BLUE FLUO ISSUE • n°38 • 2024
Designed by Nauta Design and Reichel/Pugh, and masterfully built by Royal Huisman, this 47-meter had to push boundaries in aluminium construction to achieve this luxuriously comfortable and regatta-winning sailing yacht. Meaning ‘blissful home’ in Sanskrit, Nilaya encompasses her owner’s most treasured values of speed, safety and serenity
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Left, the wooden plinth between exterior sections in composite and the teak deck makes them visually lighter and conceals the string lights that illuminate the deck at night. Opposite, the impressive performance of Nilaya was already evident during sea trials to the satisfaction of her pro race team. She is capable of effortless pace under sail, achieving 17 knots on a broad reach in just 18 knots of wind
igh-performance sailing yachts and carbon-fibre construction typically go hand in hand. Yet for Nilaya’s owner – who’s previous 34m yacht of the same name was built of carbon – the desire for comfort, tranquillity and luxury, without sacrificing speed, required an alternative material. With the owner’s brief in hand, the design team concluded that the benefits of an aluminium build in terms of robustness and quietness were overwhelming.
Built as the lightest aluminium sailing superyacht by length, Nilaya has rewritten the story of high-performance superyachts. To credit is Nauta Design for the general concept and the exterior and interior design. Reichel/ Pugh Yacht Design for the naval architecture and Royal Huisman for accepting the challenge to build this vision.
Retaining the yacht’s deckhouse looks and adventurous spirit was another priority. As such, Nilaya’s low profile and concealed deckhouse echo the look of her predecessor. Her proportions are carefully balanced, with a modern plumb bow and a straight sheer that slides gently down to her broad, open transom. Much thought went into optimising proportions to favour a coaming to protect the guest cockpit and a bulwark to protect the aft cockpit, manoeuvring area, and side passageways.
Nilaya’s exterior social spaces are designed with a telling eye for detail. Sun loungers aft transform into chaise longues, which can be adjusted to match the heel of the yacht up to 25-30 degrees, offering comfort and stability even on long passages under sail. When the tender is launched, the foredeck recess becomes a very cosy forward cockpit with a table and fitted cushions. At the transom, a hinged section of the aft deck folds out hydraulically to reveal a staircase down to the beach club.
The light, calm and contemporary interior is centred around the social hub that is the magnificent raiseddeckhouse saloon, finished in a contemporary mix of contrasting woods, pale upholstery and dashes of muted blue and terracotta for sofa and cushions. The sides of the companionway are glazed and the coachroof windows are large to allow almost 360-degree views for guests inside the saloon, both when seated at the portside dining table and at the starboard lounge. This keeps guest in touch with the wind and sails above while sheltering from the elements.
Down the stairs forward is the owner’s domain, including private lounge, dressing room and a full-beam owner’s suite. Elsewhere, a VIP cabin and two further guest cabins create accommodation for a total of 10 guests on board. Three offices are dotted around the boat, with desks in the aft area of the saloon, in the owner’s cabin and in the TV lounge area. All three have natural light and views that enable the owner and guests to work even when they’re aboard. Considerable effort went into noise attenuation and the result is an incredibly tranquil environment.
Nilaya is just starting out in her long career as bluewater cruiser, but it is already clear that she is an exceptional yacht. Her owner pushed for the highest quality throughout the build and in every facet of her design, from the curved Rondal spreaders to the interior detailing.
Above and right, the full-beam owner’s suite incorporates an L-shaped sofa, office area and bathroom.
Exterior Design Nauta Design
Nilaya is an ambitious project, ultimate comfort, low sound levels, world cruising seaworthiness, and racing performance. The owner wanted the best features of his previous yacht, including the coachroof design, but with an even more comfort and less noise. He requested easy-to-helm responsiveness, safety and strength in the construction.
The deck design plan meets the oftenconflicting needs for a solid and safe yacht that is also efficient, modern and powerful. Nilaya’s low profile, straight bow, wide aft sections and twin carbon
To side, Mario Pedol (left) and Massimo Gino, co-founders of Nauta Design studio based in Milan. The design team created functional and versatile exterior spaces while reflecting the look of her owner’s previous yacht
Top, the foredeck features a partially recessed tender bay that transforms into a cosy cockpit with a table and fitted cushions. Below, the guest cockpit is shaded by a carbon composite hardtop with windows that can be closed for protection. Opposite page, the almost 10m-wide transom includes a hinged section of the aft deck that folds out hydraulically to rest on top of the beach club platform
fibre rudders echo the look of her owner’s previous yacht while communicating even greater speed and performance.
Hardware positioning and deck ergonomics for racing were finalised using mock-ups and tested by the racing team. Helm positions and simulated heel angles were tested to provide the best visibility to the bow. Nauta’s customisation of deck hardware included the styling of the 21m Rondal boom, the through-deck fittings for jib sheets, the bollards and other elements. Removable, gate-shaped, interchangeable grabrails were fitted to guarantee the safety of crew and guests. When the gates are fitted, there are never more than two steps without a grabrail – a useful feature aboard a large yacht where walking distances are a consideration.
Nilaya is a superyacht that fulfils the owner’s exacting brief. The owner deserves thanks for pushing everyone to achieve just a little bit more and for encouraging innovation at every step.
Interior Design
Nauta Design
Nilaya’s interior is based on a well-balanced combination of modern looks with classic elegance. As per the owner’s brief, some elements recall his previous yacht, but the new Nilaya still features innovative interior design solutions.
The interior layout was planned to ensure the highest quality onboard experience for the owner and guests and the best possible service workflow for the crew. The saloon under the coachroof is the heart
of indoor social life and sits in direct connection with the exterior guest cockpit. Because the floor levels of both indoor and outdoor areas are as close as possible, guests can pass between the two areas in just a few steps.
The aft area of the saloon has a pantry, which, as per the owner’s request, disappears when not in use. Appliances such as a coffee machine, wine cooler, icemaker, fridge and a basin with a custom designed pop-up cabinet are kept behind panels or in drawers.
The full-beam owner’s suite was a design challenge, as it lies beneath the tender bay and required careful study of volumes. The ceiling balances the tender bay’s central dip with two higher domes at the side passages, giving an excellent sense of the impressive width of the cabin.
The owners’ decorator May Vervoordt chose the materials used in the interior styling. Working with her and the owners, Nauta conceived a colour scheme that combines a modern look with classic elegance. The use of white lacquered panels with a groove detail makes the interiors fresh and bright. Mahogany used in furniture, flooring and ceiling frames create classic warmth. Headroom is remarkable and domed ceilings increase the perceived height. Natural light is another vital design element. Windows in the hull and deckhouse are ample, and the deckhouse has a large skylight. Elegant and refined materials gently blend with the natural light to create a truly cosy environment.
Left, white lacquered surfaces are predominant in the crew areas, with a light use of mahogany to enrich and warm up the spaces. Right above, in the saloon, dining to port and lounging to starboard give guests sweeping 360-degree views in complete comfort. Right, the guest cockpit features a fullsized dining table for up to 14 and two further low coffee tables, all protected
The Shipyard
Jan Timmerman, CEO at Royal Huisman
This highly anticipated Panamax superyacht is the first to utilise Royal Huisman’s novel Featherlight design and production method. Continuous weight monitoring throughout the build of Nilaya achieved the goal of slicing 11 per cent of the weight of our typical advanced aluminium cruising yachts.
Most importantly, it has reduced weight without sacrificing stiffness or cutting corners on quality for this high-performance cruiser. The revolutionary Featherlight method for this sailing machine is not a single process or construction technique, but a holistic, lightweight approach to yacht building combining various complimentary weight-saving solutions utilising aluminium, titanium and carbon components.
Varying the thickness of the Alustar plates and the
spacing of frames, using lightweight foam-cored panelling inside and hi-tech carbon fibre composite for the deckhouse and the guest cockpit, are all examples that helped to lower Nilaya’s displacement. The result is a global cruising yacht that also will be competitive in superyacht racing events.
We are proud to have delivered another unique vessel, especially one that advances innovative engineering and building technology. Nilaya is a milestone in optimising the application of different materials in superyachts and another fine example of Royal Huisman’s ability to provide owners with the ultimate expression of personal freedom. The success of the innovations with Nilaya paves the way to use this bold new approach for future builds.
The Dutch yard applied its novel Featherlight methodology to make significant weight savings. Using carbon fibre composite for the deckhouse and the guest cockpit helped to lower Nilaya’s displacement