By Rafiq Vayani
DUBAI: Gulf Craft, one of the world’s leading shipbuilders, today marked the world premiere of its flagship superyacht, the Majesty 175, which has awed the yachting world with its innovative design, engineering, and operational excellence. Pushing the boundaries in superyacht production with her lightweight material that enables effortless cruising in low-draft waters, the world’s largest composite production superyacht, fully made in the UAE, was on show for the public for the first time at Dubai Harbour.
The Majesty 175 project has been underway for four years and has garnered the interest of the global yachting community since she was announced at the Monaco Yacht Show in 2016. She has gained status as an industry game changer, piquing the curiosity of yachting professionals and enthusiasts who have been actively awaiting the project’s completion. At a length of 54 metres and a beam of 9.6 metres, the Majesty 175 is Gulf Craft’s largest yacht to date and cements the shipyard and the UAE’s position as a leader on the global superyacht stage.
Manufactured at Gulf Craft’s integrated in-house production facility in the UAE, the Majesty 175 successfully completed a series of sea trials before its global premiere. Dignitaries and high-ranking officials toured the superyacht as it ventured into the Arabian Gulf, demonstrating its top-notch stability and maneuverability on the high sea.
The event was organised in partnership with the Dubai Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) underlining Dubai and the UAE’s appeal as a yachting destination. The Majesty 175 will soon venture on voyages across the world, taking the UAE flag to global yacht events, marinas, and exotic destinations, putting the country prominently on the world yachting map.
A masterpiece made in the UAE
Gulf Craft Chairman Mohammed Alshaali said the Majesty 175 is a masterpiece superyacht that demonstrates Gulf Craft’s capability to manufacture world-class vessels – covering every aspect, from design and production – all within the UAE. “The Majesty 175 cements the reputation of Gulf Craft as a leader in the global yachting industry and underlines the nation as a leading yachting destination. We create exceptional vessels that will delight yachting enthusiasts across the world. Gulf Craft invested nearly four years of effort to building this vessel, quicker than the normal timeframe, despite the challenges of the pandemic. With the regional premiere of the Majesty 175 at Dubai Harbour, we are reiterating the appeal of the country as a full-fledged yachting destination.”
Ahmed Al Khaja, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) said: “We are honoured to be associated with the launch of this unique superyacht, a testament to Dubai’s reputation as a global city and its ability to make significant progress across various sectors in spite of the tough times, inspired by the guidance and support of our visionary leadership. The new state-of-the-art vessel highlights Dubai’s position as a leading hub for cruise tourism and the global maritime industry, as well as the UAE’s proven track record in the boat building sector based on innovation and excellence. It is also noteworthy that the superyacht is being introduced to the world at a time when the UAE continues to prudently and successfully navigate through an unprecedented pandemic to remain at the forefront of the world’s widely recommended safe travel destinations.”
The Making of the Majesty 175
The Majesty 175’s exterior and interior design are by the award-winning Cristiano Gatto Design Studio in Italy while the naval architecture is by Massimo Gregori of the Yankee Delta Studio.
She can effortlessly cruise low-draft areas, drawing just 2.05 metres of water, as she is built using advanced composite materials such as carbon fibre and vinyl ester. This enables close beach access, a key consideration for many marine lifestyle enthusiasts.
Built to the specifications outlined by the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) for yachts over 500 gross tonnage (GT), the Majesty 175 has a gross tonnage of 780.
The Majesty’s stand-out features include a 5-metre infinity pool at the forward deck and a hybrid sky-lounge that can be converted to an open sun deck. The pool has a swim-jet system that creates a constant current of water.
The smart layout accommodates seven lavish staterooms and can host a crew of up to 10 members with six large crew cabins and a private captain accommodation. Electricity supply comes from 175 kW Kohler generators and two pairs of TRAC fin stabilizers.
Safety features include a SOLAS rescue boat and an emergency generator. With full speed of 16.5 knots and cruising speed of 10 knots, Majesty 175 has a range of 4,000 nautical miles, making her a transoceanic vessel.
Majesty is one of the five brands of boats and yachts manufactured by Gulf Craft. The other brands are: Silvercraft featuring affordable smaller family and fishing boats; Oryx sports cruisers; Nomad explorer yachts and Touring Passenger Vessels. Founded in the United Arab Emirates in 1982, Gulf Craft has three facilities in the UAE and the Maldives and has a manufacturing capacity of 200 boats per year. The company has built more than 10,000 boats already, serving clients around the world.
