The year was 2007. The very first iPhone premiered. The seventh, and final, Harry Potter book came out. And at Royal Huisman, the 169’3” (51.59-meter) Meteor debuted.
The owners of Meteor had long admired classic Gloucester schooners, renowned as much for their styling as for their seaworthiness. Simultaneously, the owners relished competing in regattas. Therefore, those two loves simply had to come together in their custom sailing superyacht. Clearly, Dykstra Naval Architects and Royal Huisman succeeded, given her maiden voyage. While encountering 35- to 40-knot sustained winds and gusts to 65 in the English Channel, Meteor held her own. She proved her mettle shortly thereafter, too. At the Superyacht Cup Palma, she achieved 15 knots, with America’s Cup pros onboard. Several more superyacht regattas now lie in her wake.
If varnished twin teak deckhouses tug at your heartstrings, then the interior of Meteor should do the same. Here, mahogany paneling creates a warm, welcoming environment. It should come as no surprise that the interior is the work of John Munford Design. The firm has a well-earned reputation for executing traditional looks. (On an interesting side note, John Munford himself started his career as a furniture designer in the 1960s.)
Something else that should come as no surprise, to Munford fans at least, is the saloon’s fireplace. It’s a classic touch. It’s easy to imagine the owners’ party of six gathering here for good conversations, then retiring for the night. Accompanying the master suite aft are two guest staterooms, mirror images of each other.
Meteor has visited many a port over the past decade. She’s currently enjoying the warm waters of the Caribbean. In a few months, she’ll point her bow toward Bermuda. This fireball of a competitor will race in the America’s Cup Superyacht Regatta in June.
Look out, fellow racers. There’s a meteor coming to town. Take a look onboard.
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