The latest Vitruvius yacht under construction has reached a landmark stage of its progress at the Feadship facilities in The Netherlands, and this week was transferred from the hull-building facility in Papendrecht to be outfitted in Aalsmeer, with an expected completion date of November 2021.
The 55-metre expedition vessel is the eighth yacht to be realised from Philippe Briand’s designs for London-based Vitruvius Yachts ltd, with naval architecture carried out by his partner company Philippe Briand Architecture in France.
As a renowned pioneer in the trend for explorer yachts, this latest project has all the hallmark world-cruising capabilities for which Vitruvius is known – including Briand’s proprietary efficient hull design that delivers a low fuel consumption and impressive cruising range – but with its own modern, rugged profile.
The steel-hulled, ice-class yacht, known as Feadship Project 708 and Vitruvius No. 8, has been commissioned by a highly experienced and discerning owner, who has extensive plans for touring the globe. These include an audacious, high-latitude expedition north of Japan through the North-East Passage, which requires various specialist equipment for safe cruising through the ice. The yacht is equipped with the largest gyroscope built to date, weighing 21 tonnes, as conventional stabiliser fins would be damaged by the passing pack ice. To enjoy adventures without limits, the yacht is kitted out with a submarine for underwater exploration, a rough terrain vehicle for off-road touring and a custom limousine tender for comfortable and protected trips ashore, even in the most challenging of conditions.
“We are delighted with the progress that has been made on Vitruvius No. 8, which has been one of our most challenging and rewarding projects to date,” comments Philippe Briand. “Working with an experienced owner who has such a precise vision for his cruising, alongside the world-class team at Feadship, has been a thrilling and inspiring adventure. We can’t wait to see her finally delivered next year, so she can spread her wings and take flight to the furthest reaches of the oceans.”
Brief specs
Length: 54.9m
Beam: 10.35m
Draught: 2.99m
Range: 5,500 nm
Fuel: 140,000L
Fresh water: 25,000L
Naval Architecture: Briand Yacht Design
Exterior Design: Vitruvius Yachts ltd
About Philippe Briand – Vitruvius Yachts Ltd
London-based naval architect and yacht designer Philippe Briand has been conceiving high-performance, visionary yachts since his childhood days sailing in La Rochelle. Today, Philippe Briand is the CEO and inspired team-leader coordinator of three design divisions: sailing yachts as Philippe Briand Ltd, motor yachts with Vitruvius Yachts Ltd and interiors by Philippe Briand – both for yachting and world-class real estate. His technical excellence and precision, accompanied by a strong artistic flair and talent for fashioning innovative design trends in the yachting market, have continued to evolve over what is arguably the most prolific career of any yacht designer today. Philippe Briand is one of the few real innovators in yachting, a “senior designer” of what is today the expedition/explorer vessels trend. His successes have led him to build up a loyal client base of extremely discerning owners for custom designs, as well as to encourage a new generation of owners who are attuned to his prioritisation of sustainable, intelligent design solutions, efficient and long-range green technologies.
Briand’s background in naval architecture gives him the leading edge when it comes to integrating new technologies into his designs, as well as incorporating new materials or considering existing materials in new ways. His technical background and understanding of advanced hydrodynamics and production engineering have led to the creation of dozens of successful production yacht models over the years, accounting for over 12,000 vessels launched. The company’s current projects range from six to 105 metres, both for sailing yachts and motor yachts, including many highly customised and technical designs. With offices in London and La Rochelle, France, Briand and his team of designers have won 34 international yacht design awards for their work (to date, Jan 2020), and have collaborated with some of the most highly respected sailing yacht builders in the world, including Perini Navi, Lürssen (Germany), Pendennis (UK), Royal Huisman (Netherlands), Vitters (Netherlands), CNB (France) and Groupe Beneteau (France).
