Heesen Yachts in the Netherlands says it has joined the hull and superstructure on the 180-foot Project Venus, which is for sale with delivery expected in the second quarter of 2025.

Project Venus is part of Heesen’s 55 Steel series. Power is a pair of MTU 4000 M63 engines, with a projected top speed of 15.5 knots and a cruising speed of 13 knots. At cruising speed, range is expected to be 4,500 nautical miles, enough for trans-Atlantic cruising.

Luca Dini Design and Architecture is handling interiors on Project Venus. Accommodations are for 12 guests in six staterooms, including a main-deck master that spans more than 880 feet and has a private, starboard-side veranda.

The sundeck encompasses nearly 1,200 square feet with a hot tub, a bar and a lounge area protected beneath a hardtop. Sun loungers are aft. Alfresco dining is one level below on the bridge deck aft, and there’s a beach club off the main deck that includes a sauna, a day-head, a shower and a bar.

Is Project Venus the first time Heesen has worked with Italian designer Luca Dini? Not even close. Project Venus is the fifth collaboration between Heesen and Luca Dini.

Take the next step: go to heesenyachts.com

The post Construction Continues on Heesen’s Project Venus appeared first on Yachting.

But when it comes to the really big boats—the megayachts, superyachts and gigayachts—it’s the NFL team owners who have the goods. Sure, there’s an occasional story in the news about an NFL player spending a day on the water, but the people making a real splash on the docks are the ones who own the teams.

Article At-A-Glance

• NFL players, such as Tom Brady, have good-size boats, but team owners have big yachts.
• Several NFL team owners have sizable, pedigree European shipyard builds.
• You’d never know the owners based on the yacht names.
• The yachts cruise all over the world, including the Mediterranean and Caribbean.

European Shipyards that NFL Owners Choose

Europe has always been seen as the place to buy a pedigree superyacht, and owners of NFL teams naturally gravitate toward the best. They’ve commissioned yachts from Oceanco, Lürssen, Feadship and Royal Hakvoort.

Jerry Jones’ Bravo Eugenia

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones owns Bravo Eugenia, a 357-foot Oceanco that was delivered in late 2018. Forbes reported that, during the pandemic, Jones handled the NFL draft from on board—in a luxurious version of social-distancing. The yacht itself is noteworthy for its hybrid propulsion as well as its multiple helipads, which give Jones the ability to land on board pretty much anywhere in the world.

Shahid Khan’s Kismet

In 2014, Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan took delivery of the 312-foot Lürssen Kismet. It’s currently listed for sale on the Moran Yacht & Ship website at an asking price of about $160 million, with what the brokerage house calls a “decadent interior” by Reymond Langton Design. Accommodations are for 16 guests, with quarters for 28 crew. The yacht has a helipad, a spa, a swimming pool and an outdoor fireplace—a rare find aboard any yacht of any size.

American Shipyards that NFL Owners Choose

Some NFL owners skip the European shipyards (and their years-long waiting lists) altogether and go with American builds instead. These yachts are new or refitted after being purchased from previous owners, showing that it’s possible to get exactly what you want in a yacht even if you don’t choose the process of custom construction.

Steve Bisciotti’s Winning Drive

Baltimore Ravens majority owner Steve Bisciotti reportedly also owns Winning Drive, a Westport 130 that left the yard in 2012. This is one of the most popular American-model yachts ever, with the series in build since way back in 2000 and the company still offering new versions today. The 10-guest, seven-crew Westport 130 is also a popular model on the charter market, if anyone wants to book a different hull to get a feel for life on board Bisciotti style.

Stan Kroenke’s Aquila

This billionaire owner of the Los Angeles Rams (and numerous other sports teams) reportedly also owns Aquila, a 280-foot Derecktor that started life on the water in 2010 as Cakewalk—the largest private motoryacht ever built in the United States. The yacht underwent a yearlong refit at Pendennis and is currently available for charter through Burgess at a lowest weekly base rate of $945,000. Guests have full access to the onboard elevator, cinema room, spa and massage areas, and bridge-deck fire pit.

Tom Brady’s Boat

By comparison with these behemoths, Brady’s Wajer 77 seems small—but it’s actually the largest model in the builder’s line. It’s built for speed and silence, with a top speed of 37 knots and extensive use of insulation to dampen onboard noise. Smaller models from Wajer give all kinds of boat owners a chance to sample the kind of fun that Brady is having out on the water.

Wajer 38

The Wajer 38 is the entry-level model in the builder’s lineup, with 45 knots of speed (yes, it can outrun Tom Brady’s boat). The 300-nautical-mile range means this boat is well-suited for weekend getaways, and the fact that the boat is packed with seating and sun pads mean owners can bring plenty of friends along for the ride. Vripack in the Netherlands—also a superyacht designer—handled naval architecture, which explains the upscale feel.

Wajer 55S

This is the model that Tom Brady had before he upgraded to the builder’s larger flagship. The 55S is still in production today. It’s a 38-knot boat with a 400-nautical-mile range and a center-console design that allows great walkaround space for fishing and other water sports. Belowdecks, there’s accommodations for as many as four people, if owners want to spend the night on the hook. For the hull, owners can choose among a wide variety of colors, ranging from more subtle blacks and whites to high-octane yellows and pinks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do more NFL team owners than NFL players own superyachts?

Generally speaking, superyacht owners are billionaires, while even the most successful NFL players tend to be multimillionaires.

Do any NFL team owners have yachts bigger than a football field?

A football field between the goal lines is 100 yards, or 300 feet. That means several NFL team owners have yachts that would be too long to fit inside their own stadiums.

Do NFL team owners keep their yachts near NFL stadiums?

Not usually. Dallas Cowboys owners Jerry Jones’ yacht, for instance, has been spotted everywhere from Vancouver to London.

Do NFL team owners with yachts also have other business interests?

Yes. Shahid Khan, who owns the Jacksonville Jaguars, made his fortune with Flex-N-Gate, which makes bumpers for vehicles. Steve Bisciotti, who owns the Baltimore Ravens, also owns staffing, recruiting and talent-management companies.

Do any NFL stadiums have dockage for yachts?

Not directly at the stadium, but there’s a marina adjacent to Soldier Field, where the Chicago Bears play, and boaters heading to Cleveland Browns games can tie up at the nearby Rock and Dock Marina at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The post The NFL’s Favorite Boats appeared first on Yachting.

London-based design firm Bannenberg & Rowell says the 367-foot Freire Renaissance—its largest design to date—will leave the Spanish shipyard in August.

Renaissance is a 7,200-gross-ton yacht with naval architecture by Marin Teknikk of Norway. Accommodations are for 36 guests in 19 staterooms, with the design built to the Passenger Yacht Code as well as to the Ice Class standard.

That much space allows for features such as a sizable swimming pool in addition to a private owners’ pool, multiple bar areas, a helipad, stowage for four custom-designed Cockwells tenders and an onboard pizza oven.

Headroom is a surprising 18 feet in the main salon and dining area, and Bannenberg & Rowell says the yacht’s gymnasium is the largest one afloat. There’s also a wellness center with plunge pools, a steam room, a sauna, massage rooms and a hair salon; an onboard business center; a jazz bar and a cinema.

Is the interior décor dramatic? According to Bannenberg & Rowell, yes. It includes an art collection, custom stained glasswork and backlit onyx bars.

Where to learn more: go to bannenbergandrowell.com

The post Bannenberg & Rowell’s Biggest-Ever Design appeared first on Yachting.

Oceanco says hull Y722, a 364-foot superyacht, has left the yard’s first-phase construction facilities in Zwijndrecht, the Netherlands, and moved to outfitting facilities in Alblasserdam.

Y722 is designed by Oceanco and Espen Øino International, with interiors from Mark Berryman Design. The project is a collaboration among Oceanco, YTMC and Y.CO. Oceanco says the vessel “embraces innovative technologies and has had some radical layout changes introduced that will challenge the perception of the traditional yacht.”

Accommodations are for 22 guests, with quarters for 33 crew. The owner has what Oceanco calls “scientific aspirations,” and the guest and crew quarters are somewhat combined, including the crew mess and dining room. The idea is to “create synergy between all those on board and encourage the mutual cultivation of ideas and passions.” The yacht will also have crew wellbeing areas, such as a gym.

Eco-friendly thinking has been part of the design process. Power will be diesel-electric for emissions-free, silent running. A waste heat recovery system and an advanced wastewater treatment system are also part of the build.

“Y722 will break new boundaries at Oceanco, with, amongst other things, her industry-leading noise and vibration characteristics, and the focus on usability and operability will bring a holistic comfortable experience for all aboard,” Dan Morgan, YTMC managing director, stated in a press release.

Charlie Birkett, CEO and co-founder of Y.CO, called Y722 a groundbreaking yacht: “This is a project with vast scope and vital ambition.”

When is Y722 expected to undergo sea trials and commissioning? In 2025.

Take the next step: go to oceancoyacht.com

The post Oceanco’s Y722 Begins Outfitting appeared first on Yachting.

Mega-yacht design has always been a playground for some of the most fertile minds on the planet. Construction, in turn, routinely represents an evolution in engineering. All of that and more is on display right now around the world, with numerous projects that are nothing short of mind-bending.

In March, Royal Huisman in the Netherlands turned the Alustar aluminum hull on Project 406, which is on its way to becoming the largest sport-fisher yacht ever to ply the world’s waters. Building this 170-foot-long, six-deck machine would be enough for any shipyard to create headlines, but the Dutch builder—the same month it turned that hull—announced that it also had inked a deal to build the world’s largest sloop, the 280-foot Project 410.

“It is an extraordinary honor to be entrusted with a project of such scale, ambition and technical sophistication,” Peter Naeyé, the yard’s chief commercial officer, said of the sloop. “A true performance superyacht with supersized dimensions and full of technical innovations.”

What all of that might mean is anyone’s guess, as are the teaser details coming out of Italy about Amarcord. It’s a new project of the Palumbo Superyachts brand ISA Yachts in collaboration with design firm Nuvolari Lenard. Amarcord is a 262-foot yacht being started on spec for delivery as soon as 2025. Giuseppe Palumbo, director of Palumbo Superyachts, calls the project an opportunity for the yard and design team to work together on “interesting innovations in the stylistic field.”

Given that Nuvolari Lenard’s history includes designing the first superyacht infinity pool, aboard the Oceanco Alfa Nero in 2007, as well as the military-style exteriors on 2015’s CRN Atalante, it’s again anyone’s guess what we are all about to see next.

Quite a lot of innovation is also on display these days at shipyards that build smaller motoryachts. Outer Reef Yachts, based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, just announced plans for its 650 Evo Motoryacht, which replaces the Cummins Zeus pod-drive system from previous models with Volvo Penta’s latest Electronic Vessel Control offering. This EVC system adds faster software downloads, improved diagnostics and features such as joystick docking, dynamic positioning and a glass cockpit.

“We look forward to what the future holds for our Trident series, and will steadily work toward enhancing the owner experience through partnerships like the one we have forged with Volvo Penta and Garmin,” said Outer Reef president Jeff Druek. “At the end of the day, due to our incorporation of these game-changing technological advancements, our owners have come to expect and enjoy high-performance cruising aboard their Outer Reef Yachts.”

High performance is also a keyword at Van der Valk in the Netherlands, which just dropped a concept design called Meteor. At 82 feet length overall, Meteor all but eliminates the traditional aft-deck design seen aboard most yachts and, instead, takes a sports-car approach to styling. When the transom drops down at anchor, the whole main-deck interior becomes part of the indoor-outdoor guest space.

Fellow Dutch firm Vripack is involved in the design of Van der Valk’s Meteor, which has a projected top speed above 40 knots, powered by triple Rolls-Royce MTUs with water jets. The majority of the superstructure is glass, including two slide-open sections of nearly 10 feet apiece.

Would-be owners aren’t the only ones who think a concept like Meteor is cool. “Our skilled craftsmen are going to have a field day bringing this all to life for the first new Meteor owner,” the yard said in announcing the project.

Still want more? We’re salivating to see what’s about to come out of Tankoa Yachts, where the Italian builder has teamed with designer Philippe Briand on a 170-foot custom motoryacht for delivery in 2025. That project, according to Tankoa, includes “remarkable development of the interiors, designed and finely decorated down to the smallest detail.” What that might mean, in the hands of one of the world’s most award-winning designers, has the potential to be astounding.

In the powercat market, Denison Yachts just became the Americas dealer for the SilverCat line by Australia-based Silver Yachts. Hull No. 1 is already sold, with additional hulls available in lengths overall up to 118 feet. “We’re thrilled to bring the SilverCat to market as the new mega-cat with design innovations by world-renowned designer Espen Øino,” said Tony Smith, Denison brand manager for Silver Yachts.

We’re beyond thrilled too. A bounty of features, technology and amenities that have never existed are about to become reality. What a time to be able to play.

The post Mega-yacht Designers Bringing New Innovations appeared first on Yachting.

Big doesn’t even begin to describe it. The 663-foot Centerfold concept design from Italy’s Nuvolari Lenard would have a displacement of 16,800 gross tons, engines with a total of 100,000 hp, and projected speeds of at least 35 knots. Even in the rarefied compendium of superyachts, this steel-and-aluminum build would be a standout, dwarfing the world’s current largest yacht, the 590-foot Lürssen Azzam, in both size and modern styling attributes.

Still want more? The Centerfold would also have a zero-emission, “full-electric stealth” mode for cruising in the most ecologically sensitive destinations.

The concept yacht’s name is a nod to photographer Jarmo Pohjaniemi, who worked with Nuvolari Lenard on the renderings and is known for his work photographing supermodels for Playboy and more.

The post Nuvolari Lenard’s 663-Foot Centerfold appeared first on Yachting.

When you’re buying a yacht, and if you’re considering a spec project, a number of factors work in your favor. You get a proven engineering package, where sisterships back up claims of cruising speeds that make quick work of island-hopping, or economical speeds that make transatlantic crossings possible. You get a shorter delivery time than with a custom build. And you have the opportunity to put your own stamp on the interior design, even when the yacht is already many months into the construction process.

Every spec yacht on the water today bears all of these advantages. Each also bears some changes made between the time the owners bought the yachts and the time they took deliveries.

Except for the 180-foot Heesen Moskito.

Yes, the owner relied on performance data verified by similar deliveries. Heesen Yachts had already handed over four previous projects in its 55-meter Steel series. The yacht’s fast-displacement hull form from Van Oossanen Naval Architects and twin MTU engines promised a 15.5-knot maximum speed and a range of 4,500 nautical miles at 13 knots. The owner also enjoyed a shorter delivery time. He acquired the yacht in late 2020 and took delivery in April 2021.

What makes Moskito an exception is that the owner didn’t change a thing about the superyacht. Not any of the systems, not any of the wall paneling, other materials, or even furnishings that Bannenberg & Rowell Design chose to give the yacht a distinctive touch—nothing.

“We wanted to take the breath away, without being aesthetically intimidating,” says Dickie Bannenberg, who runs the design studio with Simon Rowell. The interplay of design elements not commonly found on spec builds “instantly differentiates and enhances the feeling that, for a spec boat, this is really something with a lot of detail and quality and thought and expense.”

Treating a spec project this way can be risky, of course, but Heesen and the design firm had already created nearly a dozen spec yachts together.

“They do give us very free rein,” Bannenberg says. “They’ve never said, ‘We want you to do something based around X, Y or Z.’ We call the shots creatively. … We are trying to be progressive and interesting and original but, at the same time, target audiences as wide as possible.”

The shipyard strives for its spec yachts to be progressive in configuration too. After every two yachts in a series, Heesen incorporates changes based on the feedback of owners, captains and charter guests. So, even though Moskito is the fifth launch in the 55-meter Steel series, only its immediate predecessor, Solemates—whose owner changed the Bannenberg & Rowell interior—has staterooms spread across three decks. The VIP stateroom is on the wheelhouse deck instead of belowdecks and is enlarged to span the yacht’s full beam. Four guest staterooms remain belowdecks, and the master stateroom—926 square feet—occupies the main deck forward.

Additionally, Moskito is the second in the series to have a volume of 760 gross tons, an increase of 20 gross tons.

“In terms of creating an identity, each one is completely a one-off,” Bannenberg says of the studio’s approach to spec yachts. Aboard Moskito, there are contrasting rich eucalyptus and pale sycamore wood, for instance, with smoked-oak parquet soles in a chevron pattern.

“It really does hit that sweet spot of people looking for something fairly easygoing, by which I mean you can sit there not perched on the front of the sofa,” Bannenberg says. “You’re pretty happy kicking back with polo shirts and shorts, but at the same time, if you want to live a smarter or more dressy life, it’s good for that too.”

Moskito also has more than a few gentle curves amid its walls. Take the master stateroom, for instance. Though guests pass through a foyer to get to the sleeping area, it’s not until they really look at the wall behind the bed and then at the wall in the foyer that they realize they’re arcs. For shipyards building on spec, it’s much easier and less expensive to manufacture straight lines. Heesen has its own interiors department, allowing for this kind of design element.

Not only did the owner buy Moskito without changing a thing, but he also bought the superyacht sight unseen. He saw the yacht for the first time when boarding it in Malta upon delivery, having signed off on everything remotely. This included giving Bannenberg & Rowell carte blanche to select books and a few accessories to round out the overall design.

“We’ve had projects where people have said, ‘Select some art,’ or ‘Make some proposals,’ and we’ve put things together, and it doesn’t hit the spot,” Bannenberg says. “So it can cut both ways. In this particular case, I think we really did choose things to complement the overall vibe on board.”

It’s good to see that an exception can be exceptional.

Heesen’s Home

While several superyacht shipyards are in the Netherlands, Heesen’s home city of Oss sits 93 miles inland, closer to the land border with Germany than to the North Sea. A series of canals and rivers connects it to the sea.

Fantasy vs. Friendly

With spec projects, Bannenberg & Rowell Design envisions real-world scenarios. “We do like to think of the lifestyle—the family with two or three kids, or charters—and have things made practical,” Dickie Bannenberg says. “It’s not just a sort of homage to sharp design; it’s something very livable and comfortable.”

Here Comes the Sun

Alfresco areas are among the most popular places to be on board a yacht. Moskito’s outdoor spaces add up to nearly 2,700 square feet. Much of this is on the sun deck, which has a pool, a bar, and seating and sunbathing areas that are usable underway or at anchor.

The Hull Story

According to Van Oossanen, its fast-displacement hull form “reduces resistance values by 20 percent” when compared to “hard-chine hulls at semidisplacement speeds.”

Take the next step: heesenyachts.com

The post Heesen’s On Spec ‘Moskito’ appeared first on Yachting.

In the early 1950s, a young man enthralled with his father’s boatbuilding company took over the family business. As sometimes happens when new generations step in, he wasn’t content to do the same thing his father, or his grandfather, had done. Strong ambition persuaded him to design and build pleasure boats, as opposed to the racing and commercial boats of the shipyard’s past. What’s more, he continuously wanted to outdo himself, focusing on creating motoryachts that were more than boats, as well as status symbols.

While the young Carlo Riva succeeded in all of this after taking the helm of Riva, there’s perhaps no better example of his driving ambition than the period from the mid-1960s into the 1970s, when he launched three limited series of motoryachts.

Not only were their steel hulls a marked change from the glistening mahogany of their sisterships, they were also far larger. The Atlantic series, at 88 feet, and the Caravelle series, at 74 feet, were astoundingly large for their eras. Between their style and the fact that they were faster than many other yachts at the time, they helped Riva find several clients.

More than 50 years later, the spirit of these series lives on with the Riva 50-Meter. It’s the first model in the Riva Superyachts Division and the second Riva constructed entirely of aluminum. At 160 feet, 9 inches length overall, she’s larger than any previous launch from the boatbuilder, but she upholds many of the same principles her predecessors established.

“She is full of personality, exactly like any other Riva yacht,” says Sergio Beretta, CEO and co-founder of Officina Italiana Design, the studio responsible for every modern-era Riva. “It is essentially a true connoisseur’s boat. In a nutshell, it is chic, and that is the whole logic behind it.”

Mauro Micheli, chief designer and co-founder of Officina Italiana Design, agrees. “It is certainly a boat with a very different character to its siblings” because of the LOA and four decks, he explains, “but references to Riva’s signature styling are a constant.”

That styling is well-known and detailed. For instance, Hull No. 1, Race, shows off varnished mahogany and stainless-steel handrails, complementing the metallic painted surfaces. Even the yacht’s wing stations have these handrail details. The richness of the high-gloss wood serves as a reminder that “artisanal craftsmanship is at the very core of each project,” Micheli asserts. “The handrails are the fil rouge [French for common thread] of the yacht.”

Further to the styling’s influences, Micheli mentions the Caravelle line, conceived in 1964. Its uncluttered, simple elegance inspired the team working on the 50-Meter. Though more angular than today’s yachts, the Caravelle had long lines and a proud bow—two timeless characteristics.

“They are the kind of lines that don’t necessarily set out to dazzle but still capture attention with their sheer simplicity,” Micheli says.

For the Riva 50-Meter, the studio focused on classic yet sleek lines. “Race has a great personality,” he says. “She has three straight lines that define each level. The design is clean. We refuse overworked, elaborate and redundant lines.”

Amid these lines are some of the owner’s particular requests. “He wanted lots of light and to enjoy the external panoramas,” Micheli says. While every Riva—indeed, every large yacht—these days incorporates large glass ports, Race’s owner felt it was especially important for the 50-Meter to have them, notably along the main and upper decks. Additionally, in an interesting twist on an indoor-outdoor area, the covered alfresco dining area aft on the upper deck has slide-open glass to each side.

In terms of the open alfresco areas, meanwhile, the owner wanted a front-row seat for when he was approaching shorelines. This explains why Race has cozy seating and viewing spots at the bow and up on the sun deck. Yet another request outside, for similar reasons: a walk-around hot tub and sun pads aft on the upper deck. The owner envisioned standing back here as Race entered a marina and tied up stern-to.

Inside is a relatively customary arrangement, with accommodations for 10 to 12 guests in five staterooms: a main-deck master and four guest staterooms below. However, the owner did request that the galley go belowdecks, with a dumbwaiter connecting it to each of the upper levels. The relocation of the galley permitted more room for the master stateroom.

With Hull No. 2 in the 50-Meter series under construction, Riva is poised to make its mark in the superyacht sector. Larger models are coming too, with the biggest being the 90-Meter (295 feet).

And while Carlo Riva didn’t live to see the 50-Meter launch, having died at age 95 in 2017, there’s no doubt he’d be proud. “The first time that engineer Carlo Riva saw the renderings of the first Riva 50-Meter mega-yacht, he said, ‘I’d like to try and cruise on her,’” Micheli recalls.

Perhaps the once-determined heir to the family business is doing that in spirit.

Take the next step: riva-yacht.com

The post Riva’s First Superyacht appeared first on Yachting.

Severin

By some estimates, three-quarters of the world’s charter business takes place every summer in the Mediterranean. And the stretch of coastline known as the West Med, including the French and Italian rivieras, continues to be the most popular region within this most popular place.

The beauty of the West Med is that it changes constantly—and yet not at all. Many of the towns and buildings have stood for centuries but have evolved, say, from family chateaus into public museums. The Cannes Film Festival and Monaco Grand Prix continue to be the season’s kickoff events each May, but they lure increasingly impressive superyachts and A-list stars.

Namaste

Antibes, France, is often used as the starting point for charters, thanks to the nearby airport at Nice and all of the yacht services nearby. From Antibes, itineraries can either hug the coastline or head out to islands including Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily. Multiweek charters can do both, combining the shopping and high-society fineries of St. Tropez, France, with the sunset views that turn mountains in the distance purple when they’re viewed from Calvi.

High season in the West Med—July and August—comes with premium pricing, and some yacht owners insist on bookings of two weeks or longer. If clients want a buzz-worthy yacht, then it’s wise to book six months or even a year in advance. After all, one of the best ways to experience something unique in a classic destination is to be aboard a new yacht.

The post Yacht Charter the Med appeared first on Yachting.

She’s not the biggest all-carbon sport-fisher that Yachting Developments has built—that title remains with the 130-foot Lanakai the yard delivered in late 2018—but the new girl to come out of the yard in Auckland, New Zealand, is no slouch in terms of length.

Her name is Al Duhail. At 109 feet, she’s the yard’s second all-carbon sport-fisher. As you read this, she’s expected to have been delivered to her owner in time for the fishing season in the Seychelles, in the Indian Ocean.

The concept is “basically a global fishing boat,” says Ian Cook, managing director at Yachting Concepts. “You can go for extended, long periods and get in good fishing, as well as good cruising.”

The carbon construction, he says, helps to keep weight down, allowing for more fuel to be carried (and fishing range to be extended) without going overboard on displacement. The team isn’t releasing exact nautical miles yet, but they are talking about speed. Al Duhail’s twin 2,000 hp MTU V-16 2000 M96L engines are expected to get her to a 30-knot top end, with a 20-knot cruise.

Warwick Yacht Design, also in New Zealand, worked with the shipyard on interiors, exteriors and naval architecture. The two teams had worked together before, including on the 100-foot Quintessential, a partnership that apparently put Al Duhail’s owner at ease. “He gave us a pretty free run at what we wanted to do,” Cook says. “The team here had quite a big say in the way the systems all went together.”

Inside Al Duhail are five staterooms, all belowdecks, with the owner’s space amidships (the owner, an experienced cruiser, wanted to be in the most stable part of the boat).The decor, Cook says, is calming. “It’s an oak interior with a soft-tone palette, some blues and some creams,” he says. “It’s minimalistic.”

And while they’re not shown in the photograph on the previous page, two fighting chairs have been installed in Al Duhail’s cockpit, which also has tuna tubes, baitwells and ice makers sized to ensure the catch is kept cool.

Looking ahead, Cook says, Yachting Developments is shifting gears to thinking about America’s Cup festivities, which will happen in Auckland in March 2021. The yard is building a 30-foot foiling monohull that will be raced in the Youth America’s Cup. “It will be the prototype for what will be five or six boats used in the event,” Cook says.

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