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The 68-meter Lürssen Kismet leaves little to fate.
by Justin Ratcliffe
photography by Klaus Jordan
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11/01/2007
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| Lürssen 68 |  |
The term kismet means "destiny" in Turkish and Arabic, as well
as Urdu and Hindi. But the owner of a new yacht by that name was leaving nothing
to fate when he drew on the combined reputations of Espen Øino and Reymond
Langton to design the 68-meter (223-foot) motor yacht launched from the
Lürssen Rendsburg yard earlier this year. Add
yacht manager Robert Moran and experienced build captain Kyle Fultz, and the
owner was confident he was onto a winner.
 "Espen Øino’s initial exterior styling was for a more
aggressive, Skat-like vessel," says Fultz, "but the owner wanted
softer lines that recalled his previous 39.6-meter Feadship." (Click image to enlarge)
In fact, the superstructure was still being finalized when work
on the hull began. Some of Øino’s original angular lines were retained, but they
have been blended with softer, automotive curves to create a profile that, despite the hefty 12.8-meter beam, still looks sleek and smart.
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One innovation devised to maintain these bold yet graceful
exterior lines is the life raft launching system on the upper deck. Instead of
having the traditional exposed rafts—never a particularly pretty sight—they were
incorporated into the bulwarks with hydraulically charged hatch covers. Deployed
by a manual or hydrostatic release, the complex engineering was developed and
tested in-house by Lürssen to conform to MCA
and Lloyd’s certification.
 The main salon with its circular bar divided
by a limousine window makes for a glittering entertainment space. (Click image to enlarge)
Fultz began our tour of Kismet in the wheelhouse with
its Stidd leather pilots chairs and scallop-shape sofas for guest use. He and
the owner had liked the integrated bridge system aboard Lürssen’s Capri in 2003 and entrusted
sub-contractor Imtech/Bardwell to look after the installation of the
navigation-communication systems. They also stipulated a FarSounder that,
depending on water depth, has a forward range of 300 meters. Providing a 3-D
image of the seabed and any forward obstacles, the system was originally
developed by the U.S. Navy to prevent its ships from colliding with hapless
right whales. Less dramatic, but potentially more dangerous, the sonar was
installed on Kismet for safely navigating the shoal waters of the
Bahamas.
Top: The sublime lower-deck lobby forward accesses the
guest cabins. Bottom: A detailed bas-relief decorates the
stairwell. Photography by Justin Ratcliffe. (Click images to enlarge)
Tech talk then led us to the engine room. This area does not
usually enjoy first mention in a ShowBoats International article, but
Kismet is a notable exception. The split-level design with an open
space in the middle was a specific request by the owner. The generators and
main engines are housed on the lower level, with water treatment units, boilers,
air compressors, chiller plant, air-conditioning system, etcetera, on the upper
level. The open gallery in the middle creates a cathedral-like space. Doubtless
the shipyard was daunted by the major rearrangement of the layout the request
entailed, but the result is a showpiece engine room that the owner is boyishly
proud to show off to his guests.
Kismet was designed to be a comfortable, reliable and
efficient long-range cruiser, which meant drawing on tested technologies. With a
background in naval shipbuilding, the Lürssen
facility in Rendsberg (formerly the Krögerwerft yard) has built a reputation
for no-nonsense engineering excellence. This is evident in engine room details
such as the pneumatic valves for the bilge, fuel, water and ballast manifolds so
that transfers can be operated with the click of a mouse, while all the air
lines are made of stainless steel to avoid rust contamination produced by water
moisture in the system.
Top: A stunning glass washbasin. Photograph by Justin Ratcliffe. Bottom: The upper-deck salon. (Click images to enlarge)
"Whatever problem you may come up with," jokes Fultz, "you can
trust Lürssen to engineer a way around it."
The owner also based the interior layout and mahogany joinery
on his previous yacht, but because of the additional volume it was decided to
have a walkaround bridge deck that for stability reasons is partially enclosed.
The interior design is a subtle mélange of art deco and the owner’s Persian
heritage, while the ambiance becomes less formal as you ascend from the main
deck to the sun deck.
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