The owner of After You shows that two yachts are better than one...

Both yachts began construction on speculation at Damen Yachting’s specialist shipyard in Antalya, Turkey. The yard’s semi-custom approach combines a common hull, superstructure and engineering platform for streamlined builds and reduced lead times, a move that paid off for After You’s owner, who stepped into the project just a few months prior to completion.

“The idea was always to try to finish the first Xplorer 60 before selling it so that it could be built as planned with our interior,” says Jonny Horsfield, founder of H2 Yacht Design, who penned the interiors and assisted Damen Yachting with the development of the overall concept. “As it happens, the owner made virtually no changes, save for a few TVs.”

When not required as a helipad, the area could serve as a party deck, basketball half-court, or a flexible outdoor lounge, as is preferred by After You’s owner.

“The space is hugely versatile, with plenty of room for an expansive seating area, the equivalent of a sundeck on an 80-metre,” says Back, noting that for owners who desire a swimming pool on their Xplorer 60, “this is the spot to have it”. There’s also a sauna, shower, spa pool and cocktail bar for an indoor/outdoor spa experience.

A key element that had to be factored in was the intention of the yacht to operate in both hot and cold climates

Other design features that collectively contribute to After You’s focus on exploration and adventure include the yacht’s steel hull with an Ice Class 1D classification (for light ice conditions).

“The steel belt around the hull allows for good capability when navigating through icy waters, providing around 50mm of reinforcement, forward and aft,” says Damen Yachting’s senior design and proposal engineer, Massimiliano D’Ottavi.

This capability is underpinned by a pair of quantum semi-retractable stabilisers that operate both under way and at zero speed, ensuring the vessel remains “very comfortable” in even the most testing of sea conditions.

It’s all part of the project’s original focus on “hardcore exploring,” says Horsfield, who was approached by Damen Yachting in 2019 for his expertise in explorer yacht design (most notably Graeme Hart’s 107-metre Ulysses, now Andromeda, and 195-metre REV Ocean, currently in build in Norway).

“When we first started, the boat was going to have a drive-in dock to carry a bigger tender, and was more focused on experiences,” he says. “The concept has slightly softened with time, but the fundamentals remain, in that where you’re going and what you’ll see are the real stars of the show.”

Areas such as the forward exterior deck and the signature crow’s nest (accessed from the bridge deck) answer this intention by offering panoramic views for wildlife spotting. It’s a “special touch” of the Xplorer 60 that helps it stand apart as an expedition vessel, says D’Ottavi, along with greater fuel capacity, more locations for waste storage and bigger freezers compared to Pink Shadow.

Similarly, the forward observation lounge on the upper deck was conceived as a multifunctional space where guests can take in sprawling vistas and polar bear sightings, as well as listen to briefings by scientists by day, before using it as a cosy lounge, with soft white golden weave carpet underfoot, come evening.

The more traditional saloon aft caters to formal dining and family relaxation, with a large pop-up television in the middle of the room, making it ideal for movie nights.

The main aft deck began life as a working area with a tender garage and equipment stowage, but the space evolved following the delivery of Pink Shadow. “The Xplorer 58 was built on the hull that was originally intended for our design,” says Horsfield.

“Damen Yachting learned a lot from that build, particularly how the owner took ownership of the aft deck far more than what we’d originally intended.”

Warm macassar wood and the dark textures leathers create an inviting ambience when cruising in chillier destinations

An extra two metres was added to the next hull, creating the Xplorer 60. The longer length enhances the flexibility of the exterior areas, with the main aft deck now being just as suitable for a bar area, seating area or dining space, as it is for stowing equipment. Two swinging nest chairs hang from the ceiling, also inspired by Pink Shadow’s flamboyant design.

Another key element that had to be factored in was the intention for the yacht to operate in both hot and cold climates; the owner is heading to the Galápagos this winter before perhaps navigating thinner ice in the poles next summer.

This objective is reflected in the interior’s ski chalet vibe, where warm Macassar wood and dark textured leather create an inviting ambience when cruising in chillier destinations. It’s balanced by cool metal door frames, brass shelving and dark bronze trims for an “industrial chic” finish.

“The hot and cold elements were a tricky balance,” admits Horsfield, who singles out the use of handmade soft suede layered over wooden blocks on the walls of the central staircase as an area that successfully underpins that equilibrium. “I’ve been dying to use that material for years, and it lends a wonderful 3D element to that space.”

It’s offset with white leather handrails and marble treads and enhanced by natural light that streams down from the wheelhouse. The wheelhouse, with “floor-to-ceiling windows on all three sides and good ceiling heights giving the captain full visibility”, also enjoys a few evolutionary design features, notes D’Ottavi.

“The two closed bridge wings on either side, a feature only typically found on a larger cruise vessel, provide clear lines of sight forward to aft.” It highlights the pedigree of the design for polar operations, as “it’s difficult to achieve on a normal 60-metre yacht unless you have large bridge wings on the exterior deck”.

Pink Shadow and La Datcha also have chamfered interior lookout wings to port and starboard to enable viewing from a completely protected position; however, After You’s bridge wings have been widened by 400 millimetres.

“We had some feedback on the first design that included extending the bridge wings further out over the side with bigger windows for improved operational sight, and that’s been incorporated on the Xplorer 60,” says Ben Lyons, CEO of EYOS Expeditions, which partnered with Damen Yachting on the development of the original SeaXplorer range (since rebranded as Xplorer), and which continues to provide input based on its experience managing expeditions aboard La Datcha.

Dual helm seats and sumptuous sofas provide a space for guests to comfortably congregate. Most importantly, the bridge layout allows for enough room to accommodate a large daybed for the owner’s dog.

Other areas of change based on EYOS’s feedback include better access for the crew to get from the bridge to the bow, “which is now over the top and down a ladder into the forward mooring deck/outdoor observation area”, Lyons says.

All six guest suites, including the full-beam owner’s cabin, are located on the main deck and are accessed via a reception area that could feasibly be used as a refined mud room for when returning from expeditions.

Mirrors and large windows bounce the light throughout the interiors. Special attention is paid to ceiling design with Majilite and fabrics featuring in the guest areas for a quieter, cosy feel.

The owner’s suite enjoys cut-out leather panelling on both the ceiling and headboard “to bring a little bit of delicacy and femininity to the space”, explains Horsfield. Two matching walk-in wardrobes are twinned with a his-and-hers marble en suite, fitted with a large rain shower and full-sized bathtub that sits under the window for sunset soaks.

Horsfield developed the original owner’s suite layout, which, located at the end of a long corridor, initially lacked the necessary privacy as it opened straight into the bedroom. “It didn’t have a natural owner’s lobby, so we created one using a three-quarter height wall that doubles as a headboard,” he says.

Clever design quirks also feature in the guest cabins, such as ripple leather panels on the headboards and integrated desks that sweep down in one continuous swoosh to form a chaise longue-style seating area.

All six enjoy 2.3-metre ceiling heights to enhance the sense of space. For Horsfield though, it’s the outboard elevation of the windows, finished in white satin paint to serve as a picture frame for the great outdoors, that adds the final elegant touch.

“That was my way of saying, that’s what you’re looking at, the view outside, not bookcases or curtains and other distractions,” he says. “That’s not to say that After You’s design is pared back, however. It’s actually quite a controlled design, which is much trickier to execute.”

The second Xplorer 60, currently in build, features a different Horsfield interior with a “beach house feel”. Time will tell if After You’s adventures inspire any further design developments.

First published in the December 2025 issue of BOAT International. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.