Cameleon B - Summary of Barche article (01/01/2004)
Without any doubt, the surprise is big when we discover the yacht in the port of Saint-Tropez. Her shape dominates the other classic yachts. The new trawler built by Proteksan-Turkuaz is one of the most surprising yacht that we have discovered and tried.
Cameleon B reminds of the trawler yachts with her atypical profile. She has some of the typical characteristics of the expedition yachts, especially with the bulwark located 6m above the waterline. Seeing the size of the yacht, we could not have imagine that she is a semi-displacement of high speed. External decks and internal volumes are surprising as well. The main particular is the main deck being asymmetrical, with only one external gangway on port side to allow the crew to access to the engine room or the kitchen. On the aft deck, a stairway on starboard leads to the upper deck.
The shaded aft deck is a comfortable external salon. The upper deck and sundeck covered with teak are so enormous that they can be considered as “private beaches” as seen on small luxurious liners. The sundeck is unique. It is located 10m from the waterline. Approximately 20 people could enjoy the sofas, armchairs and benches without disturbing each others. It is a real place of relax completed with a Jacuzzi on the front. A spiral staircase leads to the upper deck.
The pilot wheelhouse which is 7m wide is located in the front of the sundeck. Amongst the traditional equipments there are also the alarm system, computer and a sofa. The pilot wheelhouse has vertical windows which allow 180° visibility. Behind the wheelhouse is located the office of the owner, a boudoir and the TV room which opens to the upper deck.
The same spiral staircase leads to the main deck where the surprisingly spacious owner suite is located. The absence of a gangway on the starboard allows to have a salon-bar-dining room of an exceptional surface which is illuminated with big rectangular windows that can be closed with electrical blinds going either from up or down. The kitchen which is separated by a corridor looks like a professional kitchen. The same corridor goes to the crew quarter (4 cabins and a mess).
The guests room consists of VIP (an apartment similar to the owner’s) and 3 double cabins. This gives the idea of the large surfaces and volumes in this yacht. The engine room and garage take one third of the stern. One big panel can be opened and transformed in a real beach.From the upper deck, the port of Saint-Tropez looks different. Cameleon B catches the eyes and some people look at her with some incredulity, her shape being so special.
The captain has 2 external auxiliary commands for the manoeuvring near the pilot wheelhouse. On the upper deck we can have an idea of the speed when navigating. The 2 MTU of 2’285 hp allow a speed of 20nm at 2000 “tours/minute”. At this speed the captain makes some curves without disturbing the comfort. At this speed, it is time to go to the guest rooms. Everything is fine in the 3 guest rooms which are not disturbed by the vibrations and the noise of the engines. It is not the case in the VIP where we can feel the vibrations and a little bit of noise. The soundproofing of the engine room could be improved. These problems do not affect the superior decks of this yacht whose volumes are equivalent to a 58m classic. In fact, these surfaces and volumes not only allowed the interior architect Jean-Guy Vergès to create something unusual but also to create the furniture. The internal decoration reflects the owner wishes.
This new type of yacht allow big volumes in comparison with the length and gives many possibilities of accommodation in case of chartering.The semi-displacement is an interesting concept which will bring new future solutions. Cameleon B is at the moment the best example. Behind her bow of expedition yacht and her shape of a wrestler, Cameleon B offers luxurious interiors.
Her range is 2’250 nm at 12 knots. She can reach 22 knots for shorter distances. This speed is uncommon for a yacht of this side. Furthermore, the range, improvable, is normally calculated on big displacements.The presentation of this new yacht shows the determination of Proteksan shipyard to reach the level of the best European shipyards. With no doubt, the quality of the construction and the finishing at a lower cost will bring innovative yachts on the market.
The architect, Paolo Caliari, who already originated many classic yachts built by this shipyard shows a completely different approach of what has been seen until now. With this kind of yacht, it is possible to envisage long trips in every seas, to enjoy speeding or anchoring and use toys in the garage without disturbing the guests on the upper decks.
Images
|
