Touring Super Yacht Miami's Multimillion-Dollar Ships

For the past five days (Feb. 16–20), South Florida has been the center of the watercraft universe. Barefoot boat owners could be seen mingling with tens of thousands of admirers at the Progressive Miami International Boat Show at Miami's Marine Stadium, while a better-heeled set of yacht builders and brokers kept to a mile-long stretch of docks near the Fountainbleau for Yachts Miami Beach.

For ultra-VIPs (read: those properly vetted as having more than $500,000 a week to charter a superyacht, or millions to buy one) more than 20 floating mansions were parked for a second year at Islands Gardens Deep Harbour for Super Yacht Miami, a show-within-a-show of sorts. Here, boats up to 500 feet long can dock. We were able to climb aboard a few for a look at luxe mahogany and marble interiors, on-board wine cellars and humidors, and the most powerful marine diesel engines money can buy.