What happens when someone experienced in yacht racing, construction, and ownership commissions a custom yacht? In the case of Como, you get an incredibly detailed, and inventive, project. Her owner, Neville Crichton, a New Zealand native, had a clear vision that pushed the teams at Dubois Naval Architects and Feadship to challenges neither had tackled before.
While the striking profile of Como turns your head, it’s the oversize panes of glass on the 151’6” (46.22-meter) megayacht that deserve the most attention. The ones here line the main-deck master suite. They’re more than 23 feet (7 meters) wide and further mounted atop, not inset into, the aluminum superstructure. Feadship extensively researched structural glass with the build of Venus and applied much of that knowledge. Note, too, glass insets outboard, in the high structural sides.
Here’s the view from inside the full-beam (29’6”, or 9 meters) master suite on Como. You can better appreciate the visual advantages of the large glass panes, particularly the outer ones. Crichton also worked closely with Redman Whiteley Dixon to create a contemporary decor highlighted mostly by greys and whites. Even the photography showcased is black and white.
From the marble soles to the reflective surfaces, Crichton personally had a hand in every decision. That includes the rake of the superstructure windows, best noticeable here to starboard. The circular seating area in the foreground can revolve on an air-fed platform to take advantage of the changing views.
Just as the main-deck windows on Como are quite big, so, too, are the below-deck ports. In fact, the size that Crichton wanted well exceeded what Lloyd’s permitted when his representatives first approached the classification society. Feadship’s in-house team tested panes to prove to Lloyd’s that the ones for Como would indeed be structurally sound. And, Crichton got the effect he wanted. Guests can lay in bed and enjoy the views.
Many megayacht owners and guests essentially live outside. Crichton is no different. The flying bridge is the primary relaxation space aboard Como. It’s mostly shaded, with an extendable awning for extra protection. Another nice touch: raising windows rimming both sides. They keep the bar and seating areas from getting wind-blown.
From the biggest details—like the big windows—to the smallest ones, Como is as personalized a project as can be. Furthermore, she’s a reminder to us all, yacht-watchers and media alike, to keep things in proper perspective. In a market where mega-size megayachts tend to get the most attention, Como seems small. But, when you take the average of the sizes of megayachts on the water, she’s actually quite normal. Henk de Vries, a Feadship director, put it best at the launch, likening her to “exceptionally well-honed objects on a more human scale.”
EXTRA PHOTOS: see a 12-photo gallery of Como on the Megayacht News app, available in the App Store and Google Play
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