Boat of the Week: From Sculpture to Paintings, This 131-Foot Superyacht Is a Floating Art Gallery
The artwork aboard 131-foot Giraud, curated by the owner, sets it apart from just about every other superyacht in the crowded 40-meter range. The sculptures, photography and paintings decorate every wall and many corners, making it more of a floating gallery than a conventional superyacht.
We had a chance to tour Giraud, part of Admiral’s Impero 40 series, at the Monaco Yacht Show, and while the boat isn’t the largest or newest (it was launched in 2013 with a minor refit to its upper-deck flooring last year), the interior made it truly special. First impressions on stepping into the main-deck salon are the bright, reflective surfaces that includes a high-gloss ceiling with sunken LED lighting. The lights give off pops of neon pink. Claudia Kempen’s interior includes leather furniture, stainless-steel trim and floor-to-ceiling windows. Dividing the dining area from the sofas are glass-encased sculptures made from bronze and ceramic. The cream-colored palette of the interior works nicely with the art work.
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In the heart of the boat, a central stairwell featuring a striking bronze sculpture of a kneeling man anchors the floating, stainless-steel staircase. This is my favorite feature—and piece of art—on Giraud.
The master suite is defined by sea views and plenty of storage areas—including large wardrobes. But the suite’s brooding ambience is pierced by a light feature behind the king-sized bed that illuminates the room. A shared, glassed shower divides the his-and-hers ensuites. The owner also has an office space in the suite to be able to work while the boat is at sea.
“The setup is hugely convenient,” Giraud’s steward told Robb Report during the tour. “The owners often work here in the mornings before swimming in the afternoon.”
On the lower deck, the other guest accommodations include a VIP with a queen-sized bed, two doubles and one twin cabin with a Pullman berth. Though not as lavish as the master suite, these rooms still have a sense of style. The crew of nine also have generous quarters.
When launched in 2013, Giraud’s exterior design by Luca Dini was a bit of a trend-setter, with the vertical bow and buttoned-down profile. Many others have since copied that design. But the sand-colored aluminum hull mated to the off-white structure, along with soft edges and fluid lines, give Giraud a shark-like aesthetic.
The design team made the most of the available space, with larger-yacht features like a pop-up cinema and multiple social areas. On top, the sun deck has oversized pads for resting, while the stepped jacuzzi enjoys 360-degree views and sits adjacent to a wet bar and more lounges. An amidship table provides al-fresco dining for all 12 guests. On the foredeck is a sunbed that look out to sea, along with a forward-facing sofa. On the upper aft deck is another enclosed dining area. From this spot is direct access through dual glass-sliding doors to the outdoor sky lounge, with a cocktail bar and underlit coffee table.
Ease for various crew functions has been factored throughout the yacht, from the second outdoor helm to the upper deck pantry and dumb waiter, minimizing disruption for guests and crew. The sound system across the yacht is also excellent.
The toy garage has jet skis, sea bobs, water-skis, wakeboards, kayaks, bikes and paddleboards providing entertainment for all ages. An 18-foot Novurania serves as the yacht’s tender. There is also diving equipment for scuba enthusiasts. In terms of toys, the owners also purchased a large inflatable slide that drops guests from the sun deck straight into the ocean. Not exactly in keeping with the artist’s interior, but still fun. Gym equipment is available in the beach area for workouts.
Giraud is powered by twin 12V M94 MTU diesels which produce 1920 hp apiece for a top end of 20 knots. The yacht has a cruising speed of 14 knots which gives it a range of just over 3000 miles. The boat is 27’4” at its widest, with a draft of 6’6”—making it ideal for shallow-harbor mooring. Its onboard stabilization system is a nice touch to reduce pitch and roll. The art-loving owner has put the yacht up for sale through Cecil Wright & Partners.
Click here to see all the photos of Giraud.
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