There's more to the 45-metre Hakvoort explorer yacht Milele than meets the eye. With clean exterior lines that belie her expedition capabilities, a straightforward layout and understated interiors, at first glance Milele seems simple. But she hides a wealth of inventive ideas - from the first-ever carbon-fibre hull vanes to an ingenious foredeck concealing a submarine and cinema screen. None of it is innovation for innovation's sake either. Every part of Milele is thoughtfully considered to serve exactly how - and where - her owner and his active family plan to use the yacht.
“There are no redundant spaces on board Milele; she's incredibly refined,” says Peter Hürzeler, CEO of Ocean Independence, who represented the owner during the build. “This was a yacht that was meant to be capable of doing everything - going fast as well as far. The owner wanted a versatile yacht that was just as capable at high speeds as it was cruising, and just as comfortable in Alaska as Saint-Tropez.”
is the first custom boat for an experienced yachtsman who had a clear vision of what he wanted. The owner had two Pershing yachts previously and was stepping up from a 25-metre Pershing 82, which couldn't be any more different from an explorer. “With the Pershing, you have a top speed's owner. While not aiming to be as speedy as a Pershing, needed to reach at least 25 knots while also sustaining a 4,000-nautical-mile range to reach far-flung destinations. “I told Peter that I understood 45 knots wasn't possible, but cruising at 12 knots seemed boring. Twenty-five knots could be something… at the same time, I wanted an efficient yacht, which is why we chose Van Oossanen for the hull design.”
