When the Rock 85 launched from the drawing boards of Dutch design studio Vripack in 2018, it boasted a voluminous open plan layout with 20 per cent more internal volume than any other 26m boat on the market.
Five years on, and the new iteration – Rock XWide (meaning extra width) – has reinvigorated the design yet again, now with 35 per cent more interior space and 25 per cent more exterior space than the original ground-breaking design.
“Rock XWide has an impressive 8.5m beam, but we not only made the design wider, but also developed a refined interior layout,” says Vripack co-creative director, Bart Bouwhuis. “We went ‘boom’ on the reinvention and the results are incredible.”
By adding extra width amidships, rather than widening the side decks, the heart of the interior remains relatively unchanged save for more room for family dining, more space for socialising and a freer flow of movement. The previous door that led from the main salon to the aft deck has been replaced with double sliding glass doors that open onto an all-new 2.5m aft deck plunge pool.
The additional interior room is most noticeable in the guest cabins, which have increased from three lower deck suites to a substantial four, without compromising on size. A full beam owner’s suite on the main deck forward brings the total number of generous guest cabins up to five – quite an achievement for a 26m boat that is fully built under CE-A regulations.
The robust yacht now holds more toys on the top deck, larger tender storage on the swim platform and a transatlantic range, making Rock XWide unbeatable in its class. Two crew cabins are twinned with a lighter and larger galley than in previous models, and a new crew mess with breakfast bar seating.
“The revisions were developed on feedback from the current Rock owners who have sailed the world in their yachting homes, from the Mediterranean to Asia,” says Bouwhuis. “The expansion allows for more of everything on board, wrapped up in a compact explorer yacht that hits a respectable top speed of 13 knots.”
The first hull is currently under construction at Turkish shipyard Evadne Yachts, following the laying of the keel earlier this month.
