During the 60th anniversary of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, which will be celebrated from October 30 until November 3, 2019, YachtCreators and yacht owner Lucas Silva will debut their latest collaboration — LeVen Yachts, the ultimate Exumas superyacht.
The project was officially announced on August 27, while the first hull of this new 90ft (27m) superyacht line was delivered on September 24, a day before this year’s Monaco Yacht Show.
With LeVen Yachts, YachtCreators and Lucas Silva seek to meet the needs of yachting families who enjoy navigating the Exumas but want the luxury and comfort of a superyacht. These yachting families are looking to have fun in shallow waters on a vessel where they can store all of their yacht toys such as jet skis, paddleboards, spearfishing, and scuba diving gear.
“On our 37-meter, my family appreciated the confidence, the water toy storage, the superyacht-low noise levels, and the massive outdoor decks. On our 50-footer, we enjoyed the simplicity of use, the connection with the water, agility, and the shallow draft. On LeVen, my family now wants to experience the best of both worlds,” said Lucas Silva.
From the Dutch word “leven,” which means both “life” and “to live,” LeVen Yachts is a celebration of the Exumas cruising lifestyle.
Here are some facts about Leven Yachts, a new line of superyachts by YATCHCREATORS:
The LeVen Yachts line is designed and engineered by Vripack and constructed by the Van der Valk shipyard in the Netherlands.
The yacht is the first in the world to implement the Voith Linear Jet propulsion system and has a class-leading 4.5′ draft, which is perfect for the Exumas.
The superyacht was built on full aluminum, using Vripack’s patented Slide Hull design, and Smart Kit.
Performance: Voith Linear Jet + MTU engines + Slide Hull = 23kt cruise/400nm range and 26kt WOT.
The yacht:
- has sports deck at the stern with a transformer platform that can fit a 15ft+ tender and cranes for multiple jet skis.
- features a deep full-height trunk for storing fishing gear, stand-up paddleboards, and much more.
- uses an intelligent lithium system that can operate the entire vessel in silent mode and up to 12hrs in night mode, including air conditioning.
On the surface, this design scope would seem contradictory and nearly impossible. A superyacht nimble enough to navigate the spectacular yet notoriously shallow Bahamas waters.
LeVen Yachts offers the speed, comfort, range, and seaworthiness needed to take-on the often-unpredictable sea conditions of the Caribbean islands.
The draft condition, superyacht-low noise levels, and open-water confidence ruled out currently-used propulsion systems and hull designs. Shallow drafts demand serious protection, which surface drives can provide but were disregarded due to high noise. As a result, YachtCreators decided to work with the Voith, the German company known for its silent yet powerful thrusters and innovative propulsion system. The Voith Linear Jet (or “VLJ”) propulsion system fully protects the propellers within a streamlined nozzle that is integrated into the hull, further isolating it from the sea bed. The VLJ system has been tested in the harshest possible conditions of the North Sea. The system is incredibly quiet and efficient, with low vibration and maintenance.
The VLJ required the LeVen hull to be efficient and rigid.
Vripack, the Dutch design studio, helped fulfill this requirement. Internationally acclaimed for resilient, go-anywhere explorers and outside-the-box thinking, Vripack introduced their patented hard chine Slide Hull design for LeVen, their largest to date. The Slide Hull directs water flow in a way that resembles going down a slide. It gives LeVen improved ride quality, reduced pounding, and no bow rise as the yacht gets up on plane. These advantages, combined with twin MTU 12V2000 engines, gives LeVen the ability to reach speeds above 26 knots.
To achieve the success of this project, YachtCreators chose the Van der Valk shipyard to manage this ambitious build successfully. With their rich history of custom builds, remarkable client retention rates, and infectious enthusiasm for new challenges, Van der Valk stands tall as the natural fit for LeVen.
The finished product is a tough-yet-luxurious, RINA-classed, Dutch engineered, and manufactured superyacht built entirely in renewable aluminum.
Leven Yachts Superyacht Dimensions
At the stern is the expansive sports deck, aptly named for a massive hidden storage trunk that stores everything from scuba gear to stand-up paddleboards.
Island living goes hand-in-hand with enjoyable outdoor spaces.
LeVen celebrates this philosophy with
- lounge seating at the bow and a
- clean, uncluttered deck, free of tackle gear.
Superyacht dimensions onboard LeVen continue with the sundeck, where owners can enjoy 650 sq. ft of available space for loose furniture.
Nearly 40 ft in length, with no steps and a centered helm station, the LeVen superyacht sundeck is a highly versatile area suitable for any occasion.
LeVen boasts a 30-foot hardtop, serving not only as protection from the sun but also as a major source of natural power, as it is covered in beautifully integrated solar panels.
LeVen superyacht’s architecture lays out the ideal Exumas platform.
