The Tasman Sea, located between New Zealand and Australia, is not for the timid sailors. Its massive waves, strong winds, and lack of refuge deter most mariners.
However, when the new owner of the first Demey 60 Spaceship expressed his desire to have the boat delivered to his home in Sydney, Australia—1,300 miles away from the New Zealand shipyard—company founder Nic de Mey immediately replied, “No problem, we’ll drive there.”
Thus, in late December, de Mey and a crew of three set sail from Tauranga, located in New Zealand’s North Island Bay of Plenty, embarking on the week-long journey across the turbulent Tasman Sea toward Sydney Harbor in Australia.
The 60-foot power catamaran encountered hundreds of miles of significant waves during its initial shakedown cruise.
“We took a beating,” de Mey recounts to Robb Report. “Twenty hours out from Sydney, we faced persistent 25-knot winds and 12-foot waves directly on the beam. We slowed down to 12 knots, but we still surfed down waves at 23 knots. It was quite thrilling.”
After three days and three hours at sea, with around 800 gallons of fuel remaining—less than one-third of the total capacity—the catamaran reached Sydney unscathed, affirming de Mey’s philosophy, “Range at Speed.”
Created by de Mey and his internal team, the new 60 features twin 550 hp Cummins turbo diesels with conventional shaft drives. This 32-ton semidisplacement cruiser can achieve over 26 knots (29.9 mph) at full throttle, with a comfortable cruising speed of just over 20 knots (23 mph).
The cockpit is designed to provide sufficient protection from adverse weather while still allowing for outdoor access.
New Zealand naval architect Roger Hill crafted the vessel’s twin, wave-cutting hulls, insisting on a build using carbon-fiber composites and e-glass epoxy with a foam core. This results in a vessel that provides significant strength and rigidity while remaining lightweight.
Regarding the “range” aspect, the 60’s total fuel capacity of 2,640 gallons allows for a transatlantic journey at 10 knots covering 3,225 nautical miles, nearly the distance from Gibraltar—entry point to the Mediterranean—to St. Lucia in the Caribbean. Even at 18 knots, the Demey 60 Spaceship uses merely 1.5 gallons per nautical mile, resulting in a potential range of 1,733 nautical miles.
“Achieving distance was always a major goal,” de Mey states. “For our customers, that means confidence in undertaking long ocean voyages. For others, it’s the ease of only needing to fuel up maybe once a year.”
The company has been manufacturing advanced carbon-fiber boats since 1994, including a series of high-speed Phantom ski boats. De Mey’s most significant endeavor to date is a custom 69-foot foiling catamaran, propelled by quad waterjets and capable of reaching speeds of 50 knots, commissioned by New Zealand billionaire Graeme Hart.
The new Demey 60 unmistakably exhibits the qualities of a daring power catamaran. With its steep, vertical bows and an all-black, glass-enclosed superstructure featuring a trawler-style and reverse-angle windshield, this large catamaran presents a contemporary aesthetic without excessive embellishment. The low profile and slender flybridge hardtop also help avoid a top-heavy appearance.
Following the trend in power catamaran designs, its overall beam is a modest 22’5”, complemented by a draft of just 3’5” that is suitable for the Bahamas. Despite its narrow beam, the overall space, both inside and out, feels spacious. The open rear cockpit includes a comfortable dining area shielded from the elements by glass extensions, while the overhead upper deck provides sun protection for the entire cockpit.
The helm of the Spaceship does not feature a conventional steering wheel; instead, it is operated with joysticks.
Sliding glass doors connect the cockpit to the spacious salon flooded with light, where a full-scale galley is situated in the rear left corner. How commercial is it? The entire galley work surface is crafted from a single piece of custom-formed stainless steel.
The straightforward, commercial aesthetic extends to the central helm, equipped with three 22-inch Garmin screens, along with a tiller and joystick controls. Don’t bother seeking out a stylish, wood-rimmed steering wheel—it simply isn’t there.
Stairs next to the helm lead down to the full-beam owner’s suite, featuring a king-sized bed, a large bathroom, ample headroom, and a bright, almost Scandinavian aesthetic. The port hull contains a spacious VIP suite with a private entry, while the starboard hull offers a pair of twin-bed cabins.
While the flybridge could benefit from more space for entertaining and outdoor cooking, it does feature a bank of solar panels at the front.
Certain design choices may deter sun enthusiasts. The forward deck lacks the typical entertaining area with built-in couches or lounges. Additionally, the flybridge is surprisingly small, featuring only a compact U-shaped sofa and table, and—at least in this first hull—no upper helm station. De Mey asserts that each Spaceship will be tailored to the individual owner’s requirements.
This initial vessel was made for a prominent former America’s Cup sailor who divides his time between Sydney and the U.K. De Mey is in the final stages of completing a second 60 for a client from New Zealand.
For the third unit, the Kiwi builder hopes to attract a U.S. buyer interested in a rapid, long-range power cat for extensive journeys, such as Florida-to-Maine routes or trips from Los Angeles to Cabo, or even thorough explorations of the Bahamas and the Caribbean. Depending on engine options and configurations, the Spaceship is expected to be priced between $4.8 million to $5.4 million.