The running shot above can’t adequately convey just how fast this new 122-footer is: Try 55 knots plus, apparently with the potential for higher speeds, according to her sea-trial results. This is Ermis2, and she’s en route for the Med from McMullen & Wing’s shipyard in New Zealand.
Ermis2 represents an interesting collaboration between the yard, known for building America’s Cup racers as well as motoryachts, and two other companies known for high-performance yachts: naval-architecture firm Humphreys Yacht Design and composite-engineering company High Modulus. The owner’s design brief called for a megayacht capable of both hard-charging through snotty sea conditions and running in calm conditions at speeds typical of the powerboat-racing circuit. Yet he also wanted a true traditional megayacht, in the sense that she’d reflect an atmosphere suitable to entertain family and friends (see second image above). All of this had to be achieved through strict weight savings without sacrificing strength or safety.
Triple MTU 16V 4000 M90 diesel engines and KaMeWa waterjets help addressed the speed requirement–but even if you’re just peripherally familiar with yacht construction, that third engine might have you wondering, as I did, why a problem wasn’t posed for the weight restrictions. Here’s where things really got interesting. McMullen and Wing, Humphreys Yacht Design, and High Modulus initiated a weight-audit program, meaning every item that went into the construction and interior design was analyzed before being used, to ensure compliance with the owner’s brief. In addition, the yard used a combination of carbon fiber, Kevlar, and foam–all vacuum-infused for further weight savings–for the hull and superstructure, titanium for various deck fittings and handrails, and lightweight wood veneers backed with foam for the interior joinery.
Not only did all of this comply with Germanischer Lloyd classification and the MCA Code, but it resulted in a megayacht built exactly to the owner’s liking. As you can see here, the interior is highlighted by a combination of light and bright tones, and the running shot at the top of this story shows off a take-on-anything attitude rather than a “floating palace” profile. He’s reportedly quite happy with the overall results.
If you’ll be in the Med this spring, keep an eye out for Ermis2. Just don’t blink–she might speed right by you.
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