Rock XWide Yacht From Vripack Opens Up a Wide World, Literally

More and more owners are learning that when it comes to the onboard experience, length isn’t everything. In turn, naval architects are coming up with more creative ways to incorporate extra volume. Vripack’s Rock XWide yacht design has more than 35 percent additional interior space plus 25 percent further alfresco space. More importantly, though, it’s not a concept. It has already led to one hull being in build.

The Rock XWide yacht design springs from a previous project, from 2018. Vripack showed a client a design that ticked all the boxes for an explorer with comfort and aesthetics he couldn’t find elsewhere. The design became known as Rock 85, with the owner subsequently christening the 85-footer (26-meter) Rock. Vripack termed Rock an “SUV Yacht” for being a global explorer with a truly voluminous interior. In fact, the owner was delighted that the design avoided what he criticized as an “adolescent race of length.” Building bigger and bigger boats, he said, means losing sight of passengers’ connection to their surroundings. By contrast, Rock has 20 percent more internal volume than any similar-size yacht.

Fast forward five years, and Rock is still cruising. Vripack revisited the ideas behind the design for good reason. “The revisions were developed on feedback from the current Rock owners, who have sailed the world in their yachting homes, from the Mediterranean to Asia,” explains Bart Bouwhuis, the studio’s co-creative director. “The expansion allows for more of everything onboard, wrapped up in a compact explorer yacht that hits a respectable top speed of 13 knots.”

That expansion comes in the form of a broader beam, specifically 28 feet (8.5 meters). This is more like what customarily accompanies yachts exceeding 100 feet (30 meters). Rooms like the saloon and dining area gained more elbowroom. Simultaneously, Vripack rethought the layout for traditional areas like the aft deck. Instead of simply having a bigger social space, the owners have an 8-foot-long (2.5-meter-long) plunge pool. Making the impact even grander, sliding glass doors lead out to it. Again, both features are far more common of much larger megayachts.

Perhaps the most evident benefit comes in the guest staterooms. There are four healthy cabins, rather than the customary three below decks. Furthermore, the owners have a main-deck suite occupying the full beam. Speaking of accommodations, the crew areas gained more space as well, particularly the galley and the crew mess. The latter has a breakfast bar, in fact.

Finally, the owners are looking forward to enjoying more watertoys once the Rock XWide yacht launches. Just as Rock underwent construction in Turkey at Evadne Yachts, the RockXWide yacht project is taking shape there. Her hull laying just occurred this month. Upon completion, she’lll further have transatlantic range.

“We went ‘boom’ on the reinvention, and the results are incredible,” Bouwhuis declares.

Evadne Yachts evadneyachts.com

Vripack vripack.com