Royal Huisman has delivered the 65-metre sailing superyacht Aquarius II following the successful completion of her sea trials in the North Sea. According to BOATPro, the newly finished yacht has departed the shipyard’s Amsterdam facilities and is now en route to Falmouth, UK, for her maiden voyage.
Commissioned by an experienced owner as the successor to his 56-metre Aquarius (now Apsara), the new yacht reunites the original project team: Dykstra Naval Architects for naval architecture, Mark Whiteley for exterior and interior design, and Royal Huisman for construction. The result is a significantly larger yacht that builds on the sailing DNA of her predecessor while introducing major performance and volume upgrades.
Crossing the 60-metre threshold presented a key design challenge. Rather than limiting mast height to comply with the 62.5-metre air draught required for transiting the Panama Canal, the owner opted to prioritise performance. The mast was raised to 67.5 metres, allowing for greater sail area and improved light-wind capability, albeit sacrificing Panama Canal access.
Aquarius II features a lifting fin keel with a maximum draught of 7.6 metres and a total downwind sail area exceeding 4,500 square metres. Designed for both competitive regattas and global cruising, she incorporates in-boom furling systems and simplified deck layouts to ensure efficient sail handling. Performance enhancements include advanced Doyle sails, Carbo-Link carbon rigging and a carefully optimised rudder design to maintain helm responsiveness despite her approximately 400-ton displacement.
The additional nine metres in length deliver around 45 per cent more internal volume, accommodating a fourth guest cabin, a gym and a reconfigured owner’s suite. Hybrid power generation and upgraded climate systems further modernise the platform.
With Aquarius II, Royal Huisman once again demonstrates how scale, performance and craftsmanship can be successfully combined in the modern sailing superyacht sector.
