OPINION: Novel luxury yacht stands up to the competition
The novel Mansion Yachts uses four hydraulic legs to stand up to the competition.
Asked to picture a luxury yacht, most people are likely to conjure up an image of a sleek superyacht cutting elegantly through azure waters. Sharp prowed and white hulled, such vessels typify the fleet. So, visitors to the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show may have been surprised to see the Mansion Yacht standing dockside in the show’s Superyacht Village.
Yes, standing … not floating. For this novel design incorporates four hydraulic jacks to raise itself 4.5m above the seedbed. Billed as offering a “beach-front mansion yacht experience”, the yacht looks like its name suggests – a floating luxury beach house.
It is testimony to the innovation that is alive in the worldwide luxury yachting industry. Look at the design and it soon becomes clear: this is not so much thinking outside the box as designing a luxury vessel within a box structure.
Reduced carbon footprint
The stainless steel three-storey structure is said to accommodate up to 145 people. It can cruise in coastal waters and then lower its legs in the shallow waters of bays, harbours, estuaries and rivers. The design also includes 72 solar panels to give the vessel a reduced carbon footprint.
While the Mansion Yacht may have attracted show-goers at Fort Lauderdale – it has yet to attract a buyer. “A few billionaires” are said to interested in the buying the vessel but the first deal has yet to be struck.
More commercial success at the show was garnered by Majesty Yachts. The Dubai-based exhibitor, making its debut at this year’s show, sold its 31.70m Majesty 100 yacht for $9.9m during the event. Completing a memorable double achievement, Majesty’s 43m 140 model scooped the ‘Best of Show’ award.
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