It used to be that if you wanted a truly custom experience out on the water, you had to spend years building a custom superyacht at only the biggest size ranges. Oh, how times have changed. In May, Turkish builder Bering Yachts released images of its first custom yacht smaller than 80 feet. Lemanja, a Bering 76, is just the latest example of all kinds of platforms—small, large and revolutionary—that today’s builders are offering to satisfy pretty much whatever type of adventure owners want to embark on next.
In the case of Lemanja, the owner had a vision of autonomy in the most remote locations, including substantial noise reduction so the yacht would feel like a home for the six people on board. An alternative power source reduces the environmental footprint, according to the yard, which also installed advanced stabilizer systems to add comfort for anyone prone to seasickness.
Meanwhile, the folks at U-Boat Worx in the Netherlands are striving to make a dive-capable yacht inspired by Jules Verne’s “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.” The Nautilus is being created in partnership with Officina Armare, which has offices in Germany and Turkey. The vessel has a salon much like those aboard superyachts, with a bar, a flat-screen TV and surround sound for movie nights on board. Only in this case, the bar is adjacent to a sole-to-ceiling circular window that’s more than 13 feet wide for views of the marine life underwater.
Accommodations are for 10 guests in five staterooms. The en suite master’s decor is darker than the rest of the yacht to create the feeling of being deeper beneath the ocean’s surface. Guest staterooms all have windows for underwater views from the berths, and an elevator is part of the yacht’s design to make transit between the decks easier. A treadmill, a stationary bicycle and weights are in the Nautilus gymnasium for anyone who doesn’t want to miss a workout while cruising beneath the sea.
Alternative layouts are also available for anyone who wants to enjoy different types of experiences while exploring the deep.
According to U-Boat Worx, the steel vessel will be able to cruise at 9 knots atop the water and at 4 knots when submerged. Moravia Yachting, which is handling sales, calls the Nautilus the pinnacle of technological development in the yachting and submersible sector. “This is a genuine opportunity for someone to become the first in the world to own and enjoy a craft that so many have dreamed of,” says Moravia operations manager Niel Gow.
For a different kind of exhilaration, Otam Yachts in Italy continues to unveil further-customized versions of the Otam 80HT. The builder is on Hull No. 7, which will have a hull and deck fully laminated in Kevlar, paired with a carbon-fiber superstructure.
“The client is not just an expert owner; he’s also an experienced captain and came to us with a detailed list of technical and aesthetic requests of his own,” says Matteo Belardinelli, Otam’s sales and communication manager.
The lines on Hull No. 7 will remain the same as previous 80HTs, and the power will still be twin 2,600 hp MTUs coupled to Arneson drives, but “almost everything else has been reengineered according to the owner-operator’s own technical specs,” according to Otam.
Yachtbuilding, it’s fair to say, has now become dream-building for all kinds of owners. What kind of adventure will be next?
