A superyacht belonging to one of the wealthiest women in the world was sighted on Tuesday moored in Scotsman’s Bay, off Dún Laoghaire, providing a rare treat for the harbour’s yacht spotters.
The 110-metre, €300 million Kaos is reportedly owned by Nancy Walton Laurie, heiress to the Walmart US retail empire.
Weighing in at 4,523 tons, it has impressive features including 16 cabins, a gym, a steam room, an indoor beach club, a cinema, a sauna, and a spa. There is also a swimming pool and a helipad.
The yacht’s interiors are known for their lavish style which includes marble and stone fittings, and custom-made silk carpets.
The yacht was recently seen in London and Cornwall before making its way to Dún Laoghaire.
According to Superyacht Times, Kaos was formerly known as Jubilee, and was launched in 2017, as the largest yacht ever built in the Netherlands.
“The exterior features a combination of curved lines and glass panels in the bulwarks is visually stunning to create an illusion of extra decks and a trompe l’oeil effect where the yacht appears long and lean. Metallic paint enhances reflected sunlight on these curved lines,” the publication said.
It was the second large private yacht to visit the Dublin in recent weeks and follows the more modest €80 million Scout which was moored in the Liffey and visited Kinsale.
Scout, also a Dutch-built vessel, was launched in 2019 for James Berwind, whose family made a fortune out of coal and mining. He now engages in social entrepreneurship and is reported to have a passion for animal welfare.
Berwind and his partner Kevin Clark designed Scout, which is named after the couple’s dog, to be a semi-permanent base from which they can explore the world.
The superyacht visits come at the beginning of what is expected to be a busy season for cruise ships at the historic south Dublin port town.
Mary Hanafin, former Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown council, said more than 90 ships will visit Dún Laoghaire this year. During her tenure as Cathaoirleach, which concluded this week, Ms Hanafin said she visited three ships which were first-time arrivals in Dún Laoghaire. She said the cruise ships which she visited were two small luxury vessels which can accommodate 500 to 600 passengers, and one larger ship which could accommodate some 3,200 passengers and 1,400 crew.
Ms Hanafin said the local authority which controls the harbour receives fees for boats moored offshore while power boat owners also received fees for escorting tenders.
She said while some passengers went on to Dublin or Glendalough, many remained in Dún Laoghaire Town and spent money on gifts. She said the council has set up and tourist information and gift shops as well as a reception area in the harbour.
