written by Sam Fortescue and Martin Hager
"Planet Nine", whose mast towers far above the equipment racks of the other yachts in Naples' Molo Luise marina, doesn't look like it belongs here. From the quay, her huge superstructure almost obscures the view of Mount Vesuvius behind her. With her high and steep stem and her massive wide helipad on the stern, she looks like the epitome of an explorer, very different from the glittering monotony of the conventional yachts around her.
But as I notice as soon as I step aboard the 73.20 metre long "Planet Nine", her passerelle is the slender bridge to a world that welcomes owners and guests with the utmost comfort. From the elegant, modern interior design to a spacious owner's suite and an onboard cinema and spa, this yacht is so exquisitely and cosily designed that you can't help but feel at home. "The core idea was to build the best Explorer in Europe," explains Captain Rob Williamson, who also accompanied the construction phase as the owner's representative. "We wanted German engines in an Italian new build."
"Planet Nine" can enter polar regions thanks to Lloyd's Register ice class 1D
"Planet Nine", which is currently for sale through Fraser's brokers for 85 million euros due to a change in the owner's family circumstances, has a long history. The hull and superstructure were welded by the Cantieri San Marco shipyard, while the fitting out and outfitting took place a few kilometres to the south in Marina di Carrara on the premises of the Admiral Yachts shipyard, which belongs to the Italian Sea Group. "The customer had the highest demands in terms of quality, style and interior," reports Admiral Vice President Giuseppe Taranto. "The negotiations were not always easy, but the result is excellent."
The classification society Lloyd's Register certified "Planet Nine" with ice class 1D. Thanks to thicker hull plates, stronger frames and bulkheads as well as careful protection of the seawater inlets, she is optimally protected against ice and cold temperatures in high latitudes. "For this reason, the owner chose a shipyard for commercial vessels as a partner and not a yacht builder," says the captain.
"Planet Nine" can sail through ice with a thickness of 15 centimetres, which considerably increases the possible sailing area. Charter guests can now also choose itineraries to Greenland or the Grahamland Peninsula in the Antarctic.
Fully equipped as a heliport
To prepare her for Antarctic waters, the helipad has been very carefully designed with a lowering platform so that the aerotender can be safely stowed in a hangar when not in use. This also means that the yacht can accommodate two helicopters, one in the hangar and one on deck, ideal for taking an ice pilot on board if necessary, for example.
"We can effectively operate a heliport," says Rob Williamson. "Guests can also arrive by helicopter while the owner's helicopter is parked on board." This isn't just any helicopter, by the way. The planning team decided to design the on-board technology for an AgustaWestland AW109 Grand - favoured for its large capacity of seven passengers. Equipped with two engines, the flight tender weighs 3.18 tonnes when fully loaded, but the helipad was designed by the shipyard's own team for up to ten tonnes. A smaller MD Explorer 902 flies as a helicopter for daily operations.
10,000 nautical miles range
With a cruising speed of 14 knots, "Planet Nine" has an astonishing range of over 6,000 nautical miles - thanks to the 340,000 litres of diesel fuel she carries in her tanks. If the captain reduces the cruising speed to a comfortable ten knots, the range increases to more than 10,000 nautical miles - enough to get from Sydney to Ushuaia and on to the Caribbean without having to stock up on diesel en route. "Incidentally, these calculations also include the fuel for the generators," adds the captain, who also oversaw the redesign of the energy systems to reduce hotel operations to a single 275-kilowatt Caterpillar genset, although three of these systems are in operation on board for redundancy reasons.
In addition, there are 9,000 litres of Jet A1 helicopter fuel, enough for ten times the range of the Agusta Grand. The 40,000 litres of fresh water in bunkers can be replaced by around 18,000 litres of fresh water per day using generators. The figures show how self-sufficient "Planet Nine" is when travelling. The only limiting factor for expeditions lasting months without supplies is the fact that supplies of fresh food will run out at some point. On the lower deck and near the galley there are several cold storage rooms and a walk-in freezer. "We can store fresh food for about a month," explains Rob Williamson during the tour. There is storage space for much more food, but it has to be kept at ambient temperature. "So the actual range depends on how long the owner and his guests want to live on tinned food or instant noodles," laughs the captain.
Inspired by 90 metres of "Ice"
Characterising "Planet Nine" solely as an explorer does not do it justice. This is also the opinion of exterior designer Tim Heywood. He sees no contradiction between an expedition yacht and maximum comfort. "The fact that 'Planet Nine' is capable of travelling through heavily iced regions of the world is an incredible advantage. It offers just as many comforts as almost all large yachts, with the difference that this yacht can still move far away from civilisation in the utmost safety," says Heywood.
"The client was looking for a yacht around 70 metres long that would be able to reach remote destinations and that was inspired in design by the 90-metre 'Ice' that I had designed for another client over 15 years ago," continues the British designer. "I am very pleased with the 'Planet' proportions, the overall shape and the subtle sculptural features." He emphasises the distinctive, not too large bridge noses, the mast construction and the shape of the superstructure roofs. "Everything was built the way I imagined it."
In fact, there is a harmonious balance in the way the helipad and hangar have been designed in the same design as the guest decks. The three decks of the superstructure appear quite modest in their simplicity, but the volume created here is enormous. All tanks, engines and gensets were moved to a technical deck below the waterline. "By placing the engine room on the tank deck, we were able to gain a lot of space on the lower deck," explains Rob.
The owner resides separately from the guest wing with 250 square metres on the main deck
The space is used for five guest suites and a nanny's cabin, which are connected via a long central corridor. From here, there is also direct access to the spa area and the beach club located in the stern, which can be enlarged on three sides via fold-down hatches. "I really like this beach club solution, but it was also difficult to design and realise," says Williamson. "The shipyard is justifiably proud of how quiet it is in the guest cabins. The amount of soundproofing material used in and around the cabins is remarkable."
Almost the entire main deck above is available to the owner, who can spread out over a total of 250 square metres. His bedroom is massive in size and has a king-size bed and a sofa area of lavish proportions. There are TVs everywhere on board, but as the owner himself is not the biggest screen fan, almost all the monitors can be lowered into the furniture using electric motors.
Sliding doors provide access to the large side decks, which are only used by the crew and guests for docking manoeuvres and otherwise offer the owner privacy. Other retreats include a library and a separate office. These rooms are complemented by a conference room. "When we were planning the yacht, the owner was still actively involved in business. He wanted to completely separate his realm from the guest wing," explains interior designer Tino Zervudachi.
Private aft deck for guests
The VIP suite on the bridge deck is probably the most beautiful place on board. Guests who are particularly close to the owner stay up here. Although the room is considerably smaller than the owner's cabin, the ambience and view are fantastic. There is a dressing room, a bathroom and a private aft deck equipped with sun loungers and a dining table.
Those travelling by tender first enter the lobby just above the waterline. Two lifts - a large lift for the guests and a compact version for the crew - ensure that no-one over-exerts themselves moving around the five decks. The crew lift is mainly used by the boss to transport supplies from the storage rooms in the tank deck to the galley. "I was sceptical about the crew lift at first," admits Rob. "I wanted a fit crew to match the adventurous nature of the yacht. However, the lift has proved its worth for the galley."
The interior comes from Bavaria
The interior finish makes an excellent impression. The majority of the furniture is produced by Fitz Interior (issue 6/18). The interior design experts with production halls in Mertingen, Bavaria, rely on highly efficient production technology. The carpenters assemble fully functional substructures and furniture as originals in their workshop. Once the company has checked all the components, the rooms are dismantled into their individual parts and transported to the yacht. "This method offers a number of advantages," explains Fitz project manager Markus Jechnerer. "We can work very precisely here and installation on the yacht is much quicker."
Tino Zervudachi was responsible for the interior styling based on the experience he had gained in several of the owner's houses. "He only gave me a few pointers, I didn't have a detailed description," explains the designer. "We got on very well and he made it clear that he wanted his yacht to be extremely comfortable and cosy, but also masculine and striking." The interior team went in search of exotic woods and fabrics from all over the world to document the owner's love of travelling.
Between two worlds
"Planet Nine" is like a yacht with two personalities. On the one hand, she is designed for the maximum comfort of the guests - 20 crew members read their every wish from their lips while they relax in the lounges or are entertained by the first-class entertainment system in the surround sound cinema. Or when they devote themselves entirely to their own well-being in the spa area with steam bath, jacuzzi and bar.
On the other hand, "Planet Nine" seems to be tugging restlessly at the mooring lines and has the urge to plunge into bad weather and harsh environments to realise her adventure potential. "She's a true explorer," says Tim Heywood, "designed and built to withstand the toughest conditions, not to avoid low pressure areas." In keeping with both characteristics, a charter-ready tender and toy selection is revealed in the garage. In addition to the two robust Rupert RIBs, Seabobs, jet skis, SUPs, wakeboards, surfboards and a wide range of diving equipment are available for use in the water. So there will be no time for boredom. Captain Rob shows us his private treasure, stowed away behind a cupboard door: a beautiful pair of carving skis. If you are going to visit the polar regions with a helicopter as your main tender, you should of course be prepared. Because heliskiing will definitely be on the agenda.
Technical data
- Length over everything:73,20 m
- Width:12,80 m
- Depth: 3,61 m
- Room volume:2100 GT
- Material:Steel, aluminium
- Motor:2 x Cat 3516B 1920 kW
- Speed (max.): 16 kn
- Speed (travelling):10 kn
- Fuel:340.000 l
- Range:10,000 nm @ 10 kn
- Generators:3 x 282 kW Cat C18
- Tender:2 x 9.85 Rupert 32
- Helicopter:AW 109 Grand,MD Explorer 902
- Interior:Fitz Interior
- Exterior design:Tim Heywood
- Interior design: Tino Zervudachi
- Class:LR, ice class 1D
- Shipyard:Admiral Yachts, 2018
- Charter:Edmiston, from 650,000 euros/week
- Sale:Fraser, 85 million euros
This article appeared in the BOOTE Exclusiv issue 01/2019 and was revised by the editorial team in August 2023.
