By Maxine Cheyney From Super Yacht News

Adding to their growing Caribbean Series, Moonen Yachts has announced an order for ‘Matica’, a raised pilothouse design from its Caribbean series. Camper & Nicholsons International handled the new order, with a contract being signed within the first ten weeks from the point of contact with the future owner, according to the broker.

Speaking exclusively to SuperyachtNews.com, Johan Dubbelman, sales manager, explained, “The main advantage is the owner’s suite forward on the main deck, of course”. The idea came about from a long-term client, “The family were looking to upgrade to a more seaworthy and a more steady boat.”

“They were really interested in the process” Dubbelman added, “and they were looking at the profile, but were actually more intrigued by the volume and the square meterage available. That brought us to the idea to start out and to sell the boat by volume instead of just making it all about length and width.”

Dubbelman believes this is a new approach in the market and the owners found themselves aware of the meterage and volume. The process became, “designing the volume and then forming the profile around it, so it’s designing from the inside out.”

The idea behind the Caribbean Series roots itself in a need for fast, lighter yachts with a lower draught. Dubbelman divulged, “We have a South American investor and he and his family are cruising in the Caribbean, where he found a lot of the boats had a draught that was too high, and he wanted to develop a specific line to cruise the Bahamas and Caribbean easily, and not be stuck to the tide.”

From this first design brief, a yacht with a higher displacement hull with a draught below 7ft, or preferably even lower was required, “built light for more speed and reduced draught” said Dubbelman.

Dubbelman started working for Moonen Shipyards 12 years ago and was appointed sales manager in August 2013, and after attending the boat shows, “started to develop the Caribbean range after the positive response in the US at the boat shows.”

Dubbelman’s aim since taking on the role has been to provide a more personal service, “instead of cold sales, giving guidance to clients throughout the project” and to “not just focus on the boat shows but actually visit the brokers to give more awareness of the brand,” which is something that he hopes to do with the Caribbean Series.

Like the other models in the Caribbean Series, the ‘Matica’ has been designed by Rene van der Velden. Her interior will be completed by Adam Lay studio with her delivery scheduled for 2016.

IMAGES (Interior):

Wheelhouse deck

Sundeck

For more on this story go to: http://www.superyachtnews.com/fleet/22023/moonen-cruises-the-caribbean.html