Designers claim island-like vessel is future of yachting

In a project named Utopia, BMT Nigel Gee and partners Yacht Island Design have designed what is described as an avant-garde island-like yacht that exploits existing technologies to create a new maritime experience.

What BMT has devised is a piece of floating real estate that measures more than 65m above water with four legs that support a 100 x 100m structure spanning 11 decks. James Roy, yacht design director of BMT Nigel Gee said the gross tonnage (as a measure of volume) is around 100,000GRT.

‘There was an air of excitement among the engineers to have the freedom to create something not boat-like,’ said Roy. ‘We wanted to change the notion of going somewhere with being somewhere.’

Roy told The Engineer that the main global load bearing structure will be steel. Areas that are minor load bearing might be made in aluminium to save weight and local areas with high degrees of compound curvature might be made from Fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP).