Not all the stars of the Cannes Film Festival walked the red carpet; some were out on the ocean, anchored in the Bay of Cannes. While most people were looking at the Palais des Festivals, others were looking out to sea, where Jeff Bezos's yacht and support vessels were anchored.
Its new 127m Oceanco sailing yacht, Koru, and its 75m support vessel, Aebona, were recently delivered to their owner.
Why does a yacht owner need a superyacht and a pleasure craft, especially considering the small size difference between the two yachts?
Slim Bouricha, president of Lynx Yachts, shares his expertise on the matter: “ While having a support vessel smaller than the main yacht may seem like a conventional choice, this isn't always the case. Lynx delivered a YXT24 to the owner of a 70-meter yacht, but it also delivered the same one to the owner of a 24-meter yacht. There's also a Damen 6711 barge that sailed alongside a 50-meter yacht. ».
However, not all superyacht owners have a support vessel, as Slim points out: “ The larger the yacht, the greater the need for accessories and tenders. Captains (and owners) of large yachts are always happy to free up prime space and have all the major equipment on their support vessels; this is also where daily maintenance can take place. ».
Support vessels are mainly used to transport the main yacht's equipment, such as the helicopter, tenders, jet skis, etc., and the crew.
Do main yachts still have cabins for part of the crew, what is the usual ratio?
Slim continues: “ There really isn't a ratio. The main yacht is always designed to be self-sufficient and carry a decent amount of toys and reasonably sized tenders. Support vessels exponentially increase the carrying capacity for much larger equipment such as limousines, helicopters, fishing or wakeboard boats, submarines, etc. The main yacht can weigh anchor and depart in no time, leaving the support vessel behind to lift all the tenders on board. Another example is laundry; unless you're on a very large yacht, laundry areas are cramped and it's a real advantage to be able to have it done on the support vessel. ».
In Jeff Bezos's case, the Koru sailboat and the Abeona motorboat were built by two different shipyards. Slim explains that: " Today, there are two well-known brands for building yacht support vessels: Damen with its Sea Axe line and Lynx Yachts with its YXT line. They each occupy a different market segment. Specialization, so to speak, isn't just about building a support vessel, but rather understanding the key design features required in a support vessel and their engineering implications. This is why there aren't many companies building such vessels."
In Bezos's case, both yachts were delivered together. It seems that not all support yacht owners have their two yachts built at the same time. Bouricha adds that " Some owners, for example, may feel that their yacht is too large and that a support vessel may be the solution; it would be cheaper for an owner of a 40m yacht to acquire a YXT24 than to upgrade to a 50m yacht. »
About Lynx Yachts
Founded in 2013 by Slim Bouricha, a mechanical engineer and seasoned sailor, this expert quickly surrounded himself with a team of specialists and yachting enthusiasts like himself.
Lynx Yachts launched its first yacht, the 33m Heliad II (now renamed Robbie Bobby), in May 2013. Since then, the Netherlands-based shipyard has built six yachts and developed several models, always anticipating the demands of passionate yacht enthusiasts. Striving to deliver an unparalleled owner experience, the experts leading the Lynx Yachts team dedicate their know-how and experience to ensuring the success of every unit built by the shipyard.
With proven engineering skills and the latest design solutions, LYNX YACHTS, drawing on its deep Dutch heritage and team of experienced craftsmen, is able to build quality boats for any purpose in a short time.
Whatever the requirement, from support vessels to fully customized motor yachts, LYNX YACHTS is ready to deliver technologically advanced projects from its diverse range of platforms, each molded to meet the needs of the future owner.
Website - https://www.lynxyachts.com/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu9M1JhjN-p3Jd487zdCYRQ
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/lynxyachts/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lynxyachts/
Patrick Koune
