Billy Joel’s Vendetta was a custom, classic-style commuter yacht built for fast trips, not an overnight stay. Its designer lists a length of 56 feet 4 inches and a top speed of 47 knots. The often-repeated $1.3 million figure is not a confirmed sale price: it reflects reported asking prices and a later estimate, each from a different year.
What was Vendetta?
Vendetta was a one-off yacht commissioned by musician Billy Joel and launched in 2005. Naval architect Doug Zurn designed it with Coecles Harbor Marine and Derecktor named in accounts of its build. Contemporary coverage often rounded its length to 57 feet; Zurn Yacht Design lists its length overall as 56 feet 4 inches.
Rather than a large, luxury superyacht in the usual sense, Vendetta is more accurately described as a fast commuter yacht or day cruiser. Its purpose was to carry Joel between Long Island and New York City quickly and in style.
How was Vendetta designed and built?
The design brought the traditional look of 1920s commuter launches together with modern high-speed machinery. In a CH Marine retrospective, Joel described his preference for a boat-like silhouette: “I wanted it to look like a boat, not an aerodynamic hotel room.” Zurn explained the design challenge: “A boat that looks good usually rides well, but having a boat like that go 40 knots—that’s a bit of a challenge.” These remarks are attributed to the retrospective’s interview.
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Joel and Peter Needham worked with Zurn on the concept, according to CH Marine. The brief called for speed without sacrificing classic lines—a combination reflected in Vendetta’s styling and reported performance.
What are Vendetta’s specifications?
The following figures come from Zurn Yacht Design’s vessel specifications. The designer states displacement at 50 percent; the page does not specify conditions for the speed figures.
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| Specification | Published figure |
|---|---|
| Length overall | 56 ft 4 in |
| Beam | 15 ft |
| Draft | 3 ft 11 in |
| Displacement | 40,850 lb at 50% displacement |
| Engines | Twin MAN V-12 diesels, 1,300 hp each |
| Cruising speed | 41 knots |
| Maximum speed | 47 knots |
These are published design specifications, not a guarantee of the yacht’s present-day condition or performance.
What was the yacht like to use?
Joel described the idea behind the boat in a Soundings Online interview: “I just thought it would be a good idea to build my own commuter yacht that I could use to go from point A to point B, very fast and in style.” He also drew a clear distinction between a day boat and a liveaboard: “It looked great, but it wasn’t a sleep-aboard boat.”
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A 2007 Yachting sea-trial feature described a commuter-oriented layout with four STIDD bridge-deck chairs, a settee, a teak dining table, Raymarine E-Series displays, a compact galley and a head. That is a snapshot of the equipment and arrangement reported in 2007, not a current inventory.
Why is Vendetta called a $1.3 million yacht?
The figure is best understood as a rounded historical value, not a verified original build cost or completed sale price. Reports give different amounts and describe different kinds of valuation:
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| Amount | What it represented | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| $1.295 million | Asking price when the yacht was reported for sale | Motor Boat & Yachting, November 2015 |
| $1,195,000 | Asking price in a broker announcement for the Palm Beach show | Northrop & Johnson, March 2016 |
| $1.3 million | Estimated value, not a confirmed transaction | Work & Money, 2020 |
None of these reports establishes what Vendetta originally cost to build, what a buyer ultimately paid, or what it is worth today.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What happened to Vendetta?
Joel said in a 2015 Soundings Online interview that he had sold the boat. A 2019 Yachting refit feature says he donated it to the International SeaKeepers Society in 2016 and describes a later owner’s refit project. Those accounts do not establish the yacht’s current owner or location, and they do not provide enough detail to resolve the transfer history.
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