Where will it end??

What's the practical use for a $2MM Bugatti that is driven 4x a year? Or a $500,000 watch? Or a $60,000,000 penthouse in NY? Are some owners lovers of fine things? The art? The technology? Sure. Are some buying yachts these size (100M+) for the craftsmanship & seamanship? Maybe. For security, comfort & tax benefits? Maybe. Just like everything else man has ever commoditized (women, cars, real estate, land, yachts, etc) yacht size is also about cock measuring. Yacht size will probably continue to grow, and morph, as the global uber-wealthy demand more and more physical security/privacy, and yachts capacity expands with technology we see now, submarines, defensive/offensive weaponry, and some not even developed yet like portable landing strips, mobile islands and who knows what.

I mean, why couldn't prince Al-Waleed bin Talal + his entire clan live on an aircraft carrier sized ship, moving around the globe, running his businesses, entertaining global leaders, educating he and his cabal's children -- with all the medical, travel, security, technology access of a major city, all on a 300M+ floating city, that would cost no more than his normal life does right now.

Man is a curious beast, and the sea of the greatest of platforms.

Why not? Money makes the world go round. Let the wealthy spend their money for luxury. Thousends of workers and their families worldwide depend on their consuming behavior.

And by the way, Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal does not seem to be the owner of Azzam. I think, Lürssen disclosed the ownership of Azzam. Why should the Chief of the presidential office of the UAE be the project manager of a member of the royal family of Saudi Arabia? And the president of the UAE is Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Exceptions prove the rule

The VAST majority of non commercial use boats (and I don't include charter yachts in that category) are WAY below the sizes mentioned above.

There will always be some oil-sheik/super-sporter/tech-genius/brainless-heir who will seek to prove that his "thing" is the biggest. However, just the annual operating costs of these aberrations exceed, by far, the total cost of ownership of at least 90% of what's floating out there. There's no end to money (or stupidity for that manner)...

One, who does not care about a Bugatti Veyron, has never driven a car on the highway at 253 miles per hour. (It would scare the sh..... out of me!!!!). But I know of a woman that drives a Veyron for shopping.

The bugatti engineer was asked, how long the Veyron tires would last at that speed. He answered: "We could not test it, the 100 Liter fuel tank is empty after 12 minutes".

People in the automotive and construction industries would beg to differ!...

If you're not planning on marrying her, could you introduce me to her?

Didn't say he was the owner -- just used him as an example.

Apparently, she knows its all about the journey; not the destination.

P.S.- It would appear that someone on the design team drives a boat - notice the "top" of the steering wheel.

http://zeocars.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/2011-bugatti-super-sport-steering-wheel-19.jpg

Jep, that is the "rudder position indicator" And the best thing is, you need two keys. The first one gives you about 600 HP and the second one, located in the center console, gives you the other 401 HP. So if your wife is driving, only give her one key.

Cheers

People like round numbers, so 200 meters and/or 600 ft will be "next".

On the one hand I find a yacht like "Azzam" quite pathetic, a childish egotrip showing others you have more money, "my boat is bigger than yours", and with such huge exhausts telling spectators that your boat has MASSIVE engines and MORE horsepower etc.

Nothing new, as hundreds of years ago exactly the same kind of men were building bigger and bigger castles for exactly the same reasons

On the other hand: such extravagant spending creates and maintains thousands of jobs, something you can't say when say Steve Cohen buys a 155 million USdollar painting and a 60 million dollar house to put it in

Most industry veterans who were asked that question said of course we will will see the 200m but they won't get much bigger. The running costs etc are just to high... imagine c.a 10% that means for these yachts 40-60million euros per year, you can not really compare watches and cars to megayachts of this magnitude and complexity (perhaps private mega jets).

There are simply no marinas where you can moor in and you won't always want to lie next to cruise/ containerships I guess, unless it is a royal yacht.
A few people need that for their ego, prestige or whatever and fewer are able/ want to spent their money for the next number 1. Particulary since the last financial crisis.

Also there are no yards that are able to build yachts much bigger than 200. Lürssen's floating drydock is max. 220m. Yards could subcontract such a project but to whom? The only yard that comes to mind which has yachting expirience and is able to build 220m+ is Fincantieri.

The owner of the "Eclipse" probably knew that there would come a new No.1 and he was not really surprised...He or his people have their industry contacts I guess.

Somebody might suggests converting cruiseships but I am not shure whether you can really create a top notch superyacht finish on these boat. Also I would not describe them as yachts as they were built for completly different purpose.
On this matter, I recently read that the new MSC Preziosa was originally ordered by the Gadaffi clan as a private ship...

However there are rumors of 200m yacht in north europe... I can not confirm and I won't... I thought I would mention it just to show that the race for the biggest yacht in the world has not ended yet.

Written by someone with no real superyacht (inside) knowledge and don't claim them for me! You can prove me wrong but no offends for my contribution on this topic would be appreciated.

Sure. But, in context, how many jobs (or lives for that matter) were scrubbed in the creation of the wealth that affords such things?

I think this is where this thread will end anyway...