Marie

The sea trial was pubblished on Superyacht 30 – Autumn 2011   

Marie is a classic ketch designed by Hoek Design Naval Architects BV studio which was responsible for both the project work and naval architecture. A yacht which further highlights Vitters Shipyard’s productive capacity in coming up with particularly sophisticated yachts.

What we have here is a technologically very evolved yacht in spite of its classic lines with a ketch rig. A 180’ worth of technology produced at Vitters in Holland which has successfully built very complex yachts many times over and can count on new premises today which can supply even more ambitious projects.

Nigel Ingram ranks among the designers that have contributed in the making of Marie and of her proud owner’s dreams by working with Hoek Design again as several times before to design important yachts built at Vitters Shipyard. Marie hit the water for the first time last year as scheduled.

A ketch rig is almost an imperative when confronted with such size if for example one wishes to cross the Panama canal and sail fast. Performance is a specific request of the owner from the initial stages of the project at Vitters in spite of the classic lines required. To obtain all of this, weight had to be optimized at best, mostly the upper masses with a consequent reduction of keel weight.

The end result is a beautiful 54.6 metre hull built in Alustar to ABS and MCA standards and a high module carbon fibre rig and spars with a semi laden displacement of 298 tons of which 77 are ballast. These numbers clearly indicate the sort of technology deployed in the optimizing process of weights and distribution thereof. Notwithstanding the fact that performance is at the top of the list the stern and bow are typically graceful as in all classics.

Viewing the yacht sideways on highlights low superstructure above the waterline with the two masts completing the rig which is certainly pleasing to the eye. As for the interior layout, there are two distinct areas, the bow area which is entirely dedicated to the crew’s comfortable quarters, with a lounge and ample galley. There are four crew cabins of which one is a double for the captain and three twins for the other crew members. The main saloon amidships houses sofas, armchairs, a grand piano, multi-media gear and plenty of room, plus a separate dining area and a double cabin for very important guests. Aft of this towards the stern there’s the owner’s suite and guest quarters.

The owner’s suite is set full beam in the stern and contains a double bed off centre, a lounge, dressing table, large bathroom accessed by a passage way serving two cabins with twin beds and dedicated bathrooms.

The technical rooms housing all machinery and engine are situated amidships but on a slightly lower level. The generous space available is further enhanced by the controls room to starboard from which the chief engineer can monitor all panels and gauges even the remotest. The main deck amidships sports ample vertical window panelling below the coachroof along the coaming while the section forward contains the wheel house, then a sofa, and a table opposite a wet bar aft.

A dining area duly protected from excessive sunlight above or bad weather houses a table set lengthwise and sofas along the sides. There’s another outdoor dining area forward of the coachroof and wheel house just described with a table set across. Proceeding back towards the stern aft of the dining area with sofas set along the sides there are two outdoor helm controls stations also furnished by small divans but more importantly by very sophisticated electronics thanks to which the crew can monitor everything and steer the yacht.

The stern end of the main deck hosts a second smaller coachroof below which there’s a small lounge to relax in with a sofa and table specially dedicated to the owner, in fact access to this area is gained from deck or directly from the owner’s suite. There’s an “al fresco” secluded lounge area aft of this with sofas from which to admire the sails set with all their might while cruising with a grand view of the deck itself. As for the interiors, everything has been carried out in a classic style in line with the yacht.

The predominant colours being white matched to natural wood, while cushions outside are red to create a pleasing contrast. Aesthetics are representative of state of the art technology above all when considering the work carried out in house, for example the efficient yet complex hydraulic plant that manages captive and drum winches as well as the bow and stern thrusters all monitored through a PLC system built and fine tuned at the yard.

This is not all since Marie had her hull lines checked out and optimized in an appropriate naval basin before construction, after all the project design team made up by Hoek Design as well as Nigel Ingram is the same one that were responsible for very successful yachts like Adèle and Erica XII. The interiors are by David Easton Design that has developed a yacht with Hoek Design exclusively for private use. Here below is a summary of what Dr. Bosarge Marie’s owner claims:

“ Building Marie the 180’ ketch has been rather like the choreography of a dance or the composition of a symphony. Everyone, the builder, the naval architect, project manager, consultants and suppliers all really got involved in their respective roles and worked together in harmony and perfect timing. The yacht expresses the origin of its name Marie which is translated as “Star of the Sea”.

The Lunge piano is Marie’s heart and soul even though she’s made up of many complex elements. In addition to the creation of a dedicated music room situated in a romantic setting like a sailing boat we sought to concretize a project the naval architecture of which could count on the latest most advanced technologic resources. The hull and aesthetics are in pure André Hoek style borrowed from the 1920s. Marie expresses all her classic beauty whether lying to her anchor or sailing while recalling that her hull and bulb are fruit of years of research and tests.

The outcome is a very fast boat, enhanced by carbon fibre masts and spars, and PBO standing rigging, furling booms and latest generation gear. To further performance when sailing we asked North Sails to cut purposely designed sails to this end among which the largest spinnaker ever (Denmark Loft) which ensures great speeds with a good wind. Marie well blends classic looks with the highest degree of contemporary technology”

For further information: Vitters Shipyard

by Angelo Colombo

The sea trial was pubblished on Superyacht 30 – Autumn 2011