A 155-metre superyacht. 300 members. No single owner. When Lloyd Werft announced it had been selected to build the Maybach Ocean Club's flagship vessel Beyond Horizons, the industry took notice — not because of the yacht's scale, but because of what it represents: a fundamentally different idea of what owning a superyacht could mean.
For those watching the evolution of the superyacht market, this is a concept worth understanding clearly — both for what it offers and for what it does not.
What is the Maybach Ocean Club?
Beyond Horizons is being developed as the world's first invitation-only private members' club at sea. The project, co-founded by superyacht captain Matthias Bosse and hospitality entrepreneur Michael Hehn under the Splendid Sea brand, has been designed in collaboration with German naval architects Dolker + Voges and carries the Mercedes-Maybach design language throughout.
The vessel will feature 30 residential-style suites of approximately 74 square metres each, with private balconies and accommodation for up to 72 members and guests at any one time. Onboard amenities include panoramic lounges, multiple dining concepts, a split-level infinity pool, wellness and spa facilities, live cultural programming, and a marina-style beach club with direct ocean access.
Planned itineraries will follow the Mediterranean in summer and the Caribbean in winter, with a dedicated support vessel handling tenders and watercraft. Delivery is scheduled for 2029.
How does the membership model work?
Rather than a single owner bearing the full cost of building and operating a 155-metre yacht, which can run to tens of millions of euros per year, the club distributes access and costs across a private circle of 300 members worldwide.
Members gain access to the yacht throughout the year, sharing both the experience and the operational burden. In Bosse's own words: "More than a vessel, the heart of the Maybach Ocean Club is the private circle of 300 individuals from around the world who will come together through shared experiences aboard the yacht, in the water and on curated excursions."
It is closer in concept to an ultra-luxury private members' club than to traditional yachting, with the yacht itself as the venue.
The appeal, and the questions to ask
For a certain profile of client, the proposition is genuinely interesting. The barrier to accessing a 155-metre yacht as a sole owner is extraordinarily high, not just financially, but operationally. Crew, maintenance, flag state compliance, insurance, berthing: the complexity is significant. A membership model removes all of that.
But for HNWI buyers and experienced yachting clients, several important questions arise:
• Availability: With 300 members and 30 suites, peak summer weeks in the Mediterranean will be highly contested. How are priority and scheduling managed?
• No asset ownership: Members are buying access, not equity. There is no resale value, no charter income potential, and no asset to pass on. It is an expense, not an investment.
• An unproven model: With delivery in 2029, members are committing capital today to a concept that has never operated at sea. The Splendid Sea and Maybach Ocean Club entities are new, the concept is untested at this scale.
• Brand versus substance: The Mercedes-Maybach aesthetic is compelling, and Lloyd Werft brings credible engineering heritage. But the yachting pedigree of the operating entity remains to be established.
None of these questions make the concept unworthy of attention. They simply mean that due diligence matters more than usual.
What it signals for the market
Whatever its ultimate success, the Maybach Ocean Club reflects something real: a growing appetite among HNWI clients for flexible, experience-driven access to superyachting, without the full commitment of ownership.
This is the same appetite that has driven growth in charter over the past decade. Membership models represent a natural evolution of that trend, offering something between chartering and owning, with a curated community dimension that neither currently provides.
As Lloyd Werft's managing director Thorsten Ronner noted at the signing ceremony: "We see considerable potential in this concept for new market segments and user groups." That is a measured statement from a shipyard not given to overstatement.
The industry will be watching how Beyond Horizons progresses, and whether the model proves viable.
our view
For clients weighing their options in the superyacht market, membership concepts like this are worth understanding, but they should be evaluated against traditional ownership and charter with clear eyes.
Traditional ownership offers something no membership can: full control, privacy, personalisation, and an asset with genuine value. Charter, meanwhile, offers flexibility with zero long-term commitment and access to a vast range of yachts, destinations, and experiences.
If a concept like the Maybach Ocean Club interests you, we are happy to talk through how it compares to what we currently offer, and what the right structure looks like for your situation.
Pictures credit: Dölker + Voges
