Marine

SeaXplorer yacht will break the ice to reach new places

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The SeaXplorer will be able to move "backwards" through ice up to almost one meter thick
Damen
The SeaXplorer is being built by Dutch shipyard Damen, and was designed in partnership with yacht-builder Amal Ltd., extreme travel company EYOS Expeditions, and Azure Yacht Design & Naval Architecture
Damen
The SeaXplorer will be able to move "backwards" through ice up to almost one meter thick
Damen
When it comes time to move through ice caps up to 90 cm (35 in) thick, the SeaXplorer's two propulsive pods turn around 180 degrees, and it essentially reverses its way through
Damen
A diagram of the SeaXplorer's propulsion and stabilization systems
Damen
Damen
The SeaXplorer's upper deck main saloon
Damen
The SeaXplorer's observation lounge
Damen
The SeaXplorer's bridge deck sky lounge
Damen
The SeaXplorer's owner's suite
Damen
SeaXplorer buyers will actually be able to choose between three sizes of yacht, ranging in length from 65 to 90 to 100 meters (213, 295 or 328 ft)
Damen
The SeaXplorer will utilize environmentally-friendly features such as a zero-discharge waste system
Damen
Because the SeaXplorer could be gone for a long time in relatively uncivilized places, it's designed to remain self-sufficient for up to 40 days at a time
Damen
The SeaXplorer will have space for a helicopter, along with one or more rescue boats, dive support boats, Zodiacs, submersibles and personal watercraft like Jet Skis
Damen
Some of the SeaXplorer's faetures will include indoor and outdoor lounges, an elevator, a dive centre, a swimming pool and sauna, plus facilities such as a mess hall, hospital, gym and internet cafe
Damen
A model of the SeaXplorer being tested in an ice tank
Damen
View gallery - 15 images

While the vast majority of us will never be able to relate to this "problem," it is conceivable that the world's super-rich could eventually get bored of cruising the same ol' Caribbean and Mediterranean seas. Reaching more remote, less hospital locations, however, would take a special kind of yacht ... and that's just what the ice-breaking SeaXplorer is intended to be.

The SeaXplorer is being built by Dutch shipyard Damen, and was designed in partnership with yacht-builder Amels, extreme travel company EYOS Expeditions, and Azure Yacht Design & Naval Architecture. Buyers will actually be able to choose between three sizes of yacht, ranging in length from 65 to 90 to 100 meters (213, 295 or 328 ft). The largest will accommodate up to 30 guests and 50 crew.

All three models will feature Damen's existing Sea Axe bow, which reportedly allows ships to smoothly slice through waves instead of roughly slamming into them. That design, however, proved not to be conducive to ice-breaking. Instead, the Damen engineers gave the SeaXplorer an ice-breaking stern – when it comes time to move through ice caps up to 90 cm (35 in) thick, the yacht's two propulsive pods turn around 180 degrees, and it essentially reverses its way through.

Because the ship could be gone for a long time in relatively uncivilized places, it's designed to remain self-sufficient for up to 40 days at a time. Those locations could be ecologically-sensitive, so it will additionally utilize environmentally-friendly features such as a zero-discharge waste system.

The yacht will also have space for a helicopter, along with one or more rescue boats, dive support boats, Zodiacs, submersibles and personal watercraft like jet skis. Other features – on the four-level 100-meter model, at least – include indoor and outdoor lounges, an elevator, a dive centre, a swimming pool and sauna, plus facilities such as a mess hall, hospital, gym and internet cafe.

Source: SeaXplorer

View gallery - 15 images
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6 comments
HortonTheWho
This way the rich can saw off chunks of ice and leave rifts which work similarly to cryoconite in heating ice on both sides of the darken path.. Dumb gluts..
CliffG
Most stupid ideas are relatively harmless. This one is the exception.
Nelson
It is projects like this that confirm my belief the entire planet needs a French style revolution because a pig only stops acting like a swine when it is pork.
wanderkip
I would definitely be interested in one of these! Until Mars is terraformed, the poles our our playground!
ljaques
Cool boat. Gimme two. Bbbbut, what about Anthropomorphic Globular Swarming? Will there be any ice to butt through in the near future? On second thought, gimme a cigarette boat capable of 200mph, some jet skis with quick-disconnect Flyboards, a hovercraft, and a few pre-stocked remote islands. Yeah, that's the ticket.
VeronicaWilson
Simply amazing yacht and going to break the large ice and make the way easy for the global warmers who are sailing daily.