By: Scott Way
Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal has a new yacht and, to put it mildly, it's a real looker. Not just because it's from renowned builder Sunreef yachts, but because it's truly one of a kind. The Polish shipyard added an insane list of custom features in accordance with the wishes of Nadal and his wife Maria, both of whom were actively involved in the build process (they're also ambassadors for Sunreef as a result).
Some of those specialty features include Rafa's custom Nike logo on the big screen tv mounts in the salon (and there are three massive 77" in tv's, one of which is somehow waterproof), a dropdown terrace in the master suite that creates a water-level lookout at the foot of the king size bed, and a custom Heineken beer tap on the flybridge. The 'garage' is also accessible directly underneath the rear salon, where an electronic lift pulls back the stern lounge to reveal a jet ski, a SEABOB, and a surf foil. While Great White is by no means a small yacht, at 80 feet long it's shocking that it manages to pack 4,000 square feet of comfortable living space. She has a top speed of 24 knots (27 mph), which a cruising speed of 14 knots (16 mph).
Former F1 champ Nico Rosberg recently took a tour around Great White, and it's a great look at a masterfully built boat. Nadal is also a truly interesting and humble guy, and there are some good lessons for everyone.
Nadal mentions that the flybridge was recently damaged in a thunderstorm (of which he takes responsibility for encouraging the captain to take him out in bad weather), and I wish we could get the backstory on that. The tour doesn't seem to include the entire flybridge, so something is afoot there.
As for who has the best celebrity yacht, there may be some footitus going on. Tom Brady recently went up in size to a Wajer 77, and Nadal matched the length of Michael Jordan's 80-foot Viking sportfishing yacht Catch 23. Length doesn't always tell the full story, though. NBA champ Klay Thompson rides around in a measly 37-foot fishing boat, but it's an Axopar 37 Cabin, so he gets some slack. And Conor McGregor's tiny 63-foot boat doesn't match up with the big boys either, but it's literally a Lamborghini boat, so he gets a pass. If we are judging length (and let's be honest, some of us will), Tony Parker reigns supreme with a 115-foot expedition yacht.
Check out Nadal and Rosberg exploring Great White in the video below:
