In 2010, a Ken Freivokh designed 85-metre motoryacht named Z and built by Marco Yachts was successfully launched at the Marco Yachts shipyard in Chile. The Z is designed to be the ultimate in expedition yachts and expedition yachting. The superyacht Z has the range, accommodations, and technologies to operate anywhere in the world safely and comfortably. The design of the Z also allows for operating on its own or in tandem with a yacht support vessel, which is desirable during an expedition. Expedition yachting has become very popular due to new technologies for both ships operation and safety.
Ken Freivokh Design is located in the United Kingdom, and has been in business for quite some time now. The Ken Freivokh Design firm has enjoyed much success in the fields of yacht design and naval architecture with several projects ranging from 35 metres to 127 metres. The design team that Ken Freivokh employs at his firm who designed the Z is both highly educated and very experienced in their chosen fields of expertise. Some of these same creative people even enjoy yachting and have a great amount of actual experience out on the open water, just like their boss Ken Freivokh.
The inclusion of Marco Yachts of Chile in the Z build partnership has proven to be a very intelligent and shrewd business decision. Marco Yachts enjoys a very successful heritage that spans more than 50 years in the art of shipbuilding. Marco Yachts experience includes naval architecture, interior/exterior vessel design, and hull/superstructure construction. The Marco shipyard is located in the beautiful resort city of Iquique in Chile along the shore of the Atacama Desert. The shipyard is approximately 50,000 sq metres, employs more than 500 people, with more than 225 builds under its belt.
The specifications of the superyacht Z are excellent and built to Lloyds specifications. The Z is 85.30 metres long, with a beam of 14.80 metres, and a max draught of 4.5 metres. The Z hull is constructed out of steel and the superstructure is constructed out of aluminum. The Z is comprised of six decks, and has plenty of indoor and outdoor space for the passengers to enjoy. A couple of remarkable features of the Z are the atrium, which spans five decks amidships and the all glass lift. Aboard the Z, there is an Owners Suite, two VIP cabins and four double cabins that can accommodate up to 14 guests.
The muscle that powers the Z superyacht is a twin set of Caterpillar marine diesel engines providing a total amount of 4,972 HP and a twin-screw propulsion system. The max speed for the Z superyacht is 17.5 knots with a cruising speed of 14 knots, which gives the Z a max range of approximately 6000 miles. The Z has a 30-man crew with separate accommodations for their sleeping, dining, and recreation. There is also two 10-metre Pascoe tenders garaged aboard the Z for crew and passenger transportation as well as for tending to the ships business or going between ship and support vessels.
Specifications of the project Z:
Length Overall: 85.30 m/279.86 ft
Beam: 14.80 m/48.56 ft
Draught Max: 4.50 m/14.76 ft
Hull Material: Steel
Superstructure: Aluminium
Gross Tonnage: 2750
Engines: 2 x Caterpillar Inc, 4,972 HP, 3,708 KW total
Max Speed: 17.5 knots
Cruise Speed: 14 knots
Range: 6,000 nm
Guests: 14
Crew: 30
Naval Architect: Marco Yachts
Exterior Designer: Ken Freivokh Design
Interior Designer: Ken Freivokh Design
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Related links:
Ken Freivokh Design
Marco Yachts
Photo: freivokh.com