Oceanco is a prestigious Dutch builder of custom superyachts in the 80–140 meters range. The new 85 meter sailing yacht “Aquijo” is the world’s largest high-performance ketch and was built by Vitters Shipyard’s and Oceanco. It has been launched in 2016. The naval architecture and the exterior design were made by Tripp Design Naval Architecture, and the interior design was made by Dölker & Voges GmbH. The yards involved have worked together in all the stages. Project management came from the owner’s representatives, Master Yachts.
You know, Oceanco usually builds custom motor superyachts, and this is the first sailing yacht they deliver. This “Aquijo” was clearly designed for charter because I have already found it to be rented for no less than $400k per week plus expenses (estimated at over $60K per week). Nice, isn’t it? Oh, the quote is for the “winter” season when you can stay in the Caraibes. To visit Greece and Turkey in, let’s say, July (not recommended, by the way, if you don’t want to be scorched by sun and you will efficiently use the AC equipped sumptuous interiors), one has to pay over $550k per week. Beautiful! If they can get clients, then they will recover the whole investment pretty quick.
Aquijo from Oceanco & Vitters
[source: OceancoYacht.com]
Amazingly, again I found a bunch of articles spread on the internet, all copied one after the other, and all resembling word by word the “news” release by the Oceanco website. No spectacular details as I would be interested in, like the price, who is/are the owner/owners, etc… Not even pictures with the interior.
I found one with the flybridge, though:
Aquijo flybridge
Anyway, it is said that Aquijo’s sailing performances are outstanding, that the technology it uses is state of the art and comfort combined with luxury are exceptional. The boundaries between the interior and decks are blurred. Masts are too high for Panamax.
Panamax and New Panamax
For some of you who maybe don’t know yet, Panamax or New Panamax are terms for the vessel’s traveling through Panama Channel size limits. These are:
| Panamax | New Panamax | |
| Length | 294.13 m (965 ft) | 366 m (1,200 ft) |
| Width | 32.31 m(106 ft) | 49 m (160.7 ft) |
| Draught | 12.04 m (41.2 ft) | 15.2 m(49.9 ft) |
| TEU | 5,000 | 13,000 | Height | 57.91 m (190 ft) | 57.91 m (190 ft) |
The height, or “air draft” remains the same, 58 meters or 190 feet, so vessels can fit under the Bridge of the Americas, the bridge connecting the land that was divided during the construction of the Panama Canal. The bridge crosses the Pacific approach to the Panama Canal at Balboa, near Panama City, and now is the main limiting factor for large vessels passing through the canal.
Bridge of Americas, Panama
[source]
Some other uncleared curiosity might be the TEU. This means the “twenty-foot equivalent unit” which is an inexact unit of cargo capacity used to describe the capacity of container ships and container terminals. 1 TEU is a 20-foot-long (6.1 m) ISO container. A 40-foot-long (12.2 m) container is 2 TEU.
Technical Data
Length 282.15ft /86m
Beam 47.51ft /14.48m
Draft 17.39ft /5.3m
Gross Tonnage 1538 Tonnes
Masts Height
Cruising Speed 15 Knots
It has seven cabins to accommodate 12 guests and one convertible cabin for 17 crew members. Very nice.
It also had an unique steering system developed by Vitters who’s motto is “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible”. It’s serious, I read it in their meta description before accessing their website properly :). The experience was disastrous, but I refer only at the web design, not at what they really are specialists.
Aquijo from behind
[source]
Aquijo on Video
Here is a video taken in Rotterdam in 2015, where they tested some issues.
I haven’t found yet enough data to be satisfied, but I’ll update here as soon as anything new crosses my eyes. By the way, the mysterious owner said that he wanted to go around the world with it. Because he can’t cross Panama Channel, he has to make a detour through Cape Horn (considered “dangerous” for sailing yachts). Aquijo seems to be in anchor near Poros, in Greece, as you can see in the screenshot below.
Aquijo’s position – from marinetraffic.com
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