ART Shipyard has launched its first 35-meter BEE YACHT, with Ocean Independence acting as the worldwide Central Agent for this exquisite explorer.
ART Shipyard, the latest venture of the Besiktas Group, brings a rich heritage and a new level of excellence to the luxury yachting industry. The shipyard is now set to make a significant impact with its first fully-fledged superyacht, an exquisite 35-meter explorer named BEE YACHT.
Designed for sustained and comfortable cruising, BEE YACHT combines robust steel and aluminium construction with sophisticated and contemporary interiors, promising an exceptional yachting experience. BEE YACHT was recently launched and presented as a ready-to-go new-build yacht, completed at their facility in Tuzla.
Touted as a pocket-sized explorer, BEE YACHT was designed by Hydro Tec, a name synonymous with the design of explorer yachts in this size category, with long-range cruising and functionality in mind. Its full-displacement steel hull and aluminium superstructure, carefully crafted to stay under 300 GT, deliver a decidedly robust and comfortable platform.
Sergio Cutolo, President and Founder of Hydro Tec, explains the concept as follows: “Our goal was to create a Mediterranean-friendly explorer yacht with ample open spaces. Smaller explorers can often lack expansive exterior decks, but with BEE YACHT, the large sundeck and transom area with a pool is central to this.
The main deck offers a ‘real beach club’ experience, with a hobby area at the bathing platform and Lazarette below for storing equipment like diving gear or surfboards. This approach provides perfect communication with the water, creating a truly unique and enjoyable outdoor space.”
Cutolo designed BEE YACHT a bit wider than similar vessels with some major advantages in mind. He comments: “The wider 7.7-meter beam provides excellent hull volume and greater fuel storage, extending the range to over 4,000 nautical miles cruising at 10 knots.
Our CFD analysis showed minimal efficiency loss with the wider beam, while the extra fuel capacity is advantageous for long-range cruising and refuelling at more economical locations, making it perfect for Mediterranean routes where fuel prices can vary significantly from country to country.”
A Trendy and Comfortable Interior
The walls in the Main Salon are horizontally crossed by a delicate, high-contrast dark lacquer frame, positioned at about two-fifths of the total height. Below the frame, the walls feature matte bleached oak with vertical veneer lines, while above, the panels are white.
This proportion enhances brightness and allows the frame to seamlessly cross through the doors. In many areas, the vertical panelling forms sinuous curves, highlighted by the dark frames that border the ceiling and the natural oak parquet. This arrangement is consistent throughout the entire interior.
Markedly different from the Main Salon is the Upper Lounge. In this space, the horizontal division of coverings, the roundness of the panelling, and the large blind box are dominant features. The aft cabinet, positioned below the ceiling TV lift, echoes the design of the Main Salon’s furniture but with significantly different proportions.
To enhance luminosity and create a more relaxed, lounge-like atmosphere, the cabinet is designed to be considerably lower. The centrepiece of the Upper Lounge is the bar. It features a Corian side panel that curves sinuously to form the bar top facing the guest area, while the square operational portion behind ensures practicality.
This elegant design is embellished with backlit White Onyx, similar to the bathrooms, and includes an adapted shelf inside. The front of the bar, facing the guests, is adorned with a commissioned work from a local artist, adding a touch of unique artistry to the space. Adjacent to the bar and fully facing the guest area is a striking full-height wine cellar, serving as both a functional and decorative feature.
The Owner’s Cabin mirrors much of the design found in the Main Salon, particularly the curved wall that divides the cabin from the bathroom. This continuity creates a cohesive and harmonious aesthetic throughout the yacht.
The Owner’s bathroom maintains the yacht’s overall interior design language and mood board, but with distinct proportions and materials. White and Calacatta Cremo marble are used extensively, with bleached oak appearing primarily in the furniture structure.
The arrangement of the four Lower Deck cabins, along with their corresponding bathrooms, draws inspiration from the design of the Owner’s Cabin, ensuring a consistent and luxurious aesthetic throughout the yacht. Full-height wardrobes enhance the luxurious feel of the cabins, featuring doors entirely covered in a leather weave with a three-dimensional effect.
This intricate detailing adds depth and texture, elevating the overall design and creating a refined, opulent atmosphere in each guest cabin.
Michele Dragoni of Dragoni Design Lab has been responsible for the interior design. He comments: “The BEE YACHT 35m Explorer could be described as a double-faced yacht. The Explorer side is strong, and the general feeling instills safety and protection. The luxury yacht side is trendy, modern, comfortable, and open to the landscape. The interior design reflects these exterior feelings. Some typical explorer design elements became part of the interior design too, for example, the shape of the vertical windows is mentioned in the interior by a rectangular rounded shape that is visible in several different details all around the cabins. Natural light is the focus of the interior design, and for this reason, all the reflecting materials are located next to the windows to empower the natural light throughout the interior.”
