Attention UK residents: Keep your eyes on the waters outside of Pendennis’ shipyard, as the world’s largest sailing catamaran is conducting sea trials. Hemisphere, measuring 44.2 meters (145 feet), is scheduled for delivery at the end of the month.
The megayacht was conceived to cruise both traditional and off-the-beaten-path tropical locations. Hemisphere can pull into bays that single-hull sailing yachts of similar LOA can’t, given her 3.1-meter (10-foot) draft. The megayacht also provides more space from which to enjoy exploring those destinations, thanks to her 16.6-meter (54-foot) beam. The naval-architecture team of Van Peteghem Lauriot Prévost (VPLP) have further ensured Hemisphere’s decks are as free of gear as possible. Sail-handling lines run within the 58-meter-high (190-foot-high) mast, for example. And tenders and toys are stowed below decks.
Inside, Michael Leach Design created a decor echoing some island influences, yet also high-end home influences. Despite 16 leather finishes plus 16 different granites, the five guest staterooms, saloon, and other spaces aren’t busy or overwhelming.
When guests want to soak up the sun, Hemisphere’s flying bridge serves them well, with sunpads and a hot tub. The crew can also set up the transom as watersports central, thanks to a hydraulic swim platform. Waterskis, wakeboards, towable toys, windsurfers, and more await use. Since one of the eight crewmembers is also PADI certified, full dive gear is aboard, too.
The megayacht will make her formal debut at the Monaco Yacht Show in September, following her owners’ inaugural cruising season. She’s already booking charters, as part of the central agency of Burgess. Her winter rate for the Caribbean starts at €175,000 per week (about $253,353). Crave something more exotic? Hemisphere will be in the South Pacific, too, starting next summer.
DeWayne Nall
Aqua-Air is proud to have supplied a 60 ton (900,000 BTU/H), 4 stage chiller plant for the “Hemisphere” project. The chiller is equipped with Variable Frequency Drives (VFD’s) to provide surgeless starting for the compressors and a PLC / Touchscreen Global Link Control package to manage the system.