Jaw-dropping superyacht comes with glass walkway

By Dean Murray via SWNS

A jaw-dropping new superyacht lets privacy-loving owners separate themselves from guests by a glass walkway.

The 285 feet (87 meters) EXPV is designed for the wealthy who may live aboard long-term and want to keep their quarters to themselves.

Dutch shipyard Feadship say "in a radical departure from the norm," the owner and guest quarters are completely separate, resulting in a distinctive split superstructure with the owner’s private space in the forward section and the guest area aft.

The two deckhouses are served by separate staircases and elevators but are also connected by a floating glass bridge, as well as the so-called Ocean Lounge: an expansive beach club with folding platforms, an indoor swimming pool and a large skylight.

The concept by London-based design studio Harrison Eidsgaard, in collaboration with Feadship, takes an unconventional approach to what large yachts, especially explorers, should look like.

"The whole concept is based on the premise that the owners have their own residence and there is a separate guest house for friends and visitors," said Peder Eidsgaard, co-founder of Harrison Eidsgaard.

"The idea is that the owners can spend weeks on board in full privacy, but also interact with their guests in the Ocean Lounge in the middle of the boat.”

Jan-Bart Verkuyl, Feadship director and CEO Royal Van Lent shipyard, added: "We’ve collaborated with Harrison Eidsgaard on various projects and they always throw a few challenges into the mix.

"The Glass Bridge was one such challenge and we worked closely with the De Voogt (Feadship naval architect) engineers to see how we could make that work. Suspended in mid-air, it’s a completely new idea and quite a feat of engineering.”

A jaw-dropping new superyacht lets privacy-loving owners separate themselves from guests by a glass walkway. (Feadship via SWNS)

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An Owner’s Office is located behind the wheelhouse, with a full-beam and private Master Suite on the deck below. At the very top is the owner’s observation lounge with full-height windows and a private terrace overlooking the foredeck.

The heli-deck above the observation lounge is fully certified and has direct access to the owner’s apartment.

There are six guest suites arranged around the stern on two deck levels and all have beds facing out to sea with private terraces.

The staterooms can also be combined into very specious VIP suites depending on the number of guests on board.

Right at the bow on bridge deck level is a cozy nook that can be used for both sunbathing and dining.

“The clients like to use their helicopter almost as a tender for commuting to and from the yacht on day trips," Verkuyl said.

“It hugely extends the area they can visit and is used frequently, but because it’s on the forward deckhouse there is minimal disturbance for the guest activities in the stern.”

Alternatively, when arriving by tender at the transom platform, a corridor leads all the way to the Ocean Lounge, so the first glimpse guests have of the interior when they come aboard is an arresting view of the swimming pool.

The unusual superstructure arrangement means that the guest deckhouse is effectively a self-contained unit with easy access to the transom platform for swimming, accommodation on the main and upper decks, and its own dedicated lounge and bar linked to the owner’s area by the Glass Bridge.

There is also space for two 44 foot (13.5 meter) tenders with no height restrictions. More tenders and toys can be carried in a side-opening garage under the foredeck.

"When we started this project, we took all the features you find on superyachts and threw them up in the air," Eidsgaard said.

"The pieces landed where you might not expect to find them, but where they might make more sense.

"The two deckhouses are unique and no other superyacht has them, but the profile with its reverse bow, bold use of glass and dynamic curves is very purposeful.

“This is a yacht designed for experienced owners who like to spend long periods on board with guests who might join them for a week, a month or even more, so privacy was an essential consideration.

"In that context, it might seem like an extreme design because it looks very different, but if you examine the individual elements, they all make perfect sense."

Feadship say they never disclose prices and delivery dates for yacht designs, stating "you cannot put a price tag on custom projects."