As much as superyachts have elegant interiors showcasing custom-crafted cabinetry, artistically inlaid stone, and more, some sneak in a bit of whimsy. Amid the serenity set by the warm, grey palette aboard Irisha, for example, you’ll find big, bold pops of color. They range from regal purple to grassy green, taking up entire walls, too. But, that’s not what gets everyone’s attention—or what arguably deserves extra attention. In Irisha’s upper-deck foyer, it’s impossible to miss what Ben Harrison, one of Harrison Eidsgaard’s directors, calls the “digging dog.” It’s a small sculpture of man’s best friend, whose head appears well entrenched in the carpeting. You can’t help but smile.
That’s the point. “With everything that we do, there should always be a sense of humor,” Harrison says. “We tell our clients, ‘When you embark upon a project with us, it should be a process you enjoy.’” Having a little fun along the way is key, he continues, because no one needs a yacht. The owners of Irisha definitely embraced the importance of pure pleasure from the design and build experience to the onboard experience. In fact, this fully custom 167-foot (51-meter) Heesen came about because of their love of daily dips in the ocean as much as daily good meals with good friends.
In fact, contrary to nearly all other superyachts, they wanted Irisha to be a fast dayboat. Having bought the ex-Lady Petra (another Heesen) on the brokerage market, they enjoyed using her this way. She picked up guests at their home in Sardinia and headed out for an afternoon of fun in the sun. Big groups one day, just a few family members the next. They conceived the custom Irisha to do the same, quicker. Whereas Lady Petra topped out at 15½ knots, Irisha reportedly sees 25 knots. That makes the journey as much fun as the extra time enjoying their anchorage.
As much as they adore swimming and watersports, the owners enjoy entertaining. Therefore, Irisha eschews the traditional saloon and formal dining area. Instead, she has a winter garden, a cozy TV area just off the aft deck. Mesh screens to each side reduce wind, but the owners can close it off with doors, too. The winter garden can combine with the dining area (above), since life aboard revolves around lunches on the hook. It suits intimate meals as well as expands to suit gatherings for nearly two dozen people.
Her dayboat focus doesn’t mean Irisha throws caution to the wind, however. Harrison Eidsgaard still proposed, and they accepted, having four staterooms below decks. A sliding partition between the twin cabins transforms them into a full-beam VIP with a seating area. The designers further gave the owners a balcony (above) in their suite, with sliding glass doors. On a related note, this helps keep volume at the sub-500-gross-ton mark, important to the owners.
Irisha affords the owners and guests all of this while looking like she means business. Harrison Eidsgaard styled the raised pilothouse with significant-sized curved glass. The glass flows down to form the bulwarks as well. A challenge in design and execution, the panels are among the largest produced in Europe.
Just one more thing about Irisha that’s sure to prompt a smile.
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