# is there a way to find who owns a yacht? (for free) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 31, 2010, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-find-who-owns-a-yacht-for-free/548665 "2010-07-31T06:38:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-find-who-owns-a-yacht-for-free/548665/1 "2010-07-31T06:38:07Z")
Theres one particular stupidly impressive superyacht tied up near me at the Rozelle SuperYacht marina in Sydney with no visible name painted on it. Rego number on the side is 58463Z. I have no particular reason to find out, I’m just being nosy and this one intrigues me as all the other yachts there have obvious names and can be googled fairly easily. Seems there is various registries to search but they all charge money, and although it’s sitting in Australia guess there’s no telling if its registered in Australia or not. I do have a photo from my iphone if that helps but just checked that and no flag is flying. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-find-who-owns-a-yacht-for-free/548665/2 "2010-07-31T08:05:44Z")
I thought, but may be wrong, that it is a requirement for the name of a vessel to be displayed. If you can get to the stern you should be able to see the port of registry and possibly the name. The port of registry will at least let you know where it is from. ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-find-who-owns-a-yacht-for-free/548665/3 "2010-07-31T08:50:08Z")
the boat is currently berthed with stern to the water and you can’t get onto the dock alongside it without a security code for the marina. Would probably need a pair of binocs to check out the stern from the other side of Black Wattle bay, might rustle up a pair. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-find-who-owns-a-yacht-for-free/548665/4 "2010-07-31T10:55:49Z")
Unlikely that you will find an answer at all for nothing, let alone one that would satisfy you. If it is NSW registered you can probably find out only by paying a fee. Same if it is Australian registered (but that doesn’t look like an Aust. registration no. to me). Many maritime organisations (governmental and regulatory and insurance) supply data to Equasis ([www.equasis.org](http://www.equasis.org)) which is a free online database, but the focus of Equasis is commercial trading vessels not pleasure vessels. You can sometimes find superyachts on there. Armed with the vessel’s name or IMO number you might be able to track it down on Equasis and you might be able to just google it, so that is a first step. The other angle is that you are probably looking for a name that might mean something to you. Megarich people don’t hold assets in their own name. Even if the yacht was ultimately beneficially owned or controlled by some megarich person you have heard of, almost certainly it would be owned and registered in the name of some company (“Ocean Holdings Thirteen Co. Ltd” say). Unless you really want to start digging and paying a lot of fees, you may find it hard to find out that ultimately this company is controlled by Ernst Stavro Blofeld, Hugo Drax or Dr Julius No. Of course that isn’t universally true: some rich people are happy to be publically associated with their assets including superyachts, and a simple google will turn them up. ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-find-who-owns-a-yacht-for-free/548665/5 "2010-07-31T14:37:25Z")
pic here: [http://www.coremelt.com/private\_downloads/random/IMG\_0066.jpg](http://www.coremelt.com/private_downloads/random/IMG_0066.jpg) I think the triangular flag is the from the smaller boat in front but I could be wrong… Princhester I’m aware of what you say about shell companies etc but I guess that I estimate the resources of the teeming millions highly. I guess its about 60 m long, which puts it in Superyacht category but probably not on this list… > **[List of motor yachts by length](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_motor_yachts_by_length)** > > This list of motor yachts by length, is a table of the world's longest active superyachts, with an overall length of at least 75 metres (246 ft) and up. > These boats are also known as "megayachts", "gigayachts" and even "terayachts", usually depending on length. It has been generally accepted by naval architects and industry executives that superyachts range from 37 m (≈120 ft) to 60 m (≈200 ft), while those over 60 m are known as megayachts and boats over 90 m (≈300 ft) have been referred to a... ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-find-who-owns-a-yacht-for-free/548665/6 "2010-07-31T14:43:11Z")
Equasis lists the number 58463Z as not being a valid IMO number… so no luck there ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-find-who-owns-a-yacht-for-free/548665/7 "2010-07-31T15:53:19Z")
aha… I got an answer from [YachtSpotter.com](http://YachtSpotter.com)… " This yacht is called “Z”. It’s a Leopard 46m, onyl 2 ones like that for the moment in the world. This is the 2nd hull, the 1st one is called Pure One." > **[Yacht Z ELLERSTON, Overmarine Mangusta (Rodriguez Group)](https://www.charterworld.com/index.html?sub=yacht-charter&charter=z-ellerston-2087)** > > View the latest images, news, price & similar yachts for charter to Z ELLERSTON, a 49.9 metres / 163 feet luxury yacht launched by her owner in 2008. that still doesn’t answer who owns it… teeming millions? ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-find-who-owns-a-yacht-for-free/548665/8 "2010-07-31T16:04:54Z")
yet more info here: > **[Yachts & Superyachts | The Ultimate Directory | SuperYacht Times](https://www.superyachttimes.com/yachts/details/3695)** > > The ultimate directory of the global yacht fleet is available on SuperYacht Times Apparently a “well known Australian owner”… So Packer, Murdoch, Mel Gibson, someone less known? Mods can you change the title to “who owns superyacht Z” ??? ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-find-who-owns-a-yacht-for-free/548665/9 "2010-07-31T16:12:33Z")
ok found… it’s owned by James Packer, son of Kerry Packer media mogul and full name is “Z Ellerston”. > **[Gold Coast Bulletin](https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/?nk=b3f40d03678cb396494cade332930c05-1693126424)** > > Gold Coast Bulletin ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-find-who-owns-a-yacht-for-free/548665/10 "2010-07-31T16:41:26Z")
woops… actually the “Z Ellerston” was the slightly smaller version the shipyard gave him while waiting for this one… this is actually the “Z Sydney” [http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/confidential/james-packer-and-erica-packer-entertain-friends-on-new-50-million-showboat/story-e6frf96o-1225823927110](http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/confidential/james-packer-and-erica-packer-entertain-friends-on-new-50-million-showboat/story-e6frf96o-1225823927110)