A family’s active lifestyle at sea was the driving force behind the inspired design of Oceanco’s fabulous 88.5 metre Nirvana. Now available for charter with Y.CO, BOAT remembers her build...
Built under the code name Y707, Nirvana just edged out Seven Seas as the largest Oceanco constructed under the builder’s generation of Y-coded yachts when she was delivered in 2012. Of course, the Dutch shipyard has continued to up its game with bigger builds in the nine years since she hit the water, but it doesn't stop yacht spotters gawking at this floating private island even today. Revealed to the nautical press in June 2011 as an unpainted steel hull and shiny aluminium superstructure, within 12 months she blossomed into a yacht that lives up to her name.
Nirvana was styled inside and out by Sam Sorgiovanni to support an active lifestyle. Her majestic hull sports a distinctive slightly flared bow and swooping curve that begins aft of amidships. She is bound to be recognisable in any port due, in part, to Sorgiovanni’s signature brightwork on the transom and the strip of mahogany look that outlines the cap rail and extends, visibly, the length of the yacht. Sorgiovanni employed a similar effect on another Oceanco he designed in 2008, the 75.5 metre Anastasia (now Wheels). This nostalgic gesture provides a contrast to the modernity and whimsy that dominates the interior design of the boat.
‘Unique, individual and stylistically different are all words that come to mind when describing my objectives in the creation of the design,’ says Sorgiovanni. ‘Anastasia had a beach house theme but the inspiration for Nirvana’s design moves from the sandy shore into a tropical island rainforest.’ Steering clear of creating a Disney-esque kitsch environment, the yacht’s interior appointments are refined with a sophisticated contemporary feel, albeit with a twist, because there are Balinese and Indonesian design accents and other surprises.
Nearly 200 materials were used to create a jungle ambience. There are 10 different wood veneers, including eucalyptus, teak, oak and palm wood in various finishes. The bamboo flooring used throughout is finely detailed to resemble ripples of sand, yet the sensation underfoot is smooth as silk. Black mother-of-pearl, white onyx and limestone are blended with a host of natural materials and fabrics. The colour palette for the furnishings logically tends toward earth tones, and everywhere is a splash of green in shades ranging from Coke bottle to chartreuse. These green accents appear in upholstered chairs, leafy-design carpets, silk throw pillows and objets d’art.
Nirvana has six decks, all connected by the main stairwell and an extraordinary six-person glass lift that is entwined in a striking stainless-steel woven art piece resembling a bubbling whirlpool. This captivating sculptural feature is a focal point on all levels.
Sliding glass doors from the aft main deck lead into the convivial main saloon, replete with textural artistic elements such as back-lit bamboo-design wall panels, a layered wire Balinese sculpture, an imposing Brazilian fossil and a metal sculpture inspired by cumulus clouds.
Also on the main deck are the dining area and a cosy separate sitting room, which converts into a massage room. To preserve openness and flow, the rooms are only partially separated, but instead of the 2,700 litre aquarium that splits the dining and lounge areas on Anastasia, these areas are divided by two vivariums alive with water dragons, bearded lizards, turtles, a (usually green) chameleon and exotic frogs.
On yachts of this size it is almost expected that the guest cabins will be on the main deck. It is not only convenient for guests but also allows the suites to have large windows. Nirvana can accommodate up to 12 guests in a full-beam VIP suite forward and four other double cabins. All have en suites equipped with rain showers and bathtubs. Bucking the iPad trend, each cabin has a Crestron panel that includes a crew call button, gives guests access to the internet, allows them to follow the yacht’s itinerary by GPS, operate the blinds, adjust the lights and select films.
The main aft deck features an immense oval-shaped 7.5 metre pool with a depth of 1.4 metres. It was, at the time, the largest pool aboard any Oceanco and the first the yard made in fibreglass. It’s depth-adjustable and can be filled with either fresh or seawater.
One deck above is the owner’s exclusive domain. Here, Sorgiovanni chose an asymmetrical layout for the 150 square metre master suite to create more privacy and easier circulation on the starboard side. A large skylight set into the oak overhead allows natural light to flood the bedroom, while the his-and-hers facilities in white Iranian onyx include a large shower and bathtub with dressing rooms decorated in black onyx and zebrano wood. A private sitting room and a separate office complete the suite, while a vast exterior terrace forward has a whirlpool tub and several sunbathing options.
Aft and amidship of the suite is a saloon-cum-cinema and a games area with stunning sea views through full-height windows and folding balconies. Finally, the exterior aft deck is the primary alfresco dining area. The table expands to seat 18 guests, and a built-in buffet bar can accommodate multiple hot and cold dishes. Windscreens and doors make this a multi-season space on board Nirvana.
Moving up a level, aft of the bridge guests can work out in the 85 square metre gym, which includes an inset treadmill and free weights. The adjacent traditional sauna has a floor made from a special resin finished in a stone motif and a shower clad in Chinese black mother-of-pearl.
At the top of Nirvana, the sundeck aft is also a touch-and-go helicopter pad that includes 14 inset lights and two foldable wings for extra safety space for the aircraft. Opposite is a whirlpool with generous sunbathing cushions all around. The deck is about 12 metres above the waterline so the outlook is breathtaking – a near 360-degree view is possible from foredeck to aft.
Other features of Nirvana support the water sports passions of the family. An enlarged sea terrace door opens onto the tender garage and storage, where four hydraulic cranes manage a pair of 11 metre Vikal tenders, an 8.5 metre ski boat, six Jet Skis and four WaveRunners. Another tender sits below the fully enclosed foredeck. A water-sports room holds diving equipment and a drying cabinet for wetsuits, and there is immediate access to the sea via the lower lobby, where a hull door opens flat onto the water to create a small beach club platform at which Jet Skiers can dock.
When sport is finished for the day, relaxing entertainment can be found in the lower deck cinema, which is equipped for showing 3D films and has a bar and popcorn machine. The tiered sofas are upholstered in suede and easy to sink into, and the effect of portholes appears on the walls, so no natural light interferes with the show. A vast library of 3,600 films is available through the Kaleidescape system.
Nirvana is not only ideal for her owner and guests, she is also a first-rate charter vessel with all her interior and exterior spaces designed for carefree luxury. She is a big yacht, too, capable of crossing oceans. The twin 4000 series MTU main engines can push her along at a maximum 20 knots, while at a cruise of 14 knots her range is well over 5,000 nautical miles.
The yacht’s active and sport-loving family know the ambience that suits their lifestyle. In Sam Sorgiovanni they found a designer who successfully interpreted their passion with great style, while Oceanco skilfully turned it into reality. The result is a true nirvana – an idyllic, life-enhancing, life-affirming yacht.