Not every stunning home is a traditional structure with a welcome mat on the front porch. For Pakistani-American business owner Shahid Kahn—owner of motor vehicle component giant Flex-N-Gate, Urbana, Ill.—walking through the front door at the end of a tough day can mean crossing a gangplank. Among this billionaire’s many dwellings is a $200 million megayacht, the Kismet. Luxury Launches recently welcomed its readers aboard, in an article by Neha Tandon Sharma.
Kahn, who also owns a few other investments, including the Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham Football Club (part of Britain’s Premier League), and the American professional sports promotion firm All Elite Wrestling.
Kismet is solid confirmation of Kahn’s business savvy and deep determination. His career began as a dishwasher at a neighborhood YMCA, making $1.20 an hour.
Among some of the more unique features of the yacht is the sculpture at its bow. Kahn, in tribute to (presumably) his favorite football team, has decorated it with a highly detailed jaguar.
Part of the main deck, just behind the fore, has been designed with various seating options, including in a small pool and, should the weather warrant, under a protective cover.
But when the weather is fine, the views from the top of this structure are stunning.
Going below decks for an everyday sailor is generally a matter of navigating a series of vertical ladders. Not on the Kismet. This beautiful, curved staircase welcomes guests to a comfortable sitting room with a bar.
Dining aboard the Kismet is as upscale an experience as would be expected.
At sea, it would be entertaining enough just to wile away the days gazing at the water, hoping to catch sight of a migrating whale or a singing seagull. Absent that, however, the club room provides a comfortable setting for passing the time with guests.
A different style of engagement with visitors may be sharing a film with them. The yacht’s onboard movie theater works beautifully for this purpose.
At the end of a sailing day, when the sun has slipped into the water to the west, it’s time to retire. Guests accommodations rival those of an upper-end hotel suite.
For the captain of the ship, however, more room is understandably afforded.
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Kismet has a reported value of $200 million. Additional details about tycoon Shahid Kahn’s manoir au bord de la mer (mansion on the sea) can be found at Luxury Launches.
