Feadship has announced the launch of 69m/226ft expedition yacht SAMAYA, a custom vessel designed for world-wide cruising and diving in some of the world’s most remote and unexplored regions.

Expedition yacht SAMAYA at the Feadship yard

Created to a brief that called for autonomous function for extended periods at sea, superyacht SAMAYA epitomises the purpose of an explorer yacht and will head into uncharted regions with the goal of enabling scientists and the media to draw attention to rare and exotic species and the critical environments that they inhabit.

The dedicated dive centre in the aft of MY SAMAYA

Among her facilities is a dedicated dive room in the stern that features a teal coloured floor, a metal and wood ceiling and plenty of space for a nitrox-enriched air system and benches and shelves placed for efficient operations.

To reach dive spots surrounded by reefs or mangroves that SAMAYA cannot enter, there are 2 tenders of 8.8m and 7.2m respectively. These will be stored in a main deck tender garage and launched through large side doors.
To aid in recovery from a dive, the main deck aft features a flat-bottomed plunge pool that can be heated to aid in the body’s recovery from cold-water dives. The interiors can also be heated up to 30°C instead of the usual 25°C for the same reason.

The living spaces are styled by Redman Whiteley Dixon with influences from multiple cultures that hold a fondness for the owner, including an ethnic lounge on the bridge deck that also acts as a media room for playing recently recorded dives. The guest suites were designed for and by the owner’s children and boast bespoke furnishings and individualised colour schemes.

Feadship motor yacht SAMAYA – Mast

The sundeck has been designed to provide a large platform for receiving large numbers of guests and the extensive outdoor space is crowned with two resting beds placed against the mast arch. With their own ventilation system, this resting spot can be closed off from the rest of the world by a curtain to create a quiet alcove after an underwater adventure.

Completed in less than three years, superyacht SAMAYA represents the strong work ethic and technical capabilities of a world-renowned luxury yacht builder. Feadship director Bas Nederpelt remembers meeting with the client to discuss the brief:

“After joining us at the 2014 [Monaco Yacht Show], the client came straight to the Netherlands with Joshua Lee from Lee Marine to see our facilities on the Sunday after the event and discuss a high-speed motor yacht with a large open sun deck.

“They then spent Monday and Tuesday with the in-house design and naval architect team at Feadship De Voogt translating the client’s fascinating ideas into the initial design. After several design iterations a Letter of Intent was signed on the Tuesday evening.”

SAMAYA’s owner was closely involved with each stage of production, and took part in monthly meetings that lasted several days to produce a superyacht closely matched to the requirements of the owner and the family.

Similar to a conch shell, SAMAYA has a pale white primary coating with a pink hue that is most noticeable at sunrise and sunset. A stripe of teal marks her waterline and the colour is linked to the memory of a rare blue-green fish the owner once came into contact with while diving. The silhouette of a back-lit manta ray completes the maritime theme and reaffirms the owner’s commitment to conservation.

Expedition yacht SAMAYA – Exterior

The maritime theme continues with the flowing exterior hull shape and a giant back-lit manta ray symbol on fashion plates which reflects the owner’s commitment to conserving this endangered species.

“The owner shared stories about diving adventures as we studied shapes together to discover what it is that makes these underwater creatures so fascinating,” Feadship De Voogt designer Jan Schaffers explains. “Our conclusions were included in the design. A good example is the gentle yet powerful muscular shape of the side bulwarks, which echo the pronounced slender muscles seen on a bull shark.”

Superyacht SEMAYA is expected to be seen cruising in Asia and the South Pacific, where the owner often resides: Look out for her this winter season.