02/2009 –

Interior aesthetics

Lavish and spectacular, the finished interior shows no visual signs of the enormous efforts made to keep the pounds off. Predator’s GA was developed by De Voogt while the styling and decorative brief was given to the Bannenberg design studio in London. Additional touches were made to the owner’s stateroom towards the end of the project by his own decorator, who is responsible for the interior design of the owner’s office buildings and homes.

To a great extent the owner was pleased to allow Dickie Bannenberg and Simon Rowell, Creative Director at Bannenberg Designs, to weave their magic over the interior. His only major request was for extensive deployment of Karelian Birch, a fine timber that is found in Northern Europe. This wood has a very distinctive light color and the designers have therefore brought contrast into the interior by adding two strong accent timbers: High-gloss Macassar ebony and Zebrano.

A tour of Predator

Perhaps the most remarkable fact about Predator’s interior is that it only has sleeping quarters for six people in two VIP guest suites and one giant master stateroom. The entire yacht has an uncluttered feel while offering masses of options should the owner and his friends wish to party.

One of the keynote features found in both the main lounge and the boat deck lounge are the large ebony-framed display niches. These contain a wide array of art pieces supplied by the Bannenberg office and artifacts from the owner’s private collection.

One other clear element of continuity onboard Predator is the extraordinary audio-visual system that has been added to every area of the yacht, including even the outside decks and lazarette.

The main deck

The owner’s stateroom is the largest of its kind yet seen on a Feadship; while Anna had a larger owner’s area, this was a split-level arrangement. Size does matter on Predator and the owner specifically requested that the bulkheads be positioned sufficiently aft to make the stateroom and bathroom a giant single space.

The ‘glowing’ central ellipse in the ceiling above the bed is a skylight that opens hydraulically and retracts until parked in front of the wheelhouse. A brace in the center was the only way Lloyds would agree to having glass at this sensitive point of the superstructure. All the panels are concentric on this ellipse, and mirrored by an elliptical dark band in the carpet.

Like the carpets found in the VIP suites and lounges, this carpet is made from ultra-rare Muga silk. This exceptionally strong natural fiber, extracted from a species of insect found only in Northeast India, is used to make monk’s robes. The carpets were hand-stitched in Nepal and offer a kaleidoscope of brown, gold and green tones. This harmony of silk and fiber accentuates the ellipse in the ceiling and gives hierarchy to the boat.

Further forward the bathroom is flanked by two magnificent dressing rooms, the starboard room being somewhat smaller so as to have a separate toilet within the bathroom. A phenomenal shower is one of many highlights in the bathroom itself.

Moving aft, there are two VIP guest staterooms with a similar degree of comfort and sophistication as the owner’s area. The suites are the same in terms of architecture, with slightly different colored accessories: One olive green, the other taupe.

Predator’s owner had a key demand when it came to hallways, which he had found archaic and disorienting on charter boats. A key layout feature in the initial brief was therefore to keep the corridors straight. On the main deck this request has been addressed in spectacular fashion by developing a centerline design concept in the main lounge with a partly false sliding door. A custom-designed dining table forward in the lounge splits into two, providing instant access directly through the dining area into the lounge itself. Keep walking through the four-panel sliding doors to the aft of the outside deck, turn round and there is an unrestricted view all the way through the lounge and main entrance, between the guest suites, right up to the front part of the owner’s stateroom. Having an uninterrupted view of around 60 meters through an interior must surely be another record for a yacht of this size

The dining table is a beautiful piece in its own right and can seat twelve people on the rare occasion that a formal dinner is served. Made by David Linley in Macassar ebony with a crisscross stringing of faux ivory, the top combines Macassar, Zebrano and nickel. Curved-back Pollaro dining chairs tie in nicely with the architectural symmetry.

NauticNews.com Tech Specs of Predator

to be continued…

– PR –