By Maarten Janssen
Photos by Bugsy Gedlek & Ray Main
Twizzle is a remarkable combination of luxury boutique home and powerful blue water sailing craft. This magnificent vessel, built by Royal Huisman in The Netherlands, and designed by Redman Whiteley Dixon, catches the eye with her powerful contemporary lines and integration of indoor and outdoor spaces. She was built for experienced owners who previously owned the 55m Feadship now named Drizzle.
With a specification calling for the amenity of a motor yacht within a high performance sailing yacht, her naval architect, Dubois Naval Architects, reduced wetted surface and set a swing keel within a 3.8m-draft fixed keel. He optimized Twizzle's beam and added some 120 tons of internal ballast to improve stiffness and stability beneath 1,780 m2 of sail, set on a ketch rig. Twizzle's mainmast is just under 62m, to clear Panama’s Bridge of the Americas at low water.
For the interior, the owners relied on the same team as for their previous superyacht. The design brief went to Redman Whiteley Dixon, while decoration was in the hands of the London-based Todhunter Earle Group, known for their interior design of residences and hotels.
Twizzle contains a distinctive interior layout, breaking with the tradition of giving up spectacular views for operation purposes, she offers a panoramic sight from the spacious forward deck salon. The forward salon doubles as a theatre lounge and an informal dining room. A small video camera allows the stewardesses to keep a discrete eye on the table.
The half-raised bridge deck offers a “glass cockpit”, offering sophisticated and secure means of navigation and controls.
Twizzle's elegant main deck lounge is equally light and open as it is sheltered and intimate, offering airiness and luxurious comfort alike.
With her interior every bit as impressive as her exterior, the effortless flow from inside to outside results in a unique aft deck lounging experience. Sliding glass doors can be easily opened, creating one luxurious and soothing space that offers intrinsic comfort and an unspoiled alfresco feel.
Descending the stairway in the starboard lobby, one reaches the beautifully lit lower deck lobby. Twizzle’s guest accommodations are characterized by different hand-printed textiles on the walls, each coupled with a distinctive pattern.
Three meticulous guest cabins offer lavishly designed, soothing comforts for up to 8 guests including the owner’s cabin. Two double guest cabins consisting of mirror-image layouts and one twin cabin are situated in direct vicinity of the captain’s quarters. Easily separated, the hallway alongside the captain’s cabin can be easily used by crew to reach the guest area unobtrusively.
A delightfully private experience is available directly from the owner’s cabin. Passing through an private hallway, one is eased into a sunken aft deck cockpit. This outside space, though moderate in size, is perfectly secluded while offering the exquisite comfort, marking one of Twizzle’s typical trades.
Moving further aft, one finds another of Twizzle's key features, her stern platform. The fully customized two tier platform can be hydraulically positioned at various heights, depending on the sea condition. What makes the aft platform unique, is that there is not a hinge, cable or cylinder in sight. It also contains an hydraulically operated carbon swim ladder for easy access to the water.
The crew area takes up the forward part of the lower deck. Executed in light oak, it provides the great comfort in every respect, recognizing the importance of giving crew the facilities to do their jobs. Twizzle offers 4 cabins accommodating a total of 11 crewmembers.
Yacht Carbon Offset has certified that emissions arising from Twizzle’s cruising programme will be balanced tonne for tonne by equivalent emissions savings from green energy projects. The one-off carbon offset for her construction is based on Twizzle’s aluminium and steel content, an allowance for other materials and components, and the estimated energy used at the shipyard.
Equally appealing because of her Green credentials, this first Royal Huisman’s flybridge sailing yacht is exceptional in both looks and philosophy, truly making her one of today’s leading superyachts.
The Redman Whiteley Dixon (RWD) designed superyacht is available for charters, through her central agent Burgess. Twizzle will be available this summer in the Mediterranean at €203,000 to €224,000, and this winter in the Caribbean at $245,000 to $273,000.
Royal Huisman
+31 527 24 3131
[email protected]
www.royalhuisman.com
Dubois Naval Architects
+44 (0)1590 626666
[email protected]
www.duboisyachts.com
Redman Whiteley Dixon Ltd
+44 (0)1590 611 300
[email protected]
www.rwd.co.uk
Burgess
+44 20 7766 4300
[email protected]
www.burgessyachts.com