Great White – Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal is not only a global tennis superstar but few know that in private he is an experienced yachtsman and has been passionate about yachting since childhood. When not on tour or training he seizes every opportunity to get out on the water with friends and family.
Despite owning some fabulous motor yachts in the past, Rafael had chartered several Sunreef catamarans and loved the large living space and fresh modern yacht design. Power Catamarans appeal to sailors and “petrol heads” alike, they offer effortless passage making, smooth and steady while underway, at 18knots you can move around, make a drink, sleep, eat or sunbathe. The space on board these catamarans is incredible, 340sqm of living space throughout, huge cabins and full size beds, space you would need a 100’ monohull to replicate. When he saw plans for the Sunreef 80 Power he fell in love. It then became his plan to customise his own and he commissioned a new build. Rafael finally joined the Sunreef Yachts’ family of owners, taking delivery of Great White this summer in Mallorca.
Raphael’s yacht accommodates up to 8 guests, thanks to her comfortable 4-cabin layout. Her starboard hull houses the owner’s stateroom, one guest cabin and the crew quarters. The port hull accommodates the other two guest cabins as well as the galley/kitchen. The owner’s stateroom features a walk-in dressing room, sofa, flip-down ceiling TV above the double bed and a private fold-out balcony in the side of the hull, giving direct, private access to the sea.
Her saloon is filled with natural light with windows giving you a 360 degree view with two oversized lounging sofas by the aft cockpit, a dining table for 8 and two 77’’ TV’s installed back-to-back. An additional lounging spot was set up forward next to the forward deck terrace entrance.
The catamaran’s full-beam rear cockpit (seating area) provides for an outstanding alfresco dining space, well protected from the sun and wind and fitted with a weatherproof TV. Across the back is a large sofa, underneath is Great White’s aft garage and conceals a large jet-ski and a selection of water toys along with a refuelling station. A wide hydraulic swim platform has been installed to carry the yacht’s tender and offer an extra sunbathing spot hovering above the water.
Heading upstairs, the flybridge provides an exterior lounge arranged in cozy seating areas, a bar, large sunbathing area and a pop-up TV. Great White’s propulsion comes from twin 1200HP engines allowing for a top speed of 23 knots and a cruising speed of 16 knots.
Speaking to Forbes magazine he talks about the local lifestyle on the island of Mallorca and the joy of having his own yacht, he decides when he goes out, for how long and what the destination will be, chartering didn’t give him that immediate access as it all has to be planned. Now he can wake up, have breakfast and then say, “you know what, I want to spend the day out there on the boat”. He escapes the stress this way, it helps restore positive energy, which is something we all need these days. It helps him move forward with his tennis career and it’s one of the things he really appreciates about yachting. To go for ownership is a big decision, it’s expensive but it’s good for a personal life balance, restoring energy and to be close with family and friends.
The Sunreef 80 is the flagship offering from the world’s top luxury catamaran manufacturer. Each hull is built to your exact specification, you can customise the yacht and make it truly adapted to your requirements, the same for the 50, 60 and 70 models. The stability at anchor is fantastic and what really sets a catamaran aside from a monohull. You can always relax or sleep, it’s perfect for those that aren’t used to life on the sea and don’t like the unstable rolling motion of a monohull. Rafael laughs about how the saloon is bigger than his lounge at home, “being onboard is like being at home, it’s not like being on a yacht.” With several living spaces; outside – at the rear, at the front, on the flybridge and inside, you can enjoy the view from different perspectives.
Rafael’s experiences with catamarans have previously been associated with chartering them, those were very satisfying trips providing many happy memories. But when presented with the opportunity to build his own he jumped at the chance to have a multihull of his own. Previous to this he has only owned monohulls and on the catamaran he was captivated by the huge amount of space.
One of the key elements to any New Build Yacht projectis not just the selection of the yacht but the team you put in place to advise you and to manage the build. At diYachting we have been working with owners to realise their dream yachts for many years. Recently and through our subsidiary S6 Marine Ltd a uk based specialist Superyacht sales company we have become close to the Sunreef factory. We currently have a New Build Sunreef 80 in production and a handful of new projects at various stages in the pipeline. Our CEO Matt Abbiss has nearly 30 years experience in the yachting industry and is the one that project manages all of our new builds. Starting with an initial meeting to decide your exact wants and needs Matt will accompany you throughout the process, from initial viewings of similar yachts, tours of the Factory in Poland and advice on specification, equipment, aftermarket extras like 200hp Jet Tenders to sit on the aft platform. We will be the main point of contact between you and the shipyard throughout the build managing the day to day and then going on to assist with the background work that gets you on the water, registration, ownership structures, hiring and employing crew as well as purchasing everything you need to step on and immediately head off on your first cruise.
As a small customer service focused company we only take on a limited number of projects each year to ensure that you get the absolute best service possible right from the word go.
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