The 62-meter Rasselas, launched by De Vries Feadship, has a truly distinguished pedigree. This quintessential modern classic can trace her ancestry to a number of classical boats, while at the same time being firmly anchored in the advanced technology of today. Rasselas also synthesizes all the experiences garnered on the first Rasselas over the past decade by her owner, captain and crew.

Like Samuel Johnson’s novel, after which she is named, Rasselas describes a long journey in the search for perfection. Her predecessor, launched in 1994, was a great yacht in her own right, and one of the most widely admired and emulated boats of all time. At 62 meters (203’ 5”), the new Rasselas is not only ten meters longer than her predecessor, but is also an entirely new boat in terms of machinery and technology.

The owner was well aware that building methods, equipment, and regulations had all advanced rapidly during the past ten years, making it possible to build a greatly improved new vessel. He placed special focus on two aspects. First, electronic and technical innovations for the benefit of operational and environmental efficiency; and second, enhancing aesthetic features while at the same time reducing the time necessary for cleaning and maintenance. This brief pervades many aspects of the appearance, handling, seaworthiness and layout of Rasselas, helping to reduce noise levels, increase efficiency and facilitate maintenance. Meanwhile, the levels of attention to detail and refinement were taken to the highest possible levels throughout the yacht.

Rasselas profited from an unprecedented level of involvement from Captain A.J. Anderson, who basically planned the interior design together with the owner. “Working with De Vries and De Voogt Naval Architects at this level of detail was a great experience,” he reported during the boat’s maiden transatlantic trip. “We could not have done it without the people from De Voogt’s interior design department. Their experience in turning sketches, ideas and conversation notes into the actual constructive details was phenomenal. You can already tell she is going to be a terrific sea boat, as one expects from a Feadship. Rasselas is really something special.”

Interior
Rasselas has a beautiful, classic mahogany interior with phenomenal standards of fine detailing and execution, including many exquisite details such as pillars, niches and elegant cabinets. Incidentally, mahogany has now become so scarce that Rasselas will probably be the last major boat with an interior made from this tropical wood for years to come. The owner planned the interior himself, together with Captain Anderson and the help of designers Kenneth & Alberto. The influence of John Munford, who was responsible for the original Rasselas, remains apparent.

Experience accumulated through the years on the previous Rasselas by both crew and owners allowed an excellent design to be duplicated and further improved. It helped that De Voogt Naval Architects had been so intimately involved with both yachts. People familiar with the details of the previous boat were therefore able to provide valuable input for the design of the new one.

The changes to the old design notably included facilitating maintenance. For instance, a number of hard edges were replaced by rounded lines less conducive to gathering dust. The cap rail on the side of the superstructure was kept in exactly the same design, but made of stainless steel instead of wood so as to reduce the need for re-varnishing work.

The open frames on the foredeck were changed for closed bulwarks with double plating. This required a very complicated design and two mock-ups, but ended up looking perfect and saving a great deal of cleaning time. Similarly, following a request from the crew, a continuous groove along the top of the paneling was installed instead of air-conditioning grills, again saving on cleaning time. This type of maintenance facilitation, and simpler measures such as changing the color of some carpets, contributed to an estimated saving of 6,000 man-hours per year, a half of which was ultimately redistributed to various tasks enhancing the operation of the boat.

All the main spaces of Rasselas feature, on average, seven centimeters more headroom than is customary; this is due to the fact that the interior is a larger version of an earlier design with regular ceiling heights. All decks and overheads are cambered, making the rooms look even more lofty. Cut-glass domes by Cristal et Bronze of Paris and selected by the owner provide overhead lighting, while bulkheads are illuminated by gimbaled cabin lamps that the owner designed himself. Upholstery, carpets and curtains tend to be in light, fresh colors that lighten the atmosphere and create an informal effect throughout the interior. Finally, where all major panels were flat in the old Rasselas, they trace a slight elliptic curve in the new.

Main deck
Entrance lobby and owner’s area
The main entrance amidships on the starboard side opens onto the lobby. This leads aft to the main social spaces, forward to the owner’s area, to the pantry on the port side, and up a staircase towards the bridge deck hallway. The day head here is covered with mahogany paneling and has honey onyx surfaces and floor. The owner’s suite takes up the forward quarter of the main deck and is reached through a small lobby with a foldable massage table. The spacious sauna, with a marble floor, Hamlock walls and ceiling and Abachi furniture, is also reached from here.

The owner’s stateroom features a luxurious bed with green velvet head and sideboards. Like other double beds onboard Rasselas, this one is ‘California king-sized’, or some ten centimeters longer than a standard king-size bed. Huge windows flood the entire space with daylight, adding to the clear and graceful atmosphere, which is further enhanced by onyx tabletops and a stylish metal burl edge on the entire paneling. There is also a large drop-down flatscreen forward on the centerline.

A hallway – with his and her dressing room to port and starboard, respectively – connects the owner’s stateroom to the bathroom. Almost as large as the stateroom itself, the bathroom is quite stunning, being entirely clad with lovely ivory onyx.

Galley and pantry
Opposite the main entrance and aft of the owner’s area to port, the capacious galley includes all the standard amenities, plus extensive freezer and refrigerator space. Paneled entirely in mahogany, the galley features white Cameo Corian working surfaces and Giallo Veneziano light granite countertops and backsplash. The dining room is reached from the galley by way of the pantry, which has peach granite working surfaces and a mahogany and holly parquet floor.

Dining room
Further aft is the dining room. All of the corners here are taken up by cabinets with glassware or delftware; the door of each pivots to reveal deep storage space. The large table, which can seat up to fourteen guests, is made of walnut, while the three sideboards have peach onyx inlays. Although the dining room takes up the entire interior width of the deck, effectively separating the main saloon aft from the rest of the main deck, a service passageway on the lower deck allows the crew to move between the two parts of the main deck without disturbing the guests in the dining room or having to go around via the deck.

Main lounge and aft deck
The aft portion of the main deck superstructure is occupied by the vast main lounge. A warm and inviting atmosphere is created by raised and fielded mahogany panels with a burl madrona border outlined in beech. This effect is further enhanced by a beautiful faux fireplace of Jerusalem Gold Desert marble. The main seating area is centered on an oriental-style low lacquered table, which is surrounded by two comfortable cream settees with a wealth of classy cushions in earthy colors, as well as two friendly cream tabourets and two armchairs. A games table and smaller coffee table provide two more strategically placed seating areas.

The aft most portion of the deck constitutes a spacious covered al fresco area. The huge dining table here is surrounded by a semi-circular seating arrangement that is divided into two by a passageway on the centerline leading in to the saloon through a wide glass sliding door. A settee facing the saloon is placed against the aft end of the deck opposite the dinner area, in the only uncovered part of the aft deck. This area can be shaded with a retractable sun awning extending from the bridge deck.

A stairwell on the starboard side leads up to the aft part of the bridge deck, and glass doors on the side decks provide extra protection from the wind. Right next to the seating area to port is a small stairway leading down to the spacious lazarette, which includes a selection of sports equipment. A large teak-bedecked drop-down flap here forms an ideal boarding and bathing platform.

Lower deck
Guest area
The guest area is located in the aft part of the lower deck and reached by a spiral staircase leading down from the main saloon. All paneling here has a mahogany trim. Beautiful curved doors connect the guest staterooms directly to the spacious lobby, which contains a walk-in storage closet for linen and bathroom items planned by the chief stewardess. A hidden door reached via a panel in the lobby opens onto the crew service passageway that leads to the pantry on the main deck.

The four guest staterooms are larger than life, as are the Californian king-size beds with green velvet head and sideboards. Each room contains a Pullman, meaning there is accommodation for up to twelve guests in total. Full entertainment systems with drop-down flatscreens in front of the beds, satellite TV and a music system are found in each stateroom, as well as in the fifth, smaller guest cabin. The latter is designed for staff or as an extra children’s cabin, with a bunk bed and bathroom with half-size tub. All the guest bathrooms are made of white Statuario marble. In a true feat of aesthetic engineering, a striking black vein runs across the marble in each bathroom floor, continuing across a step and reaching into the shower compartment.

Crew area
The spacious crew area is finished in light ash and contains six regular double cabins with bunk beds and two larger officer cabins. The latter normally each house one person, although a double bed and Pullman offer further options. There is a large crew mess room with an additional settee in a separate corner for study, as well as a computer desk for crewmembers.

The tank deck below the crew quarters contains a laundry, ironing facilities, a storage area and a freezer. This space required ingenious solutions in terms of insulation and other installations, due to the uniquely high headroom of 1.90 meters.

Bridge deck
Wheelhouse
Ascending from the main lobby, the bridge deck hallway leads aft to the social areas and forward to the wheelhouse between the two large tenders. Like the rest of Rasselas, the wheelhouse profited greatly from the experience and input of Captain Anderson. For instance, the working stations and seating are carefully placed to ensure bridge management efficiency, while at the same time providing guests with a comfortable view while underway. Similarly, the Captain noted that wood and leather trim nearly always eventually fades in the sun, so the mahogany paneling in the wheelhouse was complemented by Zimbabwe Black marble trim around the windows.

The state-of-the-art electronic charting equipment is complemented by an island chart table located behind the helmsman and stacked with chart drawers. Engine and thruster controls, two radar screens and three multi-purpose screens for a wide range of technical and navigational information take up the dark-brown leather dashboard. The wheelhouse floor is teak and holly, while the comfortable raised settee is upholstered with caramel leather.

Captain’s cabin and day head
The captain’s cabin further aft is similar to the guest staterooms in terms of décor, and features a queen-size bed and flatscreen TV. The bathroom, made of white Statuario marble, includes a shower compartment. The bridge deck day head, just opposite the captain’s cabin and next door to the bridge deck saloon, features mahogany wall paneling and Jerusalem Gold Desert marble floor and surfaces.

Pantry
The bridge deck pantry is another example of the high level of experience evident throughout Rasselas. The crew was well aware that the most popular place for dining in good weather was the partially covered outdoor area on the aft part of the bridge deck on Rasselas. An extra pantry has therefore been placed on this level. This opens onto the side deck through a dedicated door, allowing the crew to avoid the bridge deck saloon on their way to the aft deck. The pantry is also close to a small service stairway leading up to the sundeck. A service lift from the main galley serves both the bridge deck pantry and the sundeck. The countertops and backsplash in the pantry are made of Giallo Veneziano light marble.

Bridge deck saloon and aft deck
The bridge deck lounge is smaller and more informal than the main saloon. Although it has a similar warm mahogany décor, the many bookshelves and cabinets also give it an extra cozy feel. A huge Chinese-style low table is surrounded by a cream seating arrangement consisting of two settees with multiple cushions and two tabourets. A flatscreen TV drops down in front of the fireplace and can pivot so as to be easily visible from any part of the main sitting area. A game table seats four, and there is also a large, comfortable armchair for relaxed reading or socializing.

A large glass sliding door connects the saloon to the aft deck, which features a dining table for 12. A settee with a large central sunbed takes up the aft, uncovered portion of the deck, facing the lounge. An extension of this seating arrangement reaches inwards along the centerline to a stylish mini-table just short of the dinner area. This space can be shaded by extending the retractable sun awning from the sundeck above. Glass doors on the side decks shield against the wind, and stairways on the starboard side lead down to the aft parts of the main deck and sundeck, respectively.

Sundeck
The sundeck is a truly multi-purpose area. The aft part has room for storing two tenders (including a rescue boat) and two waveriders, which are launched by a flush-stored low-profile crane in the coaming. If the boats are moved, this space can be used as a landing pad strong enough for a six-person helicopter.

No refueling system was required as the boat is not intended to carry a helicopter for an extended period. Storage space on the starboard side contains fire-fighting equipment. Carefully soundproofed and catalyzed dry stacks for the generators reach up through the roof.
Moving forward, the radar arch covers the forward portion of the sundeck. The large spa pool on the starboard side is exactly halfway in the shaded area. A granite bar-counter runs around the forward third of its circumference and is surrounded by four bar stools. A standing bar, also of granite, is to port, right next to the powder room, which is concealed in a pillar and has walls, vanities and floor made of Cream Marfil marble.

A teak table with teak seats and room for ten people takes up the center of the covered part of the deck. Curved sliding doors open onto the vast sunbathing space forward, which is divided into large platforms covered with sun pads. A narrow passageway on the centerline leads all the way to the foremost end of the deck, with on either side two equal-sized sun pad areas in rising stages. Aft, a slightly elevated one that is mostly in the shade, and forward, a higher one that can be covered by the forward sun awning. Finally, a smaller sunbathing area that is even more elevated takes up the port and starboard sides. There is storage space under all the sun pads.

Exterior
Rasselas is every bit as impressive on the outside as on the inside. The longest Feadship ever built with a walk-around superstructure on the main and bridge decks, she has a continuous bow-to-stern sheerline that is quite dramatic in its elegance. When designing the exterior of the Rasselas, every opportunity to improve on the previous design – which was already striking in its own right – was again taken.

The ten extra meters were used to lengthen the entire profile, leading to a particularly impressive bow overhang and a longer foredeck and stern. The extra length is especially noticeable on the higher decks, particularly the sundeck, which almost doubled in size. Inspired by yachts such as Paraffin and Gallant Lady, the designers also spent a great deal of time devising an extraordinary top deck for Rasselas, with a radar arch ingeniously turned into the roof of a glassed-in sky saloon. Furthermore, the yacht has a pronounced curvature to her plan and a very elegant inwards arch towards the stern.

Technology and equipment
Structure and navigation
A technological prodigy, Rasselas has again profited from the extensive experience and know-how on the part of owner, captain and crew as well as Feadship. Emphasizing the thoroughness of the approach, her design was preceded by a full tank-test program at the MARIN research institute in The Netherlands. Most motoryachts are subjected to some studies, largely to confirm speed and fuel-consumption calculations. In the case of Rasselas, however, maneuverability and seaworthiness were also tested at length.

Unlike most recent Feadships, which have a keel that is parallel to the waterline, Rasselas harks back to a more traditional design. Her keel follows a gently descending slope from bow to stern so as to reduce the likelihood that she will corkscrew or broach in a following sea. The stability at anchor system is also highly effective, with modern, larger stabilizer fins.

Hull lines and – especially – the position and curvature of the bilge keels are devised for maximum sailing precision at 14.2 knots, the speed at which the power-to-fuel -consumption ratio is at its most efficient. With a maximum range of at least 5,000 nautical miles, Rasselas’s twin Caterpillar 3516 engines and 180-centimeter five-bladed propellers can take her from Los Angeles to Tokyo without refueling and still have steam to spare.

The high level of quality in terms of onboard equipment is largely attributable to Captain Anderson, who had an extensive influence on the overall design. Understanding that sophistication is often synonymous with simplicity, he chose a modest but efficient level of integration and technology in the wheelhouse, for instance. The same is evident in terms of engineering – Rasselas is free of overkill, featuring instead a simple, advanced approach that is easy to maintain.
A hinged service hatch in the hull allows components in the engine room to be more easily extracted, making it very useful for any dry-dock periods. This system makes it unnecessary to cut a hole in the hull for this purpose, saving a great deal on new paintwork. It actually represents the revival of a classical approach that was common in the 1960s and before, where the soft patch was in the saloon. The engine room on Rasselas is also designed for easier extraction, with removable sections in the bulkheads allowing generators, for instance, to be taken out.

Equipment and amenities
As mandated by relevant regulations, Rasselas features an AIS system, which displays the name and details of other ships picked up by the radars or the two electronic chart systems. A deliberate addition to the piloting system is a gyro-stabilized Seenite marine night vision thermal imaging camera that is controlled from the dashboard using a trackball. MCA classification also required the addition of an emergency generator, which was installed underneath the bar top on the sundeck. The three main ship’s generators are advanced electronic C9 models.

Another area that profited from the combined experience of the crew and the builders is the air-conditioning system. The current version has a ducted air system with five units for air mixing and cooling, moving the noise production far from the sensitive spaces and reducing the need for local maintenance. The room ventilation outlets are cleverly disguised inside the cornice moldings. The temperature can be regulated either locally or centrally from the engine room.

As one would expect from a luxury yacht of her caliber, Rasselas is extremely well insulated against noise. She has an abundance of hyper-efficient double plating insulation on a visco-elastic layer, as well as sound-resilient mounting for machinery. The outcome is that she is as close to silent as a yacht of this size can be. And to reinforce this quality, Rasselas also features ultra-slow ‘trolling mode’ propulsion that is ideal for leaving port with barely a splash.

Underlining the unique quality of the equipment onboard Rasselas is the fact that she is the first De Vries yacht with grey water treatment. This unusual arrangement (regulations, after all, only require blackwater treatment) was the result of research, for which three partners were involved: a close cooperation between the yard, Hamann Wassertechnik and the Captain. The outcome is a compact system for black and grey water treatment that is redundant within the unit.

Rasselas features three tenders: A smaller crew tender on the sundeck and two larger ones abaft the wheelhouse. The two latter are a 22’ Castoldi on the port side and a deluxe 26’ Vikal enclosed launch. The part of the bulwark that folds onto the deck for the tenders to clear the rail is supported by springs, so that a single person can easily lift it.

Summing up
An extraordinary understanding from all parties concerned as to what constitutes a perfect Feadship has benefited the design and execution of Rasselas. In addition, the owner, yard and designers created powerful synergies between them having already shared the adventure of constructing Rasselas’s predecessor. Ultimately, the smooth simplicity of this yacht is a monument to her sophistication.

Photo credit: Maarten Janssen & Merijn de Waard / Yacht-Images.com