£4.95 US$10.99JUly 2011

INTERNATIO

NAL

ImagIne Bridging the gap between custom

and semi-custom

Christina O gets a nip and tuck – turn to page 70

exclusive

lady BrIttHow a first-time

owner designed his perfect charter yacht

red Sea rISIngMY Hana explores the dive sites of this emerging playground

lIght fantaStICHow a clever lighting scheme can transform your yacht

CUttIng edgeTim Heywood: the inspiration behind the scimitar bow Amels 199

0123456789 0123456789<#l#> www.boatinternational.com www.boatinternational.com <#r#>

Imaginewords: Amanda McCrackenphotography: Marc Paris and Klaus Stemler

0123456789 www.boatinternational.com <#r#> 0123456789

i m a g i n e

With the unrelenting grip on the economies around the world still having an effect on the assets of high net worth individuals, which companies in the superyacht building arena are

making offerings that will tempt you to buy?

In September 2008, the growth in new-build superyachts came to an

abrupt halt, particularly affecting the 40 to 50 metre range of motor

yachts. These had been so popular that demand had outstripped supply

simply because they were good value for money and a good size for

private and charter use. What we have seen in recent times is that there

are green shoots of recovery in the largest sector – those yachts of 60

metres-plus LOA. It seems that owners are far more savvy regarding

what they want for their floating homes and are insisting on getting top

quality along with volume for a good price.

If you don’t want to go into a full client contract for a custom yacht and

don’t want to be restricted to designs already produced for semi-custom

with little opportunity to have your say then you should take a look at a

yacht that aims to bridge that divide: the Amels Limited Editions. Based

in The Netherlands, Amels is the luxury yacht sector of the Damen

Shipyards Group and its Limited Editions are custom yachts with benefits.

The yachts use named designers, but the hull design and engineering

share common values which are already drawn, which means around

50 to 60 per cent of the work is already done. What happens behind the

topsides is pretty much what happens in any custom yacht. The budget

is set by the yard and designers have to work within these parameters.

What do you get for your money? You get the expertise of the Amels

design and engineering department; Amels complete outfitting; a steel

hull with aluminium superstructure; pedigree equipment, for example

and Heinen & Hopman HAVC and Quantum stabilisers; and Lloyd’s

classification as standard. For the design package you have industry

heavyweights; for the first Amels 212 Tim Heywood for the exterior and

sun deck and Andrew Winch Designs (AWD) for the interior. Andrew

Winch explains, ‘Doing the design this way means that there are no

egos, it’s a collaboration between the owner, shipyard, designers and

the top end fit-out company Metrica.’

Before we go further it would be prudent to visit how this type of

build came about. In 1999 the owner of Tigre D’Or saw a gap in the

market to build identical yachts and sell them on. But this is not what

Amels intended to mimic. The raison d’etre of Amels yachts is born out

of what its customers want and not out of necessity and that is where

the company has triumphed since the inception of this idea in 2005

when the first Amels 171 was introduced, of which there are now 14.

Listening to what owners wanted was paramount to its success, and has

led to the introduction of the 177, 180, 212, 242 and recently the sale of

the first 199.

Here we look at the first 212 Imagine, named after the John Lennon

song. Seeing her anchored off the pretty inlet at Andratx, Majorca, gave

amels limited editions ranges bridge the gap between custom and semi-custom yachts. for owners seeking flexibility and individuality but who require delivery in two rather than five years, the 212 could well be the answer

<#l#> www.boatinternational.com0123456789 www.boatinternational.com <#r#> 0123456789

The sun deck is a dream for guests with a swimming pool with in-water

bar and a spa pool forward for a quick dip. For those that want to

stay trim the gym offers top-of-the-range equipment. Dining is alfresco by day or night, and you have to try

out the built-in chaise longue at cocktail hour

Heywood has worked his magic with curved, sweeping, feminine lines that flow, dip and provide long eyebrows for a surprise in the VIP cabins

i m a g i n e

<#l#> www.boatinternational.com0123456789 www.boatinternational.com <#r#> 0123456789

me time to take in her appearance. She looks modern, with a high

sheerline that sweeps down to her stern, emphasised by the topsides

painted in a classy, subtle pale grey that tricks the eye into thinking her

smaller than her five decks. Heywood has worked his magic with

curved, sweeping, feminine lines that flow, dip and provide long

eyebrows for a surprise in the VIP cabins, which we will come to later.

Boarding from the tender to the aft deck you find a small beach club

that can be used by swimmers and still be private, but there is no gaping

hole where you would normally find a huge space for toys and tenders.

The tenders are in a self-contained garage with gull wing doors on both

sides of the hull, a good solution for launching in most conditions.

The main deck is a surprise, as the layout has been completely

rethought. Gone are the standard aft banquettes and cocktail tables –

instead you enter a sophisticated dining area where you can enjoy

indoor or alfresco dining and beyond is one of the most cavernous

saloons I have seen, complete with baby grand piano. Everything is

placed symmetrically along the centreline so you can enjoy the art of

the perimeter walls.

AWD has cleverly created wooden beams that arc into the ceiling

giving it a continuous flow, and between these beams are floor-to-

ceiling windows. Ceiling lighting is subtle and soft. Gone are the harsh

white spots on bright stainless steel, instead the dining area and saloon

are bathed in a line of tiny bulbs that are embedded in fore and aft

decorative wide bronze stripes. These emphasise an air of masculinity

that continues forward into the stylish master suite with a delicious

heavily-curtained day room off a circular foyer.

The glass elevator is a triumph of design, seemingly working without

any mechanics as it runs through four decks. On the upper deck, the

VIP cabins lie to starboard and port and by making them long and

narrow with enormous windows you really feel you could step right out

on to the sea. Impressively, this is almost what you can do. A French

door slides back and allows you to stand on the eyebrows created in the

The comfortable upper saloon with a bar can be turned into a cinema room with blackout blinds. From a banquette seat found across the aft bulkhead a large canvas screen comes up at the press of a button, rather than the typical large television screen

After a touch of sun the more conventional

upper deck saloon, which doubles as

a cinema room with a screen

rolling out of a banquette, is the

ideal place to relax

i m a g i n e

<#l#> www.boatinternational.com0123456789 www.boatinternational.com <#r#> 0123456789

Boarding from the tender to the aft deck

you find a small beach club that can

be used by swimmers and still be private

The yacht is well set up for outdoor activities with a good selection of toys. If you want to use the ocean as a large swimming pool then the beach club at the stern is ideal. Tenders can come and go from the side docks where gull wing doors in the side of the hull allow for ease of launching

i m a g i n e

<#l#> www.boatinternational.com0123456789

i m a g i n e

www.boatinternational.com <#r#> 0123456789

hull by Heywood and lean against a solid rail. What better place to take

in the morning air before the rest of the anchorage stirs?

An impressive floating staircase encircled in stone and with an atrium

above brings you to the sun deck, and here I think Heywood has

unleashed his genius for guests. Forward is the standard spa pool with

sunpads, behind this is a wet bar and then a swimming pool with a bar

and stools installed within it, great fun. For those who want to remain

trim there is an air-conditioned gymnasium packed with the latest

equipment and moving aft a huge semi-circular bed, which can be

turned as the sun moves around. This covers the area for a touch-and-go

helicopter and I was sceptical as to how this huge object could be

removed. But it is built in lightweight foam and designed in sections

which I am assured can be easily dismantled and put into the gym. Just

one thing that you will have to watch in this area is the safety rails,

which are to MCA height and made in stainless steel, but they will also

be attractive as a climbing frame for small children and the drop is

straight down on to the next deck.

Looking back at this vast area I notice the mast disappears into the

superstructure midships and there are moulded sections that act as fixed

Biminis, each with portlights, over the gym and pool. Then I spot the

most inventive area on the yacht: to port and starboard are two curved

seats moulded into the hull shape with a view through glass slats between

the ribs in the design. As we cruised into Palma I lay outstretched on soft

sunpads watching the sea go by – there will be a fight for these!

After a touch of sun the more conventional upper deck saloon, which

doubles as a cinema room with a screen rolling out of a banquette, is

the ideal place to relax. Another large alfresco dining area is aft and

glass panes give good protection from the wind. On the lower deck are

four adequate cabins on the centreline. Large escape doors have been

integrated into wardrobes for easy access to the crew deck forward.

Crew cabins are a reasonable size apart from the one furthest to the

bow where two crewmembers are squeezed into a small space which

really isn’t practical. A crew passage passes underneath the guest cabins

allowing the engineer to access the mechanics and engine room without

The main deck is used for a fabulous inside-outside dining experience. Low bulwarks and floor-to-ceiling windows make you feel at one with the ocean. The understated décor uses Jatoba wood and leather with bronze accents to create a mellow atmosphere in the evening for a sophisticated dining experience

You enter a sophisticated area where you can enjoy indoor or alfresco dining and beyond is one of the

most cavernous saloons I have seen, complete with baby grand piano

i m a g i n e

<#l#> www.boatinternational.com0123456789 www.boatinternational.com <#r#> 0123456789

any interference with the running of the yacht. There is just one crew

mess so eating and socialising is done in the same place. The laundry

is well-equipped and is off the crew mess. The chef’s domain is on the

main deck with a dumbwaiter for transporting food up to the top decks.

As you would expect on an Amels yacht the engineering, wiring and

systems are all easily accessible and well labelled. It is becoming

increasingly important for owners to be seen to be as green as possible

and included are genset soot filters. What is also noticeable is how quiet

she is under way. The noise levels in the cabins have been recorded at

less than 50dB, quite an achievement.

The bridge area has a walkaround console, separate radio room and

good-sized captain’s cabin aft. Visibility is good with moulded in bridge

wings used for docking, which was made to look easy by the captain

when going alongside in Palma. An integrated bridge system has been

well thought out, and back-up systems lurk in hidden drawers beneath.

For all intents and purposes this is very much a custom yacht which is

well-engineered and coming in at around 30 per cent less than the cost

of a fully custom yacht of the same gross tonnage. The build time is two

years versus up to five years, you can add your individual stamp on the

design up to a point, and, like anything, if you want to change the layout

completely it can be done, at a price. The next 212 will not have a lift so

the owner can have even more room for a full owner’s deck and designs

have been completed for the Amels 199 (see page 84).

Winch concurs that this is ‘very different from a client lead boat’ but

what you get is a ‘world-class custom yacht with a time advantage’. Here

you can see that you get the same or an even higher level of engineering

and build quality as a fully custom yacht; she is built to the same rules

and regulations, and this limits risk with typically 20 per cent of the

vessel built before an owner comes in. If you are still unsure let me tell

you that the snag list on this boat numbered just five items which were

minor and all solved within two weeks. I don’t think I have ever heard

of that before. I can see exactly why the owners of Imagine have chosen

to go this route and from what we are seeing from the growth that

Amels is currently experiencing, the Limited Editions are here to stay

and a very good option for the owner that wants

to sail over the horizon.

i m a g i n e

The master suite (above) on the main deck forward is full beam

with faux leather ceiling and slatted rafters that follow the style running throughout the

yacht. Floor to ceiling windows deliver abundant light and superb

views to the VIP suites (right)

i m a g i n e

<#l#> www.boatinternational.com0123456789

The windows of the accommodation are double insulated and are coated with a film for heat reflection

Crew access to the guest cabins is via a crew stairway, plus a passageway to the engine room and garage

Both VIP suites have floor-to-ceiling windows and balconettes so guests can enjoy the sunshine

Bar stools can be removed from the pool and a jet stream activated for guests to swim against

imagine amels

LOA 65.5mLWL 59.2mBeam 3.85mDraught 2.5mDisplacement 1,400 TEngines2 x Caterpillar 3516C, 2,000kW @ 1,600rpm each

Speed (max/cruise)17 knots/13 knotsRange at 13 knots5,000nmGenerators 3 x Cat C9, 200ekW. 1 x Cat C4.4, 86ekW emergencyStabilisers4 x Quantum Zero Speed

Fuel capacity155,000 litresOwner and guests 14Crew 17Tenders2 x Yachtwerft Meyer 8mConstructionsteel / aluminium

ClassificationLloyd’s Register 100A1 SSC Yacht Mono G6 LMC, UMS, SCMNaval architect Amels

Exterior stylingTim Heywood Designs

Interior designAndrew Winch DesignsCharter brokerFraser Yachts tel: + 377 93 100 450 email: monaco@fraseryachts.com web: www.fraseryachts.com

Charter rates €530,000 per weekBuilder/year Amels / 2011 tel: +31 118 485002 email: info@amels-holland.com web: www.amels-holland.com

Tank deck not shown

int

er

na

tio

na

l N

UM

BE

R 301 jU

lY 2011

ww

w.boatin

ternation

al.com