Nearly a year after her steel hull and aluminum superstructure were delivered by barge, this 38-meter (124-foot) Moonen launched into the Lek River on Saturday at the yard’s Groot-Ammers facility in Holland.
The Moonen 124, as she’s called, is the largest yacht in Moonen’s history and the first with a four-deck central atrium and freestanding spiral staircase connecting all levels. She’s based on the Moonen 120 and evolved after discussions with a repeat client who liked the general style of that model.
As the photos here show, the megayacht was moved out of the build shed via a Saan transporter, equipped with 150 independently controlled wheels. Once the Moonen 124 was positioned at the river’s edge, two floating cranes lifted her from the cradle and placed her in the water. To prepare for the delicate operation, Moonen had previously dredged the waterway and drove in pilings a bit off the shoreline to secure the yacht. In addition, on the day of the launch, local waterway authorities held back and/or slowed down all river traffic, due to the cranes’ anchor chains stretching across the river.
Final outfitting is now underway, from the main-deck owner’s suite veranda to the four guest staterooms below decks. Moonen describes the interior as being a fusion of Western and Eastern influences, including cherrywood, woven bamboo, leather, and tropical shutters.
I’m looking forward to seeing these elements as well as the hydraulically operated glass “umbrella” hatch atop the spiral staircase–and I’ll get a chance to do exactly that in June, during a yard visit. Stay tuned.
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