The curved “canoe” stern of Soprano—the new 125-foot Hakvoort shown at the Monaco Yacht Show—is the most recognizable feature on a custom yacht that happens to have many distinctive features. After the yacht’s first-time owners spent time on Hakvoort’s Spada in the south of France, they fell in love with the traditional styling and ambience onboard. They decided on a similar design, but one that specifically reflected their tastes. Since they would not be living aboard Soprano, they designed the vessel to be a first-class charter yacht.
The soft, curved, and classic 1930s look of Soprano’s exterior is a refreshing change from the long, angular hulls of most contemporary superyachts. Contrary to its looks, Soprano’s rounded transom does not compromise onboard livability. Designers from Netherlands-based Diana Yacht Design optimized space as they fashioned the exterior around smaller, intimate areas in the aft cockpit, a second cockpit on the upper deck, and, most importantly, the teak-covered skydeck, which has a bar, barbecue, and Jacuzzi. The foredeck also has excellent space for social gatherings. Thanks to Soprano’s engines being positioned amidships, the yacht has a fold-down swim platform revealing a cavernous space that serves as a beach club, at points measuring 13 feet deep with 8 feet of headroom.
The owners wanted an interior that could be found on a contemporary sailing vessel, so interior designer Felix Buytendijk was more than happy to create a traditional yacht interior with a faint “beach-house” sensibility. “Like myself, the owners prefer unassuming elegance to flashy designs,” said Buytendijk, adding that any yacht below 200 feet should use the same combinations of wood, stone, and other materials throughout the interior for a unified style.
And Soprano’s interior is indeed more elegant than informal, combining mahogany, white lacquer, and a single type of limestone to create a rich, traditional feel that comes straight from a classic yacht. The white lacquer in the upper wainscot offsets the dark richness of the varnished mahogany across the interior below, providing a light contrast while keeping the formal air. It’s a fine balancing act—a yin-yang design that the Dutch shipyard pulled off. The saloon and dining rooms are also separated by a low mahogany cabinet that divides the areas while still retaining the main deck’s open-plan feel.
As aficionados of fine food, the owners insisted on a chef’s galley, so the yard equipped Soprano with professional ovens, coolers, fridges, and ice makers, all made of stainless steel. A dumbwaiter transports food from the galley to the bridge deck to allow for hot, fresh alfresco dining. “The skylounge is more informal with a New-England-beach-house style,” notes Buytendijk. “When it’s opened to the aft deck, it creates a single, coherent area with the same furniture inside and out.”
The master suite features a king-size bed, large opening windows for fresh air, and a generous en suite bathroom that includes space for a multifunction exercise machine. The three other guest staterooms are also en suite, with a Pullman berth in one for an extra guest. In total, Soprano accommodates eight to nine guests and four to eight crew. The yacht complies with the new LY3 code and with Lloyd’s Register Inventory of Hazardous Materials. Soprano will be chartered through Ocean Independence.
