“Refreshing and new” is the philosophy of Bannenberg & Rowell Design, and the more you study the lines of the RW45 revealed here, the more you appreciate it. No cookie cutter megayacht this; this design not only commands your attention, it demands it.
Dickie Bannenberg describes the RW45, a 148-footer (45-meter) with a 30-foot (9.2-meter) beam and a design draft of 6’9” (2.1 meters):
“We were approached by a broker to come up with something for the shallow waters around the Bahamas and Caribbean, around 40 meters in length primarily to keep it under the 500-GT mark, with a modern look and arrangement. So we started with a more open-plan architecture to maximize the spaces available, and kept the engine-room ducts aft to minimize their impact on the interior. The resultant layout is a simple and logical one with fewer but larger spaces, the three primary areas being: the combined saloon and dining on main deck, the owner’s suite forward on main deck, and the vast open aft Jacuzzi deck on bridge deck.
“The window placement evolved to best create a sense of space and ambiance within, whilst also breaking down the typical interior/exterior boundaries. This allows the guests a greater connection to their surroundings, and with careful design and placement of the furniture, the eye is led to more unusual views. The interesting window shapes coupled with the faceted twisting surface treatment add dynamism and give the yacht a hewn appearance without taking away its purity. This is further accentuated by the intriguing hull shape and the overhanging upper deck supported centrally but having the appearance of a cantilever.
“The naval architecture behind the hull form and the pulled-out stem has two effects. The narrowed angle of entry improves the hull’s performance, which is already enhanced by the increase in waterline length relative to that of a traditional hull form. Secondly, it reduces flair in the topsides, which improves ride quality in a seaway and also performance; this can increase deck wetness, so we’ve added a spray rail as a counter measure.”
For some additional technical details, James Carley, a naval architect on the staff of Bannenberg & Rowell, adds the following:
“We would expect her to cruise at 13 knots and capable of 15 knots, but are yet to complete a powering calculation.
“Although above the water RW45 is unusual, her underwater shape is fairly conventional, albeit with a reduced draft and displacement, so her powering requirements will be less than that of a typical 45m yacht. Accordingly the yacht will be built in aluminum with extensive use of composites to minimize weight and powering.
“The engine and drive arrangement would make use of the latest proven technology based on a standard inline engine gearbox arrangement.”
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