A 55-metre superyacht complete with its own submarine and hidden 4x4 designed for voyages to “far flung regions” has docked in Edinburgh before embarking on a ‘lifetime of adventure’.
The stunning, specially commissioned Vitruvius Shinkai boasts a three-man underwater craft, speedboat and Toyota Land Cruiser on board amongst a host of other toys at the request of an anonymous owner, according to designer Phillippe Briand.
The boat, constructed by Dutch yard Feadship under the mysterious codename of ‘Project 708,’ offers “all of the modern luxuries’ of a standard cruiser including over a dozen cabins, guest suites and captain’s quarters alongside a ‘full beam’ dining room and recreation areas.
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Locals spotted the imposing grey vessel undergoing a final fit out at Leith’s Western Harbour before heading for the open oceans under the guide of an experienced - but unnamed - yachtsman.
Briand, responsible for a host of opulent superyacht designs with the brand, told Boat International initial plans to equip the Shinkai - which translates to ‘deep sea’ in Japanese - with an ‘underwater speedboat’ proved “slightly too far ahead of its time”.
However, its owners are unlikely to be bored, with a Jet Ski accompanying the all-terrain land vehicle in a watertight garage on-board.
The submarine is deployed by a seven-tonne crane with an eight-metre reach to safely place and retrieve the craft from under the waves.
Three people will be granted the unique opportunity to pilot the submarine around the globe before returning to cruise the seas on the boat, while an on-board sonar system will allow exploration of the ocean floor.
The crane can also be used for the boat’s limousine tender and place the Land Cruiser on terra firma from the starboard deck.
Two spacious guest suites and two twin-bed children’s suites are located on the main deck together with the main saloon, offering panoramic views while a crew of 12 has the lower deck to themselves, with seven cabins, a large mess room, laundry and galley.
In the engine room, an Italian-designed, gyroscopic active drive system weighing a whopping 23 tonnes offers a cruising speed of around 12 knots.
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Crew members were spotted carrying out work inside the upper deck and fitting furnishings to the exterior on Tuesday afternoon.
It is the latest superyacht to pitch up at the Capital’s port after the £33 million Triple Seven, used by Mission Impossible star Tom Cruise, moored in Leith in August.
It was previously owned by Russian billionaire steel magnate Alexander Abramov but is believed to have been sold to an anonymous buyer in recent years.
