Dutch shipyard Feadship has presented the latest superyacht concept from its design room, this time in collaboration with British studio Harrison Eidsgaard. Named EXPV, the 87 metre concept is a radical departure from traditional explorer yacht design and is characterised by two deckhouses connected by a floating glass bridge.
The forward deckhouse is dedicated to the owner's quarters while the guest area can be found aft. “The whole concept is based on the premise that the owners have their own residence and there is a separate guest house for friends and visitors,” said Peder Eidsgaard, co-founder of Harrison Eidsgaard.
The two spaces are connected by a suspended glass walkway and a beach club on the lower deck that Feadship has dubbed the 'ocean lounge' with folding platforms on both sides, an indoor swimming pool and a skylight in the deckhead above. The side platforms sit just above the waterline, which means they can be deployed in rougher-than-usual conditions while keeping the lounge itself free from waves and reduces the risk of flooding. Sliding glass doors allows guests to stay fully protected from the elements without sacrificing the view.
“The idea is that the owners can spend weeks on board in full privacy, but also interact with their guests in the ocean lounge in the middle of the boat,” Eidsgaard added.
Between the bridge and the beach club, and essential for any true explorer, is storage for two 13.5 metre tenders with no height restriction thanks to the open configuration of the deck. Additional toys and tenders can be towed in a side-opening garage beneath the foredeck.
Placing the tender deck amidships with the ocean lounge below posed a significant engineering challenge for Feadship's technical team and required an analysis of structural strength. Another impressive feat of engineering on board is the mast, which features a crow's nest integrated into the structure with a two-person pod that travels past the radar domes to the top.
The owner's apartment sits across the concept's full 13.6 metre beam and benefits from direct access to a vast foredeck sun lounge, an observation lounge and a fully certified helideck that crowns the forward deckhouse. Alternatively, guests can arrive via tender at the transom platform.
Accommodation is for a total of 10 guests and a crew of 28. Central to the configuration of the guest accommodation was the idea that all cabins should face outwards. The six guest suites, as a result, are arranged around the stern across two levels and are each equipped with private terraces and beds that face out to sea. The cabins can even be combined into spacious VIP suites depending on the number of guests on board and the requirements of the owner.
“When we started this project, we took all the features you find on superyachts and threw them up in the air,” Eidsgaard explained. “The pieces landed where you might not expect to find them, but where they might make more sense. The two deckhouses are unique and no other superyacht has them, but the profile with its reverse bow, bold use of glass and dynamic curves is very purposeful."
The EXPV concept is conceived with a diesel-electric propulsion system with generators and pods for less noise and vibration, while keeping the door open for future renewable fuel sources. The design will have a top speed of 15.5 knots and a range of 6,000 nautical miles.
EXPV joins a small but growing portfolio of design concepts from the Dutch shipyard, which includes the 85 metre Slice announced at the Monaco Yacht Show.