The dynamic sporty exterior by Guido de Groot Design and the elongated innovative hull by Van Oossanen Naval Architects were designed to ensure high performance
Starting from the boat’s profile to her metallic finish, Project Zen’s exterior evokes immediate associations with automotive design. The author of the exterior, Guido de Groot, confirms he drew inspiration on supercars that the yacht’s future owner is obsessed with.
Originally, the project was conceived as an intimate yacht for family cruises, and her optimal length was considered to be 36 metres. However, when the designers and the owner started working on the amenities they would like to have on board, it became clear that the length would grow. So first it went up to 38 m, then to 40 m, and finally to the current length of 47.8 m, with a beam of 8.5 m and a draft of 2.15 m.
Project Zen’s technical platform is Fast Displacement Hull Form designed by Dutch Van Oossanen Naval Architects, which ensures a good balance of performance and efficiency. Its optimised shaped enables the boat to cut through the water without pushing it the way a traditional displacement hull normally does, and not sliding on the water like a planing one. In other words, the vessel is fast, but fuel-efficient at low speeds.
Project Zen’s top speed is 17.5 knots, and the cruising speed is 16 knots. The Hull Vane mounted aft decreases both drag and fuel consumption considerably, increasing the boat’s range to 4400 nautical miles at a speed of 10 knots.
As for the layouts, one should note the split-level upper deck, a huge foredeck lounge with a sunpad and a pool, as well as the beach area aft, cascading from the cockpit down to the sea terrace, which can be enlarged with the help of fall-down bulwarks and a swim platform. There is also a storage space for hydro scooters, wakeboards and other kinds of sport gear here, while the 6.25-metre Williams DieselJet and jet ski are housed in the garage forward.
The yacht’s internal volume is 499 GT. There are six guest cabins, including a full-beam master suite, a gym and yoga room. The boat’s family concept is particularly obvious in the main saloon, which is connected to the country kitchen for the guests to have an opportunity to watch the chef working or take part in the cooking process if they feel like it.
The yard’s technical director, Bram Kooltjes, is confident Project Zen will be a success: “Crafted to the highest Dutch standards, she will showcase our ability to deliver a true custom design, developed from the ground up in close collaboration with the owners. Throughout the process, we’ve adapted every detail to reflect their vision, resulting in a truly bespoke dream yacht."
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