28m Jade Explorer BANDIDO Sold in Brokered Deal

Transaction reported for a steel-hulled explorer yacht

The 27.9-metre explorer yacht BANDIDO has been reported sold, with Anna Smaga of Sunseeker Poland introducing the purchaser and Yannick Drettmann of Drettmann Yachts representing the selling side. The transaction was reported by SuperYacht Times on 14 October, placing another steel-hulled long-distance motor yacht among this autumn’s completed deals.

BANDIDO was built in 2007 by Taiwanese shipyard Jade Yachts and is associated with the Bandido explorer range marketed by Drettmann. This is an existing vessel with a substantial operating history, not a speculative design or a recently announced construction contract.

The final amount paid has not been disclosed. Drettmann’s public listing cited EUR 3.3 million as an asking price, but that is not evidence that the buyer and seller agreed to transact at that figure.

A long-range hull and substantial enclosed volume

BANDIDO has a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, with an overall beam of approximately 7.5 metres and a published volume of about 230 gross tonnes. This combination was intended to create the accommodation and storage capacity associated with extended voyages.

The Drettmann specification lists twin MAN engines and a ten-knot cruising speed, with a maximum speed of about twelve knots. A range of approximately 3,800 nautical miles is presented as an indicative passage capability rather than a guaranteed distance at every speed, load and weather condition.

An explorer yacht of this type typically places emphasis on fuel economy, robust machinery and useful deck circulation over the fastest possible transit. Maintenance, protective coatings and the condition of older equipment still need to be evaluated as carefully as the headline design features.

Accommodation and the 2016 refit

The broker’s listing describes guest accommodation distributed across five cabins, including the possibility of a second owner-style suite on the upper deck, and separate spaces for crew. Some secondary fleet descriptions report a different arrangement, illustrating why final buyer documentation is more reliable than general database summaries.

Drettmann identifies a 2016 refit that included repainting, the installation of a Jacuzzi on the main aft deck and alterations to guest and crew accommodation. Its published specification also names stabilisers with zero-speed functionality and a garage capable of accommodating a tender and personal watercraft.

The yacht’s outdoor areas provide opportunities for families or guests to spend longer periods aboard, including a flybridge and bar. Those additions are useful to an owner only when the surrounding equipment, deck structure and systems are properly maintained.

What the sale demonstrates

The transaction shows continued buyer interest in a class of smaller explorer yachts offering significant displacement volume and the ability to cruise beyond well-served marinas. At just under thirty metres, BANDIDO occupies a segment where a strong technical package may matter more to some owners than a recent launch year.

An older steel vessel can be an attractive acquisition, but its purchase economics depend on inspection of plating, machinery, tanks, rigging for lifting equipment and refit records. Public photography cannot provide those findings, and the fact a yacht has sold is not itself a certification of condition.

The involvement of both Drettmann and Sunseeker Poland illustrates the international nature of this sector. Until documentary transaction values are available, the sale should be regarded as a confirmed change of ownership reported by the trade press, not a price benchmark for every comparable explorer yacht.