Giant motor yacht follows Kokomo

Auckland yacht builder Alloy Yachts must be doing something right -- it has long term customers lining up to get new boats built.

Just days after the third Kokomo -- a 195 foot sloop built for Sydney-based developer Lang Walker, who had two previous Kokomos built at the yard -- hit the water, the world renowned shipyard has started work on a motoryacht with the code name AY43.

While AY43 is clearly Alloy Yachts 43rd project and its 12th motoryacht, it is also the third motoryacht the yard has built for the same (unnamed) owner.

A flybridge design from the Dubois Naval Architects team and with interiors by Donald Starkey Design, AY43 is 154 feet overall with a beam of just over 30 feet.

Powered by twin 1600 Caterpillar engines, the sleek motoryacht is clearly designed to spend most of her life in tropical waters as the draft has been kept to a very shallow 7.2 feet.

The yacht will have four guest cabins, all with ensuites, a gym and a large on-deck spa pool. The flying bridge, which will be air conditioned under normal circumstances, will be fitted with side windows that can slide down into the superstructure to give an open bridge should the weather be suitable.

With a displacement of 330 tonnes, the yacht will be fitted with twin 100kw Caterpillar generators and 140hp bow and stern thrusters made by Alloy Yachts. It will also have fin stabilisers to keep things level while at rest and underway. With a fuel capacity of 54,000 litres and a water capacity of 12,000 litres, AY43 will have no trouble finding idylic places off the normal superyacht circuit.

The Dubois and Starkey team also collaborated on the 131 foot Allogante for Alloy Yachts in 2009. That vessel last year won the International Superyacht Society Design Award for the best motoryacht between 24 and 40 metres.

For more details check out Alloy Yachts.co.nz.