my shanti 1 - amels · pdf file boat international boat international my shanti engines 2x...
TRANSCRIPT
<#l#> BOAT INTERNATIONAL BOAT INTERNATIONAL <#r#>
words: Roger Lean-Vercoephotography: Marchant & Gonta, Richard Seaton, Marc Paris, Leonardo Andreoni
WHEN THE OWNERS OF A 50 METRE AMELS DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO UPGRADE, IT SEEMED AN OBVIOUS CHOICE TO USE THE SAME TEAM – RIGHT DOWN TO THE INTERIOR DESIGNERS. THE RESULT IS NOT JUST A SUCCESS, BUT A RESOUNDING TRIUMPH
MY SHANTI
<#l#> BOAT INTERNATIONAL BOAT INTERNATIONAL <#r#>
Building a custom superyacht is perhaps the most complex and challenging task for a shipbuilder, with a difficulty rating exceeding that of just about any other earthbound structure. The team requires an abundance of
knowledge, skills and design disciplines, while the final and perhaps most important
input comes from the client, without whose contribution the vessel is not a ‘customised’
yacht but merely the designer’s idea of what a superyacht should represent. The
success of a yacht can be judged by its functionality, practicality and quality of
construction, but perhaps the ultimate judgement comes from the client, as the yacht
must blend to an owner’s lifestyle and fulfil all their wishes. By all of these standards,
the 64.5 metre Amels-built My Shanti is not just a success, but a resounding triumph.
The path to this success started in 1997 with the launch of the 49.9 metre Tigre d’Or.
Built by Amels for a discerning yachtsman, she featured both exquisite construction
and fashionable exterior and interior design from the studio of Terence Disdale
Design. Indeed, so successful was the project that it evolved into a semi-production
series. Tigre d’Or was eventually purchased by the future owners of My Shanti and
the yacht was an immediate success, used extensively by her new owners. But latterly
they felt the need for more space for their family together with a larger, more
comprehensive sun deck with all-encompassing features. However, their attachment
to the yacht’s style, performance and guest areas led them back to her original builders
and designer, and this same team conceived a yacht that affords much the same style,
facilities and appearance but which offers an amazing 55 per cent more volume
thanks to her extra 14.5 metres of length.
Much of this additional volume has been invested in guest cabins. In addition to
the master suite, positioned conventionally at the forward end of the main deck and
incorporating a twin cabin with two additional Pullman berths, there are six further
spacious double- and twin-bedded guest cabins on the lower deck that, between
them, carry a further 10 Pullman berths. This means the yacht can sleep a total of 29
guests and carry 34 guests at sea, a fact that does not compute with the combination
of her private yacht status and MCA compliance. This point was, however, resolved
with the Cayman Island Flag Authority which will issue a dispensation to award the
yacht an MCA status on the strict understanding that sufficient life saving gear is
carried on board for these guest numbers at all times.
Naturally, the owners’ wish for additional accommodation has impacted on the
options for the layout of the lower deck but they were as clear in their determination
The vast, 27.5-metre sun deck has a dual function, offering not only superb relaxation spaces with a bar, spa pool
and a plunge pool with counter current, but also a guest arrival point – the aft
part doubles as a touch-and-go helipad
M Y S H A N T I
<#l#> BOAT INTERNATIONAL BOAT INTERNATIONAL <#r#>
to provide well-proportioned crew quarters as they were in the decision not to
incorporate a garage for the tenders or a beach club in the yacht’s stern – current
fashions which did not suit the way they would use the yacht. As a result, the sizeable
tenders – both measuring 8.2 metres – are stored on the foredeck and launched with
a substantial 3.2 tonne centrally mounted crane. Naturally, such stowage is not ideal
for passages in rough weather, so on those occasions they join the IMO rescue tender
on the aft portion of the sun deck, which also doubles as a touch-and-go helipad. The
yacht’s personal watercraft, however, are stored in the lazarette which also houses the
fishing and scuba gear, lifejackets and sundry water toys, and which is transformed
into a water sports centre when the PWCs are launched. Unusually, it also stores a
game-fishing fighting chair that can either be mounted on the adjacent bathing
platform or on the bridge deck aft.
Whatever one’s viewpoint, My Shanti is an enviably handsome yacht – well
proportioned, with a sleek profile, a high bow rising to bridge deck level and a
superstructure that is neither too burdensome nor too slight that is set well aft, and
ringed by side decks at both levels. But the plaudits for this yacht run deeper than her
good looks. Custom designed by the in-house naval architects of the Damen Shipyards
Group (the shipbuilder that owns Amels) this is a true ‘little ship’ whose ocean-going
hull was not conceived simply to accommodate the highest possible interior volume,
but which was designed to be eminently seaworthy and fuel efficient.
Since her launch two years ago, My Shanti has voyaged some 36,000 nautical miles
in all weathers, and her captain, Kenan Seginer, is unstinting in his praise. ‘I’ve been
on a number of yachts in my career,’ he says, ‘and this is the one I would choose to
be on in bad weather – she’s seriously comfortable in a gale, takes little water over
the bows even in Force 12, and has no trouble in keeping up her 14 knot cruising
speed.’ Tank-tested at MARIN in The Netherlands, it was found that the hull had such
design stability that only one pair of stabilisers were required, and the Quantum units
that were installed have proved extremely effective both at sea and at anchor. Another
excellent feature is her independently controllable articulating rudders that can direct
the thrust of her inward-turning propellers 90 degrees to either side, making a stern
thruster unnecessary. Such manoeuvrability pleases the captain, who delights in
satisfying the owners’ love of anchoring in small secluded coves, occasions when the
yacht’s stern anchor also comes in handy.
Such excellence in concept and design extends to her deck spaces that, like her
exterior styling, were designed by Terence Disdale to bear a strong family resemblance
with those of the original yacht. Relaxation, entertaining, outdoor living and water
sports are the raisons d’être of this yacht and these are brilliantly reflected in the three
deck areas reserved for the owners and their guests. Uppermost, bridged by its arch
mast, the vast sun deck – 27.5 metres in length with an average width of more than six
metres – contains everything required for a day in the sun. Forward is a raised spa
pool that is joined by a bridge to a larger four metre long swimming pool fitted with a
counter current. A full-service bar sits beneath the shade of the mast whose underside
conceals a large, fold-down television, while casual dining or games tables, sofas and
chaises longues nestle aft. Admittedly, the crane that lifts the tenders into their heavy-
weather stowage positions on this deck does impact on the ambience of the area, but
its low profile and clean, attractive design serve to minimise such intrusion.
The spacious upper saloon offers plenty of informal seating, while an 18-seater dining table on the upper aft deck can be combined with other exterior tables and the interior 10-seater table to create a truly prodigious formal dining area
M Y S H A N T I
<#l#> BOAT INTERNATIONAL BOAT INTERNATIONAL <#r#>
One of the pillars of the Disdale Design team’s reputation is that they understand
the way owners use their yachts and because of this they are able to ensure that all
the guest areas can be efficiently serviced by the crew. My Shanti is no exception to
this. A stairwell dedicated to the use of staff descends from the sun deck, passing
through large, well-equipped service pantries and the main deck crew entrance
lobby, on its way down to the galley and crew area on the lower deck – a route
paralleled by the shaft for a huge, 250kg capacity dumb waiter.
If the sun deck is the yacht’s casual daytime living area, the bridge deck aft takes
over for large-scale entertaining, particularly in the evenings when a barbecue makes
a popular feast. This area, which can be sheltered from the wind by extending glass
sides, is dominated by a vast Corian-topped dining table that can seat up to 18 in
comfort, with the option to increase this number by making use of the two semi-
circular alcove tables and the pair of tables fronting the corner seats. In fact, the
number of diners once reached a massive 52 by extending into the adjacent bridge
deck saloon where a 10-seater table sits at the centre of a semicircle of floor-to-
deckhead windows. Impressive that may be, but ask one of the children what they
feel is the best thing about this deck and they will unhesitatingly tell you that it is the
waterslide – a vast inflatable structure fixed to a ‘pirate’s plank’ that extends
athwartships, lubricated by a constant flow of water.
A further dining area is found one deck below on the aft portion of the main deck,
but this area is more commonly used as a place to receive guests before guiding them
forward into a small lobby that gives entrance to the yacht’s interior.
It is a tribute to Disdale’s original interior design for Tigre d’Or that the owners of
My Shanti requested a repeat of the same calm, cool and understated comfort. The
only change is the scale – with the new yacht’s saloon stretching forward through a
seating and dining area for a full 13 metres; four metres more than on the original
yacht. The interior woodwork, constructed by specialist yacht furniture makers
Metrica, is very similar in style to the earlier yacht – the walls are clad in the
recognisably Disdale themes of gently scalloped staves of honeyed oak, interspersed
with more intricate areas of delicate vertical reeding. Raised deckhead panels make
use of the same warm material, this time crisscrossed with banding and their edges,
which also serve as high surface area (and hence, quiet) exit ports for the ducted air
Delicate vertical reeding lining the main staircase offers a subtle contrast to the scalloped honey-coloured oak prevalent throughout the interior, while the bridge itself continues the warm, minimalist feel making for a clean and functional space
M Y S H A N T I
<#l#> BOAT INTERNATIONAL BOAT INTERNATIONAL <#r#>
MY SHANTI
ENGINES2x CAT 3516B DITA SCAS
SPEED (MAX/CRUISE) 16.6/14.8knots
RANGE AT 14.8 KNOTS 5,250nm
FUEL CAPACITY 161,300 litres
THRUSTERS HRP
STABILISERS Quantum Marine
GENERATORS3 x MAN, 244 kW, 1 x Cummins 95kW
FRESHWATER CAPACITY 50,700 litres
GREY/BLACK WATER CAPACITY33,500 litres
OWNER AND GUESTS29
CREW 17
TENDERS 8.2m Aquamajestic 27, 8.2m Novurania
CONSTRUCTION Steel hull, aluminium superstructure
CLASSIFICATION Lloyd’s +100A1 SSC Yacht(P) Mono G6
+LMC, UMS, SC
NAVAL ARCHITECT Amels BV
EXTERIOR STYLING/ INTERIOR DESIGN
Terence Disdale Design
SALES BROKER Merle Wood & Associates
Merle A. Wood III and Peter Croke Tel: +954 525 5111
Email: [email protected] Web: www.merlewood.com
BUILDER/YEAR Amels BV / 2007
Koningsweg 2, 4381 NA Vlissingen, P.O. Box 84, 4380 AB Vlissingen,
The Netherlands Tel.: +31 (0)118 48 50 02
Web: www.amels-holland.co
LOA 64.5m
LWL 58m
BEAM 11.39m
DRAUGHT 3.75m
DISPLACEMENT 1,260 tonnes
<#l#> BOAT INTERNATIONAL
M Y S H A N T I
BOAT INTERNATIONAL <#r#>
conditioning, lit with the suffused glow of rope lights. The instant impression of the
room blends this warm background with the bright but gentle light diffusing through
the oak-slatted venetian blinds that shade the abundance of windows. It is the softness
and evenness of this light and the off-white finish to just about every other element
of the room, from carpets to the deckhead and the upholstery fabrics, that imparts an
overwhelming sense of calm. Indeed, this warm tone extends throughout the yacht
to create a supreme sense of relaxation – thus fulfilling another of the owners’ aims.
The forward part of the saloon contains an interesting dining table, its scalloped
form overlaid with squares of silver-leaf and its centre conveniently filled with a
rotating lazy-susan. If the occasion demands, its 12 seats can be expanded to 20 by
attaching extensions at either end. The aft portion of the room, furnished with
delicately curved, deep-seated sofas and chaise longues, is a thoroughly relaxed
conversation area that can equally be focused on the huge 62-inch flatscreen television
that rises to fill the divide between saloon and aft entrance lobby. This is one of many
screens aboard the yacht which, combined with extensive surround systems, offers
comprehensive entertainment options for the guests. Perhaps most importantly, the
central operating system is easy to understand. The ‘kiss’ principle – ‘keep it simple’
– was applied here by the system’s installers, Intelect, as it was equally applied by
Amels to more complex issues in the engine room. Music is stored on a hard-drive-
based Kaleidescape system, but the yacht’s collection of some 3,000 films are on
DVDs stored in custom racks in the upper lobby – a simpler option, as inserting a disk
into a DVD player and pressing ‘play’ is more readily understood by everyone.
The upper saloon is another wonderful space, similar to that on the main deck but
with the relative size of its sitting and dining areas reversed. Lowering a shoji screen
set in the forward bulkhead unites the saloon with the adjacent gymnasium, so fitness
enthusiasts can communicate easily with guests in the saloon.
The same oak-based decorative scheme continues forward from the main deck
saloon through the entrance lobby, where doors connect to the side deck and the side
boarding ladder, and onwards in the winding passageway leading to the master suite.
Past a sliding door that gives access to a private hallway is a twin bed cabin which,
with a second door further along the passage, can either be part of the master suite
or separated from it. The second door brings one to a smaller lobby, from which a
massage room opens, before a third set of doors open to the inner sanctum. Even
then one’s entry is discreet, with an art-topped cabinet and screen wall offering a
The dining table, at the forward end of the open plan main saloon, is overlaid with squares of silver leaf. At the aft end of the saloon, a 62-inch flatscreen television rises to fill the divide between the saloon and the aft entrance lobby
The aft portion of the room, furnished with delicately curved, deep-seated
sofas and chaises longues, is a thoroughly relaxed conversation area
<#l#> BOAT INTERNATIONAL BOAT INTERNATIONAL <#r#>
choice of turning right past the owners’ study or left past the suite’s second bathroom,
before entering the bedroom itself. This is an impressive room, not in a sense of
splendour or richness of decoration but in its magnificent size that fills the yacht’s 11
metre beam and stretches a full five metres fore and aft, and also in its elegant, pale
furnishings that are brought to life by the light and views that flood in through the six
barrel-shaped windows. Beside the massive bed, a door opens forward to a wardrobe-
fitted dressing room that adjoins the main bathroom where the simple, understated
elegance of fossil-rich, beige marble wraps the room in warm-toned luxury.
The yacht’s remaining six guest cabins – four with double beds and two with twin
beds – are entered from a lower deck lobby found at the foot of the stairway that
descends from the main saloon’s aft entrance lobby. All well sized and brightly lit
through large ports, they follow the familiar decorative theme found throughout the
yacht, with the only individual touches being the differing colour of the bedspreads.
The four double cabins are of equal size and adjoined by a bathroom entered through
My Shanti’s interior styling draws close parallels to the owners’ previous yacht, also a Disdale design. The main bedroom in the owner’s suite spans the whole 11 metres of the hull, while running five metres fore and aft
M Y S H A N T I
This is an impressive room, not in a sense of splendour or richness of decoration, but in its magnificent size and also in its elegant, pale furnishings that are brought to life by the light that floods in through the six windows
<#l#> BOAT INTERNATIONAL
M Y S H A N T I
a dressing room, while the two slightly smaller twin cabins are provided with a
shower room and a wardrobe. Very practically, there is a refrigerator in the lobby
where guests are able to find a store of drinks and nibbles should they need them.
Of course, no yacht will function smoothly without machinery spaces that are
properly equipped and well laid out, nor without well-conceived crew quarters and
service areas. The crew mess can seat all 17 crew at meal times; their cabins are
spacious, and working areas such as the laundry are also properly sized and equipped.
It is in these areas, as in the yacht’s more technical areas, that the expertise and
quality workmanship of the Amels workforce shines through. Notably, there is no
experimental element – every piece of equipment offers solidly reliable, proven
technology, immaculately laid out to provide accessibility and ease of maintenance.
While this is certainly seen in the equipment and professional layout of the bridge,
it is in the complexity of the engine room where the builder’s ability is beyond doubt.
Entered from the crew mess through a control room so well organised that its function
appears deceptively simple, the engine room is perfection in its layout. A circular
walkway around the room’s periphery creates an upper floor that skirts various neatly
installed ancillary systems, a compact workshop and the three 244kW generators.
Their output was selected so that just one unit is required to run the yacht without
guests aboard, while with guests embarked two will run every function including the
bow thruster. The lower area carries a pair of 2,200hp air-start Caterpillar diesels that,
coupled to conventional shafts and fixed pitch propellers, give the yacht her 17-knot
top speed and 14.8 knot continuous cruising speed. Impressive pipe runs and cable
trays intertwine the area with the accuracy of a printed circuit board, but simplicity is
at the heart of all this and it takes little explanation to understand the maze – it seems
that a great deal of notice has been taken of the large sign that spells out the letters
‘KISS’ on the office wall of Amels chief designer Wouter Kleijpoel.
My Shanti is a gorgeous yacht, but she is also a beautifully finished ship, in which the
professionalism of Amels and their parent company Damen shine through alongside the
calm, restful and understated interior from Terence Disdale Design that exactly meets
the owners’ specifications. This is professional yacht building at its best.
While this is certainly seen in the professional layout of the bridge, it is in the engine room where the builder’s ability is beyond doubt
With the guest cabins – both doubles and twins – offering extensive additional Pullman berths, My Shanti can sleep 29 guests. In view of this, the Cayman Island Flag Authority will issue a dispensation to award the yacht MCA status