Over the last few years the conversion of former working boats into luxury private yachts has become something of a mainstay. Former tugs, life boats, patrol boats and expedition boats have all been given new leases on life by private individuals. Conversions offer many advantages to prospective owners in the way of robust construction, well-maintained engineering, excellent sea-keeping qualities and extended cruising ranges. Of course one other advantage and perhaps the key to why conversions are so prevalent nowadays is the cost-effectiveness of salvaging a decommissioned vessel – especially when compared with the asking price of a similar sized new. And rather like the classic automobile industry there is considerable added value if the original vessel had an interesting story to tell in its former incarnation.
Giant I is one of the largest conversions ever undertaken but what makes this ocean rescue tug really stand out from the crowd is that she is a Class 1 icebreaker – the highest rating for an ice classed ship. Essentially, this necessitates a high-tensile steel hull which requires steel with low-carbon content so as to prevent any chance of rust when the paint is stripped from the hull during scrapes with ice; making it just as easy to cruise the Arctic Circle as it is to glide along the Mediterranean.
The Giant 1 has a very interesting history, starting out in 1973 as a Dutch-built Russian-registered rescue tug named Gigant. She was ostensibly a fishing fleet support vessel but records show way too many radio officers in her crew, leading many to believe that Gigant was, in fact, a spy ship. After the end of the Cold War, the Russians had little use for Gigant and abandoned her in Long Beach, California during a call to port for mechanical repairs. The US authorities impounded the vessel due to unpaid repair bills and from there she was bought and converted into a luxury private yacht capable of sleeping 24 guests in 12 staterooms.
The reconstruction, an international effort based out of Mexico, took 26 months and was quite exhaustive. The boat was basically stripped down to bare steel and rebuilt including a fully redesigned interior. The main engines and generators underwent a thorough rebuild, retractable stabilisers were fitted so as to protect them from ice damage and a new superstructure was designed and built in Holland, lending a more attractive profile. Giant I runs on a single engine revving at merely 370rpm with a reserve engine in case of emergency. This mechanical set-up along with the 450-tonne fuel reserve makes for effortless cruising at a speed of 14 knots with an enormous range of 12,000 nautical miles. In other words, she needs just one additional refuelling to circumnavigate the world.
The interior of Giant I was finished in a classic style with a lot of Honduran mahogany panelling and even a Chesterfield sofa or two. The idea was to lend the air of an ocean liner and this it accomplishes very well. Quite amazingly for any yacht, there are a number of fireplaces which must be a very pleasant feature when in polar realms. There are also quite a few masterpieces from Monet, van Gogh, Rousseau, Rembrandt, Gaugins and Schiele adorning the walls although they are reproductions and not actually originals. Below deck there is a cinema, a gym, sauna and spa pool.
Above deck the range of toys is quite noteworthy. During the rebuild the new owner saw fit to add a helicopter platform capable of carrying a helicopter of up to five tonnes. There are also two 12.1-metre Ocean Yachts Sportsfisherman tenders which really are huge boats to serve as tenders. Because of Giant’s sheer size, it is not always possible to take anchorage in marinas, so these large tenders provide safe passage for those wishing to go ashore from the main vessel anchored outside the harbour as well as providing keen fisherman independent voyages of at least two days at a time. Furthermore among the assortment of toys are two 6.7-metre and one 5.1-metre rigid inflatable boats plus a 4x4 jeep for onshore exploration. There is further space for the usual watersports equipment such as jet-skis and water-ski boats but also a submarine and even a few quads and skidoos.
Giant I really clears the way for future conversions and in many ways opens up possibilities for boat lovers. Imagine waking up aboard your yacht and glancing out from the window, catching a glimpse of penguins sliding on their bellies across an iceberg. Given the harsh landscape, your room is still warm thanks to the great insulation as well as a well-stoked fireplace. You put on some warm layers and venture on to deck to be greeted by the sight of one of your skidoos being set ashore by the onboard cranes. This may be the stuff of fantasy for many; it was recently sold by Camper & Nicholson for 50.7 million USD. The lucky few will, however, go where few men have gone before.
Contact
Camper & Nichols
Miami beach, FL, USA
Tel +1 305 604 9191
HYPERLINK "http://www.cnconnect.com" www.cnconnect.com
