To be fair, this Mansion Yachts vessel is actually just a super-nice houseboat, maybe the greatest houseboat ever. It’s shining, 100 percent stainless steel exterior turned heads at the recent Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show and attracted the attention of the national media. Business Insider wrote this.
Note the four hydraulic “spuds” that effectively turn the boat into a table. The ability to raise the vessel over the surf is a terrific feature; it gives the operator considerable flexibility in choice of anchorages. For example, you would have to cross the Gulf Stream during a super-calm weather window, but once on the shallow Bahama Banks, you would have an advantage over conventional cruising vessels.
The same concept is being used by a commercial treasure hunting outfit in North Florida. Amelia Research & Recover uses a similar set-up when it explores near coastal wreck sites in open ocean. When the surf’s up, the crew just raises the platform so the waves roll harmlessly beneath the barge.
None other than the great designer and builder Charly Morgan once said that the ability to seek shelter had to be considered an element of seaworthiness. He was referring to the advantage of shoal-draft because it allowed vessels to tuck into shallow harbors during snotty weather.
Isn’t the ability escape foul weather by going up in the air is serious advantage, too? And one that (probably) no other pleasure boat has ever had?
To further illustrate the Bahamas scenario: Let’s say the owner of Big Fridge is en route over the banks from Bimini to Nassau, when a wicked frontal system rolls through. As 45-knot winds churn the shallow waters into a frothing cauldron, the crew stops the boat and cranks her shiny hull above the waves. Happy hour! Owner and guests enjoy watching the storm from the hot tub on the boat’s massive observation deck.
Watch the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcjjIXtQ59U
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