Gunboat 90

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Gunboat is an American company, well known for fast cruising Catamarans in the 48’ to 66’ range. The custom built 90’ is from their yard in South Africa.

Rhoades Young came to work with Gunboat thanks to a client, who saw Gimla, an earlier Rhoades Young Superyacht interior, and wanted something similar in look and feel, but with more colourful fabrics that will mirror the bright jewel tones found in the natural environment around St. John USVI.

The interior layout and architectural design is by Rhoades Young. Although the client was inspired by one of their previous projects, none of Rhoades Young designs is derived from the same formula. For this client, a successful design will create a background for the natural environment offered outside the yacht. Therefore, the interior is clean, light and sophisticated with Scandinavian influences. The floors will be oiled teak, with birch furniture and bulkhead panelling.

Each client uses their yachts in a different way that presents ever-changing challenges for the designers. When a new project kicks off, the designers like to start the design process by scheduling time with the owner on their current boat to carefully observe the way that the client likes to live in relation to guests, crew and the sea.

Another way they can delve into a clients taste is to visit their favourite home and, or hotel. When art is an important part of a clients life, the designers point our that it’s important to know this upfront as special niches and display walls can be integrated into the layout. In some cases the clients will even enlist the designers help in selecting pieces and accompany them on art and antiques hunts.

The catamaran is particularly suited to this clients needs as he regularly entertains large groups of friends on day sailing trips in his home waters around the US Virgin Islands. He also likes extended cruises with close family and friends. Despite the huge entertaining platform this catamaran provides, the spaces have been carefully set up to provide many different venues for more intimate social groupings while maintaining an airy open feeling.

One might catch the first of the morning light with a nice cup of coffee in one of the two forward cockpits located in each hull while another group could enjoy their mimosa and croissant on the rooftop sundeck. After a mid morning snorkel one might sit down for lunch in one of two large covered seating groups on the aft deck. Two separate parties can enjoy conversation on the sofa groups on the port side of the saloon while on the starboard side one might tell jokes to a group of friends at the bar being separated from the sofas by the half height central island containing refrigeration, storage and helm station.

Ideally the Exterior Styling is intimately related to the interior. This can best happen when the same hand touches both the interior and exterior design. In this case Rhoades Young has been given that opportunity.

The exterior aesthetics reflect the modern minimalist interior with sleek simple lines, with an added hint of aggression reflecting the speed of which this vessel is capable. There are no less than four separate cockpits on the main deck and additional recessed sun beds on the roof. Shaded from the sun by the cantilevered roof extension, the twin lounge/dining areas on the aft deck are also protected from wind by panels that retract to allow gentle breezes when desired.

There are three cockpits on the foredeck. On centre, there is a sunken cockpit which can be opened to the saloon via sliding glass doors. While cruising at speeds over 30 knots, those seeking excitement will be found in the two raised cockpits located outboard in each hull.

A fact which may not be widely known is that if a project is to be successful, the designers will spend as much or more time in the project management phase as producing design drawings. No matter how many drawings are produced covering as many details as possible, without exception, questions arise requiring problem solving and aesthetic judgment.

As a problem solving skill, the ability to generate ideas and flesh out concepts with a sketch is highly prised at Rhoades Young. Questions are quickly and efficiently dispatched with a sketch on the spot at the yard or attached to an email. The designers have noticed how this seems to mesmerise those in the meetings attendance.

After the initial ‘floating’ exterior stair concept was determined to need an extra measure of safety for the very young and unsure footed guests, the concept was developed and approved through sketching.
Because of the speed at which they become obsolete, electronics are often one of the last things to be integrated into the design on both the interior and exterior. As a quick way of communicating a concept, sketches were produced to show the possibilities for both interior and exterior electronics integration.

Like all projects in which Rhodes Young is involved, regular visits to the yard in Cape Town, South Africa have been instrumental in the GB90’s development. Refinements to the furniture design happens on the spot. As an experiment, the interior outfitters created two types of drawer mockups, one using the latest lightweight coring techniques and the other using traditional solid wood construction. As a twist on the traditional method, the solid wood drawer sides and front were lightened by milling out the structurally unnecessary wood. Surprisingly, it was determined that the traditional method was not only less expensive to build, it was lighter too! Instead of a birch veneered carcass, the true nature of the wood can be appreciated as well as the masterful craftsmanship of lightened traditionally dovetailed drawers. For the designers, the decision on which drawer to approve was an easy one!
Selection of the birch veneers and matching solids was a challenge immaculately met by the yards outfitters. Birch veneer suitable to a high quality yacht interior is surprisingly rare, and many samples had to be reviewed before finding the right supplier.

When launched, the new 90 foot catamaran built by Gunboat will posses a pedigree improved through the proven design and management process, as well as the more tangible craftsmanship and engineering brought together for this project.