Update on Secretive 60m Royal Huisman Project 404

Project 404 has been designed by British-based Malcolm McKeon Yacht Design with interiors penned by Studio Liaigre. The interiors are under construction simultaneously at Royal Huisman’s joinery hall while the yacht itself progresses well. Construction of the project began seven months ago, and this recent update shows that, despite the challenges that have been faced this year, the shipyard has remained resilient and diligent to be able to continue work on such large scale projects.

This is the first time that Royal Huisman has revealed details of Project 404’s design, which has been kept under lock and key at the request of her Owners. Browsing the images of Project 404 you will certainly notice her imposing and powerful reversed bow, an ever-increasing trend in modern yacht design that adds both style and function. Malcolm McKeon’s sleek and sophisticated hull lines fit perfectly into what we would expect from a Royal Huisman superyacht, and she is already showing signs of her timelessness.

Some of the features and aspects of the yacht’s designs have also been revealed. A huge transom opening will eventually give access to a large beach club, giving the Owners and guests an ideal outdoor space to feel connected with the outdoor environment. This connection will be continued throughout the interior, with natural light flooding the indoor guest areas and rooms through large portholes.

Innovative features of Project 404’s platform have been designed to increase the performance levels of the superyacht, including a lift keel, retractable propulsion and twin carbon rudders. For the Owners, this means that not only will the yacht be more than competitive in regattas, but she will have long-range capabilities to offer luxurious adventures to all corners of the globe.

Gregory Monks, the Owners’ Representative, expressed his delight at how the project is progressing. “We are very excited to see this incredibly sleek and powerful yacht design taking shape at Royal Huisman,” said Monks. “Our project continues to strive forward, driven by an excellent team committed to achieving only the very best results for this special performance yacht. The build is running on schedule, and we are delighted to have reached this important and visually impressive milestone in our project.”

That the construction remains on schedule is truly impressive given the disruptions and restrictions of this year, and it no doubt a welcome relief to all business involved in the build. CEO of Royal Huisman, Jan Timmerman, shared his thoughts on managing a superyacht construction during COVID-19: ““We always aim to offer our clients the experience of being involved with the build: visiting the shipyard facility, viewing the work in progress, getting a feel of what the yacht will be like – possibly even in combination with a 1:1 mock-up of key areas. The past months were ‘different’, but we managed to accommodate client involvement, all the same.”

While the shipyard remains unable to share images of the full design of Project 404, what we have seen so far suggests she will be another special Royal Huisman superyacht. We look forward to sharing more details as they come in the run up to her scheduled 2022 delivery.