Feadship’s latest superyacht is the 78.50-metre Hampshire II, built for an experienced Feadship owner who clearly loves his sport. The yacht’s giant helicopter landing deck forward is in suitably pukka teak, but it can be transformed into a space for football, basketball, tennis, baseball and badminton – a giant net is placed round the deck to ensure balls don’t end up over the side. In the hours leading up to the yacht’s launch ceremony, held last Saturday at the Feadship Kaag yard, various teams representing the owner’s guests and personnel from the yard had a friendly kickaround on Hampshire II’s foredeck.
The on-board ‘sports arena’ is just one of the features of Hampshire II that emphasises outdoor fun. Above the sundeck, for instance, a crow’s nest is reached by a two-person elevator, offering panoramic views high above the water. For the truly adventurous, a zip wire can be connected to the mast to which one can tie a rope and slide at breathtaking speed to the water. Hampshire II also has a phenomenal beach club with two platforms that open up either side.
The contemporary exterior styling by Redman Whiteley Dixon and Feadship incorporates balconies on either side: seating terraces for the owners and wing stations adjacent to the wheelhouse. There is a wealth of fine detailing in the design, including the nameplate on a glass panel in the recessed part of the bridge deck fashion plates.
Highlights of the interior include a British-style bar on the bridge deck in place of the traditional lounge. There is room for 14 guests in six staterooms and 21 crew plus two staff. The engineroom is also suitably breathtaking, with a passageway through the middle and full-height glass walls. A colour scheme of Ferrari red, white and black combines with stainless steel and the clever use of spotlights to create an amazing effect. The wheelhouse has a glass-covered dashboard and touchscreen controls.
“It has been a privilege to create such a unique vessel for such a passionate sailor,” says Feadship director Dick van Lent. “As an experienced Feadship owner, he really appreciates the qualities of a Feadship and the fun of being closely involved in the design and construction process. Many of his friends and family were involved in the various milestones of the build, and now they are set to reap the rewards. This is exactly the sort of client we love to work with, and Hampshire II is exactly the kind of superyacht that Feadship owners deserve.”
