The Gigayacht

http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/mar2008/bw20080320_403974.htm

March 20, 2008
The Gigayacht
Monaco-based designer Wally Yachts reconceives the yacht as a 325-ft. floating personal island

Little more than a decade after beginning in business, Monaco-based Wally Yachts continues to develop innovative concepts and minimalist luxury at a rate exceeding any other marine design house on the planet. The company's latest is the WallyIsland—a 99 meter (325 feet) "gigayacht" that dwarfs the vast majority of luxury megayachts and reconceives the yacht as a floating personal island, a mobile address that can be used as a home, an entertaining space or even a moving exhibition or show space.

In decades gone by, a 180-foot personal superyacht was enough to establish yourself as a seriously wealthy owner—but over the last ten years, in the spirit of excess, the megayacht emerged, at over 220 feet long. And when the ostentatious mega-rich start competing, enormous isn't nearly big enough. Over the last ten years, several yachts have been built over the 320-foot mark.

WallyIsland isn't the first of this new breed of luxury gigayachts—nor is it the largest. Paul Allen's Octopus, for example is a 410-foot monster built by Lürssen, and the Sheikh of Dubai (where else?) currently owns the world's largest luxury motoryacht at a staggering 525 feet long. A 405-footer by Frank Mulder was even auctioned off recently on eBay. WallyIsland, though, does have some unique features.

WallyIsland looks more like a tanker than its gigayacht brethren, due to the huge 1000m2 main deck area and the fact that is has only three upper-level decks rather than the multilevel arrangements typical on others. It's designed this way to increase open entertaining space and allow large garden spaces, and this sort of design also keeps the cost of the yacht "competitive," although we'd shudder to imagine what "competitive" means in this kind of endeavour. Wally claims it's roughly in line with what you'd pay for a traditional design 200-footer.

The WallyIsland's main deck can include a large, deep swimming pool, garden spaces, tennis or mini soccer grounds, as well as the requisite helipads. It includes sleeping quarters for up to 40 crew and 24 guests as well as the extravagant owner's suites. It holds around three-quarters of a million litres of fuel, so you'd probably want to fill it up before the public holiday petrol price jump, and the aft deck holds two 45-foot WallyPower tender yachts, as well as space for several other yachts and watertoys on board.

The interiors feature a main saloon, living/dining room; guest accommodation, library, cinema, spa, wellness and fitness area; service and crew area; and the steering/navigation area.

WallyIsland—Preliminary Technical Specifications

Type — Displacement motor yacht
Length O.A. — 99.05 m 325' 0"
Length W.L. — 99.00 m 324' 10"
Beam — 18.00 m 59' 0"
Draught — 4.05 m 13' 3"
Displacement (half load) — 2,730 tons 6,018,620 lbs
Naval architecture—Wally with Mauro Sculli Architect Exterior styling—Wally with Mauro Sculli Architect Interior layout—Wally with Mauro Sculli Architect Interior design—Wally
Construction Type — Steel
Classification—RINA
Sound & vibration Analysis—TBC
Tank testing TBC
Superstructures Steel

Propulsion / Steering System — 2 x 2500 kW electric powered Azipods
Max Speed — 17.5 knots
Cruise speed — 16 knots
Fuel Capacity — 750,000 l-198,129US gal
Range at cruising speed — 15,000 nm
Bow Thruster — 2 x 240 kW thrusters
Stabilizer Systems — 4 x Quantum Extendable Zero Speed Fins

Electric Generation — 4 x 1,500 kW
Emergency Generator — 1 x 160 kW CAT 400/ 3 PH
Fresh Water — 50,000 l —13,200 US gal
Water makers — 2 x 550 l/h—145 US gal Idromar

Air Conditioning — 3 x 200 kW Condaria
Deck finish — Teak
Final coating — Dupont
Tenders and water toys — 2 x WallyTenders (13.6 m—45'); 2 x fixed keel sailing boats (8m—27'); 2 car vans; 6 Jet skis; 2 Lasers

Accommodation

6 large suites for 12 guests (can be transformed in 12 separate suites for 24 guests)
1 king size owner's suite (200 m2-2,152 ft2)
20 double cabins for 40 crew members
2 staterooms for captain and officers
6 guest en-suites with bathtub
6 guest en-suites with shower
2 master en-suites (with bathtub)
20 en-suites for crew members
2 en-suites for captain and officers
5 day heads for guests

The main saloon is in the forward centre of the ship, at the Service & Salon deck (Lower Deck), with double level height: lower level of 260 m2—2,799 ft2; upper level with balcony looking on the lower one, of 150 m2—1,615 ft2

The dining/gaming sitting room in the forward Upper deck (in the superstructure) of 125 m2—1,345 ft2

Library 50 m2—538 ft2

HiFi & Home Cinema 50 m2—538 ft2

SPA (wellness room) 50 m2—538 ft2 with hammam, sauna, showers and massages area

Gymnasium room 50 m2—538 ft2 with fitness equipment

Crew mess area with dedicated galley 40 m2—431 ft2

Main galley with professional appliances 41 m2—441 ft2

Main food storage room 19 m2—205 ft2

Cold room & refrigerators with total capacity of 26,000 l —6,868 US gal

5 pantries (one each deck) for service

The main deck (External Deck) has a huge surface partially teak covered, of nearly 1,000 m2—10,764 ft2

The AFT deck (AFT Cockpit) has a surface of 300 m2—3,229 ft2

On the FWD end of the Main deck there is a swimming pool of 10.50 m—34' 5" x 8.00 m—26' 3"

In the superstructure, AFT in the higher level (Bridge/steering Deck), one sun deck area of 90 m2—969 ft2 is fitted.

In total there are 5 accommodation decks, plus a lower deck for the machinery, tanks and technical staff.

The access to the different decks is through the AFT lifts (one for guest and one for crew service), and through the AFT staircases.