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Jeff Bezos’ New Yacht Is Finally Ready to Set Sail

Amazon’s founder has been spotted on Koru, a massive schooner with a design that evokes the golden age of sailing in the early 20th century.

By Kevin Koenig

Just in time for the high season of yachting in the Mediterranean, when multimillion-dollar megayachts descend on ports like Monte Carlo and St. Tropez, Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, has been photographed with his partner Lauren Sánchez on his new boat, Koru, off the coast of Spain.

Mr. Bezos’ vessel is a sailing yacht, a departure from the diesel-powered, floating palaces popular with other billionaires. But it is still massive. At 417 feet, Koru is the world’s largest sailing yacht, according to Boat International , and it cost an estimated $500 million to build, Bloomberg reported . (Parsifal III, the boat featured on Bravo’s reality series “Below Deck Sailing Yacht,” is 177 feet long — less than half the length of Koru — and cost $18 million , according to the website SuperYachtFan.)

A spokesperson for Mr. Bezos did not comment for this article; neither did Oceanco, Koru’s builder. Here is what to know about the boat.

For traditionalists, Koru is refreshing. At a time when yacht design skews outrageous — see the lizardlike, 262-foot Artefact or the otherworldly 463-foot Yas — Koru stands out as a schooner, a sailing vessel with two or more masts. Photos reveal a large sailboat with three masts, an on-deck pool and a voluptuous mermaid on the bow, that bears a resemblance to Ms. Sánchez. But otherwise, the sleek, classic lines suggest the patrician age of yachting in the early 20th century, said Robert B. MacKay, author of “The Golden Age of Newport Yachting: Between the Wars.”

“With the clipper bow and the dark hull and the masts,” Mr. MacKay said, referring to Koru’s concave, pointy forward section, “it reminds me of a boat built in 1930 for J.P. Morgan Jr., Corsair IV. It is almost like a reincarnation. It’s certainly at odds with the stuff the oligarchs are building — those look like bloated Clorox bottles.”

Compared with the world’s very largest motor yachts — built for sheer size and the accompanying bragging rights — Koru could almost be considered quaint. Azzam, one of the world’s largest motor yachts, is nearly 200 feet longer.

The Experience

Koru will be propelled primarily by the wind. “Sailboats are usually greener than most powerboats,” said Don Anderson, a former captain of M5 , the world’s largest single-masted sailboat, at 256 feet. “I’d like to think that Koru will be one of the most ecological yachts out there, with its sails and also with the technology that will be aboard.”

“When you’re on a sailboat, you’re more in touch with the wind and the waves than on a powerboat,” he continued. “You’re more susceptible to the elements, too. But you can leave California, and once you get past the Catalinas you can basically surf downwind all the way to Hawaii. All you need to do is run with the waves.”

Mr. Bezos has been a guest on similar boats, according to Bloomberg: In 2019, he was spotted on Eos , a 305-foot sailing yacht owned by Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg.

Bill Tripp, a Connecticut-based naval architect, said the appeal of this type of boat is clear: “When you are on a powerboat, you ask, ‘Are we there yet?’ and on a sailboat, you’re enjoying the ride and the ocean so much that you don’t ask that question.”

Koru will be trailed by Abeona, a 246-foot support vessel. Superyachts often have support vessels following along behind them. These “shadows,” as they are colloquially known, are for the “toys” — the ATVs, supercars, seaplanes, motorcycles, smaller boats, scuba gear, personal submarines and even helicopters that pleasure boaters might bring on a trip. According to its builder, this model of boat can carry these gadgets along with dozens of crew members. (Ms. Sanchez flies helicopters, and the couple was recently photographed taking a helicopter to board Abeona and then Koru.)

Abeona, a motor yacht, will have enough range to follow Koru from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean — a common course for yachts — on a single tank of gas.

The Kerfuffle

Koru set off a controversy last year — before it was even completed — in a face-off with the Dutch city of Rotterdam. The boat was built at Oceanco’s facility in Alblasserdam, the Netherlands, and needed to pass the historic Koningshaven Bridge, known as “De Hef,” in Rotterdam, to undergo testing in the North Sea.

When the city announced it would dismantle the bridge to allow the boat and its mainmast — an estimated 230 feet tall — to pass through unscathed, locals were angry. They planned a protest to throw eggs at the yacht as it cruised by. In the end, the bridge was not taken apart, and the yacht was towed to a different location to have its masts attached.

Koru is Maori for “coil” or “loop” and refers to the unfurling of a fern frond. The koru design is common in traditional Maori art, where it symbolizes new life, growth and peace. Mr. Bezos included a photo of a koru frond in an Instagram post on Jan. 1, 2022.

Brad Stone, who was the first to report on Koru, in his 2021 book “Amazon Unbound: Jeff Bezos and the Invention of a Global Empire,” said the name was “consistent with where we see him today.”

“He is no longer this single-minded tech guy,” Mr. Stone said. “He’s in media and Hollywood and has a new relationship.”

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At 78 metres long and nearly 90 metres tall, the sloop M5 is hard to miss.

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Super yacht docked in Portland Harbor among world’s largest

The M5, at 277 feet long and 54 feet wide, is the largest single-masted sailing yacht in the world, and as of Thursday, it's moored at DiMillo's Marina.

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The largest single-masted sailing yacht ever built is docked in Portland Harbor and towering over DiMillo’s Marina in the Old Port.

Called the M5 and measuring about 277 feet long with a beam 54 feet, the massive pleasure craft arrived Monday, a DiMillo’s employee said.

Where it’s headed or who’s aboard has not been publicly disclosed, but according to MarineTraffic.com, the vessel sailed to Maine from Newport, Rhode Island.

But one thing is for sure – the owner is likely wealthier than your wildest dreams.

“The guys who have the money and the wherewithal to do this have large egos and it takes a very large yacht to carry them,” said John Hanson, publisher of Maine Boats, Homes and Harbors magazine. Advertisement

Hanson said the original owners of boats this size are typically open and public about it, while those who buy them “used” tend to be more discreet. “The first owner builds it as a way to show how big and powerful he is,” Hanson said.

In this case, the M5 was commissioned by Joseph Vittoria, the former chairman and CEO of Avis rental car company. It was completed at a British shipyard and launched in 2004 under the name Mirabella V, but was renamed in 2012 after the boat changed owners.

The original price was not reported at the time it was launched, but was later estimated to be $50 million by people in the maritime industry.

Vittoria reportedly sold the sloop in 2011 for $25 million, according to Fortune magazine and other sources. The buyer was Rod Lewis, a billionaire Texas oil-and-gas tycoon.

The vessel has a master bedroom suite on its main deck and six cabins that sleep up to 12 people. Running the boat requires a crew of more than a dozen, according to a 2010 Greenwich Time story .

And if mooring it isn’t possible, there is a smaller yacht stored inside the hull that can be launched to ferry passengers and visitors back and forth to shore from an anchorage. Advertisement

If water travel isn’t appealing, there is even space to park a small sea plane on the stern, thanks to a retrofit that extended the M5’s overall length.

Hanson said that many boats this size are often chartered, and at great cost.

As of 2005, the yacht’s charter rate per week was about $420,000, and if it was rented 14 weeks a year, the rental revenue of about $5.9 million would equal its annual operating costs, the Greenwich newspaper reported. Whether those figures still hold true is unknown.

While larger sailing yachts with more masts have been constructed, M5 still ranks as the largest of the single-mast variety, according to BoatInternational.com, a clearinghouse for news and advertisements for yacht sales, rankings and charters and other expensive maritime hobbies. The Greenwich paper reported that the mast is nearly 290 feet tall, nearly the height of the Statue of Liberty and too tall to fit under the Golden Gate Bridge, according to Forbes.

Hanson said Maine is a popular destination this time of year for wealthy, seafaring travelers.

“There’s no place better to have your boat in August than the coast of Maine. Seriously,” he said. “Maine is the most awesome cruising grounds in the world. And that’s why they’re here. You can explore the coast of Maine in a 24-footer you get on Craigslist, and have the same experience. Well, not quite the same experience. You might be drinking out of a beer can. But the view is the same.”

Matt Byrne can be contacted at 791-6303 or at:

[email protected]

Twitter: MattByrnePPH

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Superyacht Mirabella V sold

It's been a remarkable week as Jacqui Lockhart at Select Charter Services sends word that the 75.22m sailing yacht Mirabella V was sold last week to a private owner who plans a major refit and then extensive cruising. Captain Rocka Romcke and his crew will stay on board with the new owner. Jacqui worked with the owners since conception and advises that "it was a pleasure to be involved in such a unique project and to represent her successfully for charter over the last seven years." Mirabella V may return to the charter market again in the future.

Her owner, Joseph Vittoria, comments, "After seven wonderful years creating Mirabella V and six exciting years sailing in her, it was time to move on. She is in good hands which was very important for us."

Mirabella V is a superyacht in every sense of the word. At 75.22 metres, she is the largest single-masted sailing yacht in the world, and holds the world record for the largest sail and the tallest mast. She has a very spacious interior that can accommodate up to 16 guests in a master suite, four doubles and two twins plus two Pullman berths. Delivered in 2004 by Vosper Thornycroft to a Ron Holland design, she’s proved to be a very popular charter yacht and was featured in the 2005 edition of The Superyachts book.

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World’s largest single-masted sailing yacht visits Penobscot Bay

CAMDEN — M5, reportedly the largest single-masted sailing yacht in existence, spent the weekend awing visitors to Camden Harbor with its impressive size and trappings of luxury. 

At approximately 277 feet in length, M5 has been photographed alongside some of Camden’s beloved windjammers — and while they are not small boats by most standards, they appear dwarfed by the size of M5. 

The Portland Press Herald reported that the M5 was docked at DiMillo’s Marina in Portland Thursday, September 6, after traveling from Newport, Rhode Island. The report did not reveal the destination of the boat or who was on board. 

The M5 was originally called Mirabella V and was commissioned by Joseph Vittoria, CEO of rental car giant Avis, according to the Press Herald report. 

According to a May 2012 report from Fortune Magazine , Vittoria sold the vessel in June 2011 to gas and oil magnate Rod Lewis for a reported $25 million. Lewis renamed the boat around the time of the sale.

The same report notes that the boat cannot pass under the Golden Gate Bridge due to the height of its mast. 

The boat was built in England and originally launched in 2004. A retrofit completed in 2013 saw its overall length extended, according to multiple reports.

A 2010 Greenwich Time  story describes the Mirabella V as Vittoria owned and envisioned it: "I wanted the challenge, to build (a yacht) that would perform as well as power boats," Vittoria told Greenwich Time .

The report shares details of the boat including lavish amenities and extras including jet skis, kayaks and assorted toys to enjoy on the water. Additionally, the vessel boasts multiple pools, a gymnasium and a 29-foot Hinckley Picnic Boat which serves as its tender.

According to reports , the boat can accommodate up to a dozen guests and requires a crew of more than that to operate. At present, it is reportedly primarily used for luxury charters. 

For more information about visiting ships check out marinetraffic.com 

Reach Jenna Lookner at [email protected]

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77m Sail Yacht M5 (ex. Mirabella V) by Vosper Thornycroft

• €50,000,000

M5 (ex Mirabella V) is the world’s largest sloop and one of the most advanced sailing super yachts afloat.M5: The largest single-masted sailing yacht in the world M5 is a sloop-rigged super yacht launched in 2003. At an estimated cost of over USD 50 million, she is the largest single-masted yacht ever built.

The 77.6-metre sailing yacht M5 (formerly Mirabella V) has emerged after her extensive refit at NCA Refit (2019) part of The Italian Sea Group. Having been originally built for Joseph Vittoria, the former CEO of the Avis Rent-A-Car company, and was first launched in 2004 and became a record-breaking sailing yacht.

Designed by Ron Holland and built by VT Shipbuilding, she was the largest composite yacht in the world with an 89-metre rig. Her 151-tonne lifting keel varied the draught from 4 to 10 metres.

The current owner (who acquired M5 in 2012) wanted to change the transom shape and extend the aft deck to carry a Carbon Cub seaplane. The works to achieve this began with Pendennis who saw to her new stern, major engineering upgrades, new Carbo-Link rigging and a refreshed interior by RWD in 2014.

Having noticed some problems with the newly-altered yacht – particularly in the way the raised keel box generated a lot of noise in the owner’s suite – the NCA Refit yard together with Rob Doyle Design were chosen to take on the next phase of the refit. The team cut the keel in half to move the ram housing forward, then oversaw the yacht’s exterior colour change.

The now three-tone metallic grey also sports a new composite hardtop to replace the soft bimini on the flybridge, recaulked teak decking to match the silver paintwork, new interior flooring, carpeting and fabrics, new finishes in the bathrooms, and a marble bar in the main saloon.

“M5 has been a challenging project from both an engineering and logistical perspective, but the results speak for themselves,” says Giovanni Costantino, chairman and CEO of The Italian Sea Group. “The refit market is important in its own right, but the experience and know-how we gain from these complex projects can be transferred to our new-builds, and vice-versa.”

ACCOMMODATION M5’s interior configuration has been designed to comfortably accommodate up to 12 guests overnight in 6 cabins, comprising a master suite, 3 double cabins, 2 twin cabins and 2 pullman beds. She is also capable of carrying up to 14 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht experience.

CONSTRUCTION & DIMENSIONS M5 features a displacement grp hull and grp superstructure, with teak decks. She was built to DNV (Det Norske Veritas) Germanischer Lloyd classification society rules, and is MCA Compliant.

PERFORMANCE Powered by 2 MTU (12V2000M70) 1,080hp diesel engines sailing yacht M5 is capable of a top speed of 13 knots, and comfortably cruises at 10 knots when powered by her engines. With her 60,000 litres fuel tanks she has a maximum range of 3,455 nautical miles at 11 knots. Her water tanks store around 31,000 litres of fresh water.

AMENITIES Gym, Sauna, Movie Theatre, Barbeque, Tender Garage, Swimming Platform, Dip Pool, Air Conditioning, WiFi connection on board, Deck Jacuzzi

SPECIAL FEATURES Apart from the luxurious full-beam master suite, there are six double cabins, a saloon, dining room, gymnasium and sauna. Her carbon-fibre mast is the world’s tallest, towering 88.3m and carrying approximately 3,717 square metres of sail

Name: M5 Year: 2004 Exterior: Interior Naval Architect  Ron  Holland, Country: Italy Top speed: 13 Cruise speed: 10 Listing ID: 511

IMO: 8979374 Name: M5 Vessel Type – Generic: Pleasure Craft Vessel Type – Detailed: Yacht Status: Active MMSI: 319191100 Call Sign: MDJS3 Flag: Cayman Is [KY] Gross Tonnage: 1017 Summer DWT: 66 t Length Overall x Breadth Extreme: 84.7 x 16.7 m Year Built: 2004

• Price: €50,000,000
• Property Type: Vosper Thornycroft
• Property Status: Sold
• Yacht Name: M5
• Ship Yard: Vosper Thornycroft
• Naval Design: Ron Holland
• IMO: 8979374
• MSSI: 319191100

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Cool San Diego Sights!

Colorful photos of San Diego places and events.

World’s largest single-masted yacht in San Diego!

I had to blink my eyes a couple times during my walk today. I was behind the San Diego Convention Center, where lots of visiting super yachts are docked, and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

That huge ship in front of me looked like the largest sailboat on planet Earth!

As it turned out, my first impression wasn’t far from the truth!

A little searching on the internet proved that I had spotted the Mirabella V (today more commonly called M5), a sloop-rigged super yacht launched in 2003. Registered in the Isle of Man, it’s the largest single-masted yacht ever built. It’s 292 feet high! That’s almost the height of a 30-story skyscraper! It’s so tall, it won’t fit under any bridge accessible from the ocean. Not even the Golden Gate Bridge!

It’s hard to appreciate the mind-boggling immensity of this amazing vessel with these quick pics, but I thought they were worth sharing anyway.

You never know what extraordinary thing you’ll encounter during an ordinary stroll!

Here are a couple more pics I snapped on October 19…

Here’s another pic I took in March 2015…

Check out what I saw on April 12, as I was walking along!

This blog now features thousands of photos around San Diego!  Are you curious?  There’s lots of cool stuff to check out!

Here’s the  Cool San Diego Sights  main page, where you can read the most current blog posts.  If you’re using a small mobile device, click those three parallel lines up at the top–that opens up my website’s sidebar, where you’ll see the most popular posts, a search box, and more!

To enjoy future posts, you can also “like” Cool San Diego Sights on Facebook  or follow me on Twitter .

Published by

Richard Schulte

Downtown San Diego has been my home for many years. My online activities reflect my love for writing, blogging, walking and photography. View all posts by Richard Schulte

34 thoughts on “World’s largest single-masted yacht in San Diego!”

would love to see it in full sail!

If I happen to see that, I’ll get some photos! I can’t imagine how much its sail weighs! All that canvas must weigh tons!

What a sight that must be but I wonder why anyone needs such a huge ship. Maybe just for bragging rights.

Bragging rights is probably close to the truth. Like the most expensive car or biggest house. At some point the size would just be ridiculous… It almost looks absurdly huge now!

Reblogged this on itkindofgotawayfromyou .

Hi Richard, thanks for the follow! I like the first picture for scale – my goodness, it’s BIG!

There’s nothing right next to it that really puts its size in good context. But when you walk by, you really have to tip your head back!

It’s in Cabo now. It came in a couple days ago. What a beautiful boat!

Like Liked by 1 person

Thanks for the update! I noticed it was gone a week or two ago. I wish I’d seen it under sail!

I saw this the other day, way cool. Thanks for popping by my blog. I love my home city of San Diego and will follow you so I don’t miss what’s going on around here.

Thanks! Have a great Sunday!

How did it get under the Cornado bridge to get there?

My mistake I looked at a map!

No problem! I’m guessing a huge percentage of the harbors in the world are inaccessible to the M5. To think entry into the entire San Francisco Bay is blocked!

Reblogged this on John's Navy and other Marine or Military News .

Wow, some really nice pics there – I’ve never travelled to the States but San Diego looks amazing. Thanks for checking out Geek Blogger UK!

Thanks, Chris. Have a great day across the pond!

Lovely pics – Will be adding this to my ‘Things to do’ in San Diego 2016! Great post…Rav

Like Liked by 2 people

Thanks! Have fun next year!

Reblogged this on charles rogers home page and commented: My fantasy life has always included an Ocean-going sailboat and a Bush-hopping Seaplane (The Lindbergh’s?) Your San Diego photos have rekindled those fantasies. Thank you. Charles Rogers

Thanks for the reblog! If I had the money, I might do the same!

Only in California Where the sun shines And the earth is sinking As always Sheldon

Now that’s one big sailboat! Hard to imagine a yacht large enough for a seaplane to fit on board. Wow! Keep taking those great walks.

It was so huge it blew my mind!

Beautiful boat. Saw her in August in Fiji! She gets around.

It would be fun to sail about on her!

What a blast from the past!

I was lucky to be onboard of Mirabella C, the precursor of M5. That was in Thailand in 1992 where Pekka Koskenkylä and and Bruce Farr were building Mirabellas. Pekka himself was our host on the visit. I still remember the meticulous work of the Thai ship builders.

Yachting World wrote a story about M5 in 2003 and in that article was a note about the history: “But his first really large yacht was the 131ft (40m) Bruce Farr/Pekka Koskenkyla-designed Mirabella C launched in 1992 followed by the 134ft 6in (41m) Mirabella C III two years later. They were famously towed across a beach in Thailand by a team of elephants before being launched. Both were built in composites and both used project management and building expertise from the UK, including Paul Johnson’s knowledge.” See http://www.yachtingworld.com/mirabella-v/mirabella-v-vospers-super-sloop-39301 .

Knowing how dizzying high the mast of Mirabella C was (41.4 m / 136 ft), seeing M5 in full glory (77.60 m / 255 ft) must be an exceptional experience!

Thanks for posting. 🙂

Thanks for the great comment and info! I’ll check out the link! I like the anecdote about the elephants!

Thanks! The M5 blew my mind when I first saw it! I got lucky to be at the right place!

Thought I was following you, Richard, thanks for stopping by and reminding me that I was missing my virtual photo walks through my hometown. I live in Norcal now but am in SD 2-3 times a year visiting family in east county. Cheers!

Happy Holidays to you up north!

Currently docked in Cape Town. Massive yacht. Can not believe the size of it. Stunning

Thanks for the update. It IS huge!

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