FORWARD OBSERVATION DECK

Even small changes in polar winds and currents can quickly lead to your yacht being surrounded by close pack ice, which can be very dangerous for yachts without extra strengthening. The SeaXplorer complies with the IMO Polar Code category B requirements – protecting the safety of you and your guests in up to 90cm first year ice. With this supreme capability, you can visit polar regions starting in the early spring when the wildlife is at its best. Towards the winter months, as the nights get longer, you can experience the northern lights (aurora borealis) or southern lights (aurora australis).

We optimised the naval architecture for a wide-range of ice conditions by testing the SeaXplorer model in ice laboratories and applying Damen Research Laboratory’s experience including heavy duty coast guard vessels and ice-breaking polar research ships.

• The diesel electric propulsion train consists of 2 x 3,500 kW Ice Class azimuthing thrusters driven by electrical motors and 4 x 2,140 ekW Generator sets main and auxiliary, plus a battery set for peakshaving 500 kWh.
• The powerful stabiliser fins retract where difficult-to-detect ‘growlers’ (truck-sized fragments of icebergs or glaciers) float beneath the surface – significant hazards for yachts with weak hull appendages such as fixed fins.

• Twin helideck (primary surface and standby area) and a double hangar.
• Two helicopters offer increased flexibility, redundancy and safety when out of range of rescue services. Plus in Antarctica, regulations require two helicopters when flying far or landing in the mountains for skiing.
• Fully certified helideck for safe landings – night, day and underway in a wider weather window; operations permitted during charter and commercial use; clear aft deck area with no obstacles or deck protrusions in close proximity
• Helideck strengthened for maximum take-off weight of 6,000 kg and D Value 15
• Weathertight below-deck hangar for two aircraft with hydraulic lift system
• Dedicated fuel room with 15 cubic-metre tank (3,900 US gallons /23,500 pounds) Jet A1 aviation fuel (total approx. 50 hours flight time; total more than 7,000 nautical miles flight range); fuel pump skid, fuel re-cycling function to clean and prevent degradation of the helicopter fuel; EX space with dedicated fire extinguishing system