Yachting magazines and websites (ours included) showcase a superyacht’s luxury areas much more than the technical areas. Private yachts are, of course, luxurious ways to spend time with family and friends. The popular YouTube channel eSysman SuperYachts decided to take a different approach. In fact, the host filmed two thorough, separate tours. For those of you who’ve ever wondered what the “brains” of a superyacht are like, this technical tour of Victorious gives you a good idea.
Victorious is a 279-foot (85-meter) explorer from AKYacht, a Turkish shipyard. She made her global premiere at last month’s Monaco Yacht Show, but saw delivery last year. Her owner, Vural Ak, a Turkish entrepreneur with varied interests, actually created the shipyard to finish her. He had embarked on a virtual odyssey for several months without success to find a yard to do what he wished. Specifically, Ak acquired a partially built, 253-foot (77-meter) explorer that had started construction more than a decade ago in Chile. The well-known yachtsman Graeme Hart had taken her over from her original owner, sending her to his native New Zealand for finishing. However, he chose to sell her in 2016 to Ak, still not yet complete.
Among the things Ak wished include a longer stern and an elongated, redesigned bow. Naturally, he wanted comfortable, welcoming areas for his young family to enjoy, too. Interestingly, he plans to spend several months each year onboard, enjoying the autonomy from shore. But arguably, the technical tour of Victorious is well worth a good deal of attention, given this autonomous, globetrotting purpose.
Firstly, Victorious has an eyebrow-raising range of 12,000 nautical miles at 9 knots, according to her captain. Her twin 1,475-hp Caterpillar engines further allow covering 7,000 nautical miles at a higher 15 knots. This is a yacht that will do more than cross oceans. Consider that Ak wants to traverse the Northwest Passage, too.
A good deal of redundant, robust equipment is part of the technical tour of Victorious, as you’ll see. As a crewmember aptly puts it, “Every boat is like a small city.” You also see some of the safety features that normally remain hidden, such as automatically deploying watertight doors. Regardless of whether you’re a seasoned yachtie or new to the lifestyle, you should learn something interesting.
AKYacht akyacht.com
Monaco Yacht Show monacoyachtshow.com
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