Benefiting from 11 years of experience as a superyacht captain, including five years as a fleet captain, and 13 years as a naval officer, Jako Hall has travelled the world with his work, including captaining a non-ice class vessel through the Northwest Passage in 2019. This article will look at expedition yachts and their growing popularity, providing an overview of the key differences between traditional and expedition yachts.
Also known as explorer yachts, expedition yachts cater for growing interest in exploration among yacht owners. Patrick Coote serves as head of Northrop and Johnson, Europe and is co-founder of the Explorer Yachts Summit. He explains that while there is no standard definition of an explorer yacht, it is essentially a commercial or private vessel built or converted for expeditions and long-distance cruising to remote areas of the world.
The key differentiator of expedition yachts lies in the fact that they are autonomous, i.e. they are capable of spending long periods at sea with no facilities nearby to restock provisions, refuel, or discharge waste. Expedition yachts must therefore be incredibly safe and seaworthy, enabling them to withstand long periods at sea and weather the toughest of sea conditions.
Explorer yachts are used in various ways today, for example for exotic fishing or diving expeditions, adventure sports, nature-watching, or for family exploration vacations. They are often used for scientific research, facilitating the study of new whale species, for example, or philanthropic pursuits, such as deep-sea ocean research.
While traditional yachts tend to be geared towards warmer climates, e.g. cruising around the Caribbean or Mediterranean Sea, explorer yachts are designed with extreme weather in mind, including both hot and cold weather conditions. They must therefore be equipped with onboard air conditioning, as well as heating and systems for defrosting sea ice to avoid ice accumulations and malfunction of systems.
There has been a significant increase in the number of explorer-style yachts over the course of the last 10 years. While many are constructed for a specific purpose, such as scientific exploration, others are commercial vessels that have been converted into privately owned yachts.
Expedition yachts must be robust enough to embark on extensive long-range passages, enabling passengers to reach some of the remotest cruising destinations on the planet. In addition to their rugged exterior, enabling them to withstand the rigors of challenging sea conditions, expedition yachts offer all the creature comforts and luxuries of a superyacht. Common facilities found on an expedition yacht include a gym, spa, relaxation areas, impressive interior design, and luxury dining areas manned by a private crew catering to the guest’s every whim.
With explorer yachts, range is crucial, making fuel economy and capacity a top priority. Most explorer yachts incorporate a steel displacement hull constructed in an efficient design to ensure the vessel consumes less fuel. Ice class vessels and ice breakers enable yacht owners to visit the Arctic and Antarctica and come in various classes, each with its own capabilities. Most explorer yachts carry a helicopter on board, with platforms commercially rated and fitted with lights to facilitate night landings.
Whereas vacation experiences such as whale watching in Antarctica were once viewed as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, in recent years yacht owners and guests have become increasingly curious about some of the world’s most isolated destinations. From scuba diving expeditions to explore famous shipwrecks to vacationing in the untouched Galapagos Islands, many yacht owners are experiencing wanderlust and a desire for adventure, fueling interest in expedition-style yachts capable of reaching off-the-beaten-track destinations.
