A yacht’s name generally falls into one of two categories:
frivolous or serious. The former may sound cool or catchy, but the latter
actually says something, usually about the owner. Naming a yacht after a holy
entity definitely falls into the second group. Saint Nicholas, in Orthodox
Christianity, is known as the patron saint of all who travel by land or sea.
Legends about the saint tell of his love for children, his kindness and
the miracles attributed to him. In the Protestant West, where the invocation of
saints was suppressed, he became popularly known as Santa Claus. So what better
name for a family yacht where part of the observation deck, perhaps the most
privileged location on board, is given over to a children’s playroom?
 Photograph by Justin Ratcliffe. (Click image to enlarge)
Saint Nicolas is the second hull in a mini-series of three
70-meter yachts designed by Espen Øino and built by Lürssen. Apoise,
Saint Nicolas and Martha Ann began life under the code names
Marlin, Nemo and Shark when an American investor approached the German shipyard
with a view to building three steel and aluminum vessels, each with classic
interior styling by François Zuretti. The idea was that the first two would
be sold to finance the third, which he would keep for himself, thus capitalizing
on the burgeoning demand for large yachts while build slots are in short
supply.
| Click on the Spec tab at top to see complete list of resources. |
Six months before Saint Nicolas (project Nemo) was due
for completion, the vessel acquired its current owner. As his first superyacht
and on the recommendation of a personal friend, the owner approached Burgess
Yachts to broker the deal, and negotiations began in September 2006. Alan Dale
of Burgess was appointed project manager for the owner’s side. His first job as
project manager was to source a build captain, and in November 2006, Mark
Faulkner joined the team. The yacht was delivered on schedule at the end of May
2007—a remarkable achievement in view of the owner’s late entry.
Top: Gold fabrics and the marquetry-worked
wood frames of the coffee tables create a gentleman’s club atmosphere. Middle: The main dining
room. Bottom: A
Steinway grand piano sits elegantly in a corner of the main salon. (Click images to enlarge)
"It wasn’t a straightforward procedure, as taking over a
project six months before completion is a major undertaking," says Dale. "But we
developed a good rapport with the owner, who made decisions quickly, and so we
were able to finish on time. As a first-time owner, the process was made
somewhat easier as he had no preconceived ideas of what to expect."
Although the basic interior layout remained unchanged, the new
owner requested some minor, yet significant changes to suit his own taste and
lifestyle. This meant converting the covered area of the observation deck, a
space originally destined for use as a gym, into the aforementioned playroom for
his two children and their friends. Somewhat formal by most standards for its
function (I, for one, never had a marble-topped bar in my play den), there
is no denying the superb panoramic view four decks above water level. A
concession in terms of décor to its young inmates is a pile of plush cushions in
cheerful hues of magenta, turquoise, burnt sienna and gold on a
fish-patterned silk rug with soft furnishings to match. There is also a sleek
new iMac computer and a PlayStation game console. The gym was relocated to a
semi-enclosed area on the top sun deck, where it replaces a bar unit. Other
changes include the removal of a hatch in the aft main deck for lowering a
Harley Davidson into the tender garage, and the conversion of two double guest
cabins into twin singles with Pullman beds on the lower accommodations deck.
The core interior styling is pure Zuretti and reflects the
designer’s flair for subtle, yet intricate detailing in the marquetry, engraved
glass and marble inlays, and his penchant for exotic materials such as
parchment, palm, mother-of-pearl, shagreen, bamboo and buffalo hide. The
outfitters were Dubai-based Greenline Yacht Interiors, whose competitive bid for
all three vessels meant air-freighting the finished furniture items 3,000 miles
to the Lürssen Rendsburg yard for assembly by a Greenline team. The quality
result must have come as a relief to Lürssen, which is more accustomed to
working with interior subcontractors closer to home in Europe.
Top: Gold
drape tassels in the main salon. Bottom: Marble inlay in the bridge-deck foyer. (Click images to enlarge)
Interestingly, the entire interior was constructed with a view
to taking it apart again. This not only makes for easier access to
hard-to-get-to places behind panels for maintenance, but also facilitates future
refitting. (This is the first time this writer has come across such a design
feature.) Soft furnishings, loose furniture and accessories were supplied by the
owner in conjunction with Vittoria Design, a firm of decorators in Sardinia,
Italy, that worked with the owner on his land-based properties. As the firm’s
first yacht project, the vessel’s interior decoration involved something of a
learning curve. But again, the choice of delicate tones and textures combines
seamlessly with Zuretti’s classic styling.
At 70.2 meters (230 feet) overall with a 12.8-meter beam and
weighing in at just under 2,000 tons, Saint Nicolas is a high-volume
vessel with no shortage of interior and exterior space. When I visited the yacht
in La Ciotat in the south of France, where she was undergoing some warranty work
after a six-week cruise to the Maldives, I was shown around by her captain,
Darryl Chalmers, who pointed out another advantage of having so much volume to
play with. "One of the strongest design aspects of this boat is the way
the crew can move around virtually unseen and get their job done without
interfering with the guests," he says. "The engine room and other technical
spaces are very well laid out, so it’s an easy boat to run and maintain despite
the fact that there’s so much of it to keep clean."
|
; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
Email This
Printer Friendly Version
Reprints & Permissions
Most Popular Searches