It is difficult to appreciate the qualities of this magnificent yacht without stepping on board her.
She is the result of a collaboration of talents. The dream of the experienced yachtsman who commissioned her was, first of all, studied extensively by Laurent Giles, the renowned British yacht designer. Famous for ground breaking ideas, it was his to incorporate twin retractable keels into the design to allow the yacht close access to shore. This is one of the many features found on Islander which make her a very special cruising yacht. Tank testing of the hull took place in the USA - the speed of the hull was shown to be extremely high for such a large vessel and the combination of main engines and KaMeWa water jets unusual, to say the least, at the time - acoustic engineering was undertaken by Smullen & JA Enterprises and she remains exceptionally quiet underway to this day - styling was the role of Glade Johnson and the design was, in the end, perfected, finalised, built and delivered to her proud owner by the Australian Yacht Builders shipyard in 1991.
This amazing vessel has a volume to be envied and has a great deal to offer the buyer who would like to sail the world in comfort and security with the space generally only offered by large motor yachts.
The magnificent main saloon of the yacht runs the full width of the ship and offers four different seating areas as well as a wonderful Steinway grand piano with which to entertain your guests. Thanks to Paola Smith, colours are light and harmonious and are designed to complement the wonderful selection of fine artwork and sculptures which were collected over the years by the owner.
Moving forward, the dining room which can be separated from the saloon by way of sliding doors features a dining table which can seat sixteen guests comfortably for more formal occasions and is serviced by a full commercial galley.
The owner and guest cabins are accessed by way of the large lobby on the starboard side of the yacht which incorporates a small seating area for taking coffee. From here, you enter the owner's suite which is completely
private from the rest of the ship and runs the full width of the vessel. This huge cabin is flanked by his and hers bathrooms fitted out in magnificent honey coloured marble and two large dressing rooms. The whole area is bright and airy thanks its large windows and Paola Smith's trademark light colour tones.
Adjacent to the owner's suite on the main deck there is a private office with en suite bathroom which can convert, if required, to a double guest cabin.
The remaining four guest cabins, three with double bed and one with twins and a Pullman bunk, are located on the lower deck of the yacht and each feature en suite bathrooms - two of which have large Jacuzzi baths.
In contrast to the main saloon, the bridge deck saloon is more attuned to night time entertaining with its long cocktail bar, large flat screen television and extensive music equipment including upright piano. There is also comfortable seating and a card table in this area.
Of course, much of the time spent on board any yacht is on deck and Islander offers many different opportunities. Forward of the bridge there is a seating area where breakfast can be taken and large sun pads where guests can relax in the sun in comfort. Leisurely lunches or dinners can be served in the shade on the bridge deck level and probably the most spectacular area is the upper deck with its large swimming pool, barbecue and circular bar. This is the perfect place to while away the days.
Technically Islander was built to exacting standards and the large engine room with separate generator room is proof of that. Equipment and systems are of good quality and access to the machinery is excellent. Thanks to opening doors in the hull just adjacent, access to the engine room itself is an easy operation when work is in progress. Islander has undergone several refits over the years, in 2003 she was
re-engined. During 2007 new generators were installed along with several other equipment upgrades. She has undergone her 15 year ABS survey. Islander is fully certified for charter allowing her commercial registration and all of its benefits.
In 2009 she has undergone another major refit.
Islander was built with world cruising in mind and she has proved fully capable of doing so. Many of her features are clearly the result of careful forward planning by her experienced owner and designers. These, now common on more recent vessels, were unusual at the time of her construction - her propulsion package - the retractable keels - the full size elevator which rises from the lower deck up to the sun deck - the opening doors in the hull - the large crane, capable of lifting a small car - the three powder rooms for use when entertaining in large numbers - the extensive storage space including walk in fridges and freezers - opening windows in saloons and owner's cabin - the list goes on and on. This is a very impressive vessel and inspection by anyone looking for a long distance cruising yacht is highly recommended
