NEWBURYPORT — The enormous boat that tied up at the waterfront docks yesterday has become the talk of everyone, from casual tourists to seasoned wharf rats.

Crowds gathered to look at the 126-foot luxury sailing yacht with a 126-foot-tall mast. The boat, named Parlay, is registered in Georgetown, Grand Cayman Islands.

The waterfront became a spectacle as rumors swirled about which possible actor or athlete could own the yacht. One spectator said he saw a woman in her late 30s with two teenage girls leave the yacht, and thought that it could possibly be Salma Hayek, who is filming a movie in Gloucester and recently participated in the Volvo Ocean Race with her husband, Puma CEO Francois-Henri Pinault.

The ship was built for Leslie Quick, according to the Newport (Rhode Island) Shipyard, where it has been for service. Quick was a famed New York stockbroker.

The ship's captain, Andre Swanepoel, wouldn't say who owned the boat, citing confidentiality agreements. He did say that they have traveled from the Caribbean up to the Northeast coast and plan to spend the Fourth of July weekend here. The boat will stay docked in Newburyport until July 8, when the Sail Boston event begins.

"It took about five days to sail from Florida to New York, and about a day to get here from there," Swanepoel said.

He said the ship was off the coast for two days and couldn't dock in Newburyport because of the fog.

Newburyport Harbormaster Ralph Steele said that he went out to help, but the crew decided to wait a few hours to dock and eventually came in on their own.

"This is one of the bigger privately owned yachts that's been in Newburyport," Steele said, noting that he heard Parlay had been previously seen in Nantucket. "It's right up there with the Spirit of Massachusetts, and the Friendship, which is coming in August."

It has also been spotted in ports such as Newport, Rhode Island; Monaco; Ireland, and the Balaeric islands, off Spain.

The yacht, which sleeps 12 guests and six crew members, was built in Italy in 1991. Its beam, or width, is 28 feet.

Onlookers tried to get a glimpse of the boat, which was lavishly decorated with couches with blue and yellow throw pillows, and bouquets of flowers on the tables.

"I know the ship has a crew of six, but I don't know much more about it," Steele said. "I'm sure rumors are going to be racing."