Constructed without any compromise on quality at the Abeking & Rasmussen shipyard in Bremen in 1992, Arrayan II made waves at the time in the world of Super Yachts with its extremely elegant lines and breathtaking performance, elevating it beyond the maxi racing yachts of the era.
Featuring a unique design, for the first time on a vessel of this size, it had an America-type keel, fully milled and retractable in one minute with its inverted hydraulic ram/winch. With unwavering reliability, it circumnavigated the globe the following year without any issues.
Arrayan is a name inspired by a highly resilient tree from Patagonia, reflecting Gilles Vaton’s ambitious vision. The technical perfection of all the systems implemented was the top priority on this fully aluminum boat with a teak deck, which, despite its appearance as a cruising yacht, revealed ambitions in racing!
After acquiring the first Arrayan, a 27.20 m (89.24 ft) sloop also designed by Gilles Vaton, its owner, delighted, commissioned the second of the same name. The hull is designed for fast cruising but also for intensive racing.
Awards: Design Awards 1993 for the 36 m (118.11 ft) maxi sloop Arrayan II and double Superyacht Society Award 2007 for the 90-foot Zurbagan.
Extract from the Mer & Bateaux article Oct 92 by Jochen Halbe.
“…The wind varied in intensity off the coast of Saint Tropez and in terms of performance, everyone was more than satisfied: Gilles Vaton, skipper Michel Santander, and the project manager at Abeking, Hans Schaedla. Rightly so, as Arrayan II had decisively won its duel against Bolero, a brand-new sailboat of identical length by German Frers.”
Arrayan II outperformed its lighter South African counterpart on all points of sail, despite its unfinished interior! Thanks to the skeg designed ahead of the rudder, Arrayan II sailed as if on rails downwind, requiring only occasional helm adjustments to maintain course. Its tracking stability was equally impressive under spinnaker as it was on a broad reach under headsail and staysail. Equally remarkable was its speed, ranging between 10 and 15 knots in winds ranging from force 4 to force 6.
Upwind, Arrayan II smoothly carved through choppy seas outside the Gulf of Saint-Tropez. With minimal rigging oscillations, the continuous airflow over the sails remained very steady. The rare occasions when the boat encountered a wave were handled smoothly. Sailing at speeds of nine to eleven knots close-hauled in true winds of 12 to 16 knots gave Arrayan II a VMG approaching 8 knots – a pleasing result for Gilles Vaton. After racking up its first cruising miles with a trip to Saint Petersburg, Arrayan II successfully made its racing debut. This boat has everything to delight its owner, with excellent sailing performance and a truly pleasing aesthetic – both at the dock and at sea.”
Caractéristiques
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- Superyacht Name : Sailing Yacht ARRAYAN II.
- Launched in : 1992.
- Length Overall : 36 m / 118,11 feet.
- Waterline Length : 29 m (95.14 ft).
- Width : 7.68 m.
- Draught : 4,92 m / 3.00 m.
- Naval Architecture : Gilles Vaton.
- Interior Designers : Gilles Vaton.
- Gross Tonnes : 104.
- Nett Tonnes : 47.
- Displacement : 95 T.
- Hull / Superstructure Construction Material : aluminium / aluminium.
- Sail Area : 7427.
- Yacht Beam : 7.7m/25.2ft.
- Draught Maximum: 4.9m/16.1ft.
Arrayan II the Flamboyant
The hull of Arrayan II features a slightly inclined stem and an elongated stern, giving it a long waterline length. It is topped by a Sparcraft aluminum mast with five spreaders that bends impressively as the boat heels. For performance, the battened mainsail hoists up the mast using a double rail system with Harken cars on ball bearings.
The hydraulic winches for halyards are grouped around the base of the mast in a small cockpit elegantly integrated into the superstructure. Hydraulic cylinders facilitate tensioning the luff of the headsails, allowing the halyard to be released and not required to be re-tensioned. Another advantage of this setup is less cluttered winches.
The staysail and the headsail are mounted on Reckmann hydraulic furlers housed in wells in the deck to lower the tack point and therefore the foot of the sail as much as possible. A characteristic feature of the new Vaton designs: the white superstructure is flat with a rounded transition between the top and the sides. This accentuates the elegant and sleek lines of a navy blue hull that garnered many admirers on its first official regatta outing during the Nioulargue.
Performance-wise, everyone was more than satisfied as the wind varied in intensity off Saint-Tropez: Gilles Vaton, Breton skipper Michel Santander, and the project manager at A&R, Hans Schaedla. And rightly so, as Arrayan II had convincingly won its duel against Bolero, a brand-new sailboat of the same length designed by German Frers…
Arrayan, furnished in a very restrained style for a 118-foot yacht, makes sparing use of decorative materials – teak and cotton fabrics. The salon area revolves around a coffee table. Large windows and numerous deck panels provide ample lighting.
Lift keel and retractable anchor
The hydraulically operated lifting keel, with a bulb-shaped ballast of 171 plus an additional 121 fixed in the hull, is literally a weight example demonstrating this pursuit of perfection. It has a draft of 16.08 ft in the lowered position and 9.84 ft when raised, allowing Arrayan II to dock in standard marinas. Held in place by hydraulic pistons, the keel is maneuvered with the push of a button and without any friction thanks to perfectly fitted plastic slide plates.
Another technical achievement: the articulated anchor completely disappears under the deck, preserving the elegantly curved bow from any unsightly protrusions. This 264 lb CQR anchor, along with the 0.63 in diameter, 328 ft long chain, is stored in a well accessible through two deck hatches; simply press the appropriate button for it to rise, swing over the railing and next to the bow with breathtaking precision to finally unfold far ahead, supported by a lever arm. If there is no foldable swim platform, it is not only to avoid collisions with the waves but also for aesthetic reasons.
However, the storage compartment for the dinghy, hidden under a very sleek transom and accessible through two deck hatches, is not lacking. The rear hatch on rails, raised by hydraulic actuators, slides under the deck, thus clearing the dinghy exit. With its deck panels, nicely rounded flat superstructure, and two cockpits, one for the helmsman and crew, the other for guests.
The wide teak deck reflects a very Mediterranean approach to navigation. It loves mild temperatures, bright sunshine at sea, and majestic arrivals in ports with a prominent owner at a massive wheel! Painted in Awlgrip, here is a very elegant yacht, with its relatively low freeboard and white superstructure that barely exceeds the level of the deck.
The boat’s dual purpose is perfectly fulfilled: thanks to the numerous winches, two coffee grinders, and hydraulic button systems, it is suitable for both short-handed cruising and racing use. It is enough to switch all controls to manual mode to achieve the precision and speed required for racing maneuvers.
Main sheet and mainsail traveler tackle illustrate the precision of the possible adjustments: from their winches placed respectively to port and starboard, both are led under the deck to arrive at the car without cluttering the cockpit coaming and adjacent deck area. Thanks to triple displays, the helmsman maintains control of the boat regardless of their position.
Bright and Simplified Interior
The volumes are functionally distributed and all dressed in white, in a fairly sober style. The matte white of the slatted bulkheads, ceilings, partitions, and walls forms a harmonious contrast with the satin teak floor, furniture, and accessories, sparingly arranged. A series of deck panels and large skylights integrated into the superstructure provide exceptional lighting to the salon.
The rounded shapes, inspired by the lines of the superstructure, give a warm note to this décor with large white surfaces that many spotlights and lamps illuminate at night. Hydraulic, electrical, and electronic systems, and the lifting keel, are concealed behind various wall coverings, paneling, and floor panels.
Once again, the main goal was to achieve technical and aesthetic prowess: a bet won as this megayacht garners admiration wherever it goes!
The lifting keel has multiple advantages. In the nearly 430 sq ft living area, its well creates a clever division. On the starboard side, the living-dining room where a bench with blue-gray cushions surrounds a rectangular table.
On the port side, the cozy conversation corner formed by a semicircular sofa with yellow and brown checkered covers and a coffee table. A corridor leads to two cabins, one on the left, with a large double bed, and the other on the right, smaller with two single beds, each with its own bathroom. At the end, the spacious owner’s suite features a large central bed, a three-seater sofa on one side, a desk on the other, and plenty of storage.
In addition to a toilet cabinet, it has a real bathroom. Further forward, the sail locker and technical compartments are separated from the living area by a collision-proof watertight bulkhead. Adjacent to the saloon, the bar on the starboard side leads to the fully equipped kitchen with large refrigeration / freezing compartments. Next is the crew area, which opens onto a staircase leading to the maneuvering cockpit.
Conveniently located, the kitchen is in close proximity to the dining-living room, the guest cockpit served by the central hatch, and the maneuvering cockpit.
Behind the crew’s quarters are two additional cabins, one equipped with two single beds, the other with one double and one single bed, and a shared shower room with separate toilets. Another very spacious cabin, with two large beds and its own bathroom, is located on the port side, between the crew quarters and the living room, just behind the chart table.
Generously sized, the navigation area includes a television overlooking the cozy living area. Examples of the functional spirit that reigns inside are the well-protected shelves receiving nautical works, or the space under the guest cockpit…
Extracts from an article by Mer & Bateaux magazine
