Typically, cheering is the farthest thing from anyone’s mind when a yacht sinks. Yet, on July 15, roars of happiness, applause, and blaring horns filled the air off the coast of Fort Pierce, Florida. The superyacht Time made history as the first large luxury yacht to become an artificial reef. She’s now the A.A. Hendry Reef, supporting a variety of marine life within 24 hours of slipping beneath the surface.
The largest all-aluminum megayacht at launch in 1987, the 126-foot (38.5-meter) Time saw construction at the former Palmer Johnson shipyard in Wisconsin. Styling and naval architecture for the radical-looking project came from Tom Fexas, super-sleek to complement her super-fast performance. (She exceeded 30 knots at top end.) J.C. Espinosa, meanwhile, collaborated with Diane Atwood, an architect (and the owner’s daughter), for the interior design.
While the superyacht Time cruised for years with different owners, yacht spotters recall seeing her in poor shape under a Mexican owner in 2007. That same owner listed her for sale that year. However, the U.S. Marshals arrested her, according to Arthur Barbieto, a naval architect and the president of AMB Design Consulting Group. Barbieto was working with an owner who decided to buy the yacht from the Marshals, intending on having her undergo a relatively simple refit. “It was a great boat,” he says. “Tom was an excellent designer.”
The simple refit ended up becoming quite complicated, however. After the owner transported her to Miami for the work, Barbeito says, they discovered mold in the insulation. The yacht therefore needed stripping back to bare metal. Then, the owner decided he’d like to add a pool on her elongated swim platform, plus a gym near the engine room. With a rebuild now on their hands, the work began, but soon paused at the owner’s request as he considered options. Several years passed, until in 2021 the owner notified Barbeito he’d like to get things going again, this time in a Stuart yard. Luck was not on their side, though. A lack of climate control for stored furnishings and installed wood paneling meant starting from scratch. Although his heart wanted to continue, the owner’s head told him otherwise.
The question was, what to do? Barbeito recommended donating her as an artificial reef. Multiple phone calls later, and the owner’s team connected with the Marine Cleanup Initiative (MCI), which spearheads these efforts as part of an overall sustainable-waters focus. MCI in turn contacted Jim Oppenborn, who heads the St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program, and introduced the owner. “The yacht was handed to us on a silver—or aluminum, so to speak—platter,” Oppenborn says.
MCI and Oppenborn’s office had already collaborated on a few artificial-reef projects. So, Time was a natural fit. Still, however, a lot of work lay ahead. MCI raised further funds to supplement money from the owner and Martin County Anglers Club. The funds allowed McCulley Marine Services to strip the yacht down to her half-inch-thick metal, a multi-month process. Additionally, MCI obtained and filled her with concrete to ensure she’d remain sunken, in 156 feet (47.5 meters) of water no less. Oppenborn’s office commissioned a stability analysis and determined she’d be fine without it, but he and MCI decided to err on the side of caution.
While Oppenborn and MCI anticipate a variety of marine life, from turtles to grouper, to use the yacht-turned-reef as a home, Crista Stone, MCI’s director of operations, was especially excited about one particular species. Oculina varicosa, a.k.a. ivory tree coral, grows off the Florida coast in an area known as the Oculina Banks. Time will essentially become the first “oculina varicosa nursery,” as Stone puts it, outside of the banks. “The more that we are being more proactive and preventative and trying to maintain the sustainability out here, we have a greater chance of a healthier ecosystem,” she says.
Just because the superyacht Time is now an artificial reef doesn’t mean she’s off limits. Rather, technical divers can visit and explore the A.A. Hendry artificial reef. If you’re interested, the coordinates are 27°26’12.0″N 80°01’08.0″W.
Marine Cleanup Initiative marinecleanupinitiative.org
More About the Superyacht Time
LOA: 126’3” (38.5 meters)
Beam: 27’0” (8.26 meters)
Draft: 4’9” (1.49 meters)
Guests: 6 in 3 staterooms
Engines: 2/4,800-hp Detroit Diesels
Range: unknown
Builder: Palmer Johnson
Stylist: Tom Fexas Yacht Design
Naval Architect: Tom Fexas Yacht Design
Interior Designer: Espinosa
Leave a Reply