New Yorkers slam Aussie superyacht parked in front of Statue of Liberty
Aussie John Symond accused of taking too many liberties as the for-sale sign goes up on HasnaA wealthy Australian businessman has native New Yorkers and visitors up in arms after his megayacht has anchored up in front of the iconic Statue of Liberty for about a month.
Hasna, the 73-metre megayacht owned by Aussie Home Loans founder John Symond, has regularly been anchored up in front of the statue after it was listed for sale for the equivalent of $160 million last month, according to the New York Post.
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However, New York’s residents have noticed the incursion, and aren’t happy.
“As you may or may not be aware, some megawealthy mariner has been parked resolutely in front of the Statue of Liberty for about a month now, junking up the view from her harbour home with a very long boat home,” Manhattan-based online new site The Gothamist wrote today.
“Basically, just getting in her way and making it more difficult for her to receive visitors, which of course is one of her favourite things to do.”
One visitor said seeing Symond's yacht anchored almost hard-up against Staten Island – a photo published on the New York Post website shows it parked up almost in the shadow of Lady Liberty – was “incredibly tacky and tasteless”, the NYP said.
“Just because you have a lot of money, you get to do that?" the woman is quoted as saying. "The Statue of Liberty is a landmark. You can’t dock your yacht in front of it.’’
Another said simply: “We get it, you’re rich.” Symond is estimated to be worth about $560 million and is believed to be selling Hasna because he is on the hunt for something bigger.
The Gothamist speculated that Hasna was saving thousands of dollars a day in berthing fees by using a “technically free” anchorage rather than tying up at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal.
Symond is believed to not be on the yacht. Instead, Symond’s son Andrew has been using it to flit between Manhattan and The Hamptons, reports said.
The Dutch-built Hasna was launched in 2017 and features an aft beach club, an 8.0-metre infinity swimming pool, gym and wellness centre, hair salon, massage room and a 10-seat cinema.
Burgess Yachts, a megayacht brokerage that
, says the full-beam owner's suite on the main deck features his and hers bathrooms, separate dressing rooms, lounge and private study.
“On the lower deck is versatile accommodation for eight guests in two VIP suites and two double cabins that can convert into twins, and there is a further guest double on the bridge deck,” it says.
It also makes mention that the yacht features a staircase that is considered a “work of art”.
Twin MTU diesel engines give Hasna a top speed of 16.6 knots, a cruising speed of 14 knots and a transatlantic range of 5500 nautical miles at 12 knots, the listing says.
A forward garage houses a 9.0-metre “limo” and an 8.0-metre sports tender custom-built by superyacht tender specialists Vikal to complement the ship’s design.
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