As former head of the Theoretical Shipbuilding department at Feadship De Voogt Naval Architects, Pim van Groeningen has more than 35 years of experience with technical drawings, designs and layouts. He is regarded as the walking Feadship encyclopaedia. "When I started in 1989, I thought a jacuzzi on a yacht was the most normal thing in the world, but that wasn't the case," he says. This shows how much the industry has developed in 35 years. (You can see the most beautiful superyacht pools here.)
In the Feadship archive, he comes across countless drawings of whirlpools and pools: "Typically, yachts around 40 to 44 metres have deck layouts that include one or two tenders and also the crane to lift them on and off board." These tall cranes prevented the possibility of extending the sundeck. "I don't want to say that this is the only reason why there aren't more Jacuzzis or small pools, but it is one reason," notes the professional.
The beginnings of superyacht pools
The 64.64 metre long "Al Riyadh" (1978) was the very first Feadship with a swimming pool, according to van Groeningen "a comparatively modest pool at 3.40 by 2.80 metres. Only 1.25 metres deep." Looking at the plans for the 63.63 metre long "Siran" (1991), the fourth Feadship with a pool, he says: "I drew this pool, counter-current and waterfall. It's only 3.50 by 2.30 metres, but still very heavy, and that required a reinforced construction." On the "Cedar Sea II" (63.60 metres, 1986), the third Feadship with a pool, he praises the skylight in particular: "really nice for a swimming pool".
He zooms in on "Air" (81.00 m, 2011) on the screen, whose 7.65-metre pool is almost twice as big as all the previous ones: "It's not just big, it's on the foredeck. You don't see that too often." A leap in size came in 2015 with the "Royal Romance" (92.50 m) with a 12 by 4.50 metre pool. The pool had so much water mass that the shipyard sent its designs to the Dutch Marine Research Institute (MARIN). "With a pool of this size, a simple sway is enough to displace the water. Not even a wave, just a sway. Pools big enough to swim real laps in require a different level of calculation. You almost get close to the dimensions of a cruise ship," the designer notes.
Today, 90 per cent of superyachts have a pool
Feadship built five swimming pools in the 20th century, one in the 1970s, two in the 1980s and two in the early 1990s. Remarkably, not a single one was built between 1993 and 2009. However, no fewer than thirty superyacht pools have been built since 2010, and today 90 per cent of new builds have pools. "They're all the rage at the moment," says Ted McCumber, Managing Director at Feadship America. "These days, every owner has a checklist, and it always includes a pool and a beach club." As a rule of thumb, yachts up to 60 metres in length have either Jacuzzis, whirlpools or spa pools ('spools'). They lack the space for larger pools, let alone tanks.
Things get interesting at 70 metres. It is no coincidence that the first Feadship with a pool in the 21st century was the 75.75 metre long "Ocean Victory" (2009). At 80 metres, it's less about the pool itself and more about the type: flush, sunken or raised. At 90 metres, the swimming pools already rival the pools in suburban gardens. McCumber's conclusion: "It's stupid not to have a pool on a yacht over 90 metres, if only for the resale value." It is absolutely essential to plan for a pool on yachts over 100 metres.
15 metre pool on an 88 metre yacht
Six metres, 15 metres, 16 metres - the pools that are currently being installed on the Feadships are tending to get bigger and bigger. Even more impressive is the fact that even an 88-metre yacht now has a 15-metre pool. "That's definitely big, but the owner likes to swim," says Arjen van Elk from Feadship Marketing and Brokerage Sales. "Our largest swimming pool to date measures 16 metres. And it's on the main deck." "Savannah" is 83.50 metres long and has a ten-metre pool, big enough to swim in. "To be honest, you don't need more than that unless you're an Olympic swimmer," comments McCumber.
The increasing importance of superyacht pools has changed the design and lifestyle on board. Pools revitalised the main deck and put the saloon at the centre of activities on board. "In the 1980s, the main deck was mostly closed and hardly used. As the yachts got bigger, the main decks opened up and got attention," says van Elk. "Like on 'Savannah', they are often connected by a staircase to the beach club below, creating a seamlessly integrated waterscape where friends and families can read and relax."
The revival of the main deck salons
Who needs a cinema below deck when you can surround the pool on the main deck with sofas, cushions and a retractable XL screen? "No one ever sat in the saloon before. It was a room you walked through to get to the dining room," says McCumber. The increasing prevalence of pools also highlights the changing relationship between indoor and outdoor spaces on yachts. More natural light, more skylights and atriums, more floor-to-ceiling glass walls, flush pools. Owners want to move seamlessly from their rooms via the main decks to the beach clubs and the sea. "The pool on 'Faith' is flush, with lots of glass around the beach club. Very stylish," says McCumber.
Most clients today see their yachts as an extension of their villa," explains van Elk, "and these homes almost invariably have pools." McCumber adds: "The smartest thing an owner can do is to invite the interior designer to their home. That's the only way to see how someone lives, what people like." This way, the aesthetics can also be realised on board. According to McCumber, many Feadship customers have the same dream: "They want to lie at anchor next to a palm tree, have a drink in their hand and see their grandchildren swimming ... in a pool."
There are no pesky little animals in superyacht pools
Many appreciate the safety and convenience: no rough water, no unpredictable currents, no stinging sea lice. As an ex-captain, McCumber adds: "A plus in favour of the pool is safety for guests and crew. It's always stressful when guests are swimming around the yacht. Then the zero stabilisers and dynamic positioning have to be switched off."
With 39 pools currently in the fleet, Feadship owners have various options. There is "Lady S" (93 m, 2019) for the pool-jacuzzi combination, "Savannah" (83.50 m, 2015) for mosaic tiles and "Viva" (94 m, 2021) for a sunken pool. Anything goes, as long as it remains within the bounds of what is technically feasible. "A few years ago, a designer wanted a pool across the entire width of a yacht, which was not only a nightmare in terms of design, but physically impossible. Under certain conditions, the weight of the pool water would take control of the yacht," notes van Elk.
Sloshing is not possible on superyacht pools
"An architect asked me to build an infinity pool that doesn't slosh," says Marc Levadou, Knowledge & Innovation Manager at Feadship. "I told him it was impossible, it's the laws of physics." At the same time, Feadship has built enough pools to show that almost anything is possible, even on smaller yachts. One pool currently being built on a 58-metre Feadship was inspired by Moon Sand (44.20 m, 2015), Promise (51 m, 2018) and Somnium (55.20 m, 2021), whose compact counter-current pools are flush with the aft deck and sink down when filled. Such pools are ingenious and utilise the space efficiently.
This doesn't just apply to new builds. When the new owners of "Samadhi" (60.96 m, 2006) returned for a refit, the yacht left the shipyard with an additional pool on the main deck. "With very few exceptions, owners want a pool. Those who don't want it are very experienced and have several yachts. And to be honest, they don't charter," says van Elk. "But for owners who appreciate value retention, the pool is a must."
