If you are a sailor who enjoys traveling with a helicopter, you will adore Big Shadow, the newest yacht concept by Kirsten Schwalgien Design. The 213-foot-long vessel resembles less a conventional support vessel and more a floating helicopter hangar that can store your most precious set of wings while at sea.
The Barcelona-based design firm collaborated with an experienced yacht owner with a predilection for whirlybirds to create Big Shadow. The large vessel’s ingenious roll-in heli-hangar is large enough to accommodate an Airbus H145 without the need to fold the rotor blades.
The utility helicopter’s dimensions are approximately 43 feet in length and 13 feet in height. Due to its diminutive size, the helicopter is ideal for superyacht proprietors and has numerous applications, including executive transportation, exploration, and family voyages.
Kirsten Schwalgien, proprietor of Kirsten Schwalgien Design (KSD), stated in a statement, “The owner’s brief required the heli-hangar to be integrated into the existing structure.” “The roll-in hangar enables the owner to transport their helicopter with optimum speed, efficiency, and convenience. This is a characteristic that I anticipate seeing more of in the future.”
With a beam just shy of 42 feet and a gross tonnage of 1,380, Big Shadow will cast, well, a big shadow wherever she travels. The exterior features crisp, dynamic lines and a subdued gray color scheme with fluorescent yellow accents. The tapered bulwarks and sleek superstructure contribute to the creation of an aerodynamic silhouette with a markedly industrial appearance.
Big Shadow has a spacious interior that can accommodate eleven crew members. Obviously, the vessel also transports an extensive assortment of limousine and luxury tenders, beach landers, RIBs, and other toys and equipment for the mothership’s use.
She will also have no trouble shadowing that mothership. The vessel is anticipated to attain a maximum speed of 18 knots and can travel approximately 5,000 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 14 knots.
Big Shadow has already been lauded for its ingenuity, despite the fact that it has yet to set sail. The support vessel designed by KSD obtained the Good Design Award 2020 in the transport category. Choose your mothership carefully, or she may be forced to live in Big Shadow’s shadow.