American millionaire’s support yacht for bigger superyacht sold for $16 million

There’s a growing trend in the superyacht world: buying another yacht to accompany your superyacht.

Called a ‘support yacht’, these vessels basically act as a nanny for superyachts, following them around carrying their toys and clutter.

This millionaire bought his wife a 164-foot vessel for her birthday, naming it ‘Gigi’ in her honor.

But buying a whole superyacht wasn’t enough; he also bought her a support yacht almost as impressive as Gigi herself.

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What exactly is a support yacht?

Also known as a ‘shadow yacht’, support yachts take care of the background operations so superyachts can stay looking and feeling luxurious.

Jeff Bezos famously owns one of the most expensive support yachts in the world, worth $75 million.

The price point makes sense considering it’s taking care of Bezos’ $500 million megayacht.

Shadow yachts act as storage space for the main vessel, keeping water toys, fishing gear, fuel, spare parts, extra food, and more.

Some have helipads or even helicopters on them, allowing the main yacht to optimize floor space.

Carl Allen’s support yacht Axis was built by specialists Damen and, at 181 feet, is bigger than his superyacht Gigi.

Selling Axis for the price of a superyacht

Allen owns an island in the Bahamas, as you do.

He feels right at home there, especially considering the Bahamas is set to launch North America’s largest superyacht marina.

Axis has a modified hull, making it ideal for traversing the shallow waters of the Bahamas.

He also chose it because of its helipad and launch system for submersibles, as he enjoys exploring the deep sea.

Axis is surprisingly luxurious, with a modern interior, multiple lounge areas, and comfortable cabins.

But while a yacht like this would be enough for most people, the millionaire makes a clear distinction: Axis is his ‘workhorse’ while Gigi is his home.

Allen just sold Axis, fetching $1.5 million less than his asking price of $16 million.

That’s an eye-watering amount for a support vessel, especially considering the superyacht featured in The White Lotus is worth $18.8 million

The businessman shared that he invested as much in upgrades as he paid for the yacht, transforming it into the ultimate support vessel.

It’s unknown who the new owner is, but it’s safe to assume he’s got the helicopter and submersibles needed to use Axis to its full potential.

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