The top 10 fastest superyachts in the world

Clocking in at a thrilling 70.10 knots, the 41.5 metre Foners has raced to the top spot as the world’s fastest superyacht. She’s been difficult to catch up with, having maintained her position for over 20 years since her delivery in 2000. 

Her zippy speed is produced by two 1,280hp MAN engines coupled with three Rolls Royce 6,700hp gas turbines that drive three KaMeWa water jets. But she is not just about speed; her interior, designed by Studio Spadolini is quite literally fit for a king. Originally built by Spanish shipyard Izar as the King of Spain’s royal yacht, the DLBA-designed Foners features interiors finished in elegant gloss sycamore wood panelling with stitched tan leather detailing. She can accommodate eight guests and six crew on board, and her superstructure has been lined with Aramid fibre for the express purpose of making it bullet proof. There is a formal dining room indoors, while the deck spaces are vast offering plenty of opportunities for al fresco entertaining. At a cruising speed of 12 knots, she has a range of 1,800 nautical miles.

World Is Not Enough comes second to Foners by just a fraction, able to reach a respectable top speed of 67 knots. She was delivered in 2004 by Millenium Super Yachts and designed by Dutch naval architect Frank Mulder. She is propelled by two Paxman diesel engines and two Lycoming gas turbines, producing a staggering 20,600hp. She also boasts an impressive cruising range of 3800 nautical miles at a comfortable speed of 10 knots.

World Is Not Enough measures 42.4 metres LOA and can accommodate 10 guests on board in five luxurious cabins, along with seven crew members. When not ploughing through the waves at full throttle, she offers plenty of space for relaxation, with al fresco dining and lounge spaces available on all decks and an additional formal dining space and bar indoors. Her interiors have been designed in a classic style by Evan K Marshall and feature marble finishes, opulent mirrors and glossy wood panelling. She was last refitted in 2011.

In third place is the 68.18 metre Destriero. Launched in 1991, she was built by Italian shipyard Fincantieri to a design by Donald Blount and Pininfarina. Powered by a Codag engine with three GE Aviation LM1600 gas turbines totalling 54,000hp, she is able to reach a top speed a 66 knots. The construction of Destriero was sponsored by Aga Khan IV for the purpose of achieving the Blue Riband, a record awarded to the fastest vessel to cross the Atlantic Ocean.

Shortly after her launch, Destriero crossed the Atlantic in 1992 twice without refuelling. Her first westbound voyage took her from Tarifa Point in Spain to Ambrose Light in New York. The return voyage saw her travel from Ambrose Light to Bishop Rock in the Isles of Scilly, a total distance of 3,106 nautical miles which she covered at an average speed of 53.09 knots and completed in a record time of 58 hours, 34 minutes and 5 seconds. Although Destriero was ultimately denied the Blue Riband’s Hales Trophy on the basis that the award can only be given to passenger vessels and not private yachts, she did receive the Virgin Atlantic Challenge Trophy awarded by former record-holder Richard Branson for the fastest crossing by any vessel. She also won the Columbus Atlantic Trophy sponsored by the Costa Smeralda and New York Yacht Clubs for the fastest trans-Atlantic round-trip.

The sleek lines and futuristic design of Rodriquez Yachts’ Galeocerdo is the result of exhaustive research and design development programme by Wally founder Luca Bassani. Created with the aim of maintaining high speeds in rough seas, the 36-metre Wally Power 118 superyacht was launched in 2003 following tank testing at the SSPA facility in Goteborg, Sweden, and wind tunnel testing at the Ferrari facility in Maranello, Italy. Lazzarini Pickering Architetti and Intermarine also collobroated on the design of Galeocredo.

Galeocerdo is driven to a top speed of 65 knots by three Vericor TF50 gas turbines, each driving a Rolls-Royce Kamewa water jet. The titanium exhaust system is lightweight while extremely resistant to the high temperatures generated by the gas turbines, and can muster up to 16,800hp. At a cruising speed of 45 knots, she can cover a range of 1,500 nautical miles. Her interiors offer room for six guests and six crew on board.

Gentry Eagle was built by Vosper Thornycroft and launched in 1988 for the late Tom Gentry, who set nearly every powerboat speed record in existence during his lifetime. His passion to win powerboating's most coveted honour, the Blue Riband for the fastest passage across the Atlantic, drove him to commission the 34.1 metre Gentry Eagle, capable of 63.5 knots. She was designed by Peter Birkett and Grant Robinson, and her interiors by Robin Rose can host six guests and four members of crew.

In 1989, he finally won the Blue Riband on board Gentry Eagle. His record time of 62 hours and seven minutes beat Richard Branson's previous record by an astonishing 23 per cent. Gentry Eagle was relaunched as a private superyacht in 1992.

Launched in 2004 by Italian yard AB Yachts, Kereon can blast through waves at a top speed of 62.3 knots. This punchy performance is made possible by a triple 6,300hp CRM diesel engine set-up fitted to a fast planing hull designed by naval architect Angelo Arnaboldi. Inside Kereon can accommodate up to six guests in three cabins, while her 12,000 litre fuel tank means a maximum range of 900 nautical miles is possible at her fast cruising speed of 50 knots. The 35.66 metre superyacht features sharp exterior lines and a distinctive metallic silver superstructure that contribute to her sporty allure.

Designed purely for the purposes of collecting the Blue Riband award, the Azimut Atlantic Challenger was launched by Benetti in 1988 with exterior details by Pininfarina. The 26.82 metre aluminium monohull can reach a top speed of 60 knots under the power of four CRM diesel engines offering 7,400hp. At a cruising speed of 40 knots, she has a range of 3,000 nautical miles. Unfortunately, her attempt to procure the Blue Riband shortly after her launch in 1988 but was ultimately fruitless.

In 10th place, but still neck-and-neck with Brave Challenger, Azimut Atlantic Challenger and OCI Ciorinie is the 25 metre Jet Ruban Bleu. Delivered in 1990 by Multiplast, and designed by Gilles Ollier together with Coste Design & Partners, she is powered by a single MTU 3,500hp engine and can reach a top speed of 60 knots. At a speed of 50 knots she has a cruising range of 3,000 nautical miles. She features a planing GRP hull and superstructure, with her decks also constructed from GRP.

Powered by three Rolls-Royce Proteus gas turbines totalling 13,500hp, the 31 metre Brave Challenger has proven top speeds of over 60 knots and can achieve higher speeds using its alternative Vosper-developed high-speed propellers.

Built by Vosper Ltd in Portsmouth in 1961, Brave Challenger is the only surviving example of the Brave Class fast-patrol design that was designed and built for the Royal Navy. Built alongside the Royal Navy’s HMS Brave Borderer and HMS Brave Swordsman, Brave Challenger was completed with a special consent of the Admiralty and Royal Navy to be equipped for private use.

First acquired by owner W.G. Haydon-Baillie in 1979, Brave Challenger was rebuilt to flagship standard at a purpose-built facility as part of the Haydon-Baillie Aircraft and Naval Collection in Southampton over a period of 10 years and 2.2 million man hours from 1979 – 1989. From 2017 – 2021, Brave Challenger has been undergoing a full restoration by the Haydon-Baillie Maritime Heritage Team at the superyacht refit yard Trafalgar Shipyard in Portsmouth. Its dedicated support base now includes 54 spare Rolls-Royce Proteus gas turbine engines, extensive spares, 10 spare V-Drive gearboxes and 12 spare propellers.

"Brave Challenger’s speed of 60 knots+ was officially recorded under Lloyds Supervision over the Measured Mile off Portsmouth, UK, - and is fully repeatable at all times as part of its design and everyday operating potential," according to owner W.G Haydon-Baillie. "It is often considered that only the fastest yacht speeds that are officially recorded and are not one-off events - and are fully repeatable as part of the yacht's design and everyday operating potential are relevant to include in the top ten fastest claims."

Prolific naval architect Don Shead teamed up with American yard Palmer Johnson and Dutch shipbuilders Vripack in 1998 to create Oci Ciornie. This aluminium-hulled speed machine was fitted with twin 1,800hp MTU 16V 2000 M90 engines, a 4,600hp AVCO Lycoming gas turbine and Arneson surface drives for a staggering top speed of 60 knots.

Her interiors can accommodate up to eight guests in three cabins consisting of a master suite, double cabin and twin room with a pair of pullman berths. The deck saloon and forward outside spaces are all located on one level for a streamlined look, and the interior of the main saloon takes design cues from vintage aircraft design. The 25 metre superyacht can also accommodate two crew on board.