Charter is often touted as a good “try before you buy” introduction to the yachting lifestyle. It worked for the gentleman who commissioned ROCK.IT from Feadship. He had chartered Feadships in recent years, making notes along the way about design, engineering, and construction. When it came time to commission his first new build, he felt the Dutch brand was the ideal choice. In an interesting twist, he chose a blend of two seemingly opposite styles, sporty and traditional. An “unconventional and no-compromise client,” in the words of Feadship director Henk de Vries, the owner wanted ROCK.IT to be as much a fun entertainment platform as she is a family boat.
The styling of the 197’10” (60.35-meter) ROCK.IT surely alerts you to her sporty side. Sander Sinot of Sinot Yacht Design likens the look to being “sleek and bold without being pretentious.” Striking cut-outs and dramatic bow flare particularly come into play. Glass does as well. ROCK.IT’s owner liked the full-height and wider-width glass of Feadships like Venus and Como. ROCK.IT follows suit with the four forward-most windows, curved both horizontally and vertically, a particularly noteworthy achievement.
When it comes to entertainment spaces, few people would name the galley among them. Aboard this 35’4” (10.8-meter) beam megayacht, though, it is. The owner of ROCK.IT not only enjoys whipping up gourmet meals, but he is also friendly with a number of high-profile chefs. This additionally explains why the galley is larger than expected for the LOA had has the owner’s personal input, too. They, and he, will serve up many a meal to fellow family and friends as the yacht chases the cruising seasons.
When the owner and guests are dining formally on the main deck, surely they’ll enjoy a selection from the numerous wine bottles kept by the aft-entry bar. And they’ll do so in a sophisticated atmosphere set by high-gloss mahogany and sycamore woods, plus abundant marble. “Abundant” may be an understatement. The “her” side of the master bath, seen below, contains 190 marble pieces alone. “His” side is equally impressive. The sink was crafted from a block of richly veined marble that weighed nearly 1,100 pounds (500 kilos), taking three uninterrupted days of carving by a CNC machine.
The intricate details aboard ROCK.IT that contribute to her sophistication don’t end there. The skylights fitted in the sundeck’s hardtop dim automatically according to the sun’s strength. The ports in the four guest staterooms (two VIPs and two twins) are each oversize. Floor-to-ceiling blinds and tinted mirrored panels make the staterooms all the more impressive in ambiance. Leather-tread stairs amid curving sycamore panels wind their way through the decks.
Consider, too, that ROCK.IT started out in concept as a much smaller megayacht, 125 feet (38 meters). From the first conversation to the last, though, the owner always told the build and design teams what was on his mind. He further made several visits to the Royal de Vries shipyard. “An amazing and sometimes rollercoaster ride,” de Vries says of the many months of collaboration. To which we say, sometimes the greatest enjoyment comes from the unexpected.
Enjoy this look at ROCK.IT.
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