Project Master

A conversion of a former offshore rescue vessel into a 2,801-gross-tonne explorer yacht is the design story behind Project Master. Icon Yachts is carrying out the transformation, due for delivery in 2027. Espen Øino International drew her exterior and Winch Design her interior, and she carries Polar Code C certification, built for cruising into icy waters.

Build and provenance

She is built in steel to a monohull displacement design and classed with Lloyd's Register. Her propulsion is hybrid diesel-electric, paired with a Dynamic Positioning system.

Layout and accommodation

Project Master sleeps 12 guests across six cabins: an owner's deck, two VIP suites and three further guest suites, cared for by a crew of 25, a ratio built for long expedition voyages rather than a week at anchor. An elevator connects her decks, and a helideck built for commercial use opens her to guests arriving by air rather than by tender.

Performance and engineering

Two Voith Schneider electric propellers give her a 10-knot cruise and a 14-knot top speed: propulsion built for manoeuvring quietly in ice and tight anchorages rather than for outright pace. Five Scania generators of 524 kilowatts each power the hybrid system, and her tanks hold enough for a 6,700-nautical-mile range, enough for an ocean crossing without refuelling.

Where she lies and how to see her

Project Master is being built in the Netherlands. Boatcrowd is handling her sale and can arrange a viewing during her build, attending it with you. Once an offer is accepted, the survey and sea trial follow in the usual order.