Ed Dubois-designed 58m Royal Huisman sailing yacht unveiled at Monaco yacht show

Presenting the latest sailing superyacht, a 58-metre racing machine designed by Ed Dubois

Royal Huisman today at the Monaco yacht show unveiled its latest sailing superyacht, a 58-metre racing machine designed by Ed Dubois.

Prior to the show Royal Huisman had only teased at the design when the new order for the Royal Huisman 58 was announced and told of the owner’s brief to: ‘Build me a beast. This has to be an edgy and innovative weapon; fast and furious.’ As the curtain was ceremoniously stripped away from the model of the 58-metre on Royal Huisman’s stand, a racing beast was indeed revealed, but a beauty as well.

‘It’s always a happy day when one’s called upon to undress a model,’ said the yacht’s designer Ed Dubois with a smile. ‘We are lucky to have a wonderful client who has given us a wonderful opportunity to design this yacht.’

The 58-metre has a striking and unusual sheerline that Dubois has designed for much more than looks alone. Rather than a typical concave sheer, this sheerline has a convex shape to create greater stiffness. Peering over Duboi’s shoulder at the model, he described how the sheerline actually rises forward of the mast, the highest point, and only dips down at the boat’s full beam width. ‘I know “everything’s been done before”,’ says DuBois, ‘but I don’t know of another modern boat that has a reverse sheer.’

The sail plan has two main sheets running to the cockpit and two winches, taking away the need for a heavy traveller on the coach roof. She will have a flat top main sail flown on a 68-metre mast.

The owner is experienced, having had both racing and cruising yachts prior, including a Royal Huisman. They considered a brokerage Royal Huisman again, but decided what they were after could only be satiated by a new build.

The interior styling is by the owner’s longtime interior designers Rick Baker and Paul Morgan, who are taking on their first full yacht project in the new 58m. The duo describes the clients’ style as ‘outside the box but not too ostentatious’, and they hint that the styling will likely include unique material choices per the owner’s brief.

Keel-laying is scheduled for January 2015, and the new Royal Huisman 58-metre sailing superyacht will be delivered spring 2017.