Reviews

The Majesty 111 has a clean, sporty exterior and a foredeck jacuzzi

Gulf Craft’s first Majesty 111 has enjoyed global exposure since its world premiere at the Dubai International Boat Show in March. In September, the 34m, six-cabin Sandbank made its Europe debut at the Monaco Yacht Show before exhibiting in the US for the first time at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show at the end of October.

Joining the Majesty brand’s Superyacht range, the 111 sits between the best-selling 100 and the 120 tri-deck. However, the first yacht to feature full exterior and interior design by Phathom Studio has a cleaner, sportier, more muscular and modern exterior than her Majesty sisters, with the yacht long band of glazing along each side of the lower and main decks, with the yacht topped by a black skylounge.

Mohammed Alshaali, co-founder and Chairman of Gulf Craft, has accompanied Sandbank on all her major show appearances and been delighted by the response to the first Majesty 111, which is available for charter through Northrop & Johnson and was listed for sale in late October.

Sandbank is available for charter through Northrop & Johnson

“Because of the images and photos, everybody loved the Majesty 111 even before they saw it at the shows. Everybody said it was futuristic,” Alshaali says. 

“Phathom really know how to draw nice lines and how to match the interior with the exterior. They introduced new features like the jacuzzi on top of the master-suite skylight and the big upper-deck skylight, while they also brought in environmentally friendly materials.”

PHATHOM STYLING

Phathom was founded in the Netherlands in 2019 by three designers – Canadian Sean Bekeschus, Spaniard Raquel H Grijota and Dutchman Fabian Henke – and Jacob van de Haar, the company’s Commercial Director.

The Majesty 111 is the first to feature exterior and interior design by Phathom

All three designers have experience at Guido de Groot, with Henke there for almost a decade. Bekeschus, a former intern at Nuvolari Lenard, also spent four years at Cor D Rover, where his portfolio included the exterior of the 58m Royal Huisman Phi, while Grijota, an interior designer, spent two years with Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design.

Phathom has recently worked on several projects with Gulf Craft including the interiors of the Majesty 72 (Review, Issue 71), Nomad 101 and upgraded Nomad 70 SUV, also collaborating on the exterior upgrades of both the latter models. However, Phathom started from scratch when designing the look of the Majesty 111.

Bekeschus, 38, says: “We looked extensively at the marketplace. For the exterior, we wanted something athletic, a little bit brawny, but classic and timeless – we didn’t want anything superfluous.”

LIGHT, COLOURS, CURVES

With an overall length of 110ft 10in, the semi-displacement flybridge motor yacht is closer in scale to the Majesty 100 (108ft 4in) than the four-level Majesty 120 (123ft 1in). However, the Majesty 111 has 15 per cent more volume than her little sister, with 243GT of space helping provide large social areas and comfortable accommodation for 12 guests and up to five crew.

Starboard view of the aft cockpit

A closer look at the aft garage door reveals a 12ft-wide bench seat, a simple but effective design touch, while Sandbank’s toys include a 4m Agilis jet tender, wakeboard, waterskis, donuts, Seabobs, wing mat and paddleboards. 

Unlike its two sister models, the Majesty 111 has a clear aft balustrade in the cockpit, reflective of its more modern design and Phathom’s desire to offer owners more sea views. The open-plan cockpit can be hidden from onlookers by a drop-down screen and was initially dressed with sofas and chairs, which were later replaced by a large dining table for 10.

The interior features natural materials and a contrasting colour palette

The saloon doors are flanked by two wide columns partially covered in fluted wooden panelling, a feature also seen extensively inside the yacht. The interior starts with two chairs facing a long, cream-coloured L-shaped sofa to port, while custom furniture includes a large, round-edged coffee table with a lift-up central circular locker.

Curves and rounded corners are evident throughout the interior, as are a variety of colours, tones and materials including an extensive use of oak. However, the high, white ceiling keeps the mood light and incorporates recessed lighting as well as a drop-down TV.

Aft view of the dining area, which is topped by a table-sized ceiling mirror and a decorative lighting fixture 

Grijota, 40, says: “When we designed the interior layout, we wanted to appeal to a wider range of markets, so we made it less formal and wanted to open the spaces while letting in lots of light, which you can see throughout the yacht. In the fittings and décor, we played with natural materials and contrasts. Our palettes have a lot of contrasts.”

Forward is a large dining table for 10, which is literally reflected in the ceiling above by a table-sized mirror fitted with an artistic, suspended lighting fixture. The area is served by the large galley, which is accessed by a door on the port side. On either side of the dining table are rounded, hip-height cabinets, matching the one starboard of the saloon.

Stairs to the skylounge are followed by stairs to the lower deck

Forward is a transparent, floating staircase to the upper deck, which acts as a centrepiece for the yacht alongside the lower-deck stairs, while the starboard hallway leads to an elegant day head with a huge window and onto the master suite.

CABINS APLENTY

The master-suite entrance starts with a hall featuring a low storage cabinet beneath starboard windows. On the left is a sliding door to a walk-in wardrobe, before another sliding door leads to a twin-sink bathroom with an enormous shower including a bench seat and a big window.

Port view of the master suite, which has an aft-facing bed with a skylight view of the jacuzzi

The full-beam bedroom features the bed facing aft to a huge, fixed TV, although it’s the view above that’s potentially most captivating – into the glass-bottomed jacuzzi! Fittings include ‘floating’ bedside tables topped by large shelving units, an elegant, multi-level vanity table cum storage unit, and a large sofa on the port side of the room.

The five guest cabins on the lower deck are accessed by an illuminated staircase, which even benefits from the huge skylounge skylight at the top of the central staircase. The lower-deck hall leads aft to two ensuite cabins with forward-facing double beds, while forward are two en-suite twins with aft-facing beds.

The VIP suite in the bow is one of five lower-deck guest cabins

However, the trump card is in the bow, a 15sqm VIP suite that starts with a port hallway featuring full height cupboards either side of a vanity desk.

The bedroom has an aft-facing bed flanked on each side by a bedside table that blends into a long storage cabinet, while there are built-in shelves either side of the soft-panelled bedhead. The starboard side of the room even has another full-height cupboard beside the bathroom door.

SKYLOUNGE & SKYLIGHTS

The central staircase leads all the way up to the upper deck and is topped by a huge, rectangular skylight that helps illuminate the skylounge as well as the stairs. The skylounge is set up with a large L-shaped sofa to starboard that faces a big, brawny bar to port that even incorporates a huge TV.

Seating in the skylounge faces an enormous portside bar fronted by a huge TV

It’s no ordinary bar in terms of size or design and includes a wine fridge and even a dishwasher, so with a day head at the top of the stairs, the skylounge can become a self-contained party zone. 

Meanwhile, there’s more fun to be had on the open aft deck, which is partially covered by a skylounge overhang fitted with louvres. The covered area includes an outdoor galley to starboard and cockpit stairs to port, but otherwise the deck can be configured as an owner wishes.

Forward view of the partially covered aft deck 

Symmetrical side decks lead around the skylounge and wheelhouse to the foredeck, another fun social area with a C-shaped sofa and two tables facing the huge jacuzzi, which is surrounded by sunpads on three sides. It’s then four steps down to the working area, which surprisingly has a cosy aft-facing sofa in the forepeak.

The bow is overlooked by the reverse-windscreen wheelhouse, which contains a central leaning post for the skipper, an L-shaped sofa and folding table to starboard, plus a side door to port. The yacht is fitted with twin 1,900hp MAN V12s and has a top speed of 20 knots and a cruising speed of 12.

The foredeck includes a glass-bottom jacuzzi surrounded by sunpads

Overall, Phathom’s vision for the Majesty 111 has resulted in a notably forward-looking design shift for Gulf Craft.

“We collaborate well with Gulf Craft, maybe because we’re a young company and more flexible than longer-established design studios,” Grijota says. “We’ve studied the DNA of the shipyard and tried to keep it on the Majesty 111, but we believe this is a level up. We wanted to incorporate features that would be unique selling points and look good on a yacht this size – and we think it worked out well.”

www.gulfcraftinc.com