-
Guests
16
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Cabins
6
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Crew
14
| Length | GT | Built (REFIT) |
|---|---|---|
|
55.75m
|
1,142 GT | 1974 (2016) |
| Beam | Draft | Top Speed |
| 11.91m | 4.68m | 13 Kts |
Delivered in 1974, Hydra is an award winning 55.75m expedition yacht built by Auroux. Her interior design and exterior styling comes from the drawing boards of Joseph Artese Design, while At. & Ch. C. Auroux is responsible for her naval architecture.
Key Features
- Submersible hangar
- Aquarium room used for study
- Exceptional sonar capabilities
- Ocean-going expedition yacht
- Helicopter pad
- Quantum zero speed stabilisers
- Media room and editing studio
Design & Construction
Designed around a full displacement ice class steel hull and superstructure she features a 11.91m beam and a 4.68m draft. The yacht is built over 4 decks with an internal volume of 1,142 GT (Gross Tonnes). The design also incorporates a heli-pad.
Exterior Design
Hydra is a former research ship reimagined as a 55.8 m (183 ft) expedition yacht with purposeful lines and a distinctive grey hull chosen to reduce solar glare. The steel structure is ice strengthened, with the working heart of the vessel expressed in a heavy-lift A-frame rated to 22 tonnes (24.3 tons) for launching and recovering manned submersibles. Complementary deck gear includes cranes at 25 tonnes (27.6 tons), 13 tonnes (14.3 tons) and 1 tonne (1.1 tons), plus a mission-control area on the submarine deck that oversees launch, recovery and live operations.
A certified helideck sits on the main deck and is supported by a dedicated Jet A1 tank of around 18,900 litres (5,000 US gallons) with night-landing systems and foam dispersers. The boat deck carries a custom 9.75 m (32 ft) tender alongside racks for expedition craft such as Zodiacs and PWCs, as well as a SOLAS rescue boat, giving Hydra genuine multi-platform reach in remote regions. Sub-sea survey capability is anchored by a multibeam sonar with approximately 1,200 m (3,937 ft) range for high-resolution seafloor mapping, which allows targets to be scanned overnight and briefed in 3-D ahead of morning dives. The overall aesthetic stays true to her origins – muscular, functional and tidy – but the working decks are organised to move efficiently between helicopter ops, sub dives and conventional tender work without drama.
Interior Design
Hydra’s interior was rebuilt for long-duration missions with a light, contemporary palette. Large windows and pale tones maximise daylight, while bird’s-eye maple paired with brushed-steel details creates a clean, maritime feel across lounges, dining spaces and guest areas. The bridge deck aft of the pilothouse forms the social hub, combining a main saloon and dining area with floor-to-ceiling glazing. Granite window sills are shaped for seating so guests can settle in and follow the action on deck. Forward, a feature bulkhead uses aqua-tinted, maple-framed Electroluminescent Lumicor panels to evoke an underwater glow without resorting to gimmicks.
Service flows are designed for output as well as elegance. A complete bar and a compact service galley on the pilothouse level are supplied by a large dumbwaiter rising from the main galley three decks below. A brushed-stainless spiral stair threads the levels between the observation deck and the accommodation deck, keeping crew and guest routes intuitive. The main galley is a commercial-grade stainless installation built to turn out up to 165 meals a day, supported by a crew mess with seating for 27 and a separate dining saloon for 14.
Hydra retains serious technical spaces that set her apart from conventional yachts. Dedicated wet and dry laboratories, remote-sensing stations and a powerful onboard computing suite support scientific, survey and filmmaking work. A purpose-built cold-water aquarium room employs cylindrical kreisel tanks to keep delicate deep-sea species alive in controlled conditions. Waste handling includes a high-temperature incinerator and a water-treatment plant designed for operations in pristine polar, coral and estuarine environments. A dive locker houses one low- and two high-pressure compressors with mixed-gas capability, alongside a four-person twin-lock decompression chamber mounted on a mezzanine to preserve deck area. For media, twin editing suites were specified in collaboration with leading underwater filmmakers, and a large satellite dome enables live HD transmission from virtually anywhere.
Accommodation
Guest spaces are arranged on the upper deck for views and privacy, accommodating up to 16 guests in six cabins. The layout comprises four twin cabins with en suites, plus two larger suites designated as the owner’s suite and a VIP, both with king beds, expansive glazing and generous bathrooms. A once-narrow 18.3 m (60 ft) passageway was re-imagined as a bright gallery for marine art, linking the guest accommodation with easy access to both the helideck and submersible decks. Crew are berthed for efficient round-the-clock operations, with a core ship’s complement of around 12 and additional berths for a specialist sub team and embarked scientists or documentary personnel as mission needs dictate. In total, Hydra can support an expedition complement of approximately 48 people, balancing guest comfort with the staffing required for complex operations.
Performance & Capabilities
Powered by twin diesel Cummins (KTA50M2) 1,600hp engines, motor yacht Hydra is capable of reaching a top speed of 13 knots, and comfortably cruises at 11 knots. With her 350,113 litre fuel tanks she has a maximum range of 10,000 nautical miles at 11 knots.
Amenities
In addition, a sumptuous cinema suite allows for movie nights at sea. Air conditioning offers increased on-board comfort.
Hydra Yacht is not For Sale
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