How’s this for scenery? If you missed my last Twitter update, then imagine dining in a (neat and clean) yacht-construction shed where this lady is taking shape–and taking up nearly every available inch end to end in that shed. The unusual dining experience is what about two dozen marine journalists and I were treated to yesterday evening, at Holland Jachtbouw.
Athos will be the world’s largest privately owned, modern two-mast schooner. This 62-meter (203-foot), all-aluminum megayacht still has a ways to go before completion late next year, but she’ll accommodate eight guests plus the owner as well as 10 crew. The crew will all be housed forward on the lower deck, and the guests will be aft, with the owner fully aft to enjoy the use of a separate deckhouse and cockpit. The owner is quite involved in the design and build, reportedly visiting the yard nearly every week. Who can blame him for wanting to see every part of his dream yacht come together, especially considering she’ll have the biggest in-boom furling sail on the water, custom-made by Rondal. She’ll have a 1,980-square-meter (about 21,300-square-foot) upwind sail area on carbon spars, while a mast height the same as her length will allow passage under the Bridge of the Americas.
Even though sailing yachts like Athos are what Holland Jachtbouw is known for, it also has a motoryacht on the books under the project name C2, for a repeat client, the owner of Cassiopeia. The new 42-meter (138-foot) yacht will feature classic motoryacht styling, much like her predecessor. The hull is already under construction at a subcontractor’s site and should arrive at Holland Jachtbouw after the summer.
And finally, work was wrapping up on the refit–more like a rebuild–of Life Saga, a 13-year-old motoryacht. We weren’t permitted to take photos, but I can tell you that the interior is pretty eclectic: lacquer surfaces mixed with bamboo soles and traditional wood paneling. The skylounge, previously a tiny space, was also extended several feet and transformed into a bar/games area and gym. Once the formal photo shoot is completed, I’ll upload a slide show.
And speaking of slide shows, I’ll upload one for Athos’ construction in a few days, to give you a better idea of how she’s come together thus far.
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