Mallorca, Spain, is a magnet for multi-millionaires and megayachts. This time, it is the address of the mammoth 464-foot-long Yas superyacht. The once-deadly warship of the Dutch Navy, owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, graced Club de Mar in Palma with some very careful help from the port pilots. Being the 14th longest private yacht in the world, it demanded expert local navigation akin to that of oil tankers, and the port pilots were instrumental in the smooth docking of the $180 million superyacht.
The luxury vessel of the half-brother of the current President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, was formerly known as Swift 141. It is currently making the most of the illustrious Club De Mar, an excellent private marina with 650 places for big and small yachts.
The marina also features the new Bar de La Marina and sports facilities like sailing, canoeing, and stand-up paddle schools. It accommodated the royal ship that packs 42,000 horsepower with utmost ease.
The pleasure craft of the Abu Dhabi royal is a gorgeous goliath with space for no less than 60 guests and a crew of 56 members on board. Yas is a stunning vessel with a unique silhouette owing to French designer Jacques Pierrejean of Pierrejean Design Studio, who transformed the warship into a beautiful luxury vessel with a distinct dolphin-inspired shape.
The extensive use of glass on the superstructure adds an aquatic allure to the craft. Despite being such an eye-catcher for the last 13 years, the vessel, built with a steel hull and composite superstructure with teak decks, has never offered a peek at the gorgeousness beneath. The stellar ship commands attention owing to the outdoor pool, helipad, and automatic stern platform.
It conceals a highly sophisticated audio-visual entertainment system and a big garage for water toys and tenders. Her shape lends her a maximum speed of 26 knots, making Yas one of the world’s fastest superyachts, despite her length of 464 feet and a volume of 4700 GT.
Who is Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan?
A representative of Abu Dhabi’s ruler in the Western Region, Sheikh Hamdan is a billionaire with a net worth of around $1.2 billion. The fourth son of the founder of the UAE, he serves as deputy prime minister of the UAE. The 61-year-old has a bachelor’s degree in political science and business administration, both from the United Arab Emirates University. A sports enthusiast, this member of the House of Nahyan was the Chairman of the UAE Football Association for a decade starting in 1984, and in 2019, opened the new ERC headquarters at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi. A kind-hearted man, he was instrumental in the banning of employing children as camel jockeys.
