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The Rise Of Research Explorer Yachts

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by Yacht News, Mar 18, 2021.

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  1. Yacht News

    Yacht News YF News Editor

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    Figured I would create this thread to tease your interest. In the last few years there have been a few conversions and some purpose built as research platforms while still being able to offer the owner a luxurious and comfortable time onboard. Many names can go here...even vessels like "Octopus"...even though she is more a luxury yacht that has some of those capabilities and not the other way around.

    How about yachts like "OceanXplorer", "Yersin", "REV", they were purpose built for this purpose.

    A look at "OceanXplorer" when she visited Port of Palm Beach earlier this year.

  2. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    I love purpose built yachts. For my tastes most yachts are bought just to show off, and when they start running 30kts+ just a way to waste obscene amounts of money. After all if you want to get someplace fast take a car or a plane or a small boat. I boat to boat not to look pretty attached to a dock. To me the difference between 17 kts and 30 kts for an 80'+ isn't worth the extra fuel burn. At 80'+ I expect a boat to go through whatever it encounters, not flee to safe harbor when winds get to 20mph. The boats I respect most earn their keep or better still do good. The first thing to catch my interest is when I see a forward swept windshield. It tells me someone knows something about boats.
  3. Yacht News

    Yacht News YF News Editor

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    Do you find alot of these Research Explorer yachts have forward raked windshield/bridge windows? Minimizing reflections for nighttime navigation is one thing but you still need good overall visibility in all conditions.
  4. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Minimizes reflection day and night, allows you to look down onto the deck and keeps weather off the windshield, especially snow and ice. The purpose of a raked back windshield is to reduce wind resistance (seldom an issue with something moving less than 40 mph), but it looks sleek and sexy.
  5. wwch

    wwch Member

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    I have always been a fan of explorer yachts (purpose built, converted or otherwise). Therefore I hope this trend will continue (and it is not just a fad) and a lot more owners will order such a yacht in the future.
    YachtForums likes this.
  6. bayoubud

    bayoubud Senior Member

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    Always liked the explorer's that had the capability to carry a sportfish. Fished on one once and have since thought it was a great setup to combine long range cruising and fishing.
  7. wwch

    wwch Member

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    After the launch of 'Solaris' we might see another two 100+ m explorer yachts hit the water in 2021:

    Lurssen's project Icecap/Northern Star 3 and Freire Shipyard's project NB-724
  8. Yacht News

    Yacht News YF News Editor

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    I'm definitely waiting for the new Northern Star... interested to see how that one is going to turn out. The first was was fine... then they built a larger version of that... I would not have been enthused to see an 85-meter version of that... so i'm glad this one looks different.
  9. wwch

    wwch Member

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    My opinion as well.

    Over time I came across 4 different names that all seem to be related to this project:

    Icecap / Northern Star / Shackleton / BN 13708

    I have been wondering if it's really just one project or if Lurssen has actually two large explorers under construction.
  10. Ocean

    Ocean Member

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    Definitely Icecap and Northern Star are the same Project nicknames and the ship is under construction for about a year. The Launch is coming soon. As to Shakleton and BN 13708 I guess it's absolutely new and different Project and nobody knows so far how it looks like.

    Attached Files:

  11. wwch

    wwch Member

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    New pictures of the Freire Shipyard NB-724 explorer yacht show that most of the superstructure has been added.

    The 111 m project was first announced in 2019 with a delivery date of 2021. To me she still looks quite unfinished, so the delivery probably won't take place until 2022.
  12. mapism

    mapism Senior Member

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    Nowhere near other vessels posted so far in terms of size, but this one which I filmed in my home port last summer pretty sure deserves being called an explorer yacht...
  13. Yacht News

    Yacht News YF News Editor

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    Ocean King 40-meter by the CNC yard.
  14. Yacht News

    Yacht News YF News Editor

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    OceanX

  15. TeKeela

    TeKeela Member

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    I would bet as a "research" vessel, they can write off some additional expenses or declare it a non-profit.

    I love these types of vessels. Rugged, go thru anything, range, you name it.
  16. Trinimax

    Trinimax Senior Member

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    Speaking of explorer yachts, saw Octopus at anchorage in Trinidad this weekend. She is quiet a machine.

    Attached Files:

  17. Yacht News

    Yacht News YF News Editor

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    Well she was in Trinidad... now she is on her way here. Good to see her finally moving around again. She was in Panama for a while...then started to step her way east.
  18. Trinimax

    Trinimax Senior Member

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    I wonder what she was doing here in Trinidad. We dont often get superyachts down this side. I could only assume, picking up spares or supplies.