Yachting Developments Ltd’s latest build – the 34.3m Al Duhail – was launched in Auckland earlier this year and promptly set off on an 8,000nm maiden cruise to her home in Qatar. It seems the owner’s a soccer lover – he’s named her after the one of the Gulf state’s most successful teams.
Designed by Warwick Yacht Design, Al Duhail is an all-carbon motoryacht sportfisher. She features a modern, streamlined interior developed by Yachting Developments Ltd (YDL) in collaboration with the owner. The new vessel is an upgrade of the owner’s previous sportfisher (of the same name).
Al Duhail drew on YDL’s extensive experience in composite construction and benefitted from the knowledge the yard has gained through its multiple sportsfisher and superyacht projects, including the 39.5m Lanakai and 27.4m Satu.“We took the technology of standard fibreglass and applied it to carbon,” says managing director Ian Cook. “This allowed us to reduce the weight of the yacht, while also increasing the speed and range. As a result, she is faster than her predecessor, goes further and can carry more fuel.”
Construction
Much of the construction work was undertaken in developed form moulding. The bottom of the boat was built in a female mould and the top sides were added at a later date. This enabled the team to put all furniture modules into the build at an earlier stage, saving significant time. The project was completed in 22 months.
YDL designer Blair Morten says the team was given a direct styling brief by the owner’s family. “They wanted a simple, modern and neutral interior. We developed a palette of light oak with a natural grain, semi-gloss finish while incorporating walnut detailing, upholstered panels and colourful soft furnishings to create a warm, comfortable interior.”
Al Duhail accommodates up to 10 guests in five cabins including the large master. The master cabin (positioned amidships) is a generous full-beam space that includes a desk on the port side and sofa seating to starboard. A walk-in wardrobe to starboard is complemented by a bathroom with his-and-hers basins to port.
Two mirror-image double guest cabins sit forward to port and starboard, with mirror-image twin bunk cabins further forward. All guest cabins have an en suite. The neutral base palette is complemented by the use of colourful soft furnishings. Furniture modules were built in conjunction with New Zealand’s Robinson Interiors and Oceania Marine.
The yacht was designed with a focus on fishing and diving. She is boarded via a custom boarding platform with hydraulic folding steps that allow the platform to lower into the water and double as a diving base.
A large cockpit’s equipped with a broad fishing inventory – tuna tubes, live bait tanks, game chairs, ice slurry machines, expansive freezer storage and more. Exterior spaces comprise the bridge deck and flybridge – both offering clear views and plenty of space.
Al Duhail is powered by twin MTU 16V2000 M96L engines and cruises at 20 knots, reaching a top speed of 31 knots, with a range of 2000nm at 10 knots. The foredeck has storage for her Smuggler Strata 630 outboard tender with an Opacmare crane for easy launching.
YDL – an award-winning builder of composite yachts – operates out of a 10,000m2 facility that includes 5,000m2 of fully-equipped sheds and water access in Auckland’s Hobsonville.
hull & superstructure Carbon composite
classification DnV-GL Hull Construction Certificate
loa 34.3m
lwl 29.5m
beam 7.5m
draft 1.9m
displacement full load 116T
cruising speed 20 knots
max speed 31 knots
range @10 knots 2000nm
accommodation 10
engines 2 X MTU 16V2000 M96L
fuel 24,000 litres
freshwater 4,000 litres
thrusters Wesmar
stabilisers Humphree
trim tabs Humphree Interceptor
generators Kohler 80EF02DJ x 2
air conditioning manufacturer Webasto
watermakers Searecovery Aqaumatic x 2
navigation electronics Electronic Navigation NZ
systems monitoring BEP C Zone
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