Legendary Sailing Yacht 4K Spruces Up for Thousands More Sea Adventures

Although bluewater sailing superyachts are aplenty, few compare to the yacht 4K. Since delivery in 2002—as the famed yacht Alithia—she has put tens of thousands of nautical miles under her aluminum hull. Ahead of her time in many ways, the yacht 4K seems intent on remaining that way, with an interior rejuvenation preserving her sense of purpose.

A sloop from Abeking & Rasmussen, the sailing superyacht originally belonged to an owner with an extraordinary zest for cruising. In fact, for more than two years, he and his family considered Alithia, with an LOA of 130’6” (39.78 meters), their floating home. With three staterooms and snug, welcoming social spaces, the yacht served them well. She was also a true performance sloop, capable of speeds closing in on an impressive 17 knots. She struck a decidedly modern profile in doing so, too, with a plumb bow, similarly straight sheerline, and raised coachroof.

The equally modern interior design leaned into the sunlight coming inside, along with the good 188-gross-ton volume. However, two decades of active family use and crisscrossing oceans did take some toll. The current owner approached Nauta Design to keep her contemporary flair, emphasis on natural light, and of course welcoming feel. “The key challenge lay in harmonizing existing features with new design solutions,” explains Guido Valtorta, co-director at Nauta Design.

The studio achieved this aboard the yacht 4K in a few ways. For instance, some materials from the original interior design needed only freshening up. In other cases, new furnishings and décor detailing went hand in hand with new colors and soft finishes. Altogether, these let the owner and guests enjoy “a renewed and intimate onboard experience,” Valtorta says.

Abeking yacht 4K interior refresh by Nauta Design

According to Martino Majno, co-director at Nauta Design, it wasn’t so much a refit as a sprucing up, despite neary every area being impacted. The studio further coordinated everything from proposals to execution with the owner, crew, and owner’s representatives “within a tight schedule to ensure both efficiency and a successful outcome,” Majno says.

Ready for what easily could be another two decades of bluewater cruising, the yacht 4K is for sale. Currently in Spain, she has an asking price of €8.5 million ($9.7 million).

Nauta Design nautadesign.com