APRIL 2017 WWW.BOATINTERNATIONAL.COM APRIL 2017“All new screens. All the radars have been redone, new
gyros, all new controls,” lists Van Wyk. At the aft end
of the bridge deck is a gym, which got new flooring
and a storage rethink. “Before, things were stowed in
different areas, it wasn’t built-in and then you’ve got
heavy items rolling around. Now it’s really practical
and they use it,” says Van Wyk.
Out on the bridge aft deck, the exterior edits begin,
as notable for what was preserved as much as for what
was changed. Replacing the hexagonal spa pool with
a contemporary square one allows space for large
sunpads either side. The only obstacles were the
round skylights in the deck where these would sit – so
they created sunpads with holes in them. They still
function as skylights but the cushion holes can also
be used as ice bucket holders. “And we made a round
cushion that we could put in if they want to close it up,”
says Van Wyk. They also added two types of bar – one
for chin-ups and one for drinking.
More significantly, the aft platform was extended to
Øino’s design. “It was only 1.1 metre [3ft 7in] in depth,
now it’s 3.3 metres [10ft 9in],” says Van Wyk. Øino adds:
“It has lots of benefits at a relatively modest cost. Not
just space benefits but speed, noise.” The new sauna
is just inside a door from here – the capacity did not
change but the original was replaced by a modern
version built by Klafs. Forward, up broad central
stairs from the platform, the main deck aft used to
be primarily for tender storage. Now there is a neat
round of seating, with the tenders shielded behind
wooden louvers. “So they have a sauna, then they can
take an aperitif here,” says Muzio.
The sundeck is the most dramatically transformed
exterior space. The design team removed the hatch
that used to provide access to the deck from the
central internal staircase and made the external side
staircase the main point of entry. “My biggest concern
was the new hardtop, because it’s about 60 square
metres [645 square feet] – it’s huge,” says Van Wyk. “It
would have been at least 3.6 tonnes with aluminum.
It was just impossible, we could not do it. So we could
only use carbon fiber. We probably came in at about 1.1
tonnes.” That was a weight difference small enough to
balance out by losing weight elsewhere, for example
all the furniture up top is carbon, too.
But it wasn’t just the hardtop – which opens up “like
a car roof” to give light when desired. Essentially the
whole sundeck was remade because, as Muzio puts it,
the owner never went up there. Forward, beneath the
hardtop, is a long bar, fronted with what Muzio calls
“bubble glass”, designed by FM Architettura d’Interni
and built by the project’s exterior carpenter Vedder,
and lit from beneath. On the other side of this, the area“
There is no greaterfeeling than sitting on
the refreshed sundeck
at night, watching a
movie by starlight, or
retiring to the improved
owner’s cabin to relax
”
is split between a broad sunpad space for lounging
and a seating area with two long tables that can be
converted into dining tables.
In terms of the yacht’s exterior look, the blue hull
has been replaced by a muted brown. “We couldn’t
quite find the right brown,” says Muzio, “the ones in
the catalog were too brown or too yellow or too red.”
Then they came across a flower pot that was just the
right shade, and they sent it to Pinmar and Awlgrip,
who reproduced the color exactly. “It’s now called
Polar Star brown,” adds Van Wyk. Øino approves of
the resulting effect, which draws out his lines. “It is
interesting to what extent colors are important,” he
says. “From the outside you can’t really see various
changes – two meters more on the stern platform
or that gazebo structure – when you’re down on the
water. The deckhouse is a darker brown, which givesa depth or contrast between the hull and rest of
the boat. And the windows in that darker color
disappear a bit.”
So now the yacht is finished, how does the owner
feel about her? He initially asked Muzio to pen the
interior so he could sell Polar Star complete with
redesign drawings. But he liked the ideas so much
that he decided to do the refit himself. And he likes
the result so much that he’s keeping Polar Star for
private use. “There is no greater feeling than sitting
on the refreshed sundeck at night, watching a film
by starlight for example, or retiring to the improved
owner’s cabin to relax and enjoy a renewed sense of
space, peace and the panoramic views,” he says.
It’s certainly a swift change of plans, but it’s hardly
a surprise from a project that is all about maximum
impact in minimum time. BBEFORE AND AFTER Above: the starboard side of the old main salon.
Below: the same space, with blinds for drapes and light replacing shadeBEFORE AND AFTER Above: the more traditional owner’s suite.
Below: a new partition behind the bed has added more wardrobe spaceBEFORE AND AFTER Above: the old hexagonal pool on the bridge deck.
Below: the new, more modern square pool surrounded by sunpadsSpot the difference: three of the
major changes to Polar Star1230123456789ART
PRODUCTION
CLIENT
SUBS
REPRO OP
VERSIONFEAT_Polar Star, 5