Justin Ratcliffe
03/01/2007
When Royal Huisman presented Gliss to the international
press in Palma de Mallorca last July, the 32-meter (105-foot) sloop was moored
in excellent company. To her left was the 25.6-meter clipper Foftein,
fresh from her seven-month refit, while to her right was the 36-meter motor
yacht Arcadia launched earlier in the year. This small flotilla of
yachts amply demonstrated the range of the Dutch yard’s custom production. Even
so, Gliss is something of a departure even for Royal Huisman.; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
Photograph by Franco Page. (Click image to enlarge)
"We were rather anxious that Royal Huisman had been pigeonholed
after Athena," says shipyard manager Michael Koppstein. "Athena
showed that we could live up to the engineering demands of building a 90-meter
schooner; Gliss is proof that we can also backtrack in terms of
size but apply the same expertise to a 32-meter sloop."
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Not only is Gliss superbly engineered, she is also a breath of fresh air in terms of styling. Designed by Philippe Briand, with interior décor by Peter Beeldsnijder, the yacht immediately stands out from the crowd with her aquamarine paint job. The color choice was established early on in the design process, and Briand recalls how it came about: "We were aboard the owner’s Falcon jet, and our sushi lunch was served in turquoise packing. The owner immediately liked the color and kept a small sample that served as a guide when the yacht was painted."
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In the Royal Huisman press release on the yacht, a Persian dictum is quoted that claims the hand that wears turquoise will never be poor—if this is true, the yacht’s Swiss owner and his guests are all the richer for the experience.
The owner’s first priority was that he wanted his yacht to represent the nautical equivalent of the automotive world’s GT, offering long-distance, high-performance touring and racing in comfort. "This is a performance yacht," confirms Briand, "but we weren’t concerned with pure speed. More importantly, we were looking to design a sensitive boat, one that accelerates quickly in light air, tacks easily and provides a good feel for the helmsman."
Under working sails alone, Gliss is impressively quick in light air, and boat speed will match wind speed up to 10 knots. Typical for Royal Huisman, the yacht has mechanical steering using a direct-axle drive system to the quadrant, which provides a delightfully springy, responsive helm that virtually drives itself to windward.
Saving weight was an all-important part of achieving this goal,
hence the yacht’s perforated Alustar construction and carbon-fiber mast,
boom and spade rudder. Initial plans to build the superstructure out of carbon
fiber were rejected because of the issues associated with attaching it to the
aluminum hull. Gliss still displaces a moderate 122 tons, so the challenge facing her designer was to optimize the ratio between sail area
and wetted area to achieve the desired performance.The 40-meter mast and overlapping genoa is balanced by a
3.95-meter keel with torpedo bulb to keep the center of gravity low and a
trim tab to reduce the chord length while maximizing lift. Just a five-degree
angle will double the lift when sailing upwind and provides easier handling
off the wind.
Top: The small TV lounge on the lower deck. Photograph by Ed Holt. Bottom: Strip windows set into the turquoise hull illuminate the master
suite. Photograph by Stephane Bravin. (Click images to enlarge); function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
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"Most of the hull’s efficiency comes from the appendages,"
admits Briand, "including the high-aspect rudder that also helps to improve lift
and maneuverability."
The only reason he decided against a racing plumb bow was because it would look unattractive with the relatively high freeboard.
This drive to reduce weight was also the principal reason
behind the owner’s decision not to build MCA conformity into the yacht (he has
no plans to charter). Apart from an estimated seven percent savings in cost, the
decision means the yacht weighs several tons less than originally predicted.
Furthermore, all the granite counters and the wood paneling are foam-sandwiched.
Instead of rock wool for insulation, melamine was used for soundproofing because
it is both lighter and more efficient at dampening resonance at various
frequencies. Building the articulated transom door out of carbon fiber saved an
additional 600 kilograms.; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
A carbon-fiber washbasin in the owner’s cabin. Photograph by Justin Ratcliffe. (Click image to enlarge)
Once under way, there is no doubting that Gliss lives up
to her sporty GT image. The mainsheet traveler moving across the cockpit is
sufficient to remind you that this is a hands-on sailing boat.
The owner was inspired to build with Royal Huisman after his
previous Jongert 29 was overtaken by 34-meter Unfurled, designed by
German Frers and launched by Royal Huisman in 2000. The two yachts share the
same simple deck layout, twin helms, carbon rig and flip-over anchor deployment,
but Gliss has gone for pared-down sailing solutions such as simple slab
reefing instead of in-boom furling and drum instead of captive
winches.
Top: Interior detailing. Bottom: Deckhouse towel rack. Photography by Justin Ratcliffe. (Click images to enlarge); function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
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However, the owner’s brief is most clearly reflected in the
bold, functional design of the interior layout and décor. The panoramic
deckhouse serves as the main living area and is completely open to the cockpit,
a solution that blurs the distinction between interior and exterior. This
feeling is reinforced by the fact that the cockpit and deckhouse are on a single
level, the same teak decking is used throughout, and the latticework teak tables
mirror the bench seats on deck. The deckhouse is effectively a hardtop extension
of the cockpit, providing protection from both the Mediterranean sun and
Caribbean squalls. The open entrance can be closed off with an awning during bad
weather, and the entrance to the guest area belowdecks is protected by a
self-draining » threshold that
can be locked in different
positions.Belowdecks there is a small TV lounge and a third guest cabin,
plus two aft guest cabins and the master suite. Unusual for a yacht of this
size, there is a dayhead under the aft stairs. The crew accommodations and
galley are located forward, whereas the engine room amidships takes full
advantage of the maximum beam and generous headroom.
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Pieter Beeldsnijder was faced with the task of interpreting the owner’s taste for crisp, practical lines. They came up with limed-oak woodwork set against custom nickel-plated fittings, black granite wet surfaces and bright red and yellow soft furnishings. On paper this color combination may raise a few eyebrows, but in practice it makes for a refreshingly vibrant interior that conforms to the yacht’s summery vocation (Gliss is unlikely to see even a hint of frost on her deck). With his business background in the garment industry, the owner has a practiced eye for detail—an area where Royal Huisman has traditionally excelled. Wooden pegs, for example, can be quickly fitted into the latticework of the teak tables to prevent objects from shifting while the yacht is under way; the flush buttons for operating the electric windows in the deckhouse are mounted overhead in the center of the ceiling; the molded handrail in the coachroof also serves as a drainage channel; the shore power lines are sheathed so they look like hawsers; and even the metal floor plates in the engine room have been cut so that the anti-slip pattern is lined up between sections.
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Gliss under way, photographed from the first spreader. Photograph by Justin Ratcliffe. (Click image to enlarge)With her owner’s recent participation in the Superyacht Cup in Palma de Mallorca last October, and his pla n to take part in the St. Barth’s Bucket later this month, Gliss is sure to turn a few heads. And not just for her radical color scheme. She may also bring away a trophy or two.
Contact Royal Huisman at +31 527243131. www.royalhuisman.com
| Yacht Name: | Gliss |
| Yacht Type: | Sail Yacht |
| Draft: | 13' 0" (3.96m) |
| LOA (Actual length): | 105' 0" (32.00m) |
| LWL (Length of water line): | 93' 1" (28.37m) |
| Displacement: | 122 (fully loaded, half tanks) tons |
| Power: | Scania DI12 65M, 316 kW, 426 hp @ 2100 rpm |
| Beam: | 24' 5" (7.44m) |