YPI announced in March that they had partnered up with VR-development company, Bricks & Goggles recently to introduce a technology that would allow yacht owners to walk around their new build projects before they are built. Yacht Harbour caught up with Ingmar Vroege, co-founder of Bricks & Goggles to learn more about this project.
The cooperation between YPI and Bricks & Goggles started at the 25th edition of the Monaco Yacht Show where the development team was showing exhibitors some of its prototypes. Before collaborating with YPI on their central listing, the 105-meter Raptor project, the development company did several projects in the real-estate sector in the Netherlands.
After only 2 months, the company was able to deliver to YPI the software that allows for a walkthrough of the yacht. The application runs on the Oculus Rift, a VR headset that is set to soon be available its in consumer version. Running the application involves connecting the headset to a PC computer with a powerful graphics card and an HDMI 3.0 port. This allows the simulation to run at a stable 75 frames per second, the minimum required according to Ingmar for the brain to interpret as reality.
3 scenes have been developed for the 105m project Raptor, a fly-by of the exterior as well as two interior scenes. Prospective owners are then able to freely move around the yacht through an Xbox joystick to get various views and angles of the yacht. The yacht design itself was done by H2 Yacht Design and McFarlane Ship Design.
Our system allows owners to walk around a complete virtual construction of their yacht both inside and on deck as well as seeing it from the air. You can see and experience how the layouts feel in terms of space and volume as you walk around. Imagine the money, time and potential disappointment that can now be saved thanks to this technology?
Russel Crump, Director of Sales, YPI
The development of this VR application goes in line with YPI's initiative to implement 360-degrees immersive photography which the company says it offers as standard to all of its central agency clients.
As an industry, yachting is sometimes a little slow at integrating the vast array of new digital tools and technology into the way it helps clients. Our work allows us to offer our clients a very real way of experiencing their newbuild projects before they commit to the full investment
Mark Duncan, Commercial & Marketing Director, YPI
Ingmar Vroege, co-founder of Bricks & Goggles explained to us that they are able to develop such VR simulations by using 3D design sketches made by designers which they can then convert to interactive VR applications. Here below is a picture of one of the startup's engineers, Dimitri den Elzen, using the Oculus Rift application.
Developing VR simulations such as these ones is no different from creating games. This simulation runs on the UNITY game engine in fact.
Ingmar Vroege, co-founder, Bricks & Goggles
A version of the VR system can also be directly downloaded as an app on smartphones which allows users to either use special readers to immerse themselves or to simply move around their screens to look around. You can download the application on the Apple Store and Android to take a tour of the Raptor project.
Lürssen, one of the of the world's leading shipyards, has delivered a 140m yacht, named Project Lightning, yesterday morning.The project was known as one of the most secretive yachts in recent years and therefore, even the length was unknown until its delivery. The best guesstimate from yacht spotters is that the megayacht measures at least 130 m.With a code name like this and such length, this megayacht had plenty of people in anxious anticipation. So what do we know about Project Lightning so far?The first time Project Lightning hit the waters was in July 2019. The yacht was spotted for the first time in December 2017, when it moved into the build Hall, to replace the then in-build Flying Fox.While there are not a lot of details known, Project Lightning's two helipads were displayed as well as her layout look to host a large superyacht beach club. However, no designers, architects, or timeline has been disclosed.With its completion Project Lightning will be among the top 20 largest superyachts worldwide.
June 2, 2020
Lucky Lady (ex. Lady Lola) is a large motor yacht built by Oceanco in 2002. The 62.60-m motor yacht offers accommodation for up to 10 guests and 14 crew members on board. Instantly recognizable, the superyacht represents innovative technology capabilities of Oceanco. Lucky Lady features a richly elegant interior courtesy of Francois Zuretti and a striking exterior profile styled by The A Group.Her feathers include a huge pool, a retractable golf tee that appears at the touch of a button, a large swimming platform, and a helicopter deck. The main achievement of the exterior, however, is the luxurious beach club at the stern.Lucky Lady cruises the Mediterranean, and she is seen in the waters of Sardinia on the picture.
June 2, 2020
Welcome aboard the 90m luxury yacht, built by Oceanco, and delivered in 2019. DreAMBoat was designed by Espen Oeino with Azure Naval Architects developing the naval architecture. Her A-class interior design was created by Terence Disdale.After delivering last year, the yacht was bought by Arthur Blank, when fairing and outfitting were underway. Timing had been an important factor because he wanted DreAMBoat to be ready for the summer. Arthur requested more than 100 little edits, but the only major change was the addition of a VIP suite on the owner’s deck.Arthur Blank is known as co-founder of Home Depot. His businesses include the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC. Arthur’s net worth is estimated at US$ 5.6 billion. He is said to own shares of home depot representing a value of more than US$ 3 billion. Also, the owner of DreAMBoat is an active philanthropist through his Arthur M Blank Family Foundation.The desks of DreAMBoat are connected by the glass elevator, which is located at the main deck lobby.The main saloon has many cozy zones which can be used for different purposes.The upper saloon could be used for movie nights featuring a drop-down screen. DreAMBoat has two pools: a spa pool on the sun deck and a 6m x 3.1m swimming pool on the main deck aft.The upper deck dining room can be opened up to the aft deck.Eighteen persons can accommodate the main deck dining area.The wheelhouse sits on the bridge deck, the spa is tucked away behind it.The yacht can accommodate 22 guests and 27 crew members. The six guest cabins are held in a warm-toned, additionally, there is an owner's area on the upper deck, with a children's cabin and another VIP owner's suite.
June 2, 2020
Royal Huisman showcases a new lightweight 46m high-performance cruiser sloop: “Nauta Reichel Pugh 151”. Nauta Design produced the exterior and interior styling, Reichel/Pugh for the yacht’s naval architecture, Rondal did carbon Panamax rig, and Royal Huisman provided their most-qualified engineering and construction skills for the optimal end result. Royal Huisman Project 405’s lightweight aluminium and carbon composite construction will present formidable competition to existing carbon yachts, whilst combining comfort with the low sound levels of aluminium yachts.The team worked with “intelligent lock-down” measures implemented in the Netherlands since mid-March 2020 and promptly adopted by Royal Huisman. These measures allow the shipyard team to continue working in strict observance of the regulations, such as the continuous monitoring of its workers’ health situation and etc.According to Jan Timmerman, CEO Royal Huisman: “It is truly an honour to work with the owners and this great expert team of designers to realize their lightweight superyacht. The team of Royal Huisman is proud that the owners and their team have selected us for this innovative lightweight construction which was cleverly developed by our in-house R&D team, backed up with over 55 years of experience with aluminium construction. This latest superyacht order confirms Royal Huisman’s adage “If you can DREAM it, we can BUILD it!”Royal Huisman Project 405 is scheduled to be delivered in 2022.
May 29, 2020
34m SX112 is the flagship of the SX crossover line by Sanlorenzo that proposes a new way of living on the sea: the barriers on board are eliminated, and the boat opens to the outside, in a close relationship with the marine context.The project design of the external lines produced by Bernardo Zuccon of Studio Zuccon International Project and interiors by Piero Lissoni, art director of the company since 2018.The key features of the project are the new stern zone which undoubtedly represents the yacht’s most iconic area. Conceived as a spacious internal beach area, it is directly connected to the outside, allowing the yachtsman to enjoy these spaces in a novel way.
May 29, 2020