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A Closer Look at The $770 million Superyacht Double Century

Double Century Yacht

In a world where there exists a Guinness Book of records to put down whatever is deemed fit to pass down through generations as having broken a record, anyone who has the means is looking to ensure that his name is forever engrained in the minds of those who care to read the book. Those of us who have had a lesson in Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs know that for you to move on up the pyramid, money plays a huge role. For instance, at the bottom, lies the physiological needs that include food and clothes which you can never have unless you got money. At the top of this pyramid are the self-actualization needs, which usually only those who have managed to be listed in Forbes's list as the wealthiest in the world dare to attain. Consequently, someone out there is struggling to pay tuition for their children while another is thinking of spending millions in what is to us an unnecessary expense. Such was the case in 2015 when someone decided that he needed to have a yacht that would be named the largest in the world, hence the story of the Double Century as detailed below.

The need to outdo the largest superyacht

First things first for those who have no clue about what makes a yacht a superyacht; it is all about the length; any boat that is longer than 78 feet long is a superyacht. In 2010, Roman Abramovich decided he needed to make history by owning the largest yacht in the world. For a billionaire, money is never a problem, and the issue is how to spend it; this time he splurged $1.5 billion on the 536-feet long yacht that was designed after military vessels. The yacht was named Eclipse and among its many features are two helipads, bulletproof glass, armor plates all around the length of Abramovich's master suite as well as the bridge, and a German-built missile defense system. Also, of course, being the celebrity that he is, the yacht was supposedly installed with a laser defense system to protect him from snoopy paparazzi.

The Eclipse held the title, but then in 2013, someone else thought of dethroning Roman so in came Azzam with a length of 590 feet but at a reduced cost of $600 million. What is it with Sheikh's and their need to own luxurious items? Anyway, the Azzam belongs to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, United Arab Emirates' president. You should note that Roman had clinched the title from another Sheikh; Sheikh Maktoum whose yacht was 531 foot long. It took four years to finish the construction of Azzam, and its builders were Lurssen Yachts who confessed that it was the most challenging yacht to be ever built. The Azzam boasts of a speed of 37 miles per hour, believed to be the fastest for any boat that is longer 300 feet. However, apart from the difference in length with the Eclipse, they have similar features like the bulletproof glass in the master suite and a missile defense system.

In comes the Double Century

Still, in the spirit of hoping to hit the headlines, in 2014, another person thought of claiming that they would build a yacht that would cost $1 billion and have a length of 728 feet. Yes, they even gave us the name of the boat; it would be called Triple Deuce. The making of the boat would allegedly be so economically helpful as to provide jobs to 500 people. Unfortunately, not all of us can put money where our mouth is, and it turned it to be a public relations stunt. At least we know that this new boat set to dethrone Azzam is not a hoax and the designer Christopher Seymour is looking to create a new evolution of "gigayachts" so we might as well do away with the term "superyacht." So invested in the design is Christopher that he said it was just about the boat and he aimed to have it get its merit; not someone looking at it and wondering who owns it or who designed it. The $770 million Double Century which was the talk of every news channel in 2015, was announced to take at least four years to complete so maybe we will not wait for so long. As we brace ourselves in anticipation of this gigayacht whose length of 656 feet and height of 88 feet will surely make it a sight to behold, maybe we should be concerned with the features and see if anything will be different from its predecessors.

Features of the Double Century

Like the Eclipse, Double Century will have two helipads, but that is not all it can accommodate in terms of the means of transport. It has enough space to accommodate several cars, submarines and a hangar bay which has room to accommodate a helicopter. Additionally, the helipads give those waiting to take off a feeling of VIP treatment since they are complete with a waiting lounge. Further, anyone with $770 million to spare and is interested in this yacht should be ready to party and utilize some of the amenities it carries. It can not only accommodate 50 guests housed in luxurious suites and even kick it up a notch with VIP suites in case the owner is hosting the crème de la crème of the society. Moreover, entertainment is well catered for with a stage and theater, which has a capacity of 126 guests, for those who love theatrics. Of course, everyone has their unique preference, and if the guests prefer a cinematic experience, then the cinema will satisfy their needs. Sometimes all you need is a little time in a quiet environment to arrange your thoughts, and if you happen to own this boat, you will be thankful for the library with a garden. Alternatively, if you are about high-energy, the disco is all you need to recharge your batteries. Exercising cannot be forgotten, especially when we know all the merrymaking activities that will be on the yacht and so the numerous swimming pools will keep the weight-conscious well-exercised.

Liz Flynn

Written by Liz Flynn

Liz Flynn has worked as a full-time writer since 2010 after leaving a career in education. She finds almost all topics she writes about interesting, but her favorite subjects are travel and food. Liz loves the process of researching information, learning new things, and putting into words what others who share her interests might like to read. Although she spends most of her time writing, she also enjoys spending time with her husband and four children, watching films, cooking, dining out, reading, motorsports, gaming, and walking along the beach next to her house with her dog.

Read more posts by Liz Flynn

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