With about a year to go before completing finishing touches, Moonen recently marked a milestone for the Moonen Martinique. It joined the steel hull and aluminum superstructure together.
The 121-footer (37-meter), the second in the Dutch builder’s Caribbean series, is a steel-hulled superyacht. She started construction in 2015, but the owner backed out of the contract due to business constraints. Moonen decided to complete the Martinique, with a gross tonnage of less than 350, on spec. (Edmiston holds the central agency sales listing.)
The use of steel is important to note. The majority of similar-size projects are fiberglass, though a handful is aluminum. The reason is because clients tend to enjoy shallow-water cruising. The Moonen Martinique, with naval architecture by Diana Yacht Design, will still allow Bahamian cruising. Draft should be seven feet (2.1 meters). She’ll also see a reported top end of 17 knots. “I believe that the Martinique will change the way people view steel-hulled motoryachts,” says Emile Biterijst, Moonen’s managing director.
Nicky van Zon, Moonen’s in-house project manager, puts the milestone into perspective. “There are perhaps three major moments in the build of a yacht after the laying of the keel. The marriage of the hull and superstructure is the first, as you get a visual impression of the true shape of a boat.” (The other two moments: departing the build shed, and launch.)
The Moonen Martinique has more than 3,121 square feet (290 square meters) of guest relaxation areas and crew spaces. These include accommodations for 12 guests, in five staterooms—suitable for either private use or charter. An additional 1,937 square feet (180 square meters) of space goes to outdoor enjoyment. For additional fun, the yacht offers toy-stowage options. The original plan is for a tender garage, but you can add a davit to the bridge deck for additional waterbikes and such.
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