Bold Yacht Scintilla Maris Auction Occurring in November, for Intrepid Next Chapter

A yacht with a soul belonging to adventurous owner Erik Vonk, Scintilla Maris is anything but conventional. She was a 30-year-old North Sea fishing trawler when Vonk selected her for a four-year rebuild. Having ventured off the beaten path and stared down challenging seas ever since, Scintilla Maris is ready for her next adventurous owners, up for auction in November.

As a fishing boat, the vessel saw launch in 1988 from Damen Maaskant in The Netherlands. It’s a sister yard to a name well known in the superyacht sector, Damen Yachting. Rather than take the 150-footer (45.6-meter) to a yacht yard for transformation, Vonk decided her original team was suited to the task. They completely stripped her to bare metal, in preparation for becoming a true home away from home.

For that purpose, Vripack created a relaxed, down-to-earth atmosphere that still has an element of class. Throughout her decks, the yacht Scintilla Maris is pretty, but practical. Classically nautical portholes, curved walls, and bold pops of color make the interior bright and welcoming. So, too, do skylights, like the dramatic one in the master suite below decks. The 7’10” (2.4-meter) headroom here lends further to the dramatic sense of light and openness.

Fitting for an adventure superyacht and therefore for her buyer at auction, Scintilla Maris has excellent outdoor areas. For instance, a six-person observation platform sits 39 feet (15 meters) above the waterline. Ambient deck heating keeps the Portuguese bridge and main aft deck comfortable in icy climes, too. Just before the glass doors to her saloon, the yacht has a “beach area,” but not as you’d imagine. Rather than for lounging in the sun around a pool, it’s for deck parties with a bar, galley, and shaded seating area. It further is the ideal place for gathering before and after tender trips closer to shore. Wide steps to starboard lead down to a water-level boarding platform.

the master aboard the yacht Scintilla Maris

Finally, Scintilla Maris can travel to the coldest climates or the warmest, all the while being mindful of her surroundings. She has a 9,000-nautical-mile range at 9 knots and is Polar Code compliant, for instance. Her hybrid propulsion allows for fully electric operations. A true Dynamic Positioning system additionally means anchorless station keeping in extra-deep or sensitive waters.

The no-reserve auction of Scintilla Maris takes place November 5 via Boathouse Auctions. According to Boathouse Auctions, opening bids should be upwards of $5 million. The superyacht will also be on display at the Fort Lauderdale boat show in October, with Burgess. Pre-auction asking price is $16 million.

Boathouse Auctions boathouseauctions.com