PORTSMOUTH — Hinckley Yachts' Matt Smith has seen a few big boats in his day, but even he was impressed when Le Grand Bleu, all 371 feet of her, pulled into Hinckley's 600-foot pier at the Melville marina last Wednesday, Aug. 25.

"Quite a boat, isn't it," he asked. "It's an amazing thing."

Drawing 25 feet — deeper than many area residents' boats are long — Le Grand Bleu came in with her own helicopter and a small fleet of tenders, among them a 70-foot sailboat and 67-foot powerboat, each stowed on the main deck under huge custom-made davits. The ship was in town for some service work, Mr. Smith explained, and was expected to sail out this week.

Le Grand Bleu, all 371 feet of her, tied up at the Hinckley pier in Portsmouth.

Who owns it?

Le Grand Bleu, listed by Power and Motoryacht magazine as the fifth largest private yacht in the world, is owned by 36-year-old Russian oil, aluminum and airline tycoon Roman Abramovich. Forbes lists Mr. Abramovich as the second richest man in Russia, with a net worth of $5.7 billion, and he also owns Britain's Chelsea Football Club. If Le Grand Bleu weren't enough, he is also the proud owner of the world's sixth and 16th largest yachts.

So why come to Portsmouth? Mr. Smith said Le Grand Bleu motored up from New York City because its 70-foot sailboat, built at Portsmouth's New England Boatworks, needed some minor service work.

"One of the reasons they came to this area was to launch and bring it back to" Boatworks. The visit was good news, too, he said, as Hinckley doesn't often see visitors large enough to warrant use of the company's 600-foot pier.

From the time it pulled in last Wednesday, Le Grand Bleu attracted more than its fair share of spectators. Two dock workers hauling a sailboat in the yacht's shadow Thursday morning shook their heads when asked if they knew anything about the vessel.

"Some Russian guy owns it," said one. "Something like that, you don't ask questions."

For his part, Mr. Smith said he was impressed at the boat's capabilities. Usually when a large boat visits, he said, "the first thing they do is ask for a big dumpster for their trash and then a pumpout."

"They said they didn't need any of that. They handle everything themselves."

Indeed, Le Grand Bleu is one of the first private yachts to ever earn an Environmental Protection Notation from insurer Lloyd's of London. Among other things, the boat has its own sewage and wastewater treatment plants, complies to strict nitrogen and sulfur exhaust emissions limits, and makes its own water.

But its environmental pedigree wasn't what impressed Todd Starkley, who sat on the deck of his much smaller 36-foot powerboat as Le Grand Bleu's helicopter touched down after a short tour of Narragansett Bay.

"I'll never have that," he said.

By ted hayes

thayes@eastbaynewspapers.com