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Top 15 Superyachts with Helicopters

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Written by Maria Korotaeva

With plenty of various amenities, superyachts offer comfortable and truly opulent travel experience, while yacht helicopters are an essential part of it. Just imagine: you can reach the most remote destinations to explore some hidden gems in the finest yachting locations in the world or land in busy city centres. All that includes total flexibility of point-to-point travelling, getting you to places you need to be at in luxury and style. The magnificent charter yachts nowadays offer the ultimate fun experiences for you and your group, including heli-fishing, heli-skiing and private island dining, due to their capabilities of landing and carrying helipads. Let’s take a look at the top 15 private and charter yachts with helicopters.

1. Amarula Sun (ex. Mine Games)

The incredible 50m charter superyacht Amarula Sun offers everything her guests would wish to have on a charter yacht: a spa pool with a swim-up bar, huge sun pads, BBQ area, gym, Xbox, Playstation, Plasma TV with satellite connection and luxury dining spaces are among her outstanding amenities. Amazing yacht charter experience is guaranteed. The guests have the opportunity of travelling to and from Amarula Sun by helicopter, as her sundeck area can serve as a touch-and-go heli pad. Amarula Sun can sleep 10-12 charter guests and is available for charters in the Bahamas and Florida from US$ 195,000.

Amarula Sun (ex. Mine Games) with helicopter

 2. Cloudbreak

Cloudbreak is certainly one of the most popular superyachts of 2016 . There is no wonder, as the team of acclaimed engineers and designers worked on the naval architecture, as well as her interior and exterior. She is a 72m expedition yacht, capable of cruising anywhere in the world. This head-turning floating masterpiece has some special features including a Jacuzzi, exercise equipment, an elevator operated on all decks, and a large tender garage.  Charter Cloudbreak this summer from €750,000 per week plus expenses.

Motor Yacht Cloud Break – top view. Photo credit @brandondax

 3. Lady Christine

Undoubtedly, the list of the top 15 superyachts and their helicopters has to include a Feadship superyacht. The bespoke Dutch shipyard is best known for building exceptional quality superyachts . Motor yacht Lady Christine is one of those. Not only Lady Christine provides absolute comfort to her guests, but she also has enormous storage space for a rescue boat, a large tender and a small sailing boat. This section of the vessel also serves as a helipad and stores two helicopter fuel tanks.

Lady Christine and helicopter

4. Attessa IV

Upon her re-launch in 2010 Attessa IV became the largest superyacht in North America. She made it to the top 25 largest yachts in the world, and back in 2010 was at the 23rd position. Originally built by  Hayashikane Zosen Kk in 1999 and called Evergreen, she was sold to a new owner in 2007. She underwent an extensive rebuilt by Washington Yachting Group , where she was also extended by 30 feet. Attessa IV accommodates 36 guests, assisted by 21 crew members. This massive five-level yacht measures 100.60 metres and features a helipad on the upper aft deck and forepeak.

Attessa IV. Photo credit @rickyracer

Although Garcon is not an opulent superyacht but a fast yacht support vessel, she deserves the praise for carrying a huge luxurious helicopter, as this is what support vessels are for. Built specifically to serve Lurssen   mega yacht Ace  and to carry her water toys and tenders, Garcon measures 67m LOA.  Garcon also features a fully SOLAS certified helipad with 5,000 kg take-off weight for commercial use. Garson was built and launched in 2012 by Damen Shipyards , and in 2013 was honoured with the ISS Awards of Distinction for Innovation .

Garcon. Photo credit Jeff Brown

Motor yacht Sunrays was launched in 2010 by Oceanco , and in the same year received an award for the “Best Power Yacht over 65 metres” at the ISS Design and Leadership Award Ceremony . Her striking teal coloured aluminium hull is a work of Bjorn Johansson Design , while the interior styling is by famous  Terence Disdale . Sunray’s heavenly interior design is unique, and have an airy and welcoming ambience. Indulge in luxury and add a helicopter ride when booking Sunrays this for charter in the Mediterranean .

Sunrays at Abu Dhabi Yas Marina. Photo @yachthelicopters

If you are into yachts and luxury travelling, you probably know by now that the 155-metre mega yacht Luna is one of the largest yachts with some extraordinary features. She carries a submarine, multipurpose limousines and has not just one, but two helipads. Her 20-metre swimming pool is another wow characteristic. We wish Luna would be available for charter one day, as this expedition yacht could take her charter guests to breathtaking  Galapagos , Alaska and the Pacific .

Luna: Helicopter landing. Photo credit Muscapix

Motor yacht Samar is a 77m steel-and-aluminium luxury motor yacht designed by Laurent Giles and built by Devonport Yachts of England in 2006.  She is a very large and luxurious charter yacht which boasts everything that can be offered on a private motor yacht. Samar is capable of extended global cruising, where her charter guests will never get bored. Samar has a helipad, a large Spa Pool pool, an open bar, large outdoor living areas, a garage, as well as a movie theatre. Accommodation is offered for 12 guests, assisted by a professional crew of 26. Portofino , Naples ,  Capri , Amalfi , Monaco , and France are the places she will be available at for charter in summer 2017. She is available from US$ 650,000 per week plus expenses.

Samar. Photo credit @kdewet

9. Skyfall  (ex. Mi Sueno)

Skyfall is a symbol of a high-quality motor yacht, which features the latest marine technology and exquisite styling. Launched in 2010 by Trinity Yachts , luxury yacht Skyfall measure 58 metres and offers accommodation for a party of 10. Her cabin configuration consists of a master suite, 2 VIP cabins, one double and one twin. Her name comes from the James Bond famous movie series, which implies that this superyacht surely has an outstanding feature. Aboard Skyfall, the guests will have an opportunity to have delicious breakfast prepared by a private chef and continue the day by taking off in a helicopter to explore the best of Mediterranean. The Ionian Islands , Grenadines , Greece , Turkey , East and West Mediterranean , and Croatia is where motor yacht Skyfall will be available for this summer from $275,000 per week plus expenses.

Skyfall. Photo credit @yachthelicopters

10. ICE  (ex. AIR)

Motor yacht ICE became the Superyacht of the Year at the 2006 World Superyacht Awards . No doubt that the title of one the best yachts in the world implies that ICE is a very special vessel. The two famous designers Terence Disdale and Tim Heywood worked on her interior and exterior respectively. The result is the striking exterior profile and divine interior decor. ICE can sleep 14 guests in 7 well-appointed cabins. She has been spotted in various locations with her massive helicopter.

Superyacht ICE. Photo credit Julien Hubert

At 134 metres, motor yacht Serene boasts a huge beam of 18.5 metres. Can you image how much luxury living space is offered on board this beauty? Serene provides a full seven decks of exterior and interior space. With an abundance of amenities, this mega yacht stands out among other luxury yachts. The two helicopter landing platforms, an enormous internal sea water pool, several spa pools, plus storage for a large submarine are some of the superb features. Serene has enough space to accommodate 24 guests and 52 crew members.

Superyacht Serene. Photo credit Mark O’Connell

12. Madame Gu

Madame Gu is a superyacht that has it all for a luxury vacation in style. A helipad, excellent water toys and tenders, a spa pool and a night club guarantee lots of entertainment to her guests. Although Madame Gu is not available for private luxury charters, we still admire this vessel. She was built by Feadship to the design by De Voogt Naval Architects . Her interior is by Andrew Winch . She has 6 lavish cabins to accommodate 12 guests, and 18 crew cabins to sleep 36 crew members. This floating masterpiece was photographed in Port Vell in Barcelona where is always a very welcomed guest.

Madame Gu. photo credit Jeff Brown

 13. Triton

Back in 2004 motor yacht Tritone became the largest composite yacht built in the U.S. upon her delivery. Her capabilities include prolonged cruising distances, as well as cruising in the most distant locations. Triton was built for her owner, who is passionate about sports fishing, deep-sea scuba diving, and water games and various activities. Hence, the yacht was built with an advanced hull laminate schedule utilising carbon fibre to ensure strength and durability. Triton’s red-coloured striking helicopter is seen in the photo of her cruising in the icy waters.

Triton and Helicopter

14. Vibrant Curiosity

Another outstanding superyacht built by Oceanco, Vibrant Curiosity is an 85-metre displacement vessel that turns heads at any port. She was photographers in Auckland , New Zealand with her large helicopter a few weeks ago. This giant luxury vessel can sleep 18 guests in 7 beautifully furnished cabins. A professional crew of 26 professionals take care of everything on board. Vibrant Curiosity reaches a top speed of 20 knots and is powered y a pair of MTU 16V 595 TE70 engines.

Vibrant Curiosity in Auckland. Photo credit CharterWorld

15. Pegasus VIII  (ex PEGASUS V, PRINCESS MARIANA)

At 78.60 metres, luxury motor yacht PEGASUS VIII provides a lot more than you would think. Her amazing interior layout includes a large salon with sophisticated decor, a cinema theatre, formal and casual dining spaces, as well as other great living areas. There are five lavish cabins to accommodate 12 guests. Those who love water activities will love the beach club of Pegasus VIII, which can be “flooded” and therefore provides the easiest access to the water with embarkation and disembarkation inside the yacht. Pegasus VIII is ideal for charter with family and kids . The 12m swimming pool with an underwater light, six wave runners, jet-skis and tenders will add extra enjoyment when on a charter vacation. The helipad on board also transforms into a golf driving range. Secure motor yacht Pegasus for charter in the Italian and French Rivieras this summer, from US$ 650,000 per week plus expenses.

Pegasus VIII. Photo credit @yachtmasters

You can view a great selection of luxury yachts available for charter here . To find out more or to make a booking, please contact our friendly charter brokers . They will be able to assist you with all enquiries, as well as provide impartial advice and professional service. With the Mediterranean yachting season being just around the corner, superyachts are booking up very fast. Check out the 2017 Mediterranean charter specials and 10 brand new superyachts for charter .

Please contact CharterWorld - the luxury yacht charter specialist - for more on superyacht news item "Top 15 Superyachts with Helicopters".

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Super High: The Ultimate Guide to Yacht Helicopters

The perfect way to soar your yacht to new heights.

Wide-open waters? Check. Great company? Check. Your sparkly new superyacht? Double-check. There can only be one thing missing in this picture: an impressive helicopter for the ultimate grand entrance.

When you’ve already invested so much into the yacht of your dreams, there’s got to be a little extra room (literally) for a special delivery—you. Read on to discover all of our tips and tricks for your very own tantalizing yacht helicopter.

1. Easier Access

Your yacht is the most lavish way to travel in style, right? So why bother adding one more mode of transportation to your already fully capable vessel, you may be asking yourself. The answer is in the air! Having a helicopter on your superyacht allows you to get to places you never thought possible. While there may not always be a place to dock your yacht in certain luxurious locations, having a helicopter onboard allows you access to even the most exclusive spots. You’ll be able to visit so many more destinations on your well-earned journeys—the sky’s the limit.

Navigate to hard-to-reach locales with this yacht charter: OCTOPUS | 414′ Lurssen

2. Destination: Transportation

Having a helipad onboard your superyacht isn’t just about reaching the most beautiful destinations in the world, although that’s reason enough. It also serves a seemingly obvious need: arriving at your megayacht to begin with. Have a meeting in the city but the yacht is docked at the bay? Hop into your helicopter for a straight shot flight to your weekend getaway, with zero hassles along the way. Having the added transport option makes everything seamless from beginning to end, no matter where you’re coming from or where you’re going.

Transport yourself with ease with this superyacht: BOLD | 279’ SilverYachts

3. Glorified Grandeur

Your megayacht is your pride and joy, as it should be. It was no easy feat to attain such a vessel, and having a helicopter aboard only drives that point home. With an aircraft aboard your yacht, the luxury reaches new heights. The upscale feel, exclusive usability, and added ease all bring your adventures to a caliber of their own. There is nothing like a personal helicopter aboard a superyacht to up the wow factor.

Cruise in style with this yacht charter: PLANET NINE | 240′ Admiral Yachts

4. A Whole New View

While endless views of the open water can be a sight for sore eyes, having a helicopter onboard brings on a whole new perspective. Enjoy the best of both worlds with views from both the sea and sky. A perfect vacation has a little of everything, and you’re getting just that with the limitless aerial views in the finest destinations around the globe. Sightseeing will take on a whole other level when your altitude rises!

See the sights with new eyes with this yacht charter: SURI | 208′ Halter Marine

5. Taking Sports to the Extreme

No matter what your sport of choice, a helicopter aboard your mega yacht will only add to the fun and adventure. Big on scuba diving? Get to your dive site with the ease of your helicopter. Love photography? The aerial shots from above will be unmatched. Thrilled by cliff diving? Reach cliff tops with a quick flight. Interested in whale watching? Soaring the skies will give you an eagle eye’s view to spot all sorts of marine life. Even piloting can become a reality and your newest hobby. Every interest can truly be appeased with an aircraft at bay.

Get your game on with this superyacht: TIME OFF | 182′ Support Yacht Damen Yachting

6. Time Is on Your Side

We all know that time is money. With fully packed schedules, every minute is precious. Having a helipad on your superyacht saves so much time that would otherwise be wasted—be it in traffic, at the airport, or getting to your destination. With the ease and flexibility of helicopters, you and your guests can promptly reach your yacht’s location at an unimaginable speed. If flying directly from a city, time that would have been spent in endless traffic is spared. If picking you or your guests up from a nearby airport, the comfort and speediness are unparalleled. Transit times are severely reduced, allowing more time to sit back and relax.

Maximize your time with this yacht charter: SUNRAYS | 280′ Oceanco

7. Safety First

One of the biggest and most important benefits of having a helicopter easily available aboard your superyacht is for safety reasons. With very clear FAA safety regulations for helicopters, this mode of transportation proves to be one of the safest options for getting to and from your vessel. In addition, having a helicopter available in the event of an injury or a passenger getting sick is a critical benefit. Being able to evacuate a guest in an emergency may even be the difference between life and death. Even on vacation, accidents can happen. With the safety of travelers at the top of mind, these advantages are of the utmost importance and can ensure a safe and pleasant trip.

Travel with peace of mind with this yacht charter: AIR | 265′ Feadship

8. Specialized Design

Helipads add a sense of wonder and aesthetic to your superyacht. However, it doesn’t stop at good looks. Shipbuilders work together with aviation pros and designers to find the ideal location to place a helipad. Teams work by the Commercial Yacht Code of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to meet all necessary standards during construction. With a large amount of space needed to place a helicopter landing deck on a superyacht, attention to detail and impeccable design are paramount. You’ll know you’ve got the best of the best.

Transform big dreams into reality with this yacht: PROJECT METAVERSE | 207’ Delta

No matter how you look at it, having a helicopter on your superyacht changes the game. A helicopter ups the ante in all arenas, from fun to design to safety. Make sure your yacht includes this high-class feature. Contact a Denison yacht broker to upgrade your yacht and you’ll be flying high, too.

Speak with a Superyacht Specialist:

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Articles Top 5 Helicopters for Superyachts

The world of private helicopters has presented an unparalleled level of efficiency for the most discerning superyacht owners.

Radically reducing journey time from shore to ship, and ensuring you arrive in ultimate style and privacy, superyachts and helicopters are a match made in heaven. Here’s our top five from the ever-growing range of superyacht helicopters to choose from. 

1 Airbus ACH145

Perhaps offering the most natural synergy between helicopter and yacht is the Airbus ACH145 . With a small footprint ideal for a superyacht helipad, and a flexible cabin able to transport eight to ten guests in airborne luxury, this rotorcraft is unquestionably a top choice to adorn the deck of any superyacht. With over eight possible configurations, the ACH145 offers the industry’s most versatile cabin for the ultimate passenger experience. From the stunning interior choices Airbus provide, to a VIP fit out from a collaboration with Mercedes-Benz offering the style and class synonymous with the German luxury car brand, this superyacht helicopter combines best-in-class comfort with a staggeringly quiet ride which enables sightseeing from above or mid-air business meetings to take place unhindered by rotor noise. The helicopter of choice for the upcoming largest superyacht in the world, 182.9m REV Ocean, the AHC145 combines impressive performance with the latest in safety equipment, including advanced autopilot systems to offer the complete superyacht helicopter package that guarantees a safe and comfortable flight.

2 Airbus ACH160

Superyacht helicopters must strike a fine balance between speed, comfort, and style. From affording passengers enough interior volume to ensure a comfortable flight, to being compact enough to fit on the deck of a yacht, designing such a piece of machinery is no small feat. The company responsible for designing the most capable helicopters for the job to date is Airbus, and with their all new ACH160 they have raised the bar yet again. Bringing the cutting edge of helicopter design to the fore, a composite airframe, impressive fuel efficiency, and a whisper-quiet ride thanks to a shrouded tail rotor, and Blue Edge rotor blade design, the ACH160 carries 12 passengers to the deck of their superyacht in total comfort. While its large side windows create a light flooded cabin to illuminate the stunning interior concept from renowned superyacht designer Harrison Edisgaard, the ACH160 also embraces new technology to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions. A truly innovative product that is a far more sustainable mode of transport compared to its traditionally designed counterparts, the ACH160 is the height of aerial style and sophistication.

3 AW109 Trekker

From the renowned Agustawestland the AW109 Trekker is the first ever fully Italian-built helicopter to be mass produced. With its best-in-class lifting capability and impressive range of 447NM, the AW109 Trekker offers an unmatched level of utility for a light-weight superyacht helicopter. Accommodating six passengers in a spacious and versatile cabin, the AW109 effortlessly transports its guests wherever they wish. A brilliantly soundproofed and elegantly styled interior affords passengers a quiet and comfortable ride, so a short hop from ship to shore, or visiting a remote island destination further afield is effortless. Boasting wide sliding doors for easy access, an extended baggage compartment so guests can bring all the luggage they desire, and rugged skid landing gear for true go anywhere capability, this helicopter brings a new dimension to life at sea. Able to explore even the hardest to reach destinations with complete peace of mind thanks to state-of-the-art safety features, the AW109 is the perfect addition to any explorer superyacht big enough to accommodate this 42-foot beauty.

Designed for short-medium flights and touchdowns in tight spaces, this helicopter is ideal for any superyacht platform. As one of the most compact five-seat helicopters on the market, the Bell 505 punches well above its weight. Packing an integrated glass flight deck, and Garmin G1000H avionics suite with twin 10.4in LCD screens into a five-seat platform is a truly masterful piece of helicopter design. While compact, with a main rotor just 11.2m wide and fuselage only 13m long, the Bell 505 does not forgo comfort. A luxurious and open Italian-designed interior, and glass cockpit, affords passengers an uninterrupted view to admire their yacht from a new angle in total comfort.  An ideal helicopter to fit on any superyacht platform, the lightweight design provides impressive performance and versatility. While the two bladed rotor is an effective solution to offer powerful lift and limit drag, the quick release seats, flat floor, and large baggage compartment provide a great option for transporting luggage or supplies from land to sea. Stylish, sporty, and practical, superyacht helicopters don’t get much better.

5 Bell FCX-001

Still just a concept but one of the most exciting prospects in the aviation industry, the Bell FCX-101 is a crescendo of technology yet to make it into helicopter production. A window into the future of what your superyacht helicopter may, one day, look like, this rotorcraft is touted to be powered by a hybrid propulsion system and incorporates a revolutionary anti-torque system within the tail boom rendering the tail rotor obsolete. The FCX-001 presents a significant step change in what helicopter design can be. By combining the benefits of the proven turboshaft engine with the rapidly evolving world of electric propulsion, a new level of efficiency could be achieved. Debuted at the Heli-Exbo 2017, this stunning concept utilises the bleeding edge of heli design in every area. From the pilot using augmented reality in the cockpit for near autonomous flying, to morphing rotor blades that adapt to different flight scenarios, and an ingenious interior with modular flooring design for the most versatile cabin ever, this gull winged rotorcraft for the future is set to change the landscape for superyacht helicopter transport forever.

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Superyacht Helipads on Charter: What You Need to Know

By Editorial Team |   Last Updated 4 November 2021

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A helipad is the ultimate luxury convenience for anyone in a hurry to start their dream yacht charter vacation, yet although it seems these days every self-respecting superyacht boasts a helipad - or two - few are actually commercially certified for helicopter landings. So, the question remains: is a non-certified helipad just a waste of space on a yacht charter?

To clear things up, we have compiled our guide on everything you need to know about superyacht helipads, as well as some of the best charter yachts already equipped with fully-certified helicopter platforms for those wishing to kick off their luxury yacht charter in style.

In this article:

A commercially-certified helipad is a must

Can you use a non-certified helipad on a yacht charter, private helipads, ‘touch and go’ helipad, charter guest benefits, 6 stand-out superyachts with a fully-certified helipad, 1. la datcha, 2. cloudbreak, 3. madsummer, 5. flying fox, interested in booking a luxury yacht charter.

For this classification, a superyacht helipad must be constructed and operated in line with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s (MCA) Large Commercial Yacht Code (LY3) Annex 6, which is basically the technical standards for helicopter landing areas, or helipads. 

This code sets out the basic rules governing the design, construction and operation of a helipad, which includes important factors such as a yacht’s load bearing capacity, obstacle clearance, consideration of airflow, safe access points, lighting, permanent deck markings and relevant crew training on helicopter operations. 

The responsibility for the survey and certification process for a helipad intended for commercial use is shared between the yacht’s registered flag state, the classification society and an aviation inspection body, such as the International Civil Aviation Organization ( ICAO ). 

All in all, it doesn’t leave much wiggle room for winging it.  

In a nutshell, no. 

Helicopters are not permitted to touch down on a non-certified helipad onboard a yacht that is being used commercially, i.e. for charter, unless for a medical emergency such as the evacuation of sick or injured passengers.

A helipad or helideck is considered a commercial operation if used to either;

• Receive commercial charter helicopters, or
• Transport charter guests 

Therefore, even a yacht being used privately by its owner cannot receive a commercial charter helicopter if the helideck is not certified.

The ICAO have also weighed in on this point, stipulating that “all commercial air transport helicopters should land on certified helipads which must be built according to certain standards”. 

Private helipads onboard a yacht adhere to less stringent rules and therefore do not have to meet the commercial standards for certification. 

We find many owners are keen to incorporate a helideck, so long as it doesn't compromise the overall aesthetic of the yacht

That's not to say that non-certified helipads aren’t safe, as for the most part they will have been designed with the regulations in mind. However, more often a yacht’s visual appeal is advocated over the practicalities of helipad design. Chris Wood, a helidecks operations manager with Safeguard Helidecks Certification agrees: “We find many owner's are keen to incorporate a helideck, so long as it doesn't compromise the overall aethestic of the yacht."

This snazzy term has become synonymous with luxury superyachts, although it technically has no meaning. For clarity's sake, unless specified ‘touch and go’ helipads are not certified and therefore cannot be used for commercial operations i.e. yacht charters, with the exception of medical emergencies. 

This can cause some confusion, especially as these types of helipads are often highlighted as a stand-out feature when marketing a yacht for charter.

A certified helipad onboard a yacht is a major bonus for yacht charterers wishing to expedite their travel time and arrive in style. Other advantages include;

• Quick and easy access to and from the yacht 
• Avoids wasting time in heavy traffic
• Avoids lengthy tender rides to yachts out on anchor
• Provides an opportunity for guests to explore their surroundings further
• Ideal jumping off point for extreme sports such as heli skiing
• Useful for corporate charter events
• Safe and comfortable transportation option

We are seeing huge demand from yacht owners wanting to get their private helipads commercially certified for yacht charters

As for non-commercial helipads, it can also be used for medical emergencies.

In conclusion, a fully operational helideck is an increasingly desirable feature onboard a charter yacht, which has led to a growing demand for helipad certification. Chris Woods at Safeguard Helidecks Certification confirms this is one of their biggest growth areas: "We are seeing huge demand from yacht owners wanting to get their private helipads commercially certified for yacht charters". 

So, although there are currently only a handful of charter yachts offering certified helipads right now, the future looks bright.

We have hand-picked a selection of top-rated superyachts equipped with a commerical landing platform for the ultimate luxury yacht charter.

Launched in 2020 to much acclaim, this stellar 77-metre explorer yacht is perfectly tailor-made for unique yacht vacations in far-flung destinations across the globe.

Located on her main deck aft, La Datcha’s helipad provides the perfect launching base for her two commercially-registered B3 Squirrel helicopters, designed by her adrenaline junkie owner with heli-skiing adventures and heli-ops in mind.

As well as an autonomous capability of up to 40 days at sea, she also boasts a raft of technology-rich gadgets, extensive wellness area, luxurious interiors and a toy chest overflowing with water-based and onshore exploration gear, including 2 snow scooters and a 3-person submarine.

Delivered out from the eminent German shipyard Abeking and Rasmussen in 2016, this voluminous 75-metre explorer yacht has a large dedicated aft commercial helideck for her custom Bell 429 Global Ranger, whilst still leaving ample deck areas for charter guests to exclusively enjoy. 

CLOUDBREAK offers an array of superlative amenities from her glass-enclosed winter garden to her fantastic alfresco cinema which converts into a nightclub, complete with DJ booth, lighting and state-of-the-art sound system! She also boasts a vast wellness centre with sauna, plunge pool, gym and massage area, as well as a qualified onboard beautician and personal trainer for the ultimate onboard luxury experience.

Launched in 2019, this award-winning 95-metre luxury yacht boasts all the hallmarks of meticulous craftsmanship we’ve come to expect from a Lurssen yacht.

MADSUMMER has a large helipad platform on her foredeck, fully-certified for helicopter operations and bunkering. She also houses a fully-equipped hangar in her bow for helicopter storage. On top of this, guests keen to explore their destination can do so on the yacht's very own Husky seaplane and 11-meter limo tender.

With exquisite Laura Sessa interiors showcasing a colour palette of primary hues, vast alfresco social areas, dedicated cinema suite and extensive wellness facilities, this spectacular charter yacht is an eternal crowd pleaser.

Delivered by Spanish yard Freire to her owner in 2011, This custom expedition yacht has made clever use of her wide foredeck helipad, which converts to a vast sundeck area with an array of sumptuous loungers when not being used as a landing platform for helicopters.

NAIA is uniquely both a luxury yacht and a state-of-the-art research vessel, boasting a submarine hangar for deep exploration, high-tech research facilities and an onboard laboratory.

For those looking for a little indulgence, she also offers a fully-equipped glass-panelled gym and swimming pool, huge penthouse-style Owner’s deck offering sensational views, main salon that converts to a cinema suite and an impressive array of toys, including a 5-person submarine capable of depths of up to 525 feet.

This impressive Lurssen yacht boasts not just one but two certified helipads, located on her top deck and bow, and both intentionally left clear so that charter guests can come and go as they please.

At 136 meters (446 ft) FLYING FOX is also the largest superyacht available for charter, and the most expensive!

Her stand-out features are endless; a stunning mezzanine-style salon, 12-meter swimming pool, lavish cinema suite, 400 m2 multi-level wellness spa – featuring a cryo-sauna, extensive Owner’s deck and observation lounge, to name a few of her onboard highlights.

Another award-winning turn from the German shipyard Lurssen, KISMET has two certified helipads; one on her bridge deck, which can be converted into a sumptuous alfresco lounging area, and another located on her foredeck, which is also marked out for a half-court basketball game!

This sleek 95m/312ft luxury yacht is assuredly masculine, both outside and in. From the sculpted jaguar on her bow to her luxuriant Art Deco-inspired black and gold interiors – based on a brief of ‘champagne and caviar’, she exudes glamour and style everywhere you turn.

Stand-out features include a stunning mosaic-tiled swimming pool with an adjacent elevated Jacuzzi offering sweeping vistas, aft deck fire pit with an integrated waterfall feature, double-height main salon and sports bar with full-height video walls so there’s no need to miss the game, plus innovative green features for environmentally-conscious charterers.

Choosing a yacht with a fully-certified helipad gives you a world of itinerary options that would otherwise not be achievable, allowing you and your broker to prepare some amazing and memorable experiences for the perfect yacht charter vacation.

With the list of charter yachts featuring commercial helipads growing each year, with many being retrospectively certified, be sure to check back. In the meantime, browse the current selection of  yachts equipped with a commercial helideck .

If you’d like to learn more about any of the yachts mentioned, or interested in booking a luxury yacht charter , please contact your yacht charter broker .

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FEATURED SUPERYACHTS IN THIS ARTICLE

136m Lurssen 2019

95m Lurssen 2019

95m Lurssen 2014

77m Damen Yachting 2020

75m Abeking & Rasmussen 2016

74m Freire Shipyard 2011 / 2014

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Featured Luxury Yachts for Charter

This is a small selection of the global luxury yacht charter fleet, with 3700 motor yachts, sail yachts, explorer yachts and catamarans to choose from including superyachts and megayachts, the world is your oyster. Why search for your ideal yacht charter vacation anywhere else?

136m | Lurssen

from $3,328,000 p/week ♦︎

115m | Lurssen

from $2,874,000 p/week ♦︎

85m | Golden Yachts

from $1,001,000 p/week ♦︎

88m | Golden Yachts

from $1,222,000 p/week ♦︎

84m | Feadship

from $1,111,000 p/week ♦︎

93m | Feadship

from $1,556,000 p/week ♦︎

Maltese Falcon

88m | Perini Navi

from $490,000 p/week

122m | Lurssen

from $3,000,000 p/week

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Yachts with Helipad

Charter yachts are known for offer the best in first-class travel. Wake up each morning in your own private stateroom, and take in the sunrise over the Mediterranean, Caribbean or Adriatic, while a member of the crew brings you a freshly brewed cup of coffee.

Doesn’t get better than that, right? Not to mention, superyachts are laden with amenities, from water toys, to immaculate interiors, and sun-soaked decks, perfect for relaxing. Yet, there’s one feature that’s available on only a select group of charter yachts: Helicopter pads .

A yacht with a helicopter deck opens up a world of travel possibilities. Arrive on your yacht at sea, take a stunning helicopter tour of a nearby wildlife refuge or glacier, or skip the tender on your way to the airport – those are all possibilities aboard a yacht with a helipad.

Super Yachts with Helicopter Pads

Technically, superyachts are fully crewed boats that measure 24 meters or longer (that’s just about 75 feet). That definition doesn’t reflect the times. Superyachts have gotten larger and more opulent than ever, with designers pushing the bounds of what’s possible.

Naturally, yachts with helicopter decks tend to be larger – north of 200 feet. These larger-than-life yachts are some of the most exclusive charter superyachts with helipad access:

The beautiful Solandge is one of the most unique yachts on the market today. Her interior, for example, the work of Rodriguez Interiors and Dolker & Voges, features countless design surprises. The main salon is a stunner. It’s decked out with amethyst walls, gold leaf ceilings, a Bechstein piano and Schonbeck chandeliers with hanging amethyst rose quartz crystals. Yet, the centerpiece is an art glass sculpture, “The Tree of Life,” that stretches 50 feet high and is bedazzled by 1,000+ points of light.

Outside, Solandge shows her sheer size. She boasts a sexy beach club, a gold and white bar, a spa pool and a dance floor, among other opulent luxuries. Of course, you’ll find the helipad outdoors, too, as well as a sprawling sun deck and lounge. The yacht is maintained by a crew of 29 and can accommodate 12 guests in eight large cabins.

Originally built by Icon in 1974, Legend underwent its most recent refit in 2016. The ship isn’t a traditional motor yacht. Rather, she’s a fully certified Class 1 ice-breaking ship, and more recently has been turned into a luxury explorer yacht.

Legend is definitely one-of-a-kind. Inside and out, she offers the best in luxury yachting. The ship accommodates up to 26 guests – in total luxury – in her 13 staterooms. There’s a master suite, two VIP suites, as well as 10 different staterooms.

The yacht is built for exploration. In addition to her commercial helipad, Legend features her very own submarine. Plus, adding to the undeniable allure is a gym, Balinese spa and sauna, a Jacuzzi, a movie theater, and a swimming pool. Legend is maintenance by a crew of 19, as well as a 10-member expedition crew, including doctors, ice pilots, expedition leaders and naturalists.

NAIA was built by Freire Shipyard in 2011, and she offers an abundance of space for relaxing and entertaining. Spread across four decks, the yacht has six guest suites and a master suite, the latter of which takes up the entire “penthouse” level and includes a private deck. A central spiral staircase connects all of the decks, and the master suite is accessible through an elevator that goes as low as the sundeck.

As for the common areas, NAIA has plenty of areas for guests to choose from, including a cinema room. The main saloon is both inviting and intimate, with ultra-comfortable plush couches and a chic contemporary décor. A dining table can seat up to eight people, and is surrounded by a smaller sitting area, a small bar and plenty of artwork. Outside, charter guests onboard will find casual seating and bar areas, al fresco dining, another bar, a Jacuzzi, and plenty of places to sunbathe.

Built by Abeking & Rasmussen in 2016, Cloudbreak is a truly world-class expedition yacht. The exterior design of Cloudbreak is the work of Espen Oeino, and the Scandinavian-inspired interior design was completed by Paris-based Christian Liaigre. After undergoing four years of development, this custom-built mega yacht is finally on the market, and it offers a world of adventure.

In addition to her helipad, the yacht has a fully stocked garage of water toys, including scuba equipment, jet skis, and numerous kayaks, paddle boards and kite surfing rigs. Inside, though, the yacht is a show stopper. With accommodations for up to 12 guests, as well as amenities like a spa with sauna, swimming pool and beach club, Cloudbreak is designed for relaxing excursions.

Enigma XK was first built by Richards Shipbuilders in 1987, and last refit in 2013. Previously named Norna, this yacht is the work of Vitruvius and Philippe Briand, who completed its interior and exterior design, respectively.

The sleek interior is marked by cream and white tones, light woods, lit flooring, and a glamorous aesthetic. There is a full-scale wellness and fitness center onsite, and this boat was named “Best Yacht Conversion” winner of The World Superyachts Award in 2014. Perfect for adventuring through ice-filled waters, Enigma XK offers plenty of toys for exploring, including a 9-meter Limo tender, an R.I.B. tender, a rescue tender, two Zodiac tenders, multiple wave runners, SCUBA diving and snorkeling equipment, a dive compressor, water skis, a wake board, tow toys, inflatable pontoons and more.

SuRi was built by Halter Marine/Yacht Escort Ships International in 1978, and later refit in 2016. An ideal yacht for travel with family and friends, SuRi is the brainchild of its owner. Its décor is both comfortable and contemporary, with expansive cabins and elegant living areas. Plus, the yacht boasts a fitness center, a massage room, and even a “Windows to the Sea” section of the yacht, where travelers can get a glimpse of all of the colorful fish swimming around them.

Outside, guests can dine al fresco on the sun deck, relax in the Jacuzzi, sunbathe, or enjoy a sunset cocktail in front of a backdrop of amazing views. If you’re a more adventurous charter guest, the water toys onboard SuRi won’t disappoint. In addition to the helipad, there are bikes, snorkel equipment, surfboards, kayaks, fishing gear, diving equipment and even a 35-foot Stan-Craft mahogany speedster. On SuRi, the choices are endless.

Built in 2018 by Golden Yachts, O’Ptasia is a stunning superyacht that features a wide array of world-class amenities. The yacht features a high-end contemporary aesthetic inside, including sleek and spacious salons and expertly appointed guest staterooms. She accommodates up to 12 in 11 rooms, including a master suite, VIP stateroom, as well as a variety of double and twin cabins.

Her exterior is a masterpiece of nautical engineering. Featuring expansive decks, including a sizable beach club and breezy sun deck, the yacht is a floating five-star hotel. You’ll find all of the amenities onboard: A spa, an outdoor bar, sun deck Jacuzzi and much more.

The ice-classed explorer yacht Planet Nine was built in 2018 by Italian shipyard Admiral Yachts. Built for explorations in the far corners of the world, no expense was spared on her construction. Inside, the yacht is the epitome of opulence.

Designed by London-based Milnaric, Henry and Zervudachi (MHZ), the superyacht has a full range of luxury amenities: Modern staterooms, including a master suite that takes an entire deck, a panoramic observation deck, and an immaculate dining area.

Yet, the ship is certainly designed for exploration. Outside, the yacht’s most recognizable feature is the helipad, which features a garage just below. Additionally, you’ll find everything on board for a high-seas adventure, including two 32-foot tenders, 120-inch cinema, steam room, sauna and a spacious beach club.

Charter Yachts with Helicopters

Looking for something a bit more compact? It’s true that a 200+ foot yacht isn’t for everyone. Fortunately, if you’d like to charter a helicopter-equipped yacht, there are plenty of options in the 130- to 200-foot range. Here are a few of our favorites:

With sleek exterior styling and a timeless interior, Skyfall offers the best in Caribbean yachting. The yacht was built in 2010, but underwent a complete refit in 2015. Today, she’s gorgeous inside and out.

Her interior features an “urban contemporary” aesthetic, with notes of Buddhist Zen, and you’ll notice when you step on board. Featuring an array of unique materials, including petrified tree trunks as well as a Tiger’s Eye bar in the sky lounge, the yacht is designed for entertaining (with space for up to 12 guests).

Outside, Skyfall offers plenty of deck space. Her sun deck features a splash pool, and there’s space for alfresco dining on the aft deck, a beautiful skylounge, and a panoramic balcony.

Tommy is a luxury motor yacht built by Benetti in 1995. It underwent its last refit in 2014 and boasts an interior and exterior design by Terence Disdale and Stefano Natucci, respectively. This yacht is large enough to host a cocktail party for up to 100 guests.

The interior of Tommy is both elegant and classic, with cream and burnt orange tones, and light wood cabinets and paneling throughout. The main salon is large and comfortable and comes with plush sofas and impeccable décor. There is a formal dining area, as well as a club-style sky lounge with a games table and a flat screen TV.

Outside, guests will find spots for alfresco dining, a sun deck, multiple bar areas, a central spa pool, multiple sunbeds, and of course, the helipad. From the swim platform, guests have access to countless water toys, including: a 5.8-meter Novurania Tender, a 5.8-meter Novurania Tender, two two-person Kawasaki Wave runners, water skis, a wakeboard, tows and plenty of snorkeling gear. Tommy can accommodate up to 12 guests.

True North offers the ultimate oasis of luxury for your Australia or Southeast Asian expedition. The yacht, which was built in 2005, is fully equipped for explorations. She features six tenders, as well as her own Eurocopter EC 130 helicopter.

On-board, the experience is incredible. True North features a spacious layout, with accommodations for up to 36 guests. The yacht includes 18 rooms, including 10 double cabins and 8 twins, and she’s designed for fun exploring the Great Barrier Reef. You’ll find a variety of water toys and equipment including: Dive compression, dive equipment, a jet ski, and plenty of fishing gear.

Built in 2006, Tango is a luxury superyacht that charters primarily in Australia. With accommodations for up to 8 guests, Tango offers complete comfort on the open seas. The yacht features a deck Jacuzzi, as well as beautiful sun deck.

Looking to enjoy the waters? Tango offers a full array of water toys including a jet ski, paddleboard, kayaks, fishing equipment and snorkel gear. She’s also equipped with two tenders, and of course, the helipad.

Smallest Yacht with Helicopter Pad

An on-board helipad traditionally means a spacious yacht. Yet, there are a number of boats that accommodation copters, but have a smaller footprint. If you’re headed out with a small group, but want the luxury of a helipad, these yachts are perfect:

They say big things come in small packages, and that’s certainly true of Flying Fish. This yacht – built in 1991 and refit in 2010 – offers the perfect platform for small-ground adventures. She sleeps up to 8 in four rooms, including a stunning master suite. And her interior features a chic, upscale décor and plenty of deck space for entertaining.

Plus, the yacht’s wide array of toys including scuba equipment, snorkeling gear, fishing equipment and sea kayaks. She’s equipped with a fully certified helipad – perfect for a low-key Barrier Reef excursion.

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Helicopter Pilots & Superyachts

. One of the questions we regularly get asked is whether there are specific piloting requirements for landing a helicopter on a yacht and are there particular aspects a pilot must be aware of.

The helicopter landing area on a superyacht is known as a ‘shipboard heliport’ which has unique features that can create challenges even for the most experienced pilots. First and foremost, the ‘shipboard heliport’ is hosted on a seagoing vessel which is subjected to variable winds and sea state which causes the yacht to pitch and roll and heave and yaw, so effectively it’s a moving target, so not like land-based heliports or those on offshore fixed installations, such as oil and gas rigs. In addition, the shipboard heliport will generally be a confined area, close to the vessel superstructure which can, in itself, create additional wind turbulence for the pilot to deal with.

Pilots operating to and from shipboard heliports must also ensure that the vessel has undertaken their own ‘preparations for flying’. One particular aspect of this preparation is to ensure ‘FOD plods’ have been carried out. A FOD plod means to walk round and carry out a visual inspection, removing any ‘foreign object debris’ on or around the shipboard heliport that shouldn’t be there, and which has the potential to cause damage to the helicopter.

FOD includes all loose articles, such as furniture, cushions, towels, bottles and glasses, books and papers, covers and awnings, and any other type of paraphernalia which is not bolted down, and which must be removed or mechanically secured so that the down wash from the main rotors does not draw these items up into the main rotors causing a catastrophic accident.

It's worth noting, a FOD plod is not limited to the shipboard heliport on a yacht. Other decks and open areas on the yacht must be prepared and checked as the down wash from a helicopter does not stop at the shipboard heliport where it lands and takes off, but travels down stairwells and along corridors, so it is very important to ensure other deck areas are checked to prevent damage to the helicopter as well as precious and often expensive items from being blown overboard and ending up in the water.

Should you have questions about operating helicopters on yachts, please feel free to get in touch at [email protected]

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Boat of the Week: Meet ‘Boardwalk,’ Houston Rockets Owner Tilman Fertitta’s Showstopping 252-Foot Superyacht

This vessel has a long, instantly recognizable profile. but it's the myriad interior details—and the interplay of light and crystal—that define her., michael verdon, michael verdon's most recent stories, kevin costner cruised on this luxe 75-footer last summer. now it’s debuting at cannes yacht fest..

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At the end of February, Houston billionaire Tilman Fertitta and his family held an annual Mardi Gras celebration, which they call the San Luis Salute. The event, which included local officials and celebrities, was headlined by the band Maroon 5. But the most visible VIP guest at the gala was Fertitta’s majestic new superyacht, Boardwalk.  

The 252-foot Feadship is indeed a showstopper. It was the largest vessel at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, and hundreds of people walking the docks took selfies against Boardwalk ’s towering stern, with a H130 helicopter perched on the top deck. Fertitta and his family enjoyed the show from the comfort of the yacht—from the main-deck’s rear cockpit lounge to be precise.

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It’s Fertitta’s favorite spot on his new yacht, a sanctuary protected from the wind and sun, but still exposed to the ocean. It’s also a microcosm of Boardwalk ’s very intricate design. The stern has the requisite lounges, bar and large flat-screen television, but that’s where it differs from other yachts. The ceiling has delicate curves, there are many lights embedded into the area above the bar, and the trim on the columns supporting the stern’s overhang is highly stylized.

The abundance of crystal and lighting define Boardwalk ‘s formal dining area.  Courtesy Fertitta Entertainment

“I don’t think any other owner pays as much attention to the details,” Fertitta told Robb Report during a visit to the yacht. “If you look at the bigger yachts, they really don’t vary much with standard features like ceilings and lighting.”

“Tilman came in with all the important details—all the details that really make the difference in this boat,” adds Amy Halffman, who worked closely with Fertitta on the design. “He’s an extreme detail man, down to the quarter of an inch.”

The Houston entrepreneur has made a highly successful career out of paying attention to the details. Named by Forbes as the “World’s Wealthiest Restaurateur,” the chairman of Fertitta Entertainment and chairman of Landry’s has an empire that also includes the Houston Rockets NBA team, multiple restaurants, Bentley and Rolls-Royce dealerships, and five-star hotels.

The contrast of the black stairwell with the white floors is dramatic, nicely offset by the custom stainless-steel inlays along the railings.  Courtesy Fertitta Entertainment

Fertitta’s Post Oak Hotel in Houston, in fact, provided inspiration for Boardwalk . “We spent a lot of time meeting at the hotel,” says Halffman. “He had a lot of input into that design, which is classy and elegant, so we decided to reflect that style on the yacht.”

This Feadship is actually Halffman’s fifth yacht project with Fertitta, the other four Boardwalks being a succession of ever-larger Westports, the most recent being 165 feet in length. After owning it for 12 years, “it felt like time for a larger project,” says Fertitta. “One that was more complex and elaborate.”

While upsizing by almost 100 feet sounds like a simple hull stretch, the Feadship has 1,848 gross tonnes of interior volume, compared to 492 on the last Westport—in other words, the latest Boardwalk has nearly four times as much interior as the last one. That makes not only for a very complicated build—something which bespoke builder Feadship is used to—but also a new mindset for the interior design, which the design team needed to wrap their heads around.

A more relaxed vibe in the owner’s office.  Courtesy Fertitta Entertainment

Halffman and design partner Frank Woll came up with the concept about four years ago, and then worked closely with the owner on the yacht’s many features. There are hundreds of features, seen and unseen, that distinguish the interior.

The most noticeable—arresting, in fact—is a whimsical, fantasy-like sculpture of a bronze female form with a dress of flowing crystals, diamonds and pearls. The work by Estella Fransbergen is strategically placed in the main entry. “She’s like a guardian angel,” says the sculptor, noting it took nearly two years to complete. “She was originally going to be placed by the staircase, but we moved her so she greets everyone.”

“I’d seen Estella’s work years ago and admired it,” says Halffman. “The torso of the woman’s body appealed to everyone and proved to be a launchpad for me. It played off all the other features.” They include an enormous crystal in the main foyer, pendant chandeliers in the formal dining area beside a case with crystal wear, and bespoke crystal light fixtures on the nearby stairway—which also has a beautiful stainless railing that resembles a feature from the last Boardwalk , but on a much grander scale.

The main salon, with detailed lighting overhead. Notice the backlighting on the rear bar.  Courtesy Fertitta Entertainment

The designers looked for striking but elegant stones—a white opal for the salon and an onice grigio for the sky lounge—mixed with Sapele, mahogany and other dark-stained woods that show contrast with the light-colored fabrics and tiling. The wine cellar even has a custom stainless-steel design that gives it a distinctive look. In all, 55 stones, marbles and tiles were used across the yacht.

Of course, all these stunning details were made possible by the ubiquitous placement of lighting, both direct and indirect, something that Fertitta understands with almost a scientific precision. His previous Westport had four times more lights than the yard had ever put on the 164-foot series. This Feadship paid even more attention to the lighting. Even the beach club, with its lounge and dedicated dive and watersports locker, has a stylish, deliberate look. The bar has a light fixture comprised of Swarovski crystals.

The yacht, though immense, is easy to navigate. Fertitta and longtime captain Tristan Judson paid attention to the functional aspects, creating an open foredeck where the two Hogdon-built tenders are stored, adding the ability to use the massive area for social occasions. The sundeck has a mosaic-tiled swimming pool, and above that is an observation deck with a mast. On that level, one gets a sense of how large Boardwalk really is, surrounded by smaller superyachts at the Fort Lauderdale show.

The intricate details on the day head—typically a forgotten space—give a sense of the how the design team approached the interior.  Courtesy Fertitta Entertainment

Still, the owner and his designers managed to keep a sense of intimacy throughout, installing what they call a “country kitchen” as the owner’s galley, to allow more informal meals and socializing than the main dining room, while retaining the yacht’s professional galley for the staff on another deck. Fertitta, who often works on board, has an office dressed with light-colored fabrics, lounges and glass doors to access the exterior decks.

The Feadship may not be Fertitta’s last yacht. Rumor has it that he’s talking to European yards about an even larger Boardwalk . When asked about it, he says simply: “I love to build things.”

Some other angles.

Courtesy Fertitta Entertainment

Courtesy Boardwalk

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Yachts and helicopters: a matter of size …

Oct 10, 2019 | Articles

More and more yacht owners want a helipad to be integrated right from the design of their new little gem. For some, this represents a true asset to their image, for others, an interesting added value of resale. But for many, having a helicopter is a necessity in difficult environments or a key element of safety.

The example of large expedition ships, where the helipad is standard equipment, has led to the development of helipads on smaller private boats. The certification of a helipad is a major feature of the yacht’s design. Fully certified helipads are recognized around the world and can be used for commercial purposes. Private helipads obey less stringent certification rules.

Safety, including compliance with obstacle clearance, is a key factor in the operation of an on-board helipad. The preparation of the deck, by releasing it completely from all unsecured objects before each landing and taking off, is a binding obligation. 

The main discussions around the use of an onboard helicopter relate to safety, convenience and available space.

Back in time

Lady Moura is one of the largest private yachts in the world. It was commissioned nearly 30 years ago and remains today in many ways, at the cutting edge of technology. This is one of the very first yachts to have been equipped with a fully certified helipad. Located on the upper deck, it is equipped with a fixed foam fire extinguisher and has hydraulic platforms that protect the lower decks from the rotor wash. Takeoffs and landings produce minimal disruption and the helipad has been used continuously for years as part of the normal operation of the yacht. (Photos to follow). The helicopter, a Sikorsky S-76 C ++, regularly connects local landing sites and the boat. There is no hangar on the Lady Moura but as it sails most often in the Mediterranean, a satisfactory arrangement has been found for the helicopter to remain on board during the trips and be stored in a hangar on the ground during extended stays in stopover.

Conditions to take into account

Having a hangar on board is recommended to protect the helicopter if it stays on board during long trips at sea because the saline environment poses significant corrosion problems, especially on the turbines. Generally, boat designers underestimate the space required to house a helicopter aboard a yacht.

I estimate it takes 10 to 12 cubic meters to store spare parts and miscellaneous equipment. It is also necessary to access the helicopter for regular maintenance works and to store fuel, either in specific tanks built on board or in barrels. This last solution is preferable because the contaminated fuel is a real problem for the helicopters and the use of barrels limits this contamination. Moreover, in case of emergency or fire on board, the barrels can be easily dropped. Finally, if it is well designed, the hangar itself represents an interesting added value for the subsequent resale of an expensive yacht.

In the design of the 103 meters long “Sea Hawk”, Hawk Yachts integrated the helicopter and its hangar into the layout of the vessel to optimize space by creating a dual-use area, both artistic and operational. The helicopter is highlighted behind a glass wall, and becomes a decorative element in the hangar that has a bar and can thus be transformed into a reception area for commercial presentations or product launches.

Using the helipad giving it a dual use right from the design allows a considerable gain of space. On the 68 meters long « Hawk Ranger » and the 88 meters long « Hawk Quest », Hawk Yachts installed a fully certified helipad on the pool site. Thanks to technology, the pool turns into a helipad at the push of a button. In pool mode, the bottom is in the lowest position or at an adjustable height depending on the desired depth. In heliport mode, the bottom brought to the high position becomes a landing platform. Such a space saving also minimizes the investment that would have been much higher if the pool and the heliport had been designed separately.

In conclusion, I think it seems obvious to have a certified deck. This gives the owner the flexibility to alternate commercial and private use of his helicopter. It is not necessary to have a hangar, especially since this considerably reduces the cost. For long journeys, it is easier to use helicopter companies that will manage the various authorizations related to the movements of the aircraft, especially abroad.

In addition, commercial certification of a helipad is safer than private classification. For take-offs and landings, users must anticipate potential drawbacks. 

Indeed, unauthorized helipads can be dangerous if all the precautions, especially in terms of space and weight, were not taken into account from the design stage.

Designing a helipad for a 500 ton yacht is a challenge. This must be done meticulously by relying on the expertise of specialized consulting firms in order to obtain its technical homologation and to be able to operate it under optimal safety conditions.

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Inside the shocking Sicily yacht tragedy that left 7 people dead

There was a violent storm, but even then, luxury yachts are built to weather such events. so why did this boat sink off the coast of sicily, leaving seven people dead, by natalie finn | e news • published august 24, 2024 • updated on august 24, 2024 at 10:34 am.

Originally appeared on E! Online

Nobody was trying to reach the lowest depths of the ocean or otherwise test the boundaries of human endurance .

📺 Watch News4 now: Stream NBC4 newscasts for free right here, right now.

But what was supposed to be a routine pleasure cruise aboard a superyacht turned deadly all the same on the morning of Aug. 19 when the 184-foot Bayesian got caught in a storm and sank off the coast of Sicily .

"I can't remember the last time I read about a vessel going down quickly like that," Stephen Richter of SAR Marine Consulting told NBC News . "You know, completely capsizing and going down that quickly, a vessel of that nature, a yacht of that size."

Of the 22 people onboard, including crew, seven people died. The last of the bodies was recovered Aug. 23, an expectedly sad coda to what had already been a tragic week as the search for answers as to how this happened got underway.

And to be sure, every minute of the Bayesian's ill-fated outing is being fiercely scrutinized, starting with the general seaworthiness of the vessel itself.

Because, frankly, this was a freak occurrence.

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"Boats of this size, they’re taking passengers on an excursion or a holiday," Richter explained. "They are not going to put them in situations where it may be dangerous or it may be uncomfortable, so this storm that popped up was obviously an anomaly. These vessels that carry passengers, they’re typically very well-maintained, very well-appointed."

But in this case, a $40 million yacht sank, seven people are dead—including a billionaire tech mogul and his 18-year-old daughter—and morbid fascination doesn't need a second wind.

Here is how the story of the Sicily yacht tragedy has unfolded so far:

What happened to the yacht that sank off the coast of Sicily?

The Bayesian had set off from the Sicilian port of Milazzo on Aug. 14 at capacity with 12 guests and 10 crewmembers aboard.

The aluminum-hulled vessel was built in 2008 by Italian shipbuilder Perini Navi and registered in the U.K. Cruise sites listed it as available for charter at $215,000 per week, per the Associated Press.

On the morning of Aug. 19, the superyacht was anchored off the coast of Porticello, a small fishing village in the Sicilian province of Palermo (also the name of Sicily's capital city), when a violent storm hit.

The vessel "suddenly sank" at around 5 a.m. local time, seemingly due to "the terrible weather conditions," the City Council of Bagheria announced shortly afterward, per NBC News .

At the time, only one person was confirmed dead—the ship's chef—but six others were said to be missing. The 15 survivors—who managed to make it onto an inflatable life boat, according to emergency officials—were rescued that morning by the crew of another yacht that had been nearby when the storm hit.

"Fifteen people inside," Karsten Borner, the Dutch captain of the ship that was able to help (the Sir Robert Baden Powell), told reporters afterward, per Reuters. "Four people were injured, three heavily injured, and we brought them to our ship. Then we communicated with the coast guard, and after some time, the coast guard came and later picked up injured people."

When the storm hit, his boat ran into "a strong hurricane gust," Borner said, "and we had to start the engine to keep the ship in an angled position."

They "managed to keep the ship in position," he continued, but once the storm died down, they realized the other boat that had been behind them—the Bayesian—was gone.

The wreck ended up settling 165 feet below the surface, according to Italy's national fire department.

Fire officials said that divers, a motorboat and a helicopter were deployed to search for the missing.

Meanwhile, footage was captured of the ship capsizing on closed-circuit TV about a half-mile away from where it was anchored.

In the video obtained by NBC News, the illuminated 250-foot aluminum mast of the ship appears to list severely to one side before disappearing completely. Survivors recalled having just a few minutes to literally abandon ship.

Who were the seven people who died when the yacht Bayesian sank?

The tragedy initially became headline news because billionaire tech mogul Mike Lynch—"Britain's Bill Gates," some U.K. media called him—was among the missing. His body was ultimately recovered Aug. 22 .

"They told me that suddenly they found themselves catapulted into the water without even understanding how they had got there," Dr. Fabio Genco, head of the Palermo Emergency Medical Services, told NBC News Aug. 22. "And that the whole thing seems to have lasted from 3 to 5 minutes."

Genco said he got to Porticello about an hour after the Bayesian capsized.

Survivors "told me that it was all dark, that the yacht hoisted itself up and then went down," he said. "All the objects were falling on them. That’s why I immediately made sure, by asking them questions, if they had any internal injuries."

Why did the yacht sink?

Italian prosecutors are investigating to determine what transpired before the boat went down, according to NBC News.

Meanwhile, the CEO of shipbuilder Perini's parent company The Italian Sea Group defended the vessel itself as "unsinkable."

Perini boats "are the safest in the most absolute sense," Giovanni Costantino told Sky News Aug. 22 . What happened to the Bayesian "put me in a state of sadness on one side and of disbelief on the other," he continued. "This incident sounds like an unbelievable story, both technically and as a fact."

Costantino said it had to have been human error that led to the boat sinking, declaring, "Mistakes were made."

"Everything that was done reveals a very long summation of errors," he told newspaper Corriere della Sera Aug. 21, in an interview translated from Italian. "The people should not have been in the cabins, the boat should not have been at anchor."

The weather was "all predictable," he continued, adding that the storm "was fully legible in all the weather charts. It couldn't have been ignored."

The yacht's captain, identified as James Cutfield of New Zealand, was taken to Termini Imerese hospital for treatment. From there, he told La Repubblica, per Sky News , that he didn't see the storm coming.

Borner, the captain of the ship that rescued the 15 Bayesian survivors, told NBC News that he noticed the storm come in at 4 a.m. local time, and saw what looked to him like a waterspout, a type of tornado that forms above water.

The International Centre for Waterspout Research posted on X Aug. 19 that it had "confirmed 18 waterspouts today off the coasts of Italy. Some were powerful waterspouts, one of which may have been responsible for the sinking of a large yacht off of Sicily."

Borner said he didn't know why the Bayesian sank so quickly, guessing "it may have something to do with the mast, which was incredibly long." (A tall mast, even with its sails down, means there's more surface area exposed to wind, which can result in tipping.)

Confirming that one person was dead and six unaccounted for immediately following the wreck on Aug. 19, Salvo Cocina of Sicily's civil protection agency told reporters that a waterspout had struck the area overnight.

"They were in the wrong place at the wrong time," he said.

The 59-year-old founder of software firm Autonomy had been on the trip with his wife Angela Bacares and their 18-year-old, Oxford-bound daughter Hannah to celebrate his recent acquittal in the U.S. on fraud and conspiracy charges stemming from the $11.7 billion purchase of his company by Hewlett-Packard in 2011.

In a bizarre turn of events, Lynch's co-defendant at trial, Stephen Chamberlain, the former vice president of finance at Autonomy, died after being taken off life support following a road accident on Aug. 17. Chamberlain's attorney told Reuters Aug. 20 that his friend and client had been out for a run when he was "fatally struck" by a car.

Meanwhile, multiple people who contributed to Lynch's defense were on the cruise with him and his family.

The bodies of Morgan Stanley International Chairman Jonathan Bloomer—who testified on Lynch's behalf—and his wife Judy Bloomer, as well as lawyer Chris Morvillo, a partner at the U.S. firm Clifford Chance, and his wife Neda Morvillo, a jewelry designer, were recovered on Aug. 21 .

In a LinkedIn post thanking the team that successfully defended Lynch, Morvillo wrote, per Sky News , "And, finally, a huge thank you to my patient and incredible wife, Neda Morvillo, and my two strong, brilliant, and beautiful daughters, Sabrina Morvillo and Sophia Morvillo. None of this would have been possible without your love and support. I am so glad to be home. And they all lived happily ever after…"

The first casualty confirmed Aug. 19 was the ship's Canadian-Antiguan chef, later identified as Recaldo Thomas.

"He was a one-of-a-kind special human being," a friend of Thomas told The Independent . "Incredibly talented, contagious smile and laugh, an incredible voice with a deep love of the ocean and the moon. I spoke to him nearly every day. He loved his life his friends and his job."

Hannah's body was the last of the missing six to be found , with divers bringing her remains ashore on Aug. 23.

Lynch and Bacares, who was rescued, also shared a 21-year-old daughter, according to The Times.

While awaiting trial, Lynch—who maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings—had spent 13 months under house arrest in San Francisco. Back home in London afterward, he admitted to The Times in July that he'd been afraid of dying in prison if he'd been found guilty. (He faced a possible 25-year sentence.)

"It's bizarre, but now you have a second life," he reflected. "The question is, what do you want to do with it?"

(E!, NBC News and Sky News are all members of the Comcast family.)

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Superyacht helicopter deck design solutions

One of the hot topics in yacht design is the continual updating of something that’s been a feature on superyachts for decades: helipads.

I first encountered one in 1985 with the 36.8 metre motor yacht Buckpasser built at Hitachi-Zosen for an American sportsman. She was one of the earliest yachts to boast a fully functional helicopter landing area . Ogden Phipps used the helicopter in conjunction with his hunting and fishing exploits around the globe, often towing his Merritt sportfishing boat as well.

Even today, Buckpasser remains one of the smallest yachts to incorporate a helideck. The reason is simple: helidecks take a lot of planning, space and money. The sacrifices are often not worth it for a smaller yacht where the trade-offs are proportionally greater. As a yacht grows in size, the costs and compromises become more manageable as part of the overall project.

The approach

There are two approaches to helicopter landing aboard yachts. The first, the ‘touch-and-go’ or emergency landing pad, is a spot for the helicopter to land, never shutting down, and take off as soon as its passengers or cargo have embarked or disembarked. There are no set standards for such operations, with the details governing them worked out on a case-by-case basis between the designers, builders and relevant regulators from civil aviation, classification society, flag state and insurer. Note that this is only for non-commercial operation.

The touch-and-go has no real reference, asserts David Nelson, principal aviation consultant at Helidecks Training Solutions, a yacht helipad design consultancy and MCA-accredited training service. ‘However, the owner of a “private helipad” would be foolish not to have equivalence with the standards. Most classification societies have their own minimum firefighting and rescue equipment to satisfy ISM requirements.’

None of this indicates that every non-certified helipad is unsafe. Many comply with the spirit and requirements of the commercial regulations but miss certain dimensions by centimetres. Such is the case with Feadship Lady Christine , built for a certified helicopter pilot.

The second approach, called fully certified or commercially certified, is a lot more comprehensive. For superyachts flying the Red Ensign or its equivalent, particularly those in charter or that intend to charter, the primary regulations governing their design, construction and operation are found in the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s Large Commercial Yacht Code (LY3) Annex 6.

Acceptable compromise

Between ‘touch-and-go’ and ‘fully compliant’ lies a grey area of compromises for private-use situations that some designers and builders are reluctant to discuss.

‘International aviation regulations mandate that all helicopters engaged in commercial air transport operate to a certified helipad or in this case helideck, which must have been constructed to defined standards and characteristics,’ Nelson says. ‘A private yacht and helicopter owner need not build his helideck to the same standards, nor gain certification, if the use is solely non-commercial. This does have a limitation, however. The owner would not be able to use a charter helicopter service to arrive at his private helideck.’

Even if a Red Ensign yacht complies fully with Annex 6 and is approved by the flag state, its crew, helicopter and pilot are subject to the requirements of the port state as well. Even Annex 6 states, ‘The landing area will be limited to receiving helicopters in the conditions agreed by the Aviation Inspection Body.’ This refers to weather conditions, but it is more broadly applicable. To navigate such a labyrinth of requirements is daunting. Many owners and captains delegate this task to specialised private agencies that assure all is in order before arrival.

Wanted: space

‘The length free of obstacles is 1.25 times the length between the tail rotor and the main rotor shaft. Say that distance is 13 metres, then you need 16 metres length free of obstacles. This is a large area, especially on yachts less than 70 metres,’ notes Ronno Schouten, chief designer for De Voogt Naval Architects.

Some builders have developed clever methods for dealing with clearances and ground-plane (airflow) effects. Folding rails are employed in many cases, as is removable safety netting and flush-mounted lighting. In other cases, the structure itself converts during helicopter operations. For instance, the hardtop on the 50 metre Westport Vango hinges up 90 degrees to create additional clearance, and block the airflow interaction between the helicopter’s rotor and the yacht’s mast and satcom domes.

Location, location, location

‘Siting of the helideck is much more likely to be driven by the aesthetics of the yacht design rather than the potential hazards of turbulence and motion,’ says Nelson. A helideck on the top deck is more subject to roll than one on the main deck, for example.

‘The owner’s choice between landing on the foredeck or aft has large implications on the design,’ says Schouten. ‘A pad on the foredeck has less impact on design and enables landing when the aft decks are in use by the guests. However, landing in this location is in general not possible when the boat is moving.’

‘The turbulence generated by the superstructure is greater and more troublesome where there are angular corners and large blocky faces,’ says Nelson. ‘There are ways of designing features that minimise airflow disruption – just look at any modern car. If we are involved with a yacht at the design stage, we always encourage such ideas and the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to avoid problems with turbulence.’

The next thing on the horizon for air tenders will probably be tilt-rotor aircraft and one UK design firm has already begun a yacht design that would land an AW609 aircraft. ‘For something like a tilt rotor, which may be susceptible to turbulence, CFD analysis is a must,’ Nelson says. This is still in the future, however, as certification for the civilian AW609 has moved back to 2017. Of course, for an owner who desires an aircraft that can cruise at 300mph for 852 miles, carry nine passengers and land on his deck, three years is minimal design time.

Weighty considerations

All helipads, both certified and touch-and-go are designed for a crash load that is 2.5 times the helicopter’s maximum weight. Normally, decks are designed only for sea and human loading, and occasionally for point loads from tender stowage, but when helicopter operations are added, they must be strengthened, with added structure sometimes required from the helideck down to the keel. This adds weight, which increases overall displacement, adversely affecting speed and fuel consumption continually. Except on the largest yachts, helidecks are usually at or near the top of the yacht. This added weight, at such a distance above the keel, also will have a significant negative effect on the yacht’s stability, so added beam and fin stabilisation may be necessary to compensate.

‘It is extremely important designers and ship builders get aviation advice as early as possible to avoid difficulties or costly alterations later. The main objective is to establish at the outset what the owner wants to use his helicopter for, as that drives the design and equipment,’ says Nelson. ‘For example, does the owner want to do ocean transits with his helicopter, which may mean a hangar is required? Does he need to fly at night, which requires a lighting plan? How much flying is intended and does the helicopter require onboard fuel or maintenance capability?’

Builders and designers report that most yachts above 60 metres build in minimal touch-and-go capability, for emergency evacuation if not regular use. Nelson’s database includes 66 yachts over 60 metres with helidecks, including nine that are fully certified. Yet another option for some owners is touch-and-go capability aboard the yacht itself along with MCA Annex 6-compliant landing and stowage aboard a shadow vessel.

Choices in helideck configuration, it seems, are limited by the size of the yacht and the scope of the designer’s imagination in meeting regulatory requirements.

This article originally appeared in Megayachts 2014: Concept – Design – Construction, ShowBoats International magazine’s April 2014 issue, and Boat International magazine’s June 2014 issue. Subscribe here .

Photos and illustrations by Marc Paris; Mark O'Connell

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