“I’m having to search very hard for a shipyard with the capacity to build this design,” says Frank Laupman, the naval architect/designer who founded Omega Architects. He’s not complaining about the skill set of the craftsmen at Heesen Yachts or other superyacht yards who have brought many of his designs to life, mind you; rather, he’s trying to find a yard that has an open build slot before 2012. The 60-meter (197-foot) proposal pictured here is something that Laupman would like to see completed by 2010, if possible.
While she shares some of the same sleek lines that have come out of his design studio before, if you take a quick look at her bow, you realize that Laupman has something other than tradition in mind. He also has something other than traditional cruising in mind; in fact, he planned the megayacht for worldwide, long-range travel – even crossing the Atlantic Ocean over the course of a weekend, the way some previous clients have done. Laupman says it will be possible thanks to an anticipated cruise speed of 18½ to 19 knots, a few knots faster than similar-size yachts.
Even if the eventual owner doesn’t undertake such an adventure, he or she can make the superyacht a permanent residence. Something sure to be appreciated is the full-beam stateroom, complete with balconies. Another feature: the “beach club,” complete with Jacuzzi, located seven meters (23 feet) above the waterline.
While Laupman and the Omega Architects team pursue a yard for this project, they continue work on a handful of other designs. These include the 4000 Series, which is a new model for Heesen (details to come soon on Megayacht News), as well as some “extravagant orders” coming from clients in Russia and the Middle East. In fact, one current client intends to spend €400,000 (about $557,000) – and that’s just the decorative glass budget.
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