A sojourn aboard Australia’s newest and largest superyacht, Bold, gave Kevin Green a fascinating insight into this exclusive and glamorous world.
As the largest and most impressive vessel at the 2020 Miami Superyacht Show, the attraction was instant for this writer, given the 278-foot Bold’s Australian heritage. So when bosun Emily invited me aboard, there was no hesitation in climbing the gangway into this 2019-built explorer-class vessel, designed by one of the most successful architects in the industry – Norwegian Espen Oeini.
This sumptuous superyacht is the fifth built in Western Australia by the SilverYachts yard under founder Guido Alexander Krass. The 63-year old German entrepreneur says he always has “one boat in use, one boat in build and one boat in the design and engineering phase”. He describes her as “a bit more of a Land Rover than a Rolls Royce” – an apt analogy for this go-anywhere vessel that is the largest the yard has launched.
Explorer-class superyachts
To understand Bold’s paramilitary shape, you have to understand the nature of the explorer-class of yacht. Technically, anything with enough fuel to cross the Atlantic can claim that name but in reality there’s much more to it.
The toughest come with ice-class hulls but most are like Bold, ruggedised superyachts with long-range capabilities based on frugality and a few use hybrid power. Some of the most utilitarian are chartered as marine research vessels because of their extensive undersea capabilities such as dive chambers and submarines.
Superyacht size is usually regarded as being beyond 24m, but given the increasing customer requirements, 40m is more common. Specialist vessels incorporate comprehensive dive stations and vast beach clubs, along with armadas of watersports craft.
The vast majority follow the Mediterranean-Atlantic circuit of summer in Europe then winter in the Caribbean. But a growing number of new owners are seeking more, thus the popularity of the explorer yacht.
This new breed of owner is typically younger and more adventurous, seeking vessels for various purposes apart from the simple enjoyment of the oceans of the globe. Activities include archaeological salvage, expedition groups and even humanitarian aid (as some superyachts did in the devastated parts of the Caribbean during 2018/19).
Explorer yachts are a growing part of the superyacht industry because there’s still plenty to see given 70% of our planet is water and of course there’s lots more under it, so your own submarine is desirable to have aboard.
Containing all the specialist gear, crew, guests and owner’s family will dictate the size, as will the destination. To reach those far-flung places tankage will be large – with the 3,000-mile transatlantic voyage often the minimum standard for an explorer class yacht. Bold has an impressive range of 7,000 miles.
Far horizons
Reaching the far horizons without worrying about your next fuel stop is the essence of explorer yachts. Consider places like the fabled North West Passage over the top of the world or the myriad Patagonian Channels. To explore the edges of the world’s largest ocean – the Pacific – yachts have to be self-contained.
Italy rules the waves in the superyacht world and San Lorenzo is a prolific builder, in all spheres including explorer class where it has sold around 10 of its 460EXPs, including one to an Asian client in 2018. The 460EXP is built to ‘D’ Ice Class standard with a reinforced aluminium hull and a range of more than 5,000 miles.
“You can just cruise the Med between Saint Tropez, Ibiza and Mykonos for three years and then, with the same yacht, you can decide to go to the Lofoten Islands or to cruise the Northwest Passage. This doesn’t happen with a white yacht,” San Lorenzo marketing manager Mario Gornati told me.
Green design
Explorer vessels traditionally have a rugged appearance, often because in the early days they were commercial conversions, such as the Packer family’s former icebreaker, the 88m Arctic P. Commercial conversions (such as the sturdy Japanese research ships turned into explorer yachts by HYS in the Philippines) is one way to explore. But complexities and compromises will often arise so the growth in dedicated vessels continues apace.
“Why start a project with pre-set boundaries and limits to engineering and design?”, asks Cantierre Dell Marche director Vasco Buonpensiere. The company’s Acciaio 118 launched in 2019. It has an unusual feature – for white yachts – a bulbous bow to improve fuel efficiency.
Propulsion design is being shaped by environmental concerns and tough legislation around diesel power. Which is an impetus for developing innovative electric systems that are especially relevant for exploring environmentally-sensitive regions such as the Antarctic. Recent vessels such as a Moonen Navarino design use hybrid propulsion in what the company describes as a ‘go-anywhere’ yacht, rather than a pure explorer.
Having put all this in context, back on Bold there is plenty to ogle as I investigated its aluminium superstructure and hull. Designer Espen Oeino and yard owner Guido Alexander Krass agreed at the outset of the SilverYachts concept that efficiency was to be the prerogative of this glamorous marque. The first launch was in 2007 in Perth.
So far, the modest and quietly-spoken Norwegian has designed over 50 yachts in his 25-year career, including the new hybrid-powered REV Ocean. He’s increasingly incorporated environmental awareness into his designs, prompting him to be called the Greta Thunberg of the industry because of his greener credentials.
It all begins, he says, with basic materials: “Aluminium is a very easily recyclable material – it’s also lightweight. One of the enemies when it comes to moving big objects through the water is weight, the other is the beam or the breadth of the vessel, so a material like aluminium is good for efficiency.” Oeino learned his trade in England penning yachts at the fairly conservative Martin Francis office before going alone and doing a refit on Krass’ yacht.
Oeino has gone on to design some the highest profile superyachts, including Octopus for Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and the 183m REV Ocean, an innovative hybrid explorer with bulbed bow which dethroned the 180m Azzam as the world’s largest yacht in 2019.
Bold innovation
Bold’s other unusual dimension is her relatively shallow draft, allowing her to voyage in shoal waters and tidal estuaries. The blunt bow with shallow forefoot is reminiscent of an icebreaker, but the hull is not built to ice-class standards. As the laws of physics demand, something that is narrow and shallow will be unstable, unless weight is kept low and minimised.
Bold’s paramilitary aesthetic and grey finish, along with the pseudo gun turrets fore and aft reminded me of my time on Type 42 destroyers that were being modified after the Falklands War. But these fore and aft turrets didn’t contain Seawolf missiles. Instead, there are powerful davits capable of hoisting 12 tons for handling heavy submarines and the fast Rupert R6 RIB tender Brave. The ship has three RIBs.
Another paramilitary feature on Bold is the vast flight deck and hangar (with adjustable ceiling) that is commercially certified (D-13 standard) and can host a 3.2 tonne, twin-engine, eight-seat Agusta Westland AW109S Grand chopper with rotors removed.
While we were standing in the teak floored hanger, bosun Emily pressed a few switches to transform this austere space into a discotheque with large screen and surround sound. Cleverly, the flight deck gunwales unfold to increase space for landing the helicopter while also becoming over-the-water terraces for guests. This aft part of the main deck is where the seven guest cabins are.
Given its robust aesthetic, owner Krass wanted to avoid bling inside, so the ensuite cabins are understated yet stylishly finished in teak with muted colours while the VIP forward cabins have marine portholes finished in stainless. The studio of Andreas Hölnburger/Vain Interiors is credited.
The walls are adorned with images of artists such as Picasso and iconic actors including one of my old favourites, Sophia Loren. In the ensuite bathrooms honeycombed marble gave a classic yet lightweight finish. Another door along this spotlighted corridor to these quarters opens to reveal a massage room that doubles as a sickbay.
Owner’s deck
More opulence flowed as I walked up the steps to the Owner’s Deck which comprises two large entertaining spaces aft: the all-weather Winter Garden at the back, that flows into the airy loft-style saloon with sleeping quarters ahead of it. The Winter Garden’s tinted toughened glass walls maximised the light. Forward, is the owner’s suite.
This suite uses lighter shades than the guest cabins with pale silk carpeting and similar wooden bulkheads. Cleverly, there are floating floors to reduce vibration throughout the monocoque structure and even the machinery is located on soft mounts to further reduce vibration. His and hers bathrooms complete the stylish accommodation, along with the large rectangular windows which offer panoramic views.
Above, yet more relaxing space awaits on the Sun Deck, with its 2,700-litre jacuzzi and semi-covered dining area. Elsewhere, near a canopy, a fire pit awaits lighting. At the rear, a beautifully carved wooden canoe contrasts sharply with the largely man-made material surroundings.
The working part of Bold comprises the Bridge Deck, the crew’s Lower Deck and the engine room. All ship controls lie across the full beam of the forward Bridge Deck with a small steering wheel and throttle at its centre. Alongside are the fore and aft thrusters with throttles for the twin MTU shaft drive engines that give Bold an 18-knot cruise speed.
Below the wheelhouse windows a bank of seven large screens show various dedicated navigational information: radar on one, charting (low and high detail) on two, sonar on another and the others have system information on engines and other components of this complex vessel. Set back from the bridge controls is seating for the navigator.
Moving below, the Lower Deck has a similar long corridor to the guest deck, but here the crew live in 11 double cabins – the mess hall has an industrial-style galley. Nearby is the watertight door to the vast engine room with its twin MTUs that generate 7,720hp.
Other key machinery includes twin generators and electrics housed in a dedicated room; all sitting on floating floors with deep bilges below. Along the hull, big fans cool this area which looks as large as a tennis court.
Having completed her maiden voyage from Australia, Bold is clearly ready for adventure, so I imagined chartering her to visit some of my old Caribbean haunts, and even the shallows of the Bahamas. Should you want to experience Bold for yourself, she’s available for charter (€985,000 per week).
For that you will experience what is clearly an impressive piece of Australian engineering that promotes efficiency in the traditionally decadent world of superyachts.
