There’s been a lot of talk in recent years about the Russian invasion in yachting. Builders, designers, and brokers alike have seen a marked increase in interest coming from the former Soviet republic, both in terms of new construction and charter. What hasn’t been talked about, however, is the emergence of yacht construction within that country itself.
Timmerman Yachts has quietly emerged on the superyacht stage, laying its first keel only three years ago. The shipyard, located just outside of Moscow, has launched two semicustom megayachts to date, but with both premiering this year at major boat shows, it has attracted a lot of attention in a short amount of time. Curiosity can certainly explain some of it, but I ascribe most of it to the fact that the yard is working with well-respected names in the design and engineering world.
Alexandra, the larger of the two yachts at 47 meters (154 feet), is a case in point. Built in collaboration with the Vripack and Bannenberg design teams, the yacht, pictured here, premiered at the Monaco Yacht Show, where several journalists and I–as well as a few notable designers working with prominent European shipyards–were intrigued by what we saw. The steel-hulled yacht has a luxe feel and well-apportioned spaces for guests and crew alike.
From an aesthetics standpoint, I’ve seen a few eager shipyards cut corners when it comes to joinerwork (picture misaligned wood grains or poor framework) and marble abutments (picture too much caulking) in an effort to deliver a boat, particularly in time to debut at a major show. This wasn’t the case with Alexandra. The abundance of marble from floor to ceiing in the master and guest heads was well executed. Same for the liberal use atop cabinetry and the woodwork itself–like the TV housing opposite the bed in the master stateroom (above), where the plasma TV rises from beneath the marble.
Another thing many emerging yards, particularly semicustom ones, do is play it safe when it comes to the room arrangements. They stick with standard saloon-dining areas, main-deck masters, and Jacuzzis on sundecks, since they’re trying to appeal to the broadest possible clientele. Timmerman Yachts has chosen a different route, regarding both guests and the crew. As to the former, saunas are standard on all of its yachts. The one aboard Alexandra (above) is accessed via stairs concealed behind a door along the starboard side of the main deck. The sauna is handily adjacent to the tender garage, where there’s teak underfoot, so owners and guests can relax after a hard day’s play on the water. And even though it’s not a dramatically different layout, the saloon (below) did catch my eye because of a bar to starboard, with a rising plasma TV, opposite the seating area.
As for the different route for crew, Alexandra features a crew stateroom directly outside the galley. Naturally it’s an ideal location for the chef. Given that he or she is cooking for everyone aboard from before dawn until well after dusk, why not make things easier?
Timmerman Yachts has 15 other projects on its books at present. And it continues to seek out leaders in the business to collaborate with, such as Quantum Marine for stabilizers, Heinen & Hopman for air conditioning and heating systems, and Van Cappellen for sound and vibration control. I’m interested in seeing what more this yard will produce.
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