whichisevidentonthisyacht,evenifSolisalso mirrors the clients’
wishes.Thefamilywasintimatelyinvolvedinthedesign,entrusting
White, from IYR, with all technical aspects.
“Ourboathasbeenthoughtofasasourceofenergy,joy,balance
andunityforallherguests,”saytheowners.“Itismeanttobeabridge
betweenwaterandsky,theelements,theinsideandtheoutside.Indeed
everythingisinter-related.Allcirculationshavebeenthoughtofas
flowinglikewaterandmakeyoufeelrelaxedandathome.AllSolis’s
shapes have been inspired by forms found in nature.”
Instead of using a variety of materials, the designers used oak
primarily,treatingitwithdiferentfinishesandusingthegrainin
variousdirectionsforsubtlecontrast.Thefurniturepieces,likethe
corridorsthemselves,arecurved.Thecofeetablesareabstract
marine-inspiredformsandeventhebedsaredevoidofsharpangles.
Thefabrics,paintsandmarblesaresand-andwater-coloured,while,
onthelowerdeck,muralsinbronzeandresinconveythefeelingof
swimmingamongaschooloffish.
Just as sinuous as the design details are the solutions the designers
adopted to make the spaces versatile on this modestly sized yacht. The
topdeckissplitintotwodistinctareas:forward,thereisacosydining
areaandintheaftpartaresunpadsandaspapool.Partofthepool’s
woodensurroundcanbeadjustedtocreateabar,whichcanbeaccessed
from the water or from the other side where there are stools. With these
removedthisdeckareaisaperfectspaceforyogasessionsandthere
isalsoarunningmachinehiddenbelowthedecking.Theaftdeckone
levelbelowisanotherflexiblespace.“Thesofashereconvertintoalarge
sunlounger,creatingasplit-levelexternalbeachclubwithdirectcontact
withthesea.Largeterracedoorsconnectthespacewiththeinteriorand
efectivelycreateonelargesealounge,”saysReeves.
Practicalityisbuiltinwiththeraisedpilothousedesign.Thecrew
ofuptosevenenjoyscomfortablequarters,withamessandcabinsbuilt
to the new LY3’s roomy standards. “The crew spends more time on board
thanwedo,sowewantedthemtobecomfortable,”saytheowners.The
designersworkedon15iterationsofthecrewareatomaximisetheir
space,saysReeves.Theycancirculatequicklyanddiscreetlythrough
acorridorthatrunsalongsideandbeneaththeraisedbridgeontheport
side.Thebridgeitselfhasaninvitingsofaforgueststowatchnavigation
andtheextraheightatwhichitisplacedhasaddedbenefits.“Wewere
abletogivethecrewalovelypantry,”saysReeves.Thepantry
isconnectedtothemaindeckbyadiscreetdoor.
Eventhedieselenginesareconsistentwiththeoveralltheme.
ThecompactfootprintofthetwomodestlypoweredCaterpillarC18s
allowedmorespaceforaccommodation.“Wewantedaboatthatisstable,
comfortableandthatwouldnotpollutetoomuch.Wechosestability
and comfort over speed,” the owners say. The displacement yacht, which
featuresnavalarchitecturebyVanOossanen,hasatopspeedof13knots
andatransatlanticrange.Accordingly,theownersareplanningtrips
todiverselocations,fromtheMediterraneantotheCaribbeanandthe
Norwegianfjords.IntheCaribbean,theyarethinkingofsharingSolis
withothersandareconsideringacharterprogramme.
“Soliswasasuccessfulprojectthathasbeenapleasuretobe
associated with,” says White. Mulder has since begun another
collaborationwithClaydonReeves,onasecondandlargeryacht.
It seems t hatSolismaybestartingafamilyofherown.Bare abstract, marine-inspired forms and even the beds are devoid of sharp angles”
http://www.boatinternational.com | February 2016