The most extraordinary aspect of Feadship’s Drizzle Yacht is how ordinary it is. Belonging to Zara billionaire Amancio Ortega, worth $86.7 billion, the motor yacht is just that, a boat. It is evidently not commissioned to become a sea-faring representation of the tycoon’s empire (like Roman Abramovich or Alisher Usmanov) and is a straightforward, pedigree yacht spanning 220 feet. To put the length into perspective Aeon the shadow vessel of Jeff Bezos’ mammoth Koru sailing yacht is 249 feet long. Let’s take an in-depth look at what makes this unpretentious vessel pull off a balancing act between luxury and performance.
Drizzle, an unassuming luxury vessel-
This Feadship tri-deck luxury vessel, owned by the richest man in Spain, was delivered in 2012 and underwent a refit in 2019. The ship features several informal areas, sleeps 12 guests in seven staterooms, and boasts ample space complemented by equally impressive outdoor areas.
The refit got Drizzle an extended full-width swim platform with a shower and retractable self-washing swim ladder. It creates a seamless transition between swimming in the ocean and returning to the boat.
This no-fuss yacht displays a contemporary yet classic exterior with an open sun deck and three lounge areas. The outdoors plays a crucial role in ensuring time spent aboard is fun-filled and features an informal dining area aft of the bridge deck.
The sun deck lounge areas are the space to unwind, complete with eight cushioned sun loungers, a hardtop Bimini, and a dedicated space to mingle aft with a retractable sun awning and a bank of oversized sun beds.
The yacht comfortably houses 12 guests across seven cabins on the lower deck. The master suite is like a tidy and crisp hotel room that’s basic in aesthetics yet offers luxuries aboard, like a king-sized bed, ensuite with a full-sized bath, an office area, and a dressing room. Among other amenities are a well-equipped gym, state-of-the-art entertainment systems, and a tender garage dedicated to a wide array of toys like two 7.5m tenders, two WaveRunners, three SeaBobs, windsurfers, and kayaks.
Drizzle flaunts a top speed of 16.5 knots and is listed for an asking price of $69.5 million with Hamilton Marine International’s Jonathan Syrett. She is currently moored in the Port of Monaco.
Zara boss Amancio Ortega owns the Drizzle superyacht:
Ortega’s fortune ($86.7 billion) yields from a whopping 59.3% stake in Inditex, the world’s largest clothing retailer. He co-founded Zara and incorporated it into Inditex. Sounds simple right? The reality was very different for the son of a railroad worker and a stay-at-home mother. Ortega started making clothes with his siblings and future wife, Rosalia Mera, in their home in the early 1960s. Many painstaking years later, they opened the first Zara store in downtown La Coruña, Spain, in 1975. SCMP highlights, the businessman planned to name the store Zorba initially after the film Zorba the Greek.
A decade later in 1985, Ortega incorporated Zara into a holding company called Inditex and never looked back. Zara operates nearly 3000 stores in over 96 countries and is one of the most successful fast fashion brands worldwide. The tycoon also owns brands like Pull&Bear, Bershka, Massimo Dutti, Stradivarius, Oysho, Uterqüe, and Zara Home. In addition to Drizzle, the wealthy Ortega owns Valoria B, a beautiful $35 million luxury yacht built by Feadship in 2018. Ortega primarily uses the Valoria B as a ‘local’ yacht near his residences in Spain.
Note – As of writing this article, according to Bloomberg’s Billionaire Index, Amancio Ortega is worth $86.7 billion.