Billionaire’s Toys: $15 Million Yacht; Controlled by iPad

July 5, 2013

(CNN) — With her curved ‘wings,’ long pointed nose, and gleaming underbelly propped high above the waves, this space-age yacht might be better suited to the sky than the sea.

Just a few square meters of the futuristic vessel — valued at $15 million — actually touch the surface of the water, allowing it to skim across the waves with ease.

The innovative design, along with high-tech features such as an iPad-controller, helped glossy “Adastra” win three prizes at last week’s prestigious ShowBoats Design Awards in Monaco, including Best Naval Architecture.

The yachting world is clearly impressed. The honor follows a prize for the Most Innovative Design at the 2013 World Superyacht Awards earlier this year.

So could this alien shape — resembling something between a spaceship and the Concorde supersonic plane — be the future of superyacht design?

“The superyacht industry is pretty traditional,” designer John Shuttleworth, told CNN. “But the establishment has given a ‘yes’ to this idea which is a huge step forward.”

“Inevitably, there has to be a trend for reducing fuel consumption — and I think superyachts will have to look something like this in the future. Initially I don’t think economics will drive it — these are wealthy owners and cost isn’t an issue. Instead, it will be from an ethical, environmental point of view.”

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Billionaire’s toys

Billionaire shipping magnate Anton Marden is believed to be the proud owner of the plush 42.5-meter vessel, which took more than five years to design and build.

The Hong Kong-based mogul and wife Elaine will be able to remotely control their luxury yacht from up to 50 meters away, simply by sweeping their hand over an iPad. Read full