Is 007 in town?

I was just driving past the Point when a boat caught my eye.

Motor-boat : mega-yacht
SKAT 71m 232' 11"ft

Reduced to the absolute essentials, minimalist, masculine, navy-like – these are some of the comments used to describe SKAT by the public.
It is the natural consequence of letting function determine the clarity of shape, which is truly fascinating.
Striking shadows of grey are created, each one of them unique. There are no arbitrary lines.
The long rows of glasshouse-like windows, not seen so far in yacht building, flood her with light in a way that was unthinkable before.

True design should awakens an emotion – either you love it, or you hate it.
As proof thereto, and as the ultimate accolade by its peers, SKAT was awarded the Superyacht Design Award.


Charles Simonyi, a software developer, couldn't’t care less about the world knowing he owns this yacht. In fact, he talks openly about her and is often seen on board, particularly in Europe in the summertime. Just this past season she was spotted in Italy, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. But c’mon, Charles, you of all people should know that if you’re gonna reserve a Web domain for your yacht (MY Skat), you’ve got to include something other than a single page with a single photo!

Y: 2002; B: Lürssen, Germany; N: Builder/Espen Øino Naval Architects; H: Steel; E: 2/2,680-hp MTUs

Well well whose name should pop up ?
As the fortunes of the world’s wealthiest have grown, so, too, have their floating palaces. Twenty years ago a 150-foot boat would have made its owner the envy of the sea- faring set. Now it wouldn’t even get a ranking on the world’s 100 largest yachts list, according to Power & Motor-yacht magazine.

Limited Brands billionaire Leslie Wexner kicked off the yacht wars in 1997 when he launched the 316-foot Limitless, at the time 110 feet longer than any other boat. Since then a competitive sport has emerged in waterlines. To play, you need to spend up to $300 million, and perhaps buy more than one vessel (Russian Roman Abramovich owns three). Rumor has it Larry Ellison ordered his Rising Sun be built a few feet longer than Paul Allen’s Octopus--just to stick it to his Microsoft (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people ) rival (Ellison’s folks deny this story). “Yachts are the closest a commoner can get to sovereignty,” explains U.S. billionaire Charles Simonyi, who spends six months a year on his 233-foot Skat.

If I had the money I would buy a much bigger boat with a big smiley face on it and room for all my friends!


Silks card club has gone into receivership.
A guy once told me that the sole purpouse of a casino or a lap dancing club is to launder dirty money !
Seems like they must have been honest.

The big wheel is taking shape.


Herzogs house on Bloomfield Ave.

Lennox St area(old Jewish quarter) once known as little Jerusalem.