Sloid American White Oak, Deeply Smoked and Whitewash Oiled on a high speed Velvet 90 yacht.
The five most common misconceptions about wood in yacht design:
1. Using wood in yacht design is old-fashioned.
Over a century ago, no yachts were built without a wood hull or wooden interior. Wood adds a traditional touch and timeless elegance, even to modern vessels.2. Wood is more delicate than other materials.
Thinking about solutions on how wood will respond to extreme elements such as heat, cold, sunlight, and humidity is part of our expertise.3. Wood makes a yacht less safe.
Being afraid for the vessel to warp down is a big misconception. Yes, we must be very careful of the weight, which is why we often use the veneer of the wood in combination with an aluminum honeycomb structure. This approach minimizes the risk of warping down to a non-existent minimum.4. Teak is the number one choice.
While teak is almost always used for decking, interiors are often designed in African Mahogany. A more recent trend is using smoked oak. Personally, we are mesmerized by the look and feel of foot-worn walnut wood in yacht design, as it so beautifully shows the traditional hand-scraping techniques we’ve applied – and it feels lovely when touched barefoot.5. Because of its organic nature, a wooden yacht will never look perfect.
Yacht design is all about perfection! Anything less than perfect should be in there. To live up to the highest standards in yacht design is one of the most challenging, but also most rewarding elements. A yacht should leave you breathless any time you see one.
