When the 49.8-metre superyacht AJ was purchased in 2019, her new owner had a clear vision. He wanted to jazz up the Benetti FB800 series superyacht, and the way he was going to do it was by adding high-tech underwater lights from Lumishore.
“Once the sale was finalised, AJ stepped into a slot at an Italian shipyard for a refit,” recalls the owner. Despite a pandemic-imposed distance from his refit team, the owner remained attentive to the boat’s exterior, maintaining a meticulous involvement in her refit throughout 2020 – albeit remotely. “I was keen to get things done!” he adds.
The owner’s refit brief was one that championed understated glamour and sultry lighting that would open up spaces on her decks. However, stand out underwater lights were at the top of the agenda.
His search for a compatible supplier began during the 2019 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. “I did a complete review of all available lighting options on the market and visited all of the suppliers at the show,” explains the owner. “But Lumishore stood out the most, and my discussions with the team were very successful.” The product that was most intriguing to the owner was the Lumishore TIX1603 EOS model, the supplier’s most powerful thru-hull light.
As part of the refit, the owner chose to accentuate AJ’s design with Lumishore lighting. AJ was built originally with static, blue lighting on the aft deck, but the owner wanted something a little more theatrical. “The original lights were high spec products fitted by Benetti,” he says, “I preferred a system with a higher output and with a better effect, and Lumishore helped with everything." The process involved Lumishore's design team overseeing each stage of the refit starting with the initial planning and preparation, all the way through to the final delivery. "The visual impact of underwater lights all around the boat look great day or night. The good intensity and dispersion of the lights are just dramatic! She lights up the entire bay!” he adds.
This effect is what the owner is able to control himself thanks to Lumishore’s Wi-Fi wireless control system. “He has full control of the system from anywhere aboard the vessel using a mobile device,” explains Evans. “This includes pre-set colours, strobe, chase and sound-to-light capabilities!” The latter of which, AJ’s owner is a huge fan of. “The sound-to-light function is great,” adds the owner. “I put it on to show guests. It’s a wow factor, and really looks amazing.”
It’s not only humans that are attracted to the yacht’s new underwater lighting – sea creatures are also drawn to the lights. “They attract a ton of fish,” says the owner. “We see all sorts of underwater life that are clearly visible because of the lights.”
This, paired with underwater cameras linked to the yacht’s AV system, creates some truly spectacular onboard entertainment. In total, four of Lumishore’s TIX402 thru-hull Lumi-Cams were installed and can be projected onto any television or iPad on board AJ. “In the Bahamas recently we were able to sit in the saloon and watch sharks sleeping on the bottom and dolphins trying to catch the fish,” explains the owner. The cameras are also an important safety and security feature.
Having worked closely with his representative and Lumishore throughout the refit, the owner got everything he wanted. “Lumishore was involved with the project from the beginning,” explains Lumishore CEO, Eifrion Evans. “This meant we could provide drawings and recommendations for spacing and positioning of each light to obtain the best effect around the vessel,” he adds. “We then supplied the system in accordance with the desired power, cabling and control requirements, assisting the installers throughout the installation, setup and commissioning. What is also great about these lights is that they can be fully maintained from the inside of the hull while the yacht remains in the water,” Evans adds.
"I added many features to AJ that I regret, but the lights are not one of them. They are definitely worth what I paid," says the owner. The lighting added to AJ’s aft quarter and transom during her refit delivered a truly remarkable aesthetic. “As an owner, sometimes all you can do is accept what you are told by suppliers. But when I saw the product from Lumishore, it is significantly better than anything else I've come across,” the owner says, who is now looking to build a bigger superyacht in the future. “I’ll be adding Lumishore lights into the next build specification,” he adds.
Post refit, AJ has cruised the Mediterranean and the Bahamas, and is now lighting up the bays of Florida before embarking on the next stage of her itinerary. To find out more about the Lumishore range products and any information about systems for refit and new build, contact the firm directly here.
Sponsored content created for Lumishore.