World at her feet: Lady Lene wows judges at World Superyacht Awards
by Van der Valk Shipyard 2 Jul 2022 00:41 AEST
The 34-metre tri-deck explorer Lady Lene has won a host of admirers since her launch as her owners embarked on the first of many adventures.
Custom-built by Van der Valk in the Netherlands for repeat clients, Lady Lene has now received official recognition too by winning a prestigious Judges Commendation at the recent World Superyacht Awards in London for "styling and performance quite unlike her rivals in this class" and "a wealth of merits that deserve recognition."
Originally nominated for a Neptune trophy in the category for Semi-Displacement or Planing Motor Yachts (30-34.9m), the owners and everyone involved in the build of Lady Lene were delighted to be commended in this way by the WSA judges. These annual awards are decided by a panel comprised entirely of leading superyacht owners who were taken by the manner in which Lady Lene offered a "full-custom design for an owner seeking a yacht that would 'provide comparable levels of comfort to our home on land', along with impressive performance and economy."
Optimised performance
These words were music to the ears of the multi-discipline team of talents that had been responsible for realising these bespoke requirements. This included the renowned craftsmen and engineers from Van der Valk, the owner's representative team from YachtCreators, Guido de Groot Yacht Design, Carla Guilhem Design, Ginton Naval Architects, Diana Yacht Design and Hull Vane.
Together they had ensured that the owner's desire to optimise hydrodynamic performance at both cruising and top speed had been met. As the World Superyacht Awards judges noted Lady Lene has a "fast- displacement hull form that is fitted with a hull vane to lift the stern, thus keeping the yacht level at speed, while increasing hydrodynamic efficiency to save more than 12.5 per cent on fuel consumption when cruising at 11 knots. A further pair of fixed foils cut pitch to provide a more comfortable ride."
Stylish allure
The jury of industry peers was also enamoured with Guido de Groot's rugged and eye-catching exterior design for the way it" took into consideration the owner's request for a high, robust bow, softly rounded lines and a spacious aft deck." The large, clean and open spaces of the latter have been a particular hit with the owners as its dedicated zones for relaxation and dining, al fresco bar and swim platform create a superb social hub for all onboard.
The entire design of Lady Lene revolved around the very specific wishes for the interior in terms of having very high ceilings throughout as well as a main-deck open-plan lounge and dining area that is bathed in natural light. The result is an elegant yacht with a sleek and slim profile that belies her height. Design features of note include the way a black line extends from the bow to the high dining room windows before dividing at the bulwark to head aft. A darker ceiling where the TV domes and mast are located is another element that helps give Lady Lene a stylish alure all of her own.
A debut to remember
The World Superyacht Awards judges were also impressed by other aspects of Lady Lene.
"The clean style of interior design throughout her five cabins offers wheelchair accessibility and high ceilings, while high-quality construction by Netherlands-based Van der Valk Shipyard was considered to be the icing on the cake for this versatile vessel that offers a transatlantic capability."
The success of the interior and its recognition by the WSA capped off a triumphant yachting debut for the designer Carla Guilhem, who had previously partnered with the owners on various prominent residential projects. Taking the many round corners in Lady Lene's exterior design as the starting point, Guilhem's Miami-based team adopted a striking Art Deco theme that works exceptionally well in this maritime environment. Curved walls, fluted woods and metal touches in champagne gold generate a calm, timeless and truly welcoming space. An abundance of natural oak, a light-toned marble called silk georgette and lots of leather and suede add to the panache of a sophisticated interior that features an owner's stateroom with office, a VIP suite on the bridge with its own balcony and terrace, two doubles and one single cabin.
Loving life
Lady Lene perfectly captures the owner's thoughts on how an ideal motoryacht should look and feel while taking into account every stage of life. Fully wheelchair-friendly, she has an interior lift for easy between-deck access while the floors are all completely level with no protrusions or steps.
Van der Valk is currently working on another project for the same family, a 65-footer with outboards, and the yard is also making excellent progress on a fabulous new 25.50-metre Flybridge which is due for launch this summer. Both these new builds will also feature bespoke interior designs by Carla Guilhem.