Breaking through the barriers to luxurious expeditionary travel, Damen’s SeaXplorer yacht concepts will be equally at home in polar opposite conditions, while playing host to amenities that would make any sybarite smile. Dutch commercial shipbuilder Damen has collaborated with the naval architects at Azure Yacht Design and the extreme travel experts at EYOS Expeditions to develop 213-, 295-, and 328-foot versions of the superyacht. Capable of being at sea for 40 days at a time, each yacht has been designed to meet the International Maritime Organization’s new Polar Code classification (effective in 2017) required of all vessels going to extreme latitudes.
As part of the compliance, Damen’s yachts will feature its patented Sea Axe bow and hull, able to cut through nearly three feet of first-year sea ice—even while traveling astern. Aiding navigation will be an enclosed crow’s nest with panoramic views, perched more than 65 feet above the water. A Polar Class 6 certification will allow the yachts to operate in the Arctic and Antarctic during the summer and fall months.
The SeaXplorers will be ideally equipped for temperate and tropical climates as well, featuring a swimming pool and an expanse of outdoor lounge space that includes a sundeck with a hot tub. Also on board is a planned dive center with a decompression chamber and a dedicated dive support boat. The vast storage and garage space will house a rescue boat, Zodiac MK-5 inflatables, personal watercraft, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, mountain bikes, and a personal submersible—the quantity of each increasing with yacht size. Davit-launched lifeboats, up to 29.5 feet in length, can also serve as tenders. And when aerial departure is desired, helicopters housed in a closed hanger (for protection against the elements) will be elevated by lift to the helipad.
The largest yacht in the SeaXplorer line will be able to accommodate up to 30 guests throughout four decks. Amenities include an observation lounge at the bow, a skylounge on the bridge deck, an upper-deck main saloon, and numerous lavish cabins. Living quarters for the 50 crew members also fit comfortably on board.
Mindful of the pristine environments the yachts will visit, every effort has been made to minimize emissions, including plans for zero-discharge waste management and an electric propulsion system. Ready to be realized upon purchase, the SeaXplorer concepts were introduced to the world last month at the Monaco Yacht Show. (seaxplorer.nl)
