BOAT OF THE WEEK: THIS NEW 208-FOOT SUPERYACHT HAS AN OWNER'S SUITE THAT'S BIGGER THAN MOST APARTMENTS.

The 208-foot "Moca" is one of the big draws at the Fort Lauderdale boat show, a luxury superyacht designed to live off the grid for months.

Talk about living a pampered life. When Moca’s first owner took delivery of the 208-foot superyacht at builder Benetti’s yard in Livorno, Italy, back in 2016, he wanted his first cruise to be to the Bahamas.

Instead of doing what most owners would do and instruct the crew to get it there on time, to avoid the wear and tear of a transatlantic crossing, he had the massive superyacht hoisted on the deck of a freighter and shipped there. The owner, a Greek shipping magnate, then used the yacht just twice before listing it.

After the bespoke Benetti changed hands in October 2019, and was renamed Moca, it continued to lead a sheltered life, spending winters in the Bahamas and summers in the Hamptons. Even though the yacht is available for the occasional charter, its current owners are so protective and selective, they only let “caring” customers pay the $475,000-a-week fee to enjoy their yacht.

“They don’t allow day charters or parties on board,” said Frank Grzeszczak Jr. Grzeszczak gave Robb Report an exclusive tour of Moca at this week’s Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, where the yacht officially entered the brokerage market at €39.95 million, or roughly $46.6 million.

Originally named Waku, it was built by Benetti to ABS class for the first owner who specified a steel hull and aluminum superstructure, a 35-foot beam for voluminous interior spaces and 13-foot draft for good stability. The boat is equipped with MTU diesels, packing 1,029 hp each; enough to push Moca to a top speed of 18.5 mph and cruise serenely at 14. Her 30,000-gallon fuel tanks give her a range of close to 5,000 nautical miles. In five years, only 1,000 hours have been put on the engines.

The interior design by Francesca Muzio, co-founder of Italian studio FM Architettura, provides accommodation for up to 14 guests in seven staterooms, plus a multitude of multi-use spaces indoor and out. “The owners are big family people who love to have their extended family and friends aboard,” says Grzeszczak.

The main, big-windowed salon is an oversized, comfy space with a neutral, beach-cottage look of soft-white sofas, bleached oak for the walls and dark wood flooring. It’s a theme that continues pretty much throughout the boat. The salon opens out on to a huge covered back deck with a big U-shaped sofa providing seats for 16 and a large table for casual alfresco dining. An air-conditioning system is built into the ceiling to provide respite on hot, humid days.

Also on this level is an industrial-grade galley with extensive pantries, fridge/freezers, and a 1,000-bottle wine cellar just steps away. According to Grzeszczak there’s enough cold and dry storage for the yacht to go off the grid for more than four months. Right now, Moca runs with a crew of 15.

One of the design highlights is the glass-tube elevator that runs between all four levels of the yacht. With its shimmering chrome framing, it looks like a piece of art. Down on the lower level are the sleeping quarters, with twin bunk rooms for kids, and a spacious VIP double cabin, each with their own bathroom and shower. Forward are two more identical VIP double cabins.

But the piece de resistance is the owner’s suite on the upper level. “It’s not really a suite, but a whole apartment,” says Grzeszczak. “It has an impressive amount of space, including what must be the biggest walk-in closet of any superyacht in its class.”

The master bedroom stretches the entire 38-foot width of Moca, and comes with a vast bathroom and massive walk-in shower. Close by is a lovely owner’s office, with views through a picture window.

A press of a button opens a door from the master suite onto a private outdoor deck, where there is an alfresco dining table for 14. On the top level, there’s yet another outdoor deck with steps to the pool, and doors opening into a room that, since Covid-19, is no longer a massage and yoga room but a classroom for kids. Steps away is the yacht’s gym and reconfigured massage space.

Our final stop is Moca’s gleaming engine room with the pair of shiny, stainless steel-adorned MTUs, generators and Quantum stabilizers. Says Grzeszczak: “Since the owner bought the yacht, every single piece of machinery has been overhauled. Nothing has been overlooked. It really has been a labor of love for the owners.”

©robbreport