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The Zeelander Z68 is a 68-foot luxury flybridge yacht that was launched by award-winning Dutch yacht-building firm Zeelander in 2014. The largest yacht in the brand’s fleet and the only flybridge, this vessel boasts the signature classic-contemporary style and deluxe finish that have made Zeelander models so prized in recent years. Plush surfaces include mahogany paneling, teak decking, steel brightwork, brushed fiberglass and a bespoke livery, while Art Deco motifs are joined by more modern curves, subtle lines and a sloping transom. Though it may be based on the traditional form of a lobster yacht, the Z68 has an expedition-style hull and powerful motors for offshore exploration and long-distance island-hopping.
Inspiring views can be sampled on the open-air bridge, where a circular forward lounge with a wet bar can be used as one sprawling daybed or, with a table in place, utilized for outdoor meals. Immediately behind this curving sofa there is an outdoor helm station with a single adjustable pedestal chair facing a stream-lined set of controls for exhilarating acceleration with the sea breeze in your face.
Out on the foredeck you will find a compact space by the bow that can fit a couple of sun-loungers, as well as a raised modular sunpad for up to four guests lined in marine-grade leather. Underneath the sunpad there is a unique tender garage with a hydraulic davit, while wide side-decks lined by high bulwarks lead back to the aft-cockpit. This circular al-fresco space can be covered by an awning for extra shade as you laze on the rounded transom sofa, dine at an oval shaped, high-gloss timber dining table or fetch drinks from the chilled storage out here. A pair of side-doors lead out to the stern, where you will discover a sloping transom that folds out to reveal a massive swim platform with beach-club dimensions.
There’s very much a mid-century theme to the sophisticated main-deck salon, where varnished wood, a teak and holly sole, plush carpeting and mullioned glazing present a sedate feel. A walk-in galley with a kitchen island, a set of bar stools, a Miele oven, a four-zone grill and under-counter refrigeration sits to aft, while ahead of this there is a formal U-shaped dining sofa with a table for up to ten hungry guests. At the front of the main-deck there is a ship-style helm station framed in timber with power-assisted steering, a vessel monitoring tablet, hand-held Simrad VHF, a trio of touch-screen devices, a joystick, bow and stern thruster controls and autopilot.
Down on the lower-deck there are sleeping quarters for up to eight overnight guests across a four-stateroom, three-head layout, with cabins down here boasting rich timber surrounds and oversized vertical portholes. A pair of double staterooms amidship feature full-height lockers and share a spa-like bathroom with a waterfall shower, while a VIP stateroom towards the bow features a queen-sized bed, its own en-suite with shower and a trio of closets. The stand-out room down here, however, is a full-beam owner’s stateroom to aft with a king-sized bed, its own private staircase, a full-beam walk-in dressing room and an en-suite with a shower, a bathtub, two sinks and marbled counters.
A pair of 900HP Volvo Penta IPS1200s power this yacht as standard, though there is also the option to equip it with a twinset of 1200HP MTU 8V M93 diesel engines or a Penta equivalent for a little extra power. Top speeds should exceed 28 knots in ideal conditions, with 22 knots proving to be the sweet spot for handling, while at lower speeds you should be able to traverse the open water for up to 1,000 nautical miles thanks to a 1585-gallon fuel tank.
