World’s 100 Largest Yachts 2008 #6: A
By Diane M. Byrne
#6: A—390'4"
Klaus Gaeth / Monacoeye.com
A
Yes, you read that name right: This debut is simply named A. For the better part of this year, online forums, blogs, and even general news sites have been burning up with postings relating to this launch. When the top-secret project, alternately code-named Sigma and then SF99, emerged from her build shed back in January and the first photos of her became public, people went nuts. While many found her reverse bow striking and some described her overall design as daring, others likened her to a submarine and just couldn't warm up to her unusual, warship-like styling. The Wall Street Journal's "Wealth" columnist and blogger even dubbed her the ugliest yacht in the world. As to who the owner is, most people assumed from the start that it was 41-year-old Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich—though other interesting theories included Google cofounder Sergey Brin. The true owner: 36-year-old Andrey Melnichenko, another Russian billionaire who's met with great success in banking and energy companies.