Shot from Nanny Cay beach and looking a little like one of those grainy spy shots of a prototype, here’s a photo of ‘A’ anchored off Peter Island this afternoon. ‘A’ is a 119m megayacht owned by Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko.
Designed by Philippe Starck and built by Blohm & Voss, ‘A’ was launched in the Summer of 2008. She is powered by twin 6.035hp MAN RK280 Diesels, providing speeds up to 23 knots. At her top speed, she has a range of 4250nm. Her cruising speed of 19.5 knots, gives her a range of 6500nm. All this on 757.000 liters of Diesel fuel.
Melnichenko and his wife Aleksandra, 31 – apparently the ‘A’ in the yacht’s name – can relax in a loft-style apartment that runs more than 80ft, the length of the top deck, and opens onto a balcony at the rear. The couple’s bed sits on a revolving floor so they can turn it to get the best view from the semicircle of full-height windows at the front. There is the choice of a stainless steel bathtub on a marble floor or a marble shower room.
A door opposite leads to a stairwell and private lift. The steps lead up to the couple’s splash pool on a mini-deck beneath the radio and radar masts. The lift goes down one floor to a gym tucked behind the wheelhouse and bridge.
Below this is the main living space, with a sofa large enough for 10 people and a dining table that can seat 16. The room opens on to a giant “shade” that forms part of the superstructure and covers the main swimming pool, which has a built-in countercurrent for “laps”. A third pool on the aft deck has a glass bottom that can be viewed from below by dancers when the tender garage is turned into a disco.
There are six guest cabins to accommodate up to 14 friends or relatives. As well as the 37-strong crew, the yacht has cabins for five of the Melnichenkos’ staff, including a secretary.
