Necker Belle

The Necker Belle is a 105-foot[1] (32 m)[2] private charter catamaran yacht,[3] offered through Virgin Limited Edition and based at the resort Necker Island.[4] The Belle superyacht is one of the few luxury sailing catamarans in the world.[5][6]

History
Name: Necker Belle
Owner: Virgin Limited Edition
Operator: Virgin Limited Edition
Builder: CMN
General characteristics
Length: 32.00m (105ft)
Beam: 14.00m (46ft)
Draft: 1.80m (6ft)
Propulsion: Sail
Speed: 22 knots
Capacity: 13
Crew: 5

Prior to being purchased by Richard Branson's Virgin, the yacht was called Lady Barbaretta, and cost £5.3 million for Branson to obtain.[1] It required a two-year refit to emerge as the Belle,[7] operates with a crew of seven, and is currently captained by Captain Piers Helm.[2] The refit won the 2010 best new refit at the World Superyacht Awards.[5] The yacht has a top speed in excess of 20 knots,[7] being rare in the world as being able to do so.[5]

The Necker Nymph excursion submersible also operates from the yacht.[8] It is reputedly the first-of-its-kind "aero submarine", buoyant when not under power.[9]

References
  1. eTravel Blackboard, "Virgin Limited Edition welcomes Necker Belle into fleet", Thursday 10 September 2009 (accessed 1 August 2010)
  2. BTN, "Sir Richard Branson says ‘Ahoy’ to Necker Belle…", 30 September 2009 (accessed 1 August 2010)
  3. New York Times, "Ahoy, Matey - Let's Get Nautical", Michael Cannell, 28 March 2010 (accessed 1 August 2010)
  4. CNN Money, "Charter Richard Branson's yacht", Hibah Yousuf, 7 January 2010 (accessed 1 August 2010)
  5. CharterWorld.com, "NECKER BELLE - Luxury Catamaran" (accessed 2 August 2010)
  6. "Richard Branson's Necker Belle | Club Yacht". Club Yacht. Retrieved 2017-07-16.
  7. Daily Record, "The £5.3 million Catamaran", Jon Kaila, 4 January 2010
  8. SuperYachts, "Necker Nymph ‘Underwater Aircraft’ announced by Virgin Limited Edition", M. Tempest, 31 January 2010 (accessed 1 August 2010)
  9. ABC News, "Richard Branson's 'Underwater Plane' Is 1st of Its Kind", Ki Mae Heussner, 4 February 2010 (accessed 1 August 2010)


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