The German yard’s gargantuan new 388-footer, which slid onto a prepared pontoon in Lemwerder on Sunday morning, marks the largest vessel built by the yard to date. The North American owner chose Germany’s Cornelsen & Partner to execute the project management for the mammoth build.
“The work has more than paid off,” Abeking & Rasmussen’s senior project manager André Jonker said in a statement. “We have once again succeeded in building an exceptional yacht.”
Of course, the vessel is not just big, it’s beautiful, too. In fact, A&R refer to it as “the black beauty.” Penned inside and out by the experts at Joseph Dirand Architecture in Paris, the 388-footer is characterized by clean, minimalist lines, a series of cascading decks aft and a prominent pointed bow. In order not to interrupt the black hull’s sleek silhouette, the yacht eschews the usual anchor pockets forward in favor of underwater anchors on the keel.
“This yacht impresses with its iconic and clear design,” Abeking & Rasmussen’s sales director Till von Kraus adds.
Perfect for ocean enthusiasts, the interior features a “Neptune Lounge” with an expansive underwater window that affords a cinematic view of the world below the waves. Another, entirely different viewing experience can be enjoyed from the crow’s nest at the foot of the mast—whale watching, perhaps? In addition, the forward sundeck is equipped with a large marble-clad fireplace and a plush round sofa from which you can take in more ocean vistas.
A&R notes one particularly challenging element of the build was the construction of the giant 52-foot hatch for the tender garage port side. Evidently, the team succeeded and created a spot for a large day boat. There is also a fully certified helipad on the sky deck.
A&R was founded by George Abeking and Henry Rasmussen in 1907. Located on the left bank of the River Weser in the German state of Lower Saxony, the shipyard now comprises five production halls with associated workshops and offices. Over the past 115 years, A&R has delivered more than 100 yachts. No other fleet members can match the new black beauty when it comes to size, though.
