joe yacht

• Hybrids & EVs
• Marine & RVs

Inside Joe Manchin’s Yacht He Insured for $700,000

Joe Manchin’s boat , Almost Heaven, has drawn a lot of attention in the media in recent weeks. The Washington boat of the Democratic senator from West Virginia is said to be a rustic political getaway where you’ll find beer and pizza but no pretensions. You’re more likely to see shirts and shorts in the laid-back atmosphere of Almost Heaven than suits and ties. So, when did the senator buy the vessel ? How much did it cost for insurance ? Was the boat always like it is now?

Technically, Joe Manchin’s Almost Heaven is a yacht

While Manchin’s craft doesn’t sound like a yacht , it very much is. According to a 2004 article in the Washington Post , the vessel is a custom-built 65-by-20-foot, three-story hull. There are 1,500 square feet of air-conditioned interior living space with more amenities than you’d find in most condos.

The craft features an open, light-filled living room and dining area with a granite dining table. There’s enough space to entertain as many as 50 people on the vessel. Meanwhile, its kitchen was described as having a full-size electric stove, granite countertops, a Sub-Zero refrigerator, two dishwashers, and a trash compactor. It also boasts a good amount of cabinet and drawer storage space.

The house boat/yacht is insured for $700,000

The media describes it these days as a rustic houseboat. Once touted as a $700,000 luxury yacht in a 2018 Republican attack ad, Manchin’s own office reported that the used vessel was acquired for $220,000, according to the Daily Poster .

According to PolitiFact , the documentation was a 2014 memorandum of sale that listed the sale price for the boat as $220,000. The document showed that the boat was purchased from M&T Bank and National Liquidators brokered the deal.

When independent experts were asked to account for the difference between the two dollar amounts, they could not provide an explanation. It was likely the result of someone eager to sell the craft, and it was later insured at the boat’s original market value of $700,000.

Docked as a home on the Potomac River

Manchin’s home on the Potomac River has become a popular and critical destination in Washington lately. It’s reportedly been the site of core group negotiations on the bipartisan infrastructure bill that was just signed into law by President Biden in November. 

Manchin, according to TIME , wasn’t enthusiastic about buying real estate in Washington with its higher cost of living. The boat, which is anchored about eight miles south of the Capitol, is where he stays three nights or so a week when the Senate is in session. Manchin thinks the craft provides a setting to foster bipartisanship among lawmakers who arrive and don’t know anyone else there.

Manchin regularly invites Senators from both sides of the aisle out for cruises in the evening. Manchin told TIME that it’s surprising what people find they have in common. He named current Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York a fan of the boat, claiming he likes the boat’s ambiance. 

With his self-appointed task of trying to restore civility in a time of growing political division in Washington, Manchin’s yacht likely can’t carry enough beer or Merlot to get that job done. The conservative senator is a practitioner of an older form of politics. Manchin is admittedly frustrated at times but not ready to give up just yet. Manchin is a fan of results that aren’t easy to come by in Washington. Almost Heaven then serves as a means of escape for the senator when things get particularly stressful as they so often do.

‘The Shape’ Solar Superyacht: Huge Hole and Clean Energy

Scrapper buys ship, discovers freezer full of bodies and solves pirate mystery

3 crew members of sunk billionaire yacht under investigation for shipwreck, manslaughter

[Video] Cruise ship crew won Queen’s Medal for fighting off 2 boats of Somali pirates with a hose

Tina Pavlik

Tina Pavlik began as a contributing writer for Endgame360 in 2018. She has over 20 years of publishing experience and has written content for MotorBiscuit, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, and Sportscasting. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Computer Science at Virginia Tech.

Tina grew up surrounded by cars. Her father was an auto mechanic, her uncle owned a body shop, and all three of them dragged race for years. She covers everything from electric vehicles to van life. She has also worked as an extra in several movies and shows like Halloween (2018), The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021), Homeland (Showtime), Banshee (Cinemax), and Vice Principals (HBO). Further, Tina works part-time as an extras casting assistant for Tona Dahlquist Casting.

• Latest News

• Steal Our Stories

Fact-check: Does Joe Manchin have a $700,000 Luxury Yacht?

A screenshot from a National Republican Senatorial Committee ad against Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va. Credit: NRSC

The National Republican Senatorial Committee — the Senate Republicans’ campaign arm — didn’t hold back in a campaign ad aimed at Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.

The ad, released in early August, charged that “West Virginia Joe” had transformed himself into “Washington Joe.” And a key exhibit for this argument was a pricey boat he owned.

Manchin owns a “$700,000 D.C. luxury yacht,” the ad said, illustrating the claim with a photograph showing a docked vessel.

pic.twitter.com/GNwdXbFCM4 — The Senate Majority (@NRSC) August 7, 2018

Is this accurate? We took a closer look.

Manchin’s campaign does not dispute that he owns a boat, “Almost Heaven,” saying it is where Manchin has typically lived when in Washington and not back home in West Virginia.

In fact, the boat is hardly a secret. It has been written about periodically before; articles often mention sessions he’s held on the boat with other lawmakers to negotiate legislation and strategy.

In 2014, for instance,  Time magazine  wrote that both “Almost Heaven” and Manchin’s previous vessel, the “Black Tie,” serve as “a kind of floating incubator of that tenderest of Washington flowers in the first decades of the 21st century: bipartisanship.”

To back up its assertion, the NRSC provided PolitiFact with a document labeled “ general index or abstract of title continuation sheet No. 1 ,” the cost of the vessel was listed $700,000.

Manchin’s campaign instead offered a different document with a lower dollar figure.

That document, a  memorandum of sale  from 2014, said the purchase price for the vessel was $220,000. The document says that Manchin purchased the boat from M&T Bank, with National Liquidators as the broker of the sale.

Independent experts we contacted were unable to explain the difference in the two dollar figures, beyond speculating that the vessel was purchased from a seller eager to get rid of it and later insured at the boat’s market value.

According to  Boats.com , any vessel “over 40 feet long almost always qualifies” as a yacht. By the length standard alone, that would qualify “Almost Heaven” as a yacht: The vessel, built in 2001, is 65 feet long, according to  Coast Guard documents  provided to PolitiFact by the NRSC.

Whether it’s a “luxury” vessel, however, is in the eye of the beholder.

According to the  Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology , the word “yacht … connotes elegance and expense.” Boats.com adds, “Just as a cocky walk would never be mistaken for a limping shuffle, yacht attitude is the net result of a combination of factors that are easy to spot as a group but hard to quantify individually.”

The vessel is listed as “recreational” on documents. However, a less confrontational — but similarly accurate — description could be “houseboat,” since it is Manchin’s residence in Washington.

The NRSC said that Manchin has a “$700,000 D.C. luxury yacht.”

There’s no dispute that Manchin has a boat docked in Washington, D.C. Its 40-foot length would generally qualify it as a yacht, but since Manchin lives there when he is in town, it could be just as easily described as a houseboat. The vessel was purchased for much less, but it appears to be insured for $700,000. Whether it qualifies as a “luxury” vessel is a matter of opinion.

The information we’ve found backs up elements of both the NRSC’s original assertion and Manchin’s counterargument, so we rate it Half True.

Joseph Kennedy, Kenna Richards, Douglas Soule

Republish This Story

This article was originally published by 100 Days in Appalachia, a nonprofit, collaborative newsroom telling the complex stories of the region that deserve to be heard. Sign up for their weekly newsletter here.

Republish this article

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .

This article was originally published by 100 Days in Appalachia , a nonprofit, collaborative newsroom telling the complex stories of the region that deserve to be heard. Sign up for their weekly newsletter here .

by Joseph Kennedy, Kenna Richards, Douglas Soule, 100 Days in Appalachia October 5, 2018

← Previous Post

West Virginia And Kentucky College Students Still Struggle to Pay Back Loans

Next post →.

Fact-check: Did Joe Manchin vote to fund the border wall?

MORE SECTIONS

• Social Casino

MORE FROM THE SUN

• Newsletters
• Premier League

Tottenham billionaire owner Joe Lewis has an amazing £113m superyacht, which features a full sized tennis court

• Published : 7:22 ET, Sep 16 2022
• Updated : 10:31 ET, Sep 16 2022

• Published : Invalid Date,

WHEN you have an estimated wealth of around £4.3billion, you aren't going to skimp on boys' toys.

And billionaire Spurs owner Joe Lewis is testament to that fact - owning an astonishing £113million superyacht which measures 321-feet long.

The East End-born businessman is believed to live on board the Aviva, once spotted docked on the Thames, which has been referred to as his mobile office.

Better still, it has everything an 85-year-old would need in terms of amenities, including the very first full-size indoor tennis court ever installed on a yacht.

Join SunSport for a tour.

NEW BALLS, PLEASE

Lewis does not need to  be on dry land to get his tennis fix.

After all, he has an incredible tennis court built into the Aviva - the first of its kind - that he and his guests can play on.

At 20 metres long and 10 metres wide, the court area goes up to 6.65 metres high.

And it's not just for tennis, as the yacht's designer Reymond Langton explained.

"It is not only a lifestyle change for the owner but also for the crew as this is also the largest gym of any yacht," the British design studio told Yacht Harbour .

Most read in football

Michael Strahan interrupts Terry Bradshaw on Fox NFL Sunday during argument

Fox NFL Sunday mocks Brady after 'struggle' with sickness during TV broadcasts

Stephen A. Smith sends message to Aaron Rodgers amid Ryan Clark feud

MLB icon and Hall of Famer dead at 65

"The crew is encouraged to play with the owner and guests and when the court is not in use for padel (tennis), the net can be removed and the crew plays football and use other exercise equipment in the space.

"It is after all a sports hall."

A MOBILE OFFICE

Lewis, who made his millions in currency trading after running several restaurants and nightclubs from the 1960s, spends most of the year on his boat.

For the Spurs boss, it's not just a place where he can enjoy a luxurious life, the Aviva is perfect for working remotely.

"Communication and information are critical to me." Lewis said in an interview with regards to his requirements for his floating office.

"To be effective, I need reliable phones and internet, these have improved much over the past few years, but, it is too expensive, too slow and not consistently reliable.

"Aviva is more than an office; it is also my home for much of the year. So for me, it is relaxing working from home, wherever Aviva may be in the world."

It can also be used to entertain, just as it was when he invited the Spurs team on board in 2013 during their tour of the Bahamas.

Then-skipper Michael Dawson said: "I had never met him before, so it was nice to go over there and a great experience.

“What a really nice guy. And that yacht is unreal! But he’s just a normal guy. You could chat to him about anything. He tunes into all the games, he loves it. We just sat there chatting. He made us feel so welcome over there. It was relaxed. A lot of team-bonding together."

BAHAMAS-READY

It's mostly in the Bahamas where Lewis - among the richest men in the UK - spends his days as a tax exile.

And the Aviva, which can house up to 16 guests, is fully equipped for the Caribbean lifestyle.

The exterior relaxation area features a circular set of lounging pads on the sun deck, as well as smaller lounging pads towards the yacht's bridge.

A cool swimming platform can also open up into the sea, that means you can have your own beach area with Aviva's tenders coming out of side doors.

Talking about boys' toys, the superyacht even has a speedboat and jet skis on board.

PERFORMANCE

The German-built Aviva, the 46th longest yacht in the world, took three years to complete.

And it's certainly not lacking in spec, either.

Powered by an eco-friendly drive system, it can reach a top speed of 20 knots.

The unique hull design that comes together with an electric propulsions system means that less fuel is used.

Unbelievably, the Aviva can cruise at 11 knots purely on electric power only.

Now, where can we get one?

• Football features
• Sport Features
• Tottenham Hotspur

The first yacht to house a  full-sized 

Padel tennis court.

98M SUPERYACHT- 'AVIVA' 

Joe Lewis, the British billionaire, Chairman of Tavistock Group and the 5th richest man in the UK, commissioned this stunning superyacht which was launched in January 2017. She is believed to be valued at US$250 million! That’s £204,225,000.00 GBP!  

When Joe’s not at his home in the Bahamas, where Tavistock Group is based, he will be enjoying the luxury on board this 98-metre (322 ft) vessel. He says it’s his ‘home away from home’ and spends much of the year on board, using it as a floating office, wherever in the world it might be. 

At the time, Aviva was the largest creation designed by Reymond Langton. It was built by Abeking & Rasmussen who had to create a special system and pontoon in order to launch the super structure, 33 months after signing the contract. 

Her hybrid drive system is a special feature whereby using just electric power, and not the main engines, she can cruise at 11 knots. With an eco-friendly system that requires less engine output and reduced fuel consumption, she can reach a max speed of 20 knots. 

She sleeps 16 guests in 8 cabins and accommodates a crew of 25 over 12 cabins. 

TENNIS COURT

  Although you won’t see Aviva in the first half of the ‘top 100 largest yachts in the world’, she is the first yacht to house a full-sized padel tennis court. The indoor court stretches across a 10 metre width, 20 metre length, and 6.65 metre height. It’s hard to imagine a space like this inside any type of yacht, but with her 5000 gross tonnage of interior volume, the size of the court didn’t have to be compromised. 

 Joe plays the sport with his guests or his crew members, who are also encouraged to use the ‘sports hall’ for football and other exercise activities when the net is removed. Not only that, but there is a small lounging area for spectators, hidden behind a protective net. 

Aviva’s tenders are launched through her side doors, and she also boasts a ‘beach club’ area created by a swimming platform that opens up onto the ocean.  

This year Forbes valued Joe Lewis at £4.358 Billion

  The 82-year-old owner has an impressive portfolio after starting his career at the age of 15, joining his father’s catering company in London. He made his initial wealth from the sale of that company in 1979, then switched his residency to the Bahamas and moved into currency trading. He now has investments in over 200 businesses and is a Tottenham Hotspur FC major shareholder.  

FOURTH YACHT

  Prior to his 98-meter flagship, Joe owned 3 other yachts. His first was a 62-meter Feadship in 1998, called Lady Aviva. However, this caught fire later, in the Red Sea, and was eventually salvaged by Dennis Washington, who transformed the yacht, renaming her Attessa III. Joe’s second yacht was the 60-meter Oceanco, named Alfa Four, which was built in 2004. She is now known as Sea Pearl. In 2007, Joe took delivery of a 68-meter Aviva, also built by Abeking & Rasmussen. 

Joe must like his toys as we are also aware that he owns a private jet worth US$30 million (£24,504,600.00 GBP). The Embraer Legacy 600, which seats 12 passengers, has a registration that refers to Tottenham Hotspurs FC and reads; ‘G-THFC’. 

 Aviva was recently moored at Keppel Bay in Singapore, where we managed to get a few shots of her in all her glory! 

The blue innovative steel hull design really stands out in the crowd.  

  For more Motor Yacht News, click the link below.

Services Directory

Social media, © 2024 super yachting limited.

Billionaire Joe Lewis, who was forbidden to use his $250 million superyacht for close to a year, can finally use his dream boat after paying a $5 million fine. Used as his residence and office the 322 feet long stunning vessel is built around a padel court.

Not his first yacht, but Aviva is the first with a paddle court –

Abeking & Rasmussen had delivered Lewis’s first 223-foot Aviva yacht for the yacht-enthusiast billionaire. Spending months on end on his pleasure craft for business and pleasure, Lewis returned to the shipyard with a ballooning net worth and interests, commissioning a boat that would essentially function as his primary home.