The greatest compliment clients can pay a shipyard is returning to commission a second vessel—Project 408.
But when owners describe their first yacht as "almost perfect," the bar for excellence is set very high. This is precisely the story behind Royal Huisman’s second *Aquarius*, delivered in 2025.
The meticulous brief called for the same elegance and familiar comfort found in the world-cruising ketch delivered to the experienced owners—a married couple—in 2018, but with increased volume, expanded accommodation, and even more dynamic sailing performance.
The requirements included an additional guest cabin with an en-suite bathroom and an extra double cabin for the crew. The owner’s gym and media room were to be enlarged. Furthermore, the project demanded a larger engine room and service areas, as well as increased storage capacity for longer voyages.
To achieve this, the volume had to increase by 45%. Designing a successor with greater length and beam posed no challenge.
To ensure this new 65-meter edition was faster and more agile, the design and construction team focused entirely on creating a yacht with retro aesthetics and exceptional performance. The owners made it clear that the perfect yacht for their lifestyle also needed to be capable of winning regattas.
Project 408 is the enlarged version of Royal Huisman’s *Aquarius*.
Once the teamwork approach, the team of professionals, and the design strategy for this larger vessel were established, the second *Aquarius* benefited from a list of 728 valuable ideas compiled by the captain and crew. Drawing on six years of family sailing experience, the list proposed practical interior changes for daily living, smart maintenance improvements, and expanded galley, system, and storage areas.
Although not conceived as a Grand Prix racing yacht, this ocean-going cruiser—built using Alustar aluminum alloy, which is lighter, stiffer, and more corrosion-resistant—clearly leaned towards speed and excellent performance. Early in the design meetings, the owners faced a choice: opt for a mast low enough to transit the Panama Canal or prioritize performance. Without hesitation, their answer was: "We choose performance."