Feadship's family-friendly 44.65m motor yacht Helix has made her public debut at the Monaco Yacht Show
Built on spec by the Dutch yard, the De Voogt-designed Helix is the fifth in the F45 Vantage series of yachts, the first of which was fully customised. Feadship intend to keep the family to six, in order to retain its exclusivity.
‘We want to have a limited tradition in this,’ says Koos Zitman, director of Feadship. ‘We won’t build more unless someone really wants us to.’
It seems likely they will receive such a request for the F45 Vantage series has proved immensely popular with its owners. The combination of a proven platform with the option to customise and the Feadship pedigree is evidently a winning formula.
The appeal of the F45 Vantage lies not only in its clever layout, beautiful detailing and design solutions, but also in the volume that is created within this 'mid-sized' 45 metre vessel. Aft on the main deck a large saloon offers an area for dining and sofas for relaxing.
One deck up, the upper saloon has a teak floor that flush with the aft deck, and the doors can be fully opened to make the two areas feel like one cohesive, light and airy space. This feeling is enhanced by three huge windows on either side, which can all be fully opened. Like all details on this Feadship this aspect has been carefully considered with the owner's needs and usage in mind.
Guest cabins are laid out on the main deck, and because of this all feature large windows, making them light and airy. Forward of these is the owners’ suite. Zitman points out that while some people prefer to accommodate guests on the lower deck, the ethos behind this yacht is more in keeping with the way yachts are used today.
‘It’s about family life, being together, as if it were a beach house on water,’ he says.
But the owner will not want to share his bathroom. The grand marble space features both a shower and bath. Large skylights above the bed and bath offer ample stargazing opportunities at night and excellent natural light during the day.
Helix is decorated in mahogany and cream tones throughout, in a chic, understated style, which Feadship calls Nautical - one of four interior themes the yard offers with the F45 Vantage series.
Feadship plans to take Helix on to the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show, and then possibly to China, where she will represent the yard's brand to a new market.
‘China is brand conscious,’ says Zitman. ‘Helix is a big investment, but it is worth it to introduce ourselves.’
Helix is powered by twin 1055hp MTU engines offering 788 kW and has a top speed of 14.5 knots and a transatlantic range.