the aquarius sailing yacht owner

DATA & DIMENSIONS

MODERN CLASSIC

Aquarius, nowadays Apsara, is a stunning yacht of rare beauty. She combines classic hull lines with a powerful modern rig and a clean, contemporary chic above and below decks. This world cruising ketch truly defines what it means to be a ‘modern classic’.

With naval architecture by Dykstra Naval Architects and interior design from Mark Whiteley Design this magnificent 56m / 184ft ketch was realised by Royal Huisman together with Rondal and an outstanding team of rig specialists. Exceptional co-operation from the highly talented client team ensured a harmonious build and a highly successful outcome.

A strongly co-operative culture was established from the outset, with all team members as focused on understanding and contributing to their colleagues’ individual objectives and the wider goals of the project as they were to delivering on their own specific responsibilities. This concerted approach led to the emergence of a design-led sail plan, carefully crafted to deliver the owners’ requirements, with sail crossovers, integration of the sail and boom package, ease of use and low maintenance factors all pushing the design process forward.

From almost any angle, the perfectly judged sheer and long overhangs of Apsara’s slender hull, crowned by its majestic rig, provoke admiring comments. The black topsides, subtly enhanced by oval portlights, fairleads and a silver cove stripe that finishes in a flourish aft, gleam a discreet yet shimmering black as they flawlessly reflect the ripples on the water.

Visitors stepping onto the decks of Apsara for the first time are likely to be powerfully struck by the confident and highly successful fusion of classic and modern design references. The hull lines and traditional deckhouses say ‘classical purity’ yet the clean, spare execution and modern detailing on deck could be equally at home on a far more contemporary yacht. This is no easy trick to pull off but, by paying attention to detail in every aspect, the team have succeeded in achieving ‘classical modernity’ that others might only dream of.

Mark Whiteley has designed a classic modern interior based on the owners’ preference for brush-painted white panelling and deckheads, with contrasting mahogany joinery for walls and flooring. The overall ambiance, as they set out in their brief, should not be too busy or fussy, but calm and elegant, providing a ‘New England feel of relaxed elegance’ – achieved by Mark Whiteley with crisp mouldings and fine detailing to add a touch of contemporary sharpness. The selected mahogany is crown cut Swietenia, chosen for its nuanced warm tones to complement furnishing fabrics in equally subtle shades of ivory and cream.

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• Yachting World
• Digital Edition

Aquarius: Modern classic masterpiece makes for a surprisingly sensible superyacht

• August 27, 2020

Named for the sign of astrological quality, this stunning 186ft world-cruising ketch is the result of serious sailors challenging the best of the best to produce something elegant, fast and seaworthy. Rupert Holmes reports

A demanding brief for Aquarius from experienced sailors has produced a masterpiece from some of the most experienced and talented brains in the superyacht world. Within five months of handover she had already clocked up 11,000 miles.

It’s often tempting to sum up new yachts with a short phrase describing their key characteristics. The brief for Aquarius included that she should be, ‘an elegant, muscular sailing yacht with a classic profile for family enjoyment’. But that barely scratches the surface of the main requirements for this giant ketch.

The owners also wanted a yacht that would combine good seakeeping characteristics with performance, reliability and quality. Essential features included relative simplicity, robustness of systems and a contemporary interpretation of elegant, classic lines, with a clean and uncomplicated appearance.

Aquarius ’s graceful lines and timeless shape belie a rugged world cruiser configured to be self-sufficient for extended periods when voyaging well beyond the popular Med and Caribbean circuits. In addition, the yacht is welcoming for family and friends, while providing sufficient performance to compete in superyacht regattas .

Designed to perform

“The owner loves sailing, so top performance was important,” says Dykstra’s Erik Wassen, who led the design team. “Not to the level of a racing yacht, but having the feeling of sailing well and being responsive like a smaller yacht.” A further stipulation was that the boat should not be experimental. The result is a sensible superyacht interpretation of a performance yacht.

With a whopping 50ft of bow and stern overhangs, there’s far less internal volume than might be expected for a yacht of this length. Also maximum beam is less than one-sixth of the overall length. Even so, any temptation to spoil the lines by raising the black-painted freeboard to provide more space for systems was successfully resisted.

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Considerable work and talent was therefore needed to fit all the requirements into the slender hull. The design team repeatedly honed the arrangements until everything would fit, including adequate space for crew accommodation and servicing of systems.

A fixed 4.8m draught keel fits with the theme of simplicity, while also freeing up the internal space that a lifting or telescopic keel would otherwise occupy. Wassen says: “If it was for optimum performance, you go to seven, eight, nine, ten metres.” The problem is that quickly stops being practical, so his aim was to: “try to get her in the same sort of harbours as the J Class yachts – you can still enter St Barth’s Bucket , for instance.”

Computational Flow Dynamics (CFD) work informed the final hull shape. “In our first hull design we noticed the centre of effort shifted when going from close-hauled to a beam reach to running,” says Wassen. “By optimising the hull shape in the CFD we could minimise that effect, giving much more equal rudder pressure on different points of sail.”

A sense of scale as the seemingly tiny figures prepare the mizzen staysail

The response and feel of a smaller boat was achieved “through having an ample sail plan – the boat has lots of sail – and giving her lots of stability,” he adds.  “We kept her as light as possible, which is always difficult because of the weight of the systems and of the ballast needed to provide stability.”

Aquarius ’s skipper James Turner has been very impressed with the handling so far: “With the correct sail plan Aquarius is a delight on the helm, responsive with weight to the wheel,” he reports. “Contrary to what her length and volume might suggest, she feels lively yet forgiving, almost playful on the wheel.”

A clean and uncluttered deck layout was a key priority, but was rendered more difficult by the lack of bulwarks. The profiles of both deckhouses were kept as low as possible, while individual sails are sheeted to similar points, which concentrates deck gear in discrete locations.

Despite her significant sail area, push-button controls mean Aquarius can be sailed by three

Clustering several different items into a single feature also helped to achieve this goal. For example, the boxes for vents and skylights ahead of the main deckhouse also form the backrests for the cushions when this area is used for sun lounging. In addition they house discrete B&G units that provide headsail and spinnaker trimmers with the key data needed for racing.

Project manager Godfrey Cray was keen to use halyard locks to reduce the number of winches around the mast base – the final arrangement has just two winches here instead of the usual four. Attention to detail extends to the cowl vents that have a protection ring of black composite below the polished stainless steel caps so that there is no chance of lines snagging.

The large mizzen was a feature from the inception of the project and provides a powerful configuration for fast reaching and downwind sailing with the mizzen staysail set. A further advantage of this sail plan is that no compromises were needed to keep air draught below the Panamax limit.

Optimised hull shape and big sail area means Aquarius has the response and feel of a smaller yacht

Doyle Sails New Zealand was involved in the project from an early stage, which gave time to tweak the sail plan and for aerodynamic and finite element analysis work to optimise the deck layout and improve overall load predictions. Aquarius is a fast enough boat for the apparent wind to often be forward of the beam.

A 1,580m2 running asymmetric spinnaker is included in the inventory and is clearly important when racing. However, optimisation of the reaching sails was also a priority to enable Aquarius to realise her enormous potential. In addition to the main and mizzen a 460m2 mizzen staysail and 770m2 Code 0 boost the sail area to an impressive 2,200m2 when reaching.

Rondal performance furling booms are a key means of simplifying sail handling , without compromising performance. They allow control of the foot tension of the sail, while providing a very practical means of reefing and stowing the sails.

“Typically, these systems are getting more and more reliable,” says Wassen. “There are hardly any boats that are not specifying them, except for some that go all the way to more racy slab reefing systems to reduce weight aloft.”

Square-top sails were shunned because of the difficulties of handling the top batten. However, the large roach main and mizzen still require running backstays, which are handled by captive winches. “They take more space and are heavier,” says Wassen, “but the captive winches mean you always have the opportunity to ease the runners under load if you have to make an unexpected tack or gybe.”

The twin wheels are positioned far enough outboard to give good sight lines to the bow and the rig. Key sail controls are also located at each helm station to facilitate easy handling. A drawback to this, though, is that you can’t always see the function you’re adjusting.  “It’s something we don’t often do,” says Wassen, “and making it look inconspicuous and classic is difficult.”

The solution was a more modern style console with a lot of controls that are fully concealed by hinged teak covers when not in use. This enables the boat to be sailed with only three people on deck.

Key challenges

While the brief for Aquarius deliberately avoided pushing hard against the boundaries of engineering and materials technology, there were still many challenges to overcome before the owners’ vision and dream could be realised.

In particular, a huge effort was needed to fit the accommodation and systems into the low-volume hull. This involved an iterative process between four parties – naval architect, interior designer, the engineers at Royal Huisman, and the owners – to ensure systems and adequate crew quarters could be accommodated, while leaving enough space for the owner and guest accommodation to meet the brief.

There is plenty of relaxation space split across Aquarius’s three cockpits

Interior designer Mark Whiteley initially presented two concepts – one for a relatively dark panelled interior, the other with mahogany furniture and trim balanced by white wall spaces. After the two had been mocked up at full scale for a section of the boat, the owners chose the lighter option. Whiteley subsequently described his challenge as creating, “a light and contemporary classic feel, rather than a more sombre and historically referenced one”.

While this early decision informed the big picture, he says the finer details needed careful judgement to give the boat its unique feel. The final coat of white paint on the wall panels, for instance, was brushed by hand to provide additional character and interest. He says: “This added to the relaxed informality and chic, understated quality you might associate with a house in the Hamptons.”

The main cockpit is the primary social hub of the boat, so considerable effort was put into refining it. This extended to the folding arrangements for the tables and to the design of the additional fold-away seats that face the main U-shape seating areas.

Mahogany joinery is balanced by white trim

The owner wanted a single floor level in the deckhouse, without a higher level for the seating areas, while retaining a view through the windows when sitting down. The lower edge of the windows therefore needed to be brought down as far as possible, which in turn provides a lot of natural light. The skylights also help to flood the interior with natural light.

Two versions of the magnificent owner’s suite were mocked up full-size to ensure every aspect was optimised to the maximum extent possible. There’s ample natural light from the large oval fan light around the mizzen mast, plus four port lights.

The bed is positioned to give a view towards the stairs to the private aft deckhouse, which opens onto its own cockpit. Attention to detail extends to secure stowage for water carafes and personal items.

Natural light floods into the owner’s suite from large fanlights around masts

Guest accommodation includes two double suites, plus a further flexible cabin that’s primarily configured as a twin. Two extra berths can be provided here to accommodate a larger number of children, via a Pullman on the inboard side and a recessed bed that drops down from the deckhead on the outboard side. A great deal of effort was expended to ensure there is no evidence of these extra beds when the cabin is in its normal mode.

There’s also a fully equipped gym, plus a lower saloon, with a huge cinema screen and top end concealed sound system. Quarters for up to 10 crew are provided in five cabins forward. This area has its own access from the foredeck, while guest areas can also be reached from the galley.

What does Whitely like most about the accommodation? “The relaxed feel and the balance between the classic and the contemporary, it really works. I also like the owner’s suite a lot: it’s a fantastic living space.”

The owner’s suite includes private aft deckhouse

Aquarius is the latest addition to a very distinguished lineage of modern classics produced in the past decade by a collaboration between Dykstra and Royal Huisman, including Kamixitha , Meteor and Pumula .

It’s a stunningly successful partnership that, with Aquarius , has produced another beautiful new superyacht that combines the ultimate in elegance with superlative comfort, style and performance.

Specification

LOA: 56.18m (184ft 4in) LWL: 41.17m (135ft 1in) Beam: 9.51m (31ft 2in) Draught: 4.80m (15ft 9in) Displacement: 264 tonnes Mainsail: 520m2 (5,597ft2) Mizzen: 440m2 (4,736ft2) Blade: 430m2 (4,628ft2) Air draught: 58.50m (192ft 11in) Spars: Rondal carbon with Rondal/Carbo-Link continuous standing rigging

First published in the July 2019 issue of Supersail World.

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AQUARIUS Yacht – Awesome $200M Superyacht

AQUARIUS yacht was built in 2016 by Feadship shipyard in Aalsmeer, Netherlands.

With her length of 92 m (302 ft), AQUARIUS is ranked in 73rd place on the list of longest motor yachts in the world. Currently, she sails under the flag of the Cayman Islands .

AQUARIUS yacht interior

The interior of AQUARIUS was designed by Dutch design firm Sinot Exclusive Yacht Design based in Amsterdam.

The yacht offers a spacious living area, a cinema, a beautiful spa, a gym with incredible sea views, and a sizeable beach club.

The elevator allows guests to move more seamlessly from deck to deck. The master suite features a spacious dressing room as well as a his-and-hers bathroom.

The other six luxuriously designed VIP cabins can accommodate an additional twelve guests.

A crew of up to 30 members takes care of the guests’ well-being while they are on board the luxury yacht.

Specifications

With a beam of 13.50 meters (44.3 ft), a length of 92 meters (302 ft), and a draft of 4 meters (13.1 ft), AQUARIUS has a weight of almost 2,900 gross tons.

Her immense superstructure is made of aluminum, and her decks are constructed in classic teak.

The two MTU M63L diesel engines each produce 3,000 hp and allow her to reach top speeds of 17 knots.

Her fuel tank holds 275,800 liters of diesel and, at a cruising speed of 12 knots, her total reach lies close to 5,500 nautical miles. 

Like her interior, the exterior of the AQUARIUS yacht was also designed by the Dutch design firm Sinot Exclusive Yacht Design.

She has a helipad on the foredeck, a hot tub on the upper sundeck, and a large pool on the aft deck.

She also carries two tenders and plenty of water toys for guests to enjoy. In addition to a large swim platform, the crew can also set up various water slides if required.

Of course, the luxury yacht has a variety of jet skis, kayaks, snorkeling equipment, and water skis on board. 

The purchase price of the AQUARIUS yacht was US $200 million, and she is currently also available for charter for US $1.5 million per week.

In winter, she is mostly underway in the Caribbean, and in the summer months in the Mediterranean. 

Aquarius Yacht in Gibraltar

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APSARA is a 56.0 m Sail Yacht, built in Netherlands by Royal Huisman and delivered in 2018.

Her power comes from a MTU diesel engine. She has a gross tonnage of 298.0 GT and a 9.5 m beam.

She was designed by Dykstra Naval Architects , who also completed the naval architecture. Dykstra Naval Architects has designed 21 yachts and created the naval architecture for 29 yachts for yachts above 24 metres.

Her interior was designed by Mark Whiteley , who has 6 other superyacht interiors designed in the BOAT Pro database - she is built with a Teak deck, a Aluminium hull, and Aluminium superstructure.

APSARA is in the top 5% by LOA in the world. She is one of 31 sailing yachts in the 55-60m size range.

APSARA is currently sailing under the Cayman Islands flag, the 2nd most popular flag state for superyachts with a total of 1408 yachts registered. She is currently located at the STP Shipyard Palma refit yard, in Spain, where she has been located for 4 weeks. For more information regarding APSARA's movements, find out more about BOATPro AIS .

Specifications

• Name: APSARA
• Previous Names: AQUARIUS
• Yacht Type: Sail Yacht
• Builder: Royal Huisman
• Naval Architect: Dykstra Naval Architects
• Exterior Designer: Dykstra Naval Architects
• Interior Designer: Mark Whiteley

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Royal Huisman’s Aquarius II, a Q&A session with the owner

Godfrey Cray is the owner’s project manager on his third Royal Huisman build after 58m / 190ft Ngoni (2014 – 2017), 56m / 184ft Aquarius (2015 – 2018) and now 65m / 212ft Aquarius II (2022 – 2024). The shipyard engaged the owner in a question-and-answer session to highlight features of this new project

Question 1 – What are the specific objectives for this larger sister ship? In particular, what established features and benefits of Aquarius are the owners totally committed to preserving and retaining on Aquarius II; and what new opportunities or additional benefits do they hope to enjoy as a result of building Aquarius II?

Godfrey Cray: The objectives for Aquarius II (AQII) were:

• Sailing performance to be commensurate with the length increase from AQI
• Increased cabins and living spaces for owner and guests
• Increased crew accommodation and service areas
• To take advantage of fully tested innovations and system upgrades
• Continuing focus on quality and reliability

Considerations:

• The owners were very happy with the current yacht. Particularly the modern classic exterior look, balance and sailing performance by Dykstra Naval Architects and the interior layout and décor from Mark Whitely Design.
• We have a wealth of experience and knowledge to draw upon with the captain, engineers and crew from AQI all well qualified to augment the design, systems and fitout for the new project.
• A fourth guest cabin.
• A big increase in size for the gym as well as the social areas of the main deck house. The larger owners’ deck house now has offset stairs which allow for a wrap-around sofa and lounging configuration.
• The exterior cockpits and social spaces have also increased in size.
• A larger galley, crew mess and laundry, along with an extra crew cabin, all reflect the owners’ commitment to providing a good living and work environment for the crew.
• The engine room and technical spaces have also been enlarged.
• There has been an extensive study, tying in the naval architects, spar designers, sail designers and consultants to ensure we have a very well balanced , easily driven and powerful sailing yacht.
• An efficient lifting fin keel with 7.6m / 25ft of draft has been incorporated.
• Main mast 67.5m / 221ft
• Mizzen mast 60m / 199ft
• Upwind sail area 1,958m 2 / 21,000ft 2
• Downwind sail area 4,671m 2 / 50,700ft 2
• Sail handling and sailing systems has been in continual development with Rondal, Doyle and Royal Huisman. We are fully aware of the need to be able to push the yacht hard in racing conditions with a crew of 30 and then safely cruise and deliver the yacht with minimal numbers of permanent crew.
• We have had winning racing results with AQI and the objective has been to continue learning and add this experience to the development of AQII

Question 2 – How did the owners and their advisers arrive at the length of 65m / 212ft for Aquarius II – an increase of 9m / 30ft over Aquarius. Were other lengths considered and, if so, what factors made this the ideal choice?

Godfrey Cray: Firstly, the design issue with sloops approaching 50m / 164ft and ketches of up to 60m /199ft is a matter of keel draft and sail area. If either of these are limited, then performance will be compromised.

• Keel Draft – Typically 4.8m / 15.7ft of draft allows yachts to get into most of the desirable cruising locations. But 4.8m of draft really restricts sailing performance. A lifting keel is one of the cleanest and most efficient ways to add draft, stability and improve sailing performance. There is a small adverse effect on interior volume. We are at keel up 4.8m and keel down 7.6m / 25ft.
• Sail Area & Mast Height – One of the limiting factors is transiting from the Caribbean to the Pacific under the Bridge of the Americas in Panama, which has a “Panamax” air draft limit close to 61m / 200ft. Interestingly we saw that recently a sloop with a rig height of around 64m / 210ft had, in a heeled state, transited under the Bridge of the Americas.

So, to achieve the required increase in interior spaces and taking into account a mast height of 64m / 210ft, led us to an overall length of 61m / 200ft with a plumb bow, bowsprit, submarine anchors, lifting keel and a main mast of 64m / 210ft. This was starting to look like it ticked all the boxes. However a final check with the port authority in Panama informed us they were no longer entertaining  a heeled-state transit under the bridge. Oooops !!!

In further consultation, the owner re-stated that he wanted no compromise to the sailing performance and therefore we should make no concessions for Panamax. He also reiterated his preference for a spoon bow on similar lines to AQI.

No longer constrained by mast height, and with a spoon bow and no bowsprit, we pushed the length out to 65m / 213ft and the main mast height up to 67.5m / 221ft, along with a conventional, simple anchor system. At 65m / 213ft we achieved the extra cabins, increased luxury spaces, increased services areas and crew spaces.

Question 3 – With extra hull volume, will AQII have additional, or more sophisticated, operating systems? Or will a similar systems specification simply have more space/ better access?

Godfrey Cray: Firstly, our goal with AQI was to keep it as simple as possible within the bounds of a luxury superyacht. By the nature of a superyacht, this is mostly unachievable but it does steer the project away from risky innovation projects. The same mantra applies for AQII. That said, we have incorporated some current but tested developments including:

• Semi-hybrid power generation, battery and load smoothing.
• Climate Control improvements.
• Side boarding arrangements.
• Lifting keel system.
• Sail and mast design taking advantage of the load reductions offered by Doyle’s structured luff developments, along with Carbo-Link’s solid carbon Elipse rigging.

One of our biggest gains is the experience and knowledge with system design and improvements that are coming from AQI.

Question 4 – It is said that, from a distance, Aquarius II will be difficult to distinguish from her smaller sistership. But are there, perhaps, subtle design differences that may not immediately be obvious? For example, the ratio between hull length and air draft? Or the additional hull length being allocated to some sections of the hull disproportionately to others?

Godfrey Cray: As you say, the differences will be subtle. Some little changes in the sail plan. Forestay down a touch, main and mizzen mast height ratio slightly different. Slightly lower deck house heights in relation to the overall length.

Question 5 – Turning to your experiences and impressions of working with Royal Huisman on three individual projects over some eight or more years: since you first came to Royal Huisman as owner’s project manager on Ngoni, there have been many changes and developments at the shipyard. From your perspective, what aspects of RH’s capability and service are you pleased to see remain consistent? What new developments are you pleased to welcome and are there any that you are less certain about?

Godfrey Cray: There is still the commitment to quality and innovation, which is very pleasing. Also in general there is a can-do attitude, always looking for solutions. In terms of innovation and development, RH has a good history with this but some clients may not fully understand all the implications of what they are asking for. It has been a tough time over the last 10 years for sailing yacht builders so it is nice to see Royal Huisman in business and with a full order book. The world needs another two to three large sail yacht builders!

Question 6 – Over the same period, Royal Huisman has been at the forefront of significant new developments in advanced propulsion, power generation and energy management systems. Do you see the incorporation of these benefits as a natural progression for AQII – or are there any aspects of these new developments you consider of limited value for such a project?

Godfrey Cray: This is mostly covered in my answer to your third question. However – re your reference to developments that may be “considered of limited value” – this is dependent on the desire of the owner and their team for innovation; and of their understanding of all the good and bad that comes with it. Some innovations may be seriously cool and add function and enjoyment. However they can come with development, time, cost and reliability issues.

Question 7 – You will be well aware that Royal Huisman recently built the 58.5m / 192ft motoryacht PHI (2021) and will deliver the 52m / 171ft sportfisher Project 406 this year. What is your view of one of the world’s premier custom sailing yacht shipyards building specialised motoryachts alongside its mainstream super and mega sailing yacht projects?

Godfrey Cray: I liked the proportions of PHI which were likely driven by its length and having to stay under 500GT. I would say, if you have the option, stick with sailing yachts as they are the hardest to build and Royal Huisman is good at them. Delving into the motoryacht market with so many builders may prove to be tough. I certainly would not approach a motoryacht builder to build a high tech sailing yacht.

Question 8 – Was the choice of Royal Huisman to build AQII an automatic choice, given their detailed knowledge and experience of Aquarius? Or were there other considerations to resolve before that decision was taken?

Godfrey Cray: We invested a lot of time, effort and trust in Royal Huisman to build AQI. A continuation with the shipyard was always more than likely.

(Royal Huisman’s Aquarius II, a Q&A session with the owner – barchemagazine.com – March 2023)

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From Solar-Powered Catamarans to Giant Sailing Yachts: The 12 Most Innovative Boats on the High Seas

These yachts are shaping the future of luxury boating., julia zaltzman, julia zaltzman's most recent stories.

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Yachts that make you look twice. That’s what our round-up of future-forward superyachts on the water today make us do. From aft decks dedicated to the ultimate helipad to silent hybrid cruisers, and even optical illusion design, it’s a rubbernecker’s paradise of top notch amenities and visionary thinking all rolled up into one dynamic yacht package. Whether you’re a salty sailor at heart or keen on speed machines, here we identify eight innovative vessels that will make you want to hop aboard without a second thought.

Feadship 312-foot ‘Bliss’

Launched in May 2021, Bliss has the Dutch shipyard’s all-new hybrid propulsion system. Designed and engineered in partnership with De Voogt Naval Architects, the diesel-electric hybrid system is paired with Polar Code compliance, meaning guests can cruise the more sensitive Polar regions with greater efficiency and as light a footprint as possible. Welcoming nine guests in an interior designed by Remi Tessier, the 312-foot world traveler packs true go-anywhere capabilities, along with a gym, wellness space, a pool and a convertible helideck.

Royal Huisman’s 184-Foot Sailing Yacht ‘Aquarius’

When design simplicity meets cutting-edge technology, the result is 184-foot ketch Aquarius . Built for an owner who likes to race and explore in equal measure, the Royal Huisman sailing yacht shows how performance and classic design do not have to be mutually exclusive. Fast yet easy to sail, Aquarius has a ketch rig developed in collaboration by the yard, its sister company Rondal, and Dykstra Naval Architects. She pairs 9,843-square-feet of sails with the latest in navigational aids to be a world explorer. Classic teak decking and good seakeeping qualities make her a true sailor’s yacht.

Heesen 262-foot ‘Galactica’

The 262-foot Galactica, built by Dutch shipyard Heesen in 2022, rewrites the rules of engineering. The owner’s brief requested fast and big, which led to an all-aluminum build to keep weight down and achieve speeds close to 30 knots, and a newly patented “backbone” for strength and rigidity. Developed in partnership with Dutch hydrodynamicists Van Oossanen, Galactica ’s fast displacement platform is created using two long, flat metal plates that are joined together by a vertical plate in the middle. This prevents the hull from flexing in water. Four MTU engines deliver 19,000-hp, and the addition of a fully-certified helipad means no place is off limits.

Ulstein Verft’s 290-Foot Motor Yacht ‘Olivia O’

Olivia O is a yacht that means business. Robust in every way, she is owned by a commercial shipping magnate with a love for industrial boats. Built by Norwegian shipyard Ulstein Verft Olivia O ’s rustic appeal is exemplified by the use of metal in the Espen Øino-designed interior, from windows with steel borders to corridors with painted metal ceilings. On water, she is defined by Ulstein’s trademarked X-Bow, which was originally designed for use on offshore vessels. Olivia O is the first yacht to ever feature it. Launched in 2020, she bridges the gap between luxury superyacht and authentic rugged explorer.

Oceanco’s 350-Foot Sailing Yacht ‘Black Pearl’

Scooping the top spot for largest DynaRig sailing yacht in the world, Black Pearl is designed by Nuvolari Lenard (assisted by Villate Design). A tri-deck sailing yacht, she boasts three revolutionary 70m DynaRig carbon masts and a sailing system designed by Dykstra Naval Architects. What’s more impressive is that all 2,900sqm of her black, highly distinctive sails can be set in a rapid seven minutes, and all at the push of a button. Her hybrid propulsion system, and other environmental onboard systems, such as waste heat recovery, propel her among a new generation of environmentally sustainable, and highly efficient vessels.

Benetti 351-foot ‘Lana’

One of the most exciting additions to the gigayacht club, Lana was built to discover the four corners of the globe. One of the largest yachts delivered by the Italian builder, Lana is powered by an unusual Rolls-Royce hybrid-electric propulsion, delivering fuel efficiency and long-range cruising. Delivered in 2020, she boasts a large pool on the sun deck that comes with its own heating system, meaning guests can enjoy a splash wherever she cruises. A waterside beach club with folding terraces creates a floating apartment at sea, equipped with a Hammam, massage room, and a dedicated professional therapist makes up one of the 33 full-time crew.

Bilgin 262-foot ‘Tatiana’

Launched in 2020, Tatiana the new flagship yacht from Bilgin Yachts heralded the arrival of cutting-edge, metal-hulled Turkish-built superyachts. With an internal volume of 1,689 gross tons—more than twice that of Bilgin’s previous flagship— Tatiana is defined by long overhangs and a sweeping sheer line penned by Unique Yacht Design. But it’s the 1,200-square-foot lower deck beach club with its two fold-down sea terraces that steal the limelight. The centerpiece is a 30-foot long, freshwater swimming pool. A second glass-bottomed pool on the main deck bathes the beach club below in dappled sunlight. When the shell doors are closed, guests can pamper themselves in the spa that enjoys a hammam, massage room and wet bar with a backlit floor.

Oceanco’s 360-Foot ‘Kaos’ (ex-‘Jubilee’)

The mighty motor yacht Kaos , formerly known as Jubilee , was built by Dutch shipyard Oceanco. For her Moscow-born exterior designer Igor Lobanov, she represents the need to always have faith in your own vision. Topping both length and volume records in the Netherlands at the time of her launch, Kaos’s layered double decks—the very thing that originally put so many people off the concept—are, for Lobanov, the key to the design’s success. “When you’re travelling on a small tender it gives the scale of a bigger yacht, but as you get closer to the yacht you realize her actual size. That’s what we wanted to achieve. We wanted it to be a design trick.” The illusion has been created with smoked glass panels between the decks that run the length of the superstructure and areas of teak decking inaccessible to guests, but which from a distance look like genuine deck spaces. Perfection.

Nobiskrug’s 262-Foot ‘Artefact’

Renowned for a truly striking exterior before she had even hit water, Artefact is the latest launch from German shipyard Nobiskrug. Designed by Gregory C Marshall, she boasts an extensive use of both structural and decorative glass, and includes a number of new technological and engineering features to minimise its environmental impact. These include a large battery storage system which allows the boat to operate without internal combustion engines for a limited time. The biggest-volume 262-foot superyacht in the world, she is also among the first superyachts to meet IMO Tier III emissions regulations and features an innovative diesel-electric propulsion system developed with electric motor manufacturer ABB.

Sanlorenzo 112-foot SX112

As the flagship of Sanlorenzo’s SX crossover line, the premise of the 111.5-foot SX112 is to introduce a new way of living at sea. Described by the Italian builder as a “floating building,” the innovative design enhances guests’ onboard connectivity to the outdoors. It’s achieved by reducing barriers to the outside and closer indoor-outdoor connection. Greater emphasis has been placed on the stern, which has a spacious internal beach area with easy access to the water and beyond, and elsewhere, retractable terraces maximize the outside connection. Exterior designed by Zucccon International, the SX112 gifts superyacht living space typically found on a much larger yacht aboard a compact platform.

Sunreef 78.7-foot 80 Eco

Is there anything more responsible than an electric sailing yacht that creates renewable energy? We don’t think so. The Sunreef 80 Eco is a sustainable transatlantic catamaran that combines electric propulsion with superyacht living and reliable sailing performance. Designed for long offshore navigation, it even generates its own electricity while under sail via a hydro generation system. A total of 1,765-square-feet of ultra-lightweight composite-integrated solar panels are spread across the mast, boom, superstructure, Bimini and hull sides generating up to 32kWp. Inside, the 78.7-foot multihull enjoys living quarters and accommodation for up to 10 guests, thanks in part to a 38-foot beam. It’s like a luxury pied-à-terre on water.

McConaghy Boats’ 140-Foot Trimaran ‘Adastra’

Costing over $20 million to build when launched in 2012, the owner of this custom-built transatlantic trimaran—shipping magnate Antony Marden—has cruised the seven seas for seven years turning heads everywhere he goes. Adastra ’s space age design comes from the boards of British studio Shuttleworth Design and was built in China by McConaghy Boats. Her speedy and light-weight hull is made from a super-strong e-glass/Kevlar foam sandwich, while her superstructure is made up of carbon fiber with a lightweight Nomex honeycomb core. Currently for sale, she provides the rare opportunity to own a yacht with “amazing seaworthiness” and looks like nothing else out there right now.

This story was originally published on August 7, 2020. It has been updated to reflect the most innovative vessels on the water as of the current publishing date. 

Read More On:

• Dream Machines 2022
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• Silent Yachts

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