With the arrival of Espiritu Santo at Ocea’s shipyard 13 years after delivery, the French builder is formally adding refits to its services.
Since its founding in 1987, Ocea has focused on all-aluminum new builds. They include not just yachts, but also patrol boats and passenger ships. The maximum size it can build is 279 feet (85 meters). Espiritu Santo, measuring 98 feet (30 meters), was Ocea’s first yacht delivery, in fact, in late 2002. She made quite a splash, setting off on a transoceanic voyage for her maiden trip. She departed France for New Zealand to be among the first-hand observers of the America’s Cup in 2003. Ocea reports that the ocean crossing was quite fuel efficient, too. It says the yacht burned just 20 gph (75 lph) at 10.5 knots with one genset operating.
Since that time, Espiritu Santo has ventured thousands of more miles around the world. She cruised among other Pacific islands, then headed to Alaska (at top) and New York (above), among other famous locations. Ocea says her best range comes at 10 knots: 4,500 nautical miles. Ten knots is also the yacht’s cruising speed, under twin 475-hp Baudouin diesels.
Featuring naval architecture by Joubert-Nivelt Design, Espiritu Santo is staying at Ocea through the springtime. She’s getting a hull extension, a new paint job, engine reworking, and other maintenance-related jobs. Ocea has not specified what the hull extension is for, nor how much bigger it will make her. For perspective, though, Espiritu Santo accommodates eight in the owners’ party plus four crewmembers.
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