Guido de Groot Design handled the exterior of Lalabe

Designing and engineering a yacht is a complex business at the best of times. Throw in an owner’s demands for volume and deck space in a relatively small package, and that task becomes a challenge.

This is what confronted the team behind the 35.31m Lalabe (pronounced la-la-bee) when experienced owners approached them back in 2022 and challenged them to create a project that ported waterside residential living to a yacht suitable for extended, multigenerational family cruising.

The team comprised Van der Valk shipyard, selected for the build, using a round-bilged, fast-displacement aluminium hull developed by Diana Yacht Design and Ginton Naval Architects, and with Guido de Groot Design taking on everything above the waterline, both exterior and interior.

Lalabe debuted at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September 2025

Guido de Groot, the studio’s founder, has a strong history with Van der Valk, designing recent builds such as the 34m One (2025), the Hong Kong-based 33m Blue Jeans (2022) and the 34m Lady Lene (2022), which proved an inspiration for Lalabe’s owners.

“We first met the owners at the Cannes Yachting Festival in 2022,” begins Guido de Groot. “We were sat on the aft deck of Lady Lene and the clients said that they really liked her aft deck and wanted something similar because they were outdoor people. That desire for a large aft deck became the starting point for Lalabe.”

The aft main deck on Lalabe

That wasn’t all, though. The list of requirements included several elements that seemed incompatible, such as extended outdoor areas but also 299GT of indoor volume in a relatively short overall length.

In addition, there needed to be ample space for a large master suite and four good-sized guest cabins, plus accommodation for eight crew in quarters large enough to ensure they would be happy during extended family stays on board.

The designers and the shipyard have met all these challenges – and then some. Stepping on board Lalabe is to forget her 35m LOA because she offers the facilities, volumes and feel of a much larger yacht.

Overview of the aft sundeck and upper deck, and swim platform

The effect is almost mind-bending, further enhanced by De Groot’s clever exterior styling tricks that disguise the yacht’s volume and front-loaded superstructure, and the seamless blend of inside-outside living achieved in the layout and styling.

“We used graphics and shapes to make the yacht look longer and more elegant, with white and dark style elements inferring a sleeker line,” says Guido de Groot. “Also, all the lines and shapes we used in the sculpted profile curve up at the ends, which make the design look more friendly.”

FAMILY FRIENDLY

That family living was very much central to the project is clear in her build name, Project Samba, which was chosen to reflect the rhythms of life that would be central to the onboard experience for the family.

The main saloon includes a large L-shaped sofa in the forward port corner

“They see this boat as another house,” confirms Paulo Calado, a designer at Guido de Groot Design. “They’re not looking for Lalabe to be a showroom, and that’s reflected in the materials and the layout. They also focused on the practical elements, particularly when considering that the yacht will be enjoyed extensively with children on board.”

That led to several safety features and dictated layout choices, explains Bram Kooltjes, Van der Valk’s Technical Director. “With four generations on board, the owners wanted all the family to be able to gather on the sundeck and for there to be entertainment for all of them up there,” he says.

Forward view of the sundeck

“The steering position is perfect for the owner when cruising, with his friends seated at the bar nearby, facing forward. The older children can chill on the sofa while the younger kids enjoy the spa pool, and all the stairways are gated to make sure no children can stray where they shouldn’t! The yacht also features high bulwarks, another child-friendly consideration.”

SOCIALISING AREAS

In place of a tender garage on the aft lower deck, the owners opted for a sizeable and well-equipped beach club with a full sauna.

The indoor beach club includes a sauna

To compensate, Lalabe can be served by a tow-along tender-cum-chase boat that allows for more flexibility. Also, there’s space for two jetskis in the bow – including one forward of a large C-shaped dinette in front of the wheelhouse – but they will only be carried on charters.

The aft main deck or cockpit features the vast yawn of entertaining space that the owners desired, complete with aft seats and an aft-facing sofa, plus an alfresco dining table before the saloon doors.

The extended aft deck means a shorter saloon, but that’s offset by the omission of a formal indoor dining area which De Groot says the family would never use. The loose furniture can serve both inside and outside, giving casual flexibility to saloon and cockpit areas.

The aft upper deck offers seating and sunbathing,

The indoor-outdoor focus is further realised on the bridge deck where the upper saloon or skylounge is openable on three sides via large glass doors. Here, a dining table enjoys that semi-alfresco prospect, while there’s also a TV lounge to starboard.

Forward, the bridge – behind which there’s a captain’s cabin – includes guest seating. “The owners, who have driven all their previous yachts, will spend a lot of time here,” De Groot notes.

Accommodation is split between two large VIPs and two twin/double guest cabins (one with a Pullman) on the lower deck, and a generous master suite forward on the main deck complete with office space so the owner can work while enjoying extended stays on board.

The skylounge includes formal dining and has sliding glass doors on both sides and aft

Each guest cabin has a sliding bathroom door, meaning the sink areas can be open to the bedroom to confer a greater sense of space. The lower-deck lobby includes a fridge so guests can help themselves to drinks without have to trek up to the main deck or call the crew.

WARM AND HOMELY

The interior style is bright, warm and practical, again reflecting function and homely style rather than over-embellished finishes. “It’s all based on earth tones and terracotta,” Calado says. “We’ve used predominantly oak for the walls and the floor, while suede with visible stitching is a feature that brings a homely and soft feeling to the interior.

Forward on the main deck, the master suite includes a sea-facing office to starboard

“As well as select stone and marble for the bathrooms, we used grey high-pressure laminate (HPL) for a feature wall in the main saloon that looks like stucco up close yet is very easy to maintain.”

It’s remarkable that Van der Valk and the design teams have managed not only to create voluminous guest spaces alongside generous outdoor areas but also spacious crew quarters with a mess big enough for them all to sit together for dinner.

The stunning master suite has a forward-facing bed

In addition, a professional chef was brought in to assist with the technical design, layout and equipment selection for the galley, which will be in constant use and cater to both family and crew. There are pantries on every level, while dumb waiters were omitted in favour of more storage space.

Underpinning the yacht is the fast, efficient hull that allows for a cruising speed of 15 knots and a top speed of 16.5 knots, while still allowing the possibility of transatlantic range at lower speeds.

The full-width owner’s bathroom is in the bow

Power comes from twin 1,450hp MAN V12s and the engines are fitted with SCR systems that meet IMO Tier III and EPA 4 environmental regulations. Comfort is enhanced by a double stabiliser installation comprising Humphree fins in tandem with two Seakeeper 40 gyros – a key consideration for a multi-generational family.

Lalabe is proof that clever design and considered styling can marry the needs of family life with the demands of extended cruising in a tidy 35m package. Building a yacht may be complex, but Lalabe is a demonstration of what’s possible. She’s a triumph, a truly delightful place to spend time, and a perfect reflection of the rhythm of life lived on board.

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