April 2018

OCEA 125XP: The Explorer

In close cooperation with Joubert-Nivelt Design and Borella Art Design, the Sables-d'Olonne shipyard has developed a unique motor yacht for delivery to brokerage company Camper & Nicholsons.

The Camper & Nicholsons saga has been in writing since 1782; this centuries-old company is a veritable institution in the world of luxury yachts. With its ten subsidiaries worldwide, the company is today's undisputed No. 1 in the sector. "We mainly offer used boats, but we also have several brand new ones, as well as projects in progress or at the planning stage like this one," explains Charles Ehrardt, Senior Sales Broker at Camper & Nicholsons International. Even though the customer can still ask for modifications, the technical development has already been completed, giving us a good six months' start on the boat's construction. "OCEA boats are renowned for their eye-catching lines and their quality construction," continues Charles Ehrardt, "and it's a pleasure to deal with a French shipyard."

To the end of the oceans

The silhouette designed by Michel Joubert cannot belie the OCEA 125XP's true vocation: it's a deep-sea vessel designed for crossing oceans and exploring. With its high bulbous bow, it can happily tackle all weather conditions, while its 5,000 nautical mile range makes voyages to the end of the world - even to the far-flung corners of Greenland or Spitsbergen thanks to its ice classification - a reality. For landing on coasts with no port infrastructure, the OCEA 125XP includes a well sheltered 9-metre tender at the stern, with lowering by a davit system. This is quite a rare feature on yachts and very reassuring when the ship is in a region where there is little shelter. For advance exploration, the aft deck can accept other "toys" on its starboard side. Further storage space is also provided on the sundeck for lightweight craft.

Warmth and calm after the adventure

With the sundeck topped by a crow's nest, the upper deck housing a lounge with large picture windows, and a panoramic quaterdeck protected from the wind for alfresco dining, the guests are constantly bathed in landscapes. They also get to enjoy the fabulous interior arrangements designed by the Borella Art Design agency. "I love working on products with their own personality," confides Nicola Borella. "The OCEA 125XP is intended for voyaging all over in the idea of luxury. When you return on board after adventuring, you want warmth and calm. That's why I set out to create a world that is real and poetic, comfortable, and unashamedly luxurious, all at once." And that's the idea behind the choice of soft colours and outstanding materials: koto, a creamy white African wood with a flecked appearance, and louro faia, a South-American lacewood with a meshed structure, along with wool and silk rugs, chromework, supple full-grain leathers, Cristal Lalique decorative items, and the rest. "The OCEA 125XP is the culmination of various projects on the theme of calm and lightness. It's the most beautiful product we've ever made," adds Nicola Borella.

Above all, it's an outstanding motor yacht, the ultimate explorer, ready for delivery starting 2020.