Built by Newcastle Shipyards in northern Florida, the 54.8m Harbour Island was commissioned by a South Florida businessman with extensive experience of owning yachts.

The owner of Harbour Island initially envisioned an ocean-going yacht of about 45 metres. The largest superyacht that Newcastle Shipyards had built before was True North, a 42-metre delivered in 2007.

“We wanted to maximise the value of the yacht,” he says. Harbour Island comes in at 1,100 gross tons, nearly twice the volume offered by some 50-metre yachts on the market.


The increases inlength and volume paid off in a few ways. Lengthening the upper deck, where the sky lounge is located, created a larger alfresco seating area.

As for volume, all the spaces, from common areas to crew-only areas, have abundant room to relax and breathe, and in the case of the sky lounge, there’s also tremendous headroom – far more than most other yachts.

The biggest payoff, though, is the double-master arrangement.

“We wanted something well positioned for the charter market,” he says. In considering what would really captivate, the owner thought that changing the lounge into another stateroom – specifically, a true second master – was the way to go.

That second master has panoramic views and a side door leading out to a private alfresco seating area forward. It’s an ideal respite for those seeking moreprivacy on charter. There is also an additional crew cabin, bringing their accommodation to 14 and making for a one-to-one crew-to-guest ratio.

He also saw fit to have the tender garage double as a beach club: seating and a massage table can be set up on the teak-laid space when the toys are off-loaded. “That area absolutely shines,” the owner says.

Harbour Island will be visiting traditional haunts in the Caribbean and the Med, where it’s not easy to stand out from the crowd. But this finely honed and effortlessly relaxing yacht looks set to dazzle charter guests and shine wherever she cruises.

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