Project 697: a Feadship classic with a modern twist

Feadship has launched the 47-metre Project 697 for an experienced owner keen to revisit the classic era of Feadship motoryachts while enjoying a rich range of cutting-edge on board facilities. Reminiscent of beauties such as Feadship’s 1992 Aurora B., she marries a striking Midnight Blue hull with a sophisticated superstructure in Matterhorn White aluminium and exterior teak woodwork with stainless steel details.

The elegance of Project 697 is in her tasteful classic design. Signed by Feadship De Voogt Naval Architects, the yacht’s profile appears deceptively simple until you notice the delicate grace of her silhouette, the walkaround deckhouse, the curved gunwale of the sun deck forward and the cambered teak deck – all discreet characteristics underpinned by superlative craftsmanship. 

The traditional design is enriched by the interior architect, who added several subtle contemporary touches such as large windows and bright spaces. Perhaps the most striking modern components on Project 697 are the grilles on the mast, the sides of the superstructure and the main deck forward: these are part and parcel of the underlying aluminium structure. Perfectly clean, even and harmonious, and yet representative of avantgarde design, metalwork and paintwork, they epitomise the yacht’s resolute but unassuming elegance. They were also exceptionally difficult to build.

A similar element is the lacquered teak handrails in the gangways on both decks – not commonly seen on yachts for quite some time, this graceful nautical feature is staging a comeback. The outdoor seating areas on the main, bridge and sun deck are finished in teak, creating a traditional feel offset by the clean stainless steel and teak stairs connecting the decks. The sliding doors connecting the lounges with aft open spaces have been finished in lacquered teak on the exterior, while the other exterior doors mirror the white of the superstructure.