Boat International magazine's Editor Tim Thomas visited Delta's latest launch, 65m superyacht Invictus (formerly known as Project Invader), with her owner in Seattle, Washington. Here is his firsthand report:
Officially delivered on 1 July at 8.42pm Pacific Time, Invictus stood as a dominant presence while berthed at Bell Marina in Seattle. This 65.53m yacht, built for a North American client, looks hefty yet elegant from afar, but it is only when you step on board that you realise quite what a remarkable yacht she is. The key is her volume – a prodigious 1,945GT.
All that volume means plenty of space for an innovative layout. Her vast saloon aft on the main deck is flooded with light through acres of floor-to-ceiling glass, and her welcoming comfort is reinforced by nine-foot headroom. Forward is a dedicated cinema, the owner choosing to move the formal dining space to the upper deck where it now occupies a large part of the aft end of the upper saloon.
Guest cabins line the main deck forward, with only two guest/staff cabins on the lower deck, while the master takes pride of place forward on the upper deck – a large suite separated into an office-cum-lounge, his and hers bathrooms outboard of a central corridor, and an impressive forward bedroom with unparalleled views even from the bed through giant panoramic windows.
The interior guest areas are completed by a Parisian nightclub-style skylounge aft on the bridge deck, while guests will be spoiled by large exterior spaces. Rich woods, ornate cornices, dramatic marble, gorgeous deck furniture and innumerable detailed touches thrill at every turn, while the quality of fit and finish is, quite simply, exquisite.
‘The marble work throughout the boat is incredible,’ enthused her owner as we took a whistlestop tour of the yacht. ‘Isn’t the woodwork great? It’s unbelievable. The challenge,’ he continued, ‘was to build an American boat that will rival any boat that comes out of Europe. I think nailed it and then some, in terms of woodwork, finish, design, technical specs – everything.’ Having seen her firsthand, I would have to agree. Look out for full, exclusive coverage in a future issue of Boat International.