At 728 feet long, the Somnio yacht was billed as the world’s largest yacht, offering luxury living with an “onboard beach” and a 10,000-bottle wine cellar. However, the project has hit troubled waters after its founder, Australian entrepreneur Carl Le Souef, was ordered to pay almost £750,000 to British design company Winch Design following a legal dispute over unpaid invoices.
According to a High Court judge, Le Souef denied personal responsibility for the financial aspects of the project, including initial sketches produced by Winch Design, which created bespoke homes, yachts, and aircraft. However, Judge Lesley Anderson KC ruled that Le Souef, who was presented as a man of some wealth, bore responsibility for a deal worth £5 million, ordering him to pay Winch Design £733,750.
The project, established by Le Souef and Captain Erik Bredhe, aimed to create a “highly exclusive, ultra-luxury residential yacht” with 39 bespoke apartments priced at £8.1 million each. The plan was to secure funding from a consortium of investors, each of whom would put down a non-refundable deposit of £100,000 to secure an apartment. Despite its lavish facilities, including water sports and high-end medical care, the project remains “under construction” and has been plagued by delays and financial issues.
The dispute with Winch Design began in 2020, when the company was contracted to provide interior and exterior design services for the project. Le Souef argued that the delay in payment was due to Winch’s “poor performance,” but Judge Anderson ruled that it was actually related to delays in a contract with the shipyard. The case highlights the challenges and risks involved in undertaking massive projects, such as the Somnio yacht, which have the potential to create significant financial and reputational damage.
