Prestige Yacht Ends Aground in Cayman Brac

 

A nineteen meter Prestige yacht ended beached on the West end of Cayman Brac, Cayman Islands on the night between Friday to Saturday thirteen April.  A night of strong winds broke the swing mooring with the Prestige Yacht ending up beached. According to the photos and reports the yacht did try to deploy the anchor, but probably no time as the swing mooring was only located about two hundred meters away from the beach.  The Prestige yacht was rescued a week later, with reports of shafts and P-brackets hull puncturing damage coming from the beaching. 

The Prestige in this beaching is a 620 Flybridge model as produced from 2012 to 2015.  Coming from a design of ever standing Prestige designer Garroni, the 620 was Prestige flagship at launch.  The Prestige came out as replacement to the 60 model, and was replaced by the 630 in 2016.  Prestige also offered the 620 S, similar in many things but with a smaller sportier sport bridge up top.

Classic Yacht Collides Into Punta Gorda Bridge Florida

A classic sixteen meter Hatteras motor yacht titled Game anchor drifted and collided into the US41 bridge, in Punta Gorda, Florida on the morning of Wednesday third April.  Charlotte County Sheriff Office reported that the yacht was unattended during the collision, with Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission and Florida Highway Patrol being on the scene monitoring the situation.  Strong winds up to fifty knots with its anchorage drifting are the reason the yacht collided into the bridge.  Although unattended during the collision, this classic yacht is reported to be a liveaboard for one person.

The classic Hatteras in this bridge collision is a first generation 53 Motor Yacht as produced from 1969 to 77.  Designed by Jack Hargrave the 53 Motor Yacht was Hatteras flagship at launch, and one of its longest produced models, and including the second version which arrived in 1978 sold over 350 hulls in a nineteen years production up to 1988.

Princess Yacht Ends Aground in Elmwood Australia

A fifteen meter Princess sport yacht with one person onboard ended aground near Beach road, Elmwood, Victoria, Australia on the morning of Tuesday second April.  It is not understood if the person ended aground for an error of navigation or to save the yacht because she was taking on water.  Australia's Channel 7 broke the news saying the person onboard secured the yacht before parting ways.  Unconfirmed news said the Princess yacht was removed from the area after three days.  The Princess yacht in this sinking was reported sold just about a month ago.

The Princess yacht in this grounding is a V50 as designed by Bernard Olesinski and produced from 1998 to 2005.  The Princess V50 was presented as a filling model between the V40 and V55, and was replaced by the V48 in 2006.

Azimut Super Yacht Crashes Into Haulover Bridge Safety Barriers

A 32 meter Azimut super yacht titled m/y Double Trouble collided into the bull nose safety barriers of Haulover's Inlet Bridge in Miami, Florida, on the morning of thirtieth March.  The event was filmed by Marco from Philly with Wavy Boats YouTube channel sharing the event first, with Boat Mania Hub and Haulover Inlet Boats giving a different perspective drone filming of the collision the following day.  The yacht did a big noise as it collided with the safety barriers, which caused a damage of six gapping holes damage of about ten centimeters squared, and probably some glass damage in it's midships port side.  The yacht moved away from the collision on its own power.  On Facebook Wavy Boats said that the yacht tried to make a half circle turn to allow incoming traffic to pass, while on YouTube the story is that the Azimut yacht noticed that it could not pass from under the bridge because of high tide.  

M/y Double Trouble is an Azimut Grande 32M as designed by Stefano Righini for exterior with interiors by Achille Salvagni and naval architecture by Ausonio, and produced onwards from 2018.  Designed by Stefano Righini the Grande 32M came out as a replacement to the Grande 30M, and has far sold in 26 units.

Super Sport Yacht Ends Aground in Port Ginesta Spain

A 24 meter super sport yacht tiled m/y Scandal with two crew onboard ended aground by the entrance of Molin Lars Marina in Port Ginesta, to the South of Barcelona, Spain on Sunday tenth March.  After the yacht ran aground the crew where airlifted to safety by a helicopter.  The yacht ended aground during maneuvering procedure while exiting after entering the marina because of strong winds and high seas, with an undisclosed testimony also stating that a bad trajectory also led to the yacht ending aground.  The yacht was reported leaking diesel fuel after the grounding, meaning it breached its hull and fuel tank, with a fuel protection boom not being possible to deploy because of the rough sea conditions.

M/y Scandal is a Tecnomar Velvet 83 as designed by Luca Dini and produced from 2005 to 06 in two units.  The Velvet 83 replaced the Velvet 24 model which debuted in 2001.  Velvet was Tecnomar fully enclosed hard-top sport yacht series from twenty up to 36 meters, produced from 1998 to 2011.

Viking Sportfish Yacht Ends Aground in Jupiter Inlet

A nineteen meter Viking sportfish yacht titled m/y Big Blue ended aground on a shoal on Jupiter Inlet, Florida on the morning of Wednesday fifth March.  TowboatU.S. assisted the Viking sportfish out of the shoal and then towed her to a nearby marina.   A video of the assistance and towing was posted on the Jupiter Inlet Boats YouTube Channel.  According to some local this shoal has only recently formed, and when this happens these are usually marked, but unfortunately for the Viking yacht not this time.

M/y Big Blue is a Viking 64 Convertible from 2006.  The Viking 64 was offered in three or four double cabins layout and powered by twin 1800 or 2000hp for speeds up to the high thirties.  Produced from 2006 to 10 the 64 Convertible came out as replacement to the 65, and was replaced by the 66 Convertible, with a second generation 64 Convertible coming out in 2021.  

The Wandering Hillybilly Aquila Power Cat Ends Aground

A sixteen meter Aquila power catamaran of the YouTube vlog The Wandering Hillybilly and titled with the same name, ended beached in Mountain Trunk Bay, to the West of Virgin Gorda Island on the afternoon of 23 January.  A Vlog on the The Wandering Hillybilly documented the incident, which happened because the yacht broke from its swing mooring, while the owner, i.e. Alan and five guests just swam to shore for a meal at the Sugarcane Restaurant.  As Alan arrived to the beach, who was the last of the group to make the ten minute swim to shore, the guests advised him that the yacht was following him. Seeing this Alan jumped back to save the Aquila catamaran, which at this time was just about ten meters from the beach.  With high risk Alan managed to get onboard, and as soon as he was on his way to the flybridge to save the Power Catamaran, disaster struck as the hull hit the seabed.  Alan still tried the last hope, firing her up and with the starboard engine tried to move her away from the beach, but all was too late, as the yacht was already grounded and beached.  A great moment came after all this with Alan and his guests managing to tie The Wandering Hillybilly in order to avoid her from hitting the rocks located just a meter to aft.  The day later Alan with help from Aquila dealer MarineMax salvaged the power catamaran, taking her to a boat yard in Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda, some three nautical miles South from the beaching accident.  Unfortunately the damage to the Aquila Power cat was more extensive then anticipated, a few holes in the hull, both P-brackets punctured in the hull, severely bent rudders and propellers, and engine room filled with sand and sea-water.

The Wandering Hillybilly is a 2022 Aquila 54 Yacht power catamaran.  Designed by the Jacep and Jernei Jakopin brothers the Aquila 54 Yacht debuted in 2021, and is offered in a nine different layout options, three for each of the decks, and is powered by three engine choices from Volvo 380 up to Cummins 550hp.

Cruise Liner Breaks Mooring and Damages Marina in Siracusa

Gale force winds followed by a tornado gusting fifty knots of wind on 12:50 hours of Saturday sixth January broke the mooring lines to the MSC Sinfonia cruise liner, with this ending on the Marina Yachting pontoons, Porto Grande, Siracusa, on the East side Ionian sea of Sicily.  With the collision MSC Sinfonia is reported to have sunk two boats, caused damage to other boats and yachts, and to the marina.  No one was injured in the collision, with the 275 meters, 58174 gross tonnage cruise liner needing four tugs to put her back in its place.  MSC Sinfonia was on a technical stop in Siracusa, boarded only by technical crew and without any guests onboard.

In the below photo we can see a Conam 52 Chrono and a Sacs Strider 45 Gran Turismo involved with the pile up at Marina Yachting, following the collision by the cruise ship.  Marina Yachting in Siracusa opened its doors in the early 2000s, and has accommodation for up to 150 boats and yachts.

Sport Yacht Ends on Sandbar in Perdido Key Florida

A sixteen meters Cruisers Yachts sport yacht started the year in not a good way, as it ended aground on the sandbar of Perdido Key, to the South West of Pensacola in Escambia County, Florida, on the afternoon of first January.  Many locals from the area complained that the sandbars of Perdido Key, with most of these becoming bars from small islets by Hurricane Ivan from September 2022 are not marked, making it tricky and difficult to navigate and avoid.  

The Cruisers Yachts in this grounding is a 540 Express model, as produced from 2004 till 06.  The 540 Express was offered in two or three cabins layout and is powered by twin Volvo or Cat 715hp engines for speeds up to the low thirties.  Cruisers flagship model at release the 540 Express came as a soft evolution of the 5470 launched in 2002, and was renamed as 560 in 2007 before replaced by the 540 Sports Coupe in 2012.

Super Yacht Utopia IV Hits Miami Bridge Barrier

A 63 meter super yacht titled m/y Utopia IV collided with the protective barrier of NE 63 Bridge which leads to the Port of Miami on 18:00 hours of Wednesday thirteen December.  The cause of the collision was caused from current created by a cruise ship prop wash, with twenty knots gust winds not helping the situation.  According to a declaration from the yacht ownership the cruise ship had no departure declaration, putting the super yacht in a difficult spot and causing the collision with the bridge barrier in that time.  Utopia IV was reported as having only the crew onboard, with no injuries to personnel, and yacht and bridge barrier sustaining little damage.  Probably this news made more headlines because ten days short of two years ago, Utopia IV had a collision with the 48 meter cargo vessel Tropic Breeze in Nassau Bahamas.  This is more a case of a wrong place and right time to be filmed and social media shared, with the bang noise coming out of the collision making this sound worse then probably it actually was.  

Super yacht Utopia IV is a 63 meter Rossinavi hull number FR031 and launched in 2018 to a design by Angelo Gobbi Team 4 Design for both exterior and interior, with naval architecture by Arrabito.  Utopia IV is listed for charter at half a million dollars a week and for sale at just under 48 million US$.  Utopia IV is owned by Loren Ridinger, commissioned by her husband and Market America founder JR Ridinger who passed away suddenly on thirty August 2022. 

Lurssen Bremen Yard Damage Injures One Employee

A 130 meter plus Lurssen super yacht currently under construction has injured one employee when falling and damaging the shed doors in the Bremen shipyard, Germany on the afternoon of Thursday seventh December.  The one employee was reported slightly injured in the accident, with the super yacht fall damaging the shed doors and the bridge connecting the dock, which partly sank in the water.  The accident was assisted by rescue workers, which included a helicopter, water rescue units, and fire brigade teams.  The 150 meters floating dock was later secured by the Bremen police, and fire department.  Lurssen reported the accident with a press release on the same evening.  This is the second incident for Lurssen in 2023, following a fire on June 28 at the Lemwerder facility which involved one worker. 

According to unconfirmed reports the Lurssen super yacht in this accidental fall is the 142 meters Project Alibaba which is set to launch in 2024.

Super Yacht Ends Aground in Dubai

M/y Indigo Star I, a 38 meter super yacht ended aground and beached in Dubai, near Marina Harbor on the evening of Friday first December.  Indigo Star I is reported to have had a technical fault, with the captain losing controls of the engines and the super yacht ending beached.  With high tide coming in, the super yacht was towed away on the same night, with the yacht reported to have received no damage from the grounding.  

Indigo Star I is owned by German fashion designer Robert Geiss since about ten years, who have used the yacht to cruise around the World since taking ownership.  Robert and his wife Carmen have been cruising on Indigo Star I in the Persian Gulf for over a week, with the yacht attending the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix the previous week-end.  The Geiss's where in Dubai when the accident happened but not on the yacht, and were informed about the accidental grounding over the phone, with Robert Geiss joking on Instagram that now he has a private beach club.  Indigo Star I is currently available for sale for 3.9 million US$.

M/y Indigo Star I is a custom Siar-Moschini 38, launched in 1995 to a design of Andrea Bacigalupo with interiors by Studio Vafiadis. Siar-Moschini from Fano was a joint venture founded between Siar a yacht interior fitment specialist firm, and Moschini a high-end large sizes advanced fiberglass builder in 1986, which will build a dozen yachts from 21 to 43 meters, launching its first yacht in 1988, and its last in 2004.  Carlo Moschini was also one of the three founders of Ferretti Custom Line brand in 1996, with this lasting two years after he sold his yard to Azimut-Benetti Group in 1998, sale completed in 2002.

Apreamare Ends Aground in Fiumicino

A sixteen meter Apreamare traditional yacht with two persons onboard ended aground at the entrance of Fiumara Grande, Fiumicino to the outskirts of Rome on the early afternoon hours of Tuesday 21 November.  The Fiumicino Harbour Master and Civil Protection was immediately on the scene, saving the two boaters, who had no injuries.  The Apreamare yacht was coming from Sardinia direction to Fiumicino, when at the end of its trip had trouble with one engine, making manoeuvring in the Fiumara entrance difficult and ultimately ended aground.  An operation to remove the yacht is scheduled for tomorrow morning.

The Apreamare in this grounding is the 16 model presented in the 2002 Genoa boat show. The 16 is a design of Tommaso Spadolini with naval architecture by Umberto Tagliavini featuring three lower deck layouts, in three or two double cabins, and was powered by twin Man 730 up to 800hp engines for speeds up to 32 knots.  The Apreamare 16 evolved into the 54 in 2005 with the standardized patio door, and a renewed stern bathing platform design and then produced till 2009.

Ghost Motor Yacht Ends Aground in Fregenae Beach

This starts as a ghost thriller, when an eighteen meter motor yacht titled Carpe Diem under French flag and without crew, ended aground in-front of Controvento, on the sands of Fregenae beach, to the outskirts of Rome on the Eastern water-front at about 16:00 hours of Sunday 22nd October.  At the grounding the crew-less motor yacht gathered a group of curious persons, with a first under-water inspection coming from the Centrovento establishment staff, and then later in the afternoon followed by that of the Police.  Finding some clothes and a confused messy interior, with a fishing rod at the stern, and following the yacht registration the Italian police found that Carpe Diem was previously owned by a Croatian who sold it in 2022, to the current ownership.  Later on in the evening the thriller was partly solved with the investigation telling that the yacht was navigating to Marseille with three Croatian crew, when it developed a mechanical problem seventy nautical miles offshore from Anzio on the fifteen of October.  Calling a May-Day also due to the rough seas, the three crew abandoned the yacht with assistance and boarding on the Excelsior ferry, who dropped them in Genova harbour.  Following further investigations by the Rome Coast Guard and of receipts found onboard it was also discovered the itinerary for the yacht before it was abandoned, berthing in Lecce, and Marina di Camerota harbours.  The coast guard is now organizing the removal of the yacht from Fregenae beach to avoid any environment and pollution damage.

Carpe Diem the yacht in this grounding is a Guy Couach 185 Fly from 1999.  Produced from 1996 to 2000 the Guy Couach 185 Fly offers a three double cabins layout with a full beam owners stateroom, plus a crew cabin located forward, and is powered by twin MTU 767hp for top speeds up to 28 knots. A replacement to the 1901, the 185 Fly was replaced by the Guy Couach 1900 model in 2001.  Guy Couach or as is known recently as Couach Yachts is a yacht builder from Cujan Mestras to the West of France, which started in 1897 by building the World first marine engine, and entering production boat building with the Arcoa brand in 1947, and then with Guy Couach in 1968 and the 1200 model for bigger boats.  Two years after this, in 1970 Couach also entered into the supply of military and surveillance vessels, which is still a part of its business today.

Super Yacht Australia Aground in Singapore

A 56 meter Benetti super yacht titled m/y Australia and registered under Malta flag hit a reef off the Buran Channel, just one nautical mile of Sentosa Resort, Singapore on 16:25 of Monday sixteen October.  Australia was just exiting the Sentosa resort and at about one nautical mile from the harbour entrance she was seen listing to its port side.  Some unconfirmed reports said the yacht had a pilot onboard, and other news said it developed a mechanical damage and deviating from its course outside the channel leading it to go into the shallower area and ultimately run partly aground.  Singapore Maritime and Port Authority advised that there was no disruption to port channel traffic, no pollution happened in the grounding, and no injuries are being reported.  Six hours after the grounding Australia was re-floated and resting at anchor to East of Sentosa assessing its damage, with a tug boat nearby ready for assistance.  Some reports are saying that Australia had a hull breach during the grounding and will be dry-docked for repairs.

Since 2021 m/y Australia is owned by down under billionaire mining magnate Clive Palmer, who purchased the 56 meter Benetti in December 2020, at the time asking a price of just under thirty million US dollars.

Motor Yacht Australia, previously named Bash and launched as Ulysses is a Benetti 56M series launched in 2012. Designed by Stefano Natucci the Benetti 56M was a semi-custom series delivered in four build to order units from 2005 to 12, with Australia being the last of these builds. This 56M offered a six suites interior with thirteen crew accommodation, and is powered by twin 1850hp Cat engines for top speeds up to sixteen knots.  The 56M was a following of Benetti's successful Golden Age 50M steel build semi custom series which debuted in 1997 and sold in seven units up to 2008.

Tecnomar Lamborghini Collides Into Pontoon

A Tecnomar for Lamborghini slow crashed into a pontoon on the morning of fifth October in San Diego on the West Coast of the USA.  According to the reports this is the second Tecnomar for Lamborghini which arrived in the USA and the first in the West Coast.  The Tecnomar Lamborghini suffered a small slow crashing incident in a marina tight spot, which can easily be repaired.  It is obvious this becomes a media sensation because the Tecnomar for Lamborghini is probably currently the most popular yacht to show off on the social-media platforms at this moment in time. 

Launched in 2021 the Tecnomar for Lamborghini 63 is designed outside by the automaker with Brunello Acampora doing the naval architecture, and is offered in three layouts for the lower deck; open plan, one cabin, or two cabins.  Contrary to popular belief, she is powered by twin Man 2000hp with surface drives.  The 63 apart meaning the length, and maximum speed is a tribute to the year of founding of Lamborghini and the units Tecnomar will produce.  Last I heard so far they build over twenty units.

Prestige Yacht Struck Rocks and Sinks in Mercury Bay

A fifteen meter Prestige sport yacht with two person onboard struck rocks near Motukorure Island, and then sank to the near about of Mercury Bay, to the East of Auckland, in New Zealand at around 15:45 hours of Wednesday fourth October.  The yacht sank fairly quickly in about twenty meters of water, with the two passengers coming out unscathed from the sinking.  Regional Council Officers inspected the scene before the sport yacht fully sank in deep water.  The yacht was reported as being a new purchase by the current owner, and was carrying 1300 litres of fuel.  A salvage operation is being organized by the owner, although this is taken some time for it to get going, with the risk of fuel pollution to the area increasing by the hour.

The Prestige yacht in this sinking is a ten year old 500S.  Designed by Garroni with naval architecture by JandJ, the Prestige 500S was released in the fall of 2010 and produced till 2017. The 500 S offered an interior with three double cabins, and is powered by twin Volvo 435hp with IPS pod drives for speeds up to 34 knots.  The 500S was a replacement to the 50S/510S model, and was replaced by the Prestige 520S in 2018.

Hatteras Sportfish Beached in Pensacola Beach

A twenty meter Hatteras sportfish yacht titled m/y Robin Lynn ended up beached in Pensacola Pass Beach, South of Florida on the morning of Tuesday 26 September.  According to unconfirmed speculative reports the captain slept under command during the trip, which ended with the sportfish beached in Pensacola.  The twenty meter sportfish yacht was towed away on the same evening by United States Coast Guard and taken to a yard.  A picture taken of the sportfish yacht after hauling out showed next to nothing visible damage, which indicates she was cruising at slow speeds during the grounding.

The sportfish yacht in this grounding is a Hatteras 65 Convertible Series II with the Enclosed Bridge option from 2001.  Produced from 2000 to 05 the Hatteras 65 Convertible is designed by Jack Hargrave and was offered in three of four double cabin layouts, powered by twin Detroits 1350hp or Cats 1400hp for speeds up to 35 knots. The 65 Convertible was replaced by the Hatteras 68 Convertible in 2005 which followed more modern looks as introduced by the second generation 54 Convertible.

Hurricane Idalia

Hurricane Idalia started to form on the 26th August from a low pressure in Central America and the Eastern Pacific Ocean.  Idalia touched briefly category four on thirtieth August, when it reached the Big Bend region of Florida, and later become a category three as it crossed to South East Georgia.  Hurricane Idalia later pushed into the Carolinas as it became a Tropical Storm.  Idalia reached 110 knots of wind speed as it made landfall in Florida although it biggest damage came from the storm surge, with water level rising by over two meters.  Since August 31 Idalia has dissipated in the Atlantic, near the Bermuda's.   Idalia was the third hurricane, second major one, and the tenth storm of 2023.

Idalia caused damage to tens of boats and yachts mostly from the storm surge.  Videos on social media showed drifting boats in the Florida canals, while some home owners ended with boats in the court yard in the aftermath of Idalia's storm surge.

Sunseeker Yacht Ends Aground in Ilha Desert

A nineteen meter Sunseeker sport yacht with twelve persons onboard ended aground at about 02:00 hours of Thursday seventeen August, in Ilha Deserta located to the West of Faro Olhao in Portugal.  The passengers where assisted by the Portugal Maritime police, and a sixteen meter sport yacht which was traveling with the grounded super yacht. All the persons where uninjured in this grounding collision. The sport yacht was removed from Ilha Deserta a couple days later, with the help of a dagger and a tug boat, and then towed to Villamoura for repairs.  An unsuccessful attempt was made to tow the yacht away on the same evening by the other yacht, luckily not succeeding considering the minimum of damage to the propellers and rudders does create a hull breach and would have probably sunk the yacht.

The Sunseeker in this grounding is the Predator 62 model, produced from 2005 to 2008, it offers interior with three double cabins and is powered from twin engines from 1100 up to 1300hp in line shaft propulsion for top speeds in the mid thirties with the big engine option. Sold in about fifty units the Predator 62 was a replacement to the 68 and was replaced by the 64 which used the same hull and a different super structure.

The assisting sixteen meter sport yacht is a Pershing 52 produced from 2000 to 2004 to a design of Fulvio de Simoni. The Pershing 52 has an interior with three double cabins, and a choice of pwc garage or crew cabin aft, and is powered by twin Man 800 or 1000hp engines with surfaced drives for speeds up to 45 knots from the more powerful option.  The Pershing 52 came out as a replacement to the 54, and was replaced by the 50 in the fall of 2003.