Yacht ARUBY Is Abeking & Rasmussen’s First Semi-Custom Superyacht

Whether long and sleek like the yacht LivaO or classic like its early sailing yachts, every project in Abeking & Rasmussen’s 118-year history has been custom. That makes the semi-custom concept yacht ARUBY all the more interesting.

At 230 feet (70 meters), she’s a size that increasingly sees series builds coming from global shipyards. “ARUBY is our answer to the modern owner’s desire for the highest quality without the typical development lead times,” says Till von Krause, the yachting sales director. (Abeking & Rasmussen constructs naval ships for international governments, too.) In fact, unlike some concept designs, the yacht ARUBY (a play on Abeking & Rasmussen’s initials and the word ruby) already has a tested engineering package. This lends assurance that the 1,770-gross-ton superyacht is capable of construction. As Björn Schlüter, the shipyard’s COO, notes, “Every technical decision in ARUBY follows one principle: performance with purpose.”

To that end, the shipyard’s in-house naval architecture and engineering teams selected diesel-electric propulsion with pod drives. Pods aid in maneuverability and result in less vibration than traditional shaft propellers. For periods at anchor, or when the megayacht is repositioning at low speeds, a battery bank handles hotel loads. With a capacity of 150 kWh, it’s up to the task of powering air conditioning and other amenities for several hours. Of course, it also ensures a quieter experience. Equally important, the engine room is a single level, creating convenience for the crew and protecting usable guest space.

Transatlantic range, an expected top speed of 16 knots, and an expected cruising speed of 12½ knots mean guests can experience a wide variety of destinations. Client feedback over many years influenced both the performance and the features. Having worked with the design studio Reymond Langton Design for 25 years, the shipyard naturally welcomed its input. Some amenities aboard the yacht ARUBY, for example, are equally appealing to private individuals and owners who want charter revenue. They include the pool and beach club. The pool alone is about eight feet by 17 feet (2.4 by 5.2 meters). Just steps down, meanwhile, the beach club contains a spa, a gym, and the always-in-demand fold-down sides.

For nighttime entertainment, the entire owners’ party of 14 can gather together on the bridge deck. The crew can set up a cinema screen for movies at midnight. Following a fun day of exploring shorelines and playing on the watertoys, friends and family can instead gather around the bridge deck’s firepit, in a recessed lounge.

Speaking of friends and family, the suggested stateroom layout should please those from four to 44 and beyond. Five staterooms, a combination of twins and doubles, sit below decks. A sizable—258 square feet (24 square meters)—VIP is super-private on the bridge deck. Similarly private, the master suite spreads out over 969 square feet (90 square meters) and includes balconies.

With after-sales support the same as its custom deliveries, the concept yacht ARUBY is more than a possible project in another important way. Abeking & Rasmussen sees her as the marking of a new chapter of turnkey deliveries.

Abeking & Rasmussen abeking.com

Reymond Langton Design reymondlangtondesign.com