3 Things to Look for in an Explorer Yacht
Until recently, explorer yachts were easy to pick out on the water. Modeled after commercial fishing trawlers, they had a utilitarian exterior design with a sharply raked windshield and Portuguese bridge forward to protect the pilothouse from high-water impacts.
But today, an explorer or expedition yacht may look like any other luxury yacht above the waterline. The difference lies in whether or not the vessel is capable of taking its owners and their guests on adventures to destinations “off the beaten path” like the Northwest Passage, Patagonia or Antarctica.
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If you are shopping for an explorer yacht, it’s important to look beyond the vessel’s exterior and assess its hull, equipment and interior GA for bluewater capability.
Here are three features that characterize a true oceangoing explorer:
1. Hullform
Explorer yachts designed to cross oceans on their own bottoms usually have a
displacement hull that pushes aside the water as it moves through. While planing hulls,
which break free of the water’s resistance, have the advantage of greater speed,
displacement hulls provide a more comfortable ride in rough seas, along with better fuel
economy.
Full displacement hulls also have greater volume, enabling the vessel to carry
enough fuel for transoceanic voyages of 3,000 nautical miles or more. While explorer
yachts traditionally have been built on full displacement hulls, in recent years, a number
of naval architects and shipyards have developed semi-displacement hull designs that
combine fuel efficiency with slightly higher speeds.
Another feature to look for if you are considering a larger explorer yacht is a bulbous bow, which protrudes from the stem of
the vessel underwater, further reducing drag and increasing fuel economy.
2. Stability
Displacement hull designs inherently deliver greater stability and seakindliness
than planing hulls, but most, if not all, explorer yachts also are equipped with stabilizers
to help improve their ride in rough seas.
There are several types, including fin stabilizers, which are wing-like appendages mounted through the hull below the waterline,
reducing roll by 70 percent or more while the vessel is under way.
Zero-speed stabilizers are a variation featuring fins that continually oscillate while the yacht is stationary,
dampening the vessel’s motion while at anchor.
The gyroscopic stabilizer – a large spinning flywheel mounted inside the vessel that creates an anti-roll counter force – is
steadily gaining in popularity, particularly in smaller yachts.
Sea-trialing an explorer yacht in rough conditions can help you to determine if its stabilizers work well enough
for you and your family. If you are planning an ocean voyage, a yacht with the master
suite located low and amidships also may help make the crossing more comfortable.
3. Self-Sufficiency
Remote destinations that are infrequently visited by yachts may lack
the maritime infrastructure yacht owners have come to expect, such as marinas, boat
repair yards, fuel vendors and provisioners, taxis and rental cars.
A true explorer yacht is designed to be self-sufficient for weeks on end. This includes carrying redundant spare
parts for onboard systems and equipment. It also should offer enough refrigerated and
freezer capacity for extensive food supplies and ample storage for other consumables.
In addition to a rugged and reliable tender, it’s also important to have space on board
for bicycles or other means to get around on shore. Spacious, comfortable
accommodations for crew as well as for the owners and guests are also essential for a
successful long-range voyage.
An explorer yacht can take you on far-flung adventures that would be impossible for other
types of cruising yachts. If you pay due diligence to assessing the vessel’s bluewater capabilities
before you purchase it, the right explorer yacht can make your bucket-list dreams come true.