Definitely, the Pandora looks a better design and fits the big expedition style and function bracket well. The Everest is just too big. That is a cruiseship, not a yacht.
What the heck, it's only money. The former is flagarent as hell, while the latter is reminiscent of sheer, (Northern/Germanic) industrial power! Perhaps both 'should' be built, but I'm afraid we step into a dark period of Architecture, much as we were with the advent of the SEARS Tower. In my book, 270ft. is plenty big enough for a private -anything. And, if today's Corporations are to remain more powerful than governments, then their 'floating islands' ought to be prepared to suffer the same kind of mortal attacks. So, the question is, how will they look upon retrofit with said armament?
too big to be fun These behemouths while roomy lack personality.I think huge should and could still have some panache!And how about couplle of martinis and chasing your own wake.They might as well say carnival on them.I bet Octopus has some fun at sea!!
Thanks Catmando, Maybe you remember this tiny version for us more modest people. With a length of just 122 m (400 feet), she is even smaller than Octopus...
WOW, i love this smaller Pandora, looks very good! Lars, you should propose the design to a yard or something and see if a an owner might like it for his/her yacht. I would love to see this design in actuality.
Thanks Ron, I have already done so, but the demand for Gigayachts is not that high after all. To view a larger image (desktop size) you can download it from here; http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/4020/pandora122mx2mi2.jpg
Since this thread is now into the largest yacht concepts, I have made a file to download on both versions of the Royal Yacht Victoria, 206 m (675 feet) and 152m (500 feet). Btw, the Venetian Tender is 60 feet... http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/6683/victoriaiiilc6.jpg
Seriously Lars, i think mabe then if you design a yacht that is more feasible (interms of size) then you may have some leeway in terms of getting the design out there to be built for a potential. I am actually serious. Your designs are off the chain, as the Americans say.
You are right in that marketing is important but I also know clients who has approached shipyards with my designs just to hear that they rather build to their own designs. And as another example I last year sent the design below to Feadship when they got their new facilities to build larger yachts, but the big boss answered that this was not a style he liked to build.... http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/6792/garbolmfd6.jpg
She looks beautiful. Not sure if the SOLAS lifeboat at the end of the stern is a good idea though. Maybe feadship won't build your design, but I am sure CSBC in Taiwan will be more than happy to build one at a very reasonable price. They also have a daughter company specialized in yacht building. http://www.csbcnet.com.tw/csbc/EN/index.asp If they can build Blue Marlin, I am sure 400 feet is nothing to them. If I have money, I would hire them to build me a Wally Island replica.
Thanks for your comments! Taiwan will be a megayacht builder soon enough, but price shouldn´t be the competitive edge, but delivery time if you ask me. On the lifeboats, I would like to have two "free-fall" boats at the stern instead of boats on davits high up on the sides. Having launching exercises every second month close to your Awlgrip topsides can not be fun. The recent rules of having unmanned boats during exercises makes it even harder. With semi davit and freefall boats at the stern I would feel much safer, both before and at an emergency situation.
An Abstract on Art Baby Panda, Momma panda, seems to me they both serve two different purposes. Personally, I like the little one. She turns my heart on a dime. As to the 'bigger is better' crowd; ...you won't find ME living under the Red Star of Texas! I had hoped to force y'all to imagine the two facing-off in a battle at sea, like Picasso and Pizarro, Monet and Manet. Owning indisputably distinctive features, each parousing their estranged 'onlookers,' like a caged leapord mesemerizing her prey. I say, mount 70mm cannons fore and aft, and then we'll hold a poll as to which gets built, and by whom! - Ps. Remember when it was considered gauche to get a gallery-show downtown?
Very good point about delivery time. A few Taiwan yards are famous for delivering early, few months ahead of the schedule at times for large commercial vessels. I have seen videos of those Schat-Harding free fall boat in action. I will have to say that the free fall part scared me, but it is a good solution. Supposely helps the lifeboat to get away from the sinking mothership as well.
Hi, The sort of arrogance Lars describes with the attitude to his design is typical of a healthy order book. I am sure if you sold that design to a client and he asked Feadship (Van Lent or De Vries) to bid on it they would not be so quick to turn their noses up. One of them is building a very marked departure from "Feadship Stanard" at the moment and the boat being touted extensively at the last MYS was not like anything that either yard have built before. Think back a few years to Azteca and Paraiso- These were major departures from the plain vanilla models they were famous for. Lurker: Building a luxury yacht is very far removed from building a box boat or speciality commercial vessel. The standard of fitout and finish on a yacht is the thing that I have seen commercial shipbuilders struggle with the most. Filling, Fairing and highgloss painting do not normally enter anywhere in their sphere of operation and would have to be one of the most difficult parts of mega yacht construction and out fit to acomplish to the satisfaction of everyone even in established mega yacht builders. The Koreans are also known for shaving delivery times down but only with consecutive ships the same as far as I am aware.