SWATH stands for Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull, and it’s a design that’s being successfully used in commercial and military vessels that need to work in unforgiving waters such as the North Sea. While the one pictured here is a commercial contract that Abeking & Rasmussen is wrapping up, the yacht project will look somewhat similar. The design might remind you of a catamaran, but it’s actually more effective at producing a smooth ride. The reason? The two hulls are likened to submarines in that they sit further below the surface of the water than catamaran hulls, which reduces rolling and other motion that induce seasickness.
Which is where the yacht owner comes in. An American who owned a traditional megayacht, he had a big problem: His wife suffered terribly from seasickness and was so uncomfortable that she apparently begged him to get out of yachting. Not wanting to abandon the lifestyle, yet (wisely) not wanting to turn his back on his wife, he did abundant research–two years’ worth, as Till von Krause, Abeking & Rasmussen’s sales manager, understands it and tells me–into designs that would suit his desires and simultaneously keep his wife comfortable. Once the owner discovered the SWATH design, he called a few yards to see if they could build one for him, eventually receiving a “yes” from Abeking & Rasmussen.
The yacht will measure 40 meters, or 131 feet, and have a beam measuring an extraordinary 20 meters, or nearly 66 feet. She will also feature diesel-electric power, typical for SWATHs. The hull is expected to arrive from one of Abeking & Rasmussen’s subcontractors this month, and delivery of the yacht should occur in 2009.
This is one project that’s definitely captured my curiosity, and I’m keen to follow its progress.
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