Hakvoort unveils a graceful symphony SOPRANO

Soprano has a classical overall feel, with an elegant canoe stern that was a key element in the owners’ brief. Having previously seen and fallen in love with Pamela V and Spada both fine examples of Hakvoort’s experience with traditional designs – they were determined to create their very own with canoe stern beauty. They also set out to capitalise on the unrivalled expertise that Hakvoort offers in luxurious, medium-sized, classical superyachts.

At the same time, Soprano also showcases the Dutch yard’s ability to build in the very latest systems and facilities within a truly first-class finish. And a closer look at her classical profile reveals an abundance of ingenious contemporary elements within her soft lines, folds and curves.

“Soprano is a real gentleman’s yacht, blending the timeless beauty of our maritime tradition with lots of modern touches,” says director Albert Hakvoort Jr. “She provides excellent performance at sea, is exceptionally quiet and is superbly finished: the quality of the materials – the finest marbles and woods – is as important as the seamless way in which they have been fitted together. The owners’ asked us to create the full package for them – and Soprano certainly delivers.”

Packing a punch

The clients were highly involved in the build, visiting the yard regarly – often accompanied by friends. Soprano is their first superyacht and the fact that they chose Hakvoort is a testament to the impression Pamela V made on them when they visited her in Monaco. They wanted Soprano to be suitable for chartering, however, as they knew they would not be able to use their yacht all the time and did not want her to sit idle.

As such, she has three cabins in addition to the main suite: a full-beam VIP suite and two guest cabins, of which one contains a Pullman bed recessed in the ceiling and ensuite bathrooms.

Soprano fits an extraordinary amount of comfort and high-tech equipment into her 38 metres, while staying nimble enough to enter any harbour or secluded spot. A large swimming platform is fitted in a pocket inside the hull that is up to 4m deep and 2.5m high. This is made possible by the placement of the engine room amidships, neutralising a concern that some people have with a canoe stern and providing the best of both worlds.

Creative and robust

Soprano is one of the first LY3 yachts, and this is clearly apparent in her spacious crew quarters. “This is quite unique for a boat of this size,” project manager Marc van Ditshuizen points out. “It makes a big difference for the crew especially, giving them a lot more space and comfort than is normally found even on much larger yachts – in fact, the crew area is even more generous than the already princely LY3 specifications. It was the owners who asked for LY3 certification from the outset, as they know that a happy crew means a happy yacht, which is essential for successful chartering. The minimum requirements of LY3 do not shrink just because a yacht is smaller, however, so we had to deploy some very creative design and engineering to make this work.”

Soprano is also certified with a Lloyd’s Register Inventory of Hazardous Materials (formerly known as the Green Passport), which lists all harmful materials in case she is ever decommissioned. This guarantees compliance with the Hong Kong Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships.

Well-balanced

Captain Olof Templeman spent around half a year at the Hakvoort yard overseeing the final phases of Soprano’s construction. “It was a great experience and the Hakvoort team were very easy to work with. Although they build very high quality boats, there is a real family vibe here that is in stark contrast to the more austere atmosphere at some other yards. Staying in the lovely maritime village of Monnickendam has also been wonderful: there can be no more idyllic a place to build a luxury superyacht.”

Like her exterior, Soprano’s interior has a strong classic character with contemporary accents. This is exemplified by the combination of rich stained mahogany panels with wood panels painted in matt white lacquer above the wainscot. “The addition of the modern beach house accents ensures that the wooden panelling doesn’t appear too dark and serious,” Captain Templeman continues. “Two sliding windows – one forward in the owners’ suite and one in the sky lounge – also lighten the mood, allowing fresh air to circulate. When the awnings are up, she has a rich, exotic look, and the sun deck in particular is quite beautiful. Soprano is a very clever, well-balanced blend.”

The wheelhouse affords panoramic views, with excellent visibility all around. It, too, is characterised by a mix of traditional and modern: very high-tech equipment, with no corners cut and no expense spared, and with a charming nautical appearance. To reduce or eliminate clutter, a lot of controls are concealed or operated via tablet and Wi-Fi.

Unassuming elegance

Interior designer Felix Buytendijk originally showed the owners around Hakvoort’s Awatea (ex. My Trust) as a reference point. They liked the ambience, which then served as inspiration for the fresh take on a traditional sailing boat look, now found on board Soprano. Overall, the interior has understated detailing and colours resting on the basic combination of rich mahogany, white lacquer and a single type of natural stone – limestone.

“Like myself, the owners prefer unassuming elegance to flashy designs,” Buytendijk explains. “The same combination of colours and materials is found throughout the interior, in the main stateroom, guest areas and lounges, based on a philosophy that any boat below 60m should have a unified style”. The finishes include a wool carpet with an appearance similar to sisal, as the owners were quite partial to the aesthetic applications of this particular fibre on Awatea, but wished to avoid some of its inconvenient aspects, such as its low resistance to dry, air conditioned climates.

Bright and functional

The stairs from the guest area come up directly into Soprano’s main deck lounge, as her engine is located amidships. A large pop-up TV screen is concealed in the stairway board. The saloon and dining area are separated by a low divider, ensuring an open feel. The dining room has lots of concealed storage space, and the saloon contains a dry bar. “The sky lounge is more informal and clearly characterized by a New England beach house style,” Buytendijk adds. “When it’s opened to the aft deck, it creates a single coherent area, with the same furniture inside and out.” The teak sun deck is quite large for this size of yacht, and includes a Jacuzzi, barbecue and bar. A dumb waiter coming up from the galley also stops on the bridge deck aft behind a panel.

The owners are big fans of cooking, so Soprano has been equipped with an elaborate galley designed by Buytendijk, with professional steam ovens, coolers and ice makers. “It’s made entirely of exposed stainless steel,” Buytendijk says. “Thanks to the fact that it’s a heavy-duty commercial galley, you can simply clean it by throwing a bucket of water over it and start scrubbing. In addition to being functional, it also has two large windows that make it very bright.”

Always a pleasure

“Overall, Soprano is an exceptional boat for her 39m, with a lot of space,” Buytendijk says. “She has room for 8 to 12 guests in total, and there are 4 to 7 crew, which creates a great ratio.” The main suite features a king-size bed, lots of storage, a vanity unit and a large ensuite bathroom with space for a multi functional workout machine. The ceiling has been raised to ensure sufficient head space and make room for comfortable exercising.

“I always enjoy working with Hakvoort, and this project was no exception. I’ve worked with a lot of yards in a lot of countries, and after 12 projects together I can honestly say that Hakvoort has an exceptional focus on quality. The flat hierarchies mean there’s plenty of useful feedback coming up from the shop floor. And they are thoroughly passionate about making the best products, from the hull and layout to the fabrics and carpentry work. Working with Hakvoort is always a pleasure.”