Capital curiosity
Super yacht in the harbour
A $100 million super yacht belonging to German billionaire Reinhold Wurth has berthed in Wellington Harbour.
Vibrant Curiosity docked at Queen’s Wharf on Sunday and was due to leave last night.
The 85-metre-long, 2560-tonne vessel, complete with a helicopter and launch pad, was built in 2009 and flies under Great Britain’s Union Jack.
The yacht can host 14 guests and 26 crew. If it were any bigger, it would need to be listed as a cruise ship, sources said.
Boasting a jacuzzi, seven suites and a private deck, Vibrant Curiosity has a rotating staff of 34 to keep it in ship shape for international voyages.
It has been spotted in the icy waters off Helsinki and the tropical waters of Cairns and the Maldives.
The capital usually gets about four or five super yachts visiting each summer, Wellington regional harbourmaster captain Mike Pryce said.
There was not enough demand for a designated super yacht dock, but they usually anchored at Queen’s Wharf because it offered convenient access the city, Pryce said.
Wurth, who is an avid flyer, was reportedly using Wellington as a base to explore the region since he docked on Sunday.
Dubbed the ‘‘SchraubenKonig’’, or ‘‘screw king’’, the 81-year-old billionaire took over his father’s screw business in 1954 and grew it into a global brand.
According to Forbes, Wurth is the 141st richest person in the world, with a estimated fortune of $11 billion.
The super yacht had been travelling around the South Island, including Fiordland and was seen in Nelson last month.
After departing Wellington, Vibrant Curiosity will head back to Auckland where the headquarters of Wurth New Zealand is based.
Wurth New Zealand has been operating for more than 20 years in New Zealand. The Wurth group has more than 410 companies across 84 countries.