Leander (yacht)

M.Y. Leander G is a luxury yacht built by Peene Werft in 1992. The yacht is owned by NCP millionaire Sir Donald Gosling. She is presently the world's 55th-largest superyacht.

Design

In the 1950s, two students at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst struck up a friendship - a British officer who later joined the Special Air Service, and a son of a Sultan from a Middle East oil state. After the SAS officer orchestrated a Coup d'état in his friend's country in the 1970s, the British officer became a special advisor to the new regime, charged with equipping the country's armed forces. In 1979, the British Officer commissioned Claus Kusch to design him a yacht, the first of what was to become three yachts called Katalina:

• Katalina1 - delivered by Amels in November 1982, length of 48.15m (now known as "Lady Georgina")
• Katalina2 - delivered by Blohm & Voss in November 1982, length of 65.20m (now known as "Astarte II")

Commission

In the late 1980s, the British office commissioned a new Katalina. Kusch wanted to use aluminium, and in light of the fall of the Berlin Wall, commissioned East German experts Peene Werft to build the yacht. The yacht hence has a steel construction hull with a bulbous bow and a classic canoe stern, topped by a three deck aluminium superstructure - having six decks in total. After shipping to Hamburg, the arrangement of the interior accommodation was undertaken jointly by English designers Katalin Landon & Pauline Nunns Associates, and interior decorator Heinz Vollers of Hamburg. She was refitted in 1998 and 2001.

Part way through fit-out, the British officer was taken ill, and decided to keep Katalina2. Flush from the sale of his interests in NCP car parks, former Royal Navy officer Sir Donald Gosling took over the final stages of the build at what was described as an excellent price. A later owner of the original Amels-built Katalina1, delivered in December 1992, Gosling named the yacht M.Y. Leander after the first Royal Navy ship he served on.

Chartering

Captain Jules Cope heads a crew of 23/28, and Leander has certified accommodation for up to 12 guests. She is available for charter from rates of US$ 490,000 per week hired plus expenses (registered in Bermuda, no VAT is payable), one of the highest costs of yacht charter in the world. Leander remains one of the most expensive British-owned yachts on the charter market and, until the launch of the 280ft Greek-built Annaliesse four years ago, was the most expensive charter yacht in the world. Gianni Agnelli of Fiat and the gossip columnist Taki have previously chartered Leander.

Royal Charter

In light of the decommissioning of the Royal Yacht Britannia, she has been used by members of the British Royal Family. In summer 2007, she was chartered by the Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall for a holiday in the Mediterranean. In February 2008, after vetting by his former valet Michael Fawcett, she was chartered by Charles, Prince of Wales and the Duchess for their royal tour of islands in the Caribbean, on the grounds of reduced carbon emissions over the use of an aeroplane. This later event was the first official royal cruise since the decommissioning of the Royal Yacht Britannia.

Dimensions

• Length overall: 75.0m (246ft)
• Beam overall: 12.9m (43ft)
• Mean draft: 4.2m (14ft)
• Gross tonnage: 1930 tonnes
• Net tonnage: 579 tonnes
• Helicopter deck: certified for 5 tonnes
• Engines: Two (2) x 2685 kW Deutz diesels
• Cruising speed: 10 to 15 knots.
• Maximum speed: 18 knots
• Classification: Lloyd's Register

See also

• List of motor yachts by length
• Yacht
• Yachting

External links

• M.Y. Leander website
• Leander page at Peene Werft Gmbh
• Pictures/details on M.Y. Leander