The impressive 85.10 metre Lürssen superyacht, Solandge, is a family yacht built for pleasure. Delivered in October 2013, great care has been taken to ensure her establishment in the charter market of a truly iconic yacht.
The owner, who upgraded from a 63 metre Lürssen yacht, has many years experience owning and chartering different types of yachts. The team put together to embody his vision of his new superyacht consisted of Richard Masters, the owner's project manager, exterior designer Espen Oeino, interior designer Aileen Rodriguez and the project team of Lürssen.
Espen Oeino has created harmonious proportions and, with a length of 85.10 metres and a beam of 13.80 metres, she boasts extraordinary volumes. Accommodating all of the owner's requirements, she still maintains sleek and very elegant lines, which are underlined by her dark blue hull.
Aileen Rodeiguez’s interior has classical touches with a contemporary backdrop, making it a transitional interior. The unique mix of rare and striking materials gives the yacht its ultimate look and luxurious style. When entering Solandge through the main entrance, attention is immediately captured by the golden "Tree of Life" – a lighted sculpture where more than 1,200 dazzling points of light. The tree is approximately 16 metres high and covers the entire height from the tank deck up to the bridge deck.
In addition to the very impressive staircase encompassed by an antique Venetian mirror, there is also a sophisticated elevator. The elevator provides access to all decks from the tank deck to the bridge. Aft of the foyer, guests enter the main salon directly. The main salon onboard Solandge is one large area where the main dining table, seating up to twelve guests, is located in the middle of the salon. The bar is accented by curved artwork glass panels and nicely upholstered fabric panels in a purple colour matching the amethyst stone top patched with crystal glass, diamond-shaped pieces.
The Main Salon has been designed to capture the style and elegance of the owner's lifestyle. Back-lit amethyst walls flank the main salon as they greet you with a Bechstein piano on one side and a Venetian mirror and console on the other. The main salon offers enormous space for the guests with a range of comfortable couches and chairs in purple and gold colours. The pieces of furniture have been crafted with a sharp eye for detail, as can be seen by their finish as well as in the curved and bold shapes of the joinery.
Forward of the foyer, a door leads into the guest lobby, which hosts a guest office and five guest suites, one of which is a large VIP suite. The VIP suite can be converted into two cabins rather than one large suite and both the VIP suite and the two guest suites offer double beds. The additional two guest suites offer twin beds which can also be converted into king-size beds. All guests rooms have very large windows allowing for plenty of natural light.
The owners' suite offers spectacular panoramic views, as well as a private study, customised his and her bathrooms and personal dressing rooms. Two side doors provide access to a cosy private seating area outside as well as a private Jacuzzi and seating in the forward area, providing the ultimate exclusivity.
Mirroring the layout of the main deck, a small lobby with day head leads aft from the foyer into a cosy upper deck lounge. The lounge offers seating and relaxation areas with a large television screen. The clients love colour and were not afraid to let the designer experiment with it. The metal bronze details which flank the bookcases as well as the ceiling soffits have a slight green patina to them.
The outside aft deck offers extra large spaces and different areas. On the one hand, it is the favourite exterior dining place, offering a large main table for up to 14 guests and six guests at a smaller table. The sides of the aft deck can be closed with glass panels much like a winter garden. In addition, the aft deck is very inviting with its large seating area for relaxation. For sun protection, triangular awnings fixed on carbon-fibre poles are laid out in a perfect manner.
In addition to the state-of-the-art wheelhouse, the bridge deck houses a radio room, the ship's office and the captain's quarters. A large area is reserved for the gym and spa, which includes a beauty and massage room as well as a hammam. The massage room is a serene and relaxing area found on the bridge deck, which is also flanked by a beauty salon, sauna, steam room, shower, gym and special hydrotherapy tub room for exclusive treatments.
The outside aft deck hosts a large 6 metre pool with jet flow, surrounded by comfortable sun beds, seating areas and a bar. A very well designed shower has been incorporated into the handrail of the pool for guest use. Stairways on starboard lead to the top deck, which functions during the day as a sun deck and at night converts into a party deck. During the day, it is the perfect place for relaxation. Forward is a Jacuzzi surrounded by large lounges, a bar amidships with two televisions, and a wonderful sunbed pavilion aft. At night, the Jacuzzi can be converted into a dance floor and a multitude of party lights make this deck the perfect place to celebrate. There is a specially built-in DJ console and a large screen for music videos or game viewing. There is also a special area with a star light panel and overstuffed cushions which can be draped off for a romantic setting.
The crew accommodation area is spread over 15 light and spacious cabins. The crew mess, including a separate first officer and security cabin, and the galley are located on the lower deck. Aft of the lower deck is the upper engine room as well as the enormous tender garage, which hosts two tenders: one NAIAD Inflatable Rib Centre Console Tender at 10.5 metres and one Centurion Enzo Wake Boarding Tender at 7.32 metres. Both can be launched sideways through the shell doors. In addition, there is plenty of space for any other kind of water sport equipment.
A watertight door leads into the beach club area which includes a day head, full shower and a sauna. This area is also equipped with a pantry for drinks and snacks. Leaving towards the aft through the stern door, you enter a bathing area with an enormously sized fold-out bathing stair which can also be used as a pick-up point for
The tank deck hosts another crew lounge and a cinema. A suitably sized and perfectly laid-out laundry and fridge and freezer room can be found on the tank deck as well. The cinema is equipped for the guests' viewing pleasure and is furnished with automatic seats that recline at the push of a button. This deck also has a day head for guest use and a bar cabinet.The engine room is the heart of the yacht and a masterpiece of Lürssen engineering, with polished stainless steel applications. Powered by 2 CAT engines of 2,000 kW each, she reaches a top speed of 17 knots and has a range of 6,000 nautical miles from her 220,000 litre fuel tanks.
Elastically mounted equipment ensures that the yacht runs extremely quietly, and zero-speed fin stabilisers reduce wave-generated motions when at anchor. To keep emissions low, the generator's exhaust system is equipped with HUG particle filters and soot burners which are fully compliant with the current IMO air pollution requirements. The system provides excellent fuel efficiency, as heat is not generated electrically but directly by burning spare fuel, thus demanding less generator capacity.
The beauty and grandeur of Solandge is undeniable, and has successfully met the expectations of the owner. Lürssen states, "We are happy that we have met the high expectations of the owner in terms of product quality and being able to deliver within budget and on time. We are looking forward to Solandge finding her place amongst her peers as a remarkable statement in large yacht construction, based on an excellent design and superb engineering skills."
She is a yacht intended to be self-sufficient during extended voyages on the high seas and well equipped for whatever she may face, resulting in an exciting addition to the global charter fleet. She represents the very latest in high-end luxury cruising and with her experienced charter crew she will, without doubt, provide the ultimate experience to remember cruising her first season in the Caribbean before crossing to the Mediterranean.