overlooking ateak foredeck, which,with
installationofcarbon-fibrepolesandnetting,
becomesacourtforbasketball,volleyball,
badmintonorfootball.
Forplaytimeinthewater,thereisanine-metre
poolandspapoolontheaftmaindeck.Itisraised
forsafetyandsothatitdoesnotencroachtoo
muchonthebeachclubbelow.TheSnyders
didn’twantateaksurroundforthepool.Instead,
beautifultexturedaquatileshand-madeinWales
surroundit.Expansiveseatingareasflankeach
sideofthepool,andforentertainmentadigital
high-definitionscreenpopsupfromastorage
tubebelowdeckandunfoldsinsecondstoitsfull
201-inchdiagonalsize.
Aftofthepool,stepsleaddowntothebeach
club:threeseparateareasfacingalargebathing
platform/tenderarrivalsarea.Tostarboardisa
loungewithseating,agamestable,awetbarand
abigscreentelevision,andafold-outterrace–it’s
theultimatewaterfrontsportsbar.Onthe
centreline,lightfilteringthroughtheglass
bottomoftheswimmingpoolabovelightsahuge
hammamfacingaplungepoolandalounging
area.Toport,slidingbacklitmarblewallscan
encloseamassageroomwithfloor-to-ceiling
glassoverlookingaterrace.“Whenthepoolgot
bigenoughtoaccommodateaswim-upbar,we
hadtorecessthehammamandplungepool
belowdecklevel,”saysVerkuyl.“Theengineering
atthebackendoftheyachtwiththeterracesand
openingtendergaragesisquitecomplicated.”
Addingagas-firedpizzaovensoundssimple
enough,butVerkuylnotesthattherearethree
pizzaovens,andthatdissipatingtheheatfroma
near-500°Coven,eventhoseonaft decks,
requiredspecialattention,especiallyasthey
disappearbelowthecounteratthetouchofa
button.Otherdetailsareequallyconcealed.Take
thebollardsusedforthesternmooringlines,for
example.Youdon’tseethem,orthecoilsof
associatedline,becausetheyarehiddenbeneath
sectionsofthedeckthatopenonlywhenthecrew
needaccess.Youwon’tseehingeseither,because
SnyderandLeachdon’tlikethem.Thesidedoors
tothebalconies,forexample,arefittedwitha
pneumaticseal.Whentheyarereleased,the
doorsmoveouthorizontallyjustenoughtoclearboatinternational.com