When Cheoy Lee built Marco Polo (now Dorothea III) in 2007, there were many other expedition megayachts, but none like this one. This 147’6” (45-meter) megayacht had a single Caterpillar engine and a Schottel thruster in her bow that could act as emergency propulsion. The concept is widely applied—and proven—in commercial boats. Fast forward to today, and there are plenty more expedition megayachts, but some in style only. Not Cheoy Lee, however. The Chinese builder now has the 150-foot Mazu, a sistership to Marco Polo—and a similar single-engine and thruster/backup-power arrangement that places equal emphasis on excellent fuel economy and exploring the globe.
Here’s a closeup of that Schottel thruster—specifically, a Schottel SPJ 57 Pump-Jet thruster. It’s connected to a 315-hp Caterpillar engine installed above it, so it’s akin to a second engine room. Like the setup on Marco Polo, this enables Mazu to achieve 6 knots if the primary Caterpillar engine falters. It’s accessible from the crew’s quarters, too.
The primary 1,911-hp Caterpillar engine, permitting a 14-knot top end, means less fuel is necessary to burn. Mazu carries an impressive 17,170 gallons (65,000 liters), more than Marco Polo. The megayacht will attract serious expedition-yacht buyers (she was finished on spec) because her naval architect, Ron Holland, says she consumes over 30 percent less than comparably sized, twin-engine motoryachts.
The peace of mind that comes with Mazu’s excellent fuel economy and reliable performance is complemented by a luxurious megayacht decor. Rich Macassar ebony envelops each room, paired with walnut for soles. Cheoy Lee and Sylvia Bolton Design set up the saloon the same way Marco Polo was arranged, with casual dining directly inside from the aft deck to make the saloon more social overall. There’s dedicated space forward of the settees (not visible) for a little more formal dining as well. Buyers could re-arrange it, but given the comfortable ambiance, it begs the question of why.
Forward on the main deck, Mazu treats the owners and guests to a comfortable library/movie lounge. It’s an intimate space, suiting a megayacht meant for all aboard to spend their time enjoying scenic shores and not staying inside. With an 8’2” (2.5-meter) draft and reported range exceeding 6,000 nautical miles at 10 knots, the steel-hulled Mazu can call upon plenty of ports.
Mazu’s master suite is not on the main deck; rather, it’s aft on the upper deck. It’s also larger than the one aboard Marco Polo, mostly due to the longer LOA. The decor is decidedly Asian, and the overall ambiance quite soothing.
This lounge is part of Mazu’s master suite—you can see the sleeping area just visible to the right in the photo. As much as expedition-yacht owners like to share their experiences with friends and family aboard, sometimes it’s nice to have a quiet respite all to yourself. The lounge further opens onto a private alfresco space, for relaxing or dining.
Eight guests can stay aboard Mazu, in four staterooms, including this VIP. Cheoy Lee actually has one of the guest staterooms arranged as a gym, for flexibility. Regardless, the guest staterooms reflect the Asian decorative flair found elsewhere aboard the megayacht.
Who wants to spend time below decks, though, when adventure awaits? Mazu’s wheelhouse allows the owners and guests to watch the goings-on thanks to the handful of large-screen displays at the helm. The vertical ports are both practical and pleasing.
While Mazu was initially commissioned by an owner who envisioned a series of these single-engine explorers, he stepped out of the project partly through construction. Cheoy Lee still sees a good niche for expedition yachts and plans to continue offering them amid its more traditional-looking yachts and megayachts.
Albrecht Buchner
Dear Diane,
as usual, your articles are excellent with in depth information!
However here I do have an important correction.
MARCO POLO, MAZU and all the other versions out of the Marco Polo Series (including the 38 m and the Neo Classic) are all created by our company MCC. We are the sole copyright holder and nobody else can offer these boats. We, as a fairly lean and small company, sometimes do have trouble to defend our place, however we succeed.
The MAZU project was sold to an experienced yachtsman who unfortunately couldn’t finish the build. Therefor she was available on the market for some time. We are looking forward to hand her over to another happy owner within the very near time.
Thank you so much.
Albrecht Buchner
MCC