Nordhavn Reignites Vripack Partnership on New Flagship
Nordhavn has announced its largest superyacht to date, a 45-metre expedition yacht with ice capability. Enlisting the support of the notoriously daring designers at Vripack, Nordhavn 148 is a superyacht built to take on the most extreme expeditions while providing contemporary levels of luxury to its guests.
This is the second project that Nordhavn and Vripack have collaborated on a project, as we reported on the Nordhavn 80 back in January. What makes this partnership so exciting is that it fuses two experienced industry players who both share the same drive to take on challenging projects that test the limits of what they can achieve. Pairing Nordhavn’s speciality for expedition yachts and Vripack’s explorer heritage makes promises a vessel that yearns for adventure.
The Nordhavn 148 would also signify a move into a larger category of yacht for the brand, as well as being the first ever metal yacht in their production line history. Pacific Asian Enterprises, which manufactures Nordhaven yachts, has been keen to return to work with Vripack following the success of N80. “We will use each other’s expertise to produce an exception and extraordinarily capable yacht,” said Jim Leishman, Vice President of PAE. “It would be something specifically meant for the most challenging worldwide conditions.”
Vripack’s esteemed history, which includes designing the most yachts to have completed the perilous Northwest Passage, was a major factor in Nordhavn’s decision to enlist the expertise of the Dutch studio. This is a point emphasised by Vripack’s co-creative director, Marnix Hoekstra. “Nordhavn were keen to tap into our explorer heritage,” he said. “Nordhavn boats are renowned for venturing to remote off-the-beaten track destinations, and so the aim was to demonstrate to owners that this significant latest model has been conceived by a design studio that has a proven track record in this arena.”
Vripack’s role has been stepped up since the N80, on which their involvement was purely in the interior. Nordhavn has a reputation for building rugged yachts, however the N148 offers something a little different with Vripack applying Dutch styling to the exterior. A flared, rounded bow marks Vripack’s re-interpretation of a yacht that still very much adhered to Nordhavn’s heritage.
25% larger than the Nordhaven 120, the current queenship of the fleet, N148 is promised to be delivered within the next 2 years.
"We will use each other’s expertise to produce an exception and extraordinarily capable yacht"