Akalam
For the last two years, Pendennis has been completing and outfitting the 32-metre sailing yacht Akalam, a new build designed by Barracuda Yacht Design. SuperyachtDesign visited the yacht at Port Pendennis Marina on the eve of her delivery to her owner...…
For the last two years, Pendennis has been completing and outfitting the 32-metre sailing yacht Akalam, a new build designed by Barracuda Yacht Design. SuperyachtDesign visited the yacht at Port Pendennis Marina on the eve of her delivery to her owner.
For designer and naval architect Iñigo Toledo, the intention with Akalam was to design and build a sleek and progressive sailing yacht but not one that looked like a ‘design experiment’. “Our aim wasn’t to make any major design statements, here,” he explains. “We wanted a boat that is valid now and will still be valid in 20 years. It is a respectful design.” It would be a mistake to assume Toledo’s appreciation of what he describes as “designs that respect the past” has resulted in a sailing yacht that doesn’t push design or engineering boundaries. Quite the opposite is true, in fact. One of the defining features of Akalam is the unusually large rectangular windows along the hull, which offer incredible views and when the yacht is sailing upwind or healed the leeward windows become partially immersed beneath the sea and the water can be seen rushing past as the yacht makes way a mesmerising effect. “The classification societies were not initially happy with the idea,” admits Toledo, who managed to convince them by diverting stress away from the windows using a specially devised double-bottom rigid aluminium box structure, concealed well below the floor.
Akalam feels much larger than her 32-metres, partly down to her interior layout and styling. Javier Munoz, a Spanish interior designer who was recommended by Toldeo and chosen because of his predominantly land-based background, took on the interior styling. “Interior designers who do boats, always come up with a ‘boaty’ solutions, which the owner did not want,” explained Toledo. Munoz has given her a sophisticated apartment style scheme that has quite a masculine feel to it. “The owner wanted it to be like a house” Munoz told SYD, “comfortable, with large spaces, high quality finishes and an exclusive sense of luxury.” He has used exotic woods, like rare New Zealand maple, zebrano wood dyed an anthracite colour and touches of olive and panga woods, as well as tanned Spanish leather, wool carpets woven in New Zealand and special fabrics made in Italy. Stitched and braided leather door handles and fittings and marble sinks also add to the more masculine tone. Superyacht Interiors NZ was the outfitter chosen to work on the interior and the staircase leading to the cabins is a real example of the SINZ’s skilled craftsmanship, with its curving stainless steel banister.
Outside, the deck space is furnished with a beautiful glass dining table custom made by Pendennis to a design of an American table that the owner liked but was no longer available. Spacious saloon style seating positioned around a varnished teak coffee table that conceals a low-level heating system is yet more evidence of the attention to detail on this yacht. Akalam’s ‘concert standard’ music system controls can be accessed from here, along with the yacht’s telephone and communication points, giving further impressions of a relaxed ‘home from home’ feeling, which was very much part of the original brief.
Akalam is undeniably a technically advanced yacht, designed and built with impressive attention to detail in all areas. The team at Pendennis worked long and hard on the complex electrical systems required and the finished result is testament to their skill. According to Toledo, the owner was very specific in wanting everything to be hidden away, including all AV, cables, air-conditioning units, computers and systems. Tidy design solutions and complex electrical work has been the result.
Having now been delivered to her European owner, Akalam is about to depart Falmouth and embark on a cruising schedule that will take her to her homeport in Valletta and then around the Mediterranean.
Related Links:
Barracuda Yacht Design - company profile | company website
For designer and naval architect Iñigo Toledo, the intention with Akalam was to design and build a sleek and progressive sailing yacht but not one that looked like a ‘design experiment’. “Our aim wasn’t to make any major design statements, here,” he explains. “We wanted a boat that is valid now and will still be valid in 20 years. It is a respectful design.” It would be a mistake to assume Toledo’s appreciation of what he describes as “designs that respect the past” has resulted in a sailing yacht that doesn’t push design or engineering boundaries. Quite the opposite is true, in fact. One of the defining features of Akalam is the unusually large rectangular windows along the hull, which offer incredible views and when the yacht is sailing upwind or healed the leeward windows become partially immersed beneath the sea and the water can be seen rushing past as the yacht makes way a mesmerising effect. “The classification societies were not initially happy with the idea,” admits Toledo, who managed to convince them by diverting stress away from the windows using a specially devised double-bottom rigid aluminium box structure, concealed well below the floor.
Akalam feels much larger than her 32-metres, partly down to her interior layout and styling. Javier Munoz, a Spanish interior designer who was recommended by Toldeo and chosen because of his predominantly land-based background, took on the interior styling. “Interior designers who do boats, always come up with a ‘boaty’ solutions, which the owner did not want,” explained Toledo. Munoz has given her a sophisticated apartment style scheme that has quite a masculine feel to it. “The owner wanted it to be like a house” Munoz told SYD, “comfortable, with large spaces, high quality finishes and an exclusive sense of luxury.” He has used exotic woods, like rare New Zealand maple, zebrano wood dyed an anthracite colour and touches of olive and panga woods, as well as tanned Spanish leather, wool carpets woven in New Zealand and special fabrics made in Italy. Stitched and braided leather door handles and fittings and marble sinks also add to the more masculine tone. Superyacht Interiors NZ was the outfitter chosen to work on the interior and the staircase leading to the cabins is a real example of the SINZ’s skilled craftsmanship, with its curving stainless steel banister.
Outside, the deck space is furnished with a beautiful glass dining table custom made by Pendennis to a design of an American table that the owner liked but was no longer available. Spacious saloon style seating positioned around a varnished teak coffee table that conceals a low-level heating system is yet more evidence of the attention to detail on this yacht. Akalam’s ‘concert standard’ music system controls can be accessed from here, along with the yacht’s telephone and communication points, giving further impressions of a relaxed ‘home from home’ feeling, which was very much part of the original brief.
Akalam is undeniably a technically advanced yacht, designed and built with impressive attention to detail in all areas. The team at Pendennis worked long and hard on the complex electrical systems required and the finished result is testament to their skill. According to Toledo, the owner was very specific in wanting everything to be hidden away, including all AV, cables, air-conditioning units, computers and systems. Tidy design solutions and complex electrical work has been the result.
Having now been delivered to her European owner, Akalam is about to depart Falmouth and embark on a cruising schedule that will take her to her homeport in Valletta and then around the Mediterranean.
Related Links:
Barracuda Yacht Design - company profile | company website
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