On any given day onboard the yacht Leviathan, crewmembers are playing video games alongside the guests. They’re donning dive gear to explore well beneath the ocean’s surface with the owner himself, too, to support scientific discoveries.
Welcome to the most unusual superyacht you’re ever likely to tour. Nearly all of the traditional barriers, real or implicit, are purposely missing from this 364-footer (111-meter), which Oceanco delivered last year.
It’s all because owner Gabe Newell has a vision of yachting unlike anyone else does. “We adopted a crew-centric approach that really digs into how Leviathan is operated and maintained.” In fact, he explains, “The goal was to consider where the most valuable experiences occur for the community of people onboard. By increasing crew productivity, we can enable them to focus more on engaging with guests and creating meaningful experiences for everyone.”
Increasing crew productivity onboard the yacht Leviathan—which has a volume of 4,970 gross tons—firstly involves reducing intensive daily maintenance. Bolidt synthetic decking replaces teak decks, for instance. The material has durable weatherproof and anti-slip properties. Handrails are synthetic, too. Additionally, bead-blasted stainless steel substitutes for polished stainless steel. The blasting process creates a matte surface that eliminates streaks and reduces glare, simultaneously being aesthetically pleasing.
To maximize crew-and-guest engagement inside, meanwhile, more yachting norms went out the window. You won’t find a typical saloon and formal dining area, for example, nor a bridge-deck saloon. Instead, the saloon is a group dining area for all crew and guests—54 people in total. The bridge-deck saloon is a games room (see top photo), featuring 15 gaming stations, two race simulators, and abundant seating. Mark Berryman of Mark Berryman Design, who worked with Newell, notes, “With 28 years of experience designing superyacht interiors, we’ve encountered nearly every possible scenario—or so we thought.” He and his team relished the “exciting” challenge.
Finally, in terms of scientific discoveries, everyone onboard the yacht Leviathan can participate. Newell previously founded Inkfish, a marine-research organization, and continues overseeing it today. Among other things, it has sent a submersible to the deepest parts of the world’s oceans. Look closely in the video footage, and you’ll see Newell himself (below) alongside his crew on a dive trip.
With a communal basketball court and sundeck, too, “Leviathan represents a new philosophy of yachting,” says Deniz de Koningh, Project Director at Oceanco. “The owner’s vision sets a forward-thinking example of how yachts can be built and used with intent.” In turn, Newell says, “We knew we were asking for unusual things, and Oceanco embraced it with open arms.”
Mark Berryman Design markberrymandesign.com
Oceanco oceancoyacht.com
More About the Yacht Leviathan
LOA: 364’2” (111 meters)
Beam: 58’4” (17.8 meters)
Draft: not specified
Guests: not specified
Engines: diesel-electric propulsion (details not specified)
Range: not specified
Builder: Oceanco
Stylist: Oceanco
Naval Architect: Oceanco, Lateral Naval Architects
Interior Designer: Mark Berryman Design
