Arksen is a new name in luxury sailing. Announced in January at the Düsseldorf Yacht Show, it promises to be much more than your average super-yachting business. Founder, the entrepreneur Jasper Smith, is asking Arksen owners to dedicate 10% of their vessels’ time to support research and conservation projects supported by the Arksen foundation, such as scientific research or film-making.
"Superyachts generally conjure up the idea of extravagant - elitist vessels built in ways that don’t necessarily have any benefit other than satisfying the voyeuristic. We are challenging this. We build vessels that are robust, highly efficient, sustainable and designed to minimize maintenance. I don’t see Arksen as a superyacht company at all. We take a much wider view than most boat brands. By running the “Arksen Foundation” we offer owners access to curated marine research and media projects conducted on the vessels, whilst the “Arksen Explorers’ Club” offers adventure and explorer trips for our community, providing powerful life experiences", explained Jasper Smith the Forbes in the interview.
Designed by Humphreys Yacht Design and built by the Wight Shipyard Company in Cowes, they will feature self-righting, aluminium hulls that can slip through the water at 7 knots using minimal power or push on to 14 knots when needed. Hybrid propulsion is optional but even with diesel, the 85 has a range of 6,000nm from its 16,000-litre tanks. Fins, gyros and flopper stoppers maintain stability while solar panels generate up to 4.2kw of power. Interiors by Design Unlimited are said to be stylish but also easily reconfigured from leisure to research or commercial use.
The 23 metre Arksen 70 is the smallest model of the fleet. It has a 6.25-metre beam, full beam master and can accommodate a total of eight guests on board.
The 26.2 metre Arksen 85 has a beam of 6.8 metres and can accommodate a total of 14 guests. At Boot Dusseldorf was known that the builder has already sold its first Arksen 85, which has begun construction at Wight Shipyard this April.
The biggest of the fleet, the 30 metre Arksen 100, has a beam of 7.05 metres and can accommodate 14 guests with crew accommodation located forward.
“Fusing performance and functionality with aesthetic appeal, while never losing sight of safety as the overarching consideration, is the design ethos that has driven all our work for Arksen”, said Rob and Tom Humphreys, chief designers, Humphreys Yacht Design.
The saloon of the inaugural vessel in build, the Arksen 85, features easily accessible AV, electrical and system solutions, as when you are exploring the remotest corners of the globe the crew need everything to be functional.
The galley comes complete with a 90cm hob and oven, combi oven, two freezers, two fridges, two dishwashers, recycling dry stores and equipment storage.
The master cabin is also a multi-function suite that incorporates sleeping, extra sea berth and an en-suite shower and steam room.
HYD achieves these performance targets for Arksen in the following way. First, Rob and Tom analyse seakeeping behaviour and performance data from their back catalogue of powerboat and fast displacement sailboat hull designs. A preliminary Arksen hull form is then developed and run through HYD’s in-house CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) programmes to assess the potential speed and power requirements.
After further refinement of the hull form Arksen model is subjected to a battery of tests which include all the vessel’s seakeeping behaviour. The behavioural findings and the quantitative data then feed back into the computer model to produce the final hull shape.
The ultimate aspect is the ability to recover from a 180-degree rollover. HYD has designed the Arksen vessels with this almost unique ability when they are transiting the more tempestuous regions of the globe.
From cork walls, reclaimed wooden panels and surfaces made from recycled post-industrial plastics to the flexible and multi-use interior design, the Arksen Series are a unique force in the marine sector. Only through partnering with industry-leading companies such as Design Unlimited, Wight Shipyard Co and Humphreys Yacht Design, it is possible to achieve the goal of building Exceptional Explorer Vessels.
Prices, as reported, start at £4.5million ex VAT for the Arksen 70 rising to £8.5m for the Arksen 10.
@Photos via Arksen
The newest Heesen 50m superyacht Book Ends (previously known as Project Sapphire), which was launched earlier this month, has gone through intensive sea trials at the North Sea. She is the second in the new semi-displacement 5000 Aluminum Class, a fast-cruising design of under 500GT which follows from the successful Satori Class. The in-house team was supported by Van Oossanen Naval Architects, who carried out the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tests. The yacht was sold in September 2021 by Thom Conboy from Heesen USA for experienced owners. After the successful sale of their 2017 47m Heesen motor yacht of the name Book Ends (now Artisans), Bob and Amy Book have returned to the Dutch shipyard for their second Heesen yacht in four years.<iframe src=https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fheesenyachts%2Fvideos%2F584941556381205%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0 width=560 height=314 style=border:none;overflow:hidden scrolling=no frameborder=0 allowfullscreen=true allow=autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share allowFullScreen=true></iframe>An optimized, low-drag hull design with a reduced transom depth – a design refinement conceived by Heesen’s in-house team of naval architects – has resulted in efficiency gains of around 12 per cent. A draft of just 2.15 meters makes her the perfect yacht for exploring shallow waters. Her ultra-efficient hull shape is seamlessly complemented by two MTU 16V4000M65L ‘green ocean’ engines, fitted with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) units to reduce NOx emissions. With a top speed of 23 knots, she perfectly embodies Heesen’s sporty DNA. Book Ends interior was penned by Cristiano Gatto. Twelve guests can be accommodated in four spacious suites on the lower deck and a master stateroom forward on the main deck. She offers plenty of outdoor deck space, with a raised lounge on the main deck aft, a dining area on the upper deck and another lounge on the foredeck. She also features a hot tub, bar and dining table. After completing sea trials she now undergoes interior outfitting before her delivery. Heesen Yachts is a Dutch ship building company that specializes in custom-built superyachts in aluminum and steel from 30m to 70m in size. Founded in 1978, it has launched more than 170 yachts since its inception.Credits: Heesen
June 29, 2022
The 26.58m Grand Banks 85 is the company's newest flagship. Following the success of the Grand Banks 60 in 2017 and Grand Banks 54, the model will make her European debut during this year's Cannes Yachting Festival 2022.Like all new Grand Banks models, the GB85 benefits from the infinite knowledge gained from building cruising designs for nearly seven decades and delivering more than 7,000 yachts. The GB85 is an ocean-going Bluewater cruiser that is also nimble with a shallow draft, making it equally suited for coastal cruising. Designed to travel efficiently at 21 knots for extended cruising, and easily handled by owner-operators, the internal configurations also accommodate spacious and impressive crew-quarters capabilities should that be the owners’ choice.Hull No. 1 is powered by twin 1,000HP Volvo IPS 1350s. During the pre-delivery test, the GB85 met all expectations. Like the entire range of the new generation of Grand Banks, the GB85 runs flat and pushes very little water, demonstrating the superior efficiency of the V-Warp platform. A beam of 6.75m allows Grand Banks to offer a range of internal configurations and amenities for both guests and crew. For long-distance cruising, special attention was given to both sociability and privacy.“First, we focused on what makes a superior long-distance cruiser while underway for long legs,” said Mark Richards, CEO of Grand Banks. “This means understanding the rhythm that occurs while on passage, and creating various spaces where you can separate from others off-watch. Some people onboard are focused on running the boat, others are relaxing, and others may be sleeping. This approach ticks a lot of boxes in how the design comes together.”The story of the famous line of Grand Banks defined the “recreational trawler” category, began as American Marine in 1956. In 1993 the same time in Sydney, Australia, the Palm Beach brand was established, soon transitioning from impeccable sailing sloops into picnic-style motor yachts, taking cues and paying homage to the classic lines of the lobster style boats in both Australia and the United States. GB Marine Group story started in 2014, when Grand Banks acquired Palm Beach Motor Yachts and appointed Mark Richards as Chief Executive Officer. Credits: One Van der Wal/Grand Banks Yachts
June 29, 2022
Marine Construction Management (MCM) of Newport, Rhode Island, is recognized as one of the industry’s leading management firms. For the first time, MCM is working with renowned Italian shipbuilder Benetti. Oasis 34MOn hull BO204, the 4th hull in the Oasis 34M family due to launch next year, MCM was engaged as owner’s representative at the very early stages of the project and handled the contract negotiations and final detailing of the specification, and are currently managing and monitoring the construction phase. Once she is launched, Peter Wilson will be on board for dock trials, mechanical trials, sea trials and the official handover.Peter Wilson“I recently visited the Benetti shipyard in Viareggio to inspect the Benetti Oasis 34M hull number four which we are managing for repeat clients. This was an extremely informative visit as it also provided me the opportunity to look at the preceding hulls in this family in differing states of completion and in particular, hull number 1, which had just completed her sea trials,” says Peter Wilson, co-founder of MCM. Wilson was able to meet Benetti’s various heads of department to delve deeper into the design details to ensure that hull No. 4 will meet or exceed the client’s expectation. “There is considerable enthusiasm around our project” adds Wilson. “I have every confidence that this will continue to be a happy project and ready for a timely delivery in spring 2023.”CalexMCM has also been engaged to manage the operations of FB278, the 67-meter motor yacht Calex designed by Giorgio M. Cassetta. Mark Dauplaise of the Newport-based company is her dedicated yacht manager. Calex was delivered in early June and is currently cruising in the Mediterranean. MCM was awarded the management of Calex towards the final construction phase of the project, which allowed them to get everything well in order prior to the handover.“The owner is planning on cruising the Med for the full summer season, then after some expected warranty work will head to the Caribbean for the winter season, possibly spending some time in Florida and the Bahamas as well,” says Wilson. “At the end of the winter season, she will head through the Panama Canal and cruise Mexico and the West Coast of the US.”Founded in 1873, Benetti is the oldest Italian shipyard specializing in luxury yachts. Benetti designs, builds and sells composite vessels from 29 to 44m and steel and aluminium boats from 37 to over 100m. The fleet consists of five categories: Class, Oasis, B.Yond, B.Now and Custom to meet all the needs of the market. Benetti belongs to the Azimut|Benetti Group, the largest privately owned luxury yachting group in the world.Credits: Benetti; MCM
June 29, 2022
The California-based designer Steve Kozloff has unveiled a 100 meter double-masted trimaran concept named The Trident. The vessel has six decks and two dedicated helipads, one on each of the vessel's crossbeams.The mast tilts 70 degrees forward to reduce the air draft from 238 feet to 138.5 feet making it possible for The Trident to traverse below most bridges. The Trident now can have direct access to the Panama Canal, San Francisco, San Diego and other harbours. Solid Sail system is the automated setting and dropping of the sails. The boat can be pointed in any direction when raising or lowering the sails. The Solid Sail System has a 360-degree rotating mast. The captain simply rotates the mast into the wind to perform the raising and lowering of the sails.The Trident features the full beam beach club in the main hull with retractable decks, which is a unique feature for any sailing yacht, two large bow pools, two spas in the main hull, forward and aft.The interior space has multi-levels, curved walls, and a multitude of large windows providing a near panoramic view. A 210 sq. m owner’s suite is located in the bow of the central hull, the two additional master suites are found towards the bow of both side hulls. Guest cabins that can host 26 guests and crew cabins that accommodate 20 crew. The piano bar and entertainment area on the upper deck include floor to ceiling windows providing views of the surrounding seascape. A full beam garage that can handle 2 tenders, one Nemo U-Boat Worx submarine with dedicated launching systems and other water toys.The Trident can cruise at 14 knots for 6700 nautical miles with diesel power only. Her range is greatly extended with careful management of her hybrid diesel-electric systems and sail power. Under sail power only, she can make 12 knots.This comes after a 170m gigayacht concept Glory, which was revealed by Steve Kozloff in April. Credits: Steve Kozloff
June 28, 2022
The second Damen YS 53 support vessel is in-build at Damen Yachting facility in Antalya and scheduled for delivery in 2024. The first vessel from the all-new YS 53 series was sold to Anthony Hsieh and will be delivered in 2023.The 53m yacht was made by an in-house design team. Her naval architecture also was made by the shipyard specialist with the help of Damen Research Laboratory in the Netherlands. The YS 53 is strongly focussed on highly demanding performance, efficiency and comfort with a wide range of upgraded features for the yachting lifestyle. “The YS 53 exterior design starts with a familiar functionality, but there is more than meets the eye,” says Wouter Kleijpoel, the Design Manager who led the team of Damen Yachting designers who created the concept. “It’s playful, muscular and emboldening, you believe anything is possible. I think it’s an exciting design.” The vessel is equipped with a deck crane that can lift up to 15 tonnes. The huge 250 sq. m deck space is designed for storage of boats, toys, vehicles and tenders up to 16-meters.She can accommodate a number of guests, between six and 16 and a crew member with a captain. There are different layout configurations to satisfy the owner's needs. In terms of power the yacht is equipped with twin Rolls Royce MTU main engines that allows her to reach a top speed of 19 knots. Damen Yachting, a division within the Damen Shipyards Group, was created in 2019. The division combines the pedigree and heritage of Amels yachts with a growing portfolio of SeaXplorer yachts and Yacht Support vessels.Credits: Damen Yachting
June 28, 2022