By: Scott Way
Ziggy played guitar, and that's probably how he afforded a stunning 39m (128 ft) Benetti motoryacht.
The estate of the legendary David Bowie, who passed away in 2016, has put his iconic El Caran motoryacht up for sale through Fraser Yacht's Brokerage in the U.K. The boat was commissioned by Bowie back in 1977 at the height of his fame, and all indications are that is has been used actively the last 45 years. The boat is currently up for grabs for an opportune €4,850,000, or about $6,000,000 USD, and it can also be chartered for €80,000 per week if you'd like to take an intergalactic adventure like Ziggy (metaphorically speaking, anyway).
If you're unfamiliar, Ziggy Stardust was Bowie's alter ego, a fictional androgynous rock star who is sent to save Earth before an impending apocalypse. As the tale goes, Ziggy wins the hearts of his followers, but falls victim to his own ego and falls from grace. Classic rockstar stuff.
Anyway, the boat is a classic steel displacement hull, and as you can see from the pictures it's simple, elegant, and an eclectic mix of classic rock n' roll vibes intertwined with modern touches. She was refitted in 2020 and some of her newer upgrades include a fresh paint job and new teak deck.
Below deck are six staterooms with accommodations for up to twelve guests and seven crew. The master stateroom spans the full beam which is notably wide at 7.2 m (23'7"). There's also a sky lounge and a massive exterior deck for entertainment.
El Caran is powered by twin MTU diesel engines pushing 624 hp each that generate an impressive range of 4000 miles. She's no performance boat, though, as she maxes out at 12 knots (14 mph).
The El Caran is registered out of Malta, rather than Bowie's U.K home base, which makes sense considering Malta is part of the EU and sits on the Mediterranean off the southern coast of Italy.
Not a bad place to spend your downtime, Ziggy. Rest in peace.
You can get a full walkthrough of El Caran in the video below:
