FIT FOR A KING

Uae builder gulf craft is producing stylish and functional superyachts with a luxurious global lifestyle in mind.

Portrait of Tammy Strobel

Uae builder gulf craft is producing stylish and functional superyachts with a luxurious global lifestyle in mind.

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GULF CRAFT HAS INTRODUCED yet another addition to its Majesty Yachts brand portfolio, the Majesty 122. The superyacht had an exclusive preview at last year’s Kuwait Yacht, where with its flowing lines and sleek styling it was the undoubted star of the show and the largest superyacht at the event.

The Majesty 122 was the flagship of Gulf Craft’s presence, with nine other Gulf Craft yachts and boats ranging from 27 to 122 feet, making the company the largest exhibitor at the Kuwait Yacht Show.

The Majesty 122 had its global launch at the Dubai International Boat Show accompanied by its bigger sister the Majesty 135 and the 12 Gulf Craft boats that presently make up the company’s range from 27ft to 155ft. The company’s product range emphasises Gulf Craft’s unique ability to offer a design tailored to meet the needs of every boat and yacht enthusiast.

The Majesty 122 is a superyacht created with a global lifestyle in mind, a blend of style with functionality. It has earned many awards globally, including an Asia Boating Award as Best Asian Built Yacht in 2015. Ample deck as well as interior space is a distinctive feature throughout the superyacht. From the main saloon, five staterooms, raised wheelhouse to the commanding sundeck, guests can enjoy the entire upper-deck space with ease, as well as being able to descend seamlessly to the forward sundeck area near the bow.

With more emphasis and focus on water sports, the Majesty 122 has the largest tender garage in the Majesty range, with space for up to two personal watercrafts and a rigid hull inflatable tender. All three are launched with the aid of a remote-controlled crane located on the side of the garage. With ample space for diving and fishing equipment plus all of the support items a modern superyacht needs, everything is secured once the garage door is closed.

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“Kuwait has a strong cultural link with the seafaring lifestyle that stems back to the days of being a key trading and pearl fishing port for Dhows,” says Gulf Craft Chairman and Founder Mohammed Hussein Al Shaali. “Seafarers ventured throughout the Gulf and down the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean as far as Zanzibar. This heritage has been handed down to modern-day Kuwaitis who still have a passion for the sea, although these days instead of using sailing dhows it’s the latest state of-the-art power boats that they favour, making Kuwait one of our key markets. This makes the Kuwait Yacht Show a natural choice for Gulf Craft to present its latest superyacht, the Majesty 122.”

To prove the seakeeping and reliability of the Majesty 122, the Gulf Craft Chairman insisted on a shakedown trip to the Kuwait Yacht Show from the Majesty Yachts Shipyard in Umm Al Quwain near Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. It takes two days to cover the 500 nautical miles, so Mohammed Al Shaali and his fellow Gulf Craft Partner Dr Mohammed Hamdan Al-Shamsi made a point of being on the delivery trip to check out the performance of the Majesty 122 and four other smaller Gulf Craft vessels that made up the flotilla.

“We encountered rougher conditions than we anticipated with winds gusting to 35 knots and wave heights up to 12 feet, despite this the Majesty 122 handled the conditions very well and we were able to carry out the trip without delay,” says Al Shaali.

Kuwait has an active leisure boating market with an estimated total of 15,000 leisure boats over 5m in length, making it the Gulf ’s largest boating market. Gulf Craft has been selling its boats and larger yachts in Kuwait for more than 25 years and reliable estimates suggest that the company has about 40% market share. Kuwait’s market is forecast to see a growth in larger yacht sales with the opening of the new Sabah Al Ahmad Sea City Marina complex. Gulf Craft is well positioned to take advantage of the opportunities this presents.

The company has come a long way since delivering its first boat in 1982. Initial offerings from the company were practical, small boats used mainly for fishing – one of the most popular commercial and leisure activities for UAE locals who use the skills handed down by their forefathers. From its small-craft beginnings, Gulf Craft developed its boat manufacturing skills and soon moved on to larger boats with its first flybridge offering, the Adora 53 that proved an instant success in 1992.

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With the business based in the Gulf, one of the world’s fastest growing areas of rising wealth, demand for luxury products such as leisure boats was strong. Gulf Craft was in a favourable position to grow its business and it quickly became the leading boat manufacturer in the Middle East. The strong home market made an excellent foundation on which to build the business. Exports started in 1993 with sales to Southeast Asia, where the company has a continuously growing market presence.

At the end of the 1990s, the Chairman’s vision to exhibit a superyacht at the Dubai International Boat Show were on the way to being fulfilled. Into the 21st Century, a new shipyard was established in Umm Al Quwain that allowed the production of yachts 24m and above. Gulf Craft was now in the superyacht business. The company launched the Majesty Yachts brand in 2004 and the range now extends from 48ft to the latest 155 model.

The Majesty 122 has a stunningly modern interior design furnished using the latest stylish materials. It is the product of the high-tech shipyard that has the latest state of the art Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) equipment, and a nearly 2,000 strong skilled work force.

Gulf Craft is largely self-sufficient in producing most of the joinery, stainless steel, windows and other high-quality components needed for modern superyacht production. This extends to cutting marble, which is extensively used in the Majesty Yachts range for flooring, galley work surfaces and vanity tops. The company has invested in the latest waterjet cutting machinery and design technology to ensure a high-quality finish for stainless steel and marble components coupled with accuracy and efficient production.

The Majesty 122 has a layout with two accommodation decks and a sundeck that have been tastefully finished to represent the best of superyacht style and design. There is accommodation for 10 guests in five staterooms, four crew in two cabins and an additional Captain’s cabin, all with en suites.

The sumptuously designed interior is matched by its impressive exterior layout, including a large sundeck equipped for entertaining and a well-placed forward sundeck. On the starboard side of the main saloon is a folding balcony ideal for taking the evening sunshine over the water. The Majesty 122 is designed to have an ocean-going range of 2,100 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 10 knots, with a maximum speed of 20 knots.

Looking round the aft cockpit it’s clear that over the past 30 years the company has made a momentous journey from humble beginnings as a small boat builder to an international superyacht brand. The Majesty Yachts range conveys high-end luxury and value. Despite the flair and innovation apparent on every Majesty Yacht, this has not obscured the attention to detail needed to produce a yacht that can be easily handled by the crew. This yacht lives up to its credentials and RINA build standards.

Entering the yacht’s saloon from the cockpit using the wide sliding doors, there is an immediate impression of space with a large area lavishly fitted out in a contemporary style. The saloon benefits enormously from the deep windows that give a panoramic view, standing or seated. Nearly as deep as the windows is the 65-inch High Definition LED Smart TV, while for those wanting to enjoy the air over the ocean there is the folding balcony. At the forward end of the saloon is a dining area for up to 12 people that is easily accessed from the main galley, as well as a day head.

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