I spent some time speaking with the youthful owner of two Sunseekers at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show last week. The fact that he owned two megayachts–one being the 105 Yacht Shadow seen above, the other a Predator 100 named Murcielago seen below–certainly caught my attention. Each yacht’s striking black and metallic paint job made a dramatic statement, too.
Interesting enough, the assumption you’d make from seeing those paint jobs–that the interiors are boldly masculine–doesn’t hold true. In fact, each yacht’s design is dramatically different than the other, though the owner has thought out details both big and small to make both more attractive to charterers from all walks of life.
Take a look at the main deck of Murcielago above. The wood sole, natural light spilling in from the skylights and side swaths of windows, and the open flow between the seating area and quadruple leather helm seats all convey a casual, relaxed, even beachy atmosphere. Even with the strong contrast of tones between the black leather forward and the white leather aft, the atmosphere doesn’t hit you over the head. What also doesn’t hit you over the head is the feminine touch of the colorful glass vases and bottles in the cherrywood cabinet separating the fore and aft spaces. (Tough to see in the photo, but they’re there.) And a 42-inch TV just outside the frame of the photo on the right probably plays host to as many rousing rounds of Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii games as it does movies. The interesting thing about all of this? Predators are first and foremost performance motoryachts, intended for speeding across swaths of water. Those types of yachts don’t typically attract families or get decorated to make women feel equally at ease as men. Even with her reported 30-knot cruise speed and nearly 50-knot top speed, however, Murcielago doesn’t feel or look like an overgrown muscle boat.
Then there’s Shadow. Judging from the saloon shot here, you’d conclude that she’s a more traditionally laid out and decorated yacht. And given her raised pilothouse and three guest staterooms below, one of which has a Pullman, that same conclusion might stick. But enter the main-deck master, and tradition goes out the window. It’s three levels: bedroom first, then closets and the head a few steps down and forward, and down a few more steps a shower. The owner has his treadmill here, too, but it’s taken off the yacht during charters, so perhaps someone can use the good amount of floor space for yoga or other exercise. And there are a few more subtle surprises. From zebra throw pillows to zebrano wood accents, there are punches of daring details to liven up the atmosphere, yet ones that stop well short of being so bold that they’re off-putting. And just like Murcielago, the TVs can be hooked up to gaming systems stowed aboard. The end result: a seemingly traditional yacht that skillfully broadens her appeal.
Something else the owner is doing with both yachts to broaden their appeal: changing the mattresses. When he bought Murcielago on the brokerage market, he said that the mattress in the master was the most comfortable one he’d ever slept on and set out to find out who made it. Having recently spoken with the company, he’s now ordered brand-new mattresses for every bed on both boats. Now, mind you, he admits there’s nothing wrong with any of those existing mattresses, and he also admits that the price of the new ones is a bit high–it’s just a mattress, after all. But he just couldn’t get over how truly well he slept and has continued to sleep ever since the first night on Murcielago, so he decided his guests should receive the same treatment.
How’s that for going the extra mile? You can try out the beds yourself this winter in the Caribbean, as both yachts are available for charter through Sunseeker Yacht Charters.
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