Belowdecks, four guest staterooms are arranged around the central staircase to accommodate eight guests. The forward guest staterooms have twin berths, and the aft VIP staterooms are outfitted with queen berths. Like the owner’s stateroom, the joinerwork throughout these staterooms displays intricate geometric panels that showcase the skill and care of Moonen’s carpenters.
The engineroom lies abaft the VIP staterooms and at the stern is a large tender garage. To launch and retrieve the tender, rather than using a davit, Moonen developed and built a system they consider simpler and safer to operate. Looking much like a very luxurious boat trailer, an inclined system of rollers allows the tender to slide in and out of the water with ease.
The pilothouse has a striking design that would seem to be inspired by science fiction and wing stations for close maneuvering. Abaft the pilothouse is a spacious skylounge that includes a pantry to port. It opens through sliding glass doors to a huge open afterdeck area, partially shaded and partially under the sky. The versatility of such an arrangement is invaluable. I was aboard Northlander once during a cruise with a fairly large party. The weather offered moderate temperatures but intermittent showers. With the doors open, refreshments were being served in the skylounge and there was still plenty of room for the guests to circulate even when the rains appeared. Later, during another visit at lower latitudes with a smaller complement, Northlander was buttoned up, allowing some to take in the sun and others to beat the heat in the air-conditioned skylounge.
In light of the pilothouse nerve center, the flying bridgedeck has no upper helm and is fully devoted to guest relaxation. The exterior and spiral interior stairways take up a bit of space at the forward end, but there’s still plenty of room for any guests who want to have a look over the bow. Amidships is a large hardtop, a stylish extension of the radar arch, and under it lies a circular dining table with seating for the entire guest roster. Further aft, in the sun, is a whirlpool spa surrounded by sunpads.
Considering how Northlander used the additional space of its length and beam—by not using it, so family and guests can—the prospect of more large yachts from Moonen is interesting indeed. And designs for 130- and 148-foot expedition yachts in the pipeline mean this size adjustment may be here to stay.
LOA: 125’2”
LWL: 114’0”
Beam: 28’3”
Draft: 8’2”
Disp.: 325 tons full load
Fuel: 12,000 gal.
Water: 2,100 gal.
Holding: 1,200 gal.
Construction: Steel hull, aluminum superstructure
Design: Rene van der Velden
Interior: Art-Line
Naval Architecture: Stolk Marimecs
Generators: 2 x 89 kW Northern Lights
Stabilizers: Naiad, zerospeed type 520
Bow Thruster: Wesmar, hydraulic V2-20
Watermaker: Idromar MC5 duplex
Engines: 2 x 1,070-hp MTU 16V2000 M60 diesels
Speed: 14 knots max., 11 knots cruise at half load
Range: 5,600 nautical miles at 8 knots
Price: Upon request
Moonen Shipyards, +31 0 73 6210094; www.moonen.com
