Calypso is perhaps the most well-known name among yachts dedicated to scientific exploration. The former minesweeper, transformed into a laboratory, conducted scientific expeditions between 1950 and 1996 under the leadership of Jacques-Yves Cousteau.
Since then, a new class of leisure vessels has emerged, designed for expeditions to remote areas and exploration activities, thanks to their robust construction and equipment, but unlike Calypso, they do not forgo the luxury and sometimes opulence of leisure yachts.
A New ‘Species’ of Navigators – Explorers
There comes a time in the life of every boating, motorboat, or sailing enthusiast when a simple sea vacation is no longer a dream. But what can follow after you’ve fulfilled your dream? What remains to be done?
For several years now, a new ‘species’ of navigators has appeared on the horizon, those who combine passion with a spirit of adventure, transforming into explorers of the world’s seas and oceans. But what are expedition yachts, and how do they differ from leisure yachts?
‘Explorer’ yachts belong to the luxury yacht category. These vessels are designed and equipped to cover vast distances with extended autonomy. In recent years, they have grown in popularity, with more and more owners wanting to travel as far away from usual navigation areas as possible.
What is an Exploration Yacht?
As the name suggests, an exploration yacht is a vessel built to reach distant destinations or challenging navigation areas. Exploration yachts have extended autonomy as their main feature – they can sail for many days without needing to stop for refueling or resupply – many having an incredibly robust steel hull.
In the past, it was common for a research expedition vessel to be created by transforming either a former commercial ship or a military one, which were converted into much more luxurious vessels.
This is because commercial vessels were built to withstand extreme weather conditions, cover long distances, and navigate even the most turbulent seas and oceans.
However, in recent years, there has been an increase in demand for motor yachts with extended capabilities dedicated to exploration. Often these are built from aluminum or steel but benefit from the most modern navigation and comfort equipment, similar to luxury vessels.
Many builders have even expanded their model ranges to include exploration vessels with extended autonomy, more robust exterior design, and ultra-modern equipment – such as a helipad.
What is the Difference between an Exploration Yacht and a Regular one?
Traditional motor yachts are generally built from fiberglass and lack the autonomy and equipment necessary for exploration. Motor yachts are built for exploration under normal conditions, often for coastal navigation, over relatively short distances, and equipped with all the extras needed for comfort and life on board.
Leisure yachts are not designed to withstand extreme temperature conditions or sea states. For example, it is rare to find such a yacht in Ice Class, a category exclusively for polar regions and icy waters.
There is no difference between those for expeditions and explorations; often, these terms are used interchangeably.
Who are the Best Builders of Exploration Yachts?
In the industry, there are a few builders who stand out in this area:
Bering Yachts
Since 2007, Bering Yachts has started producing yachts dedicated to exploration. The shipyard located in Turkey builds semi-custom hull expedition yachts and trawler yachts.
Arksen Yachts
Arksen builds this type of yacht designed for adventures in any conditions. Arksen vessels are designed around efficiency and sustainability and are hoped to become a source of inspiration for the next generation of scientists and their vessels.
Cantiere Delle Marche Yachts
Specialized in the construction of custom and semi-custom exploration yachts, Cantiere Delle Marche is a highly acclaimed Italian builder.
Damen Yachts
One of the most respected names in the global yachting world when it comes to vessels dedicated to exploration. The shipyard is renowned for its SeaXplorer class yachts and YachtSupport vessels.
Feadship Yachts
Feadship is a recognized shipyard for its luxury yachts, delivering several renowned exploration yachts in recent years, including the 55m explorer Shinkai.
How Do We Differentiate Exploration Yachts?
The smallest exploration yachts (sometimes called “pocket exploration yachts”) offer an attractive option for owners, being more fuel-efficient and very practical for almost any anchorage.
If you are looking for an exploration yacht, the size of the vessel will directly depend on how it will be used. If you wish to travel to remote areas and more challenging anchorages, you will need to consider tidal changes and depths, with a vessel under 50m potentially being the best solution.
The size of the yacht also influences the type of equipment and technical features you can have on board. For example, if you want more equipment or a helicopter, you will need a larger yacht to accommodate this.
However, there is also a fairly extensive market for exploration yachts for adventurous owners. These have been designed to withstand the most challenging conditions and reach the most remote locations. Generally, what is available on the market are models with pedigree and a rich presence on the seas and oceans of the world.
Calypso
Calypso is the name of the French oceanographic vessel with which Commander Jacques-Yves Cousteau conducted maritime scientific exploration campaigns from 1950 until January 1996.
The ship was initially a minesweeper BYMS-26 built for the English navy in 1942 at the shipyard in Seattle, Washington, United States of America. It was launched on March 21, 1942, and entered service in 1943 under the name HMS J-826. It operated in the Mediterranean Sea until 1944 when it was reclassified and brought to the port of Malta. The ship had a solid construction with a double wooden hull, a displacement of 329 tons, 43m in length, 7.15m in width, a draft of 2.5m, and was equipped with two engines driving two propellers.
The name Calypso was given after the Second World War when it operated as a ferry between Malta and Gozo, named after the nymph Calypso who, according to the Odyssey, had her dwelling on an island in the Mediterranean Sea, presumed to be Malta.
Calypso was purchased for Cousteau by the English millionaire Loel Guiness in 1950, who offered to finance the necessary funds for repairs and interior modifications to transform the minesweeper into an oceanographic research vessel.
The ship was fitted with two lateral masts connected by a bridge, serving as an observation post. A radar was also installed here. New spaces for cabins were arranged, and especially the attachment of an underwater observation chamber along the bow. This chamber had five portholes for observation and underwater filming. It was equipped with a telephone, a camera, and a television camera that operated continuously, transmitting images to a screen in the control cabin. To enhance underwater exploration capabilities, two mini-submarines (called “diving saucers”), designed by Cousteau himself, SP-500 and SP-350, were also installed.
The first oceanographic expeditions of the ship Calypso began in 1950 in the Red Sea with the aim of demonstrating to scientists the efficiency of new autonomous diving devices and their possibilities for use in the field of submarine biology and geology. A biological and geological study of the coral island Abu Latt in the Simone archipelago was conducted.
Thanks to dozens of documentary films shot between 1950 and 1996 on board and broadcast on television worldwide, including communist countries, under the series name “The Undersea Odyssey of the Cousteau Team,” the ship Calypso became famous in the last third of the 20th century.
Calypso was accidentally hit in January 1996 by a barge in the port of Singapore, after which it shortly sank. Severely damaged, the vessel remained underwater for three weeks. The ship was later raised to the surface, brought back to France, and anchored in the port of La Rochelle since 1998.
The “Cousteau Society” organization and Francine Cousteau, the explorer’s widow, raised the necessary funds for the museographic renovation of the ship Calypso to become an educational exhibition.
The restoration of the ship Calypso was part of the series of events included in the “centennial year”: on June 10, 2010, the 100th anniversary of the birth of explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau was celebrated.
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