According to etymology sources, the word “special” translates from the Latin “specialis,” to mean individual or particular. Between the 12th and 13th centuries, the meaning evolved to “selected for an important task” and “having a distinctive character.” An in-depth look at Royal Huisman’s 52-meter sportfishing yacht illustrates why Special One’s name is so very apropos.
Special One is well-appointed as the world’s largest, true sportfishing yacht. Outfitted with all the important gear, hardware, and fittings, this magnificent yacht boasts a unique fighting chair, a bait and tackle room, live bait freezers, and every other amenity a big game fisherman could wish for. While it was not the owner’s intent to top such a list, Special One evolved to exceed the previous record holder by eight meters.
Special One also definitively qualifies as a superyacht, carrying ten guests in five ultra-luxurious staterooms finished with walnut joinery, exotic stone, and bespoke furnishings. Her layout is superb, with multiple social spaces opening out to al fresco dining and lounging areas. The mezzanine theatre above the fishing cockpit offers a most luxurious perch for viewing an exhilarating sports performance. A relaxed, uncluttered look throughout the yacht maintains a casual elegance that guests find comfortable, refined, and casual. Sportfishing yacht, superyacht, or simply tranquil retreat, Special One is a work of art that delivers excellence beyond expectation.
Special One by the Numbers
Special One is 52 meters in length, with a 9.8-meter beam and a 2.05-meter draft. Her 498 GT designation is powered by twin diesel MAN 20V 175D-ML engines delivering 5,982 hp, yielding a top speed of over 30 knots from a comfortable cruising speed of 14 knots.
Considering the horsepower needed to ensure speed requirements were met, the choice of power systems was a primary concern. Initially, three engines were explored because two engines that produced enough power were not yet available. The weight of three engines proved considerable, and the loss of two guest cabins to accommodate the space needed was unacceptable. Through extensive engineering studies exploring feasibility, a solution in the form of a newly developed MAN engine model arrived.
A pair of V20s were both compact and powerful enough to meet the 30-knot boat speed. To get the maximum thrust from the engines, the five-blade propellers were arranged in an overlapping pattern that covered 140 percent of the wheel diameter. When powering up at 30 knots, the tips are turning at 181 kilometers per hour, allowing acceleration from 0 to 30 knots in 46 seconds.
Built with Alustar, an aluminum alloy that is stiffer and 12 percent lighter than traditional alloys, Vripack developed a design that featured a semi-displacement hull form with a single chine and no central skeg, giving Special One an unusual turning behavior. In a tight turn, the captain giving full rudder at speed will result in a maximum of 3.1 degrees heeling posture, giving the yacht a 2.5 times ship’s length turning circle. That nimble agility, added to the ability to reverse at 8 knots, makes Special One a spectacular sportfishing yacht. Such performance was noted without the use of stern-mounted interceptors and two 6.5-ton gyros that dampen nearly 80 percent of the roll, which would reduce the numbers even further.
Vripack was selected for both interior and exterior design as well as naval architecture. Spread over six decks, the yacht accommodates ten guests in five cabins, served by up to nine crew. She is outfitted with a three-passenger pneumatic glass elevator spanning the main, upper, and bridge decks. The vacuum solution weighs just a third of conventional mechanical lifts and operates via a compressor connected to a vacuum tube requires no hydraulics pit. A floating stair created in dark and light woods wraps the elevator column.
In the fishing cockpit, guests will find tuna tubes, saltwater ice chip machines to preserve catches, two fish boxes below the sole, two boarding doors to boat a big game fish, a fish prep station to prepare lures, and a retractable fish finder deployable at speeds of up to 18 knots. In the bait and tackle room, guests can choose their rods, reels, and spooling machines. The yacht is outfitted with custom outriggers intended to keep dragging baits away from the hull, and a bespoke fighting chair with a wide range of adjustment.
The Owner’s Brief
Built for an owner whose passions embrace sportfishing as well as spending time on the water with family, his old US-built Viking 92 sportfish was no longer adequate. Wishing to entertain on a grander scale, and in comfortable style even for those not engaged in fishing, the owner was interested in exploring remote destinations in pursuit of large ocean-going fish. Reliability was top of mind.
The owner’s team brought Pascarelli Consulting on board as the owner’s representative, Bush & Noble as the go-to sportfishing expert and equipment advisor, and Hampshire Marine in the role of expertise related to technical systems. Worthy crew members also contributed specifications to ensure the new yacht would deliver above expectations.
The owner requested the yacht have the recognizable profile of an American sportfishing yacht and include a main deck owner’s suite. The owner also requested the ability to run at 30 knots. After Vripack put a model to the test in a tank study at the Dutch MARIN Institute, CFD numbers and calculations proved feasible for speed with stability. In late 2020, under Covid lockdown, the owner signed the contract with Royal Huisman.
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Photos: Tom Van Oossanen, Guy Fleury, Guillaume Plison, Mark Nicholson | Words: K.L. Turner
