It’s Friday, global vaccinations are trending upwards and Tom Brady is talking casinos and playing American footballwith David Beckham in the Bahamas.
Brady’s 53-foot (16-meter) Vida a Vida may not qualify as a superyacht, but when you have pals like Florida real estate developer Jeffrey Soffer -- the owner of the 312-foot Madsummer -- you don’t have to worry.
The seven-time Super Bowl winner was seen aboard the superyacht with Florida politician Chris Sprowls over the past weekend, angling for a new casino development, according to local media.
At a comfortable two to four hours away from Florida’s Fort Lauderdale -- depending on which island you visit -- the Bahamas is the perfect getaway for the South Coast ultra-wealthy. And the number of superyachts shows it: As of March 19, There were 21 more than last year, according to vessel data analyzed by Bloomberg. That’s partly due to Covid-19 border closures in neighboring French islands like St. Barth and St. Martin.
Where the Yachts Are Current super-yacht count by country Source: Bloomberg, IHS Markit, Genscape Note: March 2021 includes all yachts with a location last reported between the 15th and 19th and within two miles of the country's coastline. February 2021 data are based on Feb. 15 to Feb. 19 positions, while March 2020 numbers are for March 8 to March 12. Median length in study is 163 feet. "Pct. New" is based on yacht ages between 2016 and 2021.
Brady isn’t the only one from the industry represented in paradise.
The largest yacht currently in the Bahamas, the 358-foot Bravo Eugenia, belongs to Jerry Jones, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, while Daniel Snyder has the third largest, the 305-foot Lady S. Coming in second place is the 323-foot Aviva, owned by British businessman Joe Lewis.
Next up for the region is the Palm Beach International Boat Show, running through March 25 to March 28. It will feature more than $1.2 billion worth of yachts and merchandise.