Whether nudging up a tropical inlet or heading for the Arctic, there's an explorer yacht concept to suit
Our selection of the most intriguing of the recent explorer yacht concepts starts with Sky Hawk. Created for serious exploration, this 75-metre from Hawk Yachts can push through 40cm of first-year ice. It is designed by Marco Casali, and boasts a helipad forward and a main-deck pool aft, and there is an option for a helicopter hangar aft. The yacht sleeps 12 guests, served by 25 crew. Click here for more
The M42 has been developed in co-operation with Northrop & Johnson and designer Gregory C. Marshall. The steel-and-aluminium yacht boasts a huge aft deck platform, with an itinerary of toys that includes an 8.4-metre tender, a full dive set-up, three Jetskis, and a submarine. The toys have been designed to be easily deployed, with a big integrated crane to port on the aft deck. She sleeps ten, with two of the lower-deck suites being convertible to a single suite. Click here for more
Nigel Irens has plenty of multihull pedigree, and his 70-metre trimaran concept, created in collaboration with the CMN shipyard and Christophe Chedal-Anglay, delivers all the virtues of the form. This means comfort and safety at sea in challenging conditions, and hydrodynamic efficiency that increases range and reduces fuel consumption. She has a top speed of 27 knots and a projected range of 5,000 nautical miles at 18 knots. The all-aluminium Xplore 70 sleeps ten guests. Click here for more
The latest collaboration between the Ocea yard and Fulvia De Simoni is their biggest ‘sports utility yacht’ yet at 55 metres (following 33 and 44-metre versions). The 130 square metres of raised deck aft is capable of stowing anything from a submarine to an aeroplane with folding wings. There’s a hangar below for further storage. She has a projected range of 4,500 miles at 10 knots.
Columbus Tomahawk 52
The 52 has been conceived, according to designer Marco Casali, as “a yacht within a ship”. With its suitably ‘battle axe’ bow, the key feature of the yacht is the spacious aft deck and beach club. It’s a flexible area that has three distinct levels and offers over 200 square metres of guest space. The section amidships outside the main-deck salon has seating and sunpads, and then there are steps down to a tender storage area. There’s a crane here, too, and room for storing two 12-metre tenders. There’s also a garage below the main deck for stowing PWCs, motorbikes and even a mini-submarine. Click here for more
Rossinavi Argo
Rossinavi and Ken Freivokh have teamed up to create the 48-metre Argo. With vast deck spaces aft and a trans-Pacific capability, the Argo concept is designed to take an owner anywhere he wants to cruise. Built in aluminium, the yacht will be ‘D’ Ice Class, while the open after areas have been designed to host a limo tender, a service tender, a submarine and an amphibious vehicle. It can also be used as a touch-and-go helipad. Argo has been adapted from a project originally conceived for the late Tom Perkins. Click here for more
