Royal Huisman Project 405 was transported earlier this year from the shipyard’s new-build facilities in preparation for launch and the installation of her carbon performance sloop rig by Rondal. She was christened Nilaya, which means ‘blissful home’, during a private event at Het Scheepvaartmuseum (the national maritime museum) in Amsterdam.

This highly anticipated Panamax superyacht is the first to utilise the shipyard’s new Featherlight™ design and production method. Continuous weight monitoring throughout the build of Project 405, aka Reichel/Pugh – Nauta 154, confirms the Dutch builder has achieved its goal of slicing 11 per cent off the weight of its 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 shipyard’s 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 complementary weight-saving solutions utilising aluminum and carbon fibre components in order to deliver a cruising yacht that also will be competitive in superyacht racing events.

“For such a large yacht, the acceleration is exciting as she rapidly reaches high speeds,” says Nigel Ingram of MCM Newport, who served as owner’s project manager. “Twin rudders and the light, positive steering give superb manoeuverability and she has reached all her project targets with ease. Rondal’s sailing systems enable fingertip control of the massive loads involved.”

Nauta Design created the general concept, the exterior design and the interior design plan with the light, calm, contemporary décor that has been unpacked for the first time now that trials are complete. Ingram continues: “Below decks, life is as comfortable and quiet as one would expect of the latest performance cruiser from Royal Huisman. The builder’s efforts towards building a light and stiff structure have paid off.”

Nilaya is Nauta Design’s current sail division flagship, and after the sea trials Mario Pedol, co-founder of Nauta Design said: “This fantastic yacht showed to really match all of the quite demanding main aspects of the owner’s brief. Royal Huisman masterly succeeded in engineering and building the yacht, fulfilling the owner’s request in terms of robustness, reliability, quietness and, last but not least, amazing performance under sail, thanks to super high level naval architecture by Reichel/Pugh Yacht Design. Nilaya is not good … She is superb.”

Royal Huisman CEO Jan Timmerman calls Nilaya’s departure bittersweet. “We are always a bit sad to see one of our yachts sail away; it’s a bit like a child leaving home. At the same time, we are proud to have delivered another unique vessel, especially one that advances innovative engineering and build technology. Nilaya is a milestone in composite superyachts in the truest sense of the word and another fine example of Royal Huisman’s ability to provide owners with the ultimate expression of personal freedom. We wish her owners and all on board fair winds and following seas during both world cruising and many exciting regattas.”

Photos credit: Tom van Oossanen

Profile links

Nauta Design

Royal Huisman

Rondal B.V

Click here to become part of The Superyacht Group community, and join us in our mission to make this industry accessible to all, and prosperous for the long-term. We are offering access to the superyacht industry’s most comprehensive and longstanding archive of business-critical information, as well as a comprehensive, real-time superyacht fleet database, for just £10 per month, because we are One Industry with One Mission. Sign up here.