Turquoise by name and by nature. At 77 metres, Go is the new flagship of the Turquoise yard but also sports a spectacular turquoise livery that is both a reference to the colours of the Caribbean and a bow to the yard that built her by her owner, a Swiss businessman on his first foray into the yachting world.
As is its policy, Turquoise began Go’s build on spec to shorten delivery times, requesting a hull similar to 2012’s 72-metre Vicky from H2 Yacht Design. “During the first phase of the build, a potential owner asked if we could lengthen her and add a deck,” explains H2 co-founder and creative director Jonny Horsfield.
When that individual ultimately opted for a ready-to-go yacht instead, Turquoise had to decide whether to go back to basics or push on with the modified design.
“When we looked at the renderings, we realised that those five or six metres and the extra deck made the yacht more interesting and would allow us incorporate solutions impossible with the previous design, so we decided to leave her as she was,” concludes Horsfield.
By the time the hull and superstructure were almost complete at the start of 2017, Go had been sold to her current owner who retained her general arrangement but went for a much more lush interior decor. Even so, Go was ready for cast off just a year and a half later in summer 2018.
Despite her extra deck, the 77-metre’s lines are more streamlined than Vicky’s as a result of a generous bow rake, that show-stopping livery and sculptural curves that swoop down through the deck levels, ending in an arch that plunges to the waterline, paring back her volumes.
“Turquoise is a theme that’s carried through the yacht but the design concept behind the interiors is water in motion,” Horsfield adds.
H2 Yacht Design has dropped myriad turquoise references into the interiors, including in artworks, ensuring that the colour is ever-present but never overbearing. It pops up in the marble in the bathrooms, some of the cushions, paintings, ornaments and coverlets.
Small touches that are enough to give a sense of the colour. The water in motion concept is most evident in use of panels and details with wave-like patterns. Most of the latter are metal bands around the base or furnishings or used as cornices on the walls.
But others include the upholstery of the chairs in the dining area on the main deck and the carpeting in the relaxation area on the upper deck. Again, small touches that create a sense of overall fluidity and serve as a constant reminder to guests that they are on a boat.
A 77-metre steel and aluminium five-decker capable of welcoming up to 18 in nine cabins, the master included.
Go’s arrangement is very much on trend with a lower deck almost dedicated entirely to the 20-strong crew who even have a private gym. Only the aft section has been taken for the large guest beach club.
The central and aft areas of the main deck centre around lounging, conversation and dining with the guest cabins forward.
The upper deck, on the other hand, is entirely the domain of the owner and his family with a massive master suite providing breath-taking views through huge curved glass windows punctuated by thin mullions. There is also a twin cabin amidships.
The bridge deck is split between guests and captain. The bridge itself and captain’s cabin are forward while the sliding glazing in the gym aft disappears to create a genuinely outdoor experience.
Lastly, the owner wanted the sun deck to be a fun space with a large pool with central waterfall feature as its signature.
The yacht has a lift running from the sundeck to the central tender garage, which houses a 10-metre limo tender and a second 8-metre. Its location freed up the entire transom which was put to good use as a 162-square metre beach club complete with two side hatches that open out to create sea terraces.
The owner wanted modern yet sumptuous interiors with standout details and dedicated spaces for artworks custom-made for the yacht. The most astonishing of these has to be Sea Spry, the blue-green blown glass sculpture that adorns the three-deck stairwell.
Its maker, legendary American glass sculptor, Dale Chihuly, refers to its 468 individually-blown slivers as “icicles”. The installation was so complex a full-scale model of the staircase had to be built in the artist’s studio first.
Also noteworthy are the seven abstract panels by Alex Turco which line the grotto behind the pool’s waterfall creating the impression that the walls are bathed in flowing water.
Other artworks are dotted throughout the various cabins and include small details such as the Solomon & Wu band of enamelled metal edging dining table. Its colour? Turquoise, of course!
