Moonstone: Behind the build of the Amels 200 destined for the North Pole
October 10, 2022
When an Amels 200 is bought by creative owners with ambitions to head to the North Pole, you end up with a showpiece superyacht that can sail just about anywhere. BOAT catches up with the owners of Moonstone…
Mere months before Moonstone was delivered, she was destined to be a different boat. The 60 metre Amels 200, which was started on speculation, was designed by Laura Pomponi of Luxury Projects to have a neutral interior that would be appealing to a wide range of potential clients. It was to be timeless and versatile, able to be easily adapted to reflect the vision of her would-be owner.
Then the yacht was sold and the interior morphed to align with the new owners’ taste, which led to the addition of unique sculptures and paintings, bespoke rugs and cabinetry and splashes of bold colour. The combination of the original sophisticated, architectural framework and the owners’ creative input has created a stunning showpiece interior.
“We were looking for a larger boat with more luxury interior space,” say the owners. “We decided that we would use a Northern European builder and selected the Amels 200 because we liked its Tim Heywood design and interior by Laura Pomponi.” This was February 2021, and they also appreciated that the yacht was quite far along in the build and that they could have it by the summer.
No strangers to yachting, the owners had spent the last decade cruising on ever-larger yachts, starting with a 26.9 metre Pershing 88 and ending with a 47 metre Delta before the Amels. Along the way, they also acquired a support vessel by Damen Yachting – also the builder of Amels superyachts – to carry their toys. “We are very active – fishing, diving, wake surfing, etc,” they say.
The Amels 200 platform gave them the space they needed for their growing family. The model, part of the builder’s Limited Editions line of semi-custom yachts designed by Tim Heywood, is an evolution of the previous Amels 188. “It’s one of the few 60 metres on the market that has a lift from the lower deck’s four guest cabins all the way up to the sundeck,” says Jorrit Pilaar, sales manager at Damen Yachting. Other highlights include a very generous main deck owners’ suite with a balcony and six cabins, including a VIP on the bridge deck.
Starting a build on spec is the norm for the Dutch shipyard. It’s a gutsy business model, but one that has panned out. “We have never finished a boat without a client,” says Pilaar. In this case, Moonstone, its second Amels 200 hull, was sold less than five months before she set sail for Greece. In those months, the owners worked closely with Pomponi on the interior and exterior aesthetics…
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