Designers discuss: 6 of the best features of Feadship Moon Sand

Moon Sand was launched in April 2015 by Dutch superyacht builder Feadship and filmed on sea trial in May.

Moon Sand was built for hands-on owners, and Feadship say she “reflects the owners love of sharing time on-board with friends and family, all of whom will enjoy a bright and spacious haven of relaxation”.

The owners decided during the design phase that they wanted to be able to exercise on the aft deck. The contraflow swimming pool was was one of the first major additions during the design, and left the designers with some thinking to do.

“Even after lengthening the design, this request called for a great deal of ingenuity to fit such a pool on a 44-metre yacht,” said Feadship director Bas Nederpelt.

“In a Feadship first, we engineered a clever floor system whereby a section of the deck lowers to create the pool depth required. It only takes 20 minutes for the pool to fill up, after which the contraflow system can be switched on and the pool used to its full effect.”

The pool holds up to 9,000 litres of water and has a holding tank directly below. When the water is dumped the centre of gravity barely moves, a major technical feat which required all of Feadship's innovation and craftsmanship.

There is more to the swimming pool than meets the eye. “As Moon Sand’s owners often cruise with their extended family, a mechanism was also constructed to lower the main deck floor halfway and create a shallow pool for the kids. Of course this also works as a Jacuzzi," said Bas Nederpelt.

"Raise the floor back to its position on the main deck – a totally flush finish with stainless steel – and the full gamut of al fresco lounging and dining options becomes instantly available. This is in many ways a highly ingenious use of space.”

The owners of Moon Sand wanted windows that were as low, high and as wide as possible. “These windows are part of a detailed design brief for ‘light, space and freedom of choice in terms of recreation’” said chief designer Tanno Weeda, from in-house architects De Voogt.

“As well as looking fabulous from the outside, this arrangement offers superlative views in the main lounge, dining area, study/lobby and forward owners’ stateroom,” added Weeda.

“These vistas are magnified further by having a large section of clear glass inset into the bulwark amidships.

"What’s more, all the mullions were removed from the main deck luxury areas, and the only reason they were retained in the bridge deck lounge was because of the owners’ specific request for windows that can be opened.”

The bridge deck saloon on Moon Sand is designed for comfortable lounging and as a place where the owner can work. It is a multi-purpose space that includes a games table, a bar and a TV area.

The desk and outboard consoles are by Linley Riviera and on the wall is a fabulous America's Cup painting.

“For Moon Sand we created a crisp and contemporary design, with many different types of wood and various bright and colourful influences brought in by the owners,” said Dickie Bannenberg, of  Banneberg & Rowell Design.

“We had lots of meetings all over the world with the owners: in our studio in London, in their home and on occasions in New York for furnishing expeditions.

The orientation in the main deck saloon reflects how Moon Sand's owners like to live, featuring a semi-circular sofa and a games table.

The dining table was handcrafted by Frank Pollaro from five different types of wood and Murano glass. The marquetry cabinets were made by Silver Lining from the UK.

The large aquatic-themed mural was made of cracked eggshell and took over a thousand hours to produce.

“It is an enormous pleasure to travel with and to work for clients who are so clued-in to elegance," said Dickie Bannenberg. "When you look at all the various museum-quality pieces on board, such as the dining table, the cabinets in the main lounge or the pieces on the bridge deck, you can see how driven they were and their keen awareness of what constitutes the very best.

“Highly focused on details, the owners managed everything down to the heights of the hooks for robes and towels in the bathrooms. This reflects both their considerable past experience in boats and self-assured taste.”

"Even the smallest details are important to Moon Sand’s owners and working with Feadship made everything achievable,” commented James Hutchinson, who represented the owners throughout the project and was involved in every aspect.

“Every paint line was drawn up with the designers and completed to perfection.

“The outdoor shower has been set flush into the superstructure without a handle on the stern, custom made with a special moulding to keep the weight down.

“The rails for the passerelle have their own dedicated storage. The racks exactly fit the cleaning solutions used on Moon Sand and, like every piece of storage space, has been measured, designed and made to ensure a cohesive, ready to go superyacht.”