoek Design

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NOT FOR CHARTER *

This Yacht is not for Charter*

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Lionheart (ex: FB262)

• Amenities & Toys

LIONHEART yacht NOT for charter*

90m  /  295'3 | benetti | 2016.

Owner & Guests

• Previous Yacht

Special Features:

• Elevator for convenient access
• Well-appointed wellness zone, including beach club and beauty salon
• Generous pool
• Lloyds Register classification
• Up to 30 crew

The 90m/295'3" motor yacht 'Lionheart' was built by Benetti in Italy at their Livorno shipyard. Her interior is styled by design house Green & Mingarelli Design and she was delivered to her owner in July 2016. This luxury vessel's exterior design is the work of Stefano Natucci.

Guest Accommodation

Lionheart has been designed to comfortably accommodate up to 12 guests in 6 suites. She is also capable of carrying up to 30 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht experience.

Onboard Comfort & Entertainment

Her features include a beauty salon, beauty salon, elevator, underwater lights, beach club, gym and air conditioning.

Range & Performance

Lionheart is built with a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, with teak decks. Lionheart comfortably cruises at 15 knots, reaches a maximum speed of 15 knots. Lionheart features at-anchor stabilizers providing exceptional comfort levels. She was built to Lloyds Register classification society rules.

*Charter Lionheart Motor Yacht

Motor yacht Lionheart is currently not believed to be available for private Charter. To view similar yachts for charter , or contact your Yacht Charter Broker for information about renting a luxury charter yacht.

Lionheart Yacht Owner, Captain or marketing company

'Yacht Charter Fleet' is a free information service, if your yacht is available for charter please contact us with details and photos and we will update our records.

Lionheart Photos

NOTE to U.S. Customs & Border Protection

Specification

M/Y Lionheart

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Claasen Shipyards

Lionheart, completed by Claasen in 2010, was the first J-class yacht with an aluminium hull. With a length of 43.40 metres, she was also the largest so far, although she is due to be surpassed by the SVEA project currently being built by Vitters Shipyard.

Lionheart is designed for cruising as well as racing, and is therefore built to MCA. No expense has been spared to ensure that she is competitive on the race course, and her performance has been optimised by a design that incorporates research done on previous J-class yachts.  Lionheart ’s hull is built in high tensile Alustar plating and extrusion materials, and she employs longitudinal stringers to ensure maximum stiffness.

Tremendous 17-metre overhangs lend Lionheart a striking appearance. She features two deckhouses and two cockpits, with one of each reserved for the owner, and the owners’ cockpit linked to their suite for maximum privacy.

Master Cabin

• Type of yacht J Class
• Name Lionheart
• Naval architect Hoek Design Naval Architects B.V.
• Design & styling Hoek Design Naval Architects B.V.
• Interior styling Hoek Design Naval Architects B.V.
• Owner's repr. MCM Newport
• MAIN DIMENSIONS
• LOA 43.40 m
• LWL 26.52 m
• Beam 6.55 m
• Draft 4.57 m
• Ballast 71 ton
• Draft (min) N/A
• Displacement 182 ton
• BASIC SPECS
• Hull Material Full aluminium
• Rigging Fractional cutter rigged sloop
• Spars Builder Hallspars
• Spars Carbon
• Superstructure Aluminium
• Classification A1+ MCA LY2
• Engine brand & type Volvo D9 MH
• Engine HP 413
• Shaft & propellor Hundested VP-5
• Gearbox MG-5082 SC
• Bow/stern Thruster Lewmar
• Generators Kohler
• Water tank capacity 4000 L
• Fuel tank capacity 9300 L
• Sails North Sails
• Upwind m2 961
• Downwind m2 1500
• Lionheart triumphs at inaugural World J-Class Championship 29 augustus, 2017
• Lionheart on a roll 24 juli, 2017
• She’s done it! Lionheart wins the America’s Cup J Class Regatta 21 juni, 2017

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Killer Whales Capsize Sailing Vessel in the Strait of Gibraltar Waters

A group of killer whales, also known as orcas, were responsible for capsizing a sailing yacht in the waters of the Strait of Gibraltar under Moroccan jurisdiction. The vessel, a 49-foot yacht called Alboran Cognac, was being operated by two individuals when it came under attack around 9 AM local time on Sunday, reports reveal .

This event marks one of many similar encounters, following an incident last November when a yacht was capsized after being struck by killer whales, causing damage to its rudder. Researchers suggest that orcas’ behavior, while seemingly playful or imitative in nature, can cause distress and lead to dangerous situations for sailors, as witnessed by the two occupants of Alboran Cognac who experienced hits to their hull and rudder leading to water ingress. The passengers were fortunately saved by an oil tanker which brought them to safety in Gibraltar, while their yacht was left adrift and eventually sank.

The occurrences have led to theories surrounding a pod of about 15 orcas, known by the moniker “Gladis,” which is inspired by the name of an orca, White Gladis, allegedly killed by vessel collision. Gladis and its pod members have been sighted engaging with ships in areas stretching from Portugal’s Atlantic front to the north-western waters of Spain since May 2020, and it’s believed that Gladis could also be part of this recent assault.

Rumors of the orcas’ motives variably point to notions of revenge, environmental aggravations like climate change or maritime noise pollution, and even outlandish conspiracy theories, but experts suggest that orca behavior is fueled by their complex societal structures and shared rituals. Orcas, being powerful enough to genuinely harm humans, seem instead to mess with vessels out of intrigue or pleasure.

Specialist Lance Barrett-Lennard, PhD from the Raincoast Conservation Foundation, shared his insights with Salon in June, describing these episodes as part of a “cultural revolution” among orcas. He posits that such behavior, if linked to immediate benefits such as food or essential survival advantages, may dissipate fairly swiftly, anticipating future developments in these interactions.

about orcas and whales

FAQ Section

Orcas exhibit complex behaviors and may engage with boats out of curiosity, playful behavior, or social interactions within their pod. Retribution for harm caused to them, a response to environmental stressors, or abstract notions such as a reaction to climate change are also speculated theories.

While orcas are powerful and could potentially harm humans, the reported incidents involve damage to vessels rather than direct aggression toward people. Nevertheless, such interactions can lead to dangerous circumstances for those on board.

In the incident involving the Alboran Cognac, the passengers were rescued by a nearby oil tanker and taken to Gibraltar for safety.

There have been documented cases of orcas interacting with boats along the coastlines of Portugal and Spain since May 2020. It is an ongoing subject of study and interest among marine biologists and animal behaviorists.

Research and monitoring are ongoing to better understand orca behavior and interactions with human maritime activities to prevent future incidents.

The recent capsizing of a yacht by orcas in the Strait of Gibraltar is a complex event highlighting the intricate relationship between humans and marine wildlife. With continued research into orca behavior, there is hope for mitigating such encounters, ensuring safety for both seafarers and the marine inhabitants. While the orcas’ motivations are not fully understood, the events serve as a stark reminder of the powerful and unpredictable nature of wildlife and the need for respectful coexistence.

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