Superyachts are enormous, luxurious, and extremely expensive, but which superyacht is the fastest?
The fastest superyacht in the world is Foners, a 41.5-meter Spanish vessel with a top speed of 70.1 knots. Following very closely behind is The World Is Not Enough, a 42-meter American superyacht that boasts a top speed of just under 70 knots.
Read on to learn more about these impressive vessels and their abilities on the open ocean.
Out On The Open Ocean
The human species has long enjoyed ocean travel, for as long as it has been able to construct boats and rafts. This history stretches back tens of thousands of years, and the innovations in engineering that occurred through the twentieth century furthered this greatly.
These days, boats and ships come in a huge range of types and styles, from minuscule rowing boats, to gargantuan cargo ships and cruise liners. However, the pinnacle of this industry arguably comes in the form of superyachts.
The first expansive yachts started to appear at the beginning of the twentieth century, with motor yachts gaining popularity from around 1910 onwards. Today, the stakes have been massively raised, and superyachts are the target to aim for.
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of dramatically expensive, luxurious, and powerful superyachts around the globe. They’re some of the most expensive things you can buy, and they’re ultimately reserved for the world’s super-elite.
When you put it simply, a superyacht is a symbol of unquestionable status, power, and wealth. They’re essentially floating mansions that come equipped with advanced technology and sumptuous fittings.
Some superyachts are staggering in size and ability, such as the Azzam, one of the largest in the world. It’s a hotel-sized superyacht that measures some 180-meters from bow to stern, and it’s worth an incredible $600 million.
However, what we’re more concerned with here is the ability factor, and which superyachts are the fastest. You wouldn’t think it, but some of these enormous vessels can move at intense speeds on the open ocean.
Soar Across The Sea
The fastest superyacht in the world is capable of hitting speeds of 70.1 knots. That’s just over 80 miles-per-hour, an insane speed for a vessel that measures 41.5 meters in length and weighs almost two hundred tons.
It’s known as Foners, but was originally named Fortuna, and was originally built around a seriously powerful engine. Under the hood are two 1,280-horsepower engines, and three 6,700-horsepower turbines.
The technology behind this engineering comes from manufacturers who create engines for semi trucks and aircraft. The amount of power Foners is capable of producing is quite simply incredible.
However, it’s followed closely behind by a comparable superyacht, named The World Is Not Enough. It’s an appropriate title for a vessel that so few people would actually be able to afford.
This superyacht is of a similar size and length, but is a few years newer, and slightly more luxurious than Foners. Although the engine capacity is slightly smaller, it doesn’t fall too far behind the competition, coming in with a max speed of just under 70 knots.
There are no confirmed or recent valuations of these superyachts, but comparable examples easily run into the hundreds of millions of dollars. However, they’re not a patch on the most expensive superyacht on Earth, the History Supreme, which boasts a value of almost five billion dollars.
That almost unbelievable value is due to the yacht itself being constructed with ten thousand kilograms of solid gold. It’s one of the most opulent things anyone on the planet will likely ever own.
I Am Speed
The fastest superyachts are considerably impressive by all accounts, but they don’t come close to the fastest boats in the world.
At the top of the pile is the Spirit of Australia, a specially-built and highly tuned boat that is capable of speeds of up to 317 miles-per-hour. There’s nothing faster on the water, and few things faster on land.
The Spirit of Australia secured the world record for the fastest boat in the world way back in 1978. Although, there were rumours of a Spirit of Australia II being in construction, but this was targeted for launch in 2020, which unfortunately didn’t surface.
It doesn’t seem possible – or practical – for boats and ships to travel much faster than they already do. Ultimately, superyachts are used for pleasure purposes or for long distance cruising, and having one travel at 300 miles-per-hour might not aid the relaxation aspect.