PHOTO: Tom van Oossanen
American owners have their long-awaited megayacht from Hakvoort in their hands. Scout, which is the largest-ever yacht from the Dutch builder, saw delivery this week. Her rugged exterior styling hints that this custom yacht is atypical. In fact, the overall aesthetic blends industrial maritime looks with imaginative design details.
Scout, which launched in December, is 209 feet LOA (63.72 meters), with a 38-foot (11.6-meter) beam. The owners were quite hands-on in working with H2 Yacht Design for the exterior and interior design. Jonny Horsfield, founder of the design studio, credits one of them with challenging his team and Hakvoort to think different. The forward part of the yacht is reminiscent of a commercial-fishing vessel. Other features require a close-up look to discover. For instance, big, sturdy-looking bolts are purposely visible outside and even inside. Stairways, too, look more heavy-duty, even a bit industrial according to Horsfield. In addition, an alfresco bar on the main deck has detailing similar to engine-room vents. All of this makes Horsfield consider Scout “one of the most interesting projects of my career.”
Inside Scout, meanwhile, “the design is a little off-the-wall—we’ve never done anything like this before,” Horsfield says. MegayachtNews.com will have photos at a later date. For now, though, consider how Horsfield describes it: “Jules Verne meets Ian Fleming meets Fritz Lang. We were inspired by the underwater world, sea creatures, and this industrial, nautical design philosophy—with a hint of a Bond villain’s lair.” For example, hallway lights pulse similarly to the way lights did in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. The door handles for the four guest staterooms (each on the main deck, too) replicate repurposed cleats. And, a custom-made polished-nickel coffee table sits in the main saloon beneath an interactive LCD ceiling. Horsfield says it picks up the details of the surrounding sea and anchorages.
Scout does not merely look different. She will perform different as well, with an ice-class hull. With naval architecture by Diana Yacht Design, the megayacht should see a range of 4,800 nautical miles at 12 knots under Caterpillar power. Global adventures surely await.
Hakvoort Shipyard hakvoort.com
H2 Yacht Design h2yachtdesign.com
Diana Yacht Design dianayachtdesign.nl
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