Not all yachts begin life on a drawing board. Scintilla Maris is a 45.6-metre former fishing trawler with more than 30 years’ experience at sea. The four-year conversion project, for which Vripack undertook the interior design, turned her from a single-prop fishing trawler into a capable and competent explorer yacht.
The owner’s vision was three-fold; to create a home away from home with a go anywhere hull, go anywhere seaworthiness, and a beautiful yet functional Vripack-designed interior that brings light, space and comfort to the fore.
“Scintilla Maris is less of a conversion and more of a rebuild on an existing hull,” says the owner. “I wanted to make use of the magnificent Dutch fishing trawler hulls that have been built over the centuries and to create something that offers optimum comfort and quality of life rather than luxury.”
DESIGN DIRECTIVE
The 2023 conversion was completed at the yacht’s home shipyard of Damen Maaskant in the western Netherlands. The yard worked alongside Vripack to reduce the original 570GT to below the 500GT threshold. The new Vripack-designed interiors, built from high pressure laminate (HPL), have a contemporary loftlike aesthetic, incorporating skylights, curved feature walls (to avoid straight angles and squared edges) and an eclectic colour scheme of reds, greens and yellows. HPL was selected for its durability, cost efficiency and easy maintenance.
Key to the interior design brief was an abundance of natural light in all guest areas, which led to a proliferation of portholes in the hull and skylights on deck. This includes the original hatch into the fish hold, now repurposed as a supersized skylight in the full beam owner’s suite amidships that partially opens at the push of a button.
“Because the original boat was a fishing vessel, most of the interior volume was located on the main deck amidships with very few windows,” says Marnix Hoekstra, co-creative director at Vripack. “We added huge skylights and portholes to bring light into the heart of the yacht, and gave the large interior surfaces a sun kissed white palette with dark trim elements to bring contrast. It’s the interior equivalent of a cosy, wool sweater that you might want to wear in the Arctic.”
“The owner had a clear idea on how he wants to use the boat with the maiden voyage taking in Norway, Iceland and Greenland, and we incorporated that into the interior styling. He requested a functional aesthetic that feels both classy and utilitarian without being overly opulent. He liked our studio’s approach to the project, underpinned by our experience designing commercial vessels.”
MARNIX J. HOEKSTRA - CO-CREATIVE DIRECTOR
KEEPING IT ORIGINAL
Other original features that have been retained include the windows on the bridge – the owner’s favourite place on board – that maintain the original style of glass and brass fittings, while the original communications equipment, including a single sideman radio and VHF, are preserved in a museum on the bridge.
Scintilla Maris comfortably sleeps up to 10 guests in five double staterooms, each with en suite. There is further accommodation for a crew of nine, and a separate crew galley and mess. A new hybrid-electric propulsion and harbour generator were installed to comply with stricter emission regulations, reduce the yacht’s carbon footprint, and minimise noise and vibration.
| Current name | Scintilla Maris |
| Design number | 7764 |
| Year of built | 1989 |
| Year of refit | 2024 |
| Length | 45.6 m |
| Beam | 9.0 m |
| Draft | 4.9 m |
| Designer | Damen Maaskant |
| Naval Architect | Damen Maaskant |
| Engineering | Damen Maaskant |
| Interior Design | Vripack |
| Builder | Damen Maaskant |
| Refit Shipyard | Damen Maaskant |
| Type of vessel | Explorer yacht |
| Hull type | Displacement |
| Material | Steel / Aluminum |
| Classification | Rina Registered |
| Engine | Variable frequency motor, Marelli Italy |
| Speed (cruising/max) | 9.5 / 11.8 knots |
| Fuel capacity | 14,500 liters |
| Owner & Guest | 10 persons |
| Crew | 9 persons |
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