Feature: "Lanakai"; Luxury Platform For Serious Fishing

39.5-meter "Lanakai"; Luxury Platform For Serious Fishing
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To build a sportfish yacht the size of "Lanakai" you have to be seriously into sportfishing, wanting top performance, endurance and business-end features from your offshore platform. Plus, it needs to be your home away from home with all the luxury trappings and accoutrements any well-heeled owner would desire. The owners of Lanakai are not your average day or weekender fisher-persons but are serious adventure enthusiasts and anglers. They also are not new to the sportfishing game in terms of ownership of one of these vessels.

The owners brought back onboard Michael Peters Yacht Design (MPYD) for "Lanakai" (then known as hull 1015 at Yachting Developments in New Zealand). You should know that this vessel holds the distinction for being the largest carbon sportfisher in the world. For a vessel as serious as Lanakai is about fishing, the interior had to be luxurious and finished to superyacht standards. Just stepping into the main salon gives you an idea what the owners had in mind with top-of-the-line finishes and furnishings. The nautical vibe is present with a high-end feel. Three main colors are present in this space, mid-toned brown from the high-gloss Walnut woodwork, blue on the main sofa area and light creams and whites on the carpeting, chairs, side-wall, ceiling panels and throws. Yachting Developments' interior division and Naylor Booth Associates to create a 'Kiwi contemporary'.

Another social onboard is the skylounge, which takes cues from the main salon below, but has its own character. One of the biggest changes seen in this room is the open wooden flooring for a more traditional and classic feel. Forward on the skylounge is more of a gentleman's vibe with extensive, but subdued woodwork. The throws on the sofa and the blue frames on the pictures on the wall lightly echo the style from the main deck. A formal small bar area is also present to help with the social activities. Note, the wheelhouse is actually forward of this room and was designed so the light pollution from the skylounge would not pour into the wheelhouse at night, creating unwanted reflections. Two doors can be kept closed as well as the movable tinted center screen.

The wheelhouse is clean and spacious with great visibility. Just look at the size of those deeply sloping windows. The console is made up five displays that showcase everything the captain will need; from navigating the next waypoint to the all-important fish-finding. An expansive gear set up includes a 360º sonar, which has a range of 1000-meters on a periscope that drops out of the hull. It appears the console is finished with Walnut much like the rest of the interior. Also, note on either side of the wheelhouse, pockets for the binoculars!

After reeling rods all day, everyone will be hungry. Here's a look at the galley, properly kitted-out looking more like a residential kitchen. This isn't your average set-up, as you have abundant heating surfaces to choose from. On the opposite end of the spectrum there are large freezer and fridge facilities too, everything stainless steel finished. Besides being utilitarian, the space is also pleasantly appointed. A chef would feel right at home here.

After gorging on the catch-of-the-day and you're ready to retire, behold the owners master suite! It spans the full-beam of the hull, which is nearly 30-foot at its widest point. Similar themes from the rest of the accommodation areas makes its way into the principle suite. Walnut wood on the walls while this is contrasted with off-white/creamy tones on the floor and ceiling. Blue notes return through the headboard, window shades and throws on the bed. This is accommodation fit for a king... of fishing!

The VIP forward cabin is is fitted with a centerline berth. Just two short steps ascend you to nirvana. Overall, accommodation is for ten guests, with the large full beam Master, a VIP, a double and twin with two Pullmans.

Lanakai has some serious aftdeck space. Not quite superyacht decks, but it will certainly be comfortable for the entire entourage. The main deck aft, (outside of the main salon) has al fresco dining supported by built-in, deeply padded seating and attached tables. On the upper aft deck, outside the skylounge, there is space for a couple steamer chairs. The upper most deck is where the secondary navigation station is located with a line of sight for backing-down big game.

A spacious four-deck sportsfisher, Lanakai’s key features are an expansive fishing-focused inventory, including a tailored cockpit; a VEEM twin Gyrostabiliser unit for stabiloity at rest or speed; plus extensive onboard storage. "Lanakai is an impressive vessel on many levels – it is hard to come to grips with the size and scale of the vessel when she is viewed from a distance because all the details and lines are in harmony with the style," says Ian Cook, Managing Director of Yachting Developments. "It’s not until you’re actually on board that you realize the sheer scale of the vessel and the numerous design elements that came together to achieve her."

With a sportfish this size. I'm sure you're wondering about her performance? Lanakai is run by a pair of MTU 4000 series powerplants rated at 3,150 horse power. She can definitely high cruise at 20-knots. Two Kohler 80kw generators are onboard for power generation. For stability, twin VEEM gyrostabilisers were installed. Four custom Humphree interceptor Trim tabs were also fitted. Maneuverability is key and she has 120 horse power and 90 horse power Trac thrusters.

Lanakai was delivered to her owners last year and since then she has been cruising extensively around New Zealand and the Pacific islands. Clearly not your average sportfish yacht, Lanakai is everything you would need in a vessel for this purpose, setting a high-bar for sportfish construction with her carbon based frame. All photos utilized in this feature were taken by Matt Crawford Photography through Yachting Developments.

For more information:

Yachting Developments
Launch Road Hobsonville
Auckland
New Zealand
www.**************************

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