Mine's Bigger again. Sheikh to add beach to get world's longest yacht

by Lee Mylchreest on 14 Sep 2010 'Mine's Bigger', in spite of its cliche status, seems to be still the modus operandi for the world's mega-rich.

Reports are that one modern Sheikh will add a 'beach' to his mega-yacht to make it the world's longest again.

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, was obviously chafing at the bit after finding out that the Russian Billionaire cum football club owner Roman Abramovich had built the largest yacht in the world, the Eclipse, which had effectively eclipsed his own Dubai by just eighteen inches.

The problem would seem to be a critical one, but one easily solved with a few Middle-eastern dollars from the 59-year-old sheikh, who is the tribal leader of the House of Al-Falasi.

Camper & Nicholson have pegged the length of the Eclipse as 533 feet, and the Dubai is only 531feet 6 inches. So according to London's Sunday Times, he is going to have it lengthened, maybe by as much as eight feet, and to 'eclipse the Eclipse', recapturing the 'World's Biggest' title in the process.

The UAE's Platinum Yachts, which built the Dubai, is reported to be considering different methods of lengthening that could include a black box radar to be mounted jutting forward from under the prow. That alone would make the yacht six inches longer than the Eclipse.

It is also considering adding a 6 ft. swimming beach to the Dubai's stern.

'These beaches have become very fashionable among superyacht owners over the past couple of years,' one shipping expert explained. 'They are extensions, platforms for sunbathing or holding a party at water level so you can just slide into the waves.

'The Dubai has room for a beach, but the Eclipse does not. So the sheikh could reclaim his crown as ruler of the seas.'

Of course, the Dubai still wouldn't have a smart submarine to enable a quick escape in case of attack - maybe that will be the next addition. Platinum Yachts were not available for comment.