Purpose-built

for

trailblazers

What does a yacht owner want?

The superyacht experience remains one of the most fulfilling experiences - bar none.

A yacht is not an end in itself but a conduit to explore one's passions and interests, be it for discovery, adventure, science, sport or travel to experience new and different lands, people and things.

We at ICON designed PROJECT MASTER for exactly that purpose. Every aspect was carefully considered, starting from the hull, the thinking and planning behind the conversion, the choice of designers, PROJECT MASTER’s propulsion system, her size and range, her tenders and her helicopter capability. PROJECT MASTER is probably the most user-oriented exploration yacht in terms of volume with a purpose-built interior and modern, up to date technical features. Let’s take a look at the living areas first.

Interior design highlights

At just under 3000 gross tons, PROJECT MASTER is one of the largest volume yachts for her length. She can accommodate up to 12 guests in 6 large staterooms with a private owner’s deck. Since, depending on the location, guests might be spending time at sea and indoors, all guest accommodations are spacious with large windows, good views, so welcoming and user-friendly rather than showy. A gentle color palette and natural materials provide an inviting setting with a human dimension.

The owner’s private apartment includes a master suite with an adjoining lounge and TV area. Further aft there are his and her bathroom and dressings. Further aft opening onto the spacious private deck is a lounge with a private office area on portside. The exterior deck includes a dining table for al private fresco dining, sun lounges and comfortable seating.

For entertainment, PROJECT MASTER is equipped with a spa (including a sauna, hammam and treatment room) and a gym on the A deck forward. Guests’ business requirements are also catered to thanks to a guest office and library. There is a science room and a laboratory on the “tween deck” for scientific work during a trip.

View the areas on the GA

Interior design highlights

At just under 3000 gross tons, PROJECT MASTER is one of the largest volume yachts for her length. She can accommodate up to 12 guests in 6 large staterooms with a private owner’s deck. Since, depending on the location, guests might be spending time at sea and indoors, all guest accommodations are spacious with large windows, good views, so welcoming and user-friendly rather than showy. A gentle color palette and natural materials provide an inviting setting with a human dimension.

The owner’s private apartment includes a master suite with an adjoining lounge and TV area. Further aft there are his and her bathroom and dressings. Further aft opening onto the spacious private deck is a lounge with a private office area on portside. The exterior deck includes a dining table for al private fresco dining, sun lounges and comfortable seating.

For entertainment, PROJECT MASTER is equipped with a spa (including a sauna, hammam and treatment room) and a gym on the A deck forward. Guests’ business requirements are also catered to thanks to a guest office and library. There is a science room and a laboratory on the “tween deck” for scientific work during a trip.

View the areas on the GA

Indoor/outdoor living

For warmer climates, PROJECT MASTER’s design focuses on indoor/outdoor living. There is a vast entertainment deck with al fresco dining and a whirlpool as well as comfortable seating and sun loungers. A large observation area on the bow, aptly named the “multipurpose deck” can be used for games or relaxation and at night sets up as an outside cinema. The main deck doubles as a beach club. No more cramped swim platforms and staircases to climb up and down while worrying about the kids while they are in the water. The 4m (13’) extension to the aft ship is a couple of steps lower than the main deck and functions as a swim platform so access to the water or the tenders is safe and easy. And there is also enough room for sun loungers. The whole main deck, part of which is covered by the superstructure, becomes a huge beach club with a dining area and sheltered seating. The guest entrance forward has a drone preparation area and is used as a “boot room” for suiting up in cold climates.

View the areas on the GA

Indoor/outdoor living

For warmer climates, PROJECT MASTER’s design focuses on indoor/outdoor living. There is a vast entertainment deck with al fresco dining and a whirlpool as well as comfortable seating and sun loungers. A large observation area on the bow, aptly named the “multipurpose deck” can be used for games or relaxation and at night sets up as an outside cinema. The main deck doubles as a beach club. No more cramped swim platforms and staircases to climb up and down while worrying about the kids while they are in the water. The 4m (13’) extension to the aft ship is a couple of steps lower than the main deck and functions as a swim platform so access to the water or the tenders is safe and easy. And there is also enough room for sun loungers. The whole main deck, part of which is covered by the superstructure, becomes a huge beach club with a dining area and sheltered seating. The guest entrance forward has a drone preparation area and is used as a “boot room” for suiting up in cold climates.

View the areas on the GA

The Bridge

PROJECT MASTER’s bridge is unique. The original structure was preserved and the 86m2 area offers 360° views from a height of over 12m/40’. The bridge has floor-to-ceiling inclined windows for better visibility. Designed for guest use rather than as a technical area, it has a comfortable relaxation area aft and a raised Admiral’s table on the starboard side where guests can plan their next day’s itinerary with the captain. The wheelhouse is equipped with a fully-integrated 5-display control center.

PROJECT MASTER has a 6,700nm range @ 10 knots which means she can comfortably travel from Los Angeles to Tokyo or London to Lima in Peru without refueling.

View Bridge

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Dynamic Positioning

Dynamic positioning (DP) is a computer-controlled system to automatically maintain a vessel's position and heading by using the yachts own propellers and thrusters, despite changing wind, waves and current patterns.

Why is it important in yachting?

Starting from the more mundane, DP might be used during a short stop – such as for lunch – to keep the yacht on station. If she were to anchor instead, she would swing with the wind, possibly in and out of the sun – to the annoyance, depending on your latitude, of those seeking shade or warmth on deck. Sports fans can use DP to maintain a constant heading during a game, race or match to prevent the satellite TV antenna losing the signal in blind spots caused by obstructions.

More ‘mission critical’, DP can effectively ‘anchor’ a vessel where it’s too deep to anchor or in protected and restricted areas where anchoring isn’t allowed, from marine parks where coral reefs could be damaged to abandoned naval facilities for instance. It also enables the yacht to position herself at favorable angles towards wind, waves and current for tender launching in the ships lee for example. The freedom it allows is immense.

How does DP work on PROJECT MASTER?

Efficient Dynamic Positioning requires a fast and safely reactive propulsion system. On PROJECT MASTER it is provided by the eVSPs in combination with the Schottel bow thruster, controlled by the software package installed within the onboard control system.

Position reference sensors, wind sensors, motion sensors and gyrocompasses, provide information to the computer about the yacht’s position and the environmental forces affecting its position. The computer then calculates the required steering angles and thruster output to remain in a specific position or on a specific course.

In addition to the fast control propulsion, eVSPs allow the RPM of the blades to be changed extremely quickly thanks to a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) which directly rotates the thrust-generating blades. Since the gearboxes are completely dispensed with, the blades are driven directly by the electric motor integrated into the housing. The advantages mean increased efficiency because losses are reduced.

Individual propeller blades oscillate around their respective axis. The motion, superimposed on the rotary motion of the blades around the common vertical axis, allows the eVSPs to adjust thrust continuously, both in amplitude and in direction. The eVSPs are also characterized by lower fuel consumption in dynamic positioning, because they act very quickly against disturbing wind, wave and flow forces.

Another huge advantage of eVSPs is that the system provides underway and at anchor stabilization.

Stabilization

eVSPs can significantly reduce rolling motions. Since they can vary the thrust very quickly, it is possible to reduce the rolling motions of the yacht at speed, at standstill and especially in DP mode.

When the yacht encounters the effect of an incoming wave, sensors measure the angular acceleration and the system immediately applies the restoring forces to counteract the rolling motion of the yacht. The roll stabilization feature is incorporated into the eVSP so it requires no additional equipment such as fins.

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Polar Code C Certification

PROJECT MASTER is built to Polar Code C Certification. The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (Polar Code) is mandatory under both the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL). The IMO is the is the global standard-setting authority for the safety, security and environmental performance of international shipping.

The Polar Code covers the full range of design, construction, equipment, operation, training, search and rescue and environmental protection matters relevant to ships operating in the inhospitable waters surrounding the two poles. It came into effect on 1 January 2017.

The Code requires ships intending to operate in the defined waters of the Antarctic and Arctic to apply for a Polar Ship Certificate, which classifies the vessel as a Category A, B or C ship. Category C is a ship designed to operate in open water or in ice conditions less severe than those included in Categories A and B (i.e. medium first-year ice, which may include old ice inclusions). The chapters in the Code each set out goals and functional requirements, from ship structure, stability, weathertight integrity and machinery installations to operational safety, voyage planning, manning and training and pollution prevention and as such MASTER is one of the few yachts in her size range compliant with Polar Code C.