The world’s top
200 largest yachts:
boatinternational.
com/yachts/
the-registerhelicopters on board because one can be housed
in the forward hangar, one above it on the
retractable platform and another on the sundeck.
At the other extremity of the boat, the
convenience continues with a huge bathing
platform and staircases that
fold down into the water for
easy boarding – even for those
wearing full dive gear. The
beach club wasn’t maxed out,
with a comfortable lounge
along the centreline preferred
to a big open area that is harder
to secure. Beyond, though, the
lower deck opens up into a huge
77 square metre gym and spa
area, complete with massage
room, beauty salon, sauna,
shower areas and the yacht’s
second plunge pool. Visual interest is added by
banks of portholes with views into the swimming
pool, which dapple light across this whole space.
Choosing somewhere to relax on deck is slightly
harder – where do you start? The options are
endless but special mention has to be made of the
wood-burning fire pit on the upper deck – perfect
for nights on deck under the stars.
Disdale and his team were present in June
2009 when the boat appeared from the giant
drydock in Hamburg. No butterflies – he claims
to have been pretty zen about seeing her free of
scaffolding and plastic. “Although you design
every part of it and you see it being built, nothing
prepares you for the feeling you
get when you actually see it in
the flesh. The tug pulled it out
and there was the thickness
of a mattress between the wing
stations and the shed walls.
Literally – they tied mattresses
to the stations. When it
appeared I was gobsmacked.”
As was the owner, pleasingly
for the man who’d dedicated
nearly five years to the project.
“It’s like cars,” explains
the car fanatic. “I was talking
about Lamborghinis the other day. They used
to have the Miura, a beautiful car. But they
replaced it with the Countach, which looks like
it was carved from cheese. One is ageless and
one looks stuck in time. Elegance is the most
important thing. The Miura is elegant, the
Jaguar E-Type is elegant.” He’s too modest
to say but Eclipse belongs in that league –
beautiful for ever. B“Nothing prepares
you for the feeling
you get when you
see it in the flesh.
When it appeared
from the shed I
was gobsmacked”http://www.boatinternational.com | April 2016