David Tang Talks Superyachts

A fortnight before his fight with liver cancer ended, he took to his column to talk superyachts. The well-connected social circles in which he orbited opened up opportunities to experience life aboard a variety of luxury yachts as both a guest and charterer.

He explained: ‘Over the past 20-odd years, I have travelled about on respectable yachts to horrible yachts, and even my own modest vessel, I have come to appreciate the massive discrepancies between so-called superyachts. And also having chartered myself, I have become a bit of a Hercule Poirot in detecting the taste levels of boats, inside and out.’

What follows is an eschewing of the ‘hedonistic world of superyachts’ where ‘a whole new generation of “gin-palaces” began to appear thick and fast’ in the 1990s. Instead, Tang celebrates the timeless values associated with the classic yachts that came before.

On these classic boats, there is always a sense of understated luxury, never any ostentation; always a supreme sense of comfort

David Tang

According to Tang, ‘all originality and elegance was smudged out in favour of size and whiteness’ on this ‘fast emerging and monotonous pattern of new boats’. He likens the yachts to ‘giant meringues’, and berates the designers for their lack of creativity and originality.

Recalling his stay in the master suite aboard the 92m/303ft superyacht TATOOSH, he laments that ‘there was only fitted furniture, plus the ubiquitous giant television screen’, concluding ‘this somnambulant feeling of the modern superyacht is, alas, virtually prevalent. “White and whiter, boring and boringer”’. 

Ever the gentleman, Tang stresses the kindness and generosity of his hosts, and recognises how the conflicting notions of luxury have brought about these discrepancies. He said: ‘All these expensive boats are luxurious, but for me, just not comfortably luxurious, but awkwardly luxurious’.

So what did appeal to David Tang? He summed himself up as ‘ultimately an incurable maritime romantic bore’ who only pines for ‘those old grandes dames of the oceans: those with funnels’.

He continued: ‘Yes the funnel which gives me an immediate sense of comfort and unassailable sense of the high end. Perhaps I was indelibly seduced by the twin funnels of SAVARONA. I have never chartered a boat without a funnel.’

Among the yachts he rates are Aristotle Onassis’ former yacht, the 99m/325ft motor yacht ‘Christina O’, the 48m/156ft sailing yacht ARRIVA, the 50m/165ft classic yacht KALIZMA and the 37m/121ft classic yacht ‘Fair Lady’. What these have in common, of course, is ‘a majestic funnel at its fulcrum’.

However, the one boat he adores the most is ‘the utterly incomparable’ 80m/262ft classic yacht TALITHA, on which he had recently been on board in the majestic cruising grounds of the Norwegian fjords.

Of the 1930s build, he said: ‘There is no yacht in the world that can match the magnificence of this extraordinary vessel. On board, flying the white ensign with the owner, my senses are on silent turbocharge. To approach it is visual joy, to embark it another joy, to be inside the rooms and cabins is ultimate joy, and the only joylessness is upon disembarkation.

‘Every detail of this yacht is unswitchable. Every piece balances into harmony. The two open fires in two wonderful chimneypieces are the touches of a magician… To float and glide on TALITHA is like being on Solomon’s carpet over water, breakfasting at Damascus and supping at Medina.’

To float and glide on TALITHA is like being on Solomon’s carpet over water, breakfasting at Damascus and supping at Medina

David Tang

The socialite also summed up his preference for classic yachts in his column in November 2016. He wrote: ‘On these classic boats, there is always a sense of understated luxury, never any ostentation; always a supreme sense of comfort, never any awkward piece of designed furniture; and an ultimate sense of intimacy and romance, with wonderful pictures and fascinating libraries’.

There is, however, one contemporary superyacht that captured his attention – the 30m/118ft superyacht ‘Wally 118’. The man behind the yacht, Luca Bassani, once lent Tang this ‘paradigm of modern maritime design’ which reaches incredibly impressive top speeds of 60 knots.

In his usual tongue-in-cheek, anecdotal style, he tells the story of racing down the French Riviera to pick up Dame Vivien Duffield from her home in Cap Ferrat and onto Le Club 55 – ‘the most famous beach restaurant in the St Tropez solar system’.

For more details on any of the charter yachts above, speak to your preferred charter broker.

Alternatively, take a look at all classic yachts available for charter.