Zephyr (Hull #2) in the new line of OCEAN 1 Yachts proved its mettle in Bermuda during the America’s Cup festivities and sideline sailing events these past few weeks. Tender to 169-foot (52-meter) Royal Huisman sailing yacht, Meteor, this innovative 36-foot RIB was just the ticket for ferrying 25-30 guests and crew from venue to venue.
Newly minted as a custom tender, Zephyr was engaged in active service six-eight hours a day, handling the owner’s program beautifully. During this hectic three-week time frame, Zephyr accrued 180 hours on the engines—more than some tenders average in a year.
“Zephyr proved extremely efficient as she was able to carry the entire 27-member race crew at one time back and forth from the mothership for the Superyacht Regatta,” says Dean Maggio, captain of Meteor. “Oftentimes, we had a full complement of passengers aboard and still managed to achieve speeds of 47-49 mph!”
“There was so much activity going on in Bermuda.” adds Maggio, “Regardless, there was still a lot of head turning when our tender passed by—captains, in particular, loved it.”
A true workhorse, an OCEAN 1 custom tender is created to maintain grace under pressure by offering a smooth fast ride in all conditions. Her deep-V hull enables her to cut easily through waves, even in the choppiest of waters. Styled for maximum volume, elegant appeal and a generous amount of seating, she is also designed with particularly high bulwarks to keep her passengers dry.
“I have been yachting all my life and have had plenty of tenders, but none quite like this one. Zephyr has exceeded my expectations. It carries plenty of people, offers a comfortable dry ride and flies like the devil…,” says Dan Meyers, owner of S/Y Meteor.
In Bermuda, Zephyr was in good company with America’s Cup catamarans, J-Class sailing yachts, superyachts of every description, and myriad runabouts and small boats. Zephyr did her job and made an impact. A deal was struck for Hull #5. This is just the beginning of a whole new class of custom yacht tenders in the marketplace.
