When you’re looking for inspiration, do you refer to quotes, read biographies, or pick up self-help books? Here’s another maritime alternative, the 280-foot Vibrant Curiosity superyacht. It is a $150 million symbol of a thrifty, work-obsessed Swabian entrepreneur who went from saving fuel by switching off the engine while driving downhill to owning a 2,822 GT superyacht with a fuel-tank capacity of 285,000 liters.
Billionaire businessman Reinhold Würth, known globally as Germany’s “King of Screws”, has owned the Oceanco yacht for nearly two decades and spent around $10 million annually on its upkeep. His life isn’t one laden with luxuries every step of the way. Rather, it is one that paved the way for luxury step by step. Today, the same Würth, who once saved money wherever possible during the early days of business, is the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Würth Group, boasting a fortune worth $34 billion. The superyacht is named Vibrant Curiosity as an ode to his corporate ethos.
This determined 91-year-old billionaire transformed his father’s two-person screw wholesaling operation (with his father being one employee and Reinhold the other) into an industrial empire with more than 86,000 employees. The phrase served as the Würth Group’s corporate motto for the 2006–2007 business year. It was in 2009 that the vessel, designed by Nuvolari Lenard, was delivered to Würth, whose business empire had spread across more than 400 companies. As a world leader in fastening and assembly materials, he enjoyed his enormous wealth aboard an Oceanco masterpiece that was among the largest in the world at the time of its delivery.
While the group’s operation spans across 80 countries through more than 2,800 branches and shops, handled by over 86,000 employees, the Schraubenkönig (German nickname for King of Screws), spends two to three months a year aboard. Vibrant Curiosity is truly his floating home. It bridges his fascination with travel, fulfills his passion for art, and offers solace to a businessman who has been working since he was a teenager of 14.
What lies onboard the Vibrant Curiosity yacht?
The five-deck vessel, worth $150 million, features a striking dark hull, a flared bow, and aggressive, modern lines. To break up the bulk of her exterior, the designers made ample use of glass, which was a novelty for superyachts in the early 2000s. As a result, Vibrant Curiosity came to life with a signature three-story glass strip rising through three decks, optimizing natural light and offering panoramic views from the interior living spaces.
The wealthy owner, who spends a quarter of his year aboard the pleasure craft, lives life king-size in a master stateroom complete with its own private office and an exterior deck area featuring a whirlpool.
A total of 18 guests can be accommodated across nine guest cabins, enjoying high-end amenities like a 23-foot pool, a spa, a beach club, and a dedicated 26-person crew. As a licensed commercial pilot who flew business aircraft for more than 40 years and headed a local flying club, Würth couldn’t do without a helipad on his own luxury vessel. As speculation about the closely guarded interior continues, as does speculation that the ship may act as a floating art gallery housing some highly coveted pieces.
Würth is one of Europe’s most prominent private art collectors. While it remains under wraps whether the magnificent yacht contains works from his vast collection of over 20,000 pieces spanning 500 years of art history, the man who gave the world a famous “screw museum” in Künzelsau would undoubtedly give his guests a peek at some masterpieces of the art world.
