Superyacht Orient Star – CMB Yachts’ 47m satisfies the tastes of her three owners

16 January 2015 • Written by Bruno Cianci

As Turkish yacht builders continue to grow, one yard operating under good auspices is CMB Yachts. Founded in 2007, this builder has a 74-metre yacht in build, plus four 47m yachts, one of which is Orient Star. ‘Her owners,’ says Cüneyt Okçu, shipyard and projects coordinator director at CMB, ‘previously owned a 26-metre boat; but when this began to become out-dated, they went looking for a shipyard that could produce the yacht they had been dreaming of. They chose us after boarding [CMB’s 46m] Mystic, one of our previous builds.’

Wow Factor

The most enchanting areas on board are those designed for entertaining, namely the two saloons. Space planning was of paramount importance to these areas, and interior designer Tara Bernerd worked hard to conceal structural elements. The upper saloon in particular is flooded with natural light, thanks to floor-to-ceiling doors on both sides of the room that open onto French-style balconies. During the day, the upper saloon has an incredible light-filled, loft-like feel, while the space transforms into something more seductive in the evening.

Superyacht Orient Star‘s upper saloon is flooded in natural light

Inspiration

Input from the owners was specific: the dimensions, first of all, should not be any less than those of Mystic as the new yacht was to be used by three owners – brothers – each with his own needs and approach to life at sea. The owners were also instrumental in the choice of Tara Bernerd & Partners for interior design. The Belgravia-based interior architecture and design practice had little prior experience in yachting, but like many residential designers, they bring a fresh perspective to superyacht interiors.

‘The owners and I have known each other for some time,’ says Bernerd, ‘they knew our style and philosophy and have seen our work from New York penthouses, to skiing chalets, to Belgraves, a London boutique hotel… However, in design, once the aesthetic is established, personality comes into play and there is no doubt that the synergy between the team, myself and the three bothers was very strong and an enormous benefit.’

The main saloon aboard superyacht Orient Star

Construction

Orient Star is built in a composite-type construction (E-glass/Epoxy/PVC-Corecell foam), a technique in which CMB has considerable experience. (CMB’s only yacht featuring a steel hull is the aforementioned 74m, designed by Espen Øino and due to be launched in 2015.) Orient Star is RINA classed and built to an in-house design.

Much attention was spent on the layouts of Orient Star‘s outdoors spaces

Exterior design

Orient Star’s exterior design comes from CMB’s in-house design house. The large windows that illuminate her interiors also define the exterior of the tri-deck yacht. As Bernerd says, ‘the oversized windows on the upper saloon influenced both interiors and exteriors.’

Superyacht Orient Star‘s oversized windows on the upper saloon influenced both interiors and exteriors

Interior design

For Orient Star_,_ Tara Bernerd and her team of architects and designers have provided the full interior layout and interior design packages. Accommodations comprise a main-deck master, two twins and two double staterooms on the lower deck, and she also boats a captain’s cabin on the bridge deck. Orient Star’s interior design is exceptionally luxurious. Joinery is inset in textured cream leather, while rich materials add interest and edge. Throughout, a sense of calm is instilled by a monochromatic palette of greys and whites, pleasantly offset by hand-picked artworks and accessories.

CMB Yachts’ Orient Star features a main-deck master stateroom

Outdoor living

Tara Bernerd & Partners worked very carefully on the outdoor deck layouts, especially seating, an area where one brother was more involved than the others and requested a spacious surface for hosting parties. A key design challenge was to create a space that combined freshness, informal luxury and contemporary styling. ‘Having had the benefit of spending time on yachts myself,’ says Bernerd, ‘one major factor that impacts the look of Orient Star, for me, was to maintain the sporty side of it, to move on from the “travelling palace” and instead factor in that we may swim off the boat.’

CMB Yachts’ 47m Orient Star boasts a spacious sun deck designed for entertaining

Engineering and performance

Orient Star is powered by twin 1,450hp MTU engines and achieves a top speed of 15 knots, a cruising speed of 10.3 knots and a range of 3,400 nautical miles at 9.2 knots. She carries 51,000 litres of fuel, features three Kohler generators (50 kW + 2 x 100 kW) and TRAC zero speed stabilizers. Another place where light and visibility triumph is in the wheelhouse. Thanks to the crescent-shaped yacht’s bridge layout, when one is located in the centre of the pilothouse, 220 degrees of horizon are visible without moving a step. And it’s all forward motion from here, for Orient Star, her owners and CMB Yachts.

The bridge deck of superyacht Orient Star affords excellent 220-degree visibility