Tour de France Monaco Grand Depart
Teams, TV crews and the whole Tour de France shebang have been streaming into the principality this week in the build up to the Grand Depart of the Tour de France, which this year starts in Monaco, this Saturday, 4th July 2009.
We crossed the Cofidis team near Sainte Agnes on Thursday afternoon. Incredibly in the near 30 degree heat, having climbed 950 metres from Monaco, the team looked very relaxed, hadn't broken a sweat, were chatting merrily and said hello as they passed !
Two to three hundred thousand people are expected to visit Monaco for the event. There are a few new yachts around. The recently launched CRN Tacanuyaso MS is berthed under Fort Antoine. Al Mirqab and A have been sailing along the coast nearby.
The route for Saturday's Monaco-Monaco 15 km Stage 1 is: Port, Casino, Princess Charlotte, Jardin Exotique, back above Monaco along Moyenne Corniche to Bon Voyage, down past Tennis, Larvotto, back to Port.
The first rider leaves at 4 pm on this time trial and is expected to take 20 minutes to complete the circuit. Cyclists then leave every minute until 7 pm. The "Caravan" (free key-rings etc) leaves at 1.30.
Sunday's Stage 2 is much longer: 187 km Monaco - Brignoles, via Nice, Grasse, Fayence and Draguignan, starting at 12.20 in the Place du Casino.
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Eclipse
Name: Eclipse
Length: 557 ft • 170 m ?
Year: 2009
Builder: Blohm & Voss • # 978 ?
Design: Terence Disdale ?
Volume: 13000 GT?
Owner: Roman Abramovich
Exclusive Photos: Klaus Gaeth • Hamburg • 12 June 2009
Exclusive Photos: Niels Hartmann • Hamburg • 20 June 2009
13 June 2009: Eclipse, the world's largest yacht, was launched yesterday 12 June 2009!
Here is an excellent set of photos from Klaus. She's out of the shed in Hamburg and looks … big.
Some reports have suggested that Roman Abramovich may have sold Eclipse already - although this seems unlikely.
What do you think of her looks? She looks a bit bulkier than I expected. Since we're well into mini-cruise ship territory here, that is probably inevitable. I think I'll reserve judgement until she's properly finished and delivered.
Greenline Yacht Interiors, who fitted out "A" and are working on 141m MY Swift, are currently working on the interior for Eclipse.
At a reported 13,000 GT she is more than twice the volume of Sigma, but a little smaller in volume than Al Said. The project cost for Eclipse is reportedly about €340 million.
Further reading: A Daily Mail article, and a Google translation of the Hamburger Abendblatt. Report of a Vaudrey Miller tender launched in New Zealand, February 2008.
Larger photos here. (To purchase a photo for publication please contact monacoyachts@gmail.com)
22 June 2009: In these superb new photos from Niels Hartmann, the scaffolding is back on Eclipse and much finishing work still needs to be done. It will be several months before delivery, with early 2010 touted as a likely hand-over date.
The bulbous bow currently doubles up as a duck slide for a sizeable group of mallards.
Al Said
Yacht name: Al Said
Length: 508 ft • 155 m
Year: 2007
Builder: Lürssen • # 13644
Design: Espen Øino
Photo: The Storm • Palermo • August 2008
Photo: GG • Bremen • September 2007
2009: Some good photos showing Al Said in her home setting in Muscat, Oman, from NP.
Al Said, ex Project Sunflower, is the massive new build from Lürssen, launched in 2007, for Sultan Sayyed Qabus bin Said as Said of Oman, a.k.a. Sultan Qaboos bin Said. At 155 m in length she comes straight in at number two in the list of the world's largest yachts.
New photos from NP in Muscat ! Larger ones to follow…
Nero
21 Jun 2009 17:25 :Yantai
Raffles• Yellow
Funnels
Yacht name: Nero
Length: 295 ft • 90 m
Year: 2007
Builder: Corsair Yachts • Yantai Raffles
Architect: IMT Marine
Design: Neil Taylor
Photos: monacoeye • Beaulieu • August 2008
Nero is now on sale for €75 mil - Burgess had an open day at the weekend.
The elegant Nero was launched in 2007 in Yantai, China. She shares some similarities with JP Morgan's famous Corsair IV, the largest US-built yacht (wrecked in 1949), in her length and general layout. A superbly executed retro design !
Pari
Yacht name: Pari
Length: 130 ft • 39 m
Year: 1989
Builder: Alucraft • Dell'Argentario
Design: Vicenzo Ruggiero • Refit: Espen Øino
Photos: monacoeye • St Jean Cap Ferrat • 2 June 2008
20 June 2009: Activity around Pari. A containment barrier has been placed around her and hull inspections appear to be taking place.
2 June 2009: Pari ran aground off St Jean Cap Ferrat, on Saturday 30th May, dragged on to the rocks at anchor by heavy winds during the night. Attempts to refloat her have been halted until an inspection of her hull has been undertaken. No one was reported injured.
As can be seen from the photos above, she has now been tethered to the rocks with some floatation devices at her bow and stern - or perhaps those are fuel containment barriers? No fuel was visible in the surrounding area.
The magnificent villa La Fleur Du Cap, that overlooks the waterfront, used to belong to Charlie Chaplin, then was owned by David Niven until his death in 1983.
Below, Pari last year in Cannes, in better times.
Silver Angel
21 Jun 2009 17:25 :Benetti• Recent
Launches
Yacht name: Silver Angel
Length: 212 ft • 65 m
Year: 2009
Builder: Benetti • # 247
Design: Benetti & Argent Design
Photo: NT & monacoeye • Monaco • June 2009
Photos: GS • Livorno • May 2009
June 2009: Silver Angel arrived in Monaco. She is for sale at about €68 mil, according to Boat International. She is slightly larger than the similar looking Lionheart pictured behind.
May 2009: Here's Silver Angel, Benetti's recently launched 64 m in Livorno. Thanks to Giacomo for the photos !
Lady Kathryn IV
21 Jun 2009 17:25 :Westport
Theo
21 Jun 2009 17:25 :Maiora• Recent
Launches
Yacht name: Theo
Length: 115 ft • 35 m
Year: 2009
Builder: Maiora
Photos: monacoeye & NT • Monaco • June 2009
Looks like a new Maiora thundering in …
Talitha G
Yacht name: Talitha G
Length: 247 ft • 75 m
Year: 1929 • Refit: 1994
Builder: Krupp
Naval architect: Cox & Stevens
Design refit: Jon Bannenberg
Photo: NT • Girolata, Corsica • July 2008
Photo: monacoeye • Monaco Grand Prix 2009
Talitha G - once owned by J. Paul Getty, Jr - enjoying the scenery around the Corsican town of Girolata …
Ziacanaia
21 Jun 2009 17:24 :Custom Line
