In the rarified air of the ultra-wealthy, sometime even the very best money can buy will sometimes fit into a relatively small package. And, so it is with the newly launched Zeelander 5.
The Durch builder recently delivered a new semi-custom version of their Zeelander 5 model to a Turkish billionaire, and the boat was tailored specifically for him. He wanted it to mirror the style of his cars, plane and home décor so what he got was an elegant blend of Bentley on the outside and Hermes on the inside.
Zeelander builds four models, the 49-foot 5, the 56-ffot 6, the 67-foot 7 and the new 79-foot 8. All the boats are built on standard hulls but are semi-custom and can be created with many owner’s modifications, choices and whims to create a truly bespoke yacht.
In a statement on the launch of the new 5, Zeelander founder and chairman Sietse Koopmans said, “Although our Zeelander 5 is a platform that has been well proven around the world, no two yachts are alike.”
To match the aesthetic of the owner’s Bentleys, the new 5’s hull was painted with a special metallic paint called “Light Gazelle” that changes color subtly in different lights and viewing angles from gray to bronze. The effect creates a dramatic contrast with the dark hull glazing and wrap-around cabin side windows.
For the interior styling, the owner and the builder turned to Hermes, the iconic French atelier. Picking up on the design house’s famous use of strong orange hues, the interior and exterior cushions are orange and even the Bentley-style stitching used throughout is done with orange thread. The theme is underscored with Hermes throw-cushions and blankets.
“This latest project called for careful color and material matching with the owner’s favorite supercars and luxury brands to create a powerful yet coherent interior,” adds Koopmans.
The living and social spaces emphasize luxury and comfort. Aft there is a huge fold out platform that creates a beach club with twin chaise lounges. The cockpit has facing lounges that will seat up to eight for sundowners.
In the salon, there is the dinette, galley and the generous helm. The space is ful of filter light through the tinted and wind and had a giant retracting sunroof overhead to bring the outdoors inside.
The owner, who has a mega yacht as well as his planes and Bentleys, is an experienced yachtsman. He plans to cruse the boat without crew so the accommodation plan has been set up for his family of four. The master cabin is amidships and spans the full beam with the guest or kid’s cabin in in the bow with V-berths.
Zelanders are known for many qualities not the least of which is performance. The 5 will have an efficient cruising speed of 30 knots and will top out at just over 40 knots. It will deliver this speed while generating decibel levels at about 72, which is near silence.
Standard power for the 5 will be twin Volvo D6 IPS 650s but the hull can actually accommodate three 650s for a significantly added oomph.
While boats like the Zeelander 5 may be aspirational for most boat owners, it is fun once in a while to see how the 1% spend their money and arrange their exotic and luxurious toys for leisure time. As Zeelander likes to say, “You don’t buy a Zeelander, you add one to your collection.”
