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Russian billionaire docks distinctive boat in San Diego
A mega yacht with a designer touch docked in San Diego for about five days in August. Looking like a cross between a boat and a submarine, the A is certainly a head-turner. It is not the biggest luxury yacht in the world, but it does rank in the top 10, according to Power and Motorcraft magazine’s 2009 review of super boats.
John Gilmore, a spokesman for the San Diego Unified Port District, said he first became aware of the unique boat’s presence when he was giving a tour of the terminal as the boat was pulling in, and a visitor pulled out his phone to take a picture of it. The boat belongs to a 38-year-old banking, steel and fertilizer magnate from Russia.
“It was pretty hush- hush,” Gilmore said. “They like to keep things to themselves.”
It pulled into Tenth Ave Marine Terminal and immediately attracted attention, with many smaller craft pulling up alongside to rubberneck. It was refueled at the terminal and subject to a $752 daily mooring fee, Gilmore said, which is relatively modest when compared to places like Capri, Italy.
The ship’s agent denied permission to let TV crews on the terminal to film, but it was anchored prominently in San Diego Bay on Aug. 10.
The super yacht features unique amenities. These include a bomb proof master suite, rumored escape pod system and design motif that includes walls covered in stingray skins and chairs made of alligator and animal horns, according to the The Wall Street Journal. Many of the companies that worked on parts of the yacht went bankrupt because of the customization required to build the components.
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