Vanguard

A range of 7,000 nautical miles is enough to cross an ocean without stopping for fuel, and that figure sits at the heart of Vanguard's design. Naval Yachts completed her in 2023 as an XPM expedition platform, 24 metres long and built for distance rather than dockside display. She carries an ice-reinforced hull and a diesel-electric powertrain, choices suited to serious open-water passages rather than short coastal hops.

Build and provenance

Vanguard is a Naval Yachts XPM, delivered in 2023 with a displacement monohull built from aluminium. Bureau Veritas classes her, and her design pairs the builder's own exterior with an interior from Arista Marine. The ice-reinforced hull and the classification behind her point to a structure built with commercial-grade margins in mind, a useful trait on a long passage rather than a weekend out.

Layout and accommodation

Six guests sleep across three cabins, looked after by a crew of two who run her hands-on, in keeping with an expedition yacht meant to manage for long stretches without outside support. A full-beam master suite gives the owner the width of the hull. Arista Marine designed the interior as one open run from the helm to the aft salon, with a port-side aft galley in dark gloss cabinetry, an L-shaped settee, a convertible dining table, and a forward helm fitted with twin high-back seats and a wide multi-display dash.

Performance and engineering

Two 160 hp John Deere engines drive a diesel-electric hybrid system that manages power distribution and fuel burn automatically, giving her a 9-knot cruise and an 11-knot top speed. For holding position off an anchorage or a dive site she carries a commercial-grade dynamic positioning system, and a Magnus-effect stabiliser adds ride quality offshore. The brief behind Vanguard favours range and control over outright pace.

On deck and at anchor

On deck, she carries a swimming platform and a crane.

Where she lies and how to see her

Vanguard lies in Fort Lauderdale. Viewings are ours to arrange and we come along to every one; accept an offer and a survey with a sea trial come next, ahead of handover.