For some megayacht owners, the master suite is the most important room. For others, it’s the main saloon. In the case of Samaya, though, it’s the dive center. This 226-foot (69-meter) Feadship will soon cruise plenty of scuba spots, some uncharted. All the while, she’ll be engaging in another of the owner’s passions, ocean conservation.
Even though Samaya grew 16 feet (5 meters) in her preliminary stages, the owner was steadfast in reaching remote regions for his two priorities. Of course, he also wanted the megayacht to welcome friends and family. That’s why Samaya has accommodations for 10 more people, plus 16 crew. It’s also why he worked closely with RWD and De Voogt Naval Architects on incorporating special features and marine themes into the interior and exterior designs.
For example, the bridge-deck lounge can host movie nights for all to watch video from the day’s dives. His children each have personal color and furnishings preferences in their cabins, further getting a hand in the design. Further personal items from the owner are aboard, too. Ranging from ethnic art to contemporary pieces, they each have their place thanks to Terracotta Interiors, a Swiss company that contributed to the decor. As for her exterior, Samaya has a white paint job that picks up pink tones toward sunset. Her waterline is teal, echoing the color of a fish the owner saw several years ago. Then there’s a backlit manta ray symbol on her superstructure (below). Equally noteworthy and creative, the De Voogt team incorporated shapes from marine life into the structure of the yacht. A good example: a bull shark’s slim musculature, reflected in the side bulwarks.
With diving a high priority, Samaya has a kitted-out dive room (top). The owner was so involved in every detail aboard, he even specified the seating and shelving arrangements. Though you can’t see it here, the design keeps the marine and luxury themes going: The sole is teak, while the overhead is metal and wood.
The owner and guests will go diving two ways off Samaya. The swim platform is one. Primarily, though, they’ll go via two custom tenders, designed much like their mothership. They stow beneath the main deck. When divers return, the hot-water plunge pool on the aft main deck will get pressed into service. The idea is to help the body warm back up, since depths can be quite cold. Similarly, saloons and staterooms can heat to 86 degrees (30 degrees Centigrade).
On the conservation front, Samaya has a significant promise to fulfill. During the keel laying, the owner vowed to take her wherever the opportunity lay to see rare species. Furthermore, he pledged that she’d help provide scientists as well as media with educational information to disseminate on behalf of endangered species beneath the water’s surface.
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