From Alaska to Antarctica, the Caribbean to Komodo; the journey that lies ahead the luxury explorer yacht Cloudbreak reads like a log from Charles Darwin’s memoirs. But the idea behind Cloudbreak has little to do with research, and everything to do with adventure, exploration and the great outdoors. The 72.5-metre superyacht is taking on a daunting maiden voyage that will see the Abeking & Rasmussen vessel circumnavigate our planet, all the while playing host to a select few adventure-hungry charter guests brave enough to join her on the seven seas.
Her young and dynamic owner selected designer Espen Oeino to sculpt his new floating chalet – a man that is all too familiar with the snowy climates of northern Europe. As with the setup of a mountain-top resort, comfort and shelter from the elements are key. Just as important to her owner, however, was the ability to freely enjoy the outdoor spaces of his yacht. This called for a borderless layout where guests can experience what is outside from within, and spend time on deck while feeling as if one never left your cabin.
If at first glance Cloudbreak gives off a somewhat familiar impression, it could be because there are some elements of her out there already. Oeino put his unmistakable twist on the shipyard’s platform with a range of well-defined styling cues that sets Cloudbreak apart from any other. Seen from ahead, little tapering occurs as your eyes follow her outline up to sundeck, with that never-ending mast not unlike that of a spearheading battleship.
Hard to miss when staring down onto Cloudbreak, as she slices through the waters off the Greenland coast, is her helideck. Forget about the touch-and-go helipads we have come to know, this commercial landing platform takes up a huge amount of deck space and is home to Cloudbreak’s own helicopter that rides piggyback wherever she goes. This deck also doubles as a party deck, and is transformed into the ultimate floating festival as the DJ’s tunes echo off the glistening glaciers when the sun goes down. A high-tech sound system with weather-proof speakers mounted into the deck, completes the ensemble.
Guests looking to escape the crowd can head upstairs to a mid-level observation deck fitted with loungers and overlooks the pool deck with is 10-seater Jacuzzi below. This observation deck, along with the intimate crow’s nest one level above, will prove useful during those whale-watching, glacier-scouring and constellation-counting trips that Cloudbreak has up her sleeve.
To safely operate in these remote areas, the yacht has been fitted with an array of advanced navigational equipment, watercraft and onboard toys. As the yacht plans to cruise past some of the most famous mountain ranges suitable for winter sports, Cloudbreak is also equipped with a full arsenal of snowboarding and skiing gear that can be loaded into the helicopter, ready for the slopes.
Not only the yacht herself, but the hand-picked crew are tailored to Cloudbreak’s maiden voyage that will focus on extreme sports and adventure. Members of the team include a professional helicopter pilot, surf coach, paramedic, photographer and yoga instructor. This yacht truly has all the exits covered to make life onboard not only an enjoyable experience, but an educational one at that.
It is not until one experiences the yacht’s interior areas that all these outstanding attributes start to make sense. Christian Liaigre is the man behind her detail-perfect and minimalist interior. The wide open spaces allow you to truly appreciate the quality of each design element and material used to capture that emotion. A very neutral colour theme allows only slightly darker shades than the cream and white pallet to make a pronounced statement, with softer coloured fabrics filling in the gaps.
Not immediately noticeable, but quite abundant when having first realised, is the lack of sharp edges and corners throughout the interior as one strolls through the main saloon. Standing in somewhat of a contrast to Cloudbreak’s defined exterior, these rounded shapes not only create a more sensual environment, but serve a practical purpose too.
Also found in the main saloon is an innovative YachtEye system from Oculus Technologies. Keeping guests informed and entertained, this system provides real-time location updates delivered by Google Earth with pin-point accuracy. A 3D environment of the yacht’s surroundings is displayed along with functional readings such as speed, heading and location.
Moving aft on the main deck, where one would normally find a comfy external lounge area, a sheltered tender garage is located. It is here where Cloudbreak’s two oversized tenders are stowed which would otherwise have been too large to fit in a gullwing-style garage in the bow. Louvre-style shutters provide this area with natural ventilation and much-needed sunlight.
Back inside, and it is forward on the main deck where the full-beam master suite lies and waits. With an aft-facing central bed, the enormous side-opening balcony gives the feeling of being on top of a high-end seaside resort. Simple, elegant and very comfortable, this suite is filled with sense of functional sophistication.
Not surprising are the five additional suites that are located on the lower deck. What is, however, a noteworthy feature is the layout of this deck and how these cabins are connected. A central corridor measuring 60 metres in length runs all the way from beach deck in the stern area of the yacht, forward to the guest cabins and on to reach the crew quarters. The engineering obstacles to successfully pull this off, considering that the corridor runs through a part of the engine rooms, were immense.
The guest suites down here are as eloquently decorated as the rest of the ship’s guest areas.
It is from Cloudbreak’s bridge that her captain commands the twin Caterpillar engines that will drive Cloudbreak through the world’s oceans. And with a range of 8,750 nautical miles, and stores to keep her crew and guests fed for weeks, it would seem that the only limit this yacht will hit is that of her owner.
SuperYachtsMonaco who were behind the sale and management of the project throughout her build, is exclusively offering Cloudbreak for charter. Currently in the Caribbean, weekly rates start at €750,000. Learn more about what your next adventure could hold, here.