Many owners consider their superyachts to be a semi-permanent home, spending their time travelling the ocean or remaining quayside in a marina of their choice. However, Miami-based company, Arkup has taken this concept one step further and created an at-sea living solution, which is not only a completely stabilised, but a fully self-sufficient home on the water.

“The original idea came from the recognition that weren’t any nice locations for restaurants in Miami with very good food, good service and a good view,” says co-founder Nicolas Derouin. As a result, the initial proposal was to build an excellent floating, yet fully-stabilised restaurant that could offer a service that is seemingly hard to find in Miami. However, during the preliminary analysis and surveys, it became apparent that it would be more effective to build a recreational living solution that could offer a range of benefits that cannot be achieved in the conventional residential market.

“Our aim was to create the best of both worlds, in terms of residential and yachting solutions,” Derouin explains. “The solution adds mobility and more freedom to conventional living, as it is a movable structure, so it’s more flexible and dynamic. It won’t provide the same speed and range as a yacht, but it will provide a far more comfortable environment with more living space.”

In order to compete with conventional residential solutions, the Arkup project offers a completely stabilised platform using extendable anchored hydraulic spuds, which can raise the structure several meters out of the water to protect from hash weather conditions, storm surges and even hurricanes. In fact, the Arkup solution has been designed to withstand wind speeds up to 135 knots. When underway, the spuds can then be completely retracted into the structure to allow for comfortable cruising and entry into shallower waters.

Arkup Liveable Yachts have been designed according to the ABYC and US Coast Guard’s recreational standards; furthermore, they require only a standard US driving licence and yacht insurance to operate.

The first one is currently under construction in Miami and is scheduled for completion in June this year. “From the moment that the buyer signs, to the time the yacht is ready to be delivered, is within eight to 10 months, depending on the level of customisation” says Derouin. “The starting price is just over two million dollars, up to three- to three-and-a-half million dollars with full spec- and integrated self-sustaining options.”

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