Fitzroy Yachts Launch 50m "Ohana"

Fitzroy Yachts in New Zealand have launched their latest project, the spectacular 50m (164ft) flybridge sloop Ohana. She was splashed into the water in New Plymouth on the 28th October and was christened by the yard management and her build team. She was built for a European client and will now commence sea trials before her delivery in December.

"It is a huge complement to Fitzroy Yachts and our team that Ohana’s owner approached us directly," said Rodney Martin, Managing Director of Fitzroy Yachts. "This kind of endorsement from owners cements our reputation as one of the worlds top sailing yacht builders."

She was designed by Dubois Naval Architects and is the eighth Dubois designed yacht to be built at the yard. Her interior design and styling is the work of the owner who started with a fresh canvas.

The owner's cabin is located aft with additional accommodation for another 10 guests in five cabins. Her main deck is home to a large saloon and dining area that is filled with natural light from the wrap around windows.

She is built in aluminium, with a fixed bulb keel and has a grey exterior paint job with distinctive lines of yellow. She features a 63.1m (207ft) Southern Spars rig and will have sails by Doyle Sails and Stratis, with a total sail area of 4,085m2 including her main sail of 636m2 and a gennaker of 1,600m2. Under sail she will achieve a maximum speed of 18kts, and average at 12kts.

Ohana will make her much anticipated debut as a fierce challenger on the race circuit at the 2013 NZ Millennium Cup (Auckland, 14-17 February), so watch out Superyacht racing there's a new girl in town. 

Steve Jobs Designed "Venus" Unveiled

Yesterday the 28th of October 2012 Feadship launched one of the most anticipated and secretive Superyachts of the year, the 78m (256ft) Venus. She was launched at their Koninklijke De Vries shipyard in Aalsmeer. Not much is know about Venus, as she has been one of Feadships most secretive projects to date. What we can reveal is that she was self designed by the late Steve Jobs in collaboration with Philippe Starck.

Her modern and sharp exterior lines can be seen in the below video. She will be written in the Supeyacht history books and go on to win numerous awards for design.

Heesen Yachts Sell Project "Paloma"

Last week Heesen Yachts had some great success when they sold one of their latest projects (YN 16551) 'Paloma', a 51m (167ft) displacement Superyacht. She is due for delivery in 2014 and is a long range yacht with a steel hull and aluminium superstructure.

Frank Laupman, from Omega Architects who designed the exterior lines comments 'My design for this Heesen project is the logical development in design following on from the lines of 'Man of Steel' and 'SKY'. We allocated a considerable amount of space to the exterior decks: the plan is strongly rational with an interesting inside-outside relationship'.

Paloma will be able to accommodate 12 guests in five cabins including two twin and two double cabins on the lower deck, with the owner's suite located forward on the main deck. The sun deck is partially enclosed by rounded windows on the forward side that can be seen in the image above.

She will be powered by a pair of MTU 12V4000 M53 diesel engines that drive twin propellers, which can power her to a maximum speed of over 15.6kts. The owner will also have Frank Laupman to design the interior which will be finalised over the next few months.

Christian Grande Introduces "Picchio-Boat" Project

We know its not a Superyacht but its amazing. Some of the comments from people when we have shown them the above design; Wow, Beautiful, Smooth, Modern and I want to own that. At Mega Yacht Global we agree, this is one of the sexiest power cats we have laid our eyes on to date.

Christian Grande has chosen a 21.70m (71ft) displacement catamaran to transform a dream into reality. A yacht to cruise for extended periods in total comfort, fully appreciating the natural beauties and the intimacy of sea travel. A sort of recreational island to be lived on, without any need to show or boast.

As you enter the main saloon/lounge area your eyes are drawn towards the fantastic glass bottom floor 'submarine observatory'. The platform has been perfectly integrated with the saloon and overlooks the sea between the hulls, giving guests and owners alike views of the underwater inhabitants, especially at night with the underwater spotlights. The saloon features a fully equipped bar, a lounging area and dinning area. The interior is styled with light creams and browns to portray a humble homely feeling while still keeping that modern look.

She will be able to accommodate up to 8 guests in two large VIP cabins both en suite, a children's cabin with two pullman berths that can fold away to transform the cabin into a playroom and the owner's cabin forward on the main deck which features a glass floor under the bed, large bathroom and office area.

 
 Specifications

•  Length: 21.70m (71ft)
• Beam: 9.60m (31ft)
• Cruising Speed: 12kts
• Max Speed: 19kts
• Range 2500nm
• Guests: 8
•  Displacement: 50 tons

m5 (ex Mirabella) Refit Progression

m5's intensive refit is well underway at the Pendennis facility in Falmouth, with her new developments starting to take shape. As we announced previously her visit will see the installation of a new 3m stern extension by Mirabella V’s original designers Ron Holland Design. The new composite stern has been manufactured by Green Marine and is now in place, with the post cure scheduled to begin shortly. As well as this a significant amount of new open deck area has been added aft of the communications arch on the top deck (known as the flybridge) which is also undergoing remodelling. Once completed, these new areas will add a significant amount of flexible social space to the exterior of m5. Perfect for those wine & dine parties.

Before

After

The other structural changes also include the installation of a new side boarding platform, that extends out from the port hull to water level, allowing easy access for guests arriving by tender. The splash mould has left Pendennis and is currently with the door manufacturer for construction. The recess in the hull is scheduled be cut this month in preparation for the new door structure to be bonded in.

The hull and superstructure will be undergoing a full repaint over the next few months by the Pendennis in house paint team. Preparation work for this large scale operation has already started, with areas not undergoing structural modifications primed ready for the new paint system. We will bring you more updates throughout the project.

Tom Perkins Superyacht "Atlantide" Sold By Freedom Marine

Freedom Marine has sold the beautiful and majestic 37m (122ft) classic motor yacht Atlantide belonging to Tom Perkins. Freedom Marine’s David Campbell acted for both the buyer and seller.

Campbell first worked with Perkins in the spring of 2011 when he found Perkins the 35m (125ft) Expedition Yacht Dr. No. She was purchased to carry his personal submarine. As an avid yachtsman Perkins has travelled the world with his fleet of super yachts including the two Perini Navi S/Y Andromeda la Dea, the 1915 classic 42m (137ft) Herreshoff racing schooner Mariette and his former 88m (289ft) Maltese Falcon, which is perhaps the greatest sailboat ever built to date.

Atlantide was launched in 1930 by Philip and Sons in Dartmouth, UK, this classic 37m Motor Yacht was originally designed by the gifted English Naval Architect Alfred Mylne (the designer of the original Royal Yacht Britannia) for Sir William Burton. Originally christened as Caleta, Atlantide has a significant history; from her role in evacuating allied troops during WWII to her impressive pedigree of owners. Atlantide’s distinguished owners, yachtsmen similar to Perkins, in their time, have kept her in impeccable condition.

Perkins acquired Atlantide in 1998, at which time she underwent a complete rebuild. Her hull was reconstructed at the Manoel Island Shipyard of Malta and the new superstructure and interior was caringly restored and fitted out by Camper and Nicholson only a short distance from where she was originally built by Philip and Sons. Overall external and interior design was undertaken by Ken Freivokh Design. Perkins had brought her back to her original designed purpose as a gentleman's yacht and tender to a racing yacht.

From 1999 through 2005, Atlantide had the enviable roll as support vessel to her owner’s 1915, 42m classic Herreshoff racing schooner Mariette. In 2006, Tom Perkins launched the remarkable 88m Maltese Falcon. Atlantide and The Falcon were show stoppers at every port in which they dropped anchor. On her own, Atlantide also cruised to distant points on the globe including the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Canada's East and West coasts and Norway's high northern latitudes. After many years of enjoyment she is still kept in pristine condition to be enjoyed by her new owners.

Atlantide was asking 5,000,000 Euro.

32m Lunar Mist Completes Refit

The 32m (105ft) Superyacht Lunar Mist is nearly ready for launching after her extensive 12 month refit at Solent Refit in Southampton. Lunar Mist arrived at Solent Refit following structural work carried out in Palma that had caused serious problems and almost resulted in the owner, Martyn Meade of investment company Hadleigh Partners, writing her off. Solent Refit's project manager, Phil Millard, worked closely with the owner to resolve the structural issues and develop a programme for a major refit to bring the yacht back to her original pristine condition.

She was designed by Bill Tripp and built by Windship Trident in the United States, Lunar Mist's refit included an engineering and internal refit, rig overhaul and a high-quality hull respray. She is now ready to be moved on the transverse rail system to the horizontal slipway, where she will be slipped into the water and the mast will be re-stepped.

After a series of sail trials in the Solent, the Lunar Mist will be signed off and the yacht will start her new world cruising programme.

Developments At Auckland's Viaduct Marina

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With the expected influx of Superyachts visiting New Zealand for the summer season the Viaduct Marina in downtown Auckland has launched a new user-friendly website.

The website is designed for simple navigation which includes essential links to provide a comprehensive marine service for visiting craft. Additionally the website is integrated into the other prime ‘Waterfront Auckland’ marinas of Westhaven and Silo Park.

Marina manager Alex Atkinson advises, “Running parallel to the website development we have completed many beneficial changes and marina improvements with emphasis on ‘making the visit easy’ for Superyacht captains and owners.” Also through working closely with official authorities such as Customs, Immigration and Bio Security the Marina is now fully operational as a ‘Transitional Facility’. Atkinson explains, “This allows superyachts entering New Zealand to arrive direct at our Marina, eliminating the hassle to complete clearance procedures at an alternative location.”

Viaduct Marina is also the home base for ‘Emirates Team New Zealand’ and venue for the ‘Auckland On Water Boat Show’. www.viaductmarina.co.nz

Alloy Yachts Launch Explorer AY44

Yesterday the 18th of October 2012 at exactly 10.10am Alloy Yachts launched the beautifully designed two-toned 39m (128ft) expedition yacht AY44. She was gently lowered into the Henderson Creek for her maiden voyage to the Auckland waterfront. The yard team and the owners were present as she christen was "CaryAli" on a day that was one of the most blustery and wet days they had seen in a while.

Her delighted owners are ready to begin exploring just like they did in their previous yacht, the equally beautiful 26m (86ft) Nordhavn that had the same name CaryAli. The owners brought forward the same two-toned, white and taupe colour exterior aspect of the Nordhavn to AY44 project.

CaryAli will undergo a fast commissioning process over the coming months, as the commissioning team have already completed the speed trials with the yacht easily reaching its design speed. She has a beam of 8.9m (29ft), a draft of 2.7m (8.8ft) and is designed by Rene Van Der Velden with the interior created by Redman Whiteley Dixon.

Marco Casali Designs New Benetti Superyachts

"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for

tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning"

From the inspirational words of Albert Einstein, Marco Casali from Too Design in Italy started his design of three innovative Superyachts for Benetti. For the Amarcord 56 design, Too Design took the historical classic lines of (yesterdays) Benetti yachts and reinterpreted them in a modern way. Principessa 72 was designed by looking at the traits of the projects over the last ten years (today) focusing on an innovative functional scheme and on the evolution of the typical lines of the Benetti yachts. Finally, they designed a yacht from the future (tomorrow) Cloud 90, but still leaving traces of the historical memory of the Benetti yard.

Amarcord 56

The Amarcord project resembles the classic Benetti lines of the 1970s with a modern twist. The owners full beam suite is located forward on the main deck and features two terraces. Two further VIP guest cabins are located on the upper deck so that guests can appreciate the magnificent views from the large windows, both of which come with fold down terraces.

The stern extrudes the lines of the upper deck so that it can feature a raised beach area with jacuzzi, which also acts as a bridge to the sea which is accessible from two side stairs opening to the stern platform. She will measure 56m (184ft) in length and will be able to accommodate 16 guests including the owners.  

Principessa 72

Marco Casali and Too Design have got this design spot on. They wanted to take the styling from the last ten years and bring it forward into the present day. When you look at the Principessa project you can see the smooth exterior lines of the yachts from the last ten years but they have emphasized the stern with the flowing deck lines. This opened up the option for a pool and lounging area on the bow.

The owners cabin is not it a traditional place, but in the heart of the yacht, in the middle deck. She will be able to accommodate four large tenders in two double garages, one forward and one aft with the possibility to transform one of them into a spa or gym. She will measure 72m (236ft) in length and will be able to accommodate 12-16 guests including the owners depending on the layout. A crew of 24 will keep her in pristine condition wherever she travels in the world.



Cloud 90

Cloud is definitely a Superyacht from the future and from looking at her you can see how Marco Casali has turned his idea into a design.

"The project idea was born from the desire to suspend a cloud above a hull

 and lock it with a giant side reinforcement taken from the Benetti heritage." 

The middle deck with its fully glazed partitions is one giant open plan layout, like the deck of an aircraft carrier. This gives plenty of space for the guests to make use of. The wide open spaces feature two swimming pools, one forward and one aft, both surrounded with their entertainment areas. The whole perimeter of the bridge is left free to give life to a running track of almost 200m in length, half of a Olympic running track.

The upper and distinct cloud deck is the owners private apartment which includes 360 degree views, snooker room, lounge, office and a massage area. The well-being theme flows throughout the yacht from the upper deck to the lower deck, which houses a gym and spa area for the guests. She will measure 90m (295ft) in length and will be able to accommodate 16 guests including the owners in an 8 cabin layout.

A New Frontier For Sanlorenzo

The Italian shipyard Sanlorenzo have decided to tap into the expedition yacht market with this beautifully designed 42m (138ft) expedition yacht. Most Superyachts adventures mean hopping from port to port around the Mediterraneans most glamorous and prestigious areas or moving from one cove to another in the Caribbean, but the Sanlorenzo 42m will bring the comfort and service that's found in Monte Carlo to the extreme ends of the Earth. From Greenland to Alaska and further a field to Patagonia and French Polynesia.

"Explorer: more space, more endurance, less consumption, 

more toys, more extreme and more enjoyment on board."

The 42EXP will allow owners to explorer the un-spoilt and most remote corners of the Earth for months at a time in comfort, with a more fuel efficient yacht. She is perfect for those who wish to downsize but keep a remarkable amount of volume. Great attention is paid to the environment, as she is green plus certified and can remain in a secluded bay for 48hrs without turning on a generator, getting rid of vibrations and noise for a more relaxing stay.

Her accommodation will consist of four guest cabins on the lower deck and one full beam owners suite on the main deck. The crew accommodation will also be on the lower deck with exception of the captain who gets a private cabin on the upper deck. Her main features consist of a beach club, dive station, sauna and a fitness area which includes a fully equipped gym and a counter current pool.

She has been already tank tested and the project is fully developed to start he construction. The chosen materials are steel for the hull with aluminium superstructure, for a strong, long range and all condition expedition yacht.

Superyacht Gloria Completes Refit

The Jongert steel schooner Gloria was hauled out in July during the Pendennis Cup to commence her three month refit period in Falmouth. She was one of the first vessels to visit Pendennis' Palma refit facility for minor works in 2011, Pendennis were delighted to welcome Gloria to their main facility in the UK.

In a relatively short three month refit period a lot of work was undertaken by the yard. Before she was hauled her masts were removed so that major work could start promptly on her rigging, with the assistance of Tim Haynes Ltd: her rig was completely stripped of fittings, NDT’d, painted and new standing rigging installed . A complete new teak deck was also fitted which included replacing some areas of teak cladding on the superstructure. All deck hardware was stripped and serviced with some replacements made, leaving Gloria as good as new from the deck up.

Apart from the exterior upgrades, some engineering work was carried out as part of an overhaul of the air conditioning and refrigeration systems, and fitting keel access hatches for the fuel tank. The final piece of work was a new coat of antifoul before the yacht was re-launched early this month. Gloria is currently based in Port Pendennis Marina for the final completion of minor work ahead of her journey down to the Mediterranean.

James Box, Captain of Gloria, explained the choice of Pendennis for the refit: 'The Owner of Gloria was keen to support British industry and as such booked the refit slot with Pendennis. The end result has shown that the quality of workmanship and level of professionalism have been second to none and proved the yard’s world-class standards in superyacht refit'.

Specifications

• Built By: Jongert BV 1985
• Length: 38.4m (126ft)
• Beam: 6.89m (22.6ft)
• Yacht Type: Twin Masted Schooner
• Guests: 8
• Crew: 4

Exclusive: The Story of Pendana, part 1

This is part one of an exclusive five part series spread out over the next four months about M/Y Pendana, her passionate owner James, the expeditions James and his family have experienced, and not to mention the up coming expedition planned for the end of the year.

James was born in West Africa and raised in England and Australia, with his passion for yachts starting when he purchased his first yacht, a 25ft Bertram. From here James' yachts got larger as he became hooked on the yachting bug. He went on to acquire a 36ft Scarab, a 46ft Riviera and just last year purchased the beautiful Nordhavn 62 M/Y Pendana (seen in the image above).

A lot of thought and planning went into finding Pendana, says James, I kept asking myself what is the right yacht? I knew when I came across Nordhavn that they would be the right yachts as they ticked all the right boxes, it was just a matter of finding the right model. One of the reasons that Nordhavn appealed to James was their attention to detail and the perfection of the finishing. The quality of ten year old Pendana was definitely put to the test when she arrived into Brisbane Australia on the 20th December 2011 after being delivered from Florida on dockwise. After she got unloaded, she was boarded by fifteen customs officers who used special moisture detection devices to look for moisture in the wooden interior, but after many hours she passed with a perfect score. They couldn't detect any moisture and James was told this only happens once every four years, so it just goes to show how good of a build she is.

After the great news, which was an early Christmas present Pendana and her new crew made their way towards Sydney on a 450nm delivery to her new home. Since arriving in Sydney James and his family have been taking her on trips all up and down the Gold Coast, where they have encountered all the elements the weather has to offer. Now James, his family and crew are busy planning their next trip where they will tackle the open ocean on their crossing from Sydney to New Zealand in mid December.

Mega Yacht Global will bring you part two in November as we re-join James, family and Pendana as they prepare for their trip to New Zealand. For more information on Pendana visit www.pendana.net

Horizon Sell 115ft Expedition Yacht

The Horizon Group has just announced that the new Horizon EP 115ft (35m) expedition yacht, which is still under construction, has been recently sold to an owner in Singapore. The 115ft long range explorer yacht is scheduled for delivery to her new owner in March 2013 and will become the largest luxury yacht Horizon has delivered to the Singapore yacht market.

She is the newest addition to the Horizon EP series and has a full displacement steel hull with a bulbous bow and fiberglass superstructure, while she is the second Horizon yacht built with a steel hull (the Horizon EP148 was the first), she is the first one with a composite superstructure. She will be powered by twin Man 2842 LE410 engines and at 10 knots has a range in excess of 3000nm.

The Horizon design team have worked closely with the owner to fully customize certain areas of the 115 so that she will meet all the owners requirement, such as the extended aft deck for fishing (see below). The 115 is the first long range expedition yacht that Horizon have built in this range, she will make her world debut at the 2013 Asia Boat Show.

The Columbus Hybrid Sport Series

Giuseppe Palumbo , General Manager of Palumbo Shipyard in Naples and head of the new Palumbo Superyacht division, and the designer and naval architect Sergio Cutolo agreed to cooperate for the design and construction of the Alubrid (Hybrid Sport) series. Palumbo will build this innovative and technologically advanced new series in Naples, Italy.

The Columbus Sport Hybrid custom series will be the latest to be added to the Columbus fleet. The series will include fast displacement yachts of 25m (82ft) up to 65m (213ft) in aluminum. The aim of the custom series is to provide owners with a fast, sporting yacht which provides comfort and elegance. The sleek aggressive lines are designed to merge with the surrounding environment and the sea. The custom series is environmentally friendly and provides a unique setting for owners who wish to enjoy and preserve the environment.

All the Superyachts in this series were designed with limited weight in order to optimize consumption and performance, with both the hull (semi-displacement) and the superstructure are in aluminum. The hybrid propulsion system consists of an optional diesel electric engine, in order to minimize their impact on the environment with a comfortable cruising range of about 5,000nm depending on the size of the yacht.

The hybrid system that will be used on Columbus 40m (131ft) Sport Hybrid, now under construction and with delivery in September 2013, is made of of two electric engines connected to the gear box. This allows to have electrical navigation for a maximum speed of 7.5kts getting power from generators, and to generate electrical energy while in navigation on the main engines.

The hybrid system can be useful for quiet night navigation, with electrical engines running a lot quieter than diesel. Due to the quick mechanical answer of electric engines they can be very useful during maneuvering in port thus having the main diesel engines turned off. A great feature is the power generation during navigation, this allows to low maintenance costs on diesel generators and fuel consumption, again appealing to the environmentally conscious owner.

The Modern Superyacht Project 'Oxygen'

BMT Nigel Gee, a subsidiary of the BMT Group have just released their new Superyacht design which they have developed in collaboration with Claydon Reeves. With this revolutionary design they may have just redefined the expedition style of Superyacht. Oxygen, which the project has been named will be able to take owners and guest on exploration voyages all over the world in exceptional comfort and stability due to her width and semi-SWATH (XSS) hull form.

For those of you who are thinking what does SWATH mean, it stands for 'Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull'. It is a twin hull just like a catamaran but has less of a hull cross sectional area at the waters surface, this will maximize the stability of Oxygen in rough seas and high speeds.

Oxygen is an expedition yacht but not your typical one, her main role is to be used for diving expeditions. Not only is she going to be equipped with top of the range diving equipment, she will also carry her own 5m (16ft) submarine that will be launched from an innovative stern lift that doubles as an adjustable swim platform. Oxygen will measure 55m (180ft) in length and will comfortably reach speeds of up to 24kts.

Claydon Reeves approached the design with a clean sheet of paper. 'We were delighted when BMT Nigel Gee asked us to assist them in creating a luxury vessel on their XSS hull platform.' says James Claydon. 'The extreme beam available only on a catamaran allowed us to set aside conventional motor yacht design principles and instead create a totally original exterior, clothing a practical yet intuitive internal arrangement.'

Her funky and modern glazed exterior appearance will act as a spectacular viewing platform for guests looking out at the surrounding scenery. It will also let in plenty of natural light bring the guests that one step closer to the natural world.

The guest accommodation is spread over three decks with the owner enjoying forward views on the main deck with a private terrace. The dive headquarters are located aft on the main deck and provides changing facilities for the days underwater activities and permits direct access to the water once the stern lift is deployed. The main saloon and dining room are located on the bridge deck above, along with the VIP cabin, captain’s cabin and senior crew accommodation.

Palmer Johnson SuperSport Series

First thoughts, this is a mean looking Superyacht that means business with her aggressively flared bow and predatory stance. The new Palmer Johnson SuperSport series was just launched during the recent Monaco Yacht Show with the 42m (138ft), 48m (157ft and seen above) and the larger 72m (236ft) models presented.

The first hull of the 48m SuperSport series has already been sold and is currently under construction with a delivery date scheduled in 2013. She will be an exciting yacht to see out on the water when she is launched.

She boasts all of the features of the new series with a top speed of 32kts, impressive efficiency at lower speeds and capable of crossing the Atlantic at a speed of 15kts. She will feature a main saloon with full length windows, a glass saloon and sky lounge on the upper deck, a beach club and fantastic aft decks that are designed for indoor/outdoor living. Her accommodation will consist of a full beam owners cabin forward on the main deck, two double and two twin cabins on the lower deck.