Feadship, the world’s leading luxury custom motor yacht builder, announced the launch of the 44,65m superyacht Blue Sky during a ceremony that brought together Chinese and Dutch maritime culture. Blue Sky yacht is the first superyacht constructed by a Western shipyard for a client in mainland China. Personal representative of the Owner was present at the launch to accept the delivery of this exceptional Feadship, boasting her own helicopter deck and dedicated karaoke and Mah-jong rooms.
The colourful launch event included a wide range of Chinese influences, including lion dancers. Blue Sky yacht was jointly christened by the owner’s representative (it is traditional for males to perform the ceremony in China) and Jeanette van Mil, wife of Operational Director Peter van Mil (maintaining the European tradition of a lady cracking the champagne bottle).
Feadship director Dick van Lent hailed this as an example of the cross-cultural symbiosis that had been the hallmark of the cooperation during the construction of the motor yacht Blue Sky. “We are very proud to have partnered with the owner, who is a pioneer in his country when it comes to owning the very best motoryacht that money can buy,” he commented during his speech.
“It is also a great honour for Feadship to complete the order for an exclusive superyacht for the People’s Republic of China. Feadship made history by being the first Western yard to deliver to South America in the 1930s. We were the first European yard to build custom yachts for the United States in the 1950s and in the Middle East a decade later. Having also led the way over recent decades in Africa and other areas of the Far East, everyone at Feadship is delighted to now do the same in China.”
Luxury yacht Blue Sky has a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, with an exterior styling developed by Feadship and Sinot Yacht Design. The interior design is from the boards of Bannenberg & Rowell Design and Sinot Yacht Design. “We very much enjoyed the smooth cooperation with the owners and their representatives in China,” says Dickie Bannenberg. “Blue Sky features a fresh contemporary interior with lots of lightweight loose furniture. The sky deck lounge is a dedicated karaoke space with an 85-inch television, while the Mah-jong room is found aft of the wheelhouse and includes a state-of-the-art table that shuffles the tiles and deals the dice automatically. This room can also be converted into an additional cabin with its own bathroom.”
“In addition to her unique helicopter deck for a yacht of this length, Blue Sky must also be one of the first superyachts to have two separate areas for Chinese pastimes,” adds Francis Vermeer, head of marketing at Feadship. “With both the owner’s stateroom and the four guest suites located on the main deck, phenomenal views await those who will soon be sailing onboard this landmark project in the history of global yachting.”
Technical specifications
Builder: Feadship
Type: Twin screw motor yacht, steel hull and aluminium superstructure
Length overall: 44.65m 146’6”
Beam overall: 9.20m 30’2”
Draft (loaded): 2.70m 8’10”
Fuel capacity: 40,450 litres 10,650 US gallons
Fresh water capacity: 10,000 litres 2,600 US gallons
Design
Naval Architect: Feadship De Voogt Naval Architects
Exterior styling: Feadship / Sinot Yacht Design
Interior design: Bannenberg & Rowell Design / Sinot Yacht Design
Propulsion
Main engines: 2x MTU 12V2000M70 – 788 kW / 1055 bhp
Generators: 2x Caterpillar C9 – 146kW / 1500 rpm
Stabilizers: VTNaiad Marine zero-speed stabilizers
Max. speed: 14.5 knots
Range: Transatlantic
Accommodation
Owner: Owner’s stateroom with separate bathroom and dressing room
Guests: Two guests in owner’s lounge; eight guests in four guest staterooms
Crew: Eight crew in four crew cabins; two in captains cabin. Laundry
and storage rooms on lower deck
Water sports: 7.50m tender / snorkel and scuba gear