The Scout yacht was built by Hakvoort Shipyards in the Netherlands back in the year 2019. Both the interior and exterior design work was done by English design house H2 Yacht Design with naval architecture by Diana Yacht Design. Ownership of the yacht actually changed hands during the construction process in 2018. It started life as Project Zeus and then was changed to Project Brio when a new owner took over, before finally being christened Scout when it was finished. 

Who is the Scout Yacht Owner?

Scout is owned by James Berwind, philanthropist and heir to the Berwind Corporation. His net worth is estimated at around $500 million and, along with his partner Kevin Clark, he purchased the Scout for them and their rescue dogs. The name of the yacht is not one that sounds unusual at first, especially for an expedition yacht but it’s actually named after Berwind’s dog. One of the features of the yacht is actually a custom sculpture of Scout the dog.

Unlike some yacht owners, Berwin and Clark spend a lot of time on this yacht,essentially living on it as it suits their outdoor and travel-loving lifestyle. Berwind has said that the idea for the yacht came to him and Clark during a conversation about what they’d want and sketching it out on a napkin, well before they even spoke to a designer.

How Big is the Yacht Scout?

The Scout is an expedition yacht that clocks in at 209’1” in length. Not nearly the longest yacht in the world but definitely something that qualifies as a superyacht based on the length alone. In addition to the length, it’s got a beam of 36’9” and weighs in with a gross tonnage of 1,461 GT.

How Much Did the Scout Yacht Cost?

The Scout Yacht cost its owner a tidy sum of about $85 million back in 2019. It’s been reported that the annual running costs for the yacht are somewhere between $5 million and $8 million which is not unusual for a yacht of this size at all.

Is Yacht Charter A Possibility with the Scout Yacht?

At this time the Scout is not available for charter. 

How Fast is the Scout Motor Yacht and What Engines Does it Use?

The Scout has a cruising speed of 12.5 knots and it has a top speed of 15.2 knots although some sources report this a little bit lower at around 14.8 knots. It has a range of 4,800 nautical miles which it can achieve thanks to a pair of Caterpillar diesel (3512C) 1,575hp engines running at 1800 rpm. The yacht has 159,000 liter fuel capacity as well.

What’s the Interior of the Scout Yacht Like?

Because Berwind and Clark use the yacht as a home more so than simply a luxury toy, the interior design of the Scout is very comfortable and inviting. You’ll notice in the photos that, even though it does have that look of luxury, there’s also something a little more like a penthouse apartment than a fancy hotel feel. Things like the plush master suite and the on board garden show that there’s an interest in making this yacht a home more than what you might see on other luxury yachts and especially on charter vessels which have to be a little more impersonal. 

None of that is to suggest the Scout doesn’t have a lot of those great luxury features that make superyachts so enticing. Quite the opposite, in fact. There’s a lot going on with this vessel. It has room on board for 10 guests across five separate cabins.

The Master suite is accessed through a personally curated library of books, antiques and nautical-themed features that have appealed to the owners. It’s roughly the size of a studio apartment in Manhattan and stretches the full beam of the ship. It features two full bathrooms, walk-in closets and frosted, full-length windows at port and starboard. There’s also a private terrace for taking in views of the sea. The terrace also serves as a place for the owner’s dogs to play and get some fresh air on board.

In addition to the master suit, there are two VIP suites for guests as well as 2 double staterooms. 

Berwind and Clark were hands-on during the entire design process of the yacht and ensured that there were some serious pop culture influences at play. Berwind has stated that the design aesthetic was influenced by Fritz Lang’s classic science fiction film Metropolis, the interiors of Jules Verne’s Nautilus submarine, every James Bond villain’s lair, and even Looney Tunes cartoons. You’ll probably never find another yacht with a similar pedigree.

Amenities and Features

  • The owner has hand-picked artwork throughout the yacht including many pieces by New York artist William Steiger
  • A custom-designed one of a kind greenhouse can be accessed from the puppy park and features a wide array of hanging and potted plants tended by Berwind himself.
  • A custom, high-tech security system, details of which are obviously not available, was installed to keep the vessel safe as it travels to all parts of the world and could potentially face some dangerous situations.
  • A guest elevator to help navigate between decks
  • A helipad at the foredeck allows guests to come and go via helicopter even when the vessel is at sea
  • The steel hull over aluminum superstructure is built to be ice class, meaning it’s stronger than a typical yacht and can handle travel in sub-zero temperatures. This also means the propeller and rudder are designed to be more robust and capable of navigating frigid Northern waters as well. 
  • There is both an on deck pool and sauna for relaxing located on a massive sundeck
  • Like many similar yachts, the Scout features a gym, fully equipped with the latest gear, for working out.
  • A cinema room for movie watching
  • Both formal and casual dining areas depending on mood and occasion 
  • The yacht was designed with an eye towards running greener and more sustainably than some other yachts. To that end the engines have improve fuel efficiency and waste management systems are also highly advanced to cut down on the yacht’s overall footprint
  • The upper deck features a large sunbed and then features a large area for parties, dining, or just lounging
  • The ceiling of the main saloon is an LCD screen that mirrors the exterior view, making it seem as though you’re outside despite being in
  • The Scout has a pair of 26 foot tenders that can be brought on board or lowered into the sea viz the on-board crane system

The Scout also houses a number of nautical toys but a full list of things such as jet skis and seabobs has not been made public to allow us to know the extent of the items on board.

The Bottom Line

The superyacht Scout was built by Hakvoort yachts and is owned by James Berwind. It was launched in 2019. An expedition yacht with a hull designed to handle even the coldest temperatures, Berwind spends a lot of time living on the yacht with his partner and rescue dogs. This includes a dog named Scout, who the yacht was named after.

At just over 209 feet it’s a large yacht, though far from the biggest, and it’s believed to have cost Berwind $85 million. It has a maximum speed of just over 15 knots. Because it’s used not just as a pleasure boat but as a home, it has many features that make it more unique than a typical yacht which includes a lot of custom facilities designed to handle dogs, such as a puppy garden on an observation deck. In addition, there are features such as a garden that grows hanging and potted plants year round.