The Delfeayo Marsalis Jazz Band of New Orleans and the philanthropic Divas World Productions, from Houston, Texas – “devoted to enriching lives by the integration of artists and audiences as well as music and thought” – provided memorable entertainment over cocktails and dinner, in fine company, at Marie’s christening at the IYCA quay, Antibes in September.
Marie’s namesake deftly smashed the Champagne bottle, after toasts to Neptune and the Gods of the winds, while her creative team – along with Fraser Yachts who are Marie’s central agents for charter – were rewarded with antique weapons:
• Builders – Vitters Shipyard
• Owner’s construction managers – MCM
• Designer (exterior & interior) & naval architect – Hoek Design
• Interior designer & decorator – David Easton
• Interior fitters – De Ruiter
And finally, one of the ship’s antique cannon (there are some two tonnes of antique weaponry aboard) was fired, with a very loud bang, to mark the end of the awards.
Marie has a classic profile that belies a modern underwater hull – an evolution and lighter version of the award-winning Adele. Her lightweight black, carbon-fibre rig from Southern Spars, supported by Future Fibres PBO rigging, sports an in-boom, roller-reefing system for both mainsail and mizzen. The interior is lighter too (in both structure and colour) contributing to significant improvements in speed and righting moment. The powerful black, aluminium hull, built to ABS and MCA, quickly accelerates to up to 17 knots in 20 knots breeze.
Marie’s interior was built around a baby grand piano that was installed in the lower saloon before the deckhouse ‘soft patch’ was closed. The main deckhouse extends well forward of the upper saloon giving plenty of light right through to the lower saloon. The contemporary interior has Anigre panels and is complemented by a truly fine collection of antique weapons and maritime art.
Two twin guest cabins flank the corridor leading to the master cabin aft (there is also a VIP double forward, opposite the formal dining room). The master can also be entered via its own private deck saloon-cum-office – itself with direct access to and from the owner’s aft cockpit.
Twin wheels, with optional direct steering for ‘feel’, are positioned forward of the owner’s deckhouse at the rear of the spacious main guest cockpit, protected by a permanent bimini top (with overhead windows to view the 1,445 square metres of North Sails). Guests can find plenty of spots to relax from the comfortable benches outboard of the cockpit to the expansive teak foredeck.
Marie’s long profile has a strong sheer line and low freeboard. Traditional looks, combined with a bright and airy interior, assure her appeal will hold for decades. Her mainmast benefits from a crow’s nest that ascends guests up a dizzying 35 metres. Take Marie’s restored antique maritime binoculars aloft and look at your boundaries, values and problems from a new perspective – enjoying ‘Marie space and time’.
Vitters Shipyard
+31 (0)38 386 7145
[email protected]
www.vitters.com
MCM Newport
+1 401 849 3387
[email protected]
www.mcmnewport.com
Hoek Design
+31 (0) 299 372853
[email protected]
www.hoekdesign.com