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Gill Schmid's 70m TWINS: An Alternative to 140m Megayacht
Innovative design is all about challenging notions we take for granted, breaking the mould and pushing the boundaries of what is possible. This can certainly be said of the latest project - or projects - unveiled by Gill Schmid Design in collaboration with Dörries Yachts. Seeking to subvert the traditional relationship between mothership and support vessel, the new 70m TWINS offers an unconventional alternative to the modern 140m explorer yacht.
The project, which comprises one 70m mothership and one 70m support vessel, proposes two in-sync vessels optimised to the fullest extent of their abilities.
The mothership, free from having to accommodate for exploration features such as storage, is fitted with all of the luxurious amenities and accommodation typical of a 100m+ megayacht. For its part, the support vessel of the same size will accommodate for all of the equipment expected of a 100m+ explorer.
Both vessels are built to ICE class, and are described by the designers in a statement as ‘comparable equally to a 100+ meter Explorer AND a 100+ meter Superyacht - pure luxury and unbound exploration in a truly unique combination’.
Separation of crew and guest areas has been advanced to a new extreme on the TWINS, with the majority of crew living on the support vessel. Tender operations and helicopter landings also take place on the support vessel, while the Owner and guests on the mothership can enjoy the full extent of added privacy and security this setup brings.
TWINS is a design for the new age. In response to the coronavirus pandemic and an enforced emphasis on wellness and total security onboard, TWINS offers a clear separation between guests’ living areas and those designated for supplies, operations, provisions and crew.
There are a few advantages to choosing the two TWINS over one 140m superyacht.
Both 70m vessels are built on the same platform, allowing for a higher level of interchangeability than is normally found with a mothership and her support vessel.
They offer much faster build times than an average 140m, and the repetition of engineering and construction steps will also factor into this. With just two guest spaces, the support vessel’s interior can be finalised in a much faster timeframe.
This has the added benefit of a highly reduced build cost compared to a 140m, while remaining flexible for the Owners’ desired use.
German shipyard Dörries Yachts has been proposed to oversee the construction of Gill Schmid’s intriguing new design.