In an exciting development for the ever-illustrious world of superyachts, a futuristic Feadship vessel, Obsidian, has successfully completed her maiden voyage.
With all the headlines about Jeff Bezos‘ superyacht that have been making the news of late — from the controversial $723m vessel finally being seen under sail for the first time, before its dark and bloody secrets were quickly unveiled — you’d be forgiven for thinking that his was the only yacht on earth worth knowing about. Enter Obisian, a beautiful new 84m superyacht from Dutch shipyard Feadship that features a number of forward-looking design features.
Having just completed trials in the North Sea, Obsidian — development name Feadship 710 — began construction in 2020 with the help of hull-builders Casco & Sectiebouw Rotterdam (CSR), as well as interior design masterminds RWD and Monk Designs. Featuring naval architecture from De Voogt, the finished article is a striking, sleek silver vessel that puts the underwhelming design credentials of so many uninspired-if-glistening white yachts to shame.
WATCH: Obsidian doesn’t just look great, but does some good too.
Before we get to its “net zero” claims, let’s round out our tour of its aesthetic dimensions: one of the standout features of Obsidian is its asymmetrical atrium staircase, which leads to a lower deck dining saloon. Herein, an entire wall opens up to reveal a stunning terrace view just above sea level, creating an immersive and one-of-a-kind dining experience. The rear of the yacht also boasts fold-out balconies and a spacious beach club area that extends towards the open sea.
The boat also features an ‘aqua lounge’ — providing guests with breathtaking underwater vistas through large windows — and where one would typically find a mooring deck, Obsidian surprises with a unique observation lounge with double-curved glass floor-to-ceiling windows, offering unobstructed panoramic views of your likely gorgeous surroundings.
Comfortably accommodating up to twelve guests, along with a dedicated crew of twenty-seven, Obsidian’s technical specifications reveal that the vessel — with an overall length of 84.2 meters and a beam of 13.6 meters — weighs in at 2,554 gross tons. Powered by two as-yet undisclosed engines, the superyacht can reach up to 17 knots and ensures stability, durability, and a smooth sailing experience thanks to its steel hull and aluminium superstructure, as reported by Superyacht Times.
What sets Obsidian apart from its counterparts, however, are its inbuilt commitments to sustainability. As the first in a new generation of Feadship yachts, not only is the hull optimized for cruising speed — subtly emphasising the importance of carbon reduction by dissuading prospective buyers from obsessing over, or being able to easily reach, top speed — but weight control, cutting-edge advancements in electric propulsion, and the ability to run generators on second-generation biodiesel HVO (created from vegetable oil cooking oil, and tallow) further contribute to its net-zero credentials.
Although Obsidian is not currently available for sale, it has already been hailed by some as a testament to innovation and environmentally conscious design. While it’s true that the yacht does mark an improvement compared to other yachts of similar stature, it does beg the question of whether such a massive feat of engineering that requires so many materials to both be built and maintained, all for the enjoyment of so few people, can ever truly be sustainable…
While this question alone deserves an article dedicated to its unpicking, this writer’s gut feeling is that though Obisidan may be an improvement on the status quo, it’s a far cry from being a meaningful departure from that status quo. No matter how many chips I may diligently throw into its tank, that’s never going to change.