INDUSTRY Iort Lauderdale, Florida USA –August 26th, 2019:
Building on prior success in developing award-winning new builds such as the 37-meter M/Y NONO, the 50ft Nisi GTX50 Cata,and the 50-meter PRIME Megayacht Platform, YachtCreatorsand serial yacht owner / entrepreneur Lucas Silva have teamed up again to launch LeVen Yachts, the ultimate Exumas superyacht.
LeVen hull #1 will be delivered on September 24thin the Netherlands, and then will make her global debut on October 30that the 60thannual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.
Leven noun, verb [Dutch]
le·ven | \’lē-vǝn \
Definition of Leven,
1. life
2. to live
IFrom the Dutch word “leven”, which means both “life” and“to live,” LeVen Yachts is a celebration of the Exumas cruising lifestyle. The inspiration for YachtCreators and Lucas Silva in developing LeVen wasyachting families who enjoy active, outdoor living in casual elegance.
“For families like mine, boating in the Exumas means navigating shallow waters accessible only with a smaller boat,”says Silva.”When we arrive, we want the benefits of a superyacht, e.g. the comfort and the fun … jet skiing, paddleboarding, spearfishing, scuba diving, etc. That’s real living.”
“On our 37-meter, my family appreciated the confidence that came with building to Class, the water toy storage, the superyacht-low noise levels and the massive outdoor decks. On our 50-footer, we enjoyed the simplicity of use, the connection with the water, agility, and the shallow draft. On LeVen, my family now wants to experience the best of both worlds.”
Highlights:
- YachtCreatorsintroduces a brand-new line of 90ft (27m) superyachts, designed & engineered by Vripack and constructed by the Van der Valk shipyard in the Netherlands.
- Created purposefully for the Exumas with a class-leading 4.5’ draft.
- First yacht in the world to implement the Voith Linear Jet propulsion system.
- Built to RINAYacht Class, with a superyacht-grade noise level system by Van Capellen.
- Full aluminum construction utilizing Vripack’s patented Slide Hulldesignand Smart Kit.
- Performance: ○Voith Linear Jet + MTU engines + Slide Hull = 23kt cruise/400nm range and 26kt WOT.
- Layout: ○Seamless transition between indoor & outdoor spaces creating a Great Room at Seaexperience centered around the galley. Multiple levels forming unique and purposeful areas onboard without the need for more LOA.
- Built for Sports:○Sports deck at the stern featuring a transformer platform with capacity for a 15ft+ tender and cranes for multiple jet skis, and featuring a deep full-height trunk for storing everything from fishing gear to stand-up paddleboards.
- Electrical: ○Intelligent lithium system capable of operating the entire yacht in silent modeup to 8hrs in day time mode and up to 12hrs in night mode, including air conditioning. Battery bank replenishes via multiple independent sources, including a 550 sq. ft solar panel hardtop.
- Class-leading 6’ 9” ceiling heights in galley and cabins, 8’ in the Great Room and over 9’ in the Lanai.
- Dates to Remember:
- August 27: Brand & project announcement to the public.○September 24: Hull #1 launch & delivery in the Netherlands.
- October 30: USA debut at FLIBS.
- November: Invitation-only press event to experience LeVen in the Exumas.
“LeVen began as a dream of island living, but it’s evolved into so much more,” says YachtCreators founder Barin Cardenas.“We’re introducing a new propulsion option to the yachting industry, the layout redefines the use of onboard space, and new tech has been added without complicating the user experience. We have indeed created the ultimate Exumas superyacht.”
On the surface, this design scope would seem contradictory and nearly impossible. A superyacht nimble enough to navigate the spectacular yet notoriously shallow Bahamas waters. Moreover, one possessing the requisite speed,comfort, range and seaworthiness to take-on the often unpredictable sea conditions of the Caribbean islands.The draft condition, superyacht-low noise levels, and open-water confidence ruled out currently used propulsion systems and hull designs. Something altogether new would be needed.
Shallow drafts demand serious prop protection which surface drives can provide, but were ruled-outdue to high noise and to the fact that fastspeeds were not a requirement. The solution came to YachtCreators from the commercial shipping industry. The German company Voith, acclaimed for their silent yet powerful thrusters, are the creators of an innovative propulsion system. Dubbed the Voith Linear Jet (or “VLJ”), this propulsion system fully protects the propellers within a streamlined nozzle that is integrated into the hull, further isolating it from the sea bed. The VLJ has been thoroughly tested in the toughest possible conditions courtesy of the North Sea. Incredibly quiet, low vibration,low maintenance and efficient…the Voith Linear Jet is perfect for isolated island exploration.
LeVen is the first yacht in the world to take advantage of the Voith Linear Jet propulsion system.
The addition of the VLJ necessitated that the LeVen hull be efficient, seaworthy and rigid. Enter then the fellow creatives from Dutch design studio Vripack. Internationally acclaimed for resilient go-anywhere explorers and for outside-the-box thinking, Vripack proposed their patented hard chine Slide Hull design for LeVen… their largest to date, in fact. The Slide Hull directs water flow in a way that resembles going down a slide. Compared to a planing hull, the design affords LeVen certain key advantages, such as: improved ride quality, reduced pounding, and no bow rise as the yacht gets up on plane. This, combined with twin MTU 12V2000 engines, gives LeVen the ability to reach speeds in excess of 26 knots.
To manage the challenges inherent with first hull construction, YachtCreators turned to the world leaders in custom yachts, the Netherlands. With the Dutch decided upon, and a rigid hull required, aluminum construction was the clear choice for LeVen.The final phase, then, was for YachtCreators to select a shipyard … one with the pedigree, stability, and flexibility to successfully manage this ambitious build. That shipyard is Van der Valk. With their rich history of custom builds, remarkable client retention rate, and infectious enthusiasm for new challenges, Van der Valk stands tallas the naturalfit for LeVen.
The finished product is a tough-yet-luxurious, RINA-classed, Dutch engineered & manufactured superyacht built entirely in renewable aluminum. She’s capable of speeds in excess of 26kts, has a cruising range of over 400nm, and a class-leading draft of only 1.37m (4’6”)!
Innovation on LeVen continues beyond the technical achievements. Taking a cue from luxury beach home designs, LeVen’s main deck is open, bright, and features a massive Chef’s Table-style galley forward. In essence a Great Room at Sea, the main deck is ideally suited for entertaining friends and family, and the perfect venue for guests to gather, socialize, etc. while enjoying 360-degree ocean views.
“LeVen is for yachting families who crave connection with nature,”says Cardenas, “without sacrificing luxury comforts and amenities at sea.”
LeVen’s Great Room offers an unexpected surprise. The front windshield, which is enormous,drops down at the push of a button, allowing the uninterrupted flow of cool Bahamian breezes, from the forward galley out to the aft Dining Deck. This unprecedented feature highlights LeVen’s deep sense of connection with nature onboard.
Dining onboard LeVen is an extraordinary experience. A proper table for ten (10) guests, a dedicated alfresco deck, and 8’+ ceilings worthy of a chandelier … in essence, true Superyacht Style. What is more, the dining deck serves as an extension of the galley and salon, thus rounding out the Great Room effect. The open general arrangement philosophy continues aft, with an innovative lanai deck designed to host guests in a comfortable lounge-style setting before or after dinner.
Superyacht scopes demand superyacht dimensions. LeVen delivers with class-leading ceiling heights … 6’ 9” in the galley & cabins, 8’ in the Great Room, and over 9’in the lanai lounge.
At stern is the expansive sports deck, aptly named for a massive hidden storage trunk which stores everything from scuba gear to stand-up paddleboards. Island living goes hand-in-hand with enjoyable outdoor spaces. LeVen celebrates this philosophy with lounge seating at the bow and a clean, uncluttered deck, free of tackle gear.
Superyacht dimensions onboard LeVen continue with the sundeck, where owners can enjoy 650 sq. ftof available space for loose furniture. Nearly 40ft in length, with no stepsand a centered helm station, the LeVen sundeck is a highly versatile area suitable for any occasion. Sun protection is of course essential.LeVen boastsa30-footlong hardtop,serving not only as protection from the sun, but also as a major source of natural power, as it is covered in beautifully integrated solar panels.
LeVen’s architecture lays out the ideal Exumas platform. It’s engineering champions this purpose with intelligent systems designed for intuitive simplicity. The electrical system beats with a lithium heart which powers everything onboard through a series of inverters, producing actual silent ship operation. The battery bank is powerful enough to operate nearly 8 hours in daytime mode and nearly 12 hours at night –yes, air conditioning included. This bank is massive, and replenished by multiple independent sources to ensure redundancy, including from the solar panels on the hardtop.
Next up for LeVenis the launch and delivery of hull #1 at the Van der Valk shipyard in late September of this year. At the end of October, Leven makes her grand global debut at the 60thannual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (Bahia Mar -G dock).
For further information, including but not limited to high resolution images for public distribution, kindly direct all inquiries to Mr. Whitten (“Whit”) Hall at whitten@yachtcreators.com.
ABOUT YACHTCREATORS
YachtCreators: We create and yachts and yacht brands. With over 60 new builds to date, YachtCreators has garnered critical acclaim & success with award-winning yachts, such as the 55-meter Laurentiaby Heesen and the 38-meter NONOby Admiral, and with numerous covers and columns in The Superyacht Report and Boat International. In the process, we have forged solid, lasting relationships with elite builders, renowned designers and visionary architects from around the world. Learn what it means to DREAM BUILD PLAY with YachtCreators today. www.yachtcreators.comI@yachtcreators I@yachtcreators_preowned I#dreambuildplay
ABOUT VRIPACK®
Vripackis a yacht design studio, made strong through its extensive naval architecture and engineering experience. From the moment it threw open its doors in 1961, Vripack studio’s approach to design has been governed by the playful interaction between form and function. With a portfolio that represents over 7,000 designs, Vripack has been able to evolve its processes to be as efficient and as effective as possible. Vripack’s unique working structure, which provides a holistic approach to the design of a yacht, ensures that we produce better boats in less time. Our involvement in the entire process of designing the safest and most durable yachts ensures that clients and their guests feel at home at sea.
For more information, please contact Nienke Tromp at ntromp@vripack.comor at +31 (0)515 436600 or visitwww.vripack.com
ABOUT VAN DER VALK SHIPYARD
Van der Valk Shipyard has been constructing both steel and aluminium motor yachts since 1967. The family-owned shipyard employs more than 45 craftsmen and is located in Waalwijk, the Netherlands. Its founder Mr. Wim van der Valk is still a driving force behind the company. The yard has primarily earned its worldwide reputation from the award-winning semi-custom Continental series. Van der Valk also has the capacity to build fully custom designs.www.wimvandervalk.comI@vandervalk.shipyard I#vandervalkusa