A Closer Look at the $268 Million Superyacht Rocinante

Lurssen, the internationally acclaimed superyacht builder, created a five-deck yacht named TV in 2008, and she’s still a classic beauty in the yachting world today. To understand the sleek, aerodynamic beauty that is the TV, you have to take a look at this extraordinary company. After all, most luxury builders aren’t invested in their commitment to sustainable business practices. Lurssen is truly an industry leader in more ways than one.

Lurssen History

“My firm shall be known as a leader in both quality and performance.” Founded by Friedrich Lürssen in 1875, Lurssen Yachts has a simple mission to create a quality product. The building traditions have been handed down through the generations to help preserve and uplift the business. In fact, all the shareholders are Lurssen family members. They hold the company closely so that there are no outside risks, takeovers, or conflicts of interest. This tactic helps them stay on track to make some of the best ships and yachts in the world. So far, it has allowed them to build over 13,000 boats and ships, many of which are in service for decades. Esteemed among the world yacht makers for their investments in state of the art technology, they also hold the current record for most top 20 mega yachts. Lurssen built eleven of the twenty largest yachts in the last twenty years, and they’re not stopping anytime soon. To that end, they offer lifetime support for all their vessels.

Many Names

The yacht formerly known as “TV,” has worn other titles over the years. She changes her name as often as she gets new owners, so like a sleek Hollywood starlet using a stage name, you may know her in another guise. Before she was called TV, she was known as the Madsummer. We can only imagine that she lived up to the name admirably. While she surely enjoyed her time as the Madsummer and the TV, this sip’s current owner calls her bay a different name. She sails as the Rocinante now. The change is a recent one. The TV went up for sale in 2017, just a couple of years after her 2015 overhaul. She was sold by Robert Shepherd at Edmiston & Company and renamed. The name is a very apropos reimagining of her original guise. For those who don’t know, Rocinante was the name given to another famous transport, namely Don Quixote’s horse. Brave, brazen, and a little bit mad seems to be a persona the ship keeps regardless of who owns her at the time.

Achievements

Among her many achievements, the TV was featured in the prestigious 2010 edition of The Superyachts book. Her fame that year may be due to the fact that she entered in the 2009 World Superyacht Awards. She competed for Best Displacement Motor Yacht of 1,300GT to 2,999GT (approximately 60m – 84m). More importantly, she was a finalist. Her designer Espen Oeino is known for his incredible work in the ocean-faring world and beyond. With over sixty yachts to his name, the TV is a member of an incredibly prestigious family. You can see the resemblance in the lines around their decks.

Stats

Name: Madsummer, TV & Rocinante
Type: Motor Yacht
Builder: Lurssen Yachts
Naval Architect: Espen Oeino
Exterior Designers: Espen Oeino
Interior Designer: Alberto Pinto
Year: 2008
Flag: Cayman Islands
Class: Lloyds Register
Hull NB: 13650
Length Overall: 78.50m (257’6″ft)
Gross Tonnage: 2334 tonnes
Hull Configuration: Displacement
Hull Material: Steel
Superstructure: Aluminium
Deck Material: Teak
Diesel Engines: 2
Power: 2717hp / 2000kW
Total Power: 5434hp / 4000kW
Propulsion: Twin Screw
Cruising Speed: 17.00 knots
Max Speed: 18.00 knots
Range: 6000.00 miles at 12 knots

Many Amenities

The Rocinante has more features than she’s had names and owners. If you begin at the top, her owners’ suite has panoramic windows with 360 views of the ocean. Additionally, the massive luxury abode is equipped with a private deck which overlooks several of her other decks. Lower decks have a plethora of pleasing amenities. She can handle twelve or more guests in ten luxurious bedrooms and houses a crew of over thirty. Like other top-tier luxury mega yachts, that’s two or more staff per visitor. The private rooms naturally all come equipped with televisions, and there’s ship-wide Wifi as well. We can’t imagine why you’d want to stay in, but if you did, it would be as luxuriant as sitting out on the deck as she cruises along at twelve knots.

On deck, she has a hot tub for relaxing and unwinding any tense muscles, and two small pools for swimming in fresh water if you prefer. Our favorite feature is the outstanding barbecue arrangement and outdoor dining area. Speaking of the deck, she’s covered in gorgeous glowing teak everywhere you look. With plenty of places to relax and catch some sun, plus a padded bed/couch area the size of a room to lounge in on one deck, you’ll almost have to get a tan just by visiting.

You can wander downstairs and, with the owner’s permission, of course, take out one of the jetskis. The back deck allows ample opportunity for those who wish to scuba or swim in the open ocean. It’s not hard to imagine curious dolphins swimming right up to say hello as you take in the view near the water line.

Comfortable Cruising at its Finest

Indoors you’ll find cozy niches and large lounges, dining amenities for a family or a whole party. The creme, gold, and teak color scheme is carried throughout the entire ship, and soft lines bring a sense of calm and relaxation of their own. If that’s not enough to put you at your ease, try the small spa for a massage, or hit the shipboard gym to burn off some nervous energy in style. Also for the owner and guests comfort the TV aka Rocinante comes equipped with an ultra-modern stabilization system which reduces roll motion. The stability means less chance of motion sickness or sea sickness for those aboard. When it comes to deluxe features, having all the benefits of a yacht without the downside is about as good as it gets.

Final Thoughts

We’re not n the market for a superyacht (yet), but if we were, Lurssen would be the first to hear about it. Beautiful yachts like the TV are only part of their appeal. Any business that works so hard to do right and use ethically sourced materials to help promote sustainable and responsible resource use is worthy of a second look. They’ve certainly shot to the top of our list. When you’re ready to purchase your next superyacht, we hope you’ll look at this forward-thinking company too, but for now, we’ll lay on the beach and daydream about adding the TV to our private collection.