Chinese lore has it that in the 10th century, a young woman was gifted with extraordinary powers of healing and foreseeing the future. She was also able to predict the weather. In fact, she’s said to have saved several ships and seamen from storms, gaining great respect as a result. This young woman became known as the Chinese deity Mazu, popularly referred to as the goddess of the sea.
No wonder, then, that Mazu is also the name of the new globe-trotting 46-meter (151-foot) MCC project that hit the water last week. Originally referred to as Marco Polo 2, Mazu marks the second megayacht in the Marco Polo series being built at Cheoy Lee.
You may recall that the first in the series, Marco Polo, cruised more than 15,000 miles within six months after delivery in 2007. Mazu has been conceived and engineered with the same spirit in mind: exploring remote regions in safety and comfort. Designed by Ron Holland, she’s similar in layout to her older sister, with the owner’s suite aft of the wheelhouse and three guest staterooms below decks, accompanied by a gym. The dining area is fully aft on the main deck, opposite a bar, but because it’s open to a saloon/seating area forward and the overall atmosphere is relaxed and unfussy, it feels perfectly natural.
Mazu is also similar in her propulsion: a single 1,911-hp Caterpillar 3512B diesel engine, for better fuel economy than traditional two-engine setups. MCC and Cheoy Lee point to Marco Polo’s reliability and that of plenty of commercial ships around the world when people question single-engine power. Furthermore, MCC says Mazu should have a cruising range of 7,000 nautical miles at 11 knots and a still-impressive 3,300 nautical miles at 13 knots. A fuel capacity of 64,000 liters (about 17,000 gallons) will aid in that regard, too.
Look for Mazu to head to Hong Kong after delivery, where she’ll be available for charter during the Luis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series in January.
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