Richard Branson sells 32m catamaran superyacht for just $3 million

Virgin entrepreneur and billionaire Richard Branson, who also founded the embattled Virgin Trains rail franchise, has sold Necker Belle, his 32-metre (105-foot) catamaran superyacht, for just $3 million.

The vessel, built in 2003 by CMN, can accommodate up to 10 guests across four cabins. She boasts a beam of 14 metres and can reach speeds of up to 20 knots thanks to Caterpillar engines. In 2009 Necker Belle was bought by Branson for £5.3 million and then refitted, and in 2014 she was listed for sale with an asking price of $8.5 million.

Necker Belle was most recently a part of Branson’s Virgin Limited Edition collection and available for charter from $60,000 per week. She was often based at Branson’s private Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands, or at the business magnate’s Swiss estate.

In 1986, Branson – a prolific sailor – broke the record of a Transatlantic crossing on a motor yacht with the Virgin Atlantic Challenger 2. In an interview he explained that, despite his feat, his love was never for that kind of yacht.

"I’m not really into motor yachts. We had great fun breaking the record on VAC II but I’d get bored cruising on a motor yacht," Branson revealed. "I sold it the day after we broke the record and have never had another one since."

"I love the platform of a big catamaran. There’s tonnes of space on board and it’s so much more stable than a conventional monohull, so it’s great for guests who sometimes feel queasy afloat," he added.

"I love to have friends on board to explore the nearby islands, and of course the submarine adds another whole dimension to cruising the Caribbean. It’s like flying a mini fighter jet under water."

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