Sunreef Superstars: Influential Owners

Sunreef Yachts attracts influential owners and ambassadors, including tennis legend Rafael Nadal, Formula 1 superstars Fernando Alonzo and Nico Rosburg, and…Paris Hilton too

This article was written by Bill Springer. Photography courtesy of Sunreef Yachts.

After interviewing lots of the world’s most successful athletes, entertainers, and businesspeople over the years, I’ve really come to appreciate just how driven they all are. But even the most successful people in the world need to unwind. And for many, owning a yacht (or in some cases, several) is the only way they can truly get away from the stress and pressures of their high-profile lives.

RAFAEL NADAL

Rafael Nadal is a prime example. He’s won 19 Grand Slam titles and numerous number-one rankings during his long and highly-decorated pro tennis career. And Rafael’s competitive fire always burned bright both on the court and off. But as you can see in his candid answers here, his custom-built Sunreef 80 is the ideal pressure release valve.

BS: Is this the first yacht you have owned?

RN: No, it’s not my first boat. I’ve owned a 62-foot speedboat in 2013 and then in 2016 a 76-foot motorboat.

BS: What inspired you to build your own custom yacht instead of chartering?

RN: It’s simple, I live on an island. It’s part of the local lifestyle. When you have your own personal boat, you decide when you go out. When you charter out, you can’t just choose to go immediately. When your boat is next to your house, you wake up, have breakfast, and say: ‘You know what, I want to spend the day out there on the boat.’

I can get away from the stress that way. To me, it’s important. It helps me restore positive energy. That’s something that has always helped me move forward with my tennis career. That is one of the main things I really appreciate about boating.

BS: What is it about this yacht that is special? Is it the ability to get away from it all? Is it the connection to the sea? Is it the ability to customize your living space and then move from place to place in style?

RN: There are a couple of things. First, we customized the boat to make it truly adapted to our needs. Second thing is when we’re at anchor, the stability is just unbelievable. We can always relax, sleep it’s perfect. It’s a yacht that you can use like a home. The saloon is bigger than in my house, honestly!

Also, underway, you can be on the front terrace, or if you want to hide from the wind, you go to the stern cockpit and relax. On the flybridge, you have 360-degree views. The yacht is almost 40 feet wide; that allows plenty of space for a big tender, water toys, and lots of comfortable spots for sunbathing, too.

BS: Why did you pick a catamaran? Why did you pick Sunreef?

RN: My experiences with catamarans were always associated with chartering and were always good. I’d always owned monohulls before.

It’s great for me to have the boat docked right in front of my house here in Porto Cristo, Majorca. In fact, it’s the biggest boat that would fit and the huge amount of space it has would be impossible on any monohull under 100 feet long. That is, for me, the main reason for switching from monohull to multihull.

I’ve known Sunreef Yachts for a long time, and I’m a big fan of boating in general. My impression of the company is that it’s prospered from the the beginning. When Sunreef presented the 80 Sunreef Power to me, I fell in love.

FERNANDO ALONZO

Meanwhile, veteran Formula 1 driver Fernando Alonso has recently taken delivery of a new electric 60 Sunreef Power Eco. And he had this to say about the experience:

BS: Rafael Nadal says getting away on his catamaran helps him “reduce stress and regain positive energy”. Is that what it’s like for you?

FA: My life goes so fast. I travel all around the world. Once on the track, it’s all about speed. When I enjoy my time off, I want the exact opposite. I want to travel in total silence, with no fumes, no vibrations.

The 60 Sunreef Power Eco gave me exactly the yachting experience I was looking for. Long, fume-free, and quiet cruises let you enjoy the seas on a whole new level. This yacht has some amazing technology that cannot be found anywhere else.

BS: You cruised with friends and family on board your custom 60 Sunreef Power Eco recently right? What was it like?

FA: On board, all that matters is peace of mind, fresh air, and good company. Yachting should not be about ego. For me, it’s about sharing good moments and being respectful towards the environment.

BS: Why did you choose Sunreef Yachts?

FA: Sunreef Yachts was an easy choice for me. They combine luxury and sustainability like no other shipyard. When I visited their facility in Poland, I saw firsthand how all the details are taken care of. This is what luxury eco-yachting should be about.

NICO ROSBERG

After spending some time with former Formula 1 champion Nico Rosberg, it’s obvious that when it comes to the spiritual connection between yachts and auto racing (and Rosberg’s passion for building sustainable solutions that will help the planet), few things are as exciting as the launch of a new line of hyper-efficient ECO catamarans from Sunreef Yachts.

BS: What is it about the company’s line of electric-powered catamarans that’s attractive to you?

NR: When you’re traveling on the electric Sunreef, it is pure silence. Do you know how beautiful that is on a yacht? No vibration, no noise. That’s a powerful example of something that I appreciate so much, because that enhances your enjoyment of being with nature out on the water by a multiple.

BS: I see that that Sunreef Yachts is partnering with your Xtreme Racing team that competes in the all-electric-powered Extreme E of-road racing series. Is that why you’re an owner and ambassador for the brand too?

NR: Yachting has a responsibility to go more sustainable. Yachting benefits from the beauty of the oceans. And I’m excited and fascinated to be working with Sunreef Yachts because they are trailblazing sustainable luxury yachting. Sunreef has innovation at its heart, at its core. And since I’m an engineer at heart myself from Formula 1, I love technical innovation.

BS: After learning about your commitment to sustainable solutions, Sunreef’s Founder and President Francis Lapp’ announcement that that the shipyard will partner with Rosberg’s Xtreme Racing team makes total sense.

NR: Xtreme Racing is the most sustainable form of motor sports in the world. The purpose of the championship is to fight climate change. So, we’re racing in the ends of the world where climate change has caused the most damage so far. We’re racing on the glacier in Greenland. We’re racing in the Amazon Rainforest, where-of-course-it’s not just climate change, but also man-made deforestation that’s caused huge problems.

PARIS HILTON

Paris Hilton is, well…Paris Hilton. She’s not a Sunreef owner or ambassador per se. And I didn’t get a chance to talk to her about her experience on a new Sunreef 80 last Christmas in the Bahamas. But I didn’t really need to. As you can see here, her image does the talking.

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