If you frequent the high seas, then you are certainly familiar with James Bond movies. After all, this iconic franchise has become synonymous with what it means to lead a life of luxury and danger. From speed boats to submarines and everywhere in between, Ian Fleming has given us some of the most memorable watercraft used by Bond himself throughout his adventures for more than 50 years now. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the best James Bond boats and yachts that have been featured in recent 007 films – both large vessels like The World Is Not Enough’ super yacht as well as small ones such as Live And Let Die’s’ hydrofoil! So fasten your seat belts and get ready to explore these larger-than-life vessels from the world’s top spy!
From Russia With Love (1963)
One of the most memorable boat chases occurs in From Russia With Love. A young Sean Connery and Tatiana Romanova were traveling to Venice when the bad guys assaulted them. But Bond made a spectacular escape aboard a Fairey Huntress.
The speedboat is part of the Fairey Marine catalog. Created by English sailing enthusiasts, the company produced boats until the early 1980s. Its first motor cruiser appeared in the 1960s.
This James Bond boat sequence helps publicize the Fairey Huntress and the Fairey Huntsman motorboats. They became widely popular, and won multiple offshore races. They were the craft of choice for Royal Naval Skippers.
Live and Let Die (1973)
The Glastron GT150 featured on Live and Let Die movie poster is crucial for the 007 boat history. Roger Moore drives the speedboat through Louisiana everglades and makes a 120ft leap over the pursuing Sheriff’s cars.
26 boats were used to create this iconic sequence, and 17 were destroyed during the shoot!
The Glastron GT 150 used to establish the world record was sold just after the shooting. It is now the property of the Ian Flemming Foundation, and it was part of James Bond’s vehicle exhibition in London.
For safety reasons, we don’t recommend these kinds of stunts with speedboats while you are on sailing vacations. But you can still experience high-speed sensation and jumps with water toys. Learn how to choose among them here!
The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
In this Bond movie, the boat is, in reality, a Lotus Esprit. This beautiful white car is one of the best British sports cars of the 1970s. Q turned it in an incredible vehicle. It turns into a submarine to escape an attacking helicopter.
Filmed in the Bahamas (Nassau), the underwater scenes feature the extravagant vehicle that can fire torpedoes and anti-aircraft-missiles.
Enjoy a superyacht charter in the Bahamas to immerse yourself in the James Bond movie ambiance.
Golden Eyes (1995)
The Manticore yacht is the villain’s lair seen in GoldenEye. Most of the scenes were filmed in Monaco. The actual luxury yacht is the Northern Cross, a 142ft boat built in Sweden in 1991.
Designed by Tor Hinders and Per Kavli, the motorboat has a top speed of 24 knots and a cruising speed of 18 knots. The accommodation is designed to sleep up to 10 guests over five cabins.
The crew cabins accommodate up to 8 people. It was the property of a Finnish businessman before it was refurbished and sold for $7 million in 2006.
Check our Yacht available for charter in the French Riviera and cruise to Monaco to experience James Bond’s universe glamour.
The World Is Not Enough (1999)
In the longest Bond pre-title sequence, Pierce Brosnan is chasing Giulietta da Vinci’s Sunseeker Superhawk 34.
Driven down the Thames at 60mph, the motor yacht is wiped out by mini-torpedos. The Superhawk 34 used in The World is Not Enough was for sale in January 2012 for $150,000.
After this film, the collaboration between the film producers (EON Productions) and the boat company becomes more notable.
Sunseeker is a major boat builder for the sports and leisure markets in the world. The James Bond franchise helped the British luxury brand to become an international icon.
Try our Sunseeker Superyacht for a taste of James Bond lifestyle.
Casino Royale (2006)
In the 2006 James Bond film, several luxury yachts appeared. Among them, there are the Sunseeker Predator 108 and Spirit 54.
The Sunseeker superyacht is the villain’s “floating lair.” It was filmed on location in the Bahamas. With over 100 feet long, the performance yacht has four cabins, one master suite, and it can accommodate up to eight guests.
Full-scale models of accommodation on board were built for the film studios in Prague.
The large-scale sets were mounted on a large hydraulic platform to simulate the movement of the sea during filming.
In 2017 the yacht was for sale at $4.2 million.
Daniel Craig and Eva Green also sail casually into Venice on the elegant Spirit 54. This classic British 54-foot yacht was handcrafted in Suffolk by Spirit Yachts. She sleeps up to six guests in two en suite double cabins.
It has to be shipped to Miami, then Barbados and Croatia before finally arriving in Venice. It is also the first sailing yacht to go up the Grand Canal in over 300 years.
After the shoot, the luxury boat was used for cruising and racing, mainly in the UK and Ireland.
Skyfall (2012)
In SkyFall, Daniel Craig and Severine (Bérénice Marlohe) sail on the Pruva Regina yacht gliding through Turkey’s sapphire waters.
The actual superyacht is a 183-ft schooner built in Turkey by Pruva Yachting in 2011.
Regina has a maximum speed of 12 knots, and she can accommodate 12 guests in two master suites, two double staterooms and two twin cabins plus nine crew.
This James Bond yacht was listed on sale in 2012 for $14 million.
Fun fact: the shower scene which is supposed to take place aboard, was filmed in room 712 of the Four Seasons Hotel at Canary Wharf in London.
No Time to Die (2021)
In No Time To Die, released in 2021, the 007 yacht is called Spirit 46. She is a very beautiful 14m sailing yacht that is initially designed for fast-pace racing. Clearly a true match for an adventurer such as James Bond.
In 2021, it seems that James Bond is going back to its old love from the Casino Royale time, the modern yet classic wooden sailing yacht.
The yachts named after James’ Bond movies
Although our article is intended to list the yachts that have been featured in a James Bond movie, you might also encounter boats that were named with one of the James Bond movies, without actually being a part of the movie.
John Staluppi is the most emblematic case of a James Bond fan that decided to show his passion through the naming of its yachts. As such, he named all of the 18 yachts that he owned over his life after James Bond movies.
Like James Bond, John Staluppi likes his yachts fast. To be more precise, he likes them unusually fast compared to their respective size.
One of his most famous posessions include yachts called :
- For Your Eyes Only: a 36m yacht that could go over 30 Knots
- Octopussy: a 43m yacht that can reach 50 knots
- Moonraker: a 36m that can sail at 57 knots
- Casino Royale: a 49m luxurious yacht
- Skyfall: a 57m superyacht with 3 VIP suites
- Diamonds Are Forever: a 61m motoryacht available for luxury charters
It seems that John Staluppi, like many of us, made the realisation that sailing a yacht truly makes you feel like you are part of a James Bond movie. Luckily, your yacht doesn’t have to be featured in a Hollywood movie or to bear its name for you to feel that way.
The famous Riva boats in the James Bond movies
Since the middle of last century, luxury Italian boat maker Riva has become a cornerstone in Hollywood blockbusters. From classic runabouts to modern variations with wooden cladding and impressive technical characteristics, their boats have been featured alongside stars like Clark Gable and Chris Hemsworth – all encapsulating style, wealth and status on screen.
Riva boats have been making a splash in the Bond films since Robert Moore first took up the mantle of 007. In 1995, Pierce Brosnan starred as James Bond for “Golden Eye” and with him came Riva! Daniel Craig later paraded around on one too when he stepped into his version of Agent 007’s shoes in “Casino Royale”. Over time these beautiful vintage yachts continue to gain more admiration from film-lovers everywhere; even now with many new movies about our beloved secret agent coming out each year – so does their presence remain over all that time.
FAQ The Iconic James Bond’s Yachts
The yacht featured in the James Bond “From Russia with Love” released in 1963 was a Fairey Huntress from the Fairey Marine shipyard.
The yacht displayed in the James Bond “Golden Eyes” is the Northern Cross, a 142ft yacht built by the swedish shipyard Marinteknik Verkstads AB.
The yacht featured in “The world is not enough” is a Sunseeker Superhawk 34.
Two yachts appear in the James Bond “Casino Royale” movie released in 2006: the Sunseeker Predator 108 and the Spirit 54.
The yacht featured in Skyfall is Regina, a 183ft superyacht built in Turkey by Pruva Yachting.
The yacht featured in the new James Bond “No Time to Die” is the Spirit 46, a sailing yacht developped by Spirit Yachts.
John Staluppi owns or used to own many of the yachts that were named after James Bond movies such as: Skyfall, Diamonds Are Forever, For Your Eyes Only or Octopussy.
Roy E Carroll is the owner of the Yacht Skyfall, which was originally built for John Staluppi.
The original owner of the yacht Octopussy was John Staluppi. They yacht was sold in 2021 in an in-house deal by Moran Yacht & Ship.
John Staluppi is the owner of the yacht “Diamonds Are Forever”.
John Staluppi is the original owner of the yacht “Casino Royale”, named after a James Bond movie like all of his yachts.
