Rethinking Life at Sea: Capt. Matthias Bosse and Michael Hehn on the Maybach Ocean Club
Anyone familiar with private marinas knows the quiet paradox of superyacht ownership. Multimillion-dollar vessels often sit idle for months, quietly accumulating operating costs while their owners manage crew turnover and unexpected refits. When Mercedes-Maybach set out to bring its heritage to the ocean, it bypassed the conventional shipyard route. Instead of building a bespoke hull for an individual collector, the brand created a private maritime community.
Michael Hehn. Photo courtesy of Grace O'Connor.
The result is Maybach Ocean Club and its 508-foot flagship, Beyond Horizons. Restricted to 300 members globally, the program replaces solo ownership with guaranteed access, providing four weeks aboard each year without the operational grind. The vessel features just 30 member suites, each measuring roughly 800 square feet with a private balcony, surrounded by 91,500 square feet of quiet common areas. To protect the tranquility on board, tenders and water equipment are stationed on a dedicated 230-foot shadow vessel. Daily life balances fine dining directed by Alain Roux of The Waterside Inn with preventative health programs designed by Swiss wellness pioneer Chenot.
Capt. Matthias Bosse. Photo courtesy of Grace O'Connor.
Guiding the project are two leaders whose complementary backgrounds define the club’s philosophy. Capt. Matthias Bosse spent more than two decades at the helm of megayachts and commercial expedition vessels. Having managed every facet of open-ocean voyages, he knows how quickly technical logistics and yard work can erode the pleasure of being on the water. His co-founder, Michael Hehn, pairs commercial precision with an intuitive grasp of what high-net-worth members actually value. He recognized that in yachting capitals like Miami, the real prize is effortless access to the Caribbean rather than a deed to an aging asset.
In this exclusive interview with Miami Living Magazine, Bosse and Hehn share how they translated Maybach automotive proportions to naval design. They also explain why separating crew logistics onto a shadow vessel protects the guest experience, and why Florida’s most experienced boaters became their earliest supporters.
Miami Living (ML): What inspired you to create an invitation-only private club at sea rather than a traditional yacht ownership model?
Capt. Matthias Bosse: I spent more than 20 years as captain of Mega Yachts, and many more before that on luxury and expedition cruise ships. On the big private yachts, I saw the same thing again and again. The owners loved life onboard, but not necessarily the responsibilities that came with it: managing crews, overseeing refits, the cost of a yacht that sits empty most of the year while they use it for a few weeks.
You never really get to know the crew, and each year you're starting from scratch, even if you charter the same yacht again. And it is very costly.
So we asked a simple question. What if 300 people shared one truly exceptional yacht, each with four weeks a year, and what they shared was a community and not only a hull? A club gives you that. You know who you're sailing with, because everyone came through the same admission process. The crew knows you by name. And the yacht can be far larger and better equipped than almost anyone would build for themselves. Ownership hands you the burden. Membership lets you keep the part you actually wanted.
ML: How does Beyond Horizons reflect Mercedes-Maybach's design philosophy?
Capt. Matthias Bosse: Maybach automobiles have always been designed around the passenger. Think of the rear seat of the car: space, quiet, and materials you want to touch. We tried to take that idea to sea.
Beyond Horizons is 508 feet long, and it has just 30 member suites, each around 800 square feet with a private balcony. Around them is roughly 91,500 square feet of public areas. That ratio of space to people, the exceptional generosity of space, is the Mercedes-Maybach philosophy translated from a car to a superyacht.
The yacht was conceived together with Mercedes-Benz Design, with the exterior by Dölker + Voges and interiors by Heller Studios. The lines are long and calm. Inside, the focus is on craftsmanship, materials and light. We didn't want a yacht that shouts. We wanted one you'd recognize as Maybach the moment you know what you're looking at.
ML: How does the shadow vessel enhance the onboard experience?
Capt. Matthias Bosse: On most large yachts, the toys and tenders take space that should belong to the guests. The garage is full, the crew is busy launching and recovering boats, and the swim platform turns into a workshop. We moved all of that onto a second ship.
A 230-foot support vessel travels with Beyond Horizons. It carries the tenders, a landing craft, jet skis, Seabobs, eFoils, dive equipment, sailing dinghies and the helicopter hangar. When members wake up, whatever they planned for the day is already in the water. The landing craft can take them onto a beach with no harbor. And because the main yacht doesn't have to carry any of this, it stays quiet and spacious, which is the whole point.
There's a practical side too. Members can leave their own things on board between stays, so they don't have to pack their dive gear or golf clubs every time they come.
Miami & the Florida Market
ML: Why is Miami an important market for Maybach Ocean Club?
Michael Hehn: In many ways, Miami is a natural fit for Maybach Ocean Club. It has become one of the world's most relevant meeting points for international entrepreneurs, design, culture and life on the water. There is also a strong private club culture here, and an appreciation for the sense of community and belonging that comes with it.
Geography is another advantage. Our winter itineraries will take us through the Caribbean, including St. Barths, the Virgin Islands and Antigua. From Miami, these destinations are just a short flight away, making a week aboard the yacht a natural extension of life here.
ML: What makes South Florida's yachting community different from other luxury markets?
Michael Hehn: People in South Florida have experience with yachting. That makes them our toughest audience and our best one. Nobody here needs convincing that life at sea is wonderful. What they want to know is whether we've taken the headaches away. When we explain that the crew, the maintenance, the insurance and the logistics are handled, and that all they do is book their weeks, they get it faster than anyone.
Family also plays an important role here. Many of the people we speak with would like to bring their children, and our membership is designed to accommodate that.
Luxury, Wellness & Innovation
ML: How do your partnerships with Chef Alain Roux and Chenot bring together fine dining and wellness?
Michael Hehn: With Alain Roux and The Waterside Inn, we have a partner who understands that exceptional cuisine doesn't always have to mean fine dining. Some evenings, our members may want an elaborate tasting menu; on others perhaps just a few beautifully prepared tapas and a glass of wine on deck. What matters is that the quality of the ingredients, the care and the attention to detail are equally exceptional, whatever is on the menu.
Chenot brings the wellness side, with a spa and longevity center on board and a program that can start before a member arrives. The interesting part is where the two meet. If your wellness plan says one thing, the kitchen knows about it. The food and the wellbeing program talk to each other, so being healthy on board doesn't feel like a diet.
ML: What has been your biggest challenge in bringing this concept to life?
Capt. Matthias Bosse: I think the biggest challenge has been introducing a concept that doesn't really have a precedent.
Interestingly, people who already own or charter yachts themselves usually recognise the appeal immediately. They know the complexities of yacht ownership and appreciate the opportunity. For others, it takes a closer look to fully appreciate the thinking behind the concept.
And that's perhaps the most interesting part of the journey: seeing people realise that we're not simply building another superyacht, but creating an entirely new way to experience a superyacht and a life at sea.