Damen, the dapper! That’s what I will call the latest offering of the Netherlands-based yacht builder’s new Xplorer 80 announced at Palm Beach International Boat Show 2024. The shipyard has given explorer yachts a new vibe, a makeover that will please the adventure seeker and the luxury-lover in equal measure. In fact, the 80-meter yacht concept straight out marries the two elements of prettiness and performance. The cherry on top is a Manhattan loft-inspired interior from London-based design studio Harrison Eidsgaard. The sleek exterior is courtesy of the highly experienced Dutch design and naval architecture studio Azure Yacht Design.
Among the many pluses of the 2,900GT yacht, the ones that shine bright are 40 days of self-autonomy at sea, making the Xplorer 80 a home away from home even in the remotest corners of the planet. The second-best feature is the level of possibilities. You may be a fitness-obsessed hedge fund manager, or a spa-loving heiress, there is nothing stopping you from enjoying your vessel anywhere you like. Enrique Tintore, Xplorer design manager, explained it well, “The way the Xplorer has been designed allows for a high level of flexibility to suit any extreme environment or refined landscape. If a helicopter isn’t essential for you, we’ve got many other options for that space. Need a conference room or a seventh guest cabin? Or a separate gym and a high-spec laboratory? We can make that happen.”
The shipbuilder retains the recognizable SeaXplorer exterior DNA with her signature bow, observation lounge, enclosed wheelhouse, and crow’s nest; however, the Xplorer 80 comes with a more modernized and refined milieu akin to the sophistication of a Four Seasons hotel. Xplorer 80 sleeps 12 guests across six cabins and is serviced by 26 crew and the captain. In addition to Harrison Eidsgaard, the ship offers alternative exterior design created by Espen Øino. There are interior concepts offered by noteworthy names like Winch Design and Reymond Langton.
Damen Yachting has been delivering outstanding examples of explorer yachts, some that are bought as support vessels for outstanding motherships like Dr. Jonathan Rothberg’s Gene Machine, Jeff Bezos’s $500 million Koru, or the newest boat on the block, Mark Zuckerberg’s $300 million Launchpad. All these megayachts are followed by stunning Damen Yachting support vessels, Gene Chaser, Abeona, and Wingman that cater to the billionaires and their respective passions.
With the Xplorer 80 concept, it is evident that the shipyard is orchestrating a new wave of explorer vessels that are stellar ships in themselves and fancy enough to flaunt not only in the French Riviera and St. Barts but the space less traveled. Considering the cost of Abeona that cost Bezos $75 million, the Xplorer 80 seems to be a step ahead in the game and would easily cost upwards of $110 million.
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