Expedition checklist: What makes an explorer yacht?
Ocean crossing range at a reasonable speed
Another common measurement for whether a yacht is a true explorer or not comes with its maximum cruising range — how far can it explore without needing to refuel? Most yachts measuring over 40 metres will have a transatlantic cruising range of around 3,000 nautical miles, but serious explorer yachts will have an even longer range.
Andrea Pezzini, founder of charter management and brokerage firm Floating Life, argues: “For us, the minimum range for a yacht to be considered a true explorer yacht is 5,400 nautical miles and a speed for long distances of no less than 10 to 12 knots.”
The 90 metre Lürssen yacht Ice easily satisfies this criteria, as she can cruise for 6,000 nautical miles at 15 knots without having to fill up.
Deep storage, emissions control and a high degree of manoeuvrability are just some of the other important considerations when defining an explorer yacht. An in-depth analysis of all these factors and much more can be found in Futureyachts, which is out now.