Strictly speaking, the ‘Bold’ isn’t an explorer yacht at all. At least not if one regards moderate speed – and therefore a displacement hull – as an essential characteristic of the adventure yacht class. The 85-metre vessel, built in Western Australia, has a top speed of 27 knots and is constructed from aluminium. However, in terms of efficiency, ‘Bold’ fits perfectly into the ranks of long-range cruisers. It is likely to have clocked up more miles than almost any other yacht of its size. The charter yacht spent the summer of 2026 off the coast of Norway and in the Lofoten Islands. A buyer is also being sought, for 89 million euros. The article from the 4/20 issue of BOOTE EXCLUSIV provides insights into the yacht’s construction and the cabins.
Camouflage is a double blessing for the ‘Bold’. In the glitzy world of yachting, it helps the 85-metre vessel stand out, as it does here in Port Hercule. Amidst a sea of predominantly white, large-scale yachts, the silver-grey Explorer from SilverYachts looks like a warship – not only because of its paintwork and angular lines, but also due to its dimensions: With a gross tonnage of 1,551 tonnes and a width of just eleven metres, ‘Bold’ is significantly smaller than her neighbour ‘Mimtee’. The new CRN build occupies a berth measuring 79 by 13.50 metres and, with its 2,200 gross tonnes, casts a far longer shadow.
A military-style look is an advantage
However, the military appearance also serves a practical purpose. On the bridge, a ‘Bold’ crew member recounts how they covered the 7,200 nautical miles from Western Australia to Corfu in 28 days – and in doing so had to pass through the Gulf of Aden and thus the pirate-infested waters off Somalia. Speaking about the passage – during which, as is customary on yachts, they took three armed security guards on board – the deckhand says confidently: “Nobody would have dared to attack us anyway.” Yet the SilverYachts founding duo Espen Øino and Guido Krass wasn’t necessarily after a martial appearance. “Guido said that it was to be his own yacht, that he wanted to sail round the world in it and didn’t want it to look like a normal yacht,” recalls Øino, thinking back to the start of the one-and-a-half-year development phase. “The word ‘military’ wasn’t mentioned; it just had to be functional. Besides, Guido had always admired the ‘Skat’. Although that wasn’t meant to look explicitly military either. The owner simply wanted the decks to be built on flat aluminium panels,” says Øino, describing his debut project with Lürssen in 2002.
‘Bold’ is the fifth new build by the Norwegian designer – who has an office in Monaco – and the German entrepreneur, following the four models from the Silver series. In 1995, Krass commissioned Øino to refit his 39-metre-long Alucraft ‘Pari’. “We became friends and discussed a new project where speed was very important to us. ‘Pari’ was rather slow. Our new concept was designed to get from A to B faster at night, so we could see more in less time,” recalls Øino, adding: “We met in Kitzbühel and looked at simple workboats that transport crews to oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. We liked their efficiency.” That marked the birth of SilverYachts, although the shipyard, based in Western Australia, was still called Hanseatic Marine in its founding year of 2003. In 2007, the first yacht was christened ‘Silver’ (now ‘Rabdan’). “Silver Fast”, the fourth and final vessel in the Silver series, is 77 metres long, ten metres wide, has a top speed of up to 27 knots and a range of 4,500 nautical miles at 18 knots. Øino knows the reason behind these impressive performance figures: “She is faster than yachts of comparable size without requiring more energy. This is only possible thanks to a higher length-to-beam ratio and lightweight construction.”
A streamlined legacy, high efficiency
The ‘Bold’ carries on the Silver legacy with a slenderness ratio that is identical to the last decimal place. The top speed of 23.8 knots seems far less conventional for an explorer yacht than the MTU diesel propulsion system with a moderate total output of 5,760 kilowatts. For “Bold”, high speed is even more of a tool than for other Silver models, enabling it to travel efficiently between continents. If necessary, it can cross the Atlantic at 14 knots with a range of 1,000 miles. ‘Bold’ is at its most economical at cruising speeds of between 16 and 18 knots, when, according to the captain, fuel consumption is 500 litres per hour. It is clearly the tender and toy storage facilities – which alone cover over 400 square metres on the aft deck – that make “Bold” an explorer’s vessel. The Agusta-Westland 109 lands, with the bulwark hydraulically lowered, on the helideck – which is illuminated from below by LEDs and certified for aerotenders with a maximum rotor diameter of 13 metres. “For our pilot, it doesn’t feel like landing on a yacht,” says Captain Todd Leech. The Australian has worked exclusively on Explorers to date. His apt definition of the class is: “Helicopters, submarines, cranes – boys’ toys!” Although the regulations would permit it, the crew do not secure the sensitive aircraft right at the stern for long stretches.
Leech recounts the crossing of the Indian Ocean: “For almost a week, we sailed at 16 knots through six-metre-high swells coming from the side. From the bridge, I could wave to the wave crests; the aft deck turned into a swimming pool.” Espen Øino confirms: “Frigates cut through waves in much the same way. ‘Zeus’ (formerly ‘Eco’), on which I worked with Martin Francis, follows the same approach with its tapered stern and low bow freeboard.” During the wet transfer voyage, the helicopter was safely stowed in the hangar beneath the glass superstructure. Before parking, the rotor blades must be removed and a longitudinal gap in the ceiling raised by 70 centimetres to ensure the rotor head does not slice through the floor of the conservatory above. Sliding gates at the rear create a salt barrier, whilst the refuelling station holds 3,000 litres of kerosene.
Modular aft deck
In coastal operations, the ‘Bold’ proves to be highly modular. For rapid transfers, the helicopter is parked two decks up behind the bridge. Down below, the six-tonne crane comes into its own, serving the aft deck with a reach of 15 metres. Three RIBs from Rupert Marine are part of the standard equipment. The Swedish company also supplies the military with high-speed response vessels and built the enclosed of the two 10.50-metre tenders to specifications provided by Espen Øino. Whilst cruising around the bays, two jet skis are hoisted onto the aft deck; a crane with a three-tonne lifting capacity stows these, along with the emergency tender, permanently in the bow. As the ‘Bold’ has a draught of just 2.80 metres, water sports take place well inshore. Guests enjoy themselves on Laser dinghies, surfboards and SUP boards, or with Seabobs, snorkelling and diving equipment, as well as on a nine-by-seven-metre PVC dock, which is also suitable for launching and landing kites. The beach club behind the stern is ideal for a break in the shade, whilst the spa pool beneath the spider-like mast is perfect for cooling off in fresh water outdoors.
The 35-metre teak vessel should be completely free of tenders and toys when in event mode. The empty hangar then serves as the party centre, complete with fog machines, a 40,000-watt sound system and a five-by-two-metre display wall made up of LED tiles. In absolute silence, yoga exercises are practised here or basketball is played outside on a hoop which the crew attaches to the overhanging superstructure when the vessel is at anchor in calm waters. Inside the hangar itself, on the starboard side, is the only aft access to the guest quarters on the main deck and the accommodation for the 20-strong crew one deck below.
Charter operations and interior fit-out
‘Bold’ is classified as a passenger yacht under SOLAS and can accommodate up to 16 guests, even without the owner on board. Y.CO lists ‘Bold’ at a weekly charter rate starting from 875,000 euros, excluding helicopter transfers. The black, unheated marble floor – this is an Explorer, after all – of the main deck corridor, which is just under 20 metres long, leads first to the four guest cabins, which are brightened by the striking, interlocking triangular windows. The forward three VIP cabins, by contrast, have to make do with portholes, though SilverYachts has otherwise fitted them identically with light-coloured carpet, walls of lacquered teak veneer and matt GRP ceiling panels. Practicality and functionality are reflected in the lightweight built-in furniture with a honeycomb substructure and SilverYachts’ characteristic avoidance of glitzy extravagances or opulent leather upholstery.
In the centre of the corridor, opposite the massage room, a flight of stairs leads up to the saloon on the owner’s deck, whilst a separate staircase takes the crew out onto the foredeck via a port-side external door. The owner enters his suite on the starboard side via a dark-panelled cinema alcove, separated from the owner’s lounge by sliding doors. The master bedroom is brightened by the oak panelling on the walls, a cream-white carpet and LED spotlights along the edges of the ceiling. The bathrooms at the very front of the superstructure are characterised by black marble with striking veining, which, in contrast to the guest areas, adorns the walls over large areas here. In both the bath and shower, daylight streams in through slits which, from the outside, resemble the air vents of a medieval knight’s helmet.
Conservatory helps ‘Bold’ grow
By contrast, the saloon on the owner’s deck is completely open to the elements, with floor-to-ceiling windows all round. “That’s my favourite spot on board. I love the seamless transition from inside to outside, the sense of space, and the fact that this area feels so vast, even though the yacht is actually quite small in terms of volume,” says Espen Øino of the space that earned ‘Bold’ the project name ‘Silver Loft’ and which, like a bay window, protrudes one metre above the hull on each side. The additional space created is filled with window sills, opposite which are freely movable chairs, Jacques armchairs by Minotti and tables, or a bar. This outer ring alone can seat 20 people. In the centre lies a unique silk carpet by Tai Ping beneath the backlit 3.70-metre-high ceiling. A further fourteen guests are spread across velvet-blue Minotti sofas (Lawrence ‘Clan’) and armchairs. They look forward towards a six-by-three-metre LED wall and aft towards the twelve-metre-wide conservatory.
A watertight sliding door and a teak deck with light grey grouting define the 65 square metre outdoor area. In the fully air-conditioned space, up to 18 people can dine at a marble table and enjoy drinks afterwards in the relaxation area on the port side. The windows slide completely to one side, revealing a glass bulwark. The panes are situated on the starboard side next to the external staircase, which leads up to the bridge deck and the more informal dining area with an al fresco bar, barbecue and rotisserie. On request, the square table transforms into a long rectangular table; the wooden canoe, used as a decorative display piece, is the beautifully crafted graduation piece of a SilverYachts apprentice.
Paperless bridge and lightweight construction
Further forward, Captain Todd Leech is trialling a move away from analogue systems: “Our bridge is fully digital and operates without any paper.” From here, the Australian controls four Naiad fin stabilisers, which are linked to bow and stern thrusters for dynamic anchoring without the need to drop anchor chains. “Part of SilverYachts’ philosophy is lightweight construction using aluminium – a material that is easy to recycle,” explains Espen Øino. The shipyards are located in Henderson, Western Australia, a suburb of the state capital, Perth. As part of the Australian Marine Complex shipbuilding cluster, the shipyard has access to a 7,000-tonne lift, but even more important is the region’s history. Ships have been welded here from the light metal extracted from the surrounding mines since the 1960s.
Another major player in the aluminium sector plays a key role at SilverYachts. Since 2017, there has been a strategic partnership with China Zhongwang, the world’s second-largest supplier of extruded aluminium products and the current manufacturer of Silvers SpaceCat catamarans. ‘Bold’ sections have already arrived from China, as has the fuselage of build number two “Wanderlust” It was built entirely overseas. The result is as bold as the five-year ‘Bold’ project itself. The 85-metre explorer is the fastest and, at 1,100 tonnes, the lightest in its class, as well as being the longest aluminium yacht in the world.
This article first appeared in BOOTE EXCLUSIV 4/2020 and has been updated for this online version.
Technical Specifications for ‘Bold’
- Length: 85.30 m
- Width: 11.00 m
- Draught: 2.80 m
- Displacement: 1,100 tonnes
- Gross tonnage: 1,551 tonnes
- Material: Aluminium
- Engines: 2 x MTU 16V 4000 M73L
- Engine power: 2 x 2,880 kW
- Speed (max.): 23.8 knots
- Speed (cruising): 16 kn
- Range: 4,550 nm @ 14 kn
- Fuel: 150,000 litres
- Exterior design: Espen Øino International
- Interior design: SilverYachts
- Design: SilverYachts, Espen Øino International
- Class: SOLAS Passenger Yacht
- Shipyard: SilverYachts, 2019
- Charter: Y.CO, from 875,000 euros per week
- Sales: Y.CO, 89 million euros
Sören Gehlhaus
Stellvertretender Chefredakteur BOOTE EXCLUSIV