Stoli Billionaire Parks His $330 Million Yacht in Biscayne Bay

There's a colossal Russian-owned boat parked in Biscayne Bay, but don't worry. It has nothing to do with the escalating national tension with Vladimir Putin. The 436-foot yacht belongs to Yuri Scheffler, a man who himself is no friend of Putin's and who controls the Stolichnaya vodka brand...

By Kyle Munzenrieder

March 24, 2014

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There's a colossal Russian-owned boat parked in Biscayne Bay, but don't worry. It has nothing to do with the escalating national tension with Vladimir Putin.

The 436-foot yacht belongs to Yuri Scheffler, a man who himself is no friend of Putin's and who controls the Stolichnaya vodka brand.

The megayacht, known as the Serene, is one of the largest privately owned boats in the world. It showed up in Miami late last week and is docked near the American Airlines Arena in downtown.

The yacht, completed in 2011, boasts five levels and has enough room for 24 guests and 54 crew members. It also includes an indoor rock-climbing wall and underwater "viewing room." Altogether, the boat is worth at least $330 million.

Scheffler, who might or might not be aboard, left Russia in 2003 after Putin tried to nationalize the company that controls Stoli. A warrant was issued for his arrest, and he hasn't been back since. Serene, meanwhile, pops up in ports across the world from time to time. According to Marine Traffic, it was last docked in New York, where it stayed for about two weeks.

My next purchase!

Serene Mega Yacht! #My next purchase!

#SereneMegaYacht #luxeflhomes #miami #yacht pic.twitter.com/oRwhguPcAC
— Andrena Dimitrijevic (@LuxeFLHomes) March 23, 2014

Russian billionaire has his $330 Million yacht docked by AAA in Downtown Miami @pageqsports http://t.co/0cUsk9uZ6M pic.twitter.com/rusCqycYAF
— 560 Q-AM (@560WQAM) March 21, 2014

Whether unintentional or not, the yacht seems to have arrived just in time for Ultra Music Festival. Let's hope Scheffler or whoever is on board is ready for nonstop beats for three days.

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