Speak with professional naval architects or yacht designers, and they may mention the well-known phrase form follows function. Project Nautilus, from the pairing of Luiz De Basto and Turquoise Yachts, embraces this philosophy in a particularly clever way. What appears to be an open design element along the 43-foot-long (13.4-meter-long) foredeck is actually an integrated pair of heavy-duty cranes. They can lift the unusually large tender—or submarine, or car, or whatever exploration-oriented craft, complementing the megayacht’s go-exploring purpose, an owner may want.
Specifically, the 203-foot (62-meter) Project Nautilus features cranes that De Basto created with the specialist company Nautical Structures. They have a lifting capacity of 22,000 pounds (10,000 kilos) apiece. Therefore, they can hoist a tender up to 39 feet (12 meters), quite a large size for her LOA. “To avoid a cargo-ship, industrial look, which would be inevitable using regular off-the-shelf cranes, I have ensured that the cranes are part of the superstructure, integrated into the overall design,” De Basto says. Due to their capacity, they can launch and retrieve sailing boats instead, or any other toy within the weight category. On a related note, the megayacht features a workshop for tender maintenance just forward, for the crew’s convenience.
This is not the first time Turquoise Yachts and De Basto have collaborated. In fact, Tala, which launches next year, results from their pairing. However, Project Nautilus is their first megayacht meant for global adventures.
With a 42’5” (12.96-meter) beam and gross tonnage exceeding 1,300, Project Nautilus offers abundant configuration options. De Basto’s suggested arrangement features five guest staterooms, along with a cinema that instead can be a sixth guest cabin. An aft-deck pool, a beach club with three opening platforms, and a sauna are among the attractive relaxation areas. So, too, is the sundeck, complete with a bar.
The owners’ suite, however, stands above the rest. Look closely at the two renderings, and note how the superstructure juts forward a bit, by the integral cranes. This area is entirely glass—both overhead and forward—and faceted, similar to the angles of a jewel. De Basto wanted to immerse the owners in their cruising experience as soon as they wake up and as they’re drifting off to sleep. In fact, the suite has 270-degree views, even from the bed.
The captain and crew (12 in all) receive just as much priority aboard Project Nautilus. They get two lounges, with one situated in the forecastle. A private passageway connects this lounge with the primary lounge and galley below decks. They further have their own gym. Finally, from the tank deck to the sundeck, the crew has dedicated traffic access.
Turquoise Yachts turquoiseyachts.com
De Basto Designs luizdebasto.com
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