Picture by Mats Nelson via http://yachts.monacoeye.com
Picture by Mats Nelson via http://yachts.monacoeye.com
Asean Lady
IMO : ??
Build : 2003 by Yantai Raffles, Zhifu Island, Yantai in China, nr ??
This apparently is the only yacht in the whole wide world to be based on a Proa, an outrigger canoe used for centuries in the South Pacific. And we should be very gratefull for that. I did mention before that I do like a bit assymetrical designs, gives the whole thing more character but this is unfortunately totally and complete over the top.
Dunno source, via the interweb
I’m sure the designers and calculators have done a good job and from what I remember from my stability-classes a small outrigger does generate a lot of stability for a vessel but I just don’t know in this case…she is strange and to a lot of people she might be ugly but to me she is just utterly strange. Although I do admire the so overrated “thinking outside the box” they did here.
Dunno source, via the Interweb
And: call it hypocritical but I wouldn’t turn down a 2-weeks, all expenses paid holyday on her when offered!
WWW.UGLYSHIPS.COM 
“Welcome! Welcome!! Could all guests muster midships in the hunting salon, please? come on, we’re in the Iako Lounge.”
“I demand another stateroom! I believe my wing is the servant’s quarters.”
“That’s not a servant, he’s the engineer, and we need him. There are two gangways, one for crew, aft. You may use the spiral, gilded, carpeted one.”
“Gangways are for gangsters! I’ll call mine a stairwell, thank you.”
“Yeah, call it that, but i’ll still call you a gangster, the way you threatened and carried on in that last sharehol––”
“Stop it! we’re not going to start this cruise this way or we will turn this proa right around and you can get into your damned little jets and meet us at the island.”
“Why are WE in the cabin right over the big waterski?”
“Ah, the Ama Lounge? because, my dear, you did not give very much to the orchestra last year.”
“Lovely boating outfit, my dear. Didn’t we see you in it last year?”
I had the privellage to cruise on the ASEAN lady. Although it might look odd but inside u don’t feel like you’re in a yatch at all. Inside it’s like being in a luxurious seven star hotel presidential suite.. I won’t tell u everything but the staircase leading to the second floor looks like the one in the movie titanic. Simply awesome
Now that is just nasty.
Someone designed that thing, and someone else said “Yes! that’s just the thing!”
You really have to wonder, don’t you…?
I had a small part in the design and detailing of this ship and have insight into the thought process behind it. One of the main advantages is that it has the deck area of a catamaran but with the need for only 1 main engine and associated equipment. It is also very efficient in that the power required is a fraction of that required for a cat. And yes, the inside is a palace.
Very interesting boat, especially after seeing never-ending lines of ordinary superyachts that show no imagination.
Its a pity if this is the only incarnation. The catamaran is more efficient on space provision, being square rather than, basically, triangular as this is.
The need for s single propulsion system is interesting. I suspect that people will still have a second engine for reliability, and some would argue that two engines well separated in a cat is the best of all.
But its the claim for efficiency that has me wondering. I’m not sure how this can be so. After all, this is an asymmetric cat, and the shorter hull will have a lower hull-speed. I’d like to see the figures, but it doesn’t seem possible at first consideration. But the wetted surface should be less, so I can see the potential
But the biggest problem is that its not styled well. A monohull or cat with this styling would also look odd, but at least a monohull would go largely unnoticed. This combines dull styling above the water with a stand-out configuration.
If Wally had done it, we’d have far more to appreciate.
Pity. A fantastic opportunity squandered.