Royal Huisman’s Aquarius II Yacht Hull Lends Look at Her Future Prowess

When is a larger version of a yacht not “just” a larger version? A good case study comes in comparing and contrasting Royal Huisman’s Aquarius II yacht with her predecessor, also a Royal Huisman build. On the occasion of her hull turning this week, the owners’ project manager, Godfrey Cray, shares insight.

The 213-foot (65-meter) performance ketch, a.k.a. Royal Huisman Project 408, belongs to the same owners as the 184-foot (56.18-meter) cruising ketch Aquarius, a 2018 delivery. The owners were resolute in wanting an equally strong racer-cruiser (Aquarius has won the St. Barths Bucket a few times), plus proven technological advances. Additionally, they wanted more staterooms and space not just for themselves and their guests, but also their crew. Having enjoyed the build of the 184-footer, they re-united the same build and design teams, including Dykstra Naval Architects and Mark Whiteley Design.

the Aquarius II yacht hull turning at Royal Huisman — PHOTO: Tom van Oossanen

Going larger afforded significant advantages. “We have gained close to 45 percent more volume,” Godfrey says, allowing for several notable new or larger areas. For instance, Aquarius II has a fourth guest stateroom and an extra crew cabin. She has a significantly larger gym and much bigger main deckhouse social spaces. Alfresco social areas and her cockpits are bigger, too. The crew, meanwhile, has a larger mess, a larger laundry, a bigger galley, and more space in the engine room and technical areas.

However, going bigger isn’t a simple matter of adding length and/or volume. Godfrey points out that ketches approaching 197 feet (60 meters) need extra attention for draft and sail area, for example, to preserve performance. So, the Aquarius II yacht hull has a lifting keel. As for her sail area and mast, he continues, the team was conscious of Panamax air draft restrictions. While it’s usually around 200 feet (61 meters), “we saw that recently a sloop with a rig height of around 64 meters/210 feet had, in a heeled state, transited under the Bridge of Americas,” Godfrey says. (Specifically, the yacht used water bags weighing a few tons, tied to the booms and masts, to induce a heel of about 20 degrees, then motored under the bridge.) Therefore, the Aquarius II yacht specs initially settled on an LOA of 200 feet with a main mast of 210 feet.

Aquarius II yacht hull turning at Royal Huisman — PHOTO: Tom van Oossanen

Until, that is, another conversation with the Panamanian officials. “A final check with the port authority in Panama informed us they were no longer entertaining a heeled-state transit under the bridge,” he says. Despite the mast height concession now gone, the owners remained firm on sailing performance. The lifting keel stayed, but LOA grew to 213 feet (65 meters) and the main mast height pushed up to 221 feet (67.5 meters). The original Aquarius II yacht styling, with a spoon bow and without a bowsprit, remained, though.

Aquarius II will see delivery in 2024. More details should come about her semi-hybrid power generation and other technical and creature-comfort advantages.

Dykstra Naval Architects dykstra-na.nl

Mark Whiteley Design markwhiteleydesign.com

Royal Huisman royalhuisman.com