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From web cams on watching the build to video conferencing on board, the electronic screens become the windows to the soul, revealing much to the owner of Janice of Wyoming.
by Ivor Wilkins
photography by Ivor Wilkins
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10/01/2005
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| Alloy Yachts 130 |  |
The outcome is a lower profile than any of the other Dubois
yachts of similar length and type – lower even than Imagine, which only
had a vestigial above-deck structure. "In this particular instance, we believe
that Janice of Wyoming has reached new levels of development and has gone
more than just one click along the evolution process," commented Dubois.
The hull lines feature a subtle sheerline and beautifully
balanced integration between the hull and the swept-back, aerodynamic rise of
the coach roof. The absence of mullions on the side windows and the
uninterrupted line of the cockpit coamings further enhance the clean, modern
appearance.
 Intended primarily for private family cruising, the project has
benefited from a very clear vision of what the owners required. Avoiding the
common temptation to go for as many cabins as possible, the owners opted for
just three aft staterooms. Accordingly, they are all generously proportioned and
allow a balanced distribution of space throughout the hull. The crew also
benefits from this; their accommodation and facilities forward are excellent for
a yacht of this size. (Click image to enlarge)
Fielded walnut joinery throughout is finished to an extremely
high standard. Cream carpets and deckheads with neutral fabrics give the yacht
an understated elegance, complemented by original seascape and landscape
paintings from the owner’s collection.
The owner’s stateroom occupies the full beam of the yacht aft
and features its own companionway to the cockpit. The stateroom incorporates a
study area, a settee, an ensuite bathroom and a separate walk-in dressing room.
The entertainment areas are on two levels, with the upper
salon opening straight out to the cockpit through pneumatic steel and
glass doors, encouraging easy indoor-outdoor flow. A distinctive feature of
the upper salon is the bar’s countertop, which is made from fossilized stone
estimated at 50 to 60 million years old. Embedded in the surface is a fish
skeleton, evidence that the owner’s home state Wyoming, where the rock was
found, wasn’t always 5,000 feet above sea level.
The master suite is a showcase of the joiner’s skill with
walnut. Photographs by Martin Fine. (Click images to enlarge)
The lower salon is more formal, with a lounge area to starboard
and dining area to port. The steeply raked forward windscreen two levels above
creates an atrium effect over this room with a spectacular daylight view
straight up the towering mast.
The carbon-fiber mast and furling boom system are by Southern
Spars and support a very powerful sail plan from North Sails. The yacht
is intended for family cruising, but the owner clearly has a taste for
speed.
A keen follower of the America’s Cup, the owner was in Auckland
for the races that first time he caught sight of Imagine. Not content to
just sit and watch the action, he chartered a performance yacht, recruited Paul
Cayard as skipper and took part in the New Zealand Millennium Cup.
"The performance aspect was very important. It needed to sail
like a proper yacht. We intend to do superyacht events like the Nantucket
Bucket, and we want to be competitive."
Competitive in sport and in business, the owner said his
decision to go with the well-proven Dubois-Alloy Yachts combination has been
vindicated by the outcome. He was attracted by the yard’s reputation and the
high degree of in-house custom work it applies to its projects – including
vertical and captive reel winches and electronics.
 The atrium effect of the deck salon brings a sense
of openness to the library-like lower salon. Sliding walnut shutters cover the
portlights. Photograph by Martin Fine. (Click image to enlarge)
"My business is very high risk," he said. "I do enough of that
in my day-to-day life. I didn’t want to take high risks with my yacht."
With a system of high-definition Web cameras installed at the
yard, the owner could keep a daily watch on progress from his Wyoming home. "I
could zoom right in so that a single screw would fill the screen. Many times I
would see the captain on board doing something, and I could call him up and ask
what he was working on.
"The build project has been most enjoyable," he added. "No
harsh words have been spoken. Auckland has been an excellent place to do a
project like this. Everything is on hand in one city: the yard, the mast
builders, the sail makers – every aspect can be dealt with within a very small
area." It certainly makes it easier to keep an eye on things.
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