Feadship Project 714, “a True Gentleman’s Yacht,” Emerges

Calling her “a true gentleman’s yacht,” Feadship launched one of its most anticipated deliveries of the year several days ago. The still-mostly-confidential Feadship Project 714 slipped into the water at its Aalsmeer yard in The Netherlands.

A rich blue hull paint job calls more attention to the megayacht, which is 262 feet (80 meters) LOA. Prominent swoops and soft curves characterize her styling, from the British design studio RWD. So does glass, especially noticeable on her uppermost deck. In fact, a full-width expanse of glass cladding the front of the deck rises up overhead as simultaneously it rakes aft.

Among the few details available for publicity so far, the Feadship Project 714 yacht has a diesel-electric propulsion system. It shares some similarities with that of the Feadship yacht Obsidian, whose owner’s brief specified a superyacht with a higher level of energy efficiency and carbon reduction than Feadship’s first hybrid yacht, Savannah. In fact, Feadship says that Project 714’s system provides four and a half times more electrical storage capabilities than Savannah’s does. (So, too, does Obsidian’s system.)

Overall, the hybrid propulsion system is the latest resulting from Feadship’s Advanced Electrical Drive (FAED) program. Initiated several years ago, FAED is a component of the builder’s goal toward constructing zero-emission projects by 2030. Therefore, she has no drive shafts or rudders. Instead, two contra-rotating thrusters are responsible for maneuvering and steering. Feadship and its suppliers teamed for computer simulations to determine the best operational efficiency and reduce vibration.

Sea trials for Feadship Project 714 should start soon. Her anticipated performance figures aren’t available, though transatlantic range is of course a given.

Feadship feadship.nl

RWD rwd.co.uk