Construction is proceeding apace at Moonen Shipyards in the Netherlands on the 42-metre luxury motoryacht Sofia. As is the case with any genuinely custom project, changes and additions are still being made to the design and facilities as the build progresses, meeting the owner’s requirements in every respect. And as the largest Moonen to date takes shape, the value of partnering with best-in-class suppliers is also clear to see.
The 42-metre Sofia is one of three major builds currently under construction at Moonen alongside two refit projects. The other new superyachts are an explorer and a fast displacement vessel, emphasising the unrivalled diversity on offer at Moonen. The same goes for the wide range of skills and disciplines available in-house, which are supplemented by close relationships with many leading marine equipment supply companies.
These partnerships are coming to the fore as the build of Sofia continues on schedule and within budget. The owner’s close involvement in the project adds to the sense of excitement as key milestones are passed. Among the recent changes he has requested in this evolutionary process has been to upgrade the dashboard to an integrated foil bridge. Moonen is implementing this in cooperation with Tijssen Elektro.
Meanwhile, the entertainment system is being engineered and installed, increasing in sophistication all the time to include a full Kaleidoscope video server with Samsung Smart LED TVs and multi-room control (including lighting, blinds and climate control) via i-Pad. And the yacht’s atrium will be made using a custom piece of Concetto art supplied by Ceaser Stone in Israel.
An earlier change to the specs for Sofia saw the owner decide to extend the yacht by a further four feet in order that she could carry a submarine from U-boatworx capable of seating one captain and two passengers instead of the originally intended two in total.
Sea trials on this submarine will begin in Malta in mid-May while back in Holland the dedicated launch crane is being pre-assembled and tested before final installation onboard the yacht.