Hans Georg Näder, the owner of Baltic Yachts, has been a die-hard sailor since the age of 7. Last year, he hung up his sails in favor of an explorer yacht. His 190-foot (58-meter) Pink Shadow is the third hull in Damen’s SeaXplorer series, and the first hull built at the yard’s facility in Antalya, Turkey.
It all began in 2020, when Näder took delivery of the original Pink Shadow, a 150-foot (45.6-meter) Damen support vessel for his 176-foot (53.9-meter) Baltic sailing yacht Pink Gin VI, the world’s largest carbon-fiber sloop. The support vessel’s space and cruising capability impressed him so much that he sold both boats, and, in August 2023, took delivery of his SeaXplorer 58.
Pink Shadow is the first model with a sheltered foredeck for guest comfort in Arctic climates, underpinned by an ice-class hull. The SeaXplorer series is designed in consultation with EYOS Expeditions, which is known for cruising expertise in remote destinations. Pink Shadow’s oceangoing autonomy for 30 days makes it ideal for navigating Näder’s favorite cruising grounds of South America.
Exterior design is by Azure Yacht Design. The hull’s dark-green paint was the suggestion of longtime Baltic collaborator Design Unlimited, which also took charge of the yacht’s interior, inspired by the 1980s jungle film Fitzcarraldo.
“We tested a load of paint samples with the owner during lockdown, and the dark green and gray gave the yacht an explorer feel without being too garish,” says Mark Tucker, founder of Design Unlimited, which has overseen seven of Näder’s yacht interiors. “We suggested the copper color for the fins, which the owner really likes as it gives the yacht a distinguished look. Altogether, it plays into this Amazonia theme.”
Basing a yacht interior on Werner Herzog’s German adventure-drama is unusual, but Näder embraces interesting things. He named his fleet of Pink Gin yachts after a cocktail that he and his then-captain Henry Hawkins spent the night drinking at Hamburg’s famed Old Fashioned Bar. This time, however, the inspiration runs deeper than a hot-pink spinnaker. The Amazon theme is apparent throughout, from the central staircase mural that begins underwater, ascends into mangroves and finishes in a rainforest canopy to the bridge deck day head with a bamboo backlit ceiling and faux tropical plant walls. Even the Hermès crockery is jungle-themed.
“The owner introduced the Fitzcarraldo idea during our first meeting in Antigua, and it gave us the freedom to be more eclectic with the interior, while the size and space on board ensures the design really sings,” Tucker says.
Eclectic is the word. The most literal link to the film is a custom hand-tufted rug in the main salon that depicts the Fitzcarraldo steamboat in the Amazon. It’s paired with a Louis Vuitton travel trunk table, a purple velvet sofa and a second upright trunk that opens to reveal a drinks cabinet. Nearby, the formal dining area includes a life-size female statue (originally commissioned to sit under the Pink Gin VI mast). Farther aft is the exterior “boat bar” with a rising shelf. Beyond that is a helipad used to stow Näder’s Land Rover, two motorbikes and a container filled with gym equipment.
The loose design brief called for a boat that could explore “in a more sociable way” for long periods at a time. That’s what the owner is doing. “The biggest issue so far is getting the owner off the boat,” Tucker says with a laugh. “He loves it so much, they had to extend the warranty for another year because they can’t find enough time this year to carry out the required works.”
Forward on the upper deck—or Fitzcarraldo deck—a cozy “Havana lounge” fulfills Näder’s desire for a quiet evening smoke. Baltic Yachts built a bespoke humidor for his cigar collection. The space includes armchairs with built-in cigar trays. Doors lead out to a deck with views over the bow.
Every room has commissions by favored artists, such as resin flower tables and wall panels by Marcin Rusack. Pink neon signs and steel maps of Näder’s preferred cruising locations are paired with de Gournay fabric wallpapers and a bespoke concrete table by Yasmein Hussein. A silver crocodile sculpted by British artist Michael Turner sits atop a trunk on the bridge deck salon. It’s echoed in the wheelhouse, where a “smiling crocodile” hand-carved tabletop by sculptor Piers Mason is twinned with silk-embroidered and hand-painted tropical birds dotted across the walls and velvet ceiling. The decorative wheelhouse table conveniently lowers into a daybed for naps.
There are also several comfortable nooks for lazy days at sea, most notably the “siesta room” with a daybed in the full-beam owner’s suite. Beneath the master bed, a knotted silk jungle rug depicts a leaping leopard. Behind it is a hand-painted floral mural by James Roper; the made-to-measure canvas had to be shipped from the Netherlands to the United Kingdom, and back again, before being fitted on the bulkhead.
Pink Shadow sleeps 12 guests in six themed staterooms that are decorated in leathers, fabrics and color-coordinated clothes hangers that match the wallpaper. The closets, made by Promemoria in Italy, are wallpapered on the inside. Each stateroom has its own distinctive lighting, fixtures and marbles. (There are cabins for 15 crew and two expedition staff.)
The Amazonas bar on the upper deck is where Näder settles down for a drink. It leads out to an alfresco dining area with a barbecue and hot tub. A second glass-sided plunge pool is on the lower deck in the beach club, where a rope pull activates a cold-water bucket shower.
More of Piers Mason’s hand carvings are in the beach club, adorning the totem poles and palm trees, backed by bamboo walls.
A blue mosaic ceiling floats above the central, pastel-colored, weathered wood bar. The design is a nod to the Tahiti Beach Club in Saint-Tropez where many design meetings and the Pink Gin V launch party were held. “It’s a place that is very close to the owner’s heart,” Tucker says.
Damen had originally intended the space to be a tender and toy stowage area. Instead, the yacht’s two larger tenders spend most of their time in the water, though they fit between the bar and totem poles. Two articulated bulwarks expand the footprint, stopping at 90 degrees to create balconies, or dropping completely to launch the tenders.
The owner also added a hydraulic swim ladder on the swim platform, and a wave-patterned dance floor with a disco ball and neon lights. Perhaps the most fun elements on board, however, are the two nest chairs that hang from the tender cranes, ready to swing guests out over the water. On the top deck, an exterior snug is the ultimate private sanctuary.
Specifications
LOA
190ft. (58m)
Beam
36ft. 1in. (11m)
Draft
11ft. 9in. (3.6m)
Construction
steel and aluminum
Engines
2x 2029 hp MTU 12V 4000 M65R
Speed (max./cruise)
14.5/12 knots
Range
5,000nm @12 knots
Gross tonnage
1,090
Naval architecture
Damen Yachting
Exterior design
Azure Yacht Design
Interior design
Design Unlimited
Builder
Damen Yachting
This article was originally published in the Fall 2024 issue.
