Royal Huisman Nilaya begins trials in the North Sea

The hull was built using Royal Huisman's proprietary Featherlight construction method.

The 47-meter sailing yacht has been spotted on her first sea trials in North Sea waters. The sailboat, formerly Project 405 and Reichel/Pugh-Nauta 154, was launched in Amsterdam in April of this year.

Nilaya (Sanskrit for “house of bliss”) was custom-made for Nauta Design client. This is a powerful and high-performance sailboat, prepared for regattas and at the same time characterized by high performance in terms of comfort and reliability.

“The cabin is very important as it allows you to look at the sea while sitting in the main saloon,” said Massimo Gino, co-founder and partner of Nauta Design. Quiet, security and space were also essential components of the terms of reference.”

Nilaya is the first hull built using Royal Huisman's proprietary Featherlight construction method. Thanks to special analysis and design, the total weight of the vessel has been reduced by 11% compared to competitors.

Reichel-Pugh and CFD worked on perfecting the hull shape. Rondal created the carbon fiber mast and sail rigging.
The yacht features a low, sporty profile with a straight bow and wide transom and a 17.5-meter-long carbon composite sunroof. Doyle Sails' structured construction keeps the mast and rigging weight low.

“The success of the innovations in Project 405 paves the way for this bold new approach to be used in future builds. I am proud of the investment we have made in cutting-edge engineering and how the Royal Huisman and Rondal teams have developed new solutions to meet the requirements of very knowledgeable clients and designers,” commented Ian Timmerman, CEO of Royal Huisman.

Credits: Bjorn Mierop