A huge luxurious superyacht has been spotted moored off the Welsh coast this week. The ship, registered under the name 'A2' could be seen off the coast of Aberystwyth on Wednesday, July 27, with locals saying it spent at least 12 hours in Welsh waters before moving on to its next destination.
The grand vessel, which was initially built in 1983 and remodelled in 2012, has recently been spotted gracing British shores such as the River Thames near London, and most recently Whitehaven in the north of England.
Boasting the ability to host 12 guests, as well as 14 members of crew, the yacht is thought to have cost around 20 million dollars, and costs over one million each year to maintain. You can get more local news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
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After an extensive 18-month remodel in Falmouth a decade ago, the yacht was honoured with the 2013 World Superyacht Award, in the ‘Best Rebuilt Yacht’ category. As part of this, the superyacht was lengthened by 4.5m, before the installation of a new interior, systems and machinery.
But who owns the fancy boat? Why is it in UK waters? And what is it really like?
Who owns the A2 superyacht?
The yacht was initially built by Feadship in 1983 for William Bennett, who was the founder of gaming giant Circus Circus Enterprises. It was built under the name of Circus II. At the time of his death, aged 78, in 2002, it was thought his net worth was around $600 million. He was once named on Forbes list of the richest people in America.
After varying billionaire owners, in 2011 it is believed the boat was bought by George Lindemann, who named her A2 and commissioned the extensive redesign. George Lindemann, who died in 2018, was an American billionaire businessman known for being the chairman and chief executive officer of Southern Union, a pipeline company. He was a successful investor, thought to be active in several industries - including mobile phone companies, and owning 19 Spanish-language radio stations. He ranked #703 on the Forbes 2018 list of the world's billionaires, with a net worth of US$3.3 billion. He died in the summer of 2018 at the age of 82. He was married to Frayda. They had three children.
The A2 is thought to still be owned by the Lindemann family. It is not known if they are currently using the vessel for its UK tour, or whether it has been hired to someone else.
What is the luxury yacht like?
The triple deck superyacht underwent an extensive refit by Pendennis in 2012. Boasting naval architecture by BMT Nigel Gee and contemporary by Peter Marino. It consists of several cabins to provide ample accommodation for guests and crew, as well as luxurious living and dining spaces and an open deck space to relax.
In 2015, boating writers and publishers, BOAT International, took a tour of the yacht. They said it had a "large main saloon with the addition of a second lounge area, primarily for the owner’s use, on the upper deck." They said the boat also had an al fresco dining space as well as twin staircases.
The design is made up of dark wood floors with antiqued bronze light controls. The interior design of the vessel includes leather wall coverings, oak furniture and white satin-finish paint. The furniture on superyacht A2 is a mix of leather and bronze.
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