Seized From a Saudi Prince by a Swiss Bank, 270 Feet Long Sarafsa Superyacht Sold to Billionaire Heir of Sporting Goods Retailer Decathlon With the $65 Million Beauty Boasting a Two-Story Owner’s Suite, Swimming Pool, Helipad, and a Winter Garden
In early 2022, a 270-foot megayacht of a Saudi Prince was caught amid legal action with Credit Suisse for over $78 million in unpaid interest and loans. In a year, Credit Suisse sold Prince Fahad Bin Sultan’s seized $65 million superyacht. The stunning luxury vessel was purchased by billionaire Olivier Leclercq, son of Decathlon founder Michel Leclercq. The sale handled by Burgess Yacht changed the breathtaking Sarafsa to Pure Yacht.
The ship arrived at the port of Genova, Italy, on Jun 28 and is set to undergo a $50 million refit this year. From extending the ship by nearly 23 feet to repainting her massive hull, plenty of work is needed. Before the sense of Sarafsa leaves motor yacht Pure, we would like to explore the abundance of the ship that sailed royalty in detail-
A former royal yacht brings on board an array of luxuries, and Sarafsa was no different. Winch Design’s most exquisite work was launched in 2008 at Devonport Yachts in the UK. She may seem like a vessel that teleports you back in time with OTT finishes and furnishings more suited to royalty than a billionaire, which explains the refit. However, certain features of the boat will presumably remain unchanged, like the two-story owner’s apartment (complete with a dressing room and a valet cabin) and the explosion-proof lazaretto.
The beauty of Sarafsa lay in the fact that she brought to life a bygone era with luxe Mediterranean influences witnessed in the iconic Belmond’s Splendido Hotel in Portofino and Hotel Cipriani in Venice. While amenities like a gym, swimming pool, beauty salon, and helipad will not be changed (perhaps ungraded), the chances of dated marquetry panels, intricate carpets, and old televisions will be gone if the new buyer aims to reside in an avant-garde floating mansion. “The interior is beautifully classic, but it could be changed to suit a contemporary style as well,” stated Winch.
Sarafsa featured a wheelhouse deck flanked by a cinema and an appealing dining area with a winter garden. Another entertainment spot was the piano lounge with an eye-catching sunken bar. Well-appointed guest cabins accommodate 12 guests between the main and wheelhouse decks, serviced by 20 crew. Keeping the original owner’s love of the Mediterranean, the cabins are dubbed the Portofino, Monaco, and Santorini suites, with themes unique to the islands.
With an impressive 3,200GT of volume, the 270-footer could don the avatar of a world-class expedition yacht in the future. She can carry an arsenal of toys, tenders, and submarines. They say change is the only constant, and in $65 million Sarafsa’s aka Pure Yacht’s case, we do hope so is her showstopper of a staircase in the grand atrium. JMS Yachting will manage the refit of the massive six-decker.
59-year-old French billionaire businessman enjoyed a net worth of a whopping $2 billion and was the former chairman of Decathlon, one of the world’s largest sporting goods retailers. The hotelier, designer, and owner of Olivarius Hotels is a member of the Mulliez family, owners of the supermarket chain Auchan.
His father, Michel Leclercq, set up Decathlon in 1976 as a small sporting goods store. Today, the brand flaunts $15 billion in sales from more than 1,700 stores in 60 countries, with the Leclercqs owning approximately 40% of the company. It will be interesting to see what the businessman who resides in a large oceanfront mansion in upscale Santa Barbara does with his palatial Pure Yacht. She will indeed be an elegant equivalent to his magnificent hotels.
