The story of Kiss, the Valentine's Day superyacht

For Feadship and her owner, the 46.6-metre Kiss was a labour of love.  BOAT takes a closer look at what makes this superyacht so romantic, starting with her Valentine's Day launch...

In 2015, the owner of Kiss went the extra (nautical) mile with his Valentine's Day gift. In a ceremony replete with red-coloured bubbly and balloons, he presented his wife with her very own superyacht, gift-wrapped in a matching red bootstripe. This was the year that saw Feadship deliver two record-breaking giants, the 101.8-metre Symphony and 83.5-metre Savannah. But while Kiss may be more lover than fighter, her design still holds its own nearly a decade later.

Her metallic paintjob, for one, was a feat of engineering that CEO Henk de Vries called "the most complicated object ever to have been painted in this way". Equipped with an electrically-charged spray nozzle and a new, Feadship-developed mixing machine, the team painted the outside in one clean sweep to avoid any irregularities in colour. Kiss was also used in what is believed to be the first sea trial of gas-to-liquids (GTL) synthetic diesel on a superyacht – a pair of credentials that make this superyacht a Valentine's Day gift for the ages.

But what really sets Kiss apart is the quiet tenderness that lies behind her design. Her exterior and naval architecture are owed to the late Ed Dubois, who had designed Kiss' spiritual sistership Como (now Excellence V) a few years prior. Both Kiss and Como are trim, sporty and similar sizes, but the two are decidedly different Feadships. While Como has an open upper deck befitting a true sports boat, Kiss's upper deck is, even more fittingly, devoted to her owners.

This romantic setup is a rarity for a sub-50-metre vessel, with a private deck that includes a cosy saloon, terrace and penthouse-style cabin with swoon-worthy ocean views. To satisfy "the owners' love of fresh air", a massive sliding hatch was also installed in the cabin's ceiling. 

In that same spirit, one of the prettiest places on Kiss is the master cabin terrace – an intimate, al fresco lounge with couples' breakfast in mind. A custom-made awning extends the shade provided by the sundeck overhang, while a large dining table is on hand for hosting family and friends.

Below the owner's deck is their children's suite, complete with cabin space for nannies and a teacher. Switching from a twin berth to bunk resulted in a much bigger floor area for the children to play on, alongside space for a study desk. Decorative artwork, "easier to clean" fabrics and other "lighthearted" touches were also weaved throughout, according to interior design studio RWD.

The sundeck is fashioned as an extension of the owner's deck, which really is the heart of Kiss. It's the perfect place to take the helm or to switch off, owing to the superyacht spa pool (and its 360-degree views). Meanwhile, the transom beach club features another feat of custom engineering. It has a hydraulic side boarding ladder and platform that can be raised into the air to become a stairway or diving board, or lowered right into the water to give the children a safe, flat swimming pad with railings around it.

Kiss' sentimental touches and family-centric layout are what make this superyacht so memorable. And the story of her launch concludes in a suitably sweet way, with the final word given to the owner. "My wife had a dream to build a yacht of fantastic quality," he said. "I cannot thank you enough for realising her dream." Delivered that summer, the couple then sailed off into the sunset – with BOATPro recording a decade of adventures in Bermuda, the Bahamas, Naples, Marseilles and Palma.

Kiss was sold by Edmiston in June 2023 and is now named Lady Victoria.