Sanlorenzo has always been ahead of the curve. The company was one of the first major shipyards to understand that modern superyacht owners yearned to break free of traditional cruising routes and explore the world in greater numbers, while giving up none of the comfort they were accustomed to.
The yard's 460EXP model answered this brief so well that nine have been sold to date, but the concept has reached its apotheosis in the first Sanlorenzo 500EXP, named Ocean Dreamwalker III. The 47.2 metre superyacht spent much of 2020 in Alaska, exploring this pristine cruising area and providing its owner with the perfect blend of adventure and luxury.
What better example of this than the balcony in Ocean Dreamwalker III's master stateroom, which drops smoothly at the touch of a button?
“I remember one morning, I woke up, and it was beautiful sunlight out, and not far away was this very tall ice cap,” recalls the owner, “so I opened the balcony and was enjoying a mimosa and a little breakfast, and then right in front of me there were whales floating all around – black and white killer whales. It was like waking from one dream and walking straight into another.”
The 500EXP's cruising range of 4,000 nautical miles ensures that no wilderness is beyond reach, and when you arrive the extent of equipment the yacht can carry guarantees maximum exposure to adventure. In Alaska, Ocean Dreamwalker III's helicopter, an Airbus H125, meant the owner could picnic on a glacier, as well as access some of the most scenic golf courses on the planet.
In place of a helicopter, the 500EXP can carry a submarine on its reinforced aft deck for exploring beneath the waves, and a range of tenders and sailing yachts up to nine metres in length. No other explorer yacht of this size offers the same range of capabilities – or comfort. “We’d swim in the pool, drinking whisky, facing this giant 200-metre glacier,” says Ocean Dreamwalker III's owner.
When it was time for a workout, the owner says he could "exercise with whales swimming around me", due to the balcony that extends from the gym over the water, while comfortable saloons on the main and upper decks provided a retreat for cosy cocktails, mixed with ice chipped from a nearby iceberg.
What's next for Ocean Dreamwalker III? The owner reveals that he will soon be heading to Antarctica with his yacht, proving once again that nowhere is out of reach to the Sanlorenzo 500EXP.
For more information, visit sanlorenzoyacht.com
Sponsored content in association with Sanlorenzo