Legend under way in open blue water off a hilly coast, seen from the starboard quarter: dark blue hull, white superstructure, mast with radar domes and a deck of loungers aft
Legend under way in her charter-yacht years: the icebreaking tug hull with the helideck aft.

Legend

A Dutch-built icebreaking tug made for the Soviet Union, rebuilt in the Netherlands with a helideck and a submarine garage, chartered in Antarctica and Svalbard, and since 2026 sailing as the expedition ship Aqua Lares.

77.4 m
Length overall
7,640 nm
Range
1A
Ice class
1
Helipad

In short

Legend was built in 1974 by IHC Verschure in the Netherlands as an icebreaking tug for the Soviet Union, and her former owner Jan Verkerk stresses that she was a Class 1 icebreaker, not merely an ice-classed hull (Boat International). Icon Yachts rebuilt her in 2014–2015, lengthening the stern by 3.6 m and renewing more than 100 tonnes of steel and aluminium; the yard gives her a Lloyd's Register 1A ice class, and the rebuild added a commercial helideck for a Eurocopter EC135 and a garage for a three-person U-Boat Worx submarine (Icon Yachts, Lloyd's Register). As a charter yacht she was chartered in Antarctica and Svalbard and won Best Rebuilt Yacht at the World Superyacht Awards 2017 (Boat International, Boat International). In 2026 Aqua Expeditions relaunched her as Aqua Lares, a 30-guest expedition ship sold by the cabin, with seasons in East Africa and Svalbard (Boat International).

Videos

Three tours from YouTube.

Legend: The 77m Soviet Icebreaker turned explorer yacht | 30 Seconds On BoardBoat International · 15 Jan 2018Watch on YouTube
M/Y Legend in Antarctica with the C-Explorer 3uboatworx · 29 Jan 2018Watch on YouTube
Explore Svalbard & the Arctic Circle Aboard Aqua LaresAqua Expeditions · 9 Oct 2026Watch on YouTube

Photos

View forward from the bridge deck over Legend's teak foredeck, with a person at the bow rail and sea ice and an iceberg on the horizon under a pale evening sky
On the foredeck among sea ice
Computer rendering of Legend at sea with a helicopter about to land on the helideck aft
Rendering of the helideck in use
Aerial view of Legend's stern: the round helideck marking on the owner's deck, the spa pool on the main deck aft and the swim platform
Helideck, spa pool and swim platform from above
Legend at anchor in a calm fjord below steep green slopes and snow-capped mountains
At anchor below snow-capped mountains
Aerial view of Legend from ahead, her high bow pushing a white bow wave and tenders stowed on the foredeck
The tug bow from ahead
A dark-hulled tender speeding past the bow of Legend near a wooded coastline
A tender running past the bow
A small submarine with a clear acrylic dome surfacing beside Legend at anchor, an inflatable tender nearby and the yacht's foredeck crane raised
The submarine alongside, with the foredeck crane that launches it
The spa pool on Legend's aft deck, filled by a waterfall from the deck above, with a coastline beyond
Spa pool with waterfall on the aft deck
Legend's wheelhouse with free-standing wooden consoles carrying navigation screens and a high helm chair
Wheelhouse with free-standing consoles
Balinese-style spa with a round spa pool, a stone wall with water features and carved wooden panels
Balinese spa below the saloon
Wood-panelled lobby with striped armchairs and sofa on a black-and-white floor centred on a compass star
Lobby with whisky bar and compass-star floor
Cinema with cream armchairs facing a large screen
Cinema
Gym with an inset treadmill, exercise bikes and weight machines on a wooden floor
Gym

Further reading

Independent coverage we found. We link to it rather than rewrite it.

Specifications

Length overall
77.4 m
Beam
13.64 m 13.5 m moulded in Icon Yachts' data
Draught
6.4 m 6.5 m in Icon Yachts' data
Gross tonnage
2,407 about 2,240 in Icon Yachts' data
Builder
IHC Verschure, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, as an icebreaking tug for the Soviet Union; build date 28 November 1974 in Lloyd's Register
Previous names
Dimant, Gigant, Giant, Giant I, then Legend
Conversion
Rebuilt at Icon Yachts, Harlingen, in 2014–2015 with Verkerk Yachting Projects; relaunched in March 2015. More than 100 tonnes of steel and aluminium renewed, stern lengthened by 3.6 m for a swim platform and spa pool, forecastle extended and an extra deckhouse added. She had been converted to a yacht once before, and a fire had destroyed her wheelhouse and master cabin redelivered in 2016 after a 12-month refit, according to Boat International
Design
Conversion naval architecture and exterior by Diana Yacht Design; interior by Verkerk Yachting Projects with Thom Beerens. Earlier exterior by M.E. Consulting and interiors by John Misiag, Genesis and Shelley McNaughton. Interior refit for her relaunch as Aqua Lares in 2026 by Hot Lab with Aqua Expeditions' design director Birgit Galli Zugaro
Hull and superstructure
Ice-breaking full-displacement steel hull; aluminium superstructure according to Icon Yachts steel superstructure in SuperYacht Times
Ice class
Lloyd's Register 1A ice class, as Icon Yachts gives it for Legend; built as a Class 1 icebreaker. In Lloyd's Register rules, Ice Class 1A FS is the equivalent of the Finnish-Swedish class IA: difficult ice conditions with icebreaker assistance when necessary, hull designed for level ice up to 0.8 m thick. The current notation of Aqua Lares is not public
Polar Code
Complies with the IMO Polar Code, in force since 1 January 2017; the Polar ship category has not been published
Ice performance
Her then owner reported breaking ice after passing through the Lemaire Channel on the way down to the Ukrainian Antarctic base (data 2017)
Classification
Lloyd's Register, in class as Aqua Lares (October 2026)
Propulsion
Two Smit Bolnes diesel engines of 3,400 hp each; the original engines, gearbox, shaft and propeller were kept in the conversion. Lloyd's Register (2015) describes a single 3.7 m propeller two propellers in SuperYacht Times
Speed
16 kn maximum; 13 kn cruising (data 2015) 12 kn maximum and 11 kn cruising in Fraser and SuperYacht Times
Range
7,640 nm; the speed for this figure is not stated 7,500 nm in SuperYacht Times; 18,426 nm at 12 kn in YachtBuyer
Endurance
Not published in days
Fuel capacity
466,000 litres; fresh water 185,000 litres
Helicopter
One commercial-standard helideck on the owner's deck aft for a six-seat Eurocopter EC135, with fire-fighting systems and an 8-tonne helicopter fuel tank; a second, smaller emergency helicopter could be craned forward onto the forecastle. No hangar is described: both helicopters were to be vacuum-wrapped for crossings and their rotor blades stowed in new foredeck lockers (as Legend). On Aqua Lares the Heli Deck is presented as an outdoor lounge with daybeds
Submersible
U-Boat Worx C-Explorer 3, three-person, launched by the foredeck crane from a garage in the forecastle (as Legend); diving depth 300 m in Boat International (2021), 200 m in Icon Yachts' data and Boat International (2024). Not listed in Boat International's 2026 account of Aqua Lares
Tenders
As Aqua Lares: three 6.5 m Zodiacs and two 8.5 m Rafnar tenders. As Legend: 8.50 m and 8.35 m tenders, a 6.80 m fast rescue boat, two 6.60 m enclosed lifeboats, a 37-foot Targa in summer and two snowmobiles
Support vessel
None reported
Expedition crew
As Legend, room for 10 expedition staff (helicopter pilot, doctor, expedition leaders, naturalists) besides 28 crew, and a cabin for an ice pilot behind the wheelhouse. As Aqua Lares, 32 crew including three naturalist guides
Guests
30 in 15 cabins, including three owner's suites of 39–66 m² (as Aqua Lares) 22 guests in 11 cabins as Legend (Fraser, Boat International 2024); 26 in 13 staterooms in Icon Yachts' data
On board
Sun deck bar and lounge, cinema, gym, saloon, indoor and outdoor dining, two Jacuzzis, spa, sauna and massage room (as Aqua Lares). As Legend: a 16-person spa pool with waterfall on the aft deck, Balinese spa, whisky bar and cigar room, 14-seat cinema
Voyages reported
Antarctica, including the Lemaire Channel (2017) and King George Island in the South Shetland Islands; Baltic, Norway, Greenland, Caribbean and Mediterranean bookings (2017); Svalbard and Norway (2024), with a heli-skiing season in Greenland planned for 2025. As Aqua Lares: first voyage in February 2026, a season in the Seychelles and Tanzania, then a first Arctic season in Svalbard
Charter
Operated by Aqua Expeditions as Aqua Lares, bookable by the cabin or as a private charter in East Africa and Svalbard; Aqua Expeditions also lists Scottish Isles itineraries. Earlier chartered through Y.CO; the Fraser listing is no longer available
Owner
Registered owner Aqua Expeditions Pte Ltd (Lloyd's Register, October 2026). Jan Verkerk, who led the conversion, owned her until a sale in 2019
For sale
Not listed for sale (October 2026)
Flag
Marshall Islands Panama as Legend (Fraser)

Where is she now

Live AIS position on:

MarineTrafficVesselFinder

IMO 7367835 · MMSI 538011991

Questions

What makes Legend an explorer yacht?
She was built in 1974 as an icebreaking tug and keeps that hull; Icon Yachts, which converted her, gives a Lloyd's Register 1A ice class (Icon Yachts). The rebuild added a commercial helideck for a Eurocopter EC135, a garage for a three-person submarine and cabins for an expedition team (Boat International).
Is Legend now called Aqua Lares?
Yes. Aqua Expeditions renamed her Aqua Lares and refitted her interior with the studio Hot Lab; she made her first voyage under the new name in February 2026 (Boat International). Lloyd's Register lists her as Aqua Lares under the same IMO number, 7367835 (Lloyd's Register).
Can you charter Legend?
As Aqua Lares she can be booked by the cabin or as a private charter for up to 30 guests (Boat International). Aqua Expeditions sails her in the Seychelles and Tanzania and in Svalbard (Aqua Expeditions).
What ice class does Legend have?
Icon Yachts gives a Lloyd's Register 1A ice class (Icon Yachts). In Lloyd's Register rules, Ice Class 1A FS is the equivalent of the Finnish-Swedish class IA, for difficult ice with icebreaker assistance when necessary and level ice up to 0.8 m thick (Traficom, Finnish-Swedish Ice Class Regulations). The current notation of Aqua Lares has not been published. Boat International reports that she complies with the IMO Polar Code, without naming a category (Boat International).
Does Legend carry a helicopter and a submarine?
As Legend she had a helideck for a Eurocopter EC135 with an 8-tonne fuel tank and a U-Boat Worx C-Explorer 3 submarine (Boat International). Aqua Expeditions now presents the helideck as an outdoor lounge with daybeds, and Boat International's 2026 list of her tenders and expedition gear does not include the submarine (Aqua Expeditions, Boat International).
How far can Legend go without refuelling?
Fraser gave a range of 7,640 nautical miles, without stating the speed (Fraser). She carries 466,000 litres of fuel (SuperYacht Times).

Compare with

Explorer yachts of a similar type and length in this guide.

Arctic P yacht

Arctic P

87.6 m salvage tug of 1969, an explorer yacht since the 1990s

Ragnar (now Q) yacht

Ragnar (now Q)

An icebreaking offshore supply ship turned into a Viking-styled expedition yacht

Yersin yacht

Yersin

A science ship with superyacht cabins, built by a French commercial yard and now sailing as Albatros

Sources (15)
  1. Icon Yachts, MY Legend 77m 6 Dec 2023
  2. Lloyd's Register, Conversion of a Legend (press release) 5 Mar 2015
  3. Lloyd's Register, Ships in Class: AQUA LARES (IMO 7367835)
  4. Lloyd's Register, Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Ships, July 2022, Pt 8 (ice) Jul 2022
  5. Traficom, Ice class regulations: equivalence of ice classes (TRAFICOM/281964/03.04.01.00/2023) 18 Dec 2024
  6. Traficom, Finnish-Swedish Ice Class Regulations 2021 1 Jul 2021
  7. Aqua Expeditions, Aqua Lares
  8. Fraser, Legend (listing, no longer available)
  9. Boat International, On board with Jan Verkerk, owner of explorer yacht Legend 21 Aug 2017
  10. Boat International, How a 77m Soviet icebreaker became the ultra-tough explorer Legend 2 Jul 2021
  11. Boat International, Charter yacht of the week: Legend by name, legend by nature 20 Jun 2024
  12. Boat International, First look on board 77m explorer yacht following conversion by Aqua Expeditions 14 Oct 2026
  13. SuperYacht Times, Aqua Lares (yacht page)
  14. YachtBuyer, Aqua Lares
  15. VesselFinder, AQUA LARES (IMO 7367835)