The Inevitable Path to Glory

Photography by Marc Paris

It was just more than a year ago that Feadship and Patrick Knowles Designs stunned the yachting world with the unveiling of the final refit of the 163-foot motoryacht Inevitable. This past October, there was more cause for celebration of the ship as it sailed away from the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show with the coveted first prize from ShowBoats International. At this year’s awards gala on October 31, Inevitable was officially awarded as the “Best Refit” completed in 2008.

It was not a shocking win, as upon completion of the refit project the motoryacht instantly became a media darling and continued to wow all who had the pleasure of stepping on board. The beauty, which was originally built in 1990 and sailed under the name Mi Gaea, has repeatedly been called the perfect gentleman’s yacht, a good thing considering Patrick Knowles himself has described the owner as the ultimate host who is consumed with the level of service and comfort guests receive while on board—a refit desire that was addressed by enlarging the bridge deck, which is now the entertainment hub of the ship.

Knowles and Feadship have been long-time favorites of yachting aficionados, both claiming a plethora of accolades throughout their careers, so it only makes sense that the collaboration between two masters would once again result in award-winning headlines. In a recent interview with Show Management, producers of the Fort Lauderdale show, Knowles expounded on the recent trends in interior yacht décor, many of which are reflected inside Inevitable. “I’ve been seeing gravitation towards simplicity. Colors are calmer, textures have become more important, and are rich and diversified, and finishes are more favorable to lower maintenance.” These design details show themselves on the interiors of the Feadship motoryacht with traditional raised panels in a honey teak palette and a satin finish that reveals the grain. The trend of textures is demonstrated with ecru floor coverings, upholstered ceilings, and fabric wall panels in pale linen in the main and upper saloons.

As Knowles notes, sources for such inspired ideas can trickle down from the most unexpected places, like the famed fashion catwalks of Paris and New York. As he has observed through the years, runway trends often inspire ideas for the home, particularly with so many fashion designers creating their own collections of home décor. From there, it is often a natural progression for the colors and design patterns to seep into yachting interiors as well. Knowles identifies the yacht owners who adhere to this type of design philosophy—those whose yachts are a reflection of their land-based estates—as “creatures of habit. In other words, owners who believe ‘my yacht must look like my home.’” Another category of owner dictating designs is the “lover of all things aesthetic.” Knowles explains that “this is the owner group that is responsible for bringing us that look that has a familiar feeling of home, combined with the twists of the unusual and unexpected, and sometimes that thing that’s simply ‘off the hook.’” Finally, the revered designer detailed the characteristics of a third group of owners who he calls “the daring thrill seeker—otherwise known as the ‘been there, done that’ group, who are most responsible for bringing change into the evolution of yacht design, pushing the envelope and creating cutting edge looks, for better or for worse.”

While each of Knowles’ three categories of yacht owners is distinctly different, each influences the other, while symbiotically influencing and advancing the industry as well. It is the job of top designers like Knowles to not only keep up with the trends, but to stay ahead of them and serve as a trendsetter for their clients, all while ensuring that the projects are an authentic reflection of the owners’ design ideas.
Knowles masterfully employed such a philosophy with the refit of Inevitable. “This year, I have seen owners request more and more of what I call the Resort Deck, which is a deck that is dedicated exclusively to the owners and their guests,” he explains. “This is of course a new interpretation of the ‘so-yesterday’ sun deck where most leftover toys and tenders were placed, seemingly to squeeze owners and their guests out of some of the most prized real estate on the vessel. I try to encourage owners to explore reserving the Resort Deck as exclusively theirs, where the integration of hot tub, pool, bar, exercise, dining, sunning, lounging, and entertaining utilizes this extremely valuable space, making it the ultimate destination of those on board.” Inevitable certainly offers a Resort Deck worthy of its many mentions. The spa pool and a wet bar on the sun deck is shaded by the elegance of a permanent awning, while the main aft deck offers veranda-style dining and settee lounges. The upper deck lounge features two separate spaces, a bar-and-stool area on one side, with coffee table and lounge seating on the other, where a big screen on the forward bulkhead transforms the lounge into a luxury cinema.

While the main goal of the refit was to tend to the interiors of the 163-foot megayacht, 18 months at Feadship’s yard in Makkum, Netherlands, delivered outer construction changes as well. This included expanding the deck lounge and the sundeck, reconfiguring the stern to provide easier access to the ocean waters, as well as updating the ship to be in compliance with MCC code allowing for charter permits. With five en-suite staterooms and crew cabins for 10, Inevitable is not only fully prepared to soak up the spotlight, she is also eager to treat luxury connoisseurs to all the sumptuous pleasures offered on board, perhaps some a bit guilty, as Knowles alluded to when he commented, “Oh, and yes, I do feel like people are more extravagant with their boats. Homes are just that, the homestead, and yachts are, well, they are those sexy redheads that have the potential to land us all in a little bit of trouble!”