The Turkish yard Ares Yachts has announced initial details regarding an upcoming superyacht project named Spitfire. With a length of 50.6 meters, Spitfire utilizes the rapid displacement hull dynamics found in the shipyard’s offshore patrol vessel series, the Ares 150 Bold.
Bannenberg & Rowell alongside Lateral Naval Architects have been confirmed as design collaborators, with construction set to commence by 2025.
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The exterior features a rounded bow and a low-profile superstructure adorned with bands of dark glass.
“This platform is built on three core principles: speed, lightweight construction, and iconic design proportions,” explained shipyard chairman Kerim Kalafatoğlu. “The combination of a hull with offshore capabilities and the specifications of a superyacht platform offers exciting opportunities from both design and technical perspectives.”
Leisure amenities include an expansive beach club area, equipped with fold-down wings, a transformer platform, and a transom designed to accommodate loose furniture and water toys. The indoor area can easily transition between a lounge and cinema room or a fully-equipped gym and features four large skylights for ample natural light.
Accommodation consists of five cabins, including a full-beam owner’s suite on the main deck showcasing 270-degree views and a private forward cockpit, complete with a Jacuzzi and an outdoor movie theater.
The design of Spitfire was influenced by a vision of “flexible and casual living,” according to the shipyard, allowing for social spaces to be effortlessly joined or separated via sliding glass walls and doors. For instance, the main deck’s dining and lounge areas can transform into a spacious indoor-outdoor setting, and the upper deck benefits from doors and a sunroof that merge the indoor sofas with the outdoor bar, grill, and sun loungers.
In an exclusive interview, Dickie Bannenberg told BOAT: “We’ve created a distinctive layout while subtly honoring the concept of ‘Spitfire’ and its heritage. There are nods to that heritage, but we’ve renamed all the interior spaces to avoid the conventional terms like main saloon and owner’s saloon. Those have been replaced with informal spaces and bosses’ quarters. It establishes a narrative for this type of yacht and its anticipated perception.”
The yacht’s hybrid diesel-electric propulsion allows for various operational options. This includes one hour of propulsion solely on electric power, with an optional additional battery pack extending silent operation to 11 hours, even under Mediterranean conditions.
Spitfire can achieve a top speed of 22 knots and a cruising range of 2,200 nautical miles, which can be enhanced to 3,500 nautical miles with increased tank capacity.
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